THE HOME, THE mum-mun THEscnooL ’ v ‘ ; As PORTRAYED'IN‘AMERI‘CANVREALISTIG- y , Henonrorz CHILDREN 19654959: A . . Thesisfdr‘theDegreeOtiPhgm T ; MICHIGAN STATE .umvERsan . _ _ ' - mm.mm‘NoaLEE L' ‘ ‘ ‘ . ‘. 1 . “ _... . 1971 i1~ ' - -.-‘-..~_- ‘A .7._‘ . . 2125;194?;.:}v-: m .m \ 4. ' This is to certify that the thesis entitled THE HOME, THE CHURCH, AND THE SCHOOL AS PORTRAYED IN AMERICAN REALISTIC FICTION FOR CHILDREN 1965-1969 presented by Judith Ann Noble has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for __Eh_._D.._ degree in Education Major pro essor Ma 7 1971 Date y ' 0-7639 HIP? _ .t ”l A. 3‘ AIKL”: l . . ‘ " " KEV." my ‘ 1). ', 11.‘ Z ”.V 'v‘fl A.“ -v SFROOL .VSTTC ‘IEC ABSTRACT THE HOME, THE CHURCH, AND THE SCHOOL AS PORTRAYED IN AMERICAN REALISTIC FICTION FOR CHILDREN 1965-1969 BY Judith Ann Noble The Problem The purpose of this study was to ascertain how three basic institutions--the home, the church, and the school--have been depicted in realistic fiction books dealing with contemporary American society which were published between the years 1965 and 1969 and included in selected recommended book lists for children between the ages of nine and fourteen. The major questions which this study sought to answer were: What attitudes toward three basic institutions-- the home, the church, and the school--are expressed explicitly or implicitly in children's contemporary realistic fiction? Are the charges against the home, the church, and the school (i.e., less emphasis on family life, rejection of family's values by young people, permissive- ness in society leading to a lack of personal responsi- bility, lack of relevant material and currently Judith Ann Noble acceptable methodology in schools, and loss of faith in religion) substantiated by and reflected in contemporary realistic fiction for children? What is the image of the family as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? What is the image of the church as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? What is the image of the school as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? Procedures The sample for the study consisted of 125 realis- tic fiction books which were randomly selected from selected recommended book lists. These books were pub- lished between 1965 and 1969 and were indicated as being of interest to children ages nine to fourteen. The technique of content assessment was used in analyzing the books. Four major categories were employed: importance of family and family structure, importance of religion and religious education, importance of education, and development of personal responsibility. Each book was thoroughly read and all passages referring to the four major categories were recorded. These passages provided the basis for delineation of sub-categories. Judith Ann Noble Conclusions The major conclusions with reference to the treatment of the home, the church and the school as they were portrayed in contemporary realistic fiction for children were as follows: 1. The families presented in the books were primarily middle class Caucasians. Negro families, when present, were usually depicted as lower-middle class or lower class. Primary families of other races were not found. A variety of attitudes toward family and family structure was presented. These attitudes were primarily positive and the importance of family was stressed repeatedly. The children in the books valued their families and needed the security provided by a family. The strikingly negative attitude displayed toward stepfamilies and step-parents raises an important question. Is it possible that in the effort to supply realistic fiction for therapeutic purposes the reverse situation has arisen and instead of alleviating problems of children in stepfamilies more problems arise because of the negative attitudes gained from reading about stepfamilies? 2. A paucity of material about religion or religious activities was found. It did not appear that realistic pictures of religion were portrayed. A very Judith Ann Noble casual attitude toward religion was apparent in middle class families. While undoubtedly many of the attitudes found are indicative of a part of this society, it would seem that religion is important to more than just lower class or Jewish people. Very few descriptions of religious rituals or observances were found. Christmas was seldom mentioned with a religious connotation. More Jewish observances were described than any other faith. Rather than outright rejection of religion, the prevailing attitude seemed to be an indifference toward religion. 3. School or education was mentioned in approx- imately three-fourths of the books of the study. The attitudes presented were predominantly negative. While many favorable expressions were found, the negative attitudes greatly outweighed them both in intensity of feeling and importance of the statement. Schools and teachers appeared to be very stereo- typed. This was especially apparent in descriptions of characteristics of teachers. More positive expressions were found in books referring to private schools or schools for exceptional children. References to content and methodology were pri- marily negative. Modern equipment or teaching methods were seldom evidenced. Judith Ann Noble It would appear that the charges raised against school were substantiated by the examples found in the books. 4. The children in the books analyzed usually displayed acceptance of responsibility commensurate with their maturity level. At times they appeared to be almost too responsible. Indications of acceptance of responsibility were found repeatedly. Only one example was found to substantiate the charges raised against development of personal responsi- bility. The other examples appeared to refute these accusations. ‘ THE HOME, THE CHURCH, AND THE SCHOOL AS PORTRAYED IN AMERICAN REALISTIC FICTION FOR CHILDREN 1965-1969 By Judith Ann Noble A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Elementary and Special Education College of Education 1971 vim: 9.123 ‘7‘ Ch 5‘: t'l. Copyright by 3m m NOBLE the enema: ago-é -’ 1 .‘CG'. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Sincere appreciation is extended to Dr. Jean M. LePere for her guidance and assistance throughout the preparation of this dissertation. Her support, encourage- ment, and understanding will be remembered with gratitude. Further appreciation is expressed to Dr. William Durr, Dr. Dale Alam, and Dr. Vera Borosage for their support and assistance in the planning and reporting of this study. Appreciation is also extended to the authors and publishing companies for permission to reprint excerpts from their books. These books, authors, and publishers are listed in Appendix B. To the many friends who helped locate books and who gave support and encouragement go warmest thanks. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . CHAPTER I. THE PROBLEM AND PURPOSES OF THE STUDY II. The Problem . . . . Purpose of the Study . Questions . . . . . Assumptions . . Design and Methodology Limitations of the Study Year of Publication Content . . . . Age of Readers . . Definition of Terms . Definition of Categories . Definition of Sub-Categories Sub-Categories for Importance Family and Family Structure Sub-Categories for Importance Religion and Religious Education. Sub- -Categories for Importance of Education . . . Sub- -Categories for Development of Personal Responsibility Educational Implications . Organization of the Remainder of the Study . O C O I REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . . The Effect of Books on Children Assumptions Concerning the Effect of Books . . Studies Analyzing the Effect of Books on Attitudes of Children Content of Books . . . 0 [-ho o c o n o o o I o n o of Page ii \OkaDKDxIxIO‘O‘N H H H H wrap Ch 05 U bull-‘0 F‘H m~q N 'N N l-‘ l—-‘ H O to WM #19 Page Studies Analyzing Children's Books as a Reflection of Attitudes Found in a Society . . . . . . 32 Studies Analyzing Values in Children's Books . . . . . . . 38 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . 48 III. DESIGN OF THE STUDY . . . . . . . . 50 Sampling . . . . . . . . 51 The Master Book List . . . . . . 51 The Final Book List . . . . . . 53 Method of Gathering Data . . . . . . 53 Reliability . . . . . . . . . 56 Justification for the Selection of Categories and Sub- -Categories . . . 56 Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . 58 IV. IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY . . . . . . . 59 Presentation of Findings . . 70 Parent-Child Interaction . Family Behavioral Standards Need for Family . . . Atypical Family Situations 115 Sibling Relationships . . Discussion of Findings . . 126 Parent-Child Interaction . Family Behavioral Standards Need for Family . . . . Sibling Relationships . . Summary of Findings . . . I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I O I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I H |-‘ 00 V. IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZED RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION . . . . . . . . 143 Presentation of Findings . . . . . . 146 Casual References to Church or Religious Topics . . . . . . . 146 Church Activities . . . . . . . 148 The Bible . . . . . . . . . . 150 Prayer . . . . . . . . . 152 Grace at Mealtime . . . . . . 156 Religious Customs or Beliefs . . . 157 Religious Observances in the Home . . 158 Need for Faith . . . . . . 160 Rejection of Religion . . . . . . 161 God as a Punishing Agent . . . . . 164 Implied Criticisms . . . . . . . 165 iv VI. Summary of Findings . . Discussion of Findings . Summary of Findings . . . . Discussion of Findings . . . . Casual Reference to Church or Religious Topics Church Activities The Bible . . . Prayer . . Grace at Mealtime . . . Religious Customs and Beliefs . Religious Observances in the Home Need for Faith . . . Rejection of Religion . . God as a Punishing Agent . Implied Criticisms . . . I I I a IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION . . . . . . Presentation of Findings . . . . . School Personnel . . . . Student- -Teacher Interaction Attitudes Toward School and Education . . . . Method and Content . School Buildings . Principals . . . Teachers . . . . Physical Descriptions and Personalit Traits of Teachers . . . . . Teaching as a Career . . . . . Truant Officers . . Unfair Accusations by Teachers and Principals . . . Teacher Concern for Students . Teacher Harrassment of Students Student Harrassment of Teachers Dislike of School . . . Parents against Education Need for Education . . Criticisms of Schools . Academic Work . . . Homework . . . . . Grades and Grouping . Choice of Classes . . Forms of Discipline . Appearance of Schools . Security Measures in Schools tY Page 167 169 170 170 170 171 172 173 173 174 174 175 175 178 178 180 189 198 208 219 221 221 222 222 223 224 224 225 225 226 226 227 227 228 229 230 230 231 231 232 233 233 Page VII. DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY . . 235 Presentation of Findings . . . . . 235 Acceptance of Responsibility . . . 235 Lack of Responsibility . . . . . 246 Discussion of Findings . . . . . 252 Acceptance of Responsibility . . . 252 Lack of Responsibility . . . . . 254 Summary of Findings . . . . . . . 255 VIII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . 257 Summary . . . . 257 Importance of the Family and Family Structure . . . . . . . 259 Importance of Religion and Religious Education . . . . . . 263 Importance of Education . . . . . 265 Development of Personal Responsibility . . . . . . . 269 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . 270 Recommendations . . . . . . 272 Implications for Further Study . . . . 274 BIBLIOGMPHY I I I I I - I I I I I I I I 276 APPENDICES I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 290 A. FINAL BOOK LIST . . . . . . . . . 291 B. PERMISSION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . 299 vi LIST OF TABLES 'Table Page 1. Socio-Economic Status of Families . . . . 60 2. Occupation of Fathers as Presented in Books . 62 3. Specific Occupation of Fathers as Presented in Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 4. Mothers Working . . . . . . . . . . 64 5. Setting of Stories . . . . . . . . . 66 6. Number of Parents in Home . . . . . . . 68 7. Number of Children . . . . . . . . . 69‘ 8. Books Expressing Religious Beliefs . . . . 144 9. Forms of Discipline . . . . . . . . . 217 CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM AND PURPOSES OF THE STUDY Today's society is witnessing many changes in attitudes and beliefs. This is especially true among the younger people. Some of these changes are in the struc- ture and unity of the family, attitudes toward church and organized religion, and in the practices of the schools. Some of the questions raised and charges leveled are that: 1. SI The family is portrayed as relatively less important than it was in previous generations. [Family structure is becoming increasingly loose. There is an attitude of permissiveness in our society which results in an increasing lack of responsibility on the part of children. Rigid value systems of families are resulting in an increasing lack of responsibility and a rejection of these systems by younger people. Schools are not providing relevant materials. Teachers are not practicing currently accept- able methodology. 7. There.is a loss of faith in churches and organized religion. 8. Young people are turning away from churches and labeling them hypocritical. These attitudes are reflected in many popular magazines whose articles bear titles such as: "The Aca- demic Revolution—-The Case for Radical Change"; "Public Schools--Myth of the Melting Pot"; "Will Society Become an Uncontrollable Monster?"; "The Schools Versus Educa- tion"; "What's Left When School's Forgotten?"; "Gloom at the Top-~School Administrators and Angry Students"; "Catholic and Protestant Membership Dips Noted."1 The Problem Children growing up in American society today are faced with many conflicts in attitudes and beliefs. In order to make decisions they need exposure to a wide variety of experiences which will provide background for making decisions. Some experts believe that one way to provide some of this background is through a variety of books presenting differing views and opinions. Miller, in a paper given at the Dartmouth Conference in 1966, said that 1Saturday Review, Howard Zim, October 18, 1969; Colin Greer, November 15, 1969; Herbert A. Otto, April 25, 1970; Paul Woodring, April 4, 1970; John I. Goodlad, April 19, 1969; Terry Borton, April 18, 1970; Peter Schrag, August 16, 1969; The State Journal, May 30, 1970. One of the major purposes for offering a wide variety of authors and works in the literary curriculum is to liberate the student from his ethiCal parochialism and rigidity, to free him from a moral position often platitudinous and unexamined. Literature properly presented should confront the student (like life itself) with a multiplicity of ethical systems or moral perspectives. This expansion and deepening of the student's moral awareness constitutes the educa- tion of his moral imagination. It is one important (but not sole) aim of literary study. Books have long been seen as instruments for pass- ing on and preserving our cultural heritage. In addition they also reflect the attitudes and beliefs held by con- temporary society. Miller said that In every work of literature there is a perspective on the world and on life. In this perspective there is implicit or explicit what is called variously a moral dimension, a system of values, a vision of the nature of things, a truth. Supporting this thesis is a study done by Jean Duncan Shaw in 1966 which was undertaken to learn whether the values of American culture from 1850-1964 were reflected in children's books of that period. Themes in the books were categorized, and the books were related to the historical, political, and social events of their year of publication. The results indicated that a 2James E. Miller, Jr., "Literature and the Moral Imagination," in Res onse to Literature, edited by James R. Squires (Champaign, IllinOis: NCTE, 1968), p. 29. 31bid. 4 relationship existed between social, cultural, and economic influences and the story themes.4 There is ample evidence to indicate that attitudes are not innate. Some experts believe that an attitude may be the result of a single experience. However, as Sister Catherine Rudolph stated, "attitudes cannot be taught through sermonizing. Children need abundant opportunities to choose, to make decisions, and to anticipate real life 5 One way of simulating these experiences is decisions." through books. Each year more and more books for children are being published. In 1920 there were only 410 trade books published for children. This number increased to almost three thousand trade books for children published in 1965.6 Many of these books are realistic fiction. The trend in realistic fiction today is to portray problems and events more as they actually exist. Zena Sutherland explains this by saying that 4Robert Harvey, "Report on Children's Literature: Why? How? What?" Elementary English, 67 (February 1970), 301; citing Jean Duncan Shaw, A Historical Survey of Themes Recurrent in Selected Children's Books Published in America since 1850" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Temple University, 1966). 5Sister Catherine Rudolph, "Books and Role-Playing," Elementary English, 67 (January 1970), 46-47. 6Charlotte Huck and Doris Kuhn, Children's Litera- ture in the Elementar School (2nd ed.; New York: Holt, R nehart and Winston, 1968 , p. 5. Children today are hep; the attitudes of older people are seeping down to younger and younger children. Children can accept in their books the things that do exist and they will respect the adult world more if they are presented with honest 1iterature.7 If, as it has been indicated, contemporary real- istic fiction reflects the attitudes and beliefs held by a society, an analysis of current literature should reveal some of the charges cited previously. From the many books available to them, children select and read about ideas, attitudes, and beliefs that are either similar to those in their own experiences or different from those with which they are familiar. From these ideas found in books children may strengthen, extend, or alter their own attitudes and beliefs. It is therefore important for teachers, librarians, and other persons con- cerned with the development of children to have an under- standing and an awareness of the concepts and attitudes embodied in books for children. It is their task to expose children to a wide variety of books containing differing attitudes and beliefs in order to provide some gbackground for later decision making. They should be familiar with the ideas with which children may identify and knowledgable about the situations in books which may help children to acquire needed information. As Sister Catherine Rudolph says, "books assist the reader to 7Elliott Landau, ed., "Highlights of the Fifth Intermountain Conference on Children's Literature," Elementagy English, 66 (November 1969), 926. recognize his own problems and pressure and to find solu- tions to them, or at least to see them in focus and to find better understanding of the behaviors of others."8 Purpose of the Study The purpose of this study was to ascertain how three basic institutions-~the home, the church, and the school--have been depicted in realistic fiction books dealing with contemporary American society which were published between the years 1965 and 1969 and included in selected recommended book lists for children between the ages of nine and fourteen. Questions The major questions which this study sought to answer were as follows: 1. What attitudes toward three basic institutions-- the home, the church, and the school--are expressed explicitly or implicitly in children's contemporary realistic fiction? 