The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-05-05
AT THE PARENTS
TEACHERS MEETING

At the parents and teachers meet
Ing held Monday some papers wer,
read that we're considered SO GOOD
those present adopted a resolution
that they be rendered to the pres
for publication. The following Il
one of them and was written By
Mrs. Nellie Caster, one of the teach
ers In the city schools:
The Danger Zone
We are the creatures of custom
Nine-tenths OF the acts which we per
form are determined by custom
they are the expression, thru us. OF
the public ideal of that which Ii
right and proper. By far a large
majority Of the things we do, what
we shall eat, what we shall drink
wherewithal we shall be clothed, and
even how we talk and what we think
are automatically determined for us
without any volition on our part,
but the public ideal.
This public ideal, this general &C.
ceptance of certain rules Of action,
determines the atmosphere of To-
cality. Every place has its definite
personality, made up of the sum-
total of the ideals of its inha bitants.
The time was when the PERSONAL
ties of different localities were widely
divergent. But in this day of easy
communication public sentiment and
public ideals are quickly transmitted
from one place to another, SO that
we hear the same songs and observe
the same fads from one end of the
country to another. You may go
across the continen and find the
men swapping the same stories and
the women exchanging the same
crochet patterns.
Every individual in a community
contributes his part to the public
ideal, and is in turn reacted upon
and largely controlled by the public
Ideal which he has helped to create.
Thru the creation of the public
IDEAL, society has formulated GER
tain rules Of action which govern us
in our intercourse with each other.
We call these rules Of action the con-
ventions, and we have a wholesome
respect for the conventions. To re-
fuse to conform to the conventions
IS to be marked as an eccentric. or
Is a genius, according as one is un-
successful or successful in life. Con-
'cious familiarity with the conven-
ions gives us poise and confidence,
out tho we speak with the tongues
If men and of angels and understand
Ill mysteries and all knowledge, If
We are ignorant of the conventions,
t profiteth us nothing; we are awk-
ward and ill at ease.
We don't like to be thought ignor-
mt of the conventions. We can,
without a blush, confess that we
ont know much about Shakespeare,
II that we are not keeping up with
he march of events, and don't know
he present status of the Mexican |
ituation, but we would hate might
ly to have anyone think we didn't
now the time limit on a party call,
r which fork to use. And we judge |
ur neighbor largely by his know
edge of the conventions, even as we
leasure him by the cut of his
lothes.
The time was, in the memory Of
very person who has attained mid
lie life, when conventionality held
len and women in much stronger
rip than it does now. The last de-
ade or more has been time of un-
sual unrest. Men and women have
efused to think along prescribed
mes. We have lad a growing re-
)ect for those who have had the
)urage to think and act independ-
lilly. This individualism, this de-
re for self-expression, has been es-
ecially marked in the younger gen
alton. 1t has worked many re-
rms, but it, has also brought many
ills in it's train. The desire for orig
atty IS almost universal. But few
,ople are really original, independ-
It thinkers. The few who do their !
vn thinking step out from the
ovid and blaze the trail for a lot ,
imitators who imagine that be-
use they are doing something diff
rent, they are original. And so In ,
Liz W UISdh away lIOm Lu0 Gull i.
ntions, lot of people just throw
7ay their oars and dangerously
lift with the tide. Occasionally we /
ID a genius whose originality and
sire for self-expression becomes
rverted, and leads him into some '
ly fad, and score of imitators e
IL follow the fad, without in the b
ast being able to follow his pace z
other directions.
This cry of Break away from ira
ion; be yourself; smash conven- z
nality," has been insistent from n
. leading periodicals of the day. +,
q modern writer's of fiction and "
, producers of the problem play !,
the theatrical world, have carried r.
IS idea to the limit, to say nothing Il
many of the pictures which are \
own upon the screen to help crys- n
lie the ideals Of our young peo- o
This applies especially to the con- :.
ltionalities which have to do with =
, relations of men and women in ~
;ial life. We have broken the con- W
ltions until today our young peo- =,
have some pretty shaky ideals =
,arding the proprieties in the re-