The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-10-01
NUMBER Al.

Is dull business TO sit all the evening with
nothing to do. Most farmers have but
two meals day In winter. dinner and
supper together when the children come
homo from school. Then the time hangs
dull. with little or nothing TO rad. until
bedtime. This Is great waste OF time.
and has tendency to render tho intellect
dwarfed and dull. Constant labor In the
field. where the only occupation OF tho
mind Is to follow orders, Is dull enough,
but still better than nothing at NIL, while
such labor through the day, followed by
evenings spent without any interesting or
entertaining occupation, is evidently, to
say the least, not calculated to develop
and instruct the mind.
While In school, of course the tendency
Is better; and II sufficient interest Is
awakened to devote portion Of the eve
ming to lessons, II Is still better. But too
generally this Is not the case. When
nothing Is done to draw attention or excite
interest, nor anything tending 10 help tho
child understand the value OF learning.
there will be very little attention to studies
MT homo
With farmers, school learning Is regard
ed rs an end sought, and not enough as n
means better to enable the child to obtain
further information. II Is also considered
ms only the way to learn certain things,
like writing and the use of figures, that
are necessary In doing business. and not
enough as mental discipline that will bet
ter develop the mind and intellect. Now
Is Il not reasonable to expect that with n
better understanding Of the advantages OF
learning and intelligence. the child Will
feel more interest In his studles2 and. that
II necessary, lessons will be finished In the
evening, and then tho reading VIII DO
taken up that, II properly directed, can he
followed with tho most interest and nd
vantage? Then with interest and curios-
ity excited. there will not only DO suitable
mental discipline, but agreeable occupa-
ton, that will leave little desire TO pass
evenings away from home. Then with the
taste for and habit Of reading formed. and
directed as pointed out before, and sutli-
cient books and other reading provided To
keep up tho interest and occupy all spare
time, there will be little temptation TO fre'
quent the Objectionable places and form
the bad habits SO many young men are
addicted to.
But here will come up the strongest OBJ
lection; 1t will bc said that 50 many books
and papers will cost money. The farmer
will say: II spend NIL the money i can
afford to give my children learning. and
have little to spare for books. And then.
don't know how many will bc needed,
Il may be hundreds of dollars worth, for
Il must take n good many books and pa-
pers to keep family occupied all spare
hours. and don't see how Il can be nj.
forded." But while your children have
the best advantages Of the schools. to
make their school learning of the great
est practical benefit, Is one Of the leading
objects of these articles. Now you may
spend considerable money for education.
and not feel II much, because you are
many years doing It.
Two or three hundred dollars each for
five children. expended In the course OF
ten or fiftecn years, may be only one hun
dred dollars year. which Is not heavy
burther on good farm. Books can be
bought, sfowa DC time, ~ needed, and not
feel Il, while they have this advantage that
while certain amount must be paid for
schooling each child. all can have use Of
the same books. For instance $500
paid for extra schooling Tin high schools.)
Is only $500 apiece; while $500 paid for
books will be so many dollars for each
one; and In many, perhaps npst cases,
the books. if well selected. will result I'm
more benefit through life than the extra
schooling.
Again: In many families one or two Of
the brightest will be intended for u pro-
fessional or mercantile career. and will be
sent to high schools. while the rest will
only have access TO common schools. Now
there can bc little doubt that the money
devoted to this extra schooling. II well
laid out In books, would bc ofmuch great
or use to the family Mt whole. The
books will go far In developing and direct
ing the capacity and ability of each one;
and while those considered most bright
and active, may continue very ''smart'
through life-which by the way, Is by no
means always the ci.se-the quicter, and.
rs supposed duller boy. may be the ablcst
and soundcst man after all. 1t Is the qui-
ct, studious, deep thinkers, that are Of the
most use to their age and gcncration, and
tn the world at large; and books rather
than schools are best calculated TO bring
forward such men. Not but the advan.
tages of both should bc secured when II
can ba done; but II either books or high
schools must be omitted. believe Il would
better be the latter; for I believe moro
able men are made by reading without
the benefit of high schools. than by such
schools without the benefit Of extensive
reading. It's not merely the ability to work
on difficult problems, or 10 repear and de-
scribe intricate processes, that Is wanted,
but Il Il the thinking, working mind. Tho
one may bc best Mt getting lessons and rc-
pcating formul1. but with the mind run
ming In such channels there may be- little
deep, original thought. And although the
other may bc called dull student In col.
lege, stillby following up hisbook studies
or reading mt home. he may become one OF
the most noted and useful men ofthe time.
Again: large rs the expense Of suit
able amount and variety ofbooks seems,
In most cases II will actually be aqucstion
and matter Of economy. IL will cost less
money to provide all the reading In view.
than To pay the expenses incurred by fre-
qienting the usual places OF resort. In
such places there Is constant temptation
and tendency to spend money; and leaving
out the liability 10 become intempcrate.
there arc many habits formed that cost
much money. Take the one habit Of us
Ing Tobacco, and little calculation will
show that Il will cost each one more mon
cy In the course of his life, than would bs
ncctied to furnish n good supply of books,
while It Is very seldom that boy gets In
to the habit Of running to tho village with.
out forming taste for the weed. And
then the additional cost for fine clothes.
which will be more largely and frequently
worn; and for horses and carriages, 50
much more frequently used, and often In.
iired or ruined when having IN fine time"
Tho expense of books will be found small
In comparison with what often takes place.
Indeed know farmers who, II by spend
ing thousands for reading matter they