School-Girl Recreations.
By Mary A. Allen
"ALL work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," and doubtless the same combination would make Jill a dull girl. We older people, who are so fully impressed with the truth that "Life is real, life is earnest," are anxious that young people should realize it also. We tell them that we shall soon leave the world in their hands; that they will soon manage its government, its moral, its material forces; therefore they must employ the fast-flying moments in gathering up useful knowledge in preparation for coming responsibilities. In our solicitude for their gaining wisdom, we forget that brains are of no use without bodies, and that bodies "must have exercise to live, and thrive, and grow." Brains wear out bodies, therefore bodies must have rest to re-create that which has been destroyed. Recreation should be re-creation, not simply amusement nor dissipation. The school-girl who is using up a large amount of physical force in mental application, needs, especially, to be wisely guided in her choice of diversions. Too frequently, school-girls try at the same time to be society girls. They attend lectures, concerts, parties, and even balls. They try to make two days out of every twenty-four hours—a day of study and one of amusement, with a snatch of sleep between. This is in no sense re-creation. It is dissipation. It dissipates strength, health, and life. The first and most important recreation of the school-girl is sleep,—sound, sweet, sufficient sleep. This has a sibilant sound, but it will have a jubilant effect. It will help to cause bright eyes, rosy cheeks, clear brains, and good recitations. Often the very best way to get a lesson is to stop puzzling the already wearied brain, shut the book, and go to bed, determined to forget study entirely until morning. When morning comes, the brain, refreshed, renovated, rebuilt by sleep, comes to the task with new vigor, and the knotty places smooth themselves out as if by magic. I wish there might never be any evening study, but if it must exist it should not be continued later than nine o'clock; half-past eight were still better. Then books laid aside, the blood should be determined to the feet by gymnastics suited for that purpose, by a brisk run of a few minutes, or by a genuine, merry, rough-and-tumble frolic with a member of the family, or a fellow student. After this, a few minutes' silent thanksgiving to God for his mercies, a commanding of the life to his care during the hours of darkness, and the weary body will rest, the brain become oblivious of books and worries, and the silent life-forces fly noiselessly about our mortal dwelling-place, the body, and make us over anew for the struggles of to-morrow. In the life of an earnest school-girl there is little time for devotion to amusements alone, but fun may, with propriety, be mingled with many things. A merry chat at the table, a race with a younger brother, a few minutes at ball-playing, the fun of surprising mamma by sweeping a room, or making a bed, or by offering her unexpected help at dish-washing and smoothing out her care-worn wrinkles with your cheerful companionship, all these can be made to furnish healthful, blood-stirring re-creation. I received a call recently from a young lady who is a student in a great university, and who, by prizes and scholarships, is paying her own way through her course of study. She is about seventeen, and has a large, generous waist uncompressed by corsets; her dress is plain, healthfully and becomingly made, and she wears no frizzes. As a part of her entertainment I offered her a sight of our grand snow-house and a snow-ball encounter with the children, an offer which she accepted with alacrity, and in the contest held her own with spirit and even enthusiasm. "I was brought up with boys," said she, "and I love active sports." Yet her record as a student shows that she also loves study. She will not break down at college, for she has been well trained, and a good foundation has been laid. She understands the value of sleep and of regularity in eating. Having a large waist, she has large vital powers to keep her in good repair. Loving active sports, she will spend a part of each day in motion in the pure air out of doors. "Oh," exclaims the school-girl, "what a fuss you make about taking care of one's self! It is altogether too much trouble to be all the time thinking about health. If we do as you say, we should never have any fun." But, dear child, is health worth having? Are you willing to purchase a few hours of careless pastime now by the sacrifice of future usefulness, and perhaps even of life? If health be worth having, it is worth working for. The wise man was he who built his house upon the rock. Then when floods came and the winds blew and beat upon his house, it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.