Omaha daily bee., 1916-03-24
Common Sense
Mothers
ny ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
coprisht. les. star Company.


Copyright. 1915. Star Company.
In a college town lives a beautiful
young girl whose mother 10 gifted with
the unusual asset Of common sense.
when the telephone rings It Is the mother
who answers, and when masculine
voice asks for her daughter, the mother
inquiries who wishes to speak with her
daughter. II the name is given and the
mother knows the speaker the daughter
is allowed TO converse over the telephone
in the mothers presence.
On, at least. a half dozen occasions. the
names have been refused. say simply
"oh. just tell your daughter it is friend
wishes to speak with her" But, said
the mother. unless you are willing to
Give your name do not care to have
you speak with my daughter"
on these several occasions the name
has been refused and the mother very
sensibly has hung up the receiver. greatly
TO the daughters amusement, be 1t said.
Remember this girl is only Is, and quite
possibly. more than probably, the voices
OF the speakers belong to boys not many
years her senior. Nevertheless. the situa-
tion is purely American and indicates on
what free-and-easy lines the average
girl is educated.
This mother has been called a crank,
and her rules are considered very strict.
She is told that among all the girls ac-
fDa ~
knowing who IL talking to her daughter
over the telephone. Then more is the
pity.
In two high schools. not many miles
removed from the little town wherein
this girl resides. tragedies and scandals
have occurred which have marred the
lives OF many young girls. Statistics are
in the writer's possession regarding these
high schools. Statistics 30 appalling that
they make one wonder there not more
cases like that Of Marian Lambert and
William Orpet.
IIf you have daughters or sons attend
iAg high school or public school. dear
madam, II would be worth your whie
TO pay little moro attention to the tele-
pxone calls which your children are CIV
gng and receiving out Of school hours
1t will be worth your while to know
were your children go at the noon hour
and the recess hour. and IL they do not
come home directly from school to know
where they have been and who have
been their associates.
OF vast Importance is 1t for you to keep
in very close sympathy and touch with
your young daughters II you live in a
college town. The average youth who Ia
sent away to college knows nothing OF
the sacredness or the dangers which lie
In sex attraction.
William Orpet, the youth now awaiting
trial for the murder of Marian Lambert
was a freshman sent away by his par
ents without the least instruction or
this important subject. II was his pride
and boast that he could win the con
fidence and overcome the prudence OF
any young girl.
Marian Lambert's mother never asked
who was calling her daughter over the
telephone. II her daughter had told hel
It was william Orpet, the father or the
mother would have found 1t necessary
to look up the character OF William
Orpet.
The fact that a youth attends sons
we'll known college seems to some silly
mothers and fathers to be considered 9
certificate OF character They do no
realize how college boys under the In
fluence OF drink or in the intoxication o.
youthful conceit boast of their successes
with girls and besmirch their names b!
frequent utterance in public places.
1t is much better for you to be callet
a crank and TO win the reputation o
over-caution as a mother than for you Il
Nxun the risk of ever occupying the posi-
tSp of Mrs. Lambert before the world
Impress your young daughter, as thl
sensible mother has done, that 1t is littl
short Of an insult when any boy or mai
calls for her over the telephone ana re
fuses to give his name to you. Such ex
periences cheaper a girl. and she shoul'
make 1t known to all her boy friend
that she so understands the situation.