Newspapers / Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.) / May 14, 1948, edition 1 / Page 7
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Friday, May 14, 1948 Why Does Man Work? By R. C. McNabb Everywhere that I have looked and with all with whom I have talked there has been many evi dences of work needing to be done —and scarcely time enough in which to do it. In observing human endeavor, it appears that all through life, -work is the domi nant factor in man’s existence. This condition has apparently held true •iroughout the long ages since od first commanded man: “In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread”. broad pattern of time just how much work one person or one generation does —always. In his own eyes every man is a hard worker. Humboldt made the fol-1 lowing o\ servation concerning work: “Work is as much a necessity to man as eating and sleeping. Even those who do nothing that can be called work still imagine that they are doing something. The world j has not a man who is an idler in his own eyes.” As soon as one job is completed another is always waiting to be undertaken. And so, we continu ally find consistent in his compli ance with this fact throughout the span of his recorded existence, and has not seriously rebelled against his lot in life —at least not before John L. Lewis took over. During the course of my pon dering and meditating upon these j facts, a question presented itself U to me: Just what impels or induc * es man to work? or more simply, Why does man work? Many facts point to a seeming futility in work. In Gray’s Elegy we find this line: “The paths of glory lead but to . the grave.” / And in Father Ryan’s poem on Why Is It So? We find these lines: “Some find work where some find rest, And so the weary world moves on; I sometimes wonder what is best, The answer comes when life is gone.” Again in Andrews’ poem on Am bition we find: “The narrow vale is not for me!” Cried one aflame with youth’s fierce fires. “I’ll climb a mountain-peak and see The world and all my heart de sires!” ‘Twas long and hard. On bended knee He reached the top. What mournful cry! He could not see — Age dimmed his eye!” In Ecclesiastes we find these words: “What profit hath a man of all his labor which he taketh under the sun?” And even when fortune smiles and man accumulates great riches as a result of his labor, there is doubt- | ful comfort in it, for in Proverbs we find this sentence: “Riches certainly make them selves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” Notwithstanding all this how ever, man has never succumbed to such a seeming futility. Calvin Coolidge once made the statement that: “Work is not a curse. It is the prerogative of intelligence, the only means to mankind, and the measure of civilization.” Longfellow expresed something of the impelling or motivating force in man when he wrote: “Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; “Dust thou art, to dust retumeth,” Was not spoken of the soul.” In another of Longfellow’s poems, he associates or links the secret or prerequisite of fame with work: “The heights by great men reach ed and kept, Were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.” Shakespeare spoke of work and opportunity as playing an integral part in the destiny of man when he wrote these lines: “There is a tide in the affairs of man Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows, and in mis eries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures.” Kenyon Cox tells us what to work for. Doubtless fewer ills would beset the lot of man should he but follow this behest: “Work thou for pleasure, paint or sing or carve The thing thou lovest, though the | body starve, Who works for glory misses oft the goal; Who works for money cains his very soul. Work for work’s sake then, and it well may be That these things shall be added unto thee.” Macculloch very aptly and clear ly summarises the value of work in the following lines: “It is to labor and to labor only, that man owes everything of ex changeable value. Labor is the talisman that has arised him from the condition of the savage; that has changed the desert and forest into cultivated fields; that has covered the earth with cities, and the ocean with ships; that has given us plenty, comfort, and el egance, instead of want, misery, and barbarism.” Assuming, now, that I am cor rect in my surmise that there are no playboys or men of incessant leisure present tonight, we may safely say that all here have had some first hand experience with RADIOS BUNN PAINTS ELECTRIC COMPANY Come in and see the beautiful new Monitor washing machines three sizes lovely to look at and priced to sell! You owe it to yourself