questionable amusements and worthy substitutes-第13部分

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Franklin。







VII。



SOCIAL　RECREATION。



DEFINED。





The　normal　young　person　who　does　not　dissipate　is　bursting　with

life。　　The　natural　child　is　activity　embodied。　　The　healthful　old　person

craves　exercise。　　Life；　activity；　exercise；　each　must　have　some　method

of　spending　itself。　　Some　normal　method；　some　right　method；　some

attractive　method　must　be　chosen。　　By　normal　method　we　mean　that

which　calls　into　use　the　varied　faculties　and　powers　of　the　entire

being；　body；　mind；　and　heart。　　By　right　method　we　mean　that　which

does　not　crush　out　a　part　of　one's　being；　while　another　part　is　being

developed。　　By　attractive　method　in　the　use　of　life；　activity；　exercise；

we　mean　that　which　appeals　to　one's　peculiar　desires；　tastes；　and

circumstances；　so　long　as　these　are　normal　and　right。　　Some　chosen

profession；　trade；　or　work　is　the　rightful　heritage　of　every　person。

Each　man；　woman；　and　child　should　know　when　he　gets　up　of　a

morning；　what　his　work　is　for　that　day。　　Consciously；　or　unconsciously；

he　should　have　some　outline　of　work；　some　end　in　view；　some　goal

toward　which　he　is　stretching　himself。　　Dr。　J。　M。　Buckley　asks：　　〃Have

you　a　purpose　and　a　plan？〃　　And　answers；　〃Life　is　worth　nothing　till

then。〃　　The　child　is　in　the　hands　of　his　parent；　his　teacher；　his　guardian。

These　must　answer　to　Destiny　for　his　beginning　and　growth。　　〃Satan

finds　something　for　idle　hands　to　do。〃　　Hence　the　necessity　of

vigilance　on　the　part　of　those　who　hold　the　young。　　But　〃all　work　and

no　play；　makes　Jack　a　dull　boy。〃　　This　rule　is　good　whether　〃Jack〃　be

a　puny　girl；　a　feeble　grandfather；　a　hustling；　responsible　father；　a　busy

mother；　or　even　a　mischievous　lad。　　Every　person　who　rises　each

morning；　dresses　himself　and　goes　about　his　work　as　if　he　knew　what

he　were　about；　who　has　some　useful　work　to　do；　and　does　it；　sooner

or　later；　needs　rest。　　True；　night　comes　and　one　may　rest。　　And　sweet

is　the　rest　of　sleep；　a　third　of　one's　life　is　passed　in　this　way。　　Sancho

Panza　has　it　right　when　he　says：



〃Now　blessing　light　on　him　that　first　invented　sleep！　　It　covers　a　man

all　over；　thoughts　and　all；　like　a　cloak；　it　is　meat　for　the　hungry；　drink

for　the　thirsty；　heat　for　the　cold；　and　cold　for　the　hot。〃　　But　one　craves

a　recreation；　a　rest　which　work　nor　sleep　can　give。　　Man　has　a　social

nature；　a　longing　to　mingle　with　his　acquaintances　and　friends。　　Let

one　be　shut　in　with　work；　or　sickness；　or　weather；　for　whole　days　at　a

time；　and　see　how　hungry　he　gets　to　see　some　one。　　A　recreation　at　a

social　gathering　literally　makes　a　new　being　out　of　him。　　He　is

recreated。　　It　is　this　form　of　recreation　that　we　consider　here；　social

recreation。





A　NECESSITY。



Social　recreation　is　a　necessity　in　a　well…ordered　life。　　As　with　many

other　common　blessings　we　forget　its　benefits。　　Nor　are　these　benefits

so　evident　until　we　see　the　blighting　result　in　the　life　of　the　one　who；

for　any　reason　whatsoever；　has　become　a　social　recluse。　　We　have

known　a　few　persons　who　have　once　been　in　society；　but　who　have

allowed　themselves　to　remain　away　from　all　sorts　of　gatherings；　for

a　number　of　years。　　In　every　case；　the　result　has　been　openly

noticeable。　　They　have　become　boorish　in　manners；　unsympathetic