2. Are the questions and charges cited previously borne out in the attitudes which are embodied in literature for children? In answering the major questions, answers to three secondary questions should also be found. 8Rudolph, op. cit., p. 47. 1. What is the image of the family as it is pre- sented in children's realistic fiction? 2. What is the image of the church as it is pre- sented in children's realistic fiction? 3. What is the image of the school as it is pre- sented in children's realistic fiction? Assumptions The assumptions underlying this study were: 1. The attitudes, beliefs, and values of a culture are reflected in its literature, including literature for children. 2. Children's attitudes, concepts, and belrfs can be influenced through books. 3. The books analyzed are available to children in school and public libraries or in the home. Design and Methodology The present study was undertaken to ascertain how three basic institutions--the home, the church, and the school--were depicted in contemporary realistic fic- tion for children between the ages of nine and fourteen. The study was deemed worthwhile for several reasons. First, contemporary American society has been witness to many changes in attitudes and beliefs, especially in younger people. Children who are confronted with these changes need many background experiences in order to make their own decisions. Long seen as reflecting prevailing attitudes of a culture as well as preserving the heritage of a culture, books are an important source for supplying background experiences. Second, the current trend in realistic fiction for children has been to portray prob- lems and events more as they actually exist. If this is true, books about contemporary society should reveal some of the changes in attitudes and beliefs. Third, if, as it has been indicated, children's attitudes or concepts can be influenced by books, it seemed important to know exactly what attitudes or beliefs were to be found in contemporary realistic fiction for children. Fourth, content analysis is relatively new to the field of chil- dren's literature. Few studies have been done. A search of the literature revealed no other studies which dealt specifically with the home, the church and the school as they are portrayed in children's literature. The technique of content assessment was used as a tool for collecting data for the study. The general themes investigated were attitudes toward home, church, and school. Based on the questions and charges cited in the introduction, these general themes were broken down into four categories for analysis: -(1) importance of family; (2) development of personal responsibility; (3) importance of education; and (4) importance of organ- ized religion and religious education. Limitations of thg Study Because of the vast number of books available for children in the United States it was necessary to define limits for inclusion of books in the study. Year of Publication Since the investigation was concerned with current attitudes and beliefs found in children's books, the books selected for analysis were those published during the years 1965 through 1969. Content The content of the books analyzed dealt with events or situations which could conceivably occur in the United States in the contemporary setting. This excluded all types of literature except realistic fiction. It also excluded realistic fiction books with the setting in some country other than the United States. Books which dealt with events or situations which occurred before 1945 were also excluded. Age of Readers The books to be included in the study were further limited by the selection of books which were indicated in the selected reference sources as those suitable for or of interest to children between the ages of nine and fourteen years. 10 Definition of Terms The following terms have been defined according to their use in this study. Content assessment.—-The method of analysis of the content of the books used in this study was "content assessment." The term "content assessment" refers to a research technique used in non—quantitative studies of communication. It consists of "judgment about content which does not refer to the precise magnitude with which the symbols appear."9 COncept.--The term "concept" as used in this study refers to "a generalized idea including all that is suggested to the individual by an object, symbol, or situation."10 The idea of family and all that it encom- passes is an example of a concept as used in this study. Belief.--The term "belief" refers to "the accep- tance of a proposition as true or of a situation or object as actually existent" or to "a proposition that is accepted as true but that, even though not contrary to reason, cannot be substantiated by reason."11 The acceptance of a Supreme Being is an example of a belief in this study. 9Bernard Berelson, Content Analysis in Communi— cation Research (Glencoe, Illinois: ’The Free Press, 1952), p. 128. loCarter V. Good, ed., Dictionary of Education (New York: McGraw—Hill Book Company, Inc., 1945), p. 90. llIbid., p. 44. ll Institution.--The term "institution" refers to "an established social pattern that has some degree of permanence, such as the family or private property" or to "an organization for a public or social purpose, such as a church, school, or hospital."12 In this study the three institutions referred to are the family, the church, and the school. Children.--In this study the term "children" refers to children between the ages of nine and fourteen. Trade books.--The term "trade books" refers to those books which are not part of a graded or develop- mental series.l3 Realistic fiction.--The term "realistic fiction" refers to a story which could conceivably occur in the lives of children living in a contemporary setting in the United States. Definition of Categories Because of the use of content assessment as a means of collecting data, very broad categories were used during analysis of the books to ensure the inclusion of all pertinent passages. These broad categories were then divided into sub-categories on the basis of the information found in the books analyzed. 121bid., p. 219. 13Huck and Kuhn, op. cit., p. 6. 12 Importance of Family and Family and Family Struc- Epma.--All references expressing attitudes toward the home, family life, or family structure were placed in this category. The sub—categories found were: (1) Parent- Child Interaction, (2) Family Behavioral Standards, (3) Need for Family, (4) Atypical Family Situations, and (5) Sibling Relationships. Importanca of Organized Religion and Raligioua Education.--All references to organized religion or other religious beliefs were placed in this category. The sub- categories found were: (1) Casual Reference to Church or Religious Topics, (2) Church Activities, (3) The Bible, (4) Prayer, (5) Grace at Mealtime, (6) Religious Customs, (7) Religious Observances in the Home, (8) Need for Faith, (9) Rejection of Religion, (10) God as a Punishing Agent, and (11) Implied Criticisms. Importance of Education.--All references to school or education were placed in this category. After analy- sis of the passages it was found that the sub-categories were: (1) School Personnel, (2) Student—Teacher Inter- action, (3) Attitudes Toward School and Education, (4) Method and Content, and (5) School Buildings. Developmapg of Personal Responsibility.--All refer- ences which expressed acceptance of responsibility commen- surate with the child's age or lack of responsibility on on the child's part were placed in this category. The 13 sub-categories found were: (1) Acceptance of Responsi— bility and (2) Lack of Responsibility. Definition of Sub-Categories Sub-Categories for Importance of Family and Family Structure Pagant-Child Interaction.--This sub-category was composed of passages expressing a child's attitude toward his parents and passages expressing a parent's attitude toward a child. Many patterns were found within these two groups. Under "A Child's Attitude Toward Parents" were found respect for parents, pride in parents, need for parental approval, love of parents and gratitude toward parents, and dislike or mistrust of parents. Love of child, pride in child, and rejection of child were found under "Parent Attitude Toward Child." Under "Inde- pendence from Parents" were found possessive or over- protective parents and need for independence. Family Behavioral Standards.--All references to standards or guidelines of family life were placed in this sub-category. Included were expressions of family pride, parental guidance, ethical standards, adult behav- iors and rejection of family or society's standards or beliefs. Need for Family.--This sub-category, "Need for Family," contained expressions by children of feelings toward the family as a unit. It included the need to 14 keep families intact, sense of security and belonging, family interaction, and rebellion caused by a break-up in the family structure. Atypical Family Situationa.—-This sub-category contained references to step-families, foster families, and adopted families. These references were made pri- marily by children and expressed their feelings and atti- tudes toward these atypical family situations. Siblipg Relationships.--A11 expressions of inter- action between siblings or feelings toward siblings were placed in this sub-category. Included were love of siblings, pride in siblings, jealousy, rivalry or resent- ment between siblings, defense of siblings, and daily interaction between siblings. Sub-Categories for Importance of Raligion and Religious Education Qaaual Raference to Church or Religious Topics.-- Casual references to church or religious topics were those in which religion was mentioned only briefly without elaboration and often in the context of another thought. Church Activities.--Church activities included all events taking place within the context of a church except regular church services. Examples of church activities were Sunday school, Bible class, or church festivals. The Bible.¢—The sub-category "The Bible" included all references to the Bible such as reading of the Bible, quotations from the Bible, or stories from the Bible. 15 Prayer.--The sub-category "Prayer" referred to all passages in which prayer was mentioned. Grace at mealtime was not included in this sub-category. Grace at Mealtime.--A11 references to asking a blessing before meals were included in this sub-category. Religious Customs.--Religious customs referred to any event or practice normally associated with a par- ticular religion such as bar mitzvahs, making the sign of the cross, or keeping religious statues. Religious Observances in the Home.--This sub- category included all religious observances in the home except prayer, grace at mealtime, and reading the Bible. Holidays with a religious connotation were an example. Need for Faith.--"Need for Faith" referred to passages in which a dependence on belief in God as a source of comfort or strength was expressed. Rajection of Religion.--"Rejection of Religion" included both rejection of organized religion and reli- gion in general. Statements of non-belief in God or church were examples. God as a Punishing Agent.--Passages which referred to particular events as punishment from God were included in this sub-category. Implied Criticisms.--Implied criticisms referred to all passages which projected a negative attitude toward church or religion which were not included in 16 other sub-categories. Criticisms of people professing to be Christians or criticisms of other religions were . examples. Sub-Categories for Importance afiEducatian School Personnel.--"School Personnel" included descriptions and general comments expressing feelings about principals and teachers, physical descriptions and personality traits of teachers, teaching as a career and truant officers. Casual conversations between students and teachers were included in this sub-category, as were student comments about teachers and principals. Student-Teacher Interaction.--The sub-category "Student-Teacher Interaction" was reserved for specific confrontations between students and teachers or for ref- erences expressing a teacher's obvious awareness of a student's need. It was composed of unfair accusations by teachers and principals, teacher concern for students, teacher harrassment of students and student harrassment of teachers. Attitudaa Toward School and Education.--Many explicit or implied attitudes and feelings toward educa- tion were found in expressions by both children and adults in the books analyzed. Although the content varied, general groupings could be made. These were need for education, dislike of school, parents against education, and criticisms of schools. 17 Method and Content.—-All references which described practices of the schools as well as passages expressing feelings toward these practices were placed in this sub-category. It was composed of academic work, homework, grades and grouping, choice of classes, and forms of discipline. School Buildings.--The sub-category "School Buildings" contained all references to the appearance of school and security measures in schools. Sub-Categories for Development of Personal Responsibility Acceptance of Responsibility.--A11 references which expressed a child's willingness to accept respon— sibility for his own actions were placed in this category. Also included were all events or situations which implied responsibility on the part of the child such as finding a job to help the family. Lack of Raapgnsibility.--This sub-category included all references which expressed a lack of respon- sibility on the part of the child. It included such things as never carrying through on projects or a refusal to accept responsibility for behavior. Need for the Study The need for the study is perhaps best illustrated through comments and recommendations of investigators of previous related studies. Of the studies which were 18 reviewed, the investigators agreed that very little was known about the actual content of children's books and that research had only recently begun to deal with ana- lyzing attitudes and beliefs present in children's books. It was also agreed that such research needed to be done. In reviewing the literature, no other studies dealing specifically with the treatment of the home, the church, and the school as portrayed in realistic fiction for children ages nine to fourteen were found. It was therefore deemed worthwhile to undertake a study of this nature . Educational Implications The extent to which attitudes are formulated through exposure to books is not known. However, that books do have an effect on children has been demonstrated in several studies.14 If teachers, parents, and librarians are to ful- fill their obligation to help provide children, through literary experiences, with adequate background for making decisions and for forming attitudes and beliefs, they must first of all have some knowledge of the content of the books children read. Because of the great number of books published each year, it is almost impossible to read each one. Reviews are helpful in providing a brief 14Sister Mary Corde Lorang, Burnin Ice: The MOral and Emotional Effects of Reagiag (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968). l9 sketch of the story, but they do not always provide infor- mation about the attitudes and beliefs expressed in the story. It is hoped that this study will prove helpful in providing this additional information concerning the more subtle content of the books. By providing this information, it was felt that the study should help people concerned with the develop- ment of children to give a child a better balance in reading. Books containing opposing views could be used to present background information to the child. It was also felt that authors and publishers could benefit from a study such as this. Books contain- ing varied attitudes and beliefs need to be written and published. The results of this study should indicate whether this variety was found in the books analyzed. If not, the study should indicate the deficient areas. Organization of the Remaindam of the Study In Chapter II, the literature pertinent to this study will be reviewed. The design of the study will be presented in Chapter III. The results of the study will be given in Chapters IV, V, VI, and VII. In Chapter VIII, conclusions based upon the research findings and sugges- tions for further study will be given. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE The literature of a country, including literature for children, has long been viewed as an instrument for transmitting and preserving its cultural heritage. In addition, some specialists in the field feel that the attitudes and beliefs of a society are reflected in its literature. From these premises, the use of children's liter- ature as an aid in inculcating children with the values of a society has developed. This is not a new idea. In previous eras children's books were primarily didactic in style, teaching definite morals or lessons. Paul Hazard discussed this in Books, Childrap and Mam.l He did not believe that children's books should be used as agents for indoctrinating children into the mores of a society in such an obvious manner. He found the books to be full of moralizing and direct preaching and felt that children would rebel against such treatment and refuse to read the books. lPaul Hazard, Books, Children and Map (Boston: The Horn Book, Inc., 1947). 20 21 Even though books for contemporary children are not, for the most part, didactic, it is still felt by many that children develop attitudes, beliefs and values through exposure to books. This review of literature will explore the effect of books on the developing attitudes of children and the specific content which may have an impact on attitude formation. The Effect of Books on Children Assum tions Concernin the Effect of Books The literature is replete with writers expressing the assumptions that books reflect values and attitudes and that children learn from these values and attitudes expressed in the books. The scope of the assumptions of what books can do is wide, ranging from understanding of self through the use of bibliotherapy to world under- standing. Along with others, Parker contends that children's literature reflects the values expressed by the author and that in many ways an author leads readers to perceive these values. She said The author's voice, then, reveals the values of story by directing the reader's perception of the story's events. His voice is always present in the 22 world of story, for there must be an expositor to direct, however subtly, the unity of story.2 Huck and Kuhn3 believe that children look for truths about themselves, the world and other people and that they want to learn the values of their society. These values, according to Huck and Kuhn are communicated by 1i terature '. Iris Tiedt concurred and enlarged on this idea when she said Literature presents values; it teaches sensitivity, for E. B. White not only tells the child Charlotte and Wilbur's adventures but he also conveys mature concepts of friendship, loneliness and death. Peller believes that Literature elicits thought, perception, and feeling. It directs the reader's attention to the particular, while relating the particular to the universal. But literature does more. It implores the reader to examine and appreciate the complexity of the world about him, the complexity of human beings, the com— plexity of human relations. While leading the reader to broaden his understanding of himself, literature solicits the reader's compassion for mankind. In short, literature challenges, begs, encourages, incites, provokes, and charges human beings to be human. 