Editors’ Table

^ Tf- n -i ^B^r^=-^-l I'll I The Worthwhile Vacation or Outing Much has been said of rest as the aim of a vacation or outing. But "the proper rest for man is change of occupation;" and total rest and inactivity, even if such a thing were possible, would probably weaken rather than build up the vital powers of man. To what we regard as the highest form that outings can take, we desire to call the attention of our readers. What difference will it make: 1. Whether a Scout or a vacationist at sum- mer camps discerns a tendency of nature, or picks up a rule of etiquette? 2. Whether he learns and compares species of trees, or acquires the ability to build a fire? 3. Whether he observes the ways of badger, moth, ant, or butterfly, or improves his skill in rolling a blanket? 4. Whether he becomes aware of a bird song that he never before noticed, or dreams over re-told fables about Jesse James and Robin Hood? 5. Whether he is inspired to enjoy the beauty of a sunset, of a mountain land- scape, of a silver lake, or of a flaming sky, or masters the ability to repair a leaking faucet? 6. Whether he is led to under- stand and apply the first principles of hygiene and life-saving, or is shown how to play a new kind of handball or volley- ball? 7. Whether his thought is enlarged, his vision broadened, by a truth learned at first-hand from nature, or whether his legs and lungs are tested by an all-night hike or by a climb to the highest summit? 8. Whether, in a word, truth, beauty, ap- preciation, and mental growth are valued higher, and given more attention to, than the common-place play of city streets and ball grounds? In our view it will make all the dif- ference in the world. The humbler second groups, "the things that are seen" or noticed by all, have a more direct appeal to the present interests of youth than do the loftier first groups, the "unseen" or spiritual: but the useful- ness of the common activities is likely to be transient. That of the first group — the observation and appreciation of nature will be permanent. The ways of nature have effects that are less evident but more lasting than every-day work; less exciting but more beneficial; less popular with the many but more elevating to the few. Without question, a knowledge of the things of the first group — the things which are "unseen," or at least unnoticed — will take more thought, more investigation, more meditation, than the more or less mechanical things of the second group will require. It will likewise be more difficult to secure leaders to teach truth and beauty than to secure those who can direct in play and campcraft; yet we think it will pay weli to secure them, for their help is in- dispensable. In the March Era, for example, it was shown that one of the most interesting and useful aspects of certain Western trees, shrubs, giant grasses, and other plants of the mountains, is their function in pre- venting or halting summer floods, which, with ever-increasing frequency and vio- lence, are ravaging many of our Western valleys. We cannot think of any knowl- edge of plants that would be more grip- ping, more useful, than just this feature. Yet. our observation has been that few of these flood-preventers are familiarly known, even to students of botany, since few courses in botany extend to these matters. Still more notable and unknown are Western desert plants — the saltbushes, cacti, Ephedra, creasote bush, Indian arrow bush, bottle plant, Mentzelia, and others — wonder plants, as they have been aptly designated. Once to see and learn some- thing about any of these strongly indi-

EDITOR' S TABLE 885 vidualized growths, is to get impressions so deep that it is barely possible to forget their unique features. It was chiefly the bizarre or other striking aspects of these species that led one of the visiting Eu- ropean botanists a few years ago to say, "Whoever it was that superintended the native floral decoration of your Western country, must have intended its people to be students of plant life, for so many of these plants are peculiar and wonderful." This fact, also, may be one reason why the scientists of Europe so greatly admired and praised the herbarium of Utah wild flow- ers prepared by one Utah Scout troop and exhibited at the London international con- ference of Boy Scout leaders. It will pay well in the reputation of Utah abroad to have the Scouts learn and prepare herba- riums of our native wild flowers. As for birds, insects, rocks, minerals — the things that boys and girls ask the most questions about on hiking or camping trips — they are known to only the very few specialists that work in these fields of nat- ural history. Yet, we are assured that much of the mystery attaching to them can soon be cleared away, for the purposes of Scout work, by going afield with leaders who know them. For awhile it will require specialists in nature to answer the questions and to guide the observations to be made in this high form of Scouting; but the difficulty of making the start should not discourage us. "I never lose heart," declares the apos- tle of insight; "for the things that are seen are transient; the unseen, eternal." Some of the things that ordinarily we do not see — realities unnoticed though lying all about — are disclosed elsewhere in this issue. They constitute an unusual but feasible nature program for those who will, as the apostle says, go at it without losing heart. Easy to observe, being every- where common, and not difficult to identify, the objects of nature presented in the article should be a boon to all campers; to leaders of youthful groups at summer camps, they should be invaluable. — J. H. P. The Well Balanced Menu We commend the foregoing editorial, which was submitted to us by a valued correspondent, to the thoughtful attention of our readers. "The loftier first groups, the unseen or spiritual" thiijgs are truly of primary importance as this editorial states. They will endure after the transient things of this earth have passed away. However, it would be unfortunate should our younger readers develop the notion that the practical things, such as repairing a faucet, rolling a blanket, building a fire, etc., have no value, and the article does not intend to convey such an idea. These practical things have an important place in the temporal life we are now living and must not be overlooked. Neither is there necessity for overlooking them. Ever since its organization, this Church has en- deavored to develop real men, men who dream but who "dream along the lines of life." Our effort is to train young men to become as nearly like the Christ as possible. He could see in the simple lilies of the field something which surpassed the beauty of Solomon in all his glory; and yet he could doubtless wield a hammer or plane or saw with as much skill as any man of his time. — C.