The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-19
PrudiShneSS
Stressed in
Court Clash
Child's Visit to Museum
Commented Upon in
Vanderbilt Case.
BY EVELYN SEELEY
Tines special Writer

AAt+A"H "N'N-Ht N'-r~-
NEW YORK. Nov. 81 an
~ sure all mothers viii take
very seriously. indeed. the current
Vanderbilt venture IN child educa-
ton
The Vanderbilt lesson today.
mothers. is this
Don't take your child 70 that
Horrible Whitney museum. L Will
put ideas in her head
Nathan Burkan. Gloria Morgan
Vanderbilt'5 attorney. has go e
medieval. or else he never vent 70
the Metropolitan Museum when he
was a little boz and bushes now
when be goes near the cold. white
Hall OF Sculpture. Quite seriously
ne craFs IN photographs Of Whitney
Museum sculpture 10 show that
Mr. Vanderbilt is no IT person to
bring mp Gloria.
II is tho sapp.est semi-pubhc ex-
hibfIon OF the ridiculous and in
couErU0us since they put the midget
on j. p M0rgan's knee.
Just thiuk-Mrs. Whitney actually
took little Gloria 20 the museum
several times and even received her
in her studio. where she probably
saw a Winged Victory and Venus
dc Milo and D.. gray clay Of such
evil pofentialiuesl
Listen 20 Mrs. Clara Savage Lit
tledale. editor of Parents Maya
zine. exploding 10 me today on the
subject.
It's about time. said Mrs. Little
dale. that We got away from feel
ing indecent about the human
body Modern parents are matter
of-fact. Unsenumental, natural on
the subject They teach children TO
recognize the beauty Of the human
body. Just as they recognize beauty
anywhere.
Guided From Prudishness
Modern parents have gone
long way toward a wholesome form
Of sex instruction. Their whole
attitude is free and frank and
natural. away from the secretive
approach that makes peeping Toms
of little BOYS and slyly curious little
girls. Childre. play free and al
most naked IN the sun these days.
Can you imagine any parent who
would want her child to develop
emoti0nallv into a Sinking, furtlve,
inhibited. self conscious little crea-
urc2
some parents are extremists in
the matter Of freedom for a child.
as Dr. Ruth BuCkner. psychiatrist,
doctor and mother. points out. II
must be a human equation, accord
ing to the child and the parents.
Every child IS naturally interested
In his body.
As a little child his interest is as
objective as his interest in his boat.
As he grows older his natural re-
ticence can be guided away from
prudiShneSs into social behavior in
wise and unSentimental n d
matter-Of-faCt way.
Whether or not he goes to the
Whitney Museum or the Hall of
Sculpture az the Metropolitan makes
no difference.
Children Studying Art
This business of attempting to
protect a Childs mind and emotions
from the reality of life is as false
and destructive as protecting a
chiId's body from the sun. One
would suppose that a child Of the
wealthy. TO whom all the advantages
Of modern education are available.
would be able 10 get her knowledge
Of anatomy IN the simplest and
straightcst way scientific education
had 20 offer
And I have no doubt little Gloria
can walk in the midst OF sculpture
without Snickering-
Public school children by hOrdeS
are taken 20 museums these days.
II they make comments sometimes
that cmbarraSS their CrOwnup eS-
CortS nobody but Mr. Burkan would
tn nix OF saving. shut up. Johnny;
YOU mustn't talk about such things
The GIOrias and JOhnnyS VIII get
along all right. Whitney sculpture
Notwithstanding. And soon. God
willing. the VanderbIltS VIII pull out
Of the field OF child training into
the safety Of society pages and
horse shows.