The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1908-10-01
Hein Boy u Be Han.

Human aCtNGy is use5ul. aaelcSh OF
harmful. Indeed. Ii il is useless, it
is harmful for il is a waste of time.
and time is the stuff life is made of,
and TO waste human life is harmful
So human activity is useful or harm
ful Activity is useful If 1t promotes
well-being To raise corn is useful,
TO make wool into cloth is useful 10
convert wheat into flour is useful, to
dig q ditch or a cellar. or 10 lay a
cellar wall is useful To assist in
the distribution of corn. WOODEN goods,
-four, lime, cement. eggs, butter or
cheese is useful
II is useful to please people-to
please them through the art Of music
or painting or sculpture or architec-
lure.
II is useful TO add 10 the comfort in
the country 1t is useful 10 do that
which will increase the yield OF corn
and eats and wheat and clover, which
viii conserve soil fertility and check
The ravagcs of insects.
Whatever promotes human happi-
ness. human convenience. human
health. human comfort, human pro
gress in right living and right think.
ing. or whatever diminishes the mis-
takes, the sins, the sorrow. the suf-
fering, the Mountaineering OF The
Ills OF life-is useful.
But the real utility of an art must
he determined by its effect not upon
the individual himself, but upon the
race. The useful act must AFFECT ia.
vorably the human race.
Any activity whereby one gains
What another loses is not useful ac-
tiyity. Call it whatever name, you
please-gambling stealing, spefulat.
ing, promoting-if the probable result
Of the transaction is that one shall
get what another loses without giving
an equivalent for it. the activity is
rot useful one; it is harmful.
This speculative spirit-the desire
10 get something for nothing some
thing for less than Il is worth. CT 10
sell something for more than it is
worth-this spirit is the root of more
evil than strong drink. 1t is more
common than strong drink.
Buy horse that is worth 800 and
pay SO for him (why not?b So feed
him and groom him and train him
that he is worth $200; then sell him
for $500 (why net?) Or. buy horses
in Illinois at 500 and sell them in
New York at $300 each, the difference
being sufficient TO pay for transporta-
ton and skill and risk in handling.
Such transactions are not only legiti-
mate, but useful. Moreover education
is necessary as a preparation for deal
ing in horses, but it may not be exact
ly the kind of education needed for
preaching or teaching.
Help the boy to discover what things
are useful and help him to discover
himself-to find TO What line of use
full activity he is best adapted and
then encourage him to fit himself IN
the best possible manner for the ac-
tivity of his choice
II is the recognition of the necessity
of educating the young people In such
manner as will give them the desire
and power to do useful things that Is
the cause of many of the recent and
proposed changes i'll our courses OF
study
1t is this thct is putting domestic
science into so many of our schools.
II IS this that has almost forced com
nereial work into sc many of our high
schools. It is this that has popnlariz-
I'd manual training and it Is the rec
ignition of this same necessity that Is
now forcing agriculture upon the at
tentien OF educators.
Having defined the meaning of use
tul activity, am safe in taking ground
that all education should relate itself
TO the doing of useful things.
Be not half men, be whole men.
Make some little corner OF the world
richer, wiser, better, happier or less
miserable because You live and learn
and expend wisely
Activity in earning makes half
man; wisdom in expenditure makes
the other. half.-Frank Hall.