(,_
Cor:ntes )
for c:r7uptirg
deeigned to he
In every period of hi3bcry someone is accused cd• leading the young folks
astray Oy giving them false iduas. Tho today should be handed the lethal
_;up of hemlock?
Who is spoiling the present younger generation? That is, if we go along
with the always popular generalization that the current crop of youngsters is
the brattiest, the most irresponsible bunch of smaef , , alecs ever to sorrow and
sully a hopeful time,. Is the postwar letdown in morality to blame? Is Holly , -
wood? Is television?
Te doubt that it is any of these things. The blame lies closer to home . .
In fact it lids in the home., If anything is spoiling the younger generation
today it is the generation that preceded it-- If anything is setting
them a bad example, it is the older generation. If they are lax, it is because
parents have been lax with them.
The biggest culprits are probably middle—class parents, by far the largest
class in America. The poor don't have the money to spoil their young; the rich ;
by and large, can afford to—but usually don't. Children born to wealth
generally learn its value young
It!s the self-made man who started from nothing and struggled his way up
to a $lO,OOO to $15,000 a year salary who sometimes seem most adept at spoiling
his own children. Isn't the biggest sin most middle-•class parents are visiting
on their children today the sin of trying to make life too easy for them?
Our fathers, if Ire remember correctly, always assured us with melancholy
conviction that we were "going to hell in a handwagon." If we did, we at least
built the wagon ourselves. Arenq too many of the young people going to hell
today riding there in comfort in a 200—horsepower motor car bought by their
own parents
Ed notes This is the second in a series of articles we are publishing on
Juvenile Delinquency, This article is written by a member of the older
generation so his views may differ from those of this generation or the
parents of tomorrow.
PROVERB? Man should sleep eight hours and man should work eight hours but
man should not do both in the same eight hours.
Who is Spoiling Younger Generation Today/
reputed the wisest man of antiquii . T., was gi.ven a hemlock cup
the youth cf Athenso Yet all he did was ask them questions
p them thinic for themselves.
Hal Boyle
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mil