Evening star., 1939-10-30
Volume OF Recipes From Way Down East Makes Delightful Readn
Aping Elders
Must Not Be
Tolerated
Imitation Maturity
An Injustice to
A Youngster
By ANGELO PATRI.


"Now, mother will you please
understand that I want an evening
dress, not a childs party frock2 l
need it for affairs this winter. It's
got to have a low neck, or back, 1
don't care which, and it mus. be
long"
You can't wear clothes like that.
You are 13. You are a child. You
need childs clothes and a chlld's
pleasure. You're not going to pay
ties that require such dress. Not for
years
That's Just the trouble You keep
thinking that l am child, and in
FAINT in spite of all 1 can say. All
of the younger set wear these
clothes, and it is quite all right.
How do you suppose we can expect
boys of the senior class to have any
thing to do with us if we dress ike
that?"
Il don't see why they should have
anything to do with you, or you
with them. This stops where it is
Now. You are child of 13, and you
will live in that period, dress and
play and work in it. You can rid
your head of any notion that you
are grown up or that you are going
to 60 with groWn-up boys and girls.
It's ridiculous. It's bad for your
mind. What kind of youth Will
you have if you skip your childhood
like this? What's gotten into you,
anyway?"
Il have to do what the others do.
can't be dud. Their mothers
are modern enough to see that they
must have good times. If 1 go
with them then 1 have to be like
them. and I can't see any harm
in it
We'll, I do. And if you can't 20
with these boys and girls as the
child you are you will be taken
out of this school and placed in one
where you can be your girlish self.
l won't stand by and see you spoil
your youth"
The idea has taken hold among
this younger set, the brighter, faster
growing group. that in order to
enjoy themselves they must ape
their elders. They pair of. They
attend movies. They go to restau-
rants afterward. They arrange
dances, demand full dress. late hours
and escorts without chaperones.
They are neither children nor
youths, neither out" nor in 1t
is a most disturbing situation for
the children because it oversIimu-
lates them, deprives them of the
calm, the peace of their leisure
hours so much needed at this period
of their growth. 1t gives them
false idea of life, putting amuse-
ment, clothes, affairs" ahead of les
sons, accomplishments, responsible
ity for character growth. The boy
or girl of the hour, the dress, the
crowd, the particular invitation to
the special affair puts the struc-
ture of their growth out of pro-
portion. The time they should use
for reading, enjoyment of music.
study, sleep, activities suitable to
their stage of development is sauan-
coclous, pastimes.
AS I see this only the parents
of the children can help. If they
insist that children live as chill
dren, play and work and dream
as children, if they insist upon
strict attendance upon the duty of
the day, this state of things would
be righted. If child is brought
up to believe his wishes and his
will are foremost, that what he
wants to do is the most important
thing to do, there is only one end
for that child-failure. Parents are
responsible for correcting children's
mistakes, directing their hayward
ness, leading them-even driving
them-toward wholesome usefulness.