FELLOW-LABORERS BY THEODORE C. WILLIAMS Not a star our eyes can see Not a flower that breathes and blows Brush it with their quickening wings Brooks, as from the hills they flow, Turn the mill-wheels round and round. Each strong thing some service gives Far and wide; and nothing lives For itself or just its own: "T is but death to live alone. FOURTH YEAR ETHICAL CENTRE: GOLDEN DEEDS INTRODUCTION EXPERIENCED teachers agree that there is often a striking change in children from the third to the fourth grade, though the change in some cases may not be marked until later. This change in attitude has frequently three aspects: the child, instead of being docile, has "a chip on his shoulder"; instead of delighting in fairy tales, he is hungry for solid facts; and instead of working as one of a group, he becomes independent and self-assertive. It is wise, therefore, to give in this grade a number of stories that are heroic and true, that call out the response of our best selves and lift us beyond isolation and selfishness. The stirring lines from Emerson's "Voluntaries," So nigh is grandeur to our dust, So near is God to man, When Duty whispers low, Thou must, have been most successfully made the central idea of the fourth grade in one of our Massachusetts schools. One day a building next the school was being torn down. It took almost saintly self-control for the children to keep from looking out of the window; but the lines of Emerson's poem were repeated by the class, and all turned their eyes to their books. SEPTEMBER: THE CALL TO RIGHTDOING Tell the story of David and Goliath, I Samuel, Chap. xvii. The essence of the story is the simple, direct courage of David, which comes from his entire faith in God's help and from the call he feels to do this task. The courage born of being needed, that is the point to bring out. Questions: Who were the Philistines? Who was Goliath? How was he armed? Was his armor heavy? What did he call out to the Israelites? Who was David's father? What did David do every day? How long had Goliath threatened the Israelites? Where did Jesse send David? Did he leave his sheep unprotected? Was David afraid when he saw Goliath? Why not? What did David say to the men near him? Why did Eliab, David's brother, blame David? What did David mean when he said: "Is there not a cause? What did Saul say to David? What did David answer? Why was David so sure that he could win? (Verses 36 and 37.) Why did Goliath despise David? (Verse 42.) What did David answer? (Verse 45.) Is a person who is doing wrong as fearless as one who is doing right? How can a person who is afraid get over it? THE CHOICE OF HERCULES 1 BY XENOPHON When Hercules was old enough to become his own master, he went into a solitary place to think about 1 Adapted from Memorabilia, by Joel H. Metcalf, in World Stories. his future life. As he sat there, perplexed, he was approached by two tall maidens. One of them was modest and graceful, and clad in a white robe. The other was attractive only because by art she had made her complexion rosier and fairer than it really was. She had bold staring eyes, and, whenever she could, she looked at herself in a mirror. When these maidens saw Hercules, this second one ran boldly to him and said: "I see you are hesitating, O Hercules, by what path you shall enter life. If you will take me for a friend, I will conduct you by a delightful and easy road. You will have every pleasure and lead a life free from trouble and pain. You will have no work to do, but will sleep softly, and gratify every desire without toil or suffering of mind or body." Hercules listened to her address, and said, "And what may be your name, O woman?” "My friends," she replied, "call me Happiness, but those who hate me give me the name of Vice." And now the other maiden approached and spoke to Hercules. "I also am come to address you, Hercules, because I know your parents and have noticed that your character is good and brave and honorable. Through your illustrious deeds, I hope to become attractive to the world. I will not deceive you, however, with promises of pleasure, but will tell you things as they really are, as God appointed them. God gives nothing excellent without care and labor. If you wish to be loved, you must serve. If you desire to be honored by your city, you must labor for it. If you wish to have a strong body, you must train it to obey your mind by exercise and toil." Here Vice interrupted the second maiden, whose name was Virtue, saying: "Do you not see, Hercules, through how difficult and tedious a road this woman will lead you? While mine is an easy and short path to perfect happiness." "Wicked being," rejoined Virtue, "of what good are you, or what real pleasure do you give? You give luxury, but no power of enjoyment. You can provide beds, but not desire for sleep. A table for dainties, but not the appetite to enjoy it. You are cast out of the love of God and man. No one ever praises you, no one ever trusts you. "You destroy those who love you. But I am the friend of God and virtuous men. No honorable deed is ever done without me. My friends have a sweet and untroubled enjoyment of meat and drink, for by labor have they obtained an appetite for them. They have sweeter sleep than the idle, whom you call your friends. The young are pleased with praises of the old; the old are delighted with honors from the young. They remember their former acts with pleasure and rejoice to perform their present tasks with success, being, through my influence, loved by their friends, honored by their country, and acceptable to God. And, when the destined end of life comes, they do not lie forgotten or dishonored, but, celebrated with songs of praise, are remembered as the helpers of mankind. Only by choosing me, O Hercules, can you secure the most exalted happiness." Here the story of the choice of Hercules ends, but we know which maiden Hercules chose; for have not all of you heard of the twelve great labors he performed, and what a wonderful hero he became? OCTOBER: FAITHFULNESS THE LITTLE HERO OF HAARLEM1 A long way off across the ocean there is a little country where the ground is lower than the level of the sea 1 From How to Tell Stories to Children, by Sara Cone Bryant. |