The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1910-11-10
TWO KINDS OF EDUCATION.

They should be taught to work, but it is
equally as important that they should learn
how to play. Nearly all the progress of a
young child comes through this medium,
and certainly more is learned during one
Of the very earliest years than in any
subsequent one. Yet all through life this
influence continues. While the primary
purpose of hours of recreation is rest and
refreshment, they have also the power of de-
veloping the intellect, improving the taste,
cultivating the judgment and strengthen
ing the character, and those who know
how to invoke this power will never regard
the amusements of life as frivolous or in
different subject. There is nothing very
complicated or difficult in obtaining this
kind of education. It requires no abtruse
study, no laborious effort, no painful sac
rgce. 1t merely consists in selecting as
far as possible for amusement the best of
the kind. The great reason why amuse-
ments are so little honored, and so often
regarded as waste of time, is that men
and women so frequently choose the poor
est instead of the best. In reading, the
trashy and ephemeral story is taken by
many, and the standard works of fiction
are left. In music, the cheap and transient
are preferred to the good and permanent.
In painting, bright colors and glittering
effects are admired, while the faithful work
of the true artist is passed by. In the
drama, sensational plays are demanded,
while real genius goes unappreciated. In
society, the conversation is flippant or gos-
sipy, when it might be enrolling and re-
fining, and in the family, the whole tone
OF thought and feeling is often suffered to
sink into trivialty instead of being raised
to pure and noble aims and purposes. In
fact, whatever be the form in which recre-
alton is sought, there is too little effort
made for its superiority-too much of the
lis,iess drifting down the current of cir
cumstances, which leads to stolid con-
tentment with lower and commoner graft
fication.
II is sometimes urged that the presence
of effort or the thought of duty would de-
stroy the pleasure of amusements; that
only when all tension of nerve and will is
thoroughly relaxed recreation truly begins.
This is partly true and partly mistake.
That the great pressure which the impera-
tive business of life imposes must be re-
moved, before one can resign himself to
being amused, is certain. Yet we should
never forget that a certain degree of action
is necessary to all enjoyment. Passive
and dormant facilities are not consonant
with intelligent happiness. The exercise
OF choice, that rejects the evil or inferior
elements of amusement, and selects the
true, the pure, and the best, contains that
very activity of mind which is needed to
make it truly pleasurable. If any one
doubts this, let him make the experiment
Between two grades of any amusement
instead of drifting into the lower, let him
voluntarily seek the higher, and he will
experience keener pleasure than he has
known before. The very effort itself will
add zest to the enjoyment. Of course, il
this should be carried to the extreme Of
choosing what was beyond the power Of
the faculties to appreciate, only failure
could ensue. 1t would be absurd for one
who was physically feeble to attempt the
ascent of the Alps, or for one who had bu
lately mastered the art of reading to selec
Scott's novels for amusement. But it il
always possible to make single step il
advance of the preceding. Instead o
continuing year after year to live upon tn
same plane in this matter we can all choos'
from time to time little more elevated
ground. Without any very severe self
denial every one who cares at all for hi
own improvement can select little bette
reading, a little better music, a little NOR
intelligent conversation, little highe
grade of dramatic talent, q little more o
what is pure and noble and elevating in al
his pleasures than he has had before
Enjoyment will be heightened, not lessen
cd, by such exercise, and the education
thus received will steadily advance him il
all that makes life worth living.
Finding that Mayor Behrman could no
force him on the people of New Orleans q
Superintendent of their schools, Mr.. j. B
Aswell says he did not want the position
Anothor coco IF oour nroroo Tr,th &c