OCR Text |
Show ?5 'j by Kuthrrin Orcnte J wife brings liom (ho bigger pay check? worrying about who earned the most money. It was good just to be working and playing and plan-nin- g together. Then came the war. John enlisted as a marine and saw service in the Pacific. I had to work then, and in time I got my break in radio and in the magazines. My take-hopay got bigger, and so did my worries. John's letters from Guam and Iwo reflected a change in his thinking. "I've had a lot of time to analyze myself," he'd write; or, "I'm just not cut out for business. I'm not sure I've the ability and I'm positive I'm not aggressive enough to make a success. It may sound silly, but since I've been here I've decided I'd like to do something like teach. I think I'm cut out for it, too." me An important decision but a joint one When John came home we talked more intensely about his " teaching I - wondered - secretly - what-wouhappen if we became known to each other and our friends as the "Lady and her consort." But it was obvious that teaching meant much more to John than money, and I was extremely anxious to have him happy in his work. The next year or two would mean school for him and continued work for me. The more I thought about our situation, the more important I felt his decision to be, I wanted to encourage and cooperate with him, and the result is that I've been working ever since working as the wife of a man who considers money less important than principles; a man who U- considers it of vital, importance to do what he's best fitted for. Of course, any subconscious fears I had were unnecessary. John and I were able Xo talk things over honestly and in a friendly way. We talked about the small salary that teachers, or for that matter most artists, scientists, and social workers earn. We talked about money as an end in itself or as a means to an end. We discussed the possibilities of my quitting work. We both agreed that was unnecessary, first, because I liked my job; second, because it offered us security and certain comforts which would have been difficult to obtain on a teacher's salary. Any couple faced with this problem can recall men they have known who have lost' their and whose masculine, ego has suffered because the wife earns more money. Of course, we remembered Harry and his bitter remarks, but it was John who fmaUysaid,JYou know, I think with Gladys and Harry it was too little directibrT rather than too many dollars. If Harry had loved his work and considered it important, and if Gladys had too, I'm sure her money wouldn't have been quite so overpowering." So we made our choice. John and I decided that going in the right direction was more important than dollars. We can laugh now about my being the Fort Knox of the family, but we laugh only because we have solved our problem, and because we both feel John's work as an instructor in a small college is of prime importance. self-resp- . ld -- -- ' tributions? It helped us to remember the minister's words about being a unit, and as a unit we planned and made decisions together. We have one joint checking account and both of us write checks. The mine and money is our money, not one-thi- rd John's. Our income is known .onlyto. us and to the Treasury Department. The actual figures simply represent digits which' give us good books, good company, and pleasant vacations. We budget, plan, save, spend, and enjoy together. Part of our income is budgeted toward the baby we hope to have some day. When that day comes, the money we are puttingavay7nowwilIhelp make the baby's future secure. Of course, we both take pride in each other's two-thir- ds accomplishments. John;- - I'm surer is pleased about., my success. And I get a thrill out of the students from John's classes who drop in for Sunday supper -- once a month.' More than once, when we were out in the kitchen finishing the dishes, a student has told me, "Your husband sure gets a kick out of teaching. It's really a. pleasure being in his class. You can certainly see he's a happy man." At such times I mentally offer a small prayer of thanks to the wise old minister and the words that helped solve our problem. - A j joint bank account,' with both partners paying the bills, helps the husct even if his pay check is less than his wife's. band maintain his self-respe- ect Of course, there are dozens of minor things which could create problems if we let them. Who pays the bills? How do you bank?,. Whose name goes on the checks, the charity and church con- the wife is working, the additional - money can pay for vacation trips and other luxuries that might have been hard to manage on a single income. If . .. JUNE 20, IW4 FAMILY WEEKLY MAGAZINE S |