Fred Pell, Jake Bennett, C.C. Starcher and Arthur Miller have
each succeeded in catching a big pike in the past few days.
Virginia won an important victory over West Virginia in a famous
debt suit, and now it looks very much like we will have to pay the holders
something like $48 million. That’s nothing! Only about $30 apiece for every man,
woman and child in the state. Get yours ready.
How strange our ideas of growing old change as we get on in
life. To the girl in her teens, the riper maiden of 25 seems quite aged.
Twenty-two thinks 35 an “old thing.” Thirty-five dreads 40, but congratulates
herself that there may still remain some ground to be possessed in the 15 years
before the half century shall be attained. Fifty does not by any means give up
to the battle of life. It feels middle-aged and vigorous and thinks old age is a
long way in the future. Sixty remembers those who have done great things at
three score, and one doubts if Parr, when he was married at 100, had at all
begun to feel himself an old man.
The widespread distribution of television sets, which enhances
the distribution of movies, along with greater use of the automobile, has
produced a challenging moral climate in the U.S. One does not have to be an
expert to notice the low moral tones of entertainment seen on television, in
news-papers, on radio and in movie houses. Glamorized are the very forms of
conduct which can be dangerous to immature minds.
In addition, 1959 was a terrible year for those who seek to
develop a better moral climate for the young of the U.S. There were television
scandals, creating standards among students, payola scandals--in addition to the
chronic dishonest advertising, tax evasion and sports fixes.
A deteriorating moral climate in the U.S., brought about by too much emphasis on
sex and pleasure and money, and not enough emphasis on old fashioned moral
values and hard work, will result in the decline of the U.S. as the leading
world power. The responsibility rests primarily on the shoulders of parents, and
then on the shoulders of the church, school and society. In all endeavors,
adults should back up those who seek to bring about discipline, order and
morality in our community--especially among the young people.