Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-21

the high schools, as men who say the
younger generation is going to the dogs
would like to believe. I believe that
smoking is more of an issue than drink
ing. am firmly convinced that the
boys and girls would not care so much
for either smoking or drinking II the
people who make both a sin would
stop making so much fuss about it and
the newspapers would stop grossly
exaggerating."
These statements were forwarded by
the principal, who was unable to reduce
such contradictory" statements to
summary.
A principal of one of the more
centrally located high schools formed
three definite observations: "Q) Drink
ing by High School (his) is
practically negligible; o improper sex
relations are rare, although there Is
greater freedom in the relations be-
tween the sexes than existed 20 years
ago, and 90 II do not see any great diff
ference between the human animal OF
1890 and 1890" Most of this principals
interviewed students insisted that
drinking and Immoral conduct was
either non-existent in their school or
examples of either were so infrequent
as to discredit notice. One declared
that the "so-called immortality, Wild
ness and drinking Of the students In
the high schools Is q myth" Becoming
explicit, he says that during his three
years in high school there have been. to
his knowledge, only two cases OF this
sort of conduct.
Majority Of Stu6ents Honest.
"The cynic," he says. "who sees on
every side drinking, immoral dancing
and other vices he so loves to point OUT
in proving the younger generation IL
going to the dogs, is one of those per-
sons who looks to the left. 1t is only
natural that in an organization the size
of the high school some undesirable stu
dents must creep in. The vast ajortty
of students in any high school in the
country are honest, industrious, clean
living young men and woman, who have
never been to a wild party in their life,
who have never touched flask to their
lips, and who will, in a short time, take
up the duties of an American citizen,
raise a family and be respected members
of their community"
A fellow student of the young philos-
opher just quoted wrote that there are
q certain amount of black sheep in every
There Is certain amount
of drinking and immoral conduct at
parties and socials. but I believe that 1t
Is uluCll III tkiC uiAAOAAGy nikti Sdh We SUP
pressed altogether by having the right
kind of chaperons." When questioned
whether he meant parties given by or at
his own school. this chap replied:
Eyes, among - High School pupils.
Almost all parties are that way"
A principal of a high school in the
eastern part of the city is convinced
that most student functions are abso-
lutely dry when they are held at school,
but admits that where they are staged
in hotels or other places where control
of guests was not so complete" grad
yates or outsiders have brought liquor. |
The data supplied Mr.. Kramer for
transmittal to the National Education |
Association where similar facts are be-
ing gathered for the Law Enforcement |
Commission was given by the students |
in confidential interviews with their !
principals. Each student was assured /
that anything he told would not be used |
to punish offenders and to institute q |
drastic curb on school functions The |
school authorities are convinced that, |
having accepted the promise of their
principals. the boys and girls opened up
and gave true picture of morality in
schools.