Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
Il Tribute to the Younger Generation From
Mrs. ''Pat" Hurley Wife Of the Secretary
ofWar, Who FINDS Them Self-Reliant
Intelligent, Physically Fit and
Unat1uid.

have quite nice little dignity. Perhaps they
wouldn't like any one to say that they were dig
nfied, but they so, possibly without realiz-
ing it.
IT remember very distinctly that when I was
growing up our mothers thought the girls in our
group were very frivolous. came out during
the war, you know, just at the beginning of the
time when there was such a marked change in
manners, behavior and dress. They were very
much concerned about us. But when / think
back over that group Of girls, most OF them are
happily married and living the most regular and
conventional sort of lives. Nearly all Of them
have children-not just one child, but several
and they have very strict ideas about how those
children shall be reared. They are surprisingly
we'll informed on theories of child education and
training.
my mother was astonished when let my
first baby cry three nights in succession and
reproached me with, don't know how you are
able to do that. Your father used to walk the
floor with you
IT answer that nobody in my house was going
to walk the floor with baby. After the third
night the baby didn't cry, because she had
found out that she didn't get attention by cry
ing My mother admits that my children are
good-that is, usually And the children OF my
friends are we'll behaved"
Just at that moment Mrs. Hurley's statement
was admirably demonstrated. Little Patricia,
who had broken her ankle and was just conva-
descent from the mumps, put in her appearance.
Such a combination of disasters might warrant
a little spelling. She wanted TO go play with
some little boy in the neighborhood Her mother
explained that she would have to get the little
boy to come and play in her own yard.
do you ever worry about the modern man
ners of young people in reference to your own
children?" Mrs. Hurley was asked.
mo-" she said with laugh. IT have no par
ticular fears for my own children when they
grow up. Perhaps I am optimist, but
have always felt that girl or boy reared prop
erly, who has been carefully taught at home,
would remember the home teachings You may
laugh at my simplicity but am not particu-
larry uneasy about what mine may do. know
they'll do what is right I have confidence in
them. I really admire the young people of to-
day a great deal, especially their frank habit OF
looking things in the face.
Those same friends of mine who were con-
Sidered so frivolous 10 or IL years ago have all
turned out to be interesting women. Not only
are they efficient housekeepers and excellent
mothers to their children, but they are inter-
eSted also in national and international affairs,
in music in art or something else outside of the
regular round Of home duties. They are alert
and entertaining. Most Of them do some work
for a pet charity. They are interested in the
out of doors and keep physically at.
UCOME people seem to have the idea that the
younger married women are interested
only in gadding about and in playing cards.
The married women Of my generation-Of
course, I am speaking only from personal ex-
perience and therefore mainly Of my personal
friends-do not spend much of their time play
ing cards. They are interested In too many
other things. 1t seems to me that it is the
older women who do most of the card playing
possibly women whose children have grown up
and who have little else to amuse or interest
them.
Naturally. while the children are young they
take most of the time and the interest of the
young married women. Like the rest my chill
dren are one of the biggest interests in my life.
1T is fascinating and stimulating TO watch