| Show John Ersline Erskine Looks LooIs Upon Youth And rites About Tomorrows Men vlen John Erskine prominent author musicIan and educator ch cs his former lormer college as Q ci criterion ot of Tomorrows Men in the May issue issue is- is sue of Esquire Viewing the youth of America through the eyes ot of a nov nov- Erskine Is inclined to believe that human nature does docs not change but as LS a teacher he notes a difference differ differ- ence between the present youngsters and their predecessors New forces he believes nr ar shaping new kinds of character The corning coming man I willbe will be richly endowed with natural tel tel- ent will be well informed bout about so cie y and about politics will be learned in th physical aspects of sex and will be sensitive to the arts On the other hand they may lack Q a sense or of responsibility and md a few of oC t them m I may develop capacity for Cor I he I When I say that responsibility and leadership will weaken amon among us lIS I Iam Iam am not b blaming ming the boys bos I merely have to eye on the result of 01 the trainIng which we give them Long Lone before we had heard of the theN theN N R A or the New Deal our best t schools and colleges cd a system system tem of supervision and tutelage whIch WM was certain to prolong infancy and adolescence and to reduce character to pulp Not only the studies but the sports and amusements are now regulated either by the college authorities or by the thc alumni or by both This regula regula- ton tion had kindly purpose it was to save Eave the youngsters from making mistakes mis mis- takes from getting Into trouble and from embarrassing the institution No doubt this purpose is on the whole realized but when you have luve saved a a. aboy boy from Irom the possibility of d makIng any mistake you ou hove a also o prevented him from developIng initiative IlLs His virtues be and doe ty he will not be a 1 lc Thee youngsters who are arc to be tomorrows tomorrow men diScover their own of mending the world after r the fever ever for regulation is burned ou out The sense of responsibility ty has been weakened in the younger gener- gener not only by the supervision in- in posed upon them but by the bad ex cx- ample of some ot of their elders cIders NothIng Nothing Noth Noth- Ing that thal the schools or the churches teach has sunk so deep into their as the newspaper head lines day after day year clr alter after announcing that this men or that in hi high h position has been false to his trust tr Alter After the war young oung people pitied their elders for lor of Intel intelli gence genc they now must forgive them for Imperfect morals When you try to appraise a you must examine among other things its tow toward rd re- re ligion and Its attitude toward proper proper- ty I should say that this new generation gener will put tin an end to the Americ Amen Ameri c can n worship of wealth to th thc American contempt of poverty The Themen Themen men of the future be as eager u as any of us to make money and as reluctant re re- to be poor but I dont don't think they identity identify wealth with willi virtue or poverty wIth vice Many ministers and priests see Ute the prospect of a revived Interest in few re- ot of a return to the churches It to me that the reli religious ous j. j pulse Is stronger st-oner throughout the world than at any other time during my mature tile life but it takes new forms torms and what effect I it will ha have upon the churches I doubt if any of ofus ofus us can foresee A vial religion as I 1 understand it looks look to the future In AmerIca I see no attempt as yet yetto to Invent a private and naJ onal God but I do see a tendency away from much that the Christian churches pro pre less Cess As I know them the younger generation have no Interest In heaven tn as a state and no ambition to tolve save lve souls neither their thell own nor anyone Whatever G God d they are lookIng for lor they wish to find here and now and 2nd they believe irs In the possibility pos pos- of such a good life that cenin even en evenin in our t temporary the tho worthy warth soul may live JIve immortally Of at the organized churches he is little suspicious though he loves the thc beauty ot of theIr ther tradition I think the they could win in his alle in a 1 minute if they could free themselves from J 1St centuries arid and set before beCore him the vision he se seeks ks It If he lingers Hugers respectfully respect respect- fully and 2nd wistfully around the doors doors ot of a ChrIstian church I believe belleve n It Is because Christ in the the Gos Gospels satisfy him But Christ as ed cd by Christian theology and hi by the official conduct of 01 organized Ch does not interest him m in thC C least |
