Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-05-26
Mechanical Recreatiens.


that r1echabtca1 empldyments furnish
the fldst healthfuf and dtlightful recrea
tons for such % are not constantly EN-.
plOysd In them. txsoa So ssss49.iar T
The purpose of recreation 10 a. the term
implies to re-create or renew the )ex'
hsusted energies Of mind and body. Per.
feet rest, such a. 10. secured by good
sound, refreshing sleep, is Ofall the meani
by which this h accomplished. the most
powerful s3i NJ IS SeEoa 9sE az nus 4
tits true food is tho fuel by which the hu
man engine runs and does work, but the
analogy between machine constructed d
lifeiess material and the animal economy
ccnscs when we consider nythiug beyOnd
the mechanical power Of muscular move
ment derived from the consumption o
food. a aT9E eAs 10 fdk TOTO I
The human machine includes within It
self directing power which wearles ant
wears, and cannot be continuously EN-
plOyed In a single direction without ia
tigIIe. The wise Solomon saw that mucf
study Is q WEAKNESS to the flesh. Ant
modern psychologists have not failed K
see that pndne manual labor impoverishe'
and enfeebles the mind.
The will concentrated long upon com
polling the muscles to perform q certain
routine Of movement, finds itself d
length powerless TO command. 1t must
then cease exertion entirely az u sleep, OF
1t 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 hal
caused fatigue.
We think, it Il indisputable that any EN-
ploymept which exacts moderate muscu
lar activity, at the same, time interesting
the mind by employing lis powers upon
such topics as do not arouse the aniEna'
passions, while they moderately engage
the higher mental powers, has in 1t sl
the elements OF healthy recreation, IN
our opinion nothing whatever 50 com
bihes these elements and furnishes sC
chcsply the needed relief to professional
men and hard students IS some mechani
cal occupation, in which originality oi
design may be united with manual annual skill
In execution. 81 $3.50
III such recreation the entire tendency
il TO gratefully relieve the mind, gently
exercise and invigorate the body, and
build out and cultivate powers which
cannot be developed to the moral hurt Of
the Individual but generally Increase hi'
In such occupations the mind wearied
with business cares, or by much study,
NAV r3vel In refreshing beauties Of form,
oal0r. and motion, and find the highess al
all pleasures In the contemplation Of the
relation Of simple causes to complies
64eCtA j310 lIIi .3lEe sol otu HiiH1
u man, who has IN this way attained
10 even moderate hill, may ind his lathe
4 magical instrnment by which ha car
clOthe the rudest mAtsrials with fprms .ol
beauty, and crafty to the utmost that
w0uderf0li co0hinition s Of, hCultaes Sby
which man most Asserts his superiority
Is Imagination here iluda IL not % wide
q scope a In poetry, Of the dne arts, mi:
f1cient to give II ample employ, and 70
Danish nom the mild all evil thinking
and day dreaming which to the young
mind d always hurtful and sometimes
fatal.
9qO ON this ,lattsr account W recpmmend
most earnestly mechanical recreation for
eths yorne. Let the boys build wind:miils
and miniStsrso dams. "a They shil their
clothes, hut how much better Soiled gar
ments than soiled minds. They may cut
their fingers with the tools you, permit
them to employ, but you win find spch
wounds heal in less time than the foul Ill.
.ceEsof moral corruption ., ,,vsy uo., Il.
Every man who can Afford It should
supply his boys -yith tools and roon
X1bcy III q tboi9 e hsi6flil = 70
green apples, or Aurreptitious and forbid.
den amusegheits and Ten 70 one If he has
s.chance TO develop his mechanical tastes
eSl e}k6k Men . tkeR tulf Sxtsnt his
tendencies to vicious courses viii remain
undeveloped. 6uth result 10 enough TO
compensstA fMrnlfT thegsexpense and
trouble yk6 iSdutgsAc9 w recommend
ISa1 ltntz III. yhfS tAe dances that The.