eigner as the ideal character. Napoleon received one vote; Hannibal, one; and Rosa Bonheur, one. No young Italian mentioned Garibaldi; no Greek, Pericles; no Slovak, John Huss. But sprinkled among the sheaf of ballots for the great American patriots were some more original selections. "Nathan Hale, because he was a good sport," wrote a fifteen-year-old sophomore. "Woodrow Wilson. Still water runs deep," declared another fifteen-year-old sophomore girl. "Mother. She seems to be right always," wrote a fifteen-year-old freshman girl. "Allyn Ryan, because he beat the stock market," said a fifteen-year-old junior. "Bill Hart, because he has got the pep," a seventeen-year-old freshman chose. "Jenny Lind, because she was famous, not egotistical, kind and true, "wrote an eighteen-year-old junior. "Captain Alfred King, U. S. A. He did not think more of himself, but for his men. He died in France fighting on November 11, 1918," said a nineteenyear-old senior. Other votes went to Calvin Coolidge, Edith Cavell, Douglas Fairbanks, Joan of Arc, Pershing, several Binghamton clergymen, and "father." YOUNG AMERICA'S IDEAL CHARACTERS The second question in the series was, "Will you marry for money, position, or love?" and it was quite unnecessary. Algebra and first love are omens, school-teachers say. They presage that brief critical period when youth is wise beyond all saying, when no obstacle big or little is worth a care, no hill too high to climb or jump. The boys and girls who answered the questionnaire, in the main, are between the ages of thirteen and nineteen. It is the algebra-first-love stage. They stand 992 to 8 in favor of love. Six said they thought they would like to marry for money, and two for position. The remainder chose love in varying degrees. Some, "plain love;" some, "absolute love;" others, "true love;" one. "reciprocated love:" one, “love, the kind that makes your heart stop and you feel queer and empty inside." The question, “What do you consider your finest achievement?" educed greater diversity of ideals than any other. But standing out sharply above all other accomplishments mentioned was that of helping others. It overshadowed thrift and excellence in school work and prowess in athletics and music. It was cited by a majority of both boys and girls. "Giving my Liberty Bond to my sister so she could get new clothes," said a thirteen-year-old freshman. "Taking care of the baby all day Saturday while mother goes away," decided a fifteen-year-old sophomore. "Letting a boy next door have the sweater I won in football," wrote a seventeen-year-old junior. . Thrift also was held in high esteem. Scores of boys mentioned earning money for Liberty Bonds and many girls recalled economizing on hats and shoes. "Working through vacation so I could come back to school," said an eighteenyear-old senior. "Sewing and darning for shop girls and paying my way through school," said a seventeen-year-old junior. Outside of these general classifications of achievements the choice ranged the wide world. Typical replies are: "Being well thought of." "Stopping using slang." "Baking cake." "Playing Chopin's pieces." WHAT THEY CALL THEIR BEST Total 283 217 173 140 None but young America of the twentieth century could answer the one financial question as this typical American school answered it. The question was, "What would you do with $5,000 if you had it?" The reply three times out of four was, "Invest it in stocks or bonds." Ten times as many children said "invest" as said "save" or "put it in the bank." Next to investing and saving the choice fell successively to "a college education," "help my family," and "travel." HOW THEY WOULD SPEND $5,000 Freshmen Sophomores Juniors Seniors 225 130 22 Replies to one question prove the new generation to be old-fashioned. The question was, "Is woman's place in the home or in business and the professions?" The answer their great-grandfathers might have made is theirs. "Home," said nine out of ten, and the tenths hesitated, quibbled, ventured, "Working for herself," with the qualification, "if she has the ability." 8hese are typical reasons given for the decision: "At home, to keep the aNtion pure," a fifteen-year-old freshman girl. "At home. They tangle things up in professions," a sixteen-year-old sophomore boy. "At home. Who will bring up the family if they are neglecting their own duties?" an eighteen-year-old junior. "At home. They would make competition too keen," a nineteen-year-old senior. A kindred question, "Should young women enter men's fields of work?" disclosed a somewhat conflicting attitude. Nearly all the girls said that young women should have that privilege, and a third of the boys agreed, both offering the qualification, though, that the women be unmarried and forced to earn their own living. The range of ideas is illustrated by these typical replies: "No. They should not enter men's work. Man was made to rule the world," a fourteen-year-old freshman boy. "Yes. They have a right to choose their occupation, and they are as capable as men," a fifteen-year-old sophomore boy. "No. They lack stamina," a sixteenyear-old junior boy. "Yes. They have more ability than the other sex," a nineteen-year-old senior girl. Favorite amusements are athletics, reading, music, and dancing. Citing the recreation from which they "get the most benefit and pleasure," the majority of the children said either baseball, football, basket-ball or tennis, and a heavy vote from the girls brought dancing up among the leaders. In all classes, however, reading and music were second and third choice, standing ahead of dancing, motion pictures, vaudeville, and the drama. Desire to attend college increases as the pupil advances in high school. Onethird of the freshmen hope for a higher education; three-fourths of the sophomores; five-sixths of the juniors; six-sevenths of the seniors. The question was, "Do you wish to attend college?" Politics obviously is dominated by their parents. Binghamton is a Republican city. Republicans among the school pupils ran well ahead of Democrats, and there was only a scattering of Socialists. Home-town ties are not so strong as might have been guessed. Only onethird of the students said they intended to remain in the city where they were born. Ideas of marital conduct are rational. Answering "How big is the ideal American family?" the majority said, "Five persons." Only one boy suggested "Ten children," and very few spoke of fewer than two. Deductions from the questionnaire replies as a whole tend to show that the overwhelming majority of the children, underneath an exterior of frivolity, are sober and practical, and conservative enough to make any good radical despair of the future of the world. But, considering the fact that the world has been going to the dogs (for a variety of opposite reasons) with every rising generation since that canine terminus was first discovered, it is surprising how seldom it gets there. |