The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1952-09-12
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or Ineonsidsrsts


selfdiagnoss and to begin Self-dosng And however
alarming the diagnosis the dosing is always pleasant
or at least not too troublesome. Like the fat man
who decides that he is periousy ponderous and
seeks to slim down by taking a sugarcoated pill
instead of undergoing the horrible inconvenience of
fasting the world always tries TO cure its woes with
pellets of abstraction. avoiding the hardship of
radical change of habits.
There are lots of pills, pink and pleasant to
take which the world keeps handy, crying up the
merits of each in season, like the man with
cession of enthusasms for diet cures for the
common cold. There the pills Of tolerance, edu-
cation, service fellowship democracy, sociology
social relations, values the good life divers deals
fair square new raw or mis-, various plans and
charters, and above ALL the gtorification of YOUTH
Most of these pills are good pills. But like other
pills thy are of real when prescribed by com
petent physicians who know what is in them know
whether they justify their label, and know how TO
prescribe dosage.
For several generations the world has shouted
out the merits of the pill called education This pill is
never tested by the who enforce the Pure Food
and Drug Law Any pill with the label education
wins the worlds approval The world does not pause
to ask what education is and whether this that
pill has if. Education will human troubles and
spread peace and happiness among mankind But
after all, Oliver Twist learning, under the coaching
of the Artfu Dodger, how to pick pockets, was un-
der going education People being quietly ndoctrin
ated with the Party Line are being educated Edu-
cation is just pink pill II does not matter that
some of the pink pills have red poison.
Not many years back the world suddenly became
of Youth with a capital Y. II discovered Youth
a remedy pill and after rapid self-diagnosis
OF several distressing symptoms Evils abroad in
the land crimes we're committed The Statisticians
those keen masters of diagnosis found that great
deal of badness the work of minors. Hence they
concluded something must be done for Youth.
Youth was neglected the family fading par
ens were losing their grip; schools and teachers
spent force. Youth must have recreation and
Fairgrounds and clubs and activities All good pills,
OF course
But il never occurred to the statisticians dhe
rootsourcc of modern social action) that the pill
drely needed by Youth the family, parental re-
sponsibity and effective teaching. The satisticians
bithely assumed that these essential medicines
unavailable and prescribed the pslliatves of
ternal organization and programmed fuss. To give
Youth its opportunity, more is required than clubs
and troops and social centers and Playground and
projects These are good things, but they are sec
ondary They will not fit the young for life cure
juvenile delinquency These things are pastmes
and paiatves, not solid foods nor sound medicines.
Surely. if the family is fading. the family must
be brought back into its clear coors and contrasts
If parents are losing their grip parents are to be
steadily urged to regain it. If schools and teaching
are not what they should be, they must be brought
up to their mark again. The needs of Youth are TO
be sought in the rehabilitation of their Elders Iu-
Venlc delinquency is to be translated into terms of
parental negligence and remedies for that parental
crime are to be sought and applied But no; the
world wants the pink pill of Service of Youth And
the pill long taken in double dollops has proved
Singularly ineffective.
One of the worst results of this silly overdosing
is the fact that Youth has been made aware of itself
kind of race apart Youth is no longer an in
egral element of the human family Youth is set off
in kind of concentration camp II is dear and
delightful company, lively and irresponsible, to be
INDUCED and eoddled and paronzed, but never
quite to be admitted to human equality with the
mature and musty The faults of Youth TO be
doned, while Fairgrounds are extended and more
juke boxes are ordered The achievements of Youth
are to be admired with extravaganza of voice and
manner in the fashion of grandpa praising little
Mary's recitation or little Jimmys scratchy perform
ance on the violin The adult and superadut ele-
mentS OF our population tumble over themselves in
praise of Youth, and inventing things for Youth to
do, but they give the clear impression that in their
heart of hearts they feel that Youth is not quite
bright
As we say the tragic thing is that the elders
have succeeded in getting Youth to take itself
on their terms Youth has even consented to sit
still under the horrible labelling of "teenage" May.
be the secret judgment of the elders about Youth is
really justified
And Youth, once labeled, tends to hold on to
the label Time passes quickly and what was young
a while back is old to-day. But let person be once
identified with Youth Group and time may hack
at him in vain. We have recently seen Young Dem
oerats and Young Republicans. baldng juveniles of
35 or 40 who need label to hold their classified
ton And We all know how Joints arc heard TO creak
in the meetings of Junior Chambers of Commerce
II might be wise for US to quit the labelling and
the plll-takng and restore the young to their place
in the family circle. Incidentally might get our
aging uneles to lay aside their scout uniforms and
our senior sororities to forget hikes and camp
fires. Reason and common sense could help us to
normal status and normal view of what as US. The
same sound guides could indicate true diagnosis
and prescription for our Ills