2Elizabeth Ann Parker, "The Author's Voice in Story," Elementamy English, 67 (April 1970), 485. 3Huck and Kuhn, op. cit. 4Iris M. Tiedt, "Planning an Elementary School Literature Program," Elementar En lish, 67 (February 1970), 193. 5Emma C. Peller, "Children's Literature and World Understanding," in Children and Literature, ed. by Jane H. Catterson (Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association, 1970), p. 22. 23 Many other expressions of the values of literature were found. Although stated differently in each case, the implications were the same. Children can learn values from literature. David Russell presents a slightly different view when he contends that because attitudes and values are usually presented by abstract words children have diffi- culty understanding the meanings of values. He believes that this can be alleviated by literature. He says In literature children and adolescents can find many of man's most important social-ethical ideas. Our values are the things we live by. . . . Values are usually described in the lovely words of our language such as truth, justice, loyalty and faith. These are puzzling and difficult ideas for adults and even more for children, and yet they are the foundations of our society. A child's or adolescents' grasp of such concepts is slow agrowing. Only a wide variety of experience can give some understanding of tolerance or perseverance or sacrifice, but sometimes the process of getting to understand such ideas can be quickened through literature.6 He continues Reading about such things at one's leisure, or in a small group where unhurried discussion follows, is our best hope that such values will become part of the lives of boys and girls. In speaking of means of helping newly formed countries to become functional, Hiebert emphasizes Russell's belief. Hiebert believes that 6David H. Russell, "Personal Values in Reading," The Reading Teacher, 12 (October 1958), 7. 71bid., p. 9. 24 Books are indispensable tools for building the human reSources needed for the scientific, technological, political, economic, and social development of any nation. They are not only a primary medium for trans- fer of knowledge and technical skills, but also play a significant role in changing attitudes, stimulating understanding, and enriching the culture. Studies Analyzingataa Effect of Epoks on Attitudas of Childraa While many assumptions have been made about the effect of books on attitudes or values of children, few studies have attempted to substantiate these assumptions or to measure attitude change brought about by reading. One of the earliest reports in the area of atti- tude change through reading was a summary of a group of studies by Waples, a£_al.9 in 1940. In these studies, college students were given an attitude test before and after reading texts designed to change attitudes dealing with religious beliefs, racial bias, economic status, and international beliefs. Waples believed that the results of these studies repeatedly indicated that atti- tudes could be changed through reading. This conclusion was based on the differences in scores on the pre- and post-tests. 8Ray E. Hiebert, Books in Human Development (Washington, D.C.: The American University and the Agency for International Development, 1964), p. 53. 9Douglas Waples, Bernard Berelson, and Franklyn Bradshaw, What Readin Does to Peo 1e (Chicago: Univer- sity of Chicago Press, 1940). 25 Although the study had several limitations (a minority group of college students, brevity of readings, and knowledge of experiment), Waples believed that the evidence of change in attitudes through reading was valid. One of the most comprehensive studies on the effect of reading on attitudes was reported by Hilda Taba 10 in 1955. Sponsored by the Project on Intergroup Educa- tion, this study was designed to develop social sensi- tivity in a group of eighth grade children by helping them overcome their ethnocentric orientation to values and to become more sensitive to other cultural groups. In explaining the basis for this study Taba wrote: The development of a cosmopolitan sensitivity and of a capacity to respond to human problems, values, and feelings is a central task in education for human relations. Each individual grows up in a somewhat limiting cultural shell by virtue of the fact that the immediate primary groups in which a growing per- son is socialized are culturally unique. While living in today's world requires a broad orientation to life, some American communities are still bounded by qualifications regarding race, economic status, and ethnic origins. These differences tend to be maintained by separation of residence areas, by sep- arate patterns of social association, and, therefore, by different life experiences. These experiences in the hemmed-in cultural climates tend to cultivate ethnocentricity, or a tendency to interpret all other persons' behavior, values, and motivations in terms of one's own values. In addition to the segmentation of the society by cultural distance, there is also a problem of trans— mitting the common democratic culture from generation to generation. By tradition this transmission of loHilda Taba, With Perspective on Human Relations (Washington, D.C.: AmeriCan Council on Educat1on, 5 . 26 culture has been regarded as the task of education in the family and in the immediate friendship group. It has been pointed out that this method of transmission has been weakened by the mobile and rapidly changing society. Mobility tends to promote cultivation of transitory relationships, to whose influence the core of the self remains highly inaccessible. Taba believed that all of these factors Create problems for education. She believed that this ethnocen- tricity could be a major source of prejudice and that means of eliminating ethnocentricity in judgment and con- duct were needed. She also recommended that children be given assistance in making the transition from an ego- centric and ethnocentric orientation to a more realistic view of life as it is. She said The problem of maintaining a core of democratic values is serious in a society with a multiplicity of cul- tural pockets maintained by social segregation. There is an urgent need to explore the means for extension of sensitivity, for developing a capacity for under- standing across barriers and the ability to bridge cultural and psychological distances, and to do these things by using peer groups as vehicles. In Taba's project, literature was one method used to help extend social sensitivity and the capacity to identify with other people. Reading programs were planned based on the following hypotheses: (a) that fiction is one potent source for internalizing values different from the current experience of a given group; (b) that by inducing identification with characters, problems and llIbid., p. 100. lzIbid., p. 101. 27 feelings expressed in fiction, individuals can be helped to make a transition from an ethnocentric orientation to an "other-centered" orientation; and (c) that an open- ended discussion of stories is one way of accomplishing this end.13 In an attempt to extend social sensitivity a reading program was organized on the basis of the eighth graders' own problems and concerns as they were diagnosed from special diaries and other writing. Books reflecting the same or similar problems but describing different or constrasting contexts and experiences were chosen. After reading the books, discussions were held with the eighth graders to analyze the problems, behaviors, and motivations of the story characters and to compare them with the students' own experiences. Emphasis was placed on developing an understanding that feelings in human situations need to be considered in judging the validity of problems or interpreting actions or solutions to problems. After one year of experimentation Taba concluded that The method of reading and discussing fiction organ- ized around life problems of students is effective in extending sensitivity to human values and in objecti- fying orientation to human relations. It is evident that a wide range of personality types and intellectual ability can be accommodated and affected by this method. l31bid., p. 102. 28 It is evident that the use of fiction for teaching understanding of human values is a method which allows a comfortable integration of emotional insights and of concept building, and that this integration is of aid in deepening understanding and developing ability to transfer. The method also seems of great promise in developing understanding of fairly complicated concepts and rendering them applicable to entirely new areas of life. It was clear that the analysis of values and feelings and of their meaning in many personalized situations affected (positive) the content of the peer group life. In summarizing the results of the study Taba said One can say, then, that an objective and analytical orientation to human behavior was strengthened mark- edly. 'The tendency to use self-reference as a means to understand new situations was reduced. As a consequence these students became more cautious about assuming that complex problems of human relations can be handled by pat solutions and advice. Increasingly also, these students could abstract general ideas from the unique situations of the story, and trans- late their insights into generalizations. Greatest changes often occurred in people who were the weakest at the start. It was evident that these changes came about because the reading and discussions gradually built up a body of concepts useful in the interpretation of human behavior.15 David Russell, in 1958, reviewed over seventy- three studies dealing with the impact of reading on chil- dren. While he believed that lack of research in the area should not be interpreted to mean that reading has little or no impact on people he also believed that it is 14Ibid., p. 137. 151bid., p. 121. 29 difficult to determine exactly what effect reading has on the personality development of children. Russell concluded that We are beginning to get clues about kinds and content of reading materials and the sorts of reactions we can expect from individuals of different background, interests, and personality patterns. . . . We at least know enough to take care in using reading to help pupils solve their personal problems for often they may fail to understand, they may misinterpret, or they may consciously or unconsciously block the desired response. From the research point of view, we suspect that much reading by itself has little effect on a person's deeper layers of feeling and behavior. So far we have been unable to disentangle the influences of reading from the consequences of other activities, and perhaps we never shall. Just as we reject state- ments that comics or mystery stories are a sole cause of delinquency or crime so we must reject the hypo- thesis that a book or story usually operates singly to produce favorable effects. We know that the impact of reading is related to constellations of factors in literature, in people, and in the settings in which reading is done. Impact is a resultant of numerous and interacting variables, among them being the nature of the message, the structure of the situ- ation, the reader's previous experiences and expec- tations, and his personality and value systems. The process of effect is highly complex and not easily predictable.16 Sister Mary Corde Lorangl7 reported the results of an extensive questionnaire study in 1968. Detailed questionnaires were sent to hundreds of high school stu- dents in selected cities in the United States. According to the author the results of these questionnaires 16David H. Russell, "Some Research on the Impact of Reading," English Journal, 47 (May 1958), 410. 17Lorang, op. cit. 30 .indicated that reading does have an effect on children although changes in attitudes were not measured. Several weaknesses were inherent in this study. 'Ihe conclusions were based entirely on the experiences reported by students. It would be difficult to determine ‘the accuracy of those reports. The questions on the (questionnaire appeared to be leading at times. In many instances the effect of reading in changing attitudes is not conscious and consequently could not be reported by students. The conclusions very often appeared to be opinions. Frank L. Fisher18 reported a study in 1968 in which the effect of reading on attitude change was ana- lyzed. He undertook this study because he felt that Our educational system is based on the premise that peOple are influenced by what they read, yet what really happens to a reader is still lar ely a matter of assumption or "common sense." 9 He also felt that There is clear evidence that reading can change the attitudes of children, and there is some confirmation of the assumption that reading, reinforced by listen- ing, discussion, conversation, etc., will change attitudes more effectively than reading alone. 0 18Frank L. Fisher, "Influences of Reading and Dis- cussion on the Attitudes of Fifth Graders Toward American Indians," Journal of Educational Research, 62 (November 1968), 130-134. 191bid., p. 130. zolbid. 31 The purpose of the study was to determine the <3hange in children's attitudes brought about by reading salone and by reading followed by discussion. Relation- sships between attitude change and the variables of IQ, :reading achievement, socio-economic status, race, sex, .initial attitude, and information given were also tested. A test of Attitudes Toward American Indians for <3hildren in the Upper Elementary Grades was constructed and given before and after the experiment to eighteen groups of fifth graders. Stories of Indians were then read in six groups and read and discussed in six addi- tional groups. Six groups were used as control. The conclusions reached by Fisher were: The attitude in the reading groups was changed more than the attitude in the control groups and reading plus discussion changed attitude more than reading alone. The results of the correlations between initial attitude and attitude change showed that subjects with low initial attitudes made the greatest gains. The results of this study support the accepted pre- mise that reading literature changes attitudes and that discussion following the reading increases the attitude change. The amount of change, however, was not great numerically even though the differences between the treatment groups were significant. Content of Books While it has been indicated that trade books might have some influence upon developing attitudes of 211bid.. pp. 132-133. 32 children, little conclusive evidence has been found. Further, a paucity of research.analyzing the actual atti- tude influencing content of books was-indicated. It has been only recently that studies have dealt with attitudes,‘ beliefs, or values present in books for children. Several studies have been completed in the last few years which analyzed values present in children's books. Studies Analyzing Children's Books asga Reflecpion of Attitudes Found in a Society In 1963, David C. McClelland22 reported a study in social psychology in which stories for children in forty different countries were analyzed to locate values in them and to compare those values to the values held by the adult population of the country. These books were readers rather than trade books. Standard second- through fourth-grade readers were collected from these forty countries, one set published about 1925 and one set published about 1950. A random sample of twenty-one stories from the readers from each country was scored in the same manner as the TAT. McClelland says that it was "enlightening to discover that the stories, while similar in many respects, differ mark- edly from country to country in the values they express."23 22David C. McClelland, "Values in Popular Litera- ture for Children," Childhood Education, 40 (November 1963), 135-138. 231bid., p. 135. 33 He believed that almost any theme could be located in several stories from any country, but that some themes appear much more frequently in certain countries than in others. He felt that the theme stressed does reflect the underlying values of the people of a country. To illus- trate this he gave the following examples: In Turkey the stories stressed cleverness; in Chile and Japan the stories stressed loyalty; and the American stories stressed cooper- ation. McClelland emphasized his belief that children's books do reflect the values of the adult population of a country when he wrote that The conclusion is inescapable that popular stories for children reflect what the people in the country value most, what they think is important. And children learn from reading the stories what adults regard as important.24 He reiterated his belief that children's books do have an effect on the developing attitudes and value struc- tures of children when he said that I believe children acquire the values or ethical ideas expressed in the stories, even without conscious and deliberate attempts to abstract them. . . . I believe that Middle Eastern children learn naturally and easily from what they read that cleverness is a good thing, just as American children learn that working together is usually the best way of doing things. Children come to take such ideas for granted because that's the way things "are" or "happen" in the stories they read.25 24Ibid., p. 136. ZSIbid. 34 He concluded that it is his belief "that the books we select play a key role in shaping children's social- ethical ideas and values. Children's literature performs a great service in the moral education of the young,"26 When discussing this study in a later article27 McClelland enlarged upon his findings by relating them to the socio-economic growth of a country. He explained this when he said In one country a story about children building a boat would emphasize the construction of a boat, how to make it so it wouldn't sink or tip over--achievement motive. In another country, the same story would tell about how much fun the children had working together on the boat and sailing it--the value of affiliation. And a third country would center the story on the power need, maybe by making a hero out of a boy who led the other children into the job and told them what to do. . . . The 1950 schoolbooks . . . proved to be rather good predictors even of the short-term economic growth rates--between 1952 and 1958. Out of the twenty countries that scored above average in achievement need, thirteen grew rapidly. That's 65 per cent. Of the 19 low scorers, only 5 grew rapidly. That means we identified 3 out of every 4 losers.2 While the conclusions of the original study are interesting and appear logical, McClelland presented little evidence of criteria for making judgments and draw- ing conclusions. Many of his statements appear to be only opinion. 27David C. McClelland, "To Know Why Men Do What They Do," Psychology Today, 4 (January 1971), 35-39, 70-75. 28Ibid., p. 39. 