Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-09-26
Study In Spare Time
Urged As Dividend Payer

By Arthur l.. Ward Director Of
Washington Y. NJ. c.. A, Schools
With 80 out of 100 persons, spare
time represents. the largest share OF
their capital, and their future sue
cess depends to a large degree on
how they invest it. The average
young man will say he works hard
during the day and is entitled to 4
good time during the evening, and
his evenings produce debts and per-
maps other liabilities from a moral
and physical standpoint.
The EXCEPTIONAL man or woman
spends a portion of his time outside
Of employment, probably three eve
Rings a week, in we'll directed study
which yields far greater dividends
thar the best stocks ever placed on
the market-and he still has enough
spare time Tor exercise, recreation,
religious activities, ETC., which are
essential to the largest life.
Advantage in Night Schools
Too many young people despair OF
getting an education, because they
Cannot g othrough high and college
before taking up regular day EN-
p'oyment In some respects spare
lime education, in g schoo! which
maintains high standards, is equa!
to or superior to regular college
training first, because evening
studies can be made mere practical
than day studies if related to ones
cmp!oyment-the places where sur
dents work become the laboratories
Ct the school; second, the evening
student may modify his course at
arv time to meet the new demands
made upon him by promotion; at the
same time he continues to make use
CT his previous training and exper,
lence: third, instructors in evening
schools, and particularly those teach
ing vocational subjects, not only
have ability to impart their know
leuge, but they are more practical
men than the majority of Drofes-
sioral teachers because they are en-
gagged daily n the line of work
which they handle in the class room
There are 1895 week days between
tn age of Is and 80. There are
1880 spare hours during these 10
wears, between and 10 p. III. The
use of fair part of these spare
hours for even Z few years can be
made to mean success, not oaly,
financially, but success IN. personal
dsvelopmnnt, in preparing for larger
opportunity, for leadership, for con,
-cnial work, for a place at the head
Of q family, for real happiness.
Understand! No wise counselor
holds that young man Should spend
al his leisure hours in study. Every
one needs a certain amount or re,
creation and relaxation. The. oiG !
,roverb, "All work and no play II
treu for the boy is true for the man.
Fut everyone admits when ne IS
honest with hilnself-that the hui
man tendency is toward play rathe"
than study. He knows that II ne
spe.,ds his evenings in the easy way.
rbe chances are very few of then
viii count for very much il the
wears to come.
Just look around you and size up
Sl,ings for yourself in a cold COM
mrcial way. How many men men, al 81 -
CT 80 are thoroughly prepared TOT
SCnnP Uo1lnlle OCCu) avn 1'tS -
ceniage is pitifully small.
The useful knowledge that one can
nick up during spare hours 5 a.orc
worth all it costs. But that lsnt az.
There is something even bigger.
when a man makes up his mind thai
certain hours Of The week are to be
devoted to putting something into
bic head and sticks to his decision,
no at once begins 10 grow in char.
tr He discipline himself. He
learns regularity. He begins to con
centrate. AS he proceeds he gains
self confidence and the power -
achieve He is different, man wheh
he comes to the end of his sell ap-
pointed task.
"The hour IF fare" writes Victor
Murdock, as p. m" Of ne were
sreaking of young people in Wash
iroton. he would probably say .
D. ny "That hour" he continues
IS the springboard from which most
mon lean to success or fall eff 20
failure. am convinced that TINS
hor is the fork in the road. one 81
which leads to character and fhe
;ther to the lack of it. After man
rseches forty perhaps he may take
liberties with the right of decision
at D. NJ, but if he is u1certao
over f at fifteen or twenty-five, he
IS dawdling and he will pay the
Gawdler's debt in life--the humllla-
tlor that comes to age in the set-
confession of failure. (Washlng-
Ton Times
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