in　nature；　and　suspicious　in　spirit。　　Thus　they　have　grown　out　of

harmony　with　the　ideas　and　ways　of　those　about　them；　have　come

to　take　distorted　and　erroneous　views　of　affairs　and　of　men。　　Man　is

a　composite　being。　　Many　factors　enter　into　his　make…up。　　He　lives

not　only　in　the　physical　and　intellectual；　in　the　religious　and　social；

in　a　local　and　limited　sense；　but　his　life　expands　until　it　touches　and

molds　many　other　characters　and　communities　besides　his　own。　　In

all　of　these　spheres　of　his　influence　and　work　on　needs　to　be　sobered

down；　corrected；　stimulated。　　In　no　other　way　is　this　better　accomplished

than　through　one's　very　contact　with　his　fellows　in　the　religious

gathering；　among　his　workmen；　in　the　political　meeting；　at　the　assembly；

in　the　social　gathering　whenever　and　wherever　persons　may　see　one

another　and　talk　over　common　interests。



A　SPECIFIC　SENSE。



In　a　specific　sense；　by　social　recreation；　we　mean　those　pastimes　and

pleasures　which　all　persons；　except　the　social　recluse；　enjoy　as　they

meet　to　spend　an　afternoon　or　an　evening　together。　　Now；　how　may

we　get　the　largest　amount　of　pleasure；　of　rest；　of　recreation　from　such

gatherings？　　How　may　we　best　benefit　ourselves；　inspire　one　another；

and　in　it　all；　honor　God？　　It　is　no　small　task　to　accomplish　these　three

ends　in　all　things；　in　one's　life。　　We　have　agreed　that　some　social

practices　are　positively　bad。　　And　we　have　tried　to　show　why　the

〃tobacco　club；〃　the　〃social　glass；〃　the　〃card…party；〃　the　〃dancing…party；〃

and　the　play…house　reveries　should　be　avoided。　　We　have　left　these

forms　of　so…called　〃questionable　amusements〃　out　of　our　practice　and

let　our　of　our　lives。　　To　what　may　we　turn？　　Where　may　we　go？　　We

turn　to　the　social　gathering。





BUT　IT　MUST　BE　PLANNED。



No　social　gathering　can　successfully　run　itself。　　See　what　forethought

and　expenditure　are　given　to　make　successful　the　〃smoking…club；〃　the

〃wine…social；〃　the　〃card　and　dancing　parties；〃　and　the　〃theater。〃　　Not

one　of　these　institutions　thrive　without　thought　and　cost　in　their

management。　　Put　the　same　thought　and　expense　into　the　gathering

for　social　recreation；　and　you　will　find　all　of　the　merits　of　the

questionable　institution　and　none　of　its　demerits。　　No　company　has

larger　capabilities　than　the　mixed　company　at　the　social　gathering。

Nor　may　any　purpose　be　more　perfectly　served　than　the　purpose　of

true　social　recreation。　　Here　we　find　those　skilled　in　music；　versed

in　literature；　adept　at　conversation；　we　find　the　practical　joker；　the

proficient　at　games；　and　last；　but　not　least；　those　〃born　to　serve〃

tables。　　This　variety　of　genius；　of　wit；　of　skill；　of　willingness　to

serve；　is　laid　at　the　altar　of　pleasure　for　the　worthy　purpose　of　making

new　again　the　weary　body；　the　languishing　spirit；　the　lonely　heart。

Let　the　right　management　and　stimulus　be　given　to　this　resourceful

company；　and　the　hours　will　pass　as　moments；　the　surest　sign　of　a

good　time。





SOME　ESSENTIALS。



DINING；　SOCIAL　HOUR；　GAMES。



No　social　recreation　is　complete　without　dining。　　And　yet　the　least

important　part　of　this　meal　should　be　the　taking　of　food。　　It　is　a

serious　fault　with　the　modern　social　that　too　much　attention　is　given

to　the　variety　and　quantity　of　food；　and　not　enough　to　merriment　in

