Imperial Valley press., 1944-12-26
NUBBINS
BY
BURRIS JENKINS

An adolescent has been defined as
a stomach entirely surrounded by
! curiosity.
That seems a bit cynical, unjust
ing mind. the adolescent is equally
surrounded by sea of loneliness.
The early teen age, the high
school age. although one of the
busiest periods of life and appar-
emily swamped with new acquaint-
! ances and relationships, remains,
nonetheless, almost the most be-
wildered, perplexed and lonely time
through which one has to i've.
Several reasons appear en- . little
reflection why ii should be such
lonely time. Believe il or not, the
adolescent does not like to ask cues
tions. He has been asking questions
! ever since he could talk, until now
/ he has lost all taste for it, had
complete revulsion of feeling. and
likes to give the outward appear
ance of being blase, wise to the
world, disilluSioned toward all life.
He knows in his own heart that this
is not true: that, indeed, he has
just as much need 10 inquire his way
as he ever had, maybe more.
There is strong secrecy in every
adolescent. He doesn't want you or
anybody else butting in to the inside
of his life. Tic less he really has to
hide. the more anxious he is TO hide
il. Ii is much wiser, therefore, in
dealing with him, not 80 pry. One
must respect the gravity and the
awesomeness of the inner chambers
of his soul.
Another reason for his loneliness
lies in the strange new feelings, de-
sires, aspirations, which are Surging
up i'm him like the gas bubbles i'm
the cauldron of a volcano. He is, at
times, terribly upset, excited, dis
heartened and dismaycd; and he
cannot put his finger on his trouble.
The more he is discouraged about
himself, the less inclination has he
to make inquiries.
The adolescent is hard bird to
handle and requires more study
than anything else in anybody's life.
This happened the other day in I'll
Centre. A troop train going through I
headed for eastern points, paused
here a while and when the passcn-
rers got back on, it was found that I
no civilians were allowed on board.
One little wife was thus separated I
from her husband. service man. |
After hasty consultation they de-
cided that he must go on, so she T
was left here stranded. Almost
child herself. her appearance indi-
Gated that she had been a bride OF
some months.
Another service mans wife living /
at a neighboring hotel, Immediately I
took the bride into her room. She I
had baby of her own which doubt
less made her feel matroniy, so she
carried the little stranded creature
off to her room in the hotel. lmag-
inc the hopelessness of the little
stranded wife.
Never mind! The other little ma
tron who had only something Ike
couplc of months the best OF II in
age, began buttcnhOling the other
guests at the hotel and demanding
guidance and help. She wouldn't let
anybody go, either. BEGINNING with
the owner and manager OF the
house, she went completely through I
L.
the roster of all the help ana the
register of all the guests.
Before night the soldieriy little
matron had conquered the hed
Cross of the city, obtained funds ana
a ticket and had put the little wan
on the train for Wisconsin whittier
her husband had started the night
before.
It's altogether unusual for us to be
receiving lad rcports from our
armies abroad. And we viii not long
stand for it. Just as well be frank
/ about it: they have out generated
] us somewhere. They've shown su-
perior military ability or experience
or both. Nothing for il but to turn
! to, repair the damage, exert what We
know is at least equal military abii-
J ity, reneraIship, and fight IT out on
! this line if it takes all winter There
has been no lack Of courage on the
part of our men. Not for an instant
! and not at any point.