The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-12-14

Washington (LPA)-In welcom-
ing $500 delegates to the Midcen-
tury White House Conference or
Children & Youth, Federal Secur-
ity Administrator Oscar Ewing de-
scribed the theme as chow to pro
vide each child with a fair chance
to achieve a healthy personality
Concluding the conference, Kath-
crime F. Lenroot, chief of the Chill
dren's Bureau, said it "is an ex-
preston of the desire of people in
country crossroads and in great
cities, from many economic and
professional groups, to build homes
and communities and shape State
and National policies that will
make it possible for every child to
have full opportunity for personal
happiness and growth"
The threat of war overshadowed
all discussions. President Truman
addressing the delegates, said the
rearmament program necessarily
twill change the lives of our young
people," We must work through
the United Nations to keep the hui
man race from being carried back
to the dark ages, the President
said, and "the single most import
ant thing our young people will
need to meet this critical challenge
in the years ahead is moral
strength-strength of character"
Our Children Being Short Changed
DIR. Benjamin Spock, one of the
country's leading child specialists
declared the US is "short-chang-
ing" its youth on education. Even
Soviet Russia spends bigger part
of its national income educating its
youths than we do, he said. Ameri-
cans spend less money on public
education than they do for tobacco
liquor and cosmetics, and as a re-
suit schools are too few, too crowd
ed, inadequately stated, and equip
ped.
DR.. Allison Davis, education
specialist of the University of
Chicago, said a conflict in social
background between students and
their teachers causes a miSdirection
of the abilities of 70 out of every
1O0 children in elementary schools,
School subjects too, he said, are
"unrealistic and extremely unin-
teresting."
Report From Youth
More than 500 young people took
part in the sessions, and repre-
sentative group of young people,
who met in small discussion groups
for three months previous, prepar-
ed report on youths Role in
Society,""
They presented resolution
pointing out that the US Constitu-
tion guarantees the fundamental
equality of all men. Racial, reli-
gious, economic and national dis
elimination, they said, have result
ed in the unhealthy growth of
youth and adult alike. They urged
the delegates to "take positive ac-
tion to eliminate the cause of dis
elimination and to foster an ag-
gressive program of civil rights"
During the five-day conclaye, 81
panel discussions were held in
which teachers, clergymen, doctors,
labor union representatives, par
ents, children, social workers, and
many other groups took part. Men
tai health, physical health, school
programs, welfare services, hous-
ing, citizenship, and many other
subjects were thoroughly investi-
gated, Highlights from several Of
the discussions follow:
Responsibility AS Citizens
Columnist Marquis Childs declar-
ed we are in the present world
crisis due to the fantastic des-
tructiveness" of the greatest war
in history. at was after
World War H." he said, "that the
failure of educating our citizens or
world responsibility became most
apparent" He blamed the
'timid neutrality" of educators in
the teaching Of political and social
sciences. Another cause, he said,
is the bigness of things. Big busi-
ness, big government, and big
unions have made individuals feel
they have no control over their
own destinies, he said.
Employment Opportunities for
Youth
Harry Kranz advocated inviting
officials of labor and management
10 speak before high school classes
on the problem of job opportun-
tiles. Mrs. Betty Donnelly, an,
official of the AFL, urged voca-
tional guidance workers to rely