Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-07-11
THE SEASON OF VACATION.

ton.
THE SEASON OF VACATION.
People think of summer vacation usually
as itconcerns themselves-they are tired and
desire change, and feel that they will be
benefited by it. The hard and close lives
which they may lead clamor loudly for
something different, and vacation is thought
of chiefly as it brings relief to an over-taxed
physical nature or intellectual life.
This is but one side Of vacation. 1t rep
resents what one directly and expressly
aims at, and it is valuable as far as it goes,
but there are other ways in which yaca-
ton is to be regarded, and it is of more
value often indirectly than directly. Peo-
pie change their homes and surroundings,
and give and receive, in their social inter
course with Others, elements of the greatest
mutual value TO all concerned They or
-ssnize new social 1etstiuns, tney feel the
appear 70 aa'g-sympathles, they are touched
on different sides Of their lives, they drink
In at the seashore, the unpretending farm
house, the little inland towns, or among the
mountains, or on the quiet rural uplands, a
new inspiration, and find themselves enter
ing upon new existence. Partly through
their contact with nature and partly through
meeting with people whose training and
experience have been different from their
own, they become conscious Of a change in
their own existence, and they accommodate
themselves to the new conditions with eager
hess and enthusiasm.
In few words we will explain our mean
ing more plainly. During the months of
July and August at every place of summer
resort throughout the land, merchants from
every direction will come for their usual
vacation, they will become acquainted with
one another and will exchange views upon
every subject public interest. Their wives,
within limits, will do the same. PROBES.
sional men will mingle with them or will
meet by themselves and exchange views in
IN similar manner. There is not family
or person making changes for the season
where this social exchange does not bear
some sort of fruit
The outcome is that the American people
during the summer season go through a
vast amount of social education. They com
pare notes together. They look at things
as other people see them. They acquire a
training and experience which could not
be secured so effectively in any other way.
This 10 reanhinu a rooult hv on ;pd;raot
means, but it is result of the first import
auce in our social development 1t helps
TO save our people from provincialism.
Again and again will one note the pleasant
cnces of the summer vacations. The small
IDEAS OF life have been enlarged, men have
obtained suggestions from other men in their
leisure moments which they would never
have found time 10 take up at home The
whole order Of life of many persons has
been changed or enlarged so that they see
life very differently from what they did
before
We know from experience and observa-
ton that very few can come in contact with
the mountains, or with the sea, without feel.
Ing that new powers are brought into exer.
else, or without returning from vacations in
these places with their whole life reno.
waited. 1t is through this large experience
of vacation in contact with individuals and
with nature, and through the rest that comes
To our overtaxed energies, that people are
ahla IN, hAar tn do ho otra In ~
activity that is upon them. We work hard
and we play hard, and by the interplay oil
the two we are able to make life worth
living
People could not work at their present
speed week in and week out through the
whole year without using up their vitality
at too rapid rate, hence the rightly or
dered vacation lifts man or woman out OF
these narrow surroundings and helps him
to create new atmosphere, and it is here
that people who mingle freely with person.
from other parts of the country obtain Q
social benefit which is, perhaps, even more
important than that which is secured fol
the mind and the body.
The result of all this is that vacation car
rightly be regarded as not only res
from ones customary toll, but as socia
recreation by which rest may be interpreted
rightly as a "change in our busy career,
as most properly "a fitting from sphere tc
sphere"
We want to see everybody have a vaca
ton, let them mingle freely with those
whom they do not know, lie: them touch life
at the poles opposite their own, let them
reach out into new experience and ireshen
themselves at the sources Of both their per
sonal and their social life