35 29 In 1964 Richard Mandel reported a study in which two sets of children's books were analyzed for ways in which values were inculcated in the youth of a society. The assumption underlying this study was that Widely read books written for and about children reveal the methods used to form the normative social character sought by the child's society. We can establish several concrete indications that the fic- tive world of the books does indeed reflect the world of their readers.3 The two sets of books used were published about 100 years apart. The age level of the books was six through eight years. The Dick and Jane series was used as representative of today's culture; the Rollo books by Jacob Abbott, published from 1844 to 1860, were represen- tative of an earlier culture. After constrasting the actions and behaviors of Rollo and Dick, four generalizations were made concerning the differences in the two cultures. I. II. In the first group of books, the world is full of dangers and evil temptations, and the child himself is full of evil impulses that he must learn to control. In the second group, the world is full of good possibilities, and the child himself has only good impulses which should be .given rein and encouragement. In the first group of books, social behavior is handed down with unshakable authority to the child in a complete set of established rules and virtues which he must live up to. In the contem- porary books, no such abstract rules are instilled 29Richard L. Mandel, "Children's Books: Mirrors of Social DevelOpment," Elementary School‘Journal, 64 (January 1964), 190-199. 30 Ibid., p. 191. 36 in the child, but he seems to get his ideas about right and wrong from everyday social experience. III. In the first group of books, the child finds his source of identity and motivation in his father. In the second group of books, the child's iden- tity is confirmed and his social behavior is molded by his peer group. IV. In the first group of books, the child's social character is developed by his being brought into the world of adults. In the second group of. books, the child finds acceptance and meaning from being a member of his peer group, and his 31 social character seems to have its source there. From these generalizations he concluded that Our children's books mirror broad trends in methods of inculcating American social character. How these changing methods relate to different kinds of social character and what the social and historical reasons are for such changes are problems for further study. In these investigations, children's books undoubtedly will continue to provide a valuable and lively source of information.32 A similar but more complete study was reported in 33 This study was undertaken to 1966 by Jean Duncan Shaw. learn whether the values of American culture from 1850- 1964 were reflected in children's books of that period. A study was made of the textbooks written since 1850 dealing with children's literature in America to compile a list of themes usually found in children's books. These themes were then classified into the following categories: 31£§£§3p pp. 193-194, 196, 198, 199. 321bid., p. 199. 33Jean Duncan Shaw, "An Historical Survey of Themes Recurrent in Selected Children's Books Published in America Since 1850" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Temple Univer- sity, 1966). 37 I. Searching for Values II. Problems of Growing Up III. (Fascination of) Travel and Understanding People in Foreign Lands IV. Lives of Heroes V. Escape Literature-~the need for change VI. The Urge to Know34 After compiling a time line of historical events in America, children's books from each of the periods were read and the themes compared with the historical events of the publication date of the books. The exact number of books was not given. However, it was stated that thousands of books were read and the assumption was made that an adequate representation of children's books were included. The conclusions reached in this study were: The basic hypothesis, that children's books can be categorized according to recognizable themes has been a true one. . . . The first hypothesis, from Dora V. Smith's statement, was that "Books have kept pace with the children's world and . . . the need to know . . . illuminating social, economic and cultural influences on our national life. It is clear that the books written for children have varied in popularity as the need to know has grown, and that themes employed in writ- ing for children have indeed illuminated social, economic and cultural influences in America to the extent, in the cases of civil liberties and the space race, of moving ahead of events. The second hypothesis, that historical milestones may have a relationship with popularity of certain themes 34Ibid., p. 55. 38 has also been evidenced. There have been no glaring inconsistencies between events and themes, and in some cases recurring conditions have consistently seen a recurring pattern in the stories for children, as in the case of three high prosperity periods show- ing coincidental high levels of popularity in fantasy stories. From these findings Shaw concluded that "In books written for its children the social, economic, and politi- cal thought of America has, indeed, been reflected."36 Studies Analyzing Values ifiIChiIdren's Books In 1951 a study was reported by William K. Hubbell on the socializing values in children's books. In this study, based on the premise that children's books are important to socialization and personality development, Hubbell attempted to answer the questions "what type of American childhood is described, what themes are put forth as important to the developmental progress of the American child?"37 Fifty books were randomly selected from the Chil- dren's Room of the Greensboro Public Library. The follow- ing criteria were used in selection: (1) published: between 1940 and 1950, (2) of interest to children ages 351bid., pp. 300-301. 361bid., p. 301. 37William K. Hubbell, "The Role of Children's Books as Socializing Agents" (unpublished M.A. thesis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1951), p. 23. 39 7 to 12 years, (3) focal characters of ages 5 to 12 years, and (4) portrayed modern American children in everyday ‘ situations. Although the design of the study was termed con- tent analysis, it was, in fact, a form of content assess- ment in which quotations were taken from books to represent the themes found. The conclusions reached pertinent to this study were: The culture of these fictional children does not, however, perfectly correlate with the culture of the real-life American child. For it is the culture of a nation which has wars, but no murders; orphans, but not of divorce (there is only one passing refer- ence to divorce in the fifty books); . . . injuries from machines, but no death, except as a past and long-adjusted-to event (not even pets die); anger against siblings, but not hatred; . . . . .3. religion as an institution plays a relatively minor role in the lives of these children. The several Catholic families are no more overtly reli- gious than the Protestant. . . . The virtues of school attendance and of education are taken as givens, much as is religion. School- room scenes are only rarely devoted to the actual learning process. . . . the child does not know the meaning of paren- tal dislike or neglect.38 This study was more a discussion of the themes found in various books. No apparent attempt was made to categorize themes and frequencies of occurrence of themes were not given. The investigator appeared to reach many conclusions without substantial evidence. 381bid., pp. 54-55, 81-82, 34, 136. 40 In 1962, John Shepherd39 completed a study in which he analyzed sixteen books to determine treatment of characters in each. These books were most frequently chosen by middle- and upper-grade children according to reports by librarians, teachers, and parents. All typeS‘ of books were included and, according to Shepherd, examples from nearly a century of writing were included. The favorable and unfavorable characters in each of the books were compared and categorized as follows: (1) race, (2) nationality, (3) religion, (4) physical appearance, (5) socio-economic status, and (6) standards of conduct and attitude. Each category was rated as positive treatment of characters or negative treatment. From his study Shepherd concluded that Heroes and heroines strongly tend to be clean, white, healthy, handsome, Protestant Christian, middle class people. Villains much more often turn out to be ugly, physically undesirable persons of non-Caucasian races, often either very poor or of the wealthy classes. About the same percentages of heroes and villains turn out to be Americans in books with an American setting. Because the number of favorable characters is almost three times in these books (152 to 60) young readers meet many more American heroes than they meet American villains. In addition, when an unfavorable character was portrayed as an American, there were no evil qualities associated with his "Americanness." On the other hand, villains portrayed as foreigners were often given some negative national stereotype. With respect to general behavior, all of the villains were painted in evil, unacceptable ways. 39John Shepherd, "The Treatment of Characters in Popular Children's Fiction," Elementa§y_Education, 39 (November 1962), 672-676. 41 On the other hand, not all the heroes and heroines were paragons. Tom Sawyer certainly had his weak points! Shepherd also found religion to be a very minor part of the stories. When religion was found, the references were almost always to Protestant Christian beliefs and very few references were made to other reli- gions of the world. While Shepherd found no conclusive evidence to indicate that reading affects children he observed that many teachers do believe that reading affects children's behavior. He concluded that . . . it is the responsibility of teacher, parent and librarian to know some of the more subtle content of books--the values approved and the traits attached to favored and non-favored characters in children's fiction. With this knowledge, books that bestow a heritage of hope, faith, love, honor, beauty, courage and fairness will be revered by today's children and passed on to the children's children.41 In 1963 Aleuin Walker42 conducted a study in which 115 reading selections from basal readers used in the United States were analyzed for the presence of the ten moral and spiritual values which were outlined in 1948 by the Educational Policies Commission of the 40Ibid., p. 672. 4lIbid., p. 676. 42Heath W. Lowry, "A Review of Five Recent Con- tent Analyses of Related Sociological Factors in Chil- dren' s Literature," Elementary English, 66 (October 1969), 736-740, citing Aleuin C. Walker, "Moral and Spiritual Values of Certain Basal Readers" (unpublished Ph.D. dis- sertation, New York University, 1963). 42 National Education Association: '(1) supreme importance of human personality, (2) moral responsibility. (3) insti- tutions as the servants of men, (4) common consent, (5) devotion to truth, (6) respect for excellence, (7) moral equality, (8) brotherhood, (9) pursuit of hap- piness, and (1) spiritual enrichment. The data that were gathered indicated that approx- imately one-half of the selections analyzed contained one or more of the ten moral and spiritual values. From this, Walker concluded that Teachers using these and other such selections could promulgate the teaching of the identified values . . . not only in the areas of reading and literature, but also in the area of the social studies . . . (and) that such values could be taught by using a basal reading program or even by the use of an individual- ized reading program.4 Also completed in 1963 was a study done by Alma Homze44 in which interpersonal relationships in trade books for juveniles were analyzed. She was specifically concerned with discovering changes in the treatment of such relations to be found in five-year periods during the interval 1920 through 1960. Samples of books from each period were analyzed for adult-child, child-adult, and child-child relationships. Content analysis was the method used to trace these changes. 43Ibid., p. 737. 44Alma C. Homze, "Interpersonal Relationships in Children's Literature" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 1963). 43 Homze concluded that The behaviors described in children's books indicate a trend toward fewer expressions of affection among adult and child characters. Children's books describe a child's world in which child characters direct their own activities. Children's books reflect the increasing American middle class population. Children's books reflect a trend from rural locations to urban situations for interaction among characters. The size of families in children's books is decreas- ing. Children's books describe a predominantly homogeneous population of American Caucasians. She interpreted the data to mean that Child characters are becoming critical of adult characters. There is increasing competition among child and adult characters. Adult characters are decreasingly critical of, and- 1ess authoritarian in, their relationships with children. Child characters increasingly prefer to interact in unsupervised areas. From this interpretation she concluded that since these examples found in the literature may provide models for children to use in extending or enforcing their own behaviors, it is important for parents, teachers, and 4511616., p. 132. 461bid., p. 135. 44 librarians to know what relationships are portrayed in children's books. i In 1965 Dewey W. Chambers47 completed a study in which the following seven social values were explored: (1) the person himself as an individual; (2) peer group relations; (3) such social values as fairness, honesty, kindness, cooperation, and commitment; (4) family living; (5) neighborhood and community living; (6) national and world living; and (7) passage of time and social change. The books used were all the fiction books for children between the ages of five and nine which were published by two companies, Viking Press and Harcourt, Brace, and World, in one year., Chambers was concerned with the value-influencing materials in these books. Using content analysis, he measured the frequency of appearance as well as the degree of intensity found in these books. Chambers believed that the books analyzed gave minimum opportunity to explore the social values defined in the study. He concluded that The social values identified in this study, as judged important by cited experts for the developing child between the ages of five and nine, were found to be presented in a uniformly weak manner. 47Dewey W. Chambers, "An Exploratory Study of Social Values in Children's Literature" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Wayne State University, 1965). 45 If one were to assume that education in social values does result from the reader's interacting with the fiction books selected for this study, that assumption can be challenged. If one were to assume that modern literature for chil- dren contained the social value producing material that traditional fiction is reputed to have contained, this assumption can also be challenged. Similar forces seem to affect the editorial policies of both publishing houses to such an extent that any given social value analyzed in this study was shown to have had an 85% chance of being dealt with in the same intensity order by both publishers. Because the vehicle of representation of the social value is predominantly in terms of human beings (rather than supernatural beings, inanimate objects or animals), one can conclude that most current fic- tion written for children of the identified age group is of the realistic variety. Fanciful fiction which uses supernatural beings and inanimate objects as vehicles of presentation for the social values is considerably less in evidence.48 He also concluded on the basis of his research that The entire field of children's literature is open for study. The paucity of scientific investigation in this area gives mute evidence of the richness of the field for further research.4 The Newbery award-winning books from 1922 to 1966 were analyzed by Heath Lowry50 in 1966. This study was undertaken to (1) discover what American middle-class value content was present in the books, (2) measure the 481bid., pp. 81-82. 491bid., p. 85. soLowry, op. cit., p. 739, citing Heath Lowry, "A Content Analysis: Middle-Class Moral and Ethical Values in the Newbery Books," The English Record, New York State English Council, Vol. XVIII, No. 4 (April, 1968). 46 judged frequency and intensity of such content, and (3) analyze the data to discover trending as revealed in the five-year periods of the dates covered by the study.51 The values used in the analysis were: (1) Civic and Community Responsibility, (2) Cleanness and Neatness, (3) Importance of Education, (4) Freedom and Liberty, (5) Good Manners, (6) Honesty, (7) Initiative and Achieve- ment, (8) Justice and Equality, (9) Loyalty, (10) Sacred- ness of Marriage, (11) Importance of Religion, (12) Respon- sibility to Family, (13) Self-Reliance, (14) Sexual Morality, and (15) Thrift and Hard Work. Lowry reported that the data indicated that All of the Newbery books contained some of these values, and some of the books included all of the criteria sought. However, these moral and ethical values were generally treated by the authors with only moderate intensity. This indicated that these books were not found to be charged with didactic teaching in any traditional manner. Some of the books which did not give an over-all emphasis to all of the values, do frequently show strong intensity of their treatment to several of the basic values. In general, it can be concluded that these books only sometimes offer the young reader opportunity to explore the criterion values. Trends discovered by five-year periods were: 1. There was a relatively strong intensity of treat- ment in the interval 1932-1936. 2. The period during 1957-1961 showed an even stronger emphasis of treatment of the fifteen values. 511bid., p. 739. szlbid. 47 3. There was a sharp decrease in value intensity during the last half-decade, 1962-1966.53 From this study Lowry concluded that there is less opportunity for children to encounter the stated values than might be expected and as a result the understandings and education of readers could be only moderately affected. In 1968 a study was reported by Howard Ozmon54 in which the values present in primary grade readers were analyzed and related to educational philosophy. In justi- fying his study Ozmon said Though it is recognized that all textbooks teach values, exhaustive investigation showed that very little study had been made of the nature of the values taught. It was evident that publishers print books and teachers and pupils use them with little knowéedge about the kinds of values being presented.5 Basal reading series at the primary level from five book companies (American Book Company, Ginn and Com- pany, Houghton Mifflin and Company, Scott Foresman and Company, and Winston Publishing Company) were analyzed for dominant value themes. Fifty-six value themes (both positive and nega- tive) were found. Each value theme was assigned, by a team of specialists in educational philoSOphy, to one of 53Ibid. 54Howard A. Ozmon, "Value Implications in Chil- dren's Reading Material," The Reading Teacher, 22 (December 1968), 246-250. 551bid., p. 246. 