New Britain herald., 1925-01-09

minds to their children and tell 1 them about the problems which lie l before them and for this reason many children are open to sources | of information which make for their undoing.
 Reviewing the story briefly Dr. Sternheim told of the Stellenthorp family which was composed of the father, Philip StelenthOrpe, an easy going, self satisfied man, his wife, Eleanor stellanthorpe. whom Dr. 1 Sternhcim termed her husbands understudy," one son, who dsap- 1 pears very early in the story, and two daughters, Yvonne and Lilly. Lilly is the principal character in the story. Nayghnie was an unintel- | ligent and ufgly girl and Lilly was bright and beautiful girl. Despite these facts YyOnne was the fay- orite daughter and when company came to the house she was the one chosen to demonstrate her ability as an example are the Stellenthorpe family.
 Lilly spent some years in school as the pupil of one Miss Melody. This teachers methods were such that the prcsentment of the truth was a thing unknown 10 her It was not for her pupils to question her cxpositions or to utter any thoughts which might arise when the teacher was talking to them. In speaking about the subject of educa- ton Dr. Sternheim did not confine his thoughts 10 academic learning only, but also covered the education received in the home and elsewhere.
 Lack of "SClflessness"
 Another great part of the story begins when Lilly marries man., Nicholas by name, with the result that she enters upon an unhappy married life. On one occasion sine said to her husband, 'T feel that ] was tanght to be afraid of llfe." Dr Sternheim applied this fault to modern times also. Children are brought up in such q way. that they entertain a fear of life and after wards grumble about the hardships which they experienced in their earlier life. Dr. Sternhcim compar- cd Nicholas to the American "Bah. hitt' in that he was an ordinary fe'- low who was perfectly satisfied with himself. The marriage vas not happy because there was a lack of one of the great prerequisites Of a happy life, which Dr. Stcrnheim called "seIfessness," Lille did not know what solfessnoss was and con- sequenty expected too much in re- turn for sacrificing too little
 One of the maJor issues of the book is "Who Owued Children ?" Dr. Sternheim recalled the time when, in the middle west mans wealth was judged according to inc number Of cattle he owned and the number of children he had. Dr, Sternheim flayed those who imposs upon their children unuualifedIv their own prejudicrs. their own ideas and their own methods. The chil- dren should he allowed 10 thinI, freely and decide for themselves the courses which thoy will fellow in their lives.
 Punishment of Children Another of the major issues of the book is that children suffer out Of proportion to adults: they are pun ished ut of proportion 10 the crimes which thoy commit. In Lily's home he same punishment was meted out for the smallest crimes as was met ed out for the more serious ones. Dr. Sternheim said that the samo fault is existent in our modern laws. In lcCiding the punishmen's for ccr- tain crimes not enough attention is raid to the seriousness of fl, Ths result Of this lack of attention is de cided disrcspeCt for the laws on thc . part of the people. Some parents lay down the law 10 their children with more sustcrity than that dis played by any kaiser.
 , pr. Sternheim said that the mod
 orn practice IS 10 ascrihe the crimes
 of the century 10 the children . People say that the children Of 10. day are bad and that they are not at all like they themselves were when they were children. Dr. Stern
 helm discarded this thought hy de
 claring that never in the history Of the world has there been such a fine class of youth as there is today. Another of the jor issues of the
 book is the relation of papsats tc their children. Many parenS tel their children that they know SC much more about the problem, which confront the children because
 of their mature age; they lay dowr
 the law 10 their children without
 making any explanation. This is an other fsllacy. Here again the op.