Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-06-12
Friday, June II, 1914.
The "Day of Rest" and Efficiency.

" day of rest" on a person subjected
TO the strenuous routine of busy lie
& is feature which he himself can ouly
appreciate in the effects on his feel
8 ings" and Spirits" The efficiency OF
the working man, the length OF the
: working-day, the intersection OF
nauses for rest in the schedule of la
Dor for persons of different ages ana
E stations in life-questions OF TINS sort
: are constantly arising for solution on d
scientific basis. Not only in the held
: of manual labor, but also in the case
4 of the schoolchild, the office-boy, the
. factory-girl, the banker and the mer-
chant. efficiency is the keynote OF the
times. Fatigue is the enemy OF enc
iencv; and to detect and compensate
for or overcome it, is the duty of those
concerned with the promotion OF ha-
man welfare.
DIR. Martin and some of his associates
in the Laboratory of Physiology at the
Harvard Medical School, have been
making a careful study of the whole
question of fatigue and efficiency from
q physiological standpoint. A long
series of experiments have been made
on frst-year medical students who
were following a regular routine OF
school work during six days of each
week. The routine was interrupted
weekly by the Sunday recess, an inter
val occupied variously by the students,
but in no case in precisely the man
ner of the week days The daily OBJ
seryations made on these persons dur
ing several weeks show that at the
beginning of the week the nerve reac-
ton tends to be high, that from then
until the end of the week there is
fairly continuous decline, and that
following the interruption of the rou-
tine by the intervention of Sunday, 1t
returns to the original high point.
Tbs decline is interpreted as a Gu
mulative result of general fatigue in
cident to routine. What is even moro
significant, however, is the added fact
that a pronounced break in the rou-
tine-such as the day of rest" oceas-
ions-may bring about a return of sem
stiveness to a high point or, in other
words, it restores the nervous tone.
Studies continued in this direction
should lead to some useful conclusions
regarding the maximum of work, with
respect 10 DOln It's dliu ~ PC,
that should determine the conditions
under which the organism of man may
be maintained without depletion
Journal of the American Medical Assn.
Have you ever noticed that wherever
science of any branch goes in its
boasted accomplishments, theology, the
basis Of good morals, clean living and
thinking, has led it by centuries? If
things, why not? Now sc ahead and
think of that proposition, and refute
it if you can, for the process Of think
ing about 1t will do you good. We
don't care whether you agree with the
claim or not, you'll get some new ideas
by the time you have studied out con-
vincing proof that our assertion is
overdrawn and extravagant.
Here are the medical experts proving
by scientific investigation that de
cline is the cumulative result of rou-
tine fatigue" and that efficiency is
raised by interruption of that routine"
the intervention of Sunday for mans
mental, physical and moral balance.
Now, 1000 years ago the most prac-
teal man that ever lived (and he was
not a scientist) told us those things in
effect, and used remarkable colloquial
metaphor and parable that made I'M
Outstanding easy.
Over in England the news dispatches
say, lives woman who has reached
the matriarchal age of ITO years and
her keen mind still offers to her more
youthful friends of all ages, impressive
advice on the prolongation of human
life. She says: Keep a light heart,
and work hard"
There is sovereign prescription for
human happiness. We cannot all be
centenarians but we can help others
to become centenarians by making life
more liveable for them, as we come in
contact with them. The gospel of
eheerfulness embodies all the wisdom
of tho ages; all the philosophy: all
the science-and Jesus Christ was the
advance agent of cheerfulness. He
was two thousand years ahead of the
learned men who are today telling us
that It has at last been worked out by
demonstrable rules that Sunday OBJ
servance as a day Of rest, change of
routine and contemplation of things
other than material progress, are nee
essary to the good wearing of the hu-
man machinery.
We do better work after aood rest:
Ne rest better after good work.
Sunday is the Lords day; 1t is like
wise mans day. 1t is necessary to his
right thinking. right living, right low
ing and right future. The man who
misuses Sunday. misuses himself. his
present prosperity and future happi-
ness, as well as that of his Immediate
family or friends. He sets a bad ex-
ample that reflects on his neighborhood