The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 1951-01-16
Teen. Ayers NEED
A BETTER BREAK,
GORDON Tells P-TA

|
Ager is as high and as wide as the
soul of the adult with whom he is
most cloesly related is high and
wide, members of the Parent
Teacher Association were told by
Zach Gordon, Director of the Ju-
neau Teen Age Club, last night.
Gordon, former USO director and
for many years prior to World War
II associated with youth groups in
Philadelphia, was the speaker at a
meeting of the P.-T.A. last eve
ming in the High School study
room and his talk was on Some
Observations of Yuth."
Age of Confusion
Contrary to the common belief
that the so-caiiod tecliage is care
free and happy period of an in
dividuars life, it is a particularly
trying and confusing age beset with
fears and worries and to reach
a well balanced adulthood the
person is in need of understanding
and the constructive friendship Of
the adult world and which in too
many cases is sorely lacking, Cor
on said.
The true age of adolescence is the
period at 10 and IA years OF age,
Gordon pointed out. One hundred
years ago adolescence was period
about one and a half years. Des-.
pite the fact that after Is years
of age the individual is biologically
an adult is given little considera-
ton in our present society which
demands that contrary to natures
determination the period of adol-
escence shall be carried out until
the individual is 10 or 20 years
of age.
Into The World
Treated with condescension and
in too many instances lack of res.
pect during this period the teen
ager is then thrust out into the
world and expected to take his
place as fullfledged adult.
Teenagers, Gordon said, are sup
posed by the adult world to be a
group of selfish, self centered and
hard boiled persons. The exact OPP
posite is true, he declared. Although
they may give the wrong impress
sion because they are at an age
when the intent of the moment is
most important, they are in reality,
tender and kind and particularly
sensitive.
Need To Be Loved
In pointing out How Not to
Cheat a Teenager, Gordon said
that what young people need most
is to be loved. They are desperately
hungry to be loved and to be res
pected not only by adults but by
I their own group as well. Ihey
want to be admired and to feel
that they are secure, to be related
to some group or work that is i'm
portant and that gives them
feeling of belonging. The teenage
bow and girl want to be themselves
and to be respected for themselves.
Condescension on the part OF the
adult to the teenager is one OF the
great tragedies in forestalling an
understanding between the Two
| groups.
/ Jealous Adults
Gordon said that adults for the
most part are jealous of the teen
ayers. theoretically because he be1f
/ lieyes the teenager to enjoy life
free of responsibility and filled
with a carefree enjoyment OF lie,
which as he had pointed out. ne
said. is certainly not the true state
of the teenage world. "a
Some of the most striking ex-
armies of behavior in the adult
in cheating the teenager are shown
Gordon said by drunkenness IN par
ents. many re-marriages on the
mart of one or the other parent, Or
both lack of parental confidence
in the child, lack of show Oh
affection lack of adult responsible
ilitv toward the adolescent.
/! In answer to questions from the
ordiance Gordon said he did not
! believe the teenager is much al
fected by lack of a substantial
economic background when the
hone is good. If economic troubles
orise from drunkenness on the part
of the parents the child suffers.
Happy Homes
! IT, is not always the fault OF the
narent when a child goes wrong
There can be other contributing
factors but Gordon said it is very
seldom that a child "goes wrong
when the home is happy.
Hand of Fellowship
Young people need to have time
to be together in their own age
groups. -
THE teenager has all the poten-
tialities as an adult but no exper-
ience or background for living ano
If is in this fact they need the
helm. understanding and neighbor-
l., friendship of the adult.