The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-11-12
AFTER COLLEGE
BY LUCIA MALLORY

you can't guess what l am study
ing now, Lucia "
My friend, Blanche Narian, had
come into my office in the children's
section of the library with an armful
of books.
''The last time you came in," ]
answered, you We're studying radio
with Junior, and the time before that,
you were reading about colonial cos
tunes with Helen"
Blanche held out the books she was
carrying, and l glanced at the titles:
"The Story of Musical Instruments"
"The Violin; "Chats on Big and Little
Fiddles"
rs it Helen or Junior who is learn
ing to play the violin?" I inquired.
Neither; the piano is Helen's in
strument," Blanche replied, "and
Junior likes his trumpet. I'm just
getting ready for the years after col
lege."
"HOw can the violin have anything
to do with your children after college,
any more than now, since neither of
L
quite mystitied.
Blanche smiled and hastened to en-
tighten me. "These books do not have
one thing to do with my children's
education" she declared. "FOr the
first time since I've been their mother,
I'm studying something for myself! I
have just discovered that my chill
dren's interests have been absorbing
SO much of my attention that I have
almost no interest apart from them. y
1T has always seemed to me,
Blanche" | ventured, that you have
done Il fine job in wholeheartedly shar-
ing your children'S activities and yet
leaving them quite free to work out
each undertaking for themselves"
I've always tried to do that,
Blanche answered. but | didn't real
ize, until Jane Worthington went 20
college, to what extent Il mother can
lose her identity in that of her chill
> dren. The Worthingtons live next door
to us, and l had always thought that
the companionShip of that mother and
g daughter was just about perfect. They
seemed to enjoy doing everything to-
gether, and yet Jane was independent
and happy in her school work and
social life"
Jane has been doing well in col
lege, with no more than the normal
period Of adjustment to new asSocia
tionS. 1t is Mrs WorthingtOn who is
going through Il tragic and unneceS
Sary period of difficult adjustment
She is so lonely and unhappy without
her daughter that one would think
the child had met with some misfor
= tune instead of being privileged tt
continue her education at Il goo(
, school.
The neighborS have been trying {,
. help her find new interests by Sharins
their own with her, and in time shell
: get used to having her daughter at {;
distance. The point is that her life
,. need not have been so empty just now
if she had followed Il few of her owl
, personal inclinations while Jane wa.
= growing up
Blanche picked up her books Will
:, evident satisfaction. That's why In
taking up the study of the violin,' Sh,
& continued. 'I've actually purchased ;
:, good instrument and I'm spending {
=, little money on some lessons for my
: self! You see | have always loved tn,
!, violin. When | was Il child | had ;
few lessons, but there wasn't enough
:, money to spare, in a big family lik,
= ours, to go on with the study. | hat
to put the violin aside and bend ever.
energy toward earning my wa.
,s through college. Now that I'm tallin;
r ii up again, | know that | shall neve
= attain the proficiency | might one
-, have had. But the study is Il grea
joy to me- and it gives me an interes
that is all my own'