48 five categories representing the educational philosophies of perennialism, essentialism, progressivism, reconstruc- ’ tionism, and existentialism. The conclusions reached in this study were That the philosophy of progressivism is a dominant theme in children's basal readers, and that this philosophical outlook most likely influences a child's earliest reading experiences. It would seem that children's textbooks have been undergoing a steady change toward becoming consistent with pro- gressivist aims and methods, and that this trend is still going on. Predominantly, this seems to indi- cate a liberal approach to the characters and stories found in children's readers, and a rejection of the authoritarian values found in educational philosophies of the extreme right or left. . . . This seems to indicate a highlighting of particular progressive values, such as individualism and free- dom, which have been promulgated by progressivists, but perhaps not emphasized enough. Primarily, the values found in children's textbooks seem to repre- sent an optimistic, open, and creative attitude toward the world and other people.56 From the results of his study Ozmon recommended irriat The findings seem to indicate that a more pluralistic value structure in children's basal readers is in order, and that teachers need to be more critical of values presented in textbooks as perhaps reflecting only one point of View. This study also serves to highlight the pervasiveness of values throughout basal readers, and the need for educators to become more aware of the value structure and its philosoph- ical implications. Summary In Chapter II, the literature concerning the effect of books on children's attitudes was presented. \ 56Ibid., pp. 248-249. 57Ibid., p. 249. 49 A discussion was presented of specific content of books which may have an impact on attitude formation in children. The design of the study will be presented in Chapter III. CHAPTER III DESIGN OF THE STUDY The use of content analysis as a research method is a relatively recent development in the field of chil- dren's literature. Many studies of children's books have been conducted in past years, but these dealt primarily with such things as book selection by children rather than with the actual content of the books. As more books for children are being published each year and are available to children and teachers, trade books are gaining recognition as valuable resource tools in classrooms. Informational books have hadwide- spread use in the areas of science and social studies; realistic fiction is now being used more and more either to supplement the basal reading program or as material for individual reading programs. The scope of biblio- therapy is extending downward into even the primary grades. Increased awareness of the growing use of real- istic fiction and the possible avenues still unexplored has led to more interest in the actual content of these gavailable books. Books have long been seen as reflecting 50 51 attitudes and beliefs of a society. Their place in atti- tude development of children has been recognized by educators for many years. All of these facts have led to a growing awareness of the need to know just what atti- tudes and beliefs are being expressed in realistic fiction for children. Several investigators in the past few years have done content analyses of children's books. In content analysis, preconceived categories are used and specific attitudes and beliefs are counted. Content assessment, however, uses only very broad categories and explores the literature for all possible attitudes within these broad categories. The use of content assessment in this study made it possible to explore attitudes toward home, church and school as expressed in the realistic fiction. Sampling A random sample of 125 realistic fiction books published between 1965 and 1969 and intended for children between the ages of nine and fourteen was used for this study. The Master Book List The sources from which master lists of juvenile books were compiled were: (1) Basic Book List for Boyg and Girls, Charles M. Gardner Co., Library Services Divi- sion of Intex; (2) Children's Catalgg, 11th edition, 1966, 52' edited by Rachel Shor and Estelle A. Fidell, New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1966; (3) 1967 and 1968 Supplements to the 1966 Children's Catalog; (4) 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, and 1970 editions of Best Books for Children, New York: R. R. Bowker, Co.; (5) Books for Children 1965-1966, 1966-1967, and 1967-1968, Chicago: American Library Association, 1966, 1967, 1968; (6) Young Reader's Review, Vol. 5, Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Vol. 6, Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4; (7) School Library Journal, all issues from 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, and January, 1970. These sources were selected because they are com- monly used by teachers and librarians as guides in book selection for schools and libraries. It was therefore felt that books taken from these sources would be more readily available to children. From these sources, master lists of books meeting the following criteria were compiled: (1) published during the years 1965 through 1969; (2) realistic fiction portraying a contemporary setting in the United States; (3) of interest to children nine to fourteen years of age. Each source was examined for books meeting these criteria and all acceptable titles were listed under the year of publication. A separate list was then compiled for each nomsm Homoosoo Dwayne Hwauom Houmflcflz Houstonm oH>oz Hocso Bush cosumom pcmucsoood season Hoxuoz Sham uo>wuolflxme season cowoflmsz auouoom soflowmsz hfinm Howumo ucmowmoumloOA> xswm mmmao Meson mmmao manHSupmsoq mmmao weeps: mmmao mappHanmddp mxoom cw poucomoum mm mnonuom mo,cowumosooo owmwoommnlom mummy 64 mmwau Hosoq mmmeo 0appa2rpmzoq mmmao OHCCME cos es ooa we see as m.mm e Aesop a a a H as ea pmameomemee am e mm e we mm e.me e passpos uoz Hmnuoz me 6 mm e e m e.ee H meexpos Monumm pom Honuoz Hm m mN m as m e.ee e sesame mo unomosm maomnlmcflxuoz Amemsmu peeps Hosuo HOV Honuoz ommucoo moswso mmmucoo wososo ommucmo hocoso omoucoo mocmso Ihmm noun luom Ioum luom noun IHom ImHm mmeeo mappezapmmmo mswxnoz muosuozll.¢ mqmda 65 families with 25 per cent of them working as sole support of the family as compared with 16.6 per cent of the upper- middle class mothers, 10 per cent of the middle class mothers, and 21 per cent of the lower class mothers. In families with both mother and father working it was found that the largest percentage was in lower class families with 43 per cent as compared with 16.6 per cent of the upper-middle class mothers and fathers both working, 6 per cent of the middle class, and 33 per cent of the lower class mothers and fathers both working. The majority of the families portrayed lived in suburban areas or small towns (Table 5). Relatively few of the families lived in either rural areas or large urban areas. 5 The difference in setting was found primarily in class structure. The majority of lower class families lived in either rural or urban areas (43 per cent and 50 per cent respectively). Forth-three per cent of the lower- middle class families lived in suburban areas and 43 per cent lived in urban areas. Only 14 per cent of lower- middle class families lived in rural areas. Middle class families lived primarily in suburban areas with 42 per cent being found there as compared with ‘10 per cent in rural areas, 19 per cent in urban areas, and 29 per cent in unspecified locations. 66 OOH vH OOH OH OOH mm OOH Hmuoa ON em mm OOHMHoomm uoz om h me O OH OH mm cmnHD n H me O we mm om mansEEoo OOMHHH>IGBOE no G «H m OH O Hausa mmsucoo hocmso ommucmo mucosq omoucmo mocosv waspcoo Iuom noun IHom Loam luom Imum Inom some mmMHo nozoq mmeeo meeHzipmzoa. mmmflo 0prH2 mmmeo weppszup0Edm mmeoum mo meeupmmun.m mamas 67 None of the upper-middle class families lived in rural areas. Fifty per cent lived in suburban areas, 25 per cent lived in urban areas, and in 25 per cent the location was unspecified. In each socio-economic group except lower claSs, the majority of the families had both parents living in the home. In lower class families there were more one- parent families or instances of children living with other relatives than of children living in two-parent families (Table 6). While death and divorce were the primary reasons for children living with one parent or other adults in middle class families, desertion and death appeared to be the main reason in lower class families. The category "atypical families" included those where a mother with children married a father with chil- dren or one parent with children remarried and other children were born in the second marriage. In each case, there were two parents in the home but it was felt that they should not be placed in the same category as two natural parents. The number of children in each of the families was quite consistent. Most families had one or two chil- dren (Table 7). Lower class families tended to have more children than did the two upper socio-economic groups. The only instance of a middle class family having more 68 TABLE 6.--Number of Parents in Home Upper- Middle Lower- . . Lower Number Middle Class Middle Class Class Class Two Parents 5 57 9 7 One Parent 2 15 3 3 Death Lives with Mother 3 1 Lives with Father 4 2 Other 2 Divorce Lives with Mother 2 5 l 1 Lives with Father 1 Other 1 No Parents 4 l 5 Foster or Adopted Grandparents l Grandmother 1 Grandfather 1 Aunt and Uncle l Aunt l 1 Other 2 Atypical Families 3 1 Not Mentioned 6 l 69 TABLE 7.--Number of Children Upper- . Lower- Number Middle giggie Middle 32:2: Class Class Own Children: 1 4 29 4 3 2 1 3O 4 4 3 2 12 2 2 4 l l 1 5 l 3 6 l Adopted or Foster Children: 1 3 l 2 l 3 l 4 5 1 Atypical Families: 3 3 4 1 Not Mentioned 6 l 70 than four children was found in a family which adopted five children. No upper-middle class family had more than three children. Presentation of Findings The sub-categories under the general category of "Importance of Family and Family Structure" were: (1) Parent-Child Interaction, (2) Family Behavioral Stan- dards, (3) Need for Family, (4) Atypical Family Situations, and (5) Sibling Relationships. Parent-Child Interaction References in this category were primarily posi- tive although some negative references were found. Child attitude toward parent.--Attitudes expressed by a child toward a parent were respect for parent, pride in parent, need for parental approval and attention, love of parents and gratitude toward them, and rejection of parents. Positive expressions greatly outnumbered nega- tive expressions. Eighteen explicit expressions of respect for parents were found as well as many implied expressions. Respect for the fairness always displayed by his father was expressed by Willie in Shadow of a Crow by Marie Pitcher. One of the best things about Dad was that he never made up his mind until he listened to everyone's side. So when, late that evening, he came around to the Kimberlys' back door and knocked, Willie knew he'd have his turn to talk. (P. 163.) 71 Belief in his father's integrity was expressed by Chip in Easy Does It by Ester Wier. was Chip turned to Mr. Reese. "Why did you let him believe you did it?" he cried. "My dad wouldn't like that. He doesn't hide behind anybody. When he knows he did it, he'll take the blame. Why did you want to go and make it worse for yourself?" (P. 97.) Respect for a father who was doing what he felt right in the face of great opposition was portrayed in Lots of Love! Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. She couldn't help but wonder how all this would affect his own real estate business, but she didn't ask. She had always adored her father, but now she respected him in a new, deeper way. (P. 118.) Respect for parents as individuals was portrayed in A Breath of Fresh Air by Betty Cavanna. The Suddenly, to her own surprise, she was doing just that, and a responding tenderness swept her. It was strange emotion, because it combined affection and imaginatiOn and even respect-~respect for her parents' integrity as individuals. They had to make their own beliefs. (P. 120.) Respect combined with trust was portrayed in Blue Racer by Roderick Huff. . Tommy stopped crying. He knew his father. He trusted him. And if he said they'd work it out, they'd work it out. That's the way things would be. (P. 116.) Pride in parents was implied often, as was expressed by Jill for her father in Jill and the Applebird House by Ruth Holberg. Jill's face brightened. "Yes, I know he has to go in to the library a lot." Aunt Emma gave Jill an amused glance, for she was beginning to come to life again and show how proud she was of her scholarly father. (P. 5.) 72 _ Pride in his father was also shown by David in ZNorth Town by Lorenz Graham. I "Every place my father has worked he's made good," David said proudly. "Last summer I worked in a shop where he used to work. It was rough, and the boss made trouble, but just the same, thinking about it now, they had a good feeling for my dad, and in their way they respected him." (P. 174.) In Ten Minus Nine Equals Joanie by Clarice Pont, .Joanie expressed pride in her father. "Principal? Oh, Daddy, how wonderful!" Turning to her mother, Joanie went on, "I bet he'll be the best principal in the whole world!" "Well, thank you, sweetie-pie. That's the nicest compliment a father could expect to receive from a daughter. . . ." (P. 27.) Pride in both of her parents was expressed by Meg :Ln Pippa Passes by Scott Corbett. The only ones Meg was sure were telling the truth were her own parents. She was glad they answered questions the way they did, looking serious and dig- nified, not smiling too much, not trying to be so charming it was sickening, the way some of the others did. (P. 121.) Seventy-five references explicitly expressed a rieed.for parental approval or parental attention. The cflnildren in these examples wanted to please their parents éxnd have the parents be proud of them. They wanted more iduteraction with parents in some cases. The importance of parental opinion was expressed iri Parsonage Parrot by Jean Bothwell. Well, let him say it. It was what her father and mother would think that mattered most now. (P. 173.) 73 Parental opinion was also a concern of Meg's in Pippa Passes by Scott Corbett. A depressing thought struck Meg. After this, would they ever be allowed to ride the train alone again? Would they ever be trusted to do anything alone again? Heavy-hearted, she glanced across at Pippa, and wanted to make her understand how worried she was, and why. But Pippa was as gay as if she hadn't a care in the world. It was no use. She had never had a father and mother like theirs. She would \4 never understand. (P. 64.) The need for his parents to feel pride in him was eXpressed by Clyde in A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell. Dad was really pleased with this merit-award business. He hoped that the doings would go well and make his parents feel the pride in him he wanted them to feel. (P. 67.) Happiness at having her parents proud of her was expressed by Corry in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. So that's how my family thinks of me, she thought. Somebody who could go into an empty bin and find a bright red apple, that's me! (P. 95.) The need to have his father's approval was expressed by Andy in Andy and Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. I've always wanted to impress by father, but he's hard to impress and as the forgoing events have shown, he's never been in favor of my going into the detec- tive business. . . . So today has turned out to be one of my best days. I'd rather impress my father than be famous. (Pp. 177, 179.) A father's continuing influence after his death was found in Head Over Heels by Helen Swift. Oh, what an awful time she'd given everyone all these months! Dad wouldn't have approved of her very much. New tears stung her eyes as she brushed at her hair. 74 Harder and harder. Her scalp tingled and she welcomed the sensation. She was like the girl in the movie who washed the man right out of her hair. Only she was brushing mistakes out of hers. Dad would approve of that! (P. 166.) Rebellion caused by a lack of parental approval was found in several instances. In A Row of Tigers by Barbara Corcoran, Jackie refused to admit the death of her father because she felt that her mother didn't under- stand her. Jackie felt like crying. She couldn't ever make her mother understand anything. If only her father was still there. He always knew why she did things. (Pp. 30-31.) In Norah's Ark by Patsy Gray a boy ran away from home because he felt that his father did not approve of him. "The father's search has been unrelentless. He refuses to admit the likelihood of his son's having drowned even though the boy had ventured into flooded territory." The subject changed then, and Norah looked at Karl. His face was a puzzle of mixed emotions. A smile had started on his lips and in his eyes, but he wouldn't let it break through. He appeared to suspect the news of being false. At last he quoted carefully, "The father's search has been unrelentless." Norah hugged him. "He'll find us; I know he will," she said, her voice thick. But Karl looked thoughtful rather than convinced as she asked, I'Relentless, that means he won't give up?" "That's right, he won't give up," she said. (Pp. 100-101.) Lack of parental approval and attention was the cause of many of Roger's problems in The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. 75 "Roger, Roger," he screamed. "Wa-ja, Wa-ja," the boy inside the mirror yelled back with an angry face. He crumpled the letter into a ball, threw it furiously at the mirror and watched it bounce off onto the floor. He kicked it away. What the heck, he thought. He doesn't have time to read this anyway. And what's more, he couldn't care less. All I am to him is a skinny kid who's too dumb even to say his own name. As far as he's concerned it's probably good-by, good riddance. (P. 4.) ' The need for parental attention was illustrated in many ways. A feeling of contentment at having his father working with him was expressed by the boy in The Karters by William Gault. He came out to the garage, after dinner, to help Woody hook the Clinton onto his new wagon. I thought of all the nights I had worked out there alone on the road- ster. This was more fun; I was finally glad I had made the decision. (P. 91.) Need for individual attention and happiness at being with his father was expressed by Marv in Peter and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs. "Papa," Marv said longingly, "are you going somewhere, Papa?" "I have to go to the union hall," Mr. Green said. "oh . ll Mr. Green hesitated at the cellar door and looked back at his son. "You want to come, Marvin?" he asked. "Sure, Pa. It'll take me a minute. I'll hurry and clean up." Marv's voice was eager. Mr. Green smiled. "Good. .I won't have too much to do there, and maybe afterward we'll go somewhere." "There's a new boat down at the navy yard," Marv said hungrily. "I saw it in the paper. It's an aircraft carrier, and they let you go on it." "So we'll go see the new boat," said Mr. Green. He walked through the door, and Marv quickly began assembling his tools. A 76 "Guess I'll go home," Peter said brightly, wondering if he might be invited along. . . . Marv picked up his tools and began hurrying across the yard. It was plain that Peter was not going to be invited along. "I'm going home," he repeated, and followed Marv out of the yard. In the cellar, Marv laid his tools down and Said meekly, "I'm sorry, Peter, but... well..." "Oh, forget it,“ Peter said hiding his disappointment. He knew Marv had very little time alone with his father. "I'll see you around." (Pp. 43-45.) Lack of parental attention was portrayed in uestion of Pride by Frederick Laing. He folded the contract he had wanted to read and put his glasses into his pocket. He was going to spend some time with his daughter. Maybe ten minutes. I felt a little guilty about keeping him from his work. But not too guilty. Anger because of lack of parental attention was displayed by Minnow in The Seventeenth-Street Gang by Emily Neville. was Minnow let out her breath in an angry puff and said to herself, "You'd think a person's mother could get home by five o'clock at least." However, she didn't waste any time moping. She was used to taking care of herself. (P. 25.) Bitterness at a father's apparent lack of concern portrayed in The NittyAGritty by Frank Bonham. His father was drinking a can of beer before the television set when he dragged in. Callie was on the telephone, and Buster and his mother were in the kitchen. VWhere's your uncle?" Roscoe Matthews said. I could come in at 4:00 A.M., Charlie thought, and he wouldn't give a nickel where I'd been. He sat on the broken sofa, his legs pulsing with exhaustion. (P. 148.) 