34 The Rural Home and Character Development 



the week and who is given the other half day for rest 

 and recreation that he does more work in the five 

 and one-half days and does it better than he would 

 do in six full days without the half-holiday. The 

 question here is that of a balanced schedule. How 

 long should the boy be held to his task before being 

 allowed a holiday or recreation period ? 



Just how can these half-holidays, outings, and the 

 like, be worked into the farm boy's program so as 

 to make them contributive to the up-building of his 

 character ? What of this sort can be done to cause 

 him to return to his assigned tasks with greater zeal 

 and enthusiasm ? How can it be provided that the 

 boy may look forward to these outings with a thrill 

 of joy during the long days he has to spend behind 

 the plow or in the harvest field ? Finally, how can 

 these recreation periods, large and small, be so asso- 

 ciated with his work-a-day tasks that he may come 

 to regard farm life as a wholesome type of vocation 

 one that he may follow with pleasure and profit for 

 himself, and one in which he may succeed so well as 

 to make his achievements constitute a living com- 

 mendation of such a calling to others ? In a later 

 discussion there will be shown many methods whereby 

 the recreation experience of the farm boys and girls 

 may be properly looked after. 



Few persons seem to appreciate the value of soli- 

 tude as a means of recreating and building up the 

 inner life. Probably one of the greatest agencies in 



