2
THE CHE MAW A AMERICAN
Usefulness of Vacation
By Eighth Grade Pupil
Although vacation is something most
of us are all glad to have, we should not
let it bother our minds all winter, as
winter schooling is more important,
than vacation, for it is as the. saying "is
laying up future dollars."
My idea of vacation is that the warm
est two months of every year should be
set aside for vacation. In some states
where boys and girls can get steady work
like hop picking, gathering fruit, or
something of that sort it is better to
choose that time for vacation.
As soon as commencement is over we
should try tu find work of some kind and
keep busy for we will be in school next
winter and there will be enjoyments
which we should be ready. The best
wav to do this is to depend on ourselves,
work hard and steady where we are sure
to get the same position the next year if
not a better one for the same man.
It seems better to have vacation in
the summer time on account of the
weather being too hot to study well, but
still we should read the news and while
at work if we have much time an I should
see a good chance to work practical pro
blem we should try it, school is not the
only place. .
When we are in a large boarding
school we can't all go out the firs., day
neither can we expect to stay all sum
mer for there arc other who would like
to go out a Iso.
In our western sates where we raise
hops we should pick hops and after hop
picking is over return to sch 1 an 1 rest
up a little for our hard winter's work.
Some think they should I)'! lik ) grass
hoppers in vacation, hut if we are we
will be like them in the winter.
A Building That Forever Stands
The house built on a sand falls when '
the mighty storm beats upon it. The
house built on the rock will withstand
storm after storm, but it, too must at
last yield to the destructive hand of time
Yet we may build a building that can
defy storms and tempests and may even
laugh at the power of time. This build
ing is character.
Emerson says: "Character is more
than intellect. A great soul will be
strong to live as well as to think. Good
ness outshines genius as the sun makes
the electric light cast a shadow."
Wealth is not character, but is, on the
other hand, very often the cause of a
ruined one. Learning is not character.
Largeness of mind, love of truth and
honesty, delicacy of manner, tact and
energy, may all be lacking in a person
who is well educated. Reputation is not
character. You may be held in very
high esteem by the world, still your
character be worthless.
Character, therefore, is not what a
man has in the way of wealth, learning
or fame. It is what the man really is.
In other words, it is the image which he
cuts upon our life.
Now, there are uome things which are
essential to the building of genuine char
acter. One of these is industry. Idle
ness is the author of all mischief. In
the rac.i of life, industry always wins.
Another clement in the building of
character is cheerfulness. It is a fine
art to he able to get comfort and sweet
ness out of all circumstance, a. id he
who has formed the habit of looking at
the bright, happy side of things has a
great advantage over the person who is
always rinding the dark side.
Purity and truth are still oilier ele
ments in this building of character.
Everything that corrupts the heart
should be avoided. Pure thoughts re
fine the countenance, and there is noth
ing which the world admires so much
as truth, for it at once shows that
strength of character in which all ai-t'
willing toconfide. Ex.