to see them today! VISIT OUR PIECE GOODS DEPARTMENT Chambrays, Card Spun, Muslin, Lawn, Eylet Embroidery Broadcloth and Prints Hamburg, Lace, Insertions, Button, All Kinds Trimmings Wide Hem Facing, Binding, Tape, Rick-Rack See the beautiful line of Children’s Sun Suits, 98c and up ★ FLOWERS 5c to $5 STORE Dalmon Whitley, Prop. Zebulon, N. C. I ■ ■ mmt The Zebulon Record I work. All of us are more or less I versed in the language and' tech nijue of work. Perhaps most of us to an even greater degree than we may wish. So, seeing that everv one has this wealth of information and experience concerning work accounts for my having decided to base the theme of my discussion on it. I have asked myself the question: Why does man work? I Man does work; and the standard phrase, “ —because I have to” does not give either a true or ade quate reason for his doing so. I shall not attempt an expert an swer, but will merely set forth a few commonplace observations. I am of the opinion that each of you know as much about this subject already as I. This is as I would have it though, because it seems to be universally true that man appreciates and enjoys most those I things which he understands best. It is on this thesis therefore that j I tax your further indulgence and forbearance. It is true that man has worked all down through the ages, and will doubtless continue to work; but he has had many real and fan cied reasons which impelled him to do so. As often as not though he could not or would not tell you exactly or explicitly just why he i does work. Probably most of man’s work is inspired and carried on as a result of a combination of several of the reasons which I am about to give. Perhaps we should list first among the reasons why man works, the one in most common usage; namely, (1) To secure the J necessities of life—food, clothing I and shelter. Early man used only the shelter which nature provided, animals furnished his food, and the skins of animals furnished his 1 clothing. With the steady increase in population, such a mode of ex istence soon became wholly inad equate; and man began to work to improve his lot. That work has been so successful that now man lives in weather—conditioned houses, wears multi-colored silks and satins, and practically has his food pre-digested for him. (To Be Continued) Z. N. Culpepper NOTARY PUBLIC LOST — TWO PIGS, males, white ring around necks, about nine weeks old. Lost last Saturday. Finder please notify Lillie May Morgan near John Pulley’s, R-l, Box 7. It Pictured above is Charles Pearce as he prepared to cut the first slice of his birthday cake. With him are Jean Gay, Wilma Bunn, j and Curtis Privette, watching carefully to see that all goes well. STATE COLLEGE HINTS To prevent doors from squeak ing, oil the hinges with a feather i dipped in oil. Clocks, too, may be 1 oiled in this way and the sewing j machine. Keep a stiff brush near the laundry tubs and before putting any garment with pockets into the wash, turn the pockets inside out and brush thoroughly. This ! same handy little brush also in in dispensable for brushing soapsuds | on stubborn soil such as is found I on neckbands, collars, and cuffs of i shirts. Brushing is easier and more efficient than rubbing on a */7 w \*m.4B£& i-\LtJt\:i m I £r// \1 ## * Ssn gYJf \l r *mm£' ■W^FyßSifflFwllfaCr*^^^ m,, *\ JMr BY GOODYEAR We mean every word we eery we'll put Q set of Super-Cushion tiree and tubes on YOUt car. Drive it for a week. Then, If you aoui agree they give you a softer ride than any other tires you've ever owned, we'll replace them with your old tires and give your money back! Super-Cushion is a remarkable new kind of tire. Bigger, softer... it runs on only 24 pounds of air. It is so superior that we make this amaz ing trial offer ... for a very limited time only due to the great demand for Super-Cushions. Don't delay take advantage of this unusual opportunity today. PAY AS YOU RIM TERMS AS LOW AS $1.29 'A WEEKI YOU HOE ... THEN YOU DECIDEI IZEBULON MOTOR CO. SERVICE STATION Phone 2491 board. Unusual Cake Frostings: Mint Chocolate To make a simple mint chocolate frosting for a cake, melt chocolate-cbvered mints in a double boiler and spread on cake. Such a frosting hardens quickly and has a deli cious flavor. Peanut Butter If in need of a quick and delicious frosting, try this easy recipe. Mix one and one-half cups of powder ed sugar with one talblespoon of peanut butter and add enough cream to spread. This is especial ly appetizing when used on a spice cake. Page Seven
Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.)
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May 14, 1948, edition 1
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