Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-02-22
TRAINING T0DAYS
BOYS AND GIRLS
Every Child Should BE EnCour-
aged to Pursue a Hobby.
GIVE HIM ACTIVE INTEREST
Something Involving Application and
Effort and Sacrifice 10 Better Than
One Calling for He Entertain
ment and Amusement.
ey sIpoNIE N. oRuENRERo.


WHEN a person has completed his
ID share Of the worlds work It Is con-
sldered proper for him to 'retlre." And
In accordance with this tradition old
Mr.. Stewart withdrew from active par
tlclpatlon In his business when he knew
that he had enough money and when
his family thought that he needed a
rest" After a few weeks of 'restIng"
the old gentleman became very uneasy
and unhappy. He wanted to visit the
Office, but this was strictly forbidden,
and as he could not think Of anything
else to do he moped around, extending
his own misery to those about him.
Cases Of this kind are common enough,
and In q large proportion Of them the
man does return to his old affairs, there
to remain to. the end. But In other
cases there is too much opposition from
those who look upon work as a hard
ship, and the old man withers away.
Many q business man before reach
ing this stage Is merely tired. But why
should the business man be more tired
than other people? He does not work
any harder than the professional man
or the artisan. And the others prob
ably are doing their share of the wOr-
rying. 1t Is very likely that the person
who is always represented to US in the
comic papers and in the theater as be-
ing In need of entertainment that calls
for no exertlon whatever on his part
is tired because he does not do enough.
That Is to say he does not do enough
different kinds of things. The tired
business man suffers from all the evil
consequences Of early specialization.
We may be sorry for him, but 1t is diff
ficult to remedy his condition. What
we can do is TO prevent our children
from acquiring this same malady.
We may find the preventive in the
lives Of men and women who never
grow old. The essential difference be-
tween one of these people or healthy
child and "tlred business man" lies
in the wide range of problems and ac-
tivitles that can interest the former as
against the narrow interests and SYM
pathies Of the latter. 1t should be part
of our aim In the training of children
to keep open for them all the lines of
Communication with ideas and feelings
that may come to them.
This is not a passive affair. Ideas
and feelings do not come to us because
we sit still. The child must learn to
60 forth and meet the new experience
a little more than half way. We must
cultivate the attitude which seeks sat
isfaction in doing, in overcoming diff
cultIes, in solving problems. We must
discourage contentment with passive
comfort, always receiving and never
giving, with "lettlng well enough
alone" This means retaining the ver-
satility and the aggresslveness Of
youth as long as possible.
In practice We shall be annoyed fire.
Quently by the intensity with which
the girl or boy will pursue hobby.
We realize only too well the folly Of
setting the heart too firmly upon thlS
or that. But the child in these things
often is wiser than his elders. For
whatever is worth doing at all is worth