The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-12-09
COntentment.
SAM P. JONES.

The old saying that ''cpntentment
is better than wealth implies that
wealth is inconsistent with content
ment, and observation goes far TO sus
tain the assumption, although there
is no logical necessity tor 1t. Inc
value Of contentment cannot he prop
eIiv guaged, however, without Cons!d-
erIng The standard OF lie set by the
person who is Con,entcd. Where con-
tentment IS assucla'ed with squa!' r
and ignorance Il Is not 70 lie COM
mended. Cunfentment IS TO be found
in the very lowest ranks OF society, as
sociated with poverty ami Ign rrance,
but it is due to want Ut ambition and
lack of knowledge OF the existence Of
better things. How far 1t NAV be
desirable to disturb such contentment
through.educational and other REIN
ing Influences IS question not fully
determined 1t seems to te clear,
may be done by increasing he wants
OF a person without 1t The same time
providing him with means OF SATISFY
ing those wants.
1t is unquestIonably desirable that
men should be "a sed 10 higher plane
than that of the brute creation; that
they should not be lett IN condition
t, be content with the mere gra,ltlca-
ton Of their animal passions. But
along With the education or culture
which increases their wants should go
all education to tit them 10 satisfy
such wants. Il IS unhappily true that
| common school education does not al
ways accomplish these two purposes.
| Quite often II Improves one S tastes, in
| Creases ones wants, yet leaves It's ben
eficiary no better able to earn a living
| than before. The man who, if un
trained, would have been contented
| laborer or mechanic If, through educa :
ton, he has been given a dlstaste for
| manual labor without being hted tor
higher calling. He then is liable to
become an ldler, criminal or dis
conten,ed, unhappy worker, and In
| either case he has been robbed OF that
precious boon which is said 10 be bet
ter than wealth. Besides its appllCa
ton to individuals this observation
may effect the course Of educational
Influences brought 10 bear upon whole
races OF people.
We have witnessed n this country
the evil effects of raising the Deepen
dent classes too quickly beyond the
plane upon which they can sustain
themselves. They have been rendered
less useful in the calllngs for which
they were fitted, and Disconnected and
unhappy because they ale no., as a
rule, qualified for higher callings |,
is we'll to advance men as rapidly as
| possible to an appreciation OF all that
goes to make up culture, but the ad
vance should be gradual, SO that they
may not at any stage Of it lose alto
gether the one resource of the poor
-Contentment. Absolute content
ment would be incompatible with am
bition or the desire for improvement
|" but there is a degree Of reasonable
COntentment which can exist along
with the desire for bet,erment, and il
is this kind of contentment that all
men should have. They should be
satisfied to make the best possible o.
existing conditions, though DESTROYS O.
improving the conditions. Then they
will exert themselves to develop lheil
taCul KS, but will not advance SO rap
idly as to be deprived of the means O
realizing their immediate wants Con.
tentment associated with a reasonable
ambition is precious boon; it is one
of the chief elements of true happiness