The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-12-17
THE SOCIAL SIDE
BY LUCIA MALLORY

Z Dy LUNA
Mrs. Bently prcked up her ears.
Why was it suddenly so much quieter
in the next room? Why had the voices
of her fourteen-year-old son, Roger,
and his friends changed from hilarity
to such serious tones?
Are you going to take girl to the
High School dance, Bill?" this was
| Rogers voice.
"What would | want to do that for?
I'd have to pay Il whole quarter for
her, and one for myself, and, l don't
know any girl to take. Are you going
with Il girl, Roger"
Sure, my mother says it's the thing
to do
"Crickets, l wouldn't know what to
do with a girl! came from another
young voice, just breaking from its
treble.
you have to get all 'slicked up" a
third voice broke in, "and, say, girls
are pain in the neck I'm not going
to the dance. I'd be fine one to take
a girl"
"How do you take girl to dance,
Roger?" Bill asked.
Mrs. Bently was all ears.
"First you ring up the girl and ask
her if she'll come. l asked Rose Norton
last night"
did she say she'd come? If could
take a swell girl like Rose"
"Hush up, Bill, let Roger tell how
it's done He knows Rose anyway-she
came to his Halloween party. Go on,
! Roger"
"Then you have to go and get her
and take here home again, pay her
| carfare, and see she has Il good time
all the evening. You take her to sup
'per-"
"How do you see she has good
time?"
"Well. if she has no one to dance
with, you dance with her. Don't let her
sit out alone-grls don't like that
What if you can't dance?
| uoIl hlloN loVN a ISN lV'N'''iS'
Ma and l practice at home. But !
heard my big cousin, Mary, tell how
she taught a fellow to dance. Maybe
if you got the right girl she'd teach
you, too
"Ha. ha! lot of fun that'd be fol
l the girl! Look at the size of Bills
feet !" roa red one.
That night Rogers mother was help
ing at the hilarious happy affair-thC
very first real dance for most. She
watched the host of bright young
people, felt their eagerness, theil
happiness.
Half way through, three faces -
Rogers friends--peered in through the
glass door. Il kind of hunger in thel
eyes. They vanished when she went
to let them in. They We're interested
enough to come and stand in the cold
to watch, but too shy to mix with the
jolly throng.
The social life of children is impor-
tant, more SO than some in the past
have thought. Youngsters who Car
move among others with grace and
ease have something of value that will
enrich them all their lives.
Boys and girls should be able tC
enjoy one another's society freely. II
is good for both. Later such Il boy OF
cir! will be more competent to make
Il wise choice. ShyneSs and fear, are
enemies to be thrust out in early youth
Dancing lessons, Il decent suit OF
clothes Il hair cut, raise Il boy in his
estimation, give him Il new outlook
They are good investments.
Parents can do much to guide thf
taste of their young people in choice OF
companions by having an occasiona
party ut the house. Deep in the hear
of every boy and girl is the desire fol-
the conpanionship of the other sex
even i'm the hearts of the ScOrnful. Why
|are these scornful, shy? Because of {;
feeling of incompetence inferiorny
They don't know how to handle sucl
situations. 1t is chiehy-but not en-
tirely-the parents job to change thi:
mbarraSSment, ask Il girl to go to {:
party with him can choose whom he
will: the shy, awkward fellow is more
likely to be chosen, and perhaps by
someone undesirable.
We read lot about the evils of the
young of these days Some of it may bt
| true-there are humans who disgust IL
in every generatiOn-but most of it
am sure is merely sensational writing
and should be read as such. The young
are fine, idealistic, splendid - The
nOblest members of the whole human
, race.
At Guadalcanal our Marines have
, hoan Gin tho linpn for 100 daVS AL