Show Kathleen Norris Says Being Good Is Sometimes Being Dull men IBell Syndicate Service I ry 3 r 11 I t I L 1 vM w. w y t Y Ye t m e y f When a mother mOlher of young daughters makes no effort to 0 help them socially ignores their longings for parties and companions is J out of sympathy with wilh their inexperienced efforts to 0 make their home a pleasant place in which t to gather allaer their friends she is J as aJ much to 0 blame blome as aJ if i in babyhood babY she had left them for days without care core By KATHLEEN NORRIS HE problem of the decent decent de de- de- de T THE cent girl who at the same time is young pretty and eager for life and companionship is a complicated complicated complicated one Girls who want to retain their high ideals of self-control self to preserve their standards of purity and dignity dignity dignity dig dig- have a hard time That Thatis is some do Others have mothers and fathers who remember that once they were young themselves them them- selves selves- They enc encourage urage youthful home entertainments from the time the girls are in grammar school They build about them their a fi aring ring of of f young friends they cure shyness shyness shyness shy shy- ness and awkwardness by all sorts of encouraging dad and unsuspected ed devices and their girls go naturally nat nab from a gay and hospitable home to gay and hospitable homes of their own awn But all parents arent aren't like that And it is to the other mothers and fathers that Im I'm directing this article article article arti arti- cle rather than to the girl who wrote me the poignant letter that Im I'm presently going to quote Up to Mother When a mother of young daughters daughters daugh daugh- makes no effort to help them socially Ignores their longings for parties and companions Is out of sympathy with their inexperienced efforts to make their home a pleasant pleas ant place in which to gather their friends and at the same same time harshly harsh harsh- ly forbids their going about at night with the fast little crowd that frequents frequents frequents fre fre- fre- fre night clubs roadhouses questionable dance hal halls s' s sand and coarse variety shows she is as much to blame as If in babyhood she had left them for days without care or in childhood had refused to have them instructed in the three Its Us Every mother of girls ought to ask herself just what she is doing to prepare them to meet their associates asso asso- elates on even terms How free are your girls to say to any chance attractive attractive at at- young man they may meet like you to come in t to supper on Sunday Sunday- We always have supper and dance or play games How free tree are they to bring young men to the house with the Idea that if It Dad likes them and Mother likes them then new friendships are In the making Is your house a ahouse ahouse ahouse house where hamburger sandwiches and chocolate bars and hot coffee and pencils and tablets and Vie Vic trola records are part of the Sunday night program or do de your girls giggle giggle gig gig- gle and apologize and Ml hll into silent embarrassment and search earch the Ice box when the new young manin man manIn manin in town bashfully calls Hildas Hilda's family Is completely spoiling spoil spoil- Ing her life This Is 18 part of ot Hildas Hilda's letter She couldn't possibly be your daughter could she sheT Hilda's Hildas Problem Dear Mrs Norris she says I J Iam Iam Jam am one of live five daughters We are 27 7 25 25 21 21 IT 17 nand and 13 years old Im I'm the 25 23 Were We're none of ot us bad Ing tag the oldest and the youngest are blondes the rest of ot us u. dark My rather father is II a chemist t he has bas never gotten over the orrow sorrow of losing my only brother the fifth child who died as II a baby of ot three 12 years ago alO My father despises women he rarely FUN AT HOME Kathleen Kalhleen Norris Norris feels it i. is u lamentable lament able when a young girl is denied dellied the use of 0 her own home to 0 entertain friends and have hate a good time lime She says ays it i. is a mothers mother's duty duly to 10 give Jive her daughter a happy home so that they may later larer have gay and hospitable homes of their own Miss Hiss Norris suggests that parents help their daughters make their heir home a pleasant pleas ant anI place to 0 entertain their friends speaks to us us listens at the table as as- asif if he were under pressure and spends all his evenings in his lab oratory With my mother we are six women The house is full of dresses hats powder hair brushes We make beds sweep halls wash dishes plan meals cook together Of course we gossip and of course little things are important to to- tous us weddings b babies bleS illnesses scan scan- dals daIs Our friends are all women Girls come in and sit with Mother in the kitchen We have never had a party my father not permitting it He always says that we ought to find enough amusement among ourselves To tell you the truth the one thing we would dread above all others would be necessity of having a party We know so many girls and hardly any boys at all To have 30 girls arrive and 7 men would be too horrible I IMy My mother is an angel but she is too gentle endures too much and andIs andis andis is far tar from well Father Forbids Change My older sister Alma and I have been school teachers for five and three years Now Alma has been offered the of ofa ofa ofa a high school in a town miles mUes away We have a car her salary would be ample for us both and she wants me to go with her My father and mother flatly forbid it At least my father does and Mother says you must obey Pa Alma Aima has accepted for tor January first But If u we go we go against bitterness and threats and against the tears of three little sisters who say Now NOTHING will happen if you two Mother says she needs needs' me to give her her alcohol I rubs tuba and cook her special food But Grace who who who-Is Is strong 17 and much i at nome name could do that What That shall we do Weve We've always alway been been nice even though the girls who go a very different path seem to have all aU the fun But theres there's never never nev nev- er cc been any question of any anyone one of us doing anything wild or wrong It Alma and I go away it'll be as gentlewomen My father needn't worry about that But shall shaU we go My answer is Go Ga And it would be go 10 if you two were the only girls of at the family Get away from that stifling atmosphere Set up your own little establishment Make a few friends make them slowly and carefully and when you feel teel ready for tor it b begin gin with informal little suppers sup sup- suppers pers pen and be ready with pencil games The smartest folk I know never attempt to get let through an evening evening eve eve- ning without some lome casual plan for entertainment Keep Jeep a pleasant easy conversation going grow crow confident confident confident con con- and natural in manner because be be- cause everything you fOU attempt Is natural natural nat nat- ural and simple Alter After a while when you and Alma Aima are happily engaged send seal for the Ute next girt girl in line and then the one alter after that thaI and so 10 gradually do for yourselves 1 what hat a selfish cold father and a weak mother haven't been able to do for you |