: A workable plan]

I can well imagine the young reader objecting that I would have
him turn from his study-desk, where Lehmkuhl and St. Thomas lie,
to practise composition and elocution. No, but I want to show how
all I have put before him can be done without encroaching to the
extent of one hour on his ordinary class studies.

I. Let the most hard-working student gather carefully the golden
sands of wasted time that lie strewn even through the busiest
ordinary day and see what they amount to in a year. Why not hoard
and mint them; for his class knowledge will, to a great extent,
be buried treasure except he has the engine by which to deliver
it to others.

A student should permit no day to pass without writing out at
least one thought. Cover but half a sheet of notepaper--correct,
prune, condense, clarify, and then, if you wish, burn it, yet, it
is a distinct gain. You are shaping a sword that will stand you
in good need yet.

2. During study hours an English author should lie on the desk.
When the head grows wearied, instead of uselessly goading the
tired jade or consuming brain tissue on that most fatiguing of
occupations, day dreaming, sip a page or two of English. You rest
your brain, and while doing so store up knowledge, silently
develop taste and acquire style.

3. Again, how are vacations consumed? The student who does not
read at least two hours a day is letting a golden opportunity
pass and wasting a precious gift of God--time. It may be said
that this after all is a rather slow process; it will only mean
about a volume a month. Yes, but that means twelve in a year, or
at least eighty-four in your course, not a bad stock to start
life with.

4. In the training of the future priest the recreation hour can
be converted into the most important item on the day's programme.
He plunges from the silence of the study hall into the vortex of
the world, for it is the world in miniature; its passions, its
pride, its meanness, as well as its gentleness of heart and
heroism of spirit are all flowing around him. If properly
utilised, the recreations can be minted into veritable gold. In
the term "recreation" I include all those occasions of free
intercourse where students meet to interchange thought--the hall,
the club, &c.--and the more numerous these are the better. Here
the student is his natural self, unrestrained by a master's
presence. The young minds are free to wrestle, and opposing
thoughts to clash. T