Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1906-06-28

the bone and sinew. the eye. brain.
heart of our future civilization. for,
"Whate'er the land. though all things
else conceiving.
Unless il breeds great men IL is not
great
American Medicine in a current is
sue has an excellent article on sleep
and Study" Reading il with interest
we were given pause" by this para
graph:
theoretically a student should be
as fresh at the end OF the term as
at the Eeginning-the vacation is for
another purpose than sleep. The whole
subject-though very old is so new TO
the layman who do the damage TO school
boys, particularly in boarding schools.
that there is urgent need of wider
publicity and much discussion for en-
lightenment. Not only will proper
sleep permit more TO be gained for
less effort. but will prevent the ey-
haustions which so frequently follow
school courses, After careful and
lengthy thought on the subject we
have felt called upon TO submit the
following TO other "laymen" who. we
feel. do even greater damage" 10
scholars during the summer vacations.
Those who have charge of the boy
tand much that here follows may also
be applied TO our girls) during the
summer cannot or will rot see how
much of fine intellectual growth can
be lost in two months of sport that is
completely divorced from thought.
They give him a breathing space from
which he catches a mental cold that
holds him for six months: they let him
rest OH the oars until he drifts out on
the wide sea of ignorance: they pro-
vide him with a shady spot on which
he takes refreshing Rip Van Wrinkle
sleep from which forty professors
could not wake him.
Then the boy often loses his man.
ners. For, as he is not expected TO
think mot being rational creature
for two months of the year, he need
not pay any attention whatever to his
behavior. He may be as primitively
Wild as possible. When the two months
are past IL will all come back to him.
Yes. in the form of a dream
When 10y goes to college he does
so for a purpose. That purpose is to
have his mind trained and his morals
directed and strengthened. IL any 9TH
er object be had in view. he should not
be sent TO college. From the moment
he steps within the college portals he
is in training. as much and more than
any athlete that ever trained Now
this training is not to be a spasmodic
anair. a thing of shreds and patches
IL Is TO be a steady and gradual bend
ing. a careful and continuous leading
onward and upward. an endless chain.
seamless garment. Times there must
be OF greater or less relaxation: but
these times should never lose sight Of
the one great purpose. the training
to all That Is great or noble OF the
higher faculties of the student. They
should never blur the picture that IL
painted. nor dim the finest lines that
have been drawn.
What shall we say then of the hid
eous gap Of two months in which the
student does absolutely nothing TO re-
tain the training he has received dur
ing the foregoing ten months: in which
all his thoughts are turned from their
course. his very habit Of mind averse
TO the teaching he attended TO for
the purpose Of acting upon them? The
very words college course" from the
Latin "Cursus curro." implies a hast
ening forward. a progressing upon a
Journey-a march for the citadel Of
knowledge. You may turn aside. but
as soon as you do have left the col
iege course" the time IL takes you to
get back Is time lost.
From these remarks let IN not be in
ferred that We favor q system which
clamps the boy in a chain and forces
his head down over a book No. we are
not great believers in looks for vaca-
ton. except In those Of somewhat
lighter vein. But what we would In
sist ON Is that the student retain a
habit OF thOught-of deliberate. some
times serious thought: that he con-
duct himself steadily. as though his
actions were the result Of judgement.
and not ~ impulse. To do this he need
not be stilted OF affected. He may do
IL very naturally and enjoy himself
many times more by such rational
method. In remembering that he Is
still In training. very light training.
~ Is true, but none the less real. He
must en'oy himself. ~ Is his duty. No,
for the direct and sole sake of enjoy.
ment. but for the higher reason tina,
-uch acton fts him more thoroughly
for another squirt along the college
course. III the student will not Do
this OF his own accord. as he ought he
should be instructed in IL by tbos,
who have authority over him. Under
no circumstances should he be allowed
TO roam abroad constantly. like a thing
without a mind.
What we have said applies. observa.
ton leads us to believe. TO all classes
Of students. Their definition Of voca-
ton. though II have some true points
In IL. Is. taken altogether. very false.
Let the student play and sleep, and eat