Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19

So In attempting to show the Frer Oh
boarding school boy in his two free summer
months 1t has always been necessary to re-
turn for illustra ton and explanation to the
ten months Of the school, to say two words
for the college to one for the vacation. And
this is unavoidable. Whether it lie a hoy OF
rich parents, who take him to their cottage
by the sea in August ana in September to
IN tse ,6 chateau se for the vntage Or whether it
people who go boarding on the Norman
coast and In the mountains Of the Eosges
and the Jura. at quiet places whose sea
son" depends upon this family patronage.
the vacation Is overshadowed by the achooi.
And though In comparison a paradise. the
vacation is marked by restrictions different
rather IN detail than In nature from the re-
strictions Of the school.
1t must not be thought that the boys va
cation ciS is therefore dull 1t IS only circum.
his own, and his pleasures are the partic-
1pated pleasures of his elders In the
great chateaux land. In proportion to popu-
latfon there are twenty rich people in
France to one in America, and the bulk OF
them have country houses) the month of
September is the gayest in the year. Day
after day there are dances. theatricals din
ners, shooting parties and all kinds Of So
ciable reunions. The life of the place is
brightened BY the presence Of the children.
delight of their elders. The boy may either
take on the dignity which comes from his
training. or he may romp with them as he
gins to be treated by his parents and by
up and he takes pleasure in their company.
All move together parents, guests young
children and older children, with a light
ing not little due to the artificial seclu-
sion they have built up for themselves
The vintage Itself is a series Of pictures
The blue-clad peasants move slowly along
the rows of vines cutting of the purple
punches into wooden pals, whence they are
transferred into carts that take them to
in the ancient fashion by men with bare
legs and crimson dyed wooden shoes
Among these the chatelaine walks with
her guests, her children or grandchildren
There is the enclosed woods or park al
ways open to walks and easy saun,eriags
the domestics to lord IL over and his fr-
ture domain to walk through and admire
Tor II Is rather new to him and never so
familiar as the cramped and formal bar
racks Of the boarding school, where, no
matter what his wealth may be, he must
put up with bare. scant furniture.
nnds 1t easy to conduct himself after a
mature and decorous fashion among his
elders on his school vacation, mingling his
life entirely with that Of his family. He
knows no other way. and, considering the
ten months to come. 1T is both reasona BILE
and pleasant for him; These two months
for he commences at the age Of nine and
really never takes up his family life again
completely until he sets up q family Of
his own. Therefore, when October comes.
he ruefuliy enough resumes the burdens
of his youthful existence.
Even in France there are grave doubts
as to whether this system OF hot house
education is better than the day school
although In theory 1t is set up to take him
from the hot house pampering Of the home
Prof. Lavisse. who Is leader In French
university education, has recently said
something like this to the boys of a large
Lycee Of extremes" at Paris, boys who
have a boarding school drill but go home
each night to their families.
1T is with the collegians as with the
rest Of men, he said; happiness is dis
trfbuted among them unequally. You are
among the happiest, you whom every even
Ing sends back to your home. At your age
separated from my own people, / often con-
hded my grief to my pillow and 1 envy
you your boyhood. You know how sad IL
is for poor little man to have no one to
smooth his bed. for him to go to sleep With
out having said that word which Is one of
the sweetest in the world, good night
mamma. STERLING HEIIIG