The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-09-23
SHE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION
Libby, Mont. Sept 10, 1914;
Editor Western News

Libby, Mont. Sept 10. 1913
Editor Western News:
At the risk Of seeming critical. |
want to take exception to little
statement made in your Editorial
Jottings in this week. paper.
Sometimes the skeptical ones
question the real worth of Women's
clubs and such civic organizations.
etc
| am sure you would not intea-
tionaliy bait women'S clubs, but
that IS an easy Interpretation to
place upon the above statement. ANY
interested person need only look
through the records of the Libby
Womans club to see that they have
indeed done many worth while
things during their 30 years of ex-
lstence, and of course, the County
Library and the fine swimming
pool we have are two very con
crete memorials to their efforts.
There are countless other projects.
such as the school children's clinic
which provides free dental care. free
eyeglasses and free tuberculin tests.
As for the other organizations"
| feel sure of their records were
searched they too could produce
ample evidence of their usefulness.
Now, for the real crux of the mat
ter 1t seems to me, and | am not
alone in my opinion, that it is for
the parents of adolescents to under
take the responsibility of providing
entertainment for them, not a pub
lie responsibility. Perhaps that
statement should be somewhat quail
flied. inasmuch as we all know we
must as citizens take some measure
of responsibility, but what | mean
is that If the parents of these young
people are interested, and they
should be, why do they not form a
group to sponsor the recreation ac-
tlvity and underWrite the obliga-
tons that will follow OF course, n
our day, we took our friends to our
homes and rolled back the rugs and
turned on the photograph (radio
was still dream) and when we
were hungry Dad or Mother took
over in the kitchen and produced
dishpans full of popcorn or other
delectables.
The fact seems to be, now, how
ever, that young people do not con-
slider home entertainment sufficient.
If it is not, however much the ques-
ton is open to discussion, | repeat
that the sheer drudgery of keeping
these young people happy should
fall upon their parents and said
parents should SO organize them
selves as TO handle the problem suit
ably. Personally | feel totally UNI
equipped to handle adolescents; they
simply COW me and | have no in
sight whatever into the wondrous
workings of their minds. expect
to enter upon a period of felicity
in such matters only after | have
gone through all the stages" with
my own children. | also expect 70
do whatever | can, when they reach
the age Of adolescence. no matter
what it requires. But for the time
being am slightly befuddled at the
obvious expectations of some par
ents that others do fer their chill
drcn what they are not willing to
undertake themselves.
The efforts of the Western News
to stimulate interest in the project
are perfectly legitimate and if dis
cussion is desirable you will GER
tainly be successful in getting that
started.
Perhaps someone else will come
up with a real idea, but for the
time being let's wait for those who
are most concerned to make the
first move In the meantime nlaaea