The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-06-29
Ia JENKINS GOES TO A PICNIC.
Maria Ann recently determined

go to picnic
Maria Ann is. my wife-unfortu-
nately. She had planned it to go it
alone, SO far as / was concerned, on
that picnic excursion; but when l
heard it determined to assist. She
pretended she was very glad, but L
don't believe she was.
from your work day." she said;
'and we shall so much enjoy a cool
morning ride on the cars, and dinner
in the woods"
On the morning of that memorable
day Maria Ann got up at five O'Clock.
About three minutes later she dis
turbed my slumbers, and told me
to come out to breakfast. / told her
Ilwasn't hungry, but it didn't make a
bit of difference, l had to get up. The
sun was up; had no idea the sun
began business so early in the morn
ing, but there he was.
"Now," said Maria Ann, we must
fly around, for the cars start at half
past six. Eat all the breakfast. you
can, for you won't get anything more
before noon."
I; could not eat anything at that
time in the morning, and it was just
as well that 1 could not, for had all
could do. There was ice to be
pounded to go around the pail of ice
cream, and the sandwiches to be cut,
and l thought / never should get the
| legs of the chicken fixed SO that l
could get the cover on the big basket.
Maria Ann few around and piled up
groceries for me to pack, and gave di-
| rections to the girl about taking care
| of the house, and was putting on her
dress all at once. There is a great
deal of energy in that woman-per-
haps trifle too much. -
AT twenty minutes past six stood
on the front steps with basket ON
one arm, and Maria AIMS water
proof ON the other, and pail in each
hand, and bottle of vinegar in my
coat-skirt pocket. There was camp
chair hung on me somewhere, too, but
l forgot just where. sm
+ "Now," said Maria Ann, I" we must
run, or we shall not catch the, ,cars."'
"Maria," said /, Z" that is reason
able idea. How do you suppose I can
run with all this freight"
you must, you brute. You al
waysstry to tease me-, If you don't
want scene on the street you will
start, too." .,i 80.
So I ran.
1 had one comfort at least. Maria
Ann fell down and broke her parasol.
| She called me brute again because l
laughed. Maria Ann drove me all the
way to the depot on a brisk trot, and
we got on the cars but neither of us
could get seat, and 1 could not find
place where 1 could set the things
down, SO stood there and held them.
Maria" said, in winning accents,
g how is this for cool morning ride ?"
Said she, I" you are brute, Jenk-
ms" g oi 0;A
Said I, "my love, you have made
that observation before" Hs"saH
kept my courage up, yet / knew
there W would be an hour of wrath when
we got home. While we were getting
out of the cars the bottle in my pock-
| ct got broke, and consequently 1 had
| one boot half full of vinegar all day.
That kept me pretty quiet, and Maria
Ann ran off with big-whiskered
music teacher, and lost her fan, and
l,got her feet wet, and tore her dress,
and enjoyed herself much after the
fashion of picnic goers. I thought it
never would come dinner time, and
Maria called me pig, because want
ed to open our basket before the rest
of the baskets were opened.
| At last dinner time come-the ssnice
dinner in the woods,w you know
Over three thousand little red ants
had got into our dinner, and they were
worse to pick out than fish bones
The ice-crearn had melted. and there
was no vinegar for the cold meat ex-
cept what was in my boot, and of
course that was of no immediate use.
The music teacher spilled cup of hot
coffee on Maria's head, and pulled all
the frizzles out frying to wipe off the
coffee with his handkerchief. Then l
4 sat on a piece of raspberry pie, and
spoiled my white pants, and conclud
ed didn't want anything more. /
had to stand up against tree the rest
of the afternoon. The day afforded
considerable variety, compared to ev-
little draw backs that did not enjoy
it SO much as might have done.
l. 2;---------
HEALTH OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
The Medical College of Middlesex,
Massachusetts, having for a long time
considered the influence of public
schools on the health of children, au-
thorized the publication of the follow
bers IL - -' -'- -
l.. No child shall be allowed to
attend school before the beginning of
his sixth year. iasfe ali QaaeIa are
2. The duration of daily attendance
including the time given to recess
and physical exercises-should not
exceed four and half hours for PR
mary schools; five and a hall for other
schools. ..-. ...5.. ..,
3. There should be no study requir-
ed outside of the school-unless at
high school, and this should not exceed
81 4. Recess time should be devoted to
play outside of the school room-un-
less during stormy weather-and, as
this time belongs to the pupils, they
should not be deprived of it except
for serious offences; and those who
are not deprived of it should not be
allowed to- study; no child should
ever be confined to the school room
during an entire session. The mimi
mum of recess time should be fifteen
minutes each session, and in primary
schools there should be more than one
recess in each session, ,... 7RF,-os
3. Physical exercise should be used
in school to prevent nervous and mus
cular fatigue, and to relieve monotony
but not aslmuscular training. 1t should
be practiced by both teacher and chill
dren in every hour not broken by re-
cess, and should be timed by music.
In primary schools every half hour
should be broken by exercise, recess
or singing. sasraz | ~
| 6. Ventilation should be amply pro-
yided for, by other means than by
opening windows, though these should
be used in addition to special means.
during recess and exercise time.
II. Lessons should be scrupulously
apportioned to the average capacity of
the pupils, and in primary schools the
slate should be used more and the
book less; and the instructions should
be given as much as possible on the
principle of "object teaching"