Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-05-26
Mechanical RecreatiOns.


The purpose of this article is to show
that mechanical employments furnish
the most healthful and delightful recrea-
ions for such as are not constantly en-
| ployed in them,
The purpose of recreation Is as the term
implies to re-create or renew the ex-
hausted energies of mind and body. Per-
feet rest, such as is secured by good,
sound. refreshing sleep, is ofall the means
by which this Is accomplished, the most
powerful.
tits true food is the fuel by which the hui
man engine rum and does work, but the
analogy between a machine constructed of
lifeless material and the animal economy
ceases when we consider anything beyond
the mechanical power of muscular move
ment derived from the consumption Of
food.
The human machine includes within it.
self a directing power which wearies and
wears, and cannot be continuously en-
ployed in a single direction without ia
tigue. The wise Solomon saw that much
study is a WEAKNESS to the flesh. And
modern Psychologists have not failed to
see tn t undue manual labor impoverishes
and enfeebles the mind.
The will concentrated long upon COM
pelling the muscles to perform a certain
routine of movement, finds itself at
IeuBLu pOWeTISSS W COu1uuduu. IL muS1
then cease exertion entirely as in sleep, or
it must exert itself in some new direction.
This is what is commonly called recrea-
ton, that is, an occupation which affords
an agreeable contrast to that which has
caused fatigue.
We think it is ~indisputable that any en-
ployment which exacts moderate muscu-
lar activity, atthe same time interesting
i the mind by employing its powers upon
= such topics as do not arouse the animal
passions, while they moderately engage
! the higher mental powers, has in it al
4 l the elements of healthy recreation. In
' our opinion nothing whatever so com
Z bines these elements and furnishes &c
= cheaply the needed relief to professions
men and hard students as some mechani
cal occupation, in which originality o
design may be united with manual skill
in execution.
In such recreation the entire tendency
: is to gratefully relieve the mind, gently
exercise and invigorate the body, anC
build out and cultivate powers which
cannot be developed to the moral hurt o
s the individual, but generally increase hi
intellectual stature.
In such occupations the mind wearieI
with business cares, or by much study
may revel in refreshing beauties of form
color. n motion, and find the highest @
= all pleasures in the contemplation of tn
relation of simple causes to compile,
effects.
y A man who has in this way attaine
to even moderate skill, may find his lath
y a magical instrument by which he ca
n clothe the rudest materials with forms c
beauty, and crafty to the utmost this
l. wonderful combination of faculties b
is which man most asserts his superiorit
D. over the brutes.
Imagination here finds, if not so wild
n e4@~0 a a, - a0AA-- - ALo G-A a~ka 1n
ficient to give it ample employ, and t
d Danish from the mind all evil thinkin
and day dreaming, which to the youn
mind is always hurtful and sometime
fatal.
sr On this latter account we recommen
>, most earnestly mechanical recreation fC
&c the young. Let the boys build windmill
and miniature dams. They soil the.
clothes, but how much better soiled ga
= ments than soiled minds. They may CT
their fingers with the tools you perm
= them to employ, but you will find sue
e wounds heal in less time than the fou u
y GERS of moral corruption.
Every man who can afford it shoul
~ supply his boys with tools, M a roo
where they may be used and cared 70
u A boy takes to tools as naturally as
- , green apples, or surreptitious n forbit
4 den amusements; and ten to one ifhe hS
ID a chance to develop his mechanical tast'
and crafty them to their full extent, h
a tendencies to vicious courses will renal
us undeveloped. Such a result is enough
)u compensate for all the expense an
ne trouble the indulgence we recommer
In would entail; while the chances that tt
a early development of his constructiN
m faculties may in this mechanical age |
the means by which he may Ultimate
g. climb to anne and fortune are not sma
is Scientific american.
m