Show "Tomorrow's Parents" THE Work On Youth Reviewed BERNICE M AM) IIOLTZ-MWWM: E Tomorrow’s Parents A Study of Youth and Their Families Austin Texas University of Texas Press for the Hogg Foundation for Mental MOORE Health W 19G5 By Dr Frances llalstrom Special Education TOMORROWS PARENTS is concerned with families of the future derived from a study of present-da- y youth in Texas The Texas Cooperative Youth Study involving 12892 Texas high school students their families and their teachers was an appeal from home economics leaders who were drafting a new homemaking guide A decade was spent in compilation and analysis of the data To date there is relatively lit- tle data available concerning high school populations in all Frances llalstrom manner of communities — large or small rural or urban or somewhere in between The Texas study was specifically designed to gather information pertaining to personal and social attitudes problems concerns and interests of high school students The summary is indeed an excellent source of information for educators families social workers clergymen businsesmen and government consultants — in fact anyone interested in family living Indeed it is an invaluable handbook for persons in charge of programs originating under President Johnson’s war on talent waste The definite impact of education of parents upon their offspring has been documented by this study Outstanding in the final conclusions was that “membership in groups in this nation is largely determined by the education level of the fathers closely followed by the school achievement of mothers” Dilferenees between joungsters from families of different educational levels can be generalized regardless of community size sx number of brothers and sisters or grade levels The more years of school fathers had completed the less indication of problems and tensions among their children In the most general terms sociological and psychological findings from the 21 sub studies within the survey may be summarized in 35 prepositions The family is easily the most important influence in the development of jouth 2 As outh cannot he separated from their families so families themselves cannot be understood outside of their place and participation in their culture (Williams’ definition of culture in the study: “it is the blueprint for be- socio-cultur- al socio-cultur- al 1 u-- ed By Laird Walker Ralph Maughan havior — as to what must he done ought to he done should he done may he done and must not be done’’) 3 The United States as a democracy assumes that all families have free access to the richness and variety of its culture However while this principle of equality is an ideal this study indicates that even in America it is still more utopian than real 4 Differential access to social and cultural resources varies by sub-cultur- al groups As group membership and families varies so do the attitudes problems and eoncerns of youth from these families few universal jouth attitudes or problems were discovered G plaee of family residence by region and by community size as well as educational and occupational level of fathers indicates differential availability of and diversified access to culture as expressed in attitudes toward and in recognition of problems of youth 7 The differential aspects of culture available to each sex are definitely doscernible in the attitudes of youth 8 family type by size as a determinant in the impact of various aspects of culture upon youth 9 Attitudes and problems of the high school married youth vary by sex and by membership of the parental family 10 racial membership remains a powerful factor in availability of the dominant culture to families of teenage youth 11 Religious denominational choice is indifdicative of both status and rural-urba- n ferences in families 12 High school boys and girls expressed paramount interest in the study of personality and interpersonal relations but strongly differentiating between man’s work and the woman’s world a sub-cultur- sub-cultur- al al 13 The study adds powerful documentation to the recognized need to keep all youth of every ethnic and subcultural group in school through high school whenever potentialities make it possible The schools must literally open the door to cultural variety and richness if personalities make it possible The schools must literally open the door to cultural variety and richness if personalities are to be developed to meet the demands of the times and of parenthood of the future The ease for the educated parent is irrefutably made by youth through their own revelation of themselves as products of the families 15 the need for educations in the schools for familiy life stands shoulder to shoulder with the demands for education for scientific advance technological competence and dependable citizenship Without heal by personalities capable of creating and adapting to change neither scientists nor technologists can produce what is needed to enhance man himself 14 The authors through a team approach subto critical readers and work jected their authors utilizing research peers community workers and parent and youth groups ultimately levelling how large numbers of youth respond to new opportunities when the culture which surrounds them is itself altered TARGET BOARD Jr Stop Give-Away- s? “I think we should stop all the foreign aid and all those programs” This is the answer too frequently given by many unreflective (hopefully) or maybe just stupid (more likely) Americans when asked what should be done to control our present inflation Because there are Americans like the above who don’t realize that foreign aid is only of the government’s budget or about to which any program that they don’t like is a “give-awa- y program” a person can feel to sorry for the President of the begin United States In order to understand the complexity of the problems that confront the President we should take a close look at the problem of inflation Inflation is caused by too much spending on too few goods and services The following can be done to reduce this excess spending: government spending can be reduced taxes can be increased interest rates can be raised price and wages controls can be instituted Let’s look at government spending Everyone favors a cut in government spending except in the area where the spending benefits himself Almost every politically influential group has such an area and so it is hard to cut anywhere without risking political defeat Furthermore the recent big increase in government spending is on the war in Vietnam give-awa- y th not on programs” “give-awa- y so-call- ed Any cut in spending therefore would have to be in nondefense areas and this is the smaller portion of the budget Ironically the Republicans in Congress (and they have been the most vocal in calling for reduced government spending) are the ones who are promoting more spending by appropriating money for defense above that asked by the President and the Pentagon How about a tax hike? This would solve the problem by reducing spending in the consumer and business sectors of the economy since government spending isn’t the only spending that can lead to inflation The trouble with this is that it would he very upopular with the masses of Americans friends) (especially our Interest Hike? What’s wrong with another hike in the interest rate by the Federal Reserve Board? It would be widely unpopular but the Fed is not responsible to the President so why not? First although LBJ cannot control the Fed the unpopularity of the Fed’s action would hurt the President anyway Second interest rates on loans and savings are already the highest in 35 years To make money even tighter would distort the economy by crushing the construction industry and slowing long-rugrowth even though it would reduce current investment spending and buying on credit Third higher interest rates might further damage the stock market causing a loss in business confidence a too big contraction in business spending and hence a recession Fourth higher interest rales might further weaken the position of the British pound forcing its devaluation and causing a severe pressure run on America’s dwindling gold n supply On top of all this the President has advisors tolling him that the present degree of inflation isn’t so had and that he can ride it out since the economy’s output is rapidly growing and will solve the inflation They say that any of the above actions will he overreactions to the problem and might cause the opposite of inflation — deflation and depression I hope that a few people will consider the above next time before they open mouths and say “If I were LBJ I would cut out all those give-awa- y programs and all that foreign aid” A Man For All Seasons’ Successful In Opener Opening night performance of Robert Bolt’s “A Man For All Seasons” presented by the USU Theater department would have to be classified ‘successful’ With exception of a few' stammers by performers and too long a time period elements of the play received positive reactions from the audience Outstanding contributions were made by Eldon Mecham in his lead role as Sir Thomas More He was successful in portraying a chancellor distraught with a conflict of standards and extreme pressure to bend in his convictions His mastery of dialect and the difficult script along with acting talent were sufficient to enthrall viewers Ben Canning The Common Man fulfulled his role admirably However his set changing routines often seemed too time consuming and caused lags in movement of the play His curt and clever remarks were essential in making his role successful as well as in supplementing the somewhat serious mood of the play with humor Most refreshing of the performances was that by Mich ael Nestor The King Ilis brief appearance was striking due to his dynamic presentation of Ilenry VIII — the playboy king Audience members obviously wanted to sex? more of him Also refreshing was William Curtis in his presentation of William Roper Sir Thomas More’s eventual At times he was seemingly more son-in-la- w devout than More in maintaining his standards of re of Roper's defiance the king and even of Moie was appealing indeed Certainly the play was moie outimpressive because of sot standing costumes and design by Leon I Brauner and Larry King respectivelyligion - Stan-ne- rs were not frequent and were likely due at firP atten night jitters Personshowever should ing the play tlioe plan to stay for about hours |