SCHOOL-HOUSE GROUNDS. 
239 
As beauty and goodness, or value —which is a child’s idea of 
goodness—are always inseparable in its thought, it follows that 
that the utensils with which children are served to food and 
drink, the beds upon which they sleep, the clothes they wear, 
the furniture and books they use, and above all, the nature 
upon which they look out—and which more than anything else 
determines the character of the infancy of their thoughts — 
should, so far as possible, be beautiful, that they may be 
esteemed valuable; and so go to the promotion of that feeling 
of self-worthiness that is essential to the elevation of the moral 
character. A whole volume of observations from life and expe¬ 
rience which, in support of this view would be 
“Confirmations strong 
As proofs of Holy Writ,” 
come up; but time forbids detail, or a further consideration of 
that upon which it would be well for us all to think. 
A third moral advantage lies in the means it furnishes for 
innocent and delightful recreation. No one who has been a 
teacher, or at all observant of such demonstrations, can have 
failed to notice the difference in the effect which the announce¬ 
ment of noon-time, or recess, has upon different schools. 
From that one whose treeless, shrubless yard contains only 
the building, upon which has poured the red heats of the 
ascending day, and clouds of roadside dust, there will hurry 
an impatient crowd, every individual movement of which says 
plainly enough, “Anywhere but here!” 
These are the half-baked, irritated little irresponsibles who 
go forth to vent the bad blood of our bad philosophy of educa¬ 
tion upon whatever comes in their way. And who wonders? 
It is a tendency, pretty nearly akin to a law of human nature, 
to desire to do to others—or to something—what is done unto 
us. They are tormented, so they torment each other — to say 
nothing of animals, birds and insects. They are deprived of 
the right to be comfortable, so do the best they can to make 
reprisal upon the rights and comforts of those about them. It 
is but a lower expression of the instinct of self-preservation. 
Thousands of children are sent, daily, out of heated, and 
