New Britain herald., 1921-05-28
Humor Our Greatest Asset.

some good humorists in the country 1 at the present time, just as good as in | the old days: but our people haven't l yet recovered from the shock of the | war. Just as soon as they get rid of | all the economic troubles and other 1 worries that seem to be bothering | them. they will resurrect humor. These same economic conditions | have not only played havoc with American humor, but they have also | brought about late marriages which ! Senator Depew depIores as real | tragedy for he believes that every young man and young woman should I get married as soon as they possibly | can.
 "Of course, they can't get married until they are able to maintain a home. And there arc few these days who can maintain a home until they reach the late twenties. One reason for that, of course, is the change that has come in our way of living. When I was a boy we believed for the most part in, will lages. And village life was conducive to early marriage: for village life was home life. The young girl. as early as four years. was taught the rudf- ments of home making. She learned how to do housework. to cook. and to sew. nd do all those wonderful things that her mother was able to do. Now adays, its different.
 There is not the home life that we know in the old days. The girl is not taught the lessons of housekeeping. partly becuse many mothers believe that to teach her these things would prevent her from becoming a lady. AS if a lady were someone who thrived on idleness- Just to the extent that the fathers Yr,n gply hof ial,f hood and ladyhood. with all that that means. in it's best sense. is due to likeness, just to that extent they are neither knights or ladies"
 In order to bring about a change in present day conditions. insofar as these conditions affects the new homes and the culpination of happy mar riages, Senator Dcpew believes that the curriculum of the public schools should be changed so as to include courses of domestic economy for young girls.
 vocational training it what our public schools should specialize in,'' said the senator Along with the course that fit young girls and .boys for the business life, that is. the economic end of existence. the schools should have course which would In the end turn out boys and girls worthy to be called home-maRers in the truest sense of the world.
 After all is said and done. there is nothing sweeter in all the world than home, and the making of home. Since my enriy. youth, I believe the process of home making has changed a bit. other things have changed. Tn those days, people. seemed to be closer to- gether. There was a camaraderie exist ss-~r now. I remember very we'll how close We were to each other. us young folks: but all that changed when the nation grew and big cities took the places of small towns and villages. eI
 Village Life
 Tn the village. everybody went to church and to Sunday school. on Sun dag. Unfortunately, there are n lot of people who do not do that today. And on Friday nights there was always a meeting at the church. which was just as much Of social nature as 1t was a religious opportunity. There wehe things that cemented the bonds of friendship. In those places, boys and and girls who had known each other since they could remember, met and married.
 Nowadays in cities like Wash ington, families move in from other places. and there is not that kinship among people that we knew in the old days. So long as cities attract new people this will be so; for you've got 10 be born, and live, and remain in the same place 10 make friendships that are lasting"
 Senator Depew compared the forms of entertainment as he knew them in the old-time villages with what the populace of n modern Am erican city enjoys today In those days. he said. the people were thrilled with things that nowadays would Eo by the boards unnoticed.
 ''To begin with, we didn't have the movies .'' The senator smiles. 'The movies ! And how they do move i'
 .'So far as am able to judge. tho movies are dealing in what might be called a re-hash of current fiction. l have seen a great number of movies. You know. there are some safeguards that always keep us fellows who are eighty-seven free from temptation. So I never fear that the movies will lead me astray.
 "As l have noted, the movies deal 1 with love. Always it is a boy and l girl failing in love, and then having a pretty tough time Of it for five or l six reels; but they eventually get out of the tangle all right come to- gether in 2 lonE-drawn out kiss and l live happily ever after--or. I SUD- pose they do. That is what they would have us believe in these many 1 old story. 1t is an endless chain. !