Literature, Movies, Advertisers
Importance Of Teenagers Over - Emphasized
(This is the second in a series of articles dealing with the "problem student" aud possible solutions to the problem.)
By PAT CAMPBELL
In a recent Citiaen Investigation into the handling of problem students in local schools, one very significant question emerged throughout the survey: "How does a problem student get to be a problem and how can he be corrected?"
School teachers point out that students in junior high school constitute the largest body of potential problem students. They are not neces^ sarlly "bad boys" or "bad girls." It is just that students in this bracket have reached a rebellious age level and while most emerge from it as good students and future good citizens, some never seem to be able to recover from the .personality problems that take root at this time.
In the first place, no foels that unruly, unpredictable behavior is expected of him. He is exposed to dozens of movies and reams of litera-
ture throughout his pre-teen and teen years, all of it dedicated to glamorizing the moody, sensitive, confused and insecure teenager.
Consider the percentage of the world advertising that" is aimed at the manufacturers' and merchants' favorite sucker, the teenager. Movies, records and clothing advertisements deliberately cater to the teenager and his tastes, encouraging adolescents in the belief that they are a race unto themselves.
In all of these things the teenager forms the impression that he is not regarded as a child any longer. He is almost an adult, but plagued by mysterious mental, physical and emotional "growing pains." He is a serious problem in society. He is to be studied endlessly, indulged and experimented with by parents, teachers and psychologists. Everybody is afraid of him, and is advised to handle him gingerly, for he is the seething volcano of inner turmoil known as the teenager.
In keeping with this "handle with care" label placed on teenagers by educators, psychologists, parents and, inevitably, teenagers themselves, they are encouraged to concentrate on their social lives rather than academic side of. life. Indulge the teenager and. give him his' head, and he will choose to concentrate on his social life rather than his education.
Thousands of articles warn of the pitfalls in store for a teenager who is not socially well-adjusted. Juvenile delinquency, often, is cited as one of the possible outcomes. Decline in scholarship is another. Neurotic, maladjusted adulthood is another.
A general decline in parental discipline and authority from early childhood appears to contribute a great deal to May's "problem teenager" element of society unrecognized 30 years ago.
The result is that the child is not instilled with that old-fashioned respect for his elders.
At the junior high school stage, he considers himself an equal, on a par with adults, and justified in questioning and critizing their actions. This has devastating effects in the school, where teachers faced with crowded classrooms have only their authority to carry them.
Many school officials in Prince George point to the name "junior high school" as responsible for much of the trouble with students in that difficult period.
They feel it provokes a feeling of equality with senior high school students in the younger group, and encourages imitations of the seniors' customs and behavior. Most feel that they should be allowed the same privileges as the senior high students.
Today's children are trained to think for themselves to a far greater degree than in former years, and to use their own discretion under given circumstances. Authority is no longer pointed to the child as an absolute and
infallible thing.
Parents who follow this method of training children should keep in mind that when the child reaches this difficult stage, there are bound to be repercussions, especially at school. The student will clash with the teacher, who cannot afford to have his authority questioned. When this happens, the child, trusting in his judgment, feels unfairly persecuted, and is well on his way to becoming a problem student.
There is one more circumstance to be taken, into consideration when adding up the reasons for the large percentage of disturbed teenagers, one that is particular to Prince George.
And that is the percentage of transients in the city's population. The school board considers this one of their most serious problems in administrating Prince George's schools.
It can contribute to a teenager's problems. Students are uprooted, often in the middle of the (Continued on Page 3)
INSIDE
EDITORIAL ........................ Page 2
SPORTS .............................. Page 4
CLASSIFIED ........................ Page 6
COMICS ........................ Page 7
WOMEN'S SOCIAL ............ Page 8
IHt
WEATHER
Clear with a few snow flurries. Cold in northern sections. Low tonight, high tomorrow, 10 below and 5 above.
