Evening star., 1952-02-23

But oversimpllAed, the crux OF the
problem, ! suggest, 10 this! "T'hese jus
venile delinquents ore aquareheads.
In any given number Of people. the
majority will be found TO be round.
heads. A small minority are square,
heads, Roundheads do things the right
way. Bquareheads do them the wrong
way. Roundheads obey the rules. Square.
heads break the rules, or strive TO And
ways OF getting around them. A rouilds
head crosses the street on the green
light, and, where available, along the
marked paths for pedestrians. A square,
head crosses the street where Ahd
how he wants 10, regardless 0f rules
Reundheads strive 10 live Oh the high.
est level OF their better selves, although
not always succeeding, Bquafeheads are
prone 20 clip easily Into the tleueh OF
their lower selves,
Az Weedrew Wilson Hieh seheel,
where seven OF 10 appFehehded teeR. lager
dellRauents were students, there ID a
fihe, mederR cafeteria / have seen it,
Tor one OF eur daughters IA a senior
AZ this seheei, ReuRdheads 30 10 the
cafeteria for their lunch, The square.
heads amble on to nearby counter
Joints,
ReuRdheads like everybody, Square.
heads, recognising that most people
dent approve OF their ways, lock around
for eoMpaAionship with their same ket-
tie Of Ash, which includes q varied as
sortment OF Embellishments, misfits,
scTewballs, tinhorns, abnormalities, ba-
sically unhappy and ehronically ornery
individuals, Essentially tToublemakers,
these squareheads form themselves into
cliques, They get together often and
spend much Of their time debating
how to harass those charged with en-
forcing rules and regulations estah-
lished by constituted authority. They
plot together how. by hook or by crook.
they can achieve their objectives other
than by the accepted and proved meth
ods Of cooperative living, hard work
and necessary planning.
The blame for the recent juvenile
delinquency acts should be placed pre-
ciSely where it belongs on the boys
themselves. They should be made to pay
for their mistakes, for then they will
learn. They-and all other squareheads
should be made to realize that their
way is the wrong way. The community
must exact just punishment, tempered
II you will by mercy. Parents can help
to prevent repetition Of the errors
by refusing use Of cars and other favors
for stated periods. School associates can
help by ostracizing the offenders until
- and only until -- they mend their
ways.
The parents Of these delinquents
should not feel incurably discouraged
by the recent developments. They should
recognize them for what they are: Pain
ful processes in development from
squarehead immaturity to roundhead
maturity, and something that can be
changed quickly, once greater wisdom
comes. II basically the person is sound.
And most Of these boys probably are
fundamentally sound.
All Of us should feel, as we read Of
these juvenile lapses. These are all our
sons. our daughters" And O resistless
example should be set by all roundheads
to draw them back into the fold Of
good living. It should be continuously
made apparent to them that they will
find life more satisfying, and people
more friendly and helpful. as they move
back to the principles Of right behavior.
They must voluntarily come to the con-
clusion and conviction that being
squarehead does not pay. They are then
ready to stop being mongrels, and be-
come thoroughbreds.
Stanley Jackson.
A child's environment Is as much in
the school as In the home and the be-
havior Of the principal and teachers
sets an example. good or bad. for the
students.
Witness the case Of the flve Mont
gomery County principals who cheered