RECITATIONS FOR YOUNGER PUPILS

CHILD'S MORNING HYMN

SEE! the sky is glowing,

Golden sunlight showing;

We with birds and flowers greet the morning hours. May our happy faces

Be like sunny places,

And our merry singing, like the bird-notes ringing.

May we, like the flowers,

Pass our happy hours,

Making lives of beauty, just by doing duty.

CHILD'S EVENING HYMN

The great round sun is gone, the night is near;
O Heavenly Father, bless thy children here!
The silent little birds and folded flowers
Are sweetly resting now till morning hours.
And little children, too, may sweetly sleep;
For God, their Father, will them safely keep.

Emilie Poulson

In books, or work, or healthful play,

Let my first years be passed,
That I may give for every day

Some good account at last.

Watts

Idle hands, I've heard it said,
Doing nothing,

Indicate an empty head,

Doing nothing.

With no useful end in view,

Soon you'll find your friends for you
Doing nothing.

Knowledge never can be gained,
Doing nothing;

Naught that's noble is attained,
Doing nothing.

If you would not long repent,
Scorn to live a youth misspent,
Doing nothing.

Worthless, wicked boys I've seen,
Doing nothing;

And they grew up worthless men,
Doing nothing.

Life to them a failure proved,

As they spent it, all unloved,

Doing nothing.

A little boy was dreaming,

Upon his mother's lap,

That the pins fell out of all the stars,
And the stars fell into his cap.

So when his dream was over,

What should that little boy do?

Why, he went and looked into his cap,

And found it wasn't true.

Anon

Anon

Kind words are little sunbeams,
That sparkle as they fall;
And loving smiles are sunbeams,
A light of joy to all.

In sorrow's eye they dry the tear,
And bring the fainting heart good cheer.

And out of window poked his head,
And spied a crowing cock.

The little boy said, "Mr. Bird,
Pray tell me who are you?"

But all the answer that he heard
Was "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

Little moments make an hour,

Little thoughts a book,
Little seeds a tree or flower,

Water-drops a brook;

Little deeds of faith and love

Make a home for you above.

Anon

Anon

A million little diamonds

Twinkled on the trees,

And all the little maidens said,

"A jewel, if you please!"

But while they held their hands outstretched,

To catch the diamonds gay,

A million little sunbeams came,
And stole them all away.

Anon

Anon

66

Children, thank God for these great trees
That fan the land with every breeze,
Whose drooping branches form cool bowers,
Where you can spend the summer hours,
For these thank God.

For fragrant sweets of blossoms bright,
Whose beauty gives you such delight;
For the soft grass beneath your feet,
For new-mown hay and clover sweet,
For all thank God.

Sixty seconds make a minute, Sixty minutes make an hour." If I were a little linnet,

Hopping in her leafy bower, Then I should not have to sing it, "Sixty seconds make a minute." "Twenty-four hours make one day, Seven days will make one week; And while we all at marbles play,

Or run at cunning "hide-and-seek,"

Or in the garden gather flowers,

We'll tell the time that makes the hours.

In

every

month the weeks are four,

And twelve whole months will make a year.

Now I must say it o'er and o'er,

Or else it never will be clear;

Anon

Anon

A little brown bird sat on a stone;
The sun shone thereon, but he was alone.
"O pretty bird, do you not weary

Of this gay summer so long and dreary?"

The little bird opened his bright black eyes,
And looked at me with great surprise;
Then his joyous song broke forth to say,

66

Weary of what? I can sing all day!”

Hearts, like doors, can ope with ease
To very, very little keys;

And don't forget that they are these:
"I thank you, sir," and "If you please."

Anon

Anon

Yes, courage, boy, courage, and press on thy way, There is nothing to harm thee, nothing to fear; Do all which Truth bids thee, and do it to-day; Hold on to thy purpose; do right; persevere.

One by one the sands are flowing,

One by one the moments fall;
Some are coming, some are going;
Do not strive to grasp them all.

One by one thy duties wait thee,

Let thy whole strength go to each;

Let no future dreams elate thee,

Learn thou first what these can teach.

The world is ever as we take it,

Anon

A. A. Procter

And life, dear child, is what we make it.

Anon