Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-12-06
Educational epariment.
EDITED BT
snaIl We Decorate ?

] Surroundings exert a silent influence.
/ We may not be aware of it, but the in
! fuence is there. I never heard of a
/ person who loved and cared Tor flowers,
/ pictures and good literature, who did
! no good in the world. If our surround
! ings are pleasant we cannot but 5e IN a
; pleasant state of mind On the other
hand let them be Of the baJe-cheerless-
! wall order, and everything else Is of the
! same cold, stiff sly IL. DO you enjoy
! lliep is not some other place, where
/ things are of 3 more pleasant and
/ cheerful character, more attractive
! than your home, school, or place Of
/ business?
a stranger need not be in any doubt
I of friendly reception if the lady of the
/ house is woman OF taste and refine
ment. The outward signs Of refine
meat are seen by the way a house Is
decorated. DO not be SO Sparing of the
money thus expended. We should Sc
lect our pictures, books and dyWers
with care and taste, for they educate
/ morally, physically and intellectually.
Teachers, have we not the moral, Is
we'll as the intellectual training of a
child to guide and deVelOpe, at school,
under our charge? II so, by what
means can this be better done tuan by
flowers, pictures and suitable literature,
and by having things look cheerful and
pleasant? Remember we have the fu-
Uure fathers and mothers in our care,
What great good Is there going to be
derived from educating people IN this
Domby style? 7 here Is too much Of it
already. "a e need TO educate people 10
be Of Il cheerful, happy and contenUed
disposition. DO not think we viii dis
tract q child's attention by having the
school-rOOm decorated, that is all nom
sense. 1 have heard some people re-
mark that they did not think it was
right to have church decorated, be
cause II would distract the attention of
the wors hipers. Well, if they ara
Piousiy inclined, the pictures will only
o1nud them Of notable events during
The lite of The Savior And those who
are Dot pi0us will probably learn some /
ihng from the piCtures and music.
they may learn something that will be
oI t,sgs IL after life
If we have school houses we'll plas-
tered anu with plenty of coed seats, wa
should not sill aud nave The bare, cold
walls staring Us In the face. If we have
dug-9uts, Try To make them look as
cheerful As possible. They can be
made TO look quite pleasant. 1t has al
ton, TO teach Ia a dug ont
Why do We dress ourselves in 3
cheerful, attractive styleP Is il to dis
tract the attention of those around US
from their work? Or IS it because we
feel better and more cheerful, dressed
in a cheerful style2 Remember that If
our surroundings are cheer. u they will
add greatly to our comfort and happi-
ness, We should not think that il we
are interested in our work we will not
care how our surroundings look. That
is all nonsense.
One Of the great causes Of discomfort
among our farmers wives and daugh-
tiers is that their surroundings are cheer
less and unpleasant. We should have
things around US pleasant and cheerful,
and we will not only notice the effect
on ourselves, but on the children also
There will be q noticeable moral tOuing
and refining effect DO not think some
one viii think, by your decorating your
house, Yourself or school house, that
you haven't education enough. There is
no one 50 well educated but he has
something yet to learn. Ne do not
want an education, if we have to shut
out al that Is pleasant In life while we
are being educated. never liked the
idea of a mans spending fOur-hfths OF
his time Ia getting ready 10 live the
other fifth. We viii do more good, and
live longer, if we take a little pleasure
IN our every -day life. BERTHA,