77 Lack of parental attention as a cause of rebellion was portrayed in Name: Johnny Pierce by Barbara Rinkoff. Suddenly I was boiling mad. He had time for Tommo, and time for Em, but when it came time for me, he forgot. "You promised," I found myself shouting. "I...I forgot. This thing came up and it completely slipped my mind. Look Johnny, you think I like always being on call? I'd rather stay home and fish, or take it easy. But how do you think we get the money to live this way?" I wasn't listening anymore. He had said he would make time for me. He had said I could count on him. I pushed back my chair and started for the door. "I'm sorry, Johnny. we'll make it another day. Let's make another date right now," my father was saying. But I had heard those words before. "Forget it!" I shouted at him. "It's not important anymore." I raced blindly up the stairs to my room. "See you tonight," he called after me. I slammed my bedroom door shut, locked it, and threw myself across the bed. I wanted to tear the room apart. I knew then how Em felt when she had one of her spells. It would have been good to throw things and scream, but all I did was pound my fist into my pillow and clench my teeth. It wasn't long before I heard the car door slam and the motor grind. I didn't know what I had expected. Maybe that my father would think it over and then call off his business appointment and keep our date. Maybe that he would beg me to forgive him and promise to spend every Saturday after this with me. But when I heard him drive off my mind wés made up. (Pp. 83-85). Indications of love for parents or gratitude toward parents were found repeatedly in the books analyzed. Approximately 52 specific references were found. In Sky. on Fire by D. S. Halacy, Jr. a boy could give up many of his own plans because of his love for his mother. 78 He'd better forget a lot of plans he's made, and toss out some old dreams too. But he couldn't forget one thing. His mother was better already than she had been. If coming to this tiny mountain town a million miles from nowhere could make her well again, it was worth the price. (P. 13.) Love and concern for his father was shown by Archie in Ten Minus Nine Equals Joanie by Clarice Pont. Stoutly, honestly, Archie protested, "No, it isn't ‘ the fish. Well, yes, of course I feel badly about them too. But mainly it's Dad. All his manuscripts, all his work! I - I just don't know what he'll do - half a year's work." Joanie caught her mother's eye and recognized the same admiration for Archie that she herself was feeling. "If your father is anything like you, Archie dear, I'm sure you needn't worry too much about what he'll do." Mrs. Sanders patted the unhappy boy's shoulder and looked as though she too might break into tears momentarily. Joanie was thinking, that wonderful aquarium! Yet here was Archie, thinking more of his father's loss than his own! Then, of course, there were all their clothes and the Christmas gifts they must have exchanged early so as not to have to carry them to the city and back. Everything they owned, practically, all burned in the fire! Yet Archie worried most over a manuscript. It seemed very important to him that they understand why. "My father worked so hard," he said. "For three years he made notes and did research before we ever thought of coming up here. Then, one day, Dad said he'd found the perfect place where he might do the actual writing. It was so quiet, he said, and so - Despair again colored the boy's words and he could not continue. (Pp. 159-160.) A special feeling for an uncle with whom she lived was expressed by the girl in Supermarket Sleuth by Hope Jordan. The doctors told Aunt Amy he was recovering, though slowly. But I had a lump in my throat when we left the hospital room. Before his stroke Uncle John had 79 been a king-of—his-castle sort of man, with a strong, kind face. He liked people, and was friendly to a fault. All my life my uncle had been a special person to me. (P. 22.) Warm, mutual love was portrayed in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. Mrs. Welsch smiled her pretty smile. Harriet leaned down and kissed a cheek that smelled of suntan oil and suddenly felt grateful. She was grateful that she wasn't Beth Ellen, with a strange new mother arriving, or Janie, with a sarcastic mother, or Jessie Mae with whatever aberration of a mother Mama Jenkins was. She was so grateful that she ran and jumped straight on her father's stomach. He sat up with a great "Oooomph," and grabbing her, gave her a hug. (P. 122.) A special love and protectiveness toward the mother was found in Jenny by Gene Inyart. But the Prof was nice, too--maybe a little vague, but nice. It was easy to see that the boys loved her. In fact, it was sort of pleasant to see so many boys in one family taking care of their mother, instead of their mother worrying about them. It seemed to make for nice boys. (P. 66.) Love of parents in spite of many problems was por- trayed in One Day at a Time by Regina Woody. "You're a fortunate man, Mr. Gilbert," Mr. Franklin said, "having a daughter like this. If you could see the parents I see, trying to buy their children's affection. A loan for a car. A loan for skiis. A loan for a summer in Switzerland--and those other dis- tracted parents begging for a loan to put up as a reward for a child who has run away and who may be dead or on drugs. I congratulate you both," he smiled first at her mother, then her father, "on the good job you've done of bringing up such a talented teen-ager." Somehow they all managed to get out of the bank before Mrs. Gilbett said impulsively, "Bitsy, what he said is true about you, but not us. You grew up beautifully in spite of our failure to be good parents, but we'll both try from now on, won't we, Richie?" (Pp. 127-128.) 80 An undemonstrative love was portrayed in The Shy Ones by Lynn Hall. Robin wanted to jump up and hug her father, but they weren't much of a family for hugging, so she said instead, "I'll do all the work and pay for the dog food, and I won't let her dig up the yard." Her voice was light, and she bounced up from the step. "Would one of you have time to drive me out to get my bike?" (P. 25.) Gratitude toward her parents was expressed by Corry in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. Corry felt a sudden, swift gratitude to her own parents, that they were the kind of people they were, that they didn't have prejudices that would cut their children off from being friends with people like the. Hames and the Greens. (P. 138.) The importance of love and understanding was found in The Blue Year by Bianca Bradbury. '"And I'm kind of crazy about you, Daddy," Jill said slowly. "And I guess I ought to tell you, I've liked Mrs. Carter from the beginning, so I guess that maybe someday I'll learn to love her, too." Jill thought for a moment. Then she asked, "That's the trick, isn't it?" "Yes," her father said. "Learning to love, and being loved, that's all there is to living, Jill. There isn't any more.” (P. 165.) A girl who thought she didn't love her mother but found that she really did was portrayed in Who Needs Rainbows by Ivy Ruckman. Anne thought how much her mother looked like a little girl, so small and helpless, curled up in the middle of the big bed. It made Anne feel very mature, almost as if she were the mother, looking in on he; sleeping child. Suddenly she had a big lump in her throat. Was it possible? Had she loved her mother all this time and never known it until this moment? 81 Maybe you learned about love when you have to take care of someone, Anne thought, frowning to understand such a weighty supposition. "But I do love you, Mom," she said to herself as she snapped off the light and backed out of the room. Anne closed the door quietly. "Maybe someday I'll tell you so," she whispered to the empty hall. (P. 174.) An unexpressed love of a father was also found in Irving and Me by Syd Hoff. The funny thing is I really love my father. It's just that we always clash--maybe because we're so much alike. We've both got dark-brown wavy hair, freckles on our noses, and whenever I go to the refrigerator, he's there. I'm always writing Dad letters that he never gets to see. How can he when I tear them up and flush them down the toilet after I write them? I even wrote him one the last night at a motel. Dear Dad, Excuse me for being fresh today. How two nice people like you and Mom ever deserved anybody like me I'll never figure out. Your loving son, Artie That one went down the toilet too. (Pp. 7-8.) Very few references to rejection of parents were found in the books analyzed. In most cases the child loved the parent while mistrusting the actions of the parents involved. An alcoholic mother was the cause for rejection in One Day at a Time by Regina Woody. Her breath was foul, her hair sweaty and matted. She was in a partial, drunken sleep. "I hate you," Bitsy said softly to her mother. "I hate you and I wish you were dead." The sudden slap on her ear sent Bitsy reeling. "Don't you ever say such a thing again!" Mrs. Gilbert sat up still swinging at Bitsy as if she were a punching bag, though Bitsy was on the floor nursing her aching ear. Nanci had returned to her mother's tray and was calmly eating a slice of buttered toast. (P. 57.) 82 An alcoholic mother was the partial reason for rejection of parents in I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip by John Donovan. Mother is sloshed, it being a ritual with her that on . Saturdays she can get sloshed earlier in the day than during the week. She knows that Father is supposed to keep me until late in the evening, and I have figured she does some serious gargling with Listerine around nine thirty every Saturday night so that when I arrive and Father takes me up to Mother's apartment, Mother will be ready with the I'm-a-nun act she puts on for Father whenever she has time to prepare it. She wasn't ready for me to come home at six, and not ready to see Father at all. Father understands this right away and doesn't linger to hear Mother's inevitable invitation to him to have a drink. "Good luck, kid," he says to me. In a few hours I have grown to dislike the word kid, so I don't answer Father, or say good night to him either. He can really be a bastard when he's not even half-thinking about it. What a team they must have been, my mother and my father. (Pp. 134-135.) Dislike and mistrust of the aunt with whom he lived was expressed by the boy in The Gundrop Necklace by Phyllis LaFarge. Until then he had always been careful never to mention to Aunt Mavis anything he cared about. And now, within a week, he had asked her to buy him a present for Annie and, as if that were not enough, told her about the necklace. If he wasn't crazy, he was just plain stupid to make it so easy for her to hurt him. (Pp. 45-46.) Parent attitude toward child.--Attitudes expressed by parents toward a child were love of child, pride or trust in child and rejection of child. Positive expres- sions greatly outnumbered negative expressions. Approximately thirty specific examples of a Parent's love for a child were found. Many other 83 references implied love for a child. A father rescuing his son at the risk of injury to himself was found in Pancake Special by Margaret and George Ogan. Another father defending his son was found in The Mystery of the Fat Cat by Frank Bonham. "It's that lawyer woman and the police," he said. "Since they're the real lawbreakers, I'll do my best to back you up. You realize, of course, that if they break our story, I'll be charged, too. But you're my boy, and it seems to be something I've got to do for you. The last probably." (P. 151.) A mother's love and concern for her son was por- trayed in Timothy's Hawk by Edith Brecht. His mother made griddlecakes only on special days and Timothy knew she had made them now to make it easier for him. He wasn't hungry, but he forced himself to eat one and a half of the cakes to please her, although he left too much syrup on his plate. Other times his mother would have said, "We don't waste food, Timothy," but she didn't say anything today, as if she knew he was trying as hard as she was. Timochy knew that she watched him as he went outdoors, for she followed him as if she were trying to fill the loneliness outside with her presence. (P. 15.) A special treat for a son implied a mother's love in Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura. At the bottom of the list, Mike saw an added item. "Chocolate soda for the errand boy," it said. He grinned and stuck the package of sewing things in his pocket. That was the kind of mom to have, the kind that couldn't finish her work unless her boy had a chocolate soda right before supper. (P. 50.) An unusual display of affection by a father after his son was in danger was found in The Teddy Bear Habit or How I Became a Winner by James Collier. 84 I didn't start crying until we got upstairs into Wiggsy's shop and I saw Pop. The place was crawling with cops and detectives. They were coming down the stairs, and in from the hall, and up the front steps. They were all over the place. But I hardly saw them. Pop picked me up and hugged me. He looked like he was about to cry too, but he didn't. I did the crying for both. Most times I would have been ashamed, but this time I wasn't: I figured I had it coming. (Pp. 172-173.) Happiness brought about by knowing her parents loved her was expressed by Nancy in Believe in Spring by Sybil Conrad. Nancy was caught by the intensity in her parents' faces as they, too, stared into the mirror. The love and admiration in their eyes filled her with yearning. If she could only tell them how much their love meant to her, how deep was her love for them. But the words would not come. Diffidence restrained her. Mom and Dad might think her a sloppy sentimentalist. (P. 177.) Happiness at being loved was also expressed in Jenny by Gene Inyart. Daddy couldn't see her, Jenny, but she could see him, and he was listening for her. If she called, Daddy would hear her. Daddy would come. She was just Jenny, but she was loved. She was-- beloved. Jenny hugged herself and looked up at the starry sky. She was beloved, and she had people to love. She was happy. (P. 164.) Twenty-six explicit references to a parent's pride or trust in a child were found. Parents' pride in their son's heroic actions was found in Sky on Fire by D. S. Halacy, Jr. Mr. Walton came home with six copies of the paper and an apology because he couldn't get more. "The fellows at the mill are going to save them for me, though," he added. "How's the hero this afternoon?" "He's embarrassed," Mrs. Walton said. "Our son is modest, and I'm proud of him for that too." (P. 180.) 85 Pride in his son was also expressed by Mr. Williams in Lorenz Graham's North Town. He was very proud of David. He showed his pride by the way he spoke of his son and by the way he looked at him. He showed it by the way he talked to him, man to man, recognizing that in the family's emergency David had not shirked. (P. 197.) Love and pride in a son was expressed in Irving and Me by Syd Hoff. Mom liked the way I played that song. But she would have liked it even if I played those notes with my toes. Anything I do is okay with her. (P. 116.) After many stormy battles with their son, the parents in A Dog for Joey by Nan Gilbert were able to feel pride in their son. Above the boy's bobbing, excited head Dirk smiled at Anna. They were both very proud of the man emerging from this third son of theirs. (P. 210.) Pride in a child for not being intimidated by displays of prejudice and for standing up for what she thought was right was found in A Question of Harmony by Gretchen Sprague. "Just what did happen?" Mrs. Blake asked. "I'm sure we got a twisted account in the manager's office." Jean told them. . . . She finished the story Still her father was silent. "Daddy, are you mad?" she asked finally. He slowed for a stop sign, turned his head, looked at her. "Honey, I"m proud of you," he said. Jeanne put her face in her mother's shoulder and cried. (Pp. 145-146.) 86 Relatively few examples of a parent rejecting a child were found. One book, however, contained many illustrations of rejection of a child by both parents but especially by the mother. This was The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. The boy in the story became schizophrenic because of the actions of his parents. A typical example from the book follows, in which Dr. Clemm, the boy's therapist, has a telephone conversa- tion with the mother. She didn't ask what hOSpital. Or where. Or why. "Aren't you interested in how Roger is?" "What's that?" "Do you know where your boy has slept the past two nights?" "Look honey," Mrs. Baxter said, "if I tried to keep track of everything that kid did, I'd have gray hairs." . . . "Well, then"--her fury was mounting but she made her voice even and cool--"I don't suppose you'd mind if we kept Roger here with us for a few more days--" "Can you make it a week?" . . . "You see I have a chance to go to Nassau with some friends--and as long as you're taking care of the kid anyway--" "Look here," Miss Clemm said, her voice rising, "aren't you concerned about your son's condition?" "Well, of course I am. But it'll keep, won't it?" . . . "I mean," Mrs. Baxter was saying, "it's nothing new with Roger, you know. He's always given us trouble." "He probably has. But there's a reason--" "Go on, lady. Take his side of it. Did I hear you say you're a doctor? Just as soon as you give them the money, they take his side of it." "If I could only make you aware of the damage your son has already suffered. He's in an acute anxiety state and may very well not come out of it." 87 She heard Mrs. Baxter laugh. "Anxiety state! Honey, that's all I keep hearing. What about what he's doing to me? I'm human too, you know." "I'm sure you are," Roberta Clemm said, hating herself for the lie. "Okay, then, listen--you keep him there until I get back. . . ." (Pp. 203-204.) Rejection of a child by a father was found in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. ". . . He's trouble, this boy, trouble. From the time he was little. Nothing but trouble. He's got no goals. Nothing he wants to do with his life. The rest of you, you made some sense. All the rest of my sons they knew how to behave. They worked, they went as far as they could in school, they helped out at home, they got jobs, they saved their dough. But him..." He thrust out an arm toward Vito. "That one, nothing but trouble. Bad in school. Restless. Always wandering, daydreaming, into all kinds of trouble. No reSpect. No respect for anything. Not his mother, not his father, not God Almighty Himself. He's a bum. He's no good, he never was any good and he'll never be any good." (P. 166.) Independence from parents.