THE MANUAL ARTS 609 



produce complete deterioration in the individual of nervous instability 

 may, in the person of better hereditary endowment, result in nothing 

 more serious than a temporary nervous break-down, " a slump of rela- 

 tive inactivity" (Meyer), or some other manifestation tending to rob 

 life of its due zest and render success more difficult. To escape such 

 dangers, every individual needs to be taught to " avail himself of the 

 power of the concrete." We must find for every child the level where 

 he can function successfully if we would have him escape the shocks of 

 disappointment, the habits of failure and the resulting inactivity, day- 

 dreaming, vain wishing and chasm between thinking and doing. It 

 behooves us " to make doing just as attractive as knowing," and to ex- 

 plore wa} r s and means of enlarging the child's opportunities for the 

 accomplishment of simple, wholesome and enjoyable things. Every 

 person can be taught to do something well and take pleasure in doing 

 it, and the result will contribute much more to the person's own mental 

 balance and to the Avelfare of the world in general than will a smoul- 

 dering volcano of sentiment and frothy, but inactive desire. 



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