Milford chronicle., 1940-02-02
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The Chift's Firsf Scliool Is HE
Family Fk0kBEh
lssuod d tte Nati11ai Ilinderanrtesl
AEsociation. 5 West 4Qfh Slreci
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THE FAiILY PURSE
TnE FAMILY PURSE
LUCIA MALLORY

II ] we're a mother, would talk
lover tie fainilys money problems
with my SONS and daughters. would
not let them think that their fathers
moderate salary constituted an in
exhauBtible source Of supplies, ur-
til the day came when they had TO be
told that there was not money
lenOugh to send thcp to college.
Ny work III the childrens room at
the library has given me many
friends among the boys and girls Of
our city. Often they bring their prob
lens to me long after they have out
grown my department.
Kathleen kenworthy came in to
see me the other evening, just as
was ready to close the library. Some
thing IN her troubled expression
made me linger to talk to her.
Miss Lucia, can't go to college!
Mother just told me about It this
morning. You know I've always ex-
pected to go to college. didn't know
Fathers salary had been cut or that
we've needed 10 help my grandpaf-
ents lately. II I'd known all that /
wouldn't have wanted an expensive
new formal for the Junior Prom, and
I'D rather have had the money than
the watch my folks gave me as a
Commencement gift, but they wanted
me to have everything the other girls
had"
could see that Kathleen was torn
between loyalty to her parents and
a sense Of the injustice of having
been kept so long in ignorance re-
gafding their financial situation
How about earning your own way
through college. Kathleen?" / ask
ed.
Il know you did that, Miss Lucia,
my young friend answered, but you
had scholarship. would have APP
piled for the Midwest Scholarship II
I'd known l needed it. The student
who received 1t had lower grades and
poorer record in activities than
had"
could only suggest to Kathleen
that she might be able to find work
at which she could earn enough to
begin college in another yearN Then !
she could probably secure employ
hlent at the school, to supplement her |
savings. OF her parents lack of |
frankness about money could say
nothing.
When Marian Hartman was cele-
brating her fourteenth birthday, her
parents told her she might select as I
a gift either a wrist watch or a BIZ |
cycle, though they could scarcely
afford either Like Kathleen's par
ents, they wanted their daughter TO
have everything the other girls had
Marian chose the watch, cOniiding to !
her friends that she had made that |
choice because she knew she would |
get the bicycle, anyway. She would |
need it 10 ride the twenty blocks
from her home to the high school, /
which she was soon to enter.
A fourteen-year-Old girl should 4
realize that expensive wrist watches
and bicycles cannot be provided in a
home such as hers without sacrific-
ing something else, but this cannot \
be expected when the parents are
living up TO the creed that / once
heard Marian's mother express: I'VE
10 l,ot want our children to be wOr-
ried about financial matters. They'll /
have problems enough later Youth
should be free from care!"
How much better TO prepare chill
lren for the money problems Of ma
Lurity by taking them into partner
ship while they are growing up than
% set them. adrift, later on, with no
in the earning or the saw
ng or the spending of money to
guide them!
Several of my young friends are
making regular contributions to col
ege funds which were started, in
IoIne form. by their parents. long
Defore the boys and girls were old
inough to go to kindergarten. They
viii not be disappointed, as Kathleen
lenwOrthy was, and as Marian Hart
nan surely will be. when the time
Omes for college. III
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