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Show , i -n. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT By F. A. WALKER UPLAND SOLITUDES . TT IS becoming a mooted question among observing educators as to whether our present-day diversions do not often dwarf the budding Intellects of the young and carry them far afield In the wrong direction. With tbe possible exception of music, the universal language, our entertainments, en-tertainments, as a rule, have become mere frivolities, appealing to the baser passions, the redeeming features In almost all cases being the superb stage settings. With their deft brushes the scenery painters seem to be doing more for the elevation of the mind than the wtelders of the stage pen. Without the exquisite scenes many of our popular playa would Indeed become miserable makeshifts, Inca- pable of holding the boards a fortnight fort-night The fine art of acting Is being relegated rel-egated to the past. There Is a craving for the gross, glaring, flagrant and thumping, rather than for the refined, re-fined, uplifting and ennobling, doubt-, doubt-, less due to perverted tastes and cravings crav-ings for sensationalism and excitement. excite-ment. The Intermediate colors and fine shadings of the older school have given way to higher tones whose Intensities In-tensities and limits have about been reached. Just what will follow cannot be guessed, except to hint In a vague way that this modern tower of Babylon Bab-ylon will some day suddenly topple over, tumble noisily at our feet and leave us babbling In strange tongues, wondering what confusion means! There la In the human heart an everlasting yearning for something new, and no one apparently knows what to suggest. It la Just possible that we need now,- more than anything else, the upland solitudes, where we may get In the pure, clear atmosphere and reflect re-flect awhile without molestation from the crude scarlet letters and blinding lights which have warped our Judgment Judg-ment and dulled our finer senslblll- ties. We need these upland solitudes fur more often than we may suspect, for It Is among them that we gather new strength for the higher duties of life, a keener conception of our Infirmities, a deeper realization of our lack of human kindness and a sickening sense at the loss of our faith In the good, the clean, the noble and In humanity Itself I B by MoClura Newspaper Syndicate) ll |