Dedicated to the Progress of the North
Phone LO 4-2441
Vol. 3; No. 12
PRINCE GEORGE, BRITISH C6LUMBIA, MONDAY, JANUARY 19, 1959
BY CARRIKR 35c PER WEHK
SLOAN DEATH DELAYS ROYAL FOREST PROBE
It is doubtful whether the planned1 Royal Commission inquiry into forest fire fighting methods will be held before the beginning of the forest fire season, May 1.
Forestry official J. A. D. Macdonald said today it vappeared unlikely that a replacement will be found in the near future for the late Gordon M. Sloan, B.C. forestry advisor who was to head the royal commission.
Industrial groups in the province have advocated a fiye-man connnissio'n to take Mr. Sloan's place.
Two Groups Offer To Support Home
Two more Prince George organizations have offered furnish suites for' the newly-built senior citizens'
to home.
Alderman Harry Loder, president of the Prince CJeorge Senior Citizens' Home Society, announced .today that both the Prince George- Hotelmen's Association and (he Rotary Club will undertake the projects.
The first 10 units of the housing plan are expected to bo ready for occupancy late this month or early February.
Last week the Prince George Lady Lions was the first, local organization to announce that they will supply furnishings
Crackdown Starts on Peepers'
Police are going to stamp out the "peepers."
They are the people who let their vision through a car windshield become obscured by frost.
They usually can't sec approaching cars and pedestrians but police have no trouble spotting them.
Ono driver was stopped in a school zone this morning for 'having a frosted windshield.
Police say some drivers don't care about their vision until they are involved in a collision or strike a pedestrian.
and appliances for one suite.
Aid. l>o(ier also said the Kelly Douglas Co. Ltd. will donate (lie motel units it lias purchased oil Victoria Street. The food company plans on developing the property into a super-mni'kct next year.
The units will be moved to the site of the senior citizens' home, near the current nurses residence, early in the spring. The 20 units which are part of the senior citizens' development are expected to be completed by the time the motels are moved to the site.
Kelly-Douglas' donation will make the local home one of the largest of its kind in B.C.
Nevertheless, the society plans on constructing an additional IS units plus administration headquarters on the property.
Aid. Loder said representatives of the society will conduct a $10,000 fund-raising campaign in the city within the next two weeks.
Burns Night
The Moose Lodge's ;iniiu;il Hums night, lias been set this yrjir for January 21 at the Civic Centir.
The banquet will begin at 7 p.m. with a buffet supper, and will wind up with a dance.
Bernard J. Spidel To Head Conference
Bernard J. Spidel, one of 2,000 specially-appointed Jehovah's Witnesses, is in charge of arrangements for a circuit assembly of the group which will be held here
Jan.. 30, 31 and February 1. Me is a former resident of Prince George and has been a full-time minister of the ;'>l.h president Eisenhower and State Secretary Dulles among others. �
2. Premier Khrushchev is no't trying to build a Stalinist type dictatorship for himself. Soviet decisions arc made not by one person but, by a group.
;s. U.S. forces should be withdrawn immediately from Formosa to ease tensions. Rus.sia ha,s "no reason to restrain the Chinese Communists because we regard them as being very restrained."
�1. Vice-President Richard M.. Nixon, or any other senior American official, would meet "the best reception" if he visits the Soviet Union.
5. U.S. troops did not leave Lebanon voluntarily but worn forced by the demands of public opinion to withdraw.
Swear ing-In Ceremony . For Perry Set Tonight
Alderman-elect Sydney H. Perry will be sworn into office at city hall tonight.
Mr. Perry was elected to office in a by-election held last Thursday. The by-election became necessary after Aid. John Powers' resignation became effective December ."�!'.
Mayoress Carrie J,ane Gray will name the remainder, of the ci^y council committees for the coming year.
Her Worship only appointed AUL Ken Jack chairman of the finance committee ajicl Aid, Frank Clark chairman of the works committee at council's first statuatory meeting held January 5.
ot the Kelly Cup, called the largest curling trophy.in the world, in Prince George's 89th Annual Bonspiel were the Danny Palumbo rinfc,,oi; the city.
From left to right, they are: Palunibo, John Moffat,'"' Earl Moffat and Gary Wayant. (See page-5 for story and .pictures)...... ... . , .��:v^dexyoqrt pbotbl