--This group included possessive or overprotective parents and the need for the child to achieve independence. Both positive and nega- tive expressions were found. Very few instances of possessive parents were found. A possessive mother who tried to dominate her daughter through withdrawal of love and to turn her against her father was found in The Blue Year by Bianca Bradbury. "I thought it might pleaSe you to have a young mother. I had the idiotic idea we would be more like sisters. Now I see it really doesn't matter because you're so happy about going away to school." 88 Flabbergasted, Jill began to stammer. . . . Jill made a great effort. "I thought you'd be glad that I liked Bentham, on account of it was your college and you loved it so." "I am, I truly am, but it's come as a real blow that you are so eager to get away," her mother said, her voice trembling. (P. 150.) Overprotectiveness was found in A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell. It was already five o'clock, his mother would be expecting him home. She was always expecting him, Clyde thought moodily. Her watchfulness gave him the sensation of being tied, of pulling at a leash. Usually the thought of such unending vigilance made him jam his fists deep in his pockets and scuff along morosely. Now, he glimpsed a reason for it all-~Adrienne. He was all his mother had now, he and Dad. (Pp. 37-38.) Approximately twenty illustrations were found of the need to achieve independence from parents or parental understanding of the need for their child to gain inde- ‘pendence. In A Likely Place by Paula Fox, Lewis found it difficult to achieve a degree of independence from his parents . Everyone wanted to help Lewis. That's why he was thinking of running away. (P. l.) A child's strategy to gain privacy as well as his Inother's appreciation of this need for privacy was por- trayed in About the B'nai Bagels by Elaine Konigsberg. MOTHER: Thelma, every boy needs to have a little something to hide from his mother. I know I raised him right so far; he's not hiding LSD, and he's not smoking cigarettes and flushing them down the toilet. I figure if he wants a corner of privacy between the mattress and springs of his bed, that's fine with me. If it were something dangerous or illegal, I'd interfere, but a magazine? He deserves. 89 AUNT THELMA: Aren't you worried that if he gets away with that, he'll try something worse next year? MOTHER: I'm more worried that if he finds that he can't have that little corner of privacy at home, he'll look somewhere else for it. Bumming around with bad kids or staying out all night, or trying to do something really secret and really bad. If it becomes something worse, I'll step in. . . . AUNT THELMA: You would never have allowed Spencer to get away with such nonsense. MOTHER: Such nonsense he didn't want. With him it was French postcards he bought in some novelty store on Broadway in New York. And it was under the drawer lining instead of under the mattress. SPENCER: You mean you knew I had those? MOTHER: Of course. If you were a little bit more tidy, Mother wouldn't have had to straighten your drawers. I came running with them to your father, and he taught me. He said that you were trying privacy on for size, and if I didn't let you have a little when you were little, and a little more later, I would be encouraging you to become a sneak. And Dad predicted that you would become very good at it, being a sneak. He convinced me, your father. (Pp. 132-133.) A mother's knowledge of when to stop being pro- tactive was portrayed in The Blue Racer by Roderick Huff. The dark circles under Mrs. Ranier's eyes told of a sleepless night. She opened her mouth in readiness to release a tirade against the dangerous foolishness of midget auto races. She glanced down at her son and closed her mouth without speaking. (P. 146.) Respect for a son's privacy was shown in Hot on Ice Ely Jack Woolgar. "Let him alone, Maureen," Mrs. Ryan said. "If Rusty's in trouble he'll tell me about it when he's ready." (P. 41.) 90 Egamily Behavioral Standards The topics included in family behavioral standards ‘unere family pride, parental guidance, ethical standards (If children, adult behaviors, and rejection of family or ssc>ciety's values or standards. Family_pride.--Approximately thirty instances of ffaumily pride were found primarily in books about lower czjhass families. In general these references expressed sari unwillingness to accept charity or assistance. The sstmatements were made by both children and adults. In Timothy's Hawk by Edith Brecht, Timothy obeyed his father's rule about not borrowing even though he wanted Vleezjy much to borrow equipment to improve the appearance ch their home. He loaned you those things "We don't start borrowing. But we don't an' made you a pen and that's all right. start asking! I'm turning in." Timothy saw that his mother accepted what his father said-~that it would take money they didn't have right now to have the soil turned and to buy tools. She looked consolingly at Timothy before they followed his father indoors. "We can get some of the weeds down anyway, and that'll make things look better." (P. 37.) An unwillingness to let his wife work was EBXpressed by Mr. Williams in Whose Town by Lorenz Graham. "No," Mr. Williams said. "We don't have to do that. Besides, I don't want my wife going to work in some white folks' kitchen." He said it, and he meant it. "It's not like it would be permanent," Mrs. Williams said. "Just until you get called back." 91 "If a man is a man he ought to be able to take care of his family," Mr. Williams said. "I've been working steady on a regular job. Looks like I will be soon again. It's not right for my wife to have to go out and take care of somebody else's family." (P. 133.) In How Many Miles to Babylon? by Paula Fox, an aversion to wearing cast off clothing was expressed. After church, James saw the Deacon walking away between his father and mother. They were all dressed up in clothes that looked new--not like the clothes Aunt Grace and Aunt Althea brought back from the places where they worked. Aunt Paul never brought him old things. She said he had to have his own new clothes. She said she didn't want James walking around in somebody else's old raggedy pants and Aunt Althea had called her a dreamer. (P. 14.) An explanation of why charity was bad was found in Striped Ice Cream by Joan Lexau. Mama said, "There's charity and there's charity. The word means love, you know. Mrs. Robbin knows how to give things so she doesn't hurt your feelings. And remember that woman who came when Abe was in the hospital to check that we really couldn't pay? She knew she put my back up when she said we should go on Welfare. She didn't say any more about it. But she saw how things were with us then, with the medi- cine and the time I had to take off work and every- thing. The next day that five dollars came in an envelope with no name and return address so we~ couldn't send it back. Out of her own pocket, that was. Now that was real charity." "She was nice," Cicily said. . . . "How come we don't go on Welfare?" Abe asked. "Then you could stay home. You wouldn't have to go to work. And we wouldn't have things so hard." "Things would be even harder," Mama said. "You don't get that much from Welfare. And they think they own you then. They own your souls. We can make out ourselves somehow and still feel human. (Pp. 26-27.) The father in The Pigeon Pair by Elisabeth Ogilvie refused to accept used clothing for his children even though his wife and children wanted to. 92 My kid'll never be wearing your kids' clothes again or anybody elses' but their own. I've swallowed my pride up till now, because it meant so much to the wife. But from now on it'll be my way." (P. 26.) Anger at being given either objects or advice was expressed in Sue Ellen by Edith Hunter. "I'll put some soup on for us,’ said Mrs. Stokley, "and we can have the cupcakes and ice cream. That was real nice of your teacher and Mrs. Winter." Sue Ellen was glad to hear her mother say that because sometimes it just made her mother mad to have people give them things. (P. 94.) The most vehement expression of family pride was found in Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver. When the father was dying he elicited these promises from Mary Cal. Number one: I am always to take pride in having the name of Luther and instill this pride in the others, too. Number two: I am to strive with everything in me to keep our family together and not ever take charity from anybody even if our tongues hand out parched down to our knees because charity is seldom of real service to those upon whom it is bestowed and those who receive it are always looked upon with suspicion, every need and want scrutinized. Number three: I am to keep Devola with me always. I am to be good and kind and loving to her and see to it that the others are, too. I am not to let her marry Kiser Pease. If ever it looks to me like this is about to happen then I am to go to town, find the nearest judge, tell him about how Devola is, and get him to stop it. On my word of highest honor I have promised Roy Luther all of these things. Just how I am to bring them about I don't know nor does he. . . . He's let things beat him, Roy Luther has. The land, Kiser Pease, the poverty. Now he's old and sick and ready to die and when he does this is what we's inherit--his defeat and all that goes with it. 93 Sometimes when I look at him I am stirred to an unholy anger. I think, God help me, Roy Luther, I don't want you dead and that's the truth. But since it's going to happen anyhow I wish it could hurry up and be over with for it's pulling us all to pieces and I need to get on with things and try to fix them around so that life will be easier for those of us who are left. Parental guidance.--Indication of parental guidance were found repeatedly both in implied and in specific instances in the books analyzed. This guidance took sev- eral forms. The most common specific indication was a discussion between a parent and child in which certain behaviors were discussed, advice was asked or given, or explanations were given. Advice about the future was sought in Pancake Special by Margaret and George Ogan. Discussions of acceptable behavior took place in Too Many Boys by Martha Tolles. At dinner that evening Katie explained all about the Potter's dog and how she had apopogized to Will. Mother said she hoped Katie was ashamed of herself for talking that way about poor Will but that she had done the right thing to apologize. And Dad said, solemnly, "Remember, Katie, a man's innocent until he's proven guilty. Don't ever go around saying things about people unless you know they're true." Katie nodded sadly. She was ashamed, and she knew she hadn't been fair. (Pp. 115-116.) Discipline in the form of a discussion was found in SuddengIron by John Clarke. "Your mother is suggesting that you appear for meals, at least on occasions," his dad said dryly. "And while suggestions are being made, the lawn needs mowing." Too late, Bob got the trend. Hoping to reroute it, he gave his father his grade-A sincere look. "Gee, Dad, I've been meaning to get to it...." 94 "And to straightening out that mess of spare car parts you left behind the garage," his dad said, unmoved by the sincere act. "And to cleaning your room which, your mother tells me, is an incredible sight." "You know how I've been working!“ "Not," his father said, "around here." . . . "Well--gee-whiz--" Bob floundered. "I'll get to it the first chance I have...." "Tomorrow," his father said. "But Dad!" Bob protested. "Tomorrow's Saturday. The garage is closed and Gus said Scotty and I could work all day! Gosh, Dad, it's important. His father leaned forward. "I know that," he said. "And I'm all for your building the rod and doing a good job of it. But you have some responsibilities around here. You've let them go. So you'll just have to plan to take care of them tomorrow. Understand?" "Yes, sir," Bob muttered. Of all the miserable luck! Why did parents always have to pick the worst possible time to get sticky about things? There was no arguing though, he knew that. (Pp. 106-107.) Next in frequency of occurrance was mention of a rule set up by parents or a need to ask permission before doing something. The mother in Reach for the Dream by Mildred Lawrence insisted on meeting her daughter's dates. "I want you to meet my mother before we go." Probably he thought that was unnecessary, but Mom always insisted on meeting Norrie's friends. "How else will they know that you have an interested parent?" she demanded--an old-fashioned idea, but what could you do with mothers? (Pp. 125-126.) Insistance on obedience to people other than parents was found in Who's in Charge of Lincoln by Dale Fife. Pop was a stickler about doing exactly as Officer Roberts said, so Lincoln went home. (P. 32.) 95 Need for permission was portrayed in Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura. In spite of the questioning grin on the editor's face, Mike saw no point in stopping. Mike couldn't tell him what he was going to do until he had Mom and Dad's permission anyway. (P. 48.) Obedience to a rule was expressed in A Girl Named Al by Constance Greene. It was time for me to go. "I've got to be back by eight-thirty or my mother will never let me come again on a school night." (P. 68.) Several standards set up by the father were dis- cussed in The Teddnyear Habit by James Coller. . . . Pop hated television, just like he hated rock and roll, and egg creams, and ugly stickers, and anything else that I liked. In fact, he hated it so much that we didn't even have a television set. Every once in a while I'd ask, please couldn't we get one. He always said the same thing: television was for mental defectives, and besides, he was damned if he was going to pay good money just so the National Association of Manufacturers could brainwash his son. My opinion was that it was a free country, and I ought to be allowed to get brainwashed if I wanted, but my opinion was wrong, because if you've got an old man like Pop it isn't a free country. (Pp. 41-42.) Discipline was also an indication of parental guidance. This was found often in the books analyzed. The most common form of discipline was sending a child to his room with spanking coming next in frequency of occur- rence. Spanking was one form of discipline found in Andy and Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. I got a first-degree paddling. And my father told me that if I got any more famous for my detective work, I'd also be famous for not being able to sit down. Willie got a paddling, too, and as he said, getting The 96 spanked for catching a crook can be discouraging. So we decided to give up the detective business until our father had simmered down. (P. 127.) Spanking was the result of a temper tantrum in Seventeenth-Street Gang by Emily Neville. Minnow went up to her apartment, and her mother said, "Daddy's still asleep. He was working very late last night. I don't think you'd better count on swimming." "He has to! He promised!" Minnow cried. "Well, you know how daddy's are. They have other things to worry about." "So do I! All my friends are perfectly horrible, and Daddy promised! He has to come!" Minnow saw her father's big shoes on the floor and picked them up and hurled them--one, two, bang, bang--against the door. "Minnow!" shouted her mother. Her father opened the bedroom door and came out like an unhibernated bear. He roared, "Stop that racket!" "I won't! I hate everybody! You promised!" yelled Minnow. Her father took one great step across the room, picked her up, delivered one great spank to her blue-jeaned bottom, and put her down. (P. 136.) Being sent to bed was the punishment found in Ahout the B'nai Bagels by E. L. Konigsburg. . . . "Listen, Dad," I said, "you're not going to like this, but...but if you want restaurant service, why don't you take us to one." And then I mumbled, "Or fly United." I lost. He heard it. He turned almost as red as Campbell's Old-fashioned Tomato Rice Soup. "You may finish your soup, Mark, and you may finish your tuna fish salad, Mark. And you may also clean up the kitchen. Then you may go to bed. I don't want another word out of you." (Pp. 21-22.) - Being sent to his room was the punishment for rudeness in Listen Lissa by Earlene Luis and Barbara Nillar. 97 . you are not going to be rude to me and your sister or to the Wades. You had better go to your room until you develop a better attitude," ordered Mrs. Preston firmly. (P. 41.) In You Were Princess Last Time by Laura Fisher, Susie's punishment was being sent to her room without supper. "What are we going to do with you, Susie?" Father was frowning. ”I guess you'll have to throw me in the dungeon," Susie replied. Often Susie said this when people were upset with her. The first time she said it was one day after she had been reading a story about a long-haired princess and a dark, dark dungeon. Usually when she said it, people laughed and weren't angry with her any more. But tonight no one laughed--not even Geraldine who was still looking at her plate. "All right," Father agreed sternly, "to the dungeon! Go to your room, Susie, and don't come out. No bread and water, either." He took the buttered bread from her hand. Father was as sober as Susie had ever seen him. But Mother looked awfully worried as Susie got up from the table and walked toward the kitchen door. Suddenly Susie spun around. "Everybody's always mad at me. And I didn't even do anything," she shouted. A dangerous look came into Father's eyes, so Susie dashed into her room and held the door tightly shut. (Pp. 77-78.) Ginny was sent to her room to calm down in Wheels ~"ginny's Chariot by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar. "Baby, calm down," said her father. "One thing you're not going to do, wheelchair or no, is scream at your mother! We'll discuss this when you can talk sensibly and politely. Now go to your room until you feel better." (P. 52.) Ethical standards.