Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-07-21

VJJ "Play time, everybody All work
and no play is folly; you know the
penalty l exact. Life in these modern times is
too strenuous. Stop get your breath, relax, rest
Come and play awhile!"
We Americans are the busiest people under
the sun. There was a time when played hard
ly at all. Now we have finally learned the ne
cessity Of relaxation and recreation. The trouble
is that we have learned to play not wisely but
too we'll. Our avocatlons, especially in the
large cities, strenuous vocations-
sometimes even more strenuous.
There should be nothing much a mans
business as his amuSements," wrote Stevenson,
and he wrote great truth, which has not yet
come home to us. SO 1t is that we Americans,
many of u.s. are coming to have double need Of
a summer vacation--to rest up from both our
work and our pleasures.
The Call of the Wild MEANS In sense, pretty
much the same thing to all of US. But neces-
sarily we can interpret it only according to our
knowledge and experience. Fortunate indeed
they to whom the call means but thing
whether gypsying by automobile, or the flying
spray Of the salt sea, or the rushing stream whose
deep dark pools hide the great trouts or the tent
and campfire beside the placid lake, the
mountain trail to the peaks where lies the ever
lasting snow. These fortunate hear understand
and obey.
Those Of who are less fortunate also hear
and rejoice. But the call has no clear message
We do not know what to do with play time.
We do not know where or at what to play and
the interesting spectacle of a great people at
play is saddened by the sight of thousands of
unfortunates wasting their precious vacation days
getting little enjoyment and less rest.
Come let us plan vacation days
While yet the seasons new!
The secret of the trip that pays
Is knowing what to do
Thotie 6 +bn YNbo,o ,oto
these uhfortunates. They have planned their va
cation carefully and put common sense into their
plans. They have taken stock of their physical
and mental needs. They have profted by the
perience of past vacations and their successes
and failures They understand that a vacation
for pleasure and vacation for recuperaton are
not necessarily the same thing, but they will try
to combine pleasure and recuperation.
Change is a great factor in both pleasure and
rest. When play time comes around most Of us
nstinctively long for something that our daily
life does not offer. Often this longing Is q safe
guide, provided common sense Is used. Obviously
a camping trip in the wilds is not suited to those
who must have soft beds, delicate viands and
deft service-even If they lovers of nature,
longing for novel experience. 1t is equally OBJ
vious that these nature lovers would be out of
place In fashionable summer resort where peo-
pie congregate to and be seen. The COM
mon sense Of 1t is that they should go where
scenic beauty can be enjoyed and the conven-
tional comforts of life are not lacking.
When vacation time means to the weary work
er opportunity to recuperate from toll, rest
is what he needs. The best rest Is absolute in
action. II loafe and invite my SOUL" wrote Walt
whitman. But loafng is a fine art most Of us
too used to be up and doing to enjoy sitting
and twiddling our thumbs. A change Of scene
and occupation, with the blessed consciousness
that we do not have to do anything, Is the best
rest. The hodcarrier who came into money had
the psychology Of 1t down fine when he set his
alarm clock usual, threw his shoe at 1t when
1t went off and turned over for a nap.
The wise man will take his vacation temperate
ly. To return to rest up from his play-that is
poor proposition. To come back to work with
renewed strength and energy-thats the thing.
The wrong kind Of vacation may be worse than
none. The right kind of vacation may be q YER
table godsend. The wise man will so order his
play to come back refreshed and restored and
eager for worlds to conquer.
And wherever the Call Of the Wild takes us,