taking　it。　　To　be　successful；　the　social　company　should　gather　as

early　as　possible；　the　first　hour…and…a…half　should　be　given　to　greetings

and　to　social　levity　of　the　brightest　and　wittiest　sort。　　If　one　has　an

ache　or　a　pain；　a　care　or　a　loss；　let　it　be　forgotten　now。　　It　is　weakness

and　folly　continually　to　be　under　any　burden。　　Here　every　one　should

take　a　genuine　release　from　seriousness　and　earnestness　in　weighty

and　responsible　affairs。　　Let　all；　except　the　serving　committee　for

this　evening；　take　part　in　this　strictly　social　hour…and…a…half。　　When

the　late…comers　have　arrived　and　have　been　introduced；　and　the　people

have　moved　about　and　met　one　another；　almost　before　the　company

are　aware　of　it　they　are　invited　by　the　serving　committee　to　dine。

Usually　all　may　not　be　served　at　once。　　Now　that　the　company　has

been　thinned　out；　the　older　persons　having　gone　to　the　tables；　short；

spirited　games　should　be　introduced　in　which　every　person　not　at

luncheon；　should　be　given　a　place　and　a　part。　　At　this　juncture　it　is

not　best　to　introduce　sitting…games；　such　as　checkers；　authors；　caroms；

or　flinch；　for　the　contestants　might　be　called　to　take　refreshments　at

a　critical　moment　in　the　contest。　　With　a　little　attention　to　it；　appropriate

games　may　be　introduced　here　that　need　not　interfere　with　luncheon。

Fully　half　an　hour　should　be　spent　at　each　set　of　tables；　where　at　the

close　of　the　meal；　some　humorous　subject　or　subjects　should　be

introduced　and　responded　to　be　those　best　fitted　for　such　a　task。

Almost　any　person　can　say　something　bright　as　well　as　sensible；　if　he

will　give　a　little　attention　to　it　beforehand。　　While　the　second　and　third

tables　are　being　served；　let　those　retiring　contest　at　games　of　skill；

converse；　or　take　up　other　appropriate　entertainment　directed　by　the

everywhere　present　entertainment　committee。　　By　this　time　half…past

ten　or　eleven　o'clock；　some　who　are　old；　or　who　have　pressing　duties

on　the　next　day　may　want　to　retire。　　If　the　serving　committee　have　been

skillful　in　adjusting　the　time　spent　at　each　table　to　the　number　of

tables；　etc。；　by　eleven　o'clock　the　serving　shall　have　been　completed。

Now；　the　young　in　spirit；　whether　old　or　young；　expect；　and　should　have

an　hour　at　the　newest；　liveliest；　and　most　recreative　games。　　No　part　of

the　evening　entertainment　should　be　allowed　to　drag。　　To　insure　this　a

frequent　change　of　social　games　is　needed。





AVOID　LATE　HOURS。



As　late　hours　tend　to　produce　irregularity　in　sleep；　in　meals；　and　in

work；　and　since　the　object　of　the　social　is　recreation；　the　company

should　retire　about　midnight。　　Oftentimes　people　stay　and　stay　at

such　a　gathering；　until　the　hostess；　the　entertaining　committee；　and

the　people　themselves　are　worn　out。　　And　yet；　who　is　at　fault？　　This

is　a　critical　point　in　the　modern　popular　social。　　How　shall　the　company

disband　in　due　season？　　In　his　〃Autocrat　of　the　Breakfast　Table；〃

Oliver　Wendell　Holmes　gives　a　suggestion　on　this　point　for　the

private　visitor；　who　does　not　know　how　to　go。　　Says　Holmes：　　〃Do

n't　you　know　how　hard　it　is　for　some　people　to　get　out　of　a　room

when　their　visit　is　really　over？　　They　want　to　be　off；　and　you　want

to　have　them　off；　but　they　do　n't　know　how　to　manage　it。　　One　would

think　they　had　been　built　in　your　parlor　or　study　and　were　waiting　to

be　launched。　　I　have　contrived