"SUSANNA SAYS..."

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As I write this column I am wearing... a disgusted look on my face. You see, they are tearing down the building next door and you know how peaceful demolition crews can be. I am making an effort to concentrate inasmuch as Virginia has urged me to send her this article as soon as possible. There's lots of things to write I could perhaps delve a little deeper into the TV children prob- lem. I've had a few talks on the subject after my last column and in one instance a very understanding GG said: "What would actually happen if you let the kids know?" It's a highly debatable question, and the major- ity opinion was that it was perhaps better and safer not to try the experiment. There was a great deal of talk about the father image" subject and some poo-pooed the entire concept arguing that there's no such thing in our present American life. Others said that a kid can grow up without a father image and still be a pretty well developed chap, that may be we were talking about a mirage that never actually existed except in the mind of some progressive psychiatrist.... Someone else pointed out that in most cases parents are afraid that the child will talk too much in the neighborhood and ex- pose the careful guarded secret. To this, the GG above quoted said, that how do you explain then the way the children in Communist countries learn to keep their mouths shut regarding parental attitudes at home that would be severely sanctioned by the Red authorities if they ever found out. She asked why couldn't a TV child be taught that " this is a secret " just between us. Or else she said--why can't the parents show the child that this is nothing to be ashamed of. Another member of the group jumped right into the discussion insisting that such an example would definitely steer the boy's interests to- wards TVism and would harm him in some undefinable way. I retorted that the argument had no validity be- cause TVism is definitely not catchy. There are many of instances to prove this. I am afraid I did not convince many with my viewpoint, but, anyway we all did quite a bit of thinking along these lines. I hope to develop,

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