The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1956-04-12
"Our
Growing Edge"
MRS. MARTHA GLoTFELTY
The World Of Chicken Little


The World Of Chicken Little
When Iiwas a small child, read
this rather ridiculous story of
Chicken Little She was the main
character in the story, and one day
while playing in the barnyard with
the other farm fowls a feather fell
on her tail Excited and frightened,
she ran quickly to her playmates
and said The sky is falling How
do you know" the others replied.
Chicken Little said Il saw it with
my eyes, | heard it with my ears,
and part of it fell on my tail"
All of us, more or less, live in a
Chicken Little type of world. Her
world was small and narrow, was
bounded by the barnyard and the
nearby creek. and the falling of a
feather made her think the sky
was falling.
For the sake of comparison, let's
compare her world with some of
ours. 1t is popular saying that
we all live in one world, which is
only partly true Each one of us
to a large extent makes up our
own private worlds We decide its
boundary lines, its breadth and
depth and height
Therefore, there are many
worlds. Some are narrow and rigid,
selfish and prejudiced. Some are
deceitful and shoddy; some are
warm and generous and friendly.
Take the case of Mary. She is a
wonderful housekeeper, loves her
family and works for them devoted
Ily. She is so busy with her family,
she has no time for sympathy for
those less fortunate, no time for
community work, no time for the
worldwide cause of the Christian
: church. Her primary concern is for
] her family to have fine jobs, marry
well and be successful, with her
own limited ideas of success. That
is a good world, many would say.
But is il? 1t is good as far as ii
! goes. which is not far enough. 1t
gives neither height or depth for
, living. She sees no part of the
/ world, except that of her immcdi-
ate family, and that is too narrow.
Johns world is one of business.
He prides himself on being able
to drive a hard bargain, to get
ahead, to drive fine car, TO play
golf at a Country Club. and travel
with the right social set He looks
with contempt on any one who does
not measure up to his own particu-
/ lar ideas of success He has very
little time to spend with his chill
dren. for he must make money. He
| knows and cares little about their
many problems. Sometimes on Sun
day he goes to church, that is if
he has nothing more interesting to
/ do. He feels the Christian religion
! is really for women, not for self
confident. successful men like him
self No words of warmth or under
standing come from him for those
/ who might need them He thinks it
is none Of his business that there
is no decent playground for the
many children in his town. He
would do nothing to make the slum
district more livablc for those who
must live there 1t is nothing to
him that public officials arc dis
honest. As long as his world is
safe, he is content.
Our professions, our interests de
terminc to a great extent our
worlds. But, we alone have the final
decision to make about them
whether they be a Chicken Little
world or one larger. filled with I'M
selfish service, understanding for
others and love for all people,
whatever their station in life.
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