--This group included such things as lying, cheating, keeping promises, and honesty 98 in general. Although acceptance of these standards was implied in many books, relatively few specific examples were found. The importance of keeping a promise was expressed in Easy Does It by Ester Wier. He shouldn't have promised Mr. Reese to keep still about what had happened to Fritz. It wasn't right to let someone else take the blame, and his father would be the first to say so. Yet he had promised, and when you gave your word, you kept it. (P. 99.) Feelings of guilt were expressed in The Parsonage Faggot by Jean Bothwell even though the intentions were good. The boy leaned against the closed door and felt him- self shaking. Wrongdoing, even for good purposes, wasn't easy. He squatted down on the floor by the cage and began his work with Lucifer at once. (P. 155.) Bribery was rejected in Sudden Iron by John Clarke. "I'll give you anything you want! Keep me out and I'll throw the last race. I'll let you win!" Bob unpried Lance's hand and pushed it away. "I never did go for bribes," he said. "I'm not starting now." (P. Mary Cal rebelled against stealing in Where the bulges Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver even though the -..A ~ ‘1‘ children had probably earned something extra. For our night's work Romey figured we should have a little something extra. I argued that we couldn't take anything; that if we did it would be stealing. (P. 33.) Acceptance of moral standards was implied in A_Eeme for Himself by Amelia Walden. He had an unhappy thought. This girl he liked. He liked her among other things for being nice. He wanted her to stay that way, a nice girl. Now she 99 was suggesting they go to her home when her sister wasn't there. No mother to speak of. No father to show. It sounded wrong to him. Wrong for Morgan Drake. (P. 53.) Refusal to belong in a club that refused to accept Negro members was found in Who Needs Rainbows by Ivy Ruckman. "I don't believe"--she stood tall and straight--"I can remain a member of Tops any longer." A low ripple of astonishment came from the other mem- bers. Nancy especially looked shocked by the announce- ment. "Please accept my resignation!" she said with dignity. As she walked out the door, she left the room behind hushed and quiet. No one had ever resigned from Tops before! (P. 79.) Adult behaviors. Confusion caused by contradicting adult behaviors was found occasionally in the books ana- lyzed. Rainey found her mother's attitude toward her father's illness confusing in No Tears for Rainey by Lila Perl. was Rainey found it difficult to understand her mother wanting to push her father right back into the very situation that had caused him such anguish and despair. There was so much talk in tonight's conversation, from her mother, about reality--and Rainey wondered who was really facing reality in the Brandt family and who wasn't. (P. 72.) Confusion about conflicting beliefs and actions found in Easy Does It by Ester Wier. Things were churning around in his mind. Why, if his father really believed what he'd said about respecting other people's rights, hadn't he said so to Mr. Hacker? Why did people say they believed one thing and then do something else when it really mattered? Why, like it said on television, couldn't all Americans be free to buy a house wherever they wanted to? 100 He kept still. It didn't seem to be the time to ask questions. Instead, he began thinking about how his father was always fair to him, always ready to help a neighbor, willing to go out of his way to do someone a favor. His mother always played fair with him too. She gave him a chance to tell his side of a story and she always listened. Why did everything now seem to be so mixed up? He didn't understand at all. (P. 47.) Confusion about what entailed honesty was found in 27 Cats Next Door by Anita Feagles. "You're not being honest," Mrs. Ames said. "What you mean is, why don't I have some of my cats done away with. No, I can't do that." ‘ "What will you tell the inspector?" Jim asked. "I'll have to tell them I only have four or five," Mrs. Ames said. Jim looked at Mrs. Ames. He was thinking, now who's not being honest? But he knew it wouldn't do any good to say that. So he just said, "Well, I hope everything turns out all right." (Pp. 64-65.) An inability to understand his parents' behavior was expressed by Clyde in A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell. Long ago he had discovered that for some reason horses were a painful subject to his mother, although she was never as brusque as his father at turning him aside when the subject was broached. Clyde knew that once upon a time his father had owned a modest stable of horses, but he had never been told why the stable was sold. Now, he did not dare ask. (P. 10.) A laughing and cynical acceptance of questionable dfidlt behaviors was found in Some Town You Brought Me To! by Russell Davis. "It was a marihuana raid, of course. And they found some, too. Guess where. In Cal Mulholland's ski- jacket pocket hanging in the entrance closet!" "Wha-at?" I said. Andy went out of control with laughter for a moment. "All those parents climbing over each other trying to 101 get their kids off, each one for his own kid, never mind anybody else's kid, with Goot Gutenmacher's old man, the shyster, buzzing them all, hoping to rake in some fat fees!" "So what happens to him?" I said. "Cal?" said Andy. "Oh, nothing, probably. You saw his father. He's a big architect in Boston, you know. That's why they let Cal go. His old man will drag him into court if it ever gets to court--which you can be sure it never will." He laughed again. "Why won't it?" "Because it would reflect on the town's rep, of course. Kelp won't even suspend him. So in case you were hoping to replace Cal--forget it." "I wasn't even thinking of that," I said. "Oh, yeah?" He laughed and gave me a nudge with his elbow. "You mean you didn't plant that grass on Cal?" "What do you mean?" I said stopping and facing him, suddenly clenching my fists. "Listen, I don't like that!" "Relax. I'm only kidding." "But this could ruin the whole season," I said. Which seemed to amuse Andy all over again. "If Kelp wants it to, it could. Hey, know what? I hadn't thought of that angle!" "You mean Kelp might want the season ruined?" Andy shook his head. "No, not ruined. But maybe he wouldn't mind having an alibi. Catch on?" "No, I don't," I said. "Let's face it," said Andy, "He hasn't got the material he had last year, by half. So if a few guys are sus- pended now and then, there's his excuse. He couldn't help it. They fouled up on him." "You mean maybe Kelp will suspend Cal?" Andy considered this. "No, not Cal. Cal's too valuable. But somebody like--well, me and"--Andy laughed again--"you, of course!" (Pp. 30-31.) Rejection of family or societyjs standards.--Many examples were found which expressed rejection of family or scciety's standards. The strength and content of the 102 expressions varied greatly. Eight references indicated that a child rejected prejudice found in either his parents' attitudes or in general attitudes found in society. In Easy Does It by Ester Wier, Chip befriended a Negro boy even though his parents did not approve. After that first visit, Chip went to the Reeses' often. He had an idea his mother knew about it each time, but nothing was said and he was grateful. Some mothers might have stopped their sons from doing something they themselves refused to do. (P. 72.) Prejudice against Jews as displayed by his mother was rejected by Brad in To Shake a ShadOw by Phyllis Naylor. ". . . Since--well, since you started going around with Lenny, you've become a different person. Now I know that the news about Dad hit you hard, and I suppose a lot of it is related to that. But still-- Lenny comes from a different kind of home than ours,-- financially and educationally and..." "Morally?" Brad said cuttingly, and his mother blushed. "I'm not questioning his character, she said hastily, "but--well--they are Jewish, you know." They a£e_Jewish, ypp_know. Brad sat staring at the wall. How many reasons you want. Fifteen or fifty? One, he's a Jew. Two, he's a Jew-Jew. Three, he's a shrimp. Four, we don't like his face. Brad's lips moved but nothing came out. Finally he said, "You were right about one thing, Mom--I didn't like what you said. And--and if you really knew the Goldsteins, I think you'd be ashamed you said it." (Pp. 111-112.) . Prejudice shown by his mother toward a friend who was not Jewish was rejected by Peter in Peter and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs. ". . . Marvinmay not be the smartest boy in the world, but he's still a nice boy--a big difference between Marvin and that crazy wild, fresh girl you've been hanging around with all of a sudden. And let me ask 103 you a question: what do you have in common with such a girl, a boy like you, a smart, well-brought-up, Jewish boy with a...a..." "That's it, isn't it?" Peter yelled triumphantly. "It's because she's not Jewish, isn't it? Mama, you're prejudiced, that's what you are." (P. 47.) Rejection of situations caused by prejudice in society was in A Question of Harmony by Gretchen Sprague. The parents supported their children in this instance. Two books portrayed children who rejected the unconventionality of their parents. Although many refer- ences were found in these two books the following are representative. In Eyes in the Fishbowl by Zilpha Snyder the boy wanted to become a part of what was termed "The Establishment." "Yeah, I know," Matt grinned. "Phil was right when he called you a throwback. With half the kids in the country rebelling against the whole scene, here you are knocking yourself out to be a part of it. How come?" . . . "How come!" I said. "How do I know how come? I haven't figured it out. I don't have time. And I can't help it if I'm not rebelling in the right direction. Everybody has to rebel against what he has to rebel against. Not what somebody else has." (Pp. 94-95.) Suzie, in Why_Not Join the Giraffes? by Hope (Campbell, rejected the individuality practiced by her gnarents. They had always advised her and Sam, "Never mind what other people think! That's the trap that imprisons most people all of their lives. Listen to your own music, and march to your own drums!" It was her father's paraphrase of Thoreau's words in Walden, "If a man does not keep pace with his com- panions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." 104 It was a beautiful idea that always moved Susie and stirred a feeling of agreement in her. At least in theory. But in practice something went wrong. After all, they weren't living out at Walden Pond, as ' Thoreau did, with only the birds and squirrels for company! There were people here. Eight million of them in fact. And even if she didn't care what all eight million of them thought, there were a few whose thoughts regarding her were important. Sam, in a way, was much more Waldenish than she was. Was it being a girl, Suzie wondered, that made this idea so diffi- cult? A girl was really at.the mercy of other people's thoughts, wasn't she? How could she ever get married?. It was all too puzzling. Her mother had managed, and her father....They went their merry way....Maybe there was an in-between secret that Suzie hadn't found. She stopped puzzling over it and walked to her door, hearing her family's own peculiar "music" before she even turned the knob. It was the sound of laughter. (Pp. 131-132.) There were several references of the rejection of the importance placed on money by parents. In A Question of Pride by Frederick Laing it was implied that there was more to life than money and the things money could buy. I was old enough now to realize how ambitious Dad was. I knew it wasn't just for himself. He loved his family. There was a lot he wanted to do for us. But whatever it was, I wasn't sure I wanted it as much as he did. (P. 25.) Rejection of the low standard of living of the parents or of the unwillingness of parents to do anything to improve their lives were found in several references. Timothy, in Timothy's Hawk by Edith Brecht, kept trying in the face of his father's uncaring attitude and eventu- ally changed this attitude. But as if the place around the little house were too shabby to permit change and his father knew it, he only sat and drew on his pipe and looked at the sky. 105 His mother went indoors and Timothy felt the old anger at his father rise in him so that he worked even faster, swishing a jagged path around the house. The palm of his hand grew sore, but he refused to stop until his aching arm forced him to. (P. 35.) Two instances of rejection of parental values for opposite reasons were found in To Shake a Shadow by Phyllis Naylor. Suddenly Gordon gave a bitter laugh and said, "I just thought of something. Yeah, this'll kill you. You know that deal you pulled with the tape recorder after the news about your dad broke? well, you pulled some- thing like that because your dad was so bad, and I joined the Skids 'cause mine was so goody-good--or at least everybody thinks so." (P. 132.) Several other references were found to rejection of intellectual standards set by parents, ethical standards set by parents or just actions of parents. Rejection of beliefs held by society were also found. Lack of respect for "The Establishment" was por- trayed in Some Town You Bropght Me To! by Russell Davis. James said they'd wanted to know if he thought telling the truth was more important than opposing the estab- lishment. He'd told them he had great respect for the truth but very little for the establishment. So they'd let him go. (P. 96.) Rejection of the phoniness found in many of society's beliefs was portrayed in Lefty's Boy by Richard Drdek. "It's not you. It's the whole sack of pretending. I'm sick and tired of all the pretending. Merry ,Christmas! Happy Birthday! Happy Groundhog's Day! Words, but no one cares." "I do," she said. "I care." 106 He chuckled at her gently, like an old philosopher might chuckle at the enthusiastic naiveté of chil- dren. "That's because you're such a sentimental slob. You're a sweet sentimental slob. You haven't learned the score yet." (P. 18.) Need for Family The sub-category "Need for Family" included the need to keep a family intact, the sense of security and belonging provided by being part of a family, family interaction, and rebellion caused by a break-up in the family structure through death, divorce or some other circumStance. Need to keep family intact.--Many eXpressions of the need to keep a family intact were found in the books analyzed. Although most of these examples were of chil- dren from homes broken from divorces, other examples were also found. In The Blue Year by Bianca Bradbury, Jill wanted to try to reunite her parents so that they could be a family again. Sometimes this whole tragedy of the divorce seemed not a nightmare, only a bad dream. It did so now. Jill had held her fingers crossed while she was promising her father she wouldn't try to mend the situation. They're nice people, she thought. We were a nice family and we had a great life together. If all three of us try, it will be like that again. We'll work things out and start over. (P. 16.) Hope that his parents would remarry was expressed by Bud in Some Town You Brought Me To! by Russell Davis. "If you're thinking of hitching up with him again, just give me a couple of weeks' notice, will you?" "Why, Bud! I'm not thinking of that at all, I assure you!" 107 "Well, that's good, then," I said, although realizing to myself I didn't really think it was good, no matter what kind of crack he'd made. Actually my hopes had been rising that they might have agreed to something. (Pp. 52-53.) A lost, homeless feeling was expressed by Binnie after her parents' divorce in The Treasure and the_§ong by Mildred Lawrence. "Do you get over it?" I didn't look at Joe as I rummaged for eggs in the refrigerator. "The homeless bit, I mean?" "Takes time," he said, "and lots of it. You pretend you're a world traveler, free as a bird, but--" His voice shook. "You might not have it so bad, though. Yours aren't going to get married again, are they?" (P. 14.) The importance of keeping her brothers and sisters together was stressed by Ingrid in The Pigeon Pair by Elisabeth Ogilvie. "What kind of help?" I was trembling inside. "I'm not quite sure yet, but what if there were some- one who'd like to take care of the boys--in a nice home where there was both father and mother? ‘And the same for Bethie--a place where she could perhaps help with younger children to earn her pocket money and at the same time be well looked after, herself." She smiled at me. "I'm sure she's quite a handful for you already, isn't she?" "N2," I was getting out of here quickly. "We're fine, Miss Lincoln, and we'll keep on doing fine." "Will you, Ingrid?" She got up and put her hands on my shoulders. "Don't you think that Monty and Rock may get twisted and warped by their life as they get older? This is how juvenile delinquency starts, and we've got a chance now to save those children. Think about it, dear. Think hard." "I have to go now. Goodbye." I pulled free; I dashed through the corridor; I was outside at last, hurrying to lose myself in the raw November fog. I wanted only to get home and collect us all in the kitchen and lock the door. (Pp. 135-136.) 108 The efforts of a girl to reconcile her parents were portrayed in The Deep Search by Theodora Koob. day She thought sharply of her father who just wouldn't come home until her mother gave in about Paul and the school. She had been so sure he would come home for hggf-maybe her mother had felt exactly the same way: 'they couldn't all go on like'that forever, miserable and incommunicado. (P. 46.) Fear of a parent dying was expressed in The Noon- Friends by Mary Stolz. 9Suppose he dies," she shrieked. "Jimmy, suppose Papa--" "But he won't I tell you!" Jimmy said loudly. "So you just stop that, Franny. Boy, some help you are to people. What do you want to do, scare Marshall to death?" (P. 12.) Sense of security and belonging.--Approximately thirty passages referred to the sense of security pro- vided by a family and the importance of belonging to a family group. A feeling of security in a strange place was provided by the father in Timothy's Hawk by Edith Brecht. He was glad when his father came upstairs, the strength of his presence a shield against this hostile place. (P. 12.) A child's need for a promise of security was por- trayed in The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz. "It isn't me I'm afraid for," Franny said urgently. "Or, anyway, not just for me. Not mostly for me." The truth was she almost never thought about herself and dying. "It's--it's you and Papa," she said in a rush. "I get scared that maybe you or Papa will--" But she couldn't say it again. "Mama, could you promise me you won't? Couldn't you promise me?" 109 Again Mrs. Davis took a while before speaking. "Franny, don't you see that promises are for--promise is a meaningless word. . . . You can't promise any- thing that matters, and if it doesn't matter, why use such an important word?" "But Mama!" Franny cried out desperately. "Mama, you have to!" . . . "All right, my love. Insofar as a human being can make a promise, I promise that you, father and I will live to see you children grown up." At the words Franny felt a peculiar ease flowing through her, even as she knew that what her mother had said was true, that that kind of promise cannot be made. (Pp. 106-107.) The importance of security and belonging was expressed by a boy in a foster family in A Quiet Place by Rose Blue. "Am I your boy too? Just like your big boys who went away?" Mama put down her spoon and came to Matthew. "What a silly question," she said, folding him in her arms. "You know you're my boy. Why, when my big boys went into the Army I just moped all the time. Sure, I still worry about them lots, but having a family here to do for just saves me that's all. And you're my big boy now, Matthew honey. You're the biggest boy I have at home." "Are you gonna keep me, Mama?" Matthew asked softly. "Are you gonna be my mama forever and ever?" "Lord willing, sugar," Mama said, rocking Matthew to her. "Lord willing, forever and ever." (Pp. 45-46.) The importance of knowing where she belonged was portrayed by Beth Ellen in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. She felt exhausted suddenly. Try as she might she could not find one emotion connected with this piece of news. She lay back on the bed. She felt the bed- spread. It was nice to feel something with her hands, something solid. Was her mother coming to take her away, like something she had bought at a dress shop 110 and couldn't wait to have delivered? Would her grand- mother want her to go? Where do I live, she thought, and began to cry. She cried a long time, then fell asleep, her face lying in a wet patch of tears. (P. 57.) A feeling of being left out of the family was expressed in All Except Sammy by Glady Cretan. "Sure," said Sammy. "There's no use going home early today, anyway. There's a man coming to take a picture of the family." "You're in the family," said Jason. "I know,‘ said Sammy, "but he only wants the musicians in the family. All but me." (P. 38.) Happiness at having his family all together was expressed by Zeke in The Jazz Man by Mary Weik. After that the two of them, Zeke and his Daddy, would sit in the dark and listen to the Jazz Man playing. And Zeke's Mama, when she came in late from