Show kathleen norris says change of environment works hardship bell syndicate 14 w kit had cried because nobody at the new school knew it was her birthday then a girt called and took kit to a club where she found a heap of gifts and twelve girls singing a birthday song by KATHLEEN NORRIS TIKE IKE many another woman E isabel moore has been torn from her moorings this year yea r and finds herself in a strange environment her husband was transferred to philadelphia a city which she had never even visited before his working hours on a defense job are erratic he may be home for dinner three nights in succession then away five then home again long enough to make the family feel that things are settling down to normal and then suddenly oft off to montreal or atlanta at 6 a moments notice the moores have two daughters 19 a and n d 16 and a son 11 the son isn t much of a problem because he has slipped comfortably enough into a routine of school scouts movies and seems not to have noticed the change but with jean and ann it Is a different story perhaps it wont seem a tragedy dy to you in this year of war tragedies writes isabel but it is a very real blow to my girls I 1 realize now that they are just the wrong ag age e to trans transplant older girls would be more resourceful young eh children ildren aou would id adapt themselves more easily as junior has but the girls are desperately homesick they miss their old friends the crowd that used to have so much fun the dances theatricals picnics weekends week ends and they beg tom and me to send them back to their aunt in austin and let them board there feel uprooted jean has graduated from high school and had planned a college career ann Is still in school but is the shy quiet member of my three and is afraid she will never feel at home in these eastern schools we will not send them away but jean could go to college right here if she wanted to but she she says not knowing any 0 of f the girls and boys would make it an agony to her both girls are pretty and have always been popular the letter goes on and I 1 cant blame them tor for feeling uprooted for myself I 1 feel something of the same ness tom is always busy and absorbed and I 1 have had too much to do getting settled to look about for club interests or neighbors we have a nice apartment in a tour four apartment house with a strip of garden and we plan little expeditions of a week or ten days when the weather gets hot but we all want friends sellme tell me how you think we might go about getting hold of them tom will be here for the duration and I 1 wont leave tom neither will I 1 permit girls of these ages to leave home even to stay with an aunt dont tell me that I 1 am weak to call this a problem when there are so many more serious ones just now but tell me what to do I 1 dont think its at au all a trifling fing matter isabel nor will I 1 classify you as weak for or finding it a very anxious question but the cure fortunately tuna tely is one that comes inevitably and it will come to you SU surprisingly singly last fasts two attractive girls with an attractive mother and a nice home never go begging long for companionship it Is tor for you only to he be somewhat selective in the making of new friends A trying time weve all had these agonies perhaps the most poignant the human bait can suffer loss by death it friendship I 1 its not easy for children to a adjust themselves dimmed immediately wely when aen a major change occurs in in their lives but youngsters are certain to find friends if they are the friendly type parents should offer them guidance but very discreetly when they are forced to find new friends make mak e your home as attractive as possible not with huge financial outlays but with the spirit of true friendship children will recognize itt I 1 self is only an acute term form ot of homesickness a bitter longing for the old faces the old voices the dear old ways it seems to jean and ann today that they never will replace the lost associations but they will and a year from now they will be innocently wondering how they could ever have feared that life would never be satisfying again when you do leave for short holidays go where nice young people go this is one infallible way of making acquaintances boys will dance with jean girls will shyly make overtures of friendship to ann and before you know it you will be meeting mothers discussing schooling and sharing plans tor for the autumn when you get this far your next step is a hard one but I 1 think it is perhaps the most important duty that falls to a father end and mother I 1 mean the duty of drawing a little c circle i acle of associates about your girls knowing something about every one of the young men and sacrificing not only your own time and comfort but your own pride in a sense until you get things started by pride I 1 mean that you must take the hurts that youth quite unconsciously will inflict upon you and your plans mother his own house is just palati lall all jean will say when you speak of asking the nice robinson boy over to spend an evening with you mother alother all my friends go to the movies and they all expect to go to the movi movies esl ann will wail at the suggestion of chocolate shakes bakes cookies and games at home suggests games but persevere ask a few youngsters to come in to celebrate oh anything jeans birthday admission day fourth of july have pencils scratch pads and suggestions read ready y nor no matter how awkward they are in starting games will break the ice and when you sup slip way away to see to the refreshments they will be carrying on at a great rate on their own make up your mind that at the first attempt you probably will draw seven girls and two boys that at the last moment the boy jean especially likes will telephone that he h has as a cold and that his m mother ther and wan want t hirn him to come and resign reign s yourself to the fact that a J jean ean wont want ann am anywhere in sight b ann will be raging and c not dot until a successful party is over will you get the slightest cooperation oper atlon or enthusiasm from jean this is part of a mothers job if you can get only three friends to come in get three next time there will be nine and the time after that the youngsters will form a hiking dramatic and dance club and jeans social start will be fairly launched with ann amu it should be easier for she Is young enough to io want girl rather than boy friends and the friends she he makes in school surely are going coin to dancing classes on friday nights and in no time at all she will have all the dates she can keen been |