The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-19
WHEN GIRLS RUN AWAY
Nv SOPHIE IRENE LoEB

A young girl in high school who was behind in her lessons, but rather longed to be an artist, disappeared from home and. her parents are now distracted.
 The only hope that this father and mother have that their girl is alive is contained in a note she left which says Don't wofry, I am getting along pretty we'll where I am now. Forget me-"
 Several such actions on the part of young girls have been recorded in the press lately.
 I wonder if young women ever stop to think of the heartache and misery they cause their families by such a rash action. For any girl to do a thing like this is selfish beyond req son. They have little or no feelings for those closely associated with them and seem to pay little heed to the consequences of their act.
 No young woman can be of fine character who doesn't realize that the world was not made fonDher alone and that she cannot live alone m the world. The very ones who have done the most for her ought, at least, to be considered sufficiently to protect them from sorrow that such dis turbance always brings. Whatever their grievance is, there is surely always some other way out of it than to run away. At least they might realize that the most cow ardly thing in the world is the busi- ness of running away from any thing. A person who shows the finest per sonality. and the bravest souls are those who stay and face the music as it were. Yet the other side of the question is further consideration of the par ents and guardians of such girl. Nearly all such runaways or even the desire to get away, which is the case of many young women who do not actually go, are due to something that such child keenly wants to do but is stopped from doing because of other plans that the family has ar- | ranged for her.
 It is indeed very important that these carly longings of young people be thoroughly considered and full filled if it is possible, It may be the
 
 him or her develop the thing in which they seem to be the most interested. | While there can be no general rules laid down, as each case is a problem | in itself, at least history has pointed to the fact that many a young per- son who was thwarted in the work that he desired most had to wait years later to develop it, and in many instances has become highly success full and even renowned for that very thing which he had to repress in earlier years.
 | In the main, a safe rule is to per- init child as far as possible to fol- low it's natural bent. While all the facts have not been disclosed in the l particular instance mentioned, it is just possible that this girl who want ed to be an artist hated arithmetic or kindred studies.
 | While it Is necessary for her to know these subjects. the hope should have been advanced to the girl that the idea of her being an artist was not repellapt, and some effort may have been made to let her take up some of the art.
 This may have been done, but not to the entire satisfaction of the girl. l which. of course, is then a case of some discipline. The big thing, how ever, is for parents to take the trOu- ble to ascertain the real desires of their children as to their vocation. and any special talent should be en- l couraged.
 1 l knew mother who had a young son who gave promise of being a very fine violinist. and who became fairly proficient with his fiddle. But his mother was anxious for him to be a lawyer and it was almost with ;i broken heart that he gave up the vio- lin. Today he is one of the best lawyers in the country and admits that it was the wisest thing for him that his mother suggested the course of his career. So that altogether it is case for the individual families to determine.
 | However. the most important thing Is mutual sympathy with special in I terest on the part of parents to look to the heart hunger of the young person.