The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-19

hcAehAiAth mlLLeQ 10 exercise
a little authority. That they did
II 50 forcibly. so arbitrarily. that the
youngsters revOlted and m a d c
Down with tyranny of parents
their cry. is much 10 be lamented.
Youth does have a right 70 live
its own life, OF course. But not
until IL is prepared 70 make its de-
cisions and choices. That Is where
parents and teachers come in.
Play illustrates Theme
This theme is most forcibly and
amusingly presented IN a current
Broadway play. Fly Away Home.
in which a family Of precOclous
children who like 20 talk about sex
freedom. and pretend 10 believe that
marriage is an Old-fashiOned Gus
tom their parents practiced, proceed
70 get themselves into a series of
difficulties.
They are merely amused at the
possible consequences. They think
their father. whom their mother
divorced u years before. is a typical
father-than which they can give
no more scathing denunciatiOn-but
he comes in handy and they vote
for his recall in the last act
Children. lacking the background
Of experiences. physically, mentally,
and emotionally. against which TO
make comparisons. can not judge
fairly In so far as they have the
ability 10 act on their own problems
certainly there should be no in
reference. And most assuredly
commands are out. James Masters,
the plays father. knew this. He
had to be a collaboration IN order
to win his way.
Lack of Maturity Shown
Miss Constance Warren, president
Of Sarah Lawrence College for
Women. the other day summed up
the need OF guidance for youth when
she said that girls who would be
happy. need. first OF all, to attain
maturity and be as adult as possible.
Youth that goes hay-wire at the
first chemical click of maturity and
straint is a sign Of sOphistication ana
onward progress Is not mature emo
tionally. II needs to be taught
not warned. For a warning Is a
hurdle and youth has an immediate
desire 70 Jump. History proves that
few persons can Jump without
breaking their collar bones or
scratching both knees.
If a girl is matured she has a
sense Of responsibility and emotional
control. she is able TO look at things
impersonally and is freed from
emotional blocks: and she viii
understand when her own opinion IS
apt to be dwarfed because she IS
dealing with problems too close to
her" Miss Warren says.
Take Theories Seriously
The youngsters in Fly Away
Home" believed that life consisted
in its fullest. in getting so close TO
your problems that YOU let them
Submerge YOU. Then you saw what
you could do. You also looked at
your parents pityingly because they
were scared
The contradiction of the whole
movement comes in the fact that
these adults who have urged youth
along the sCatter-hearted way are
most frightened when they see that
they are being believed. They didn't
mean 10 Be. They were lust talking.
The professor in the play, and the
children's mother are aStoniShed 10
see that the children want to make
4 theoretical world into reality.
The world swings along much as
II always has. and the eternal veri-
ties never change. Decency. truth,
honesty are cOrnerStOneS Of the
structure. But the DAY Of command
mentS has passed. The Thou shalt
nots" have a negative effect. Wise
guidance Of youth into a matured
state. as Miss Warren suggests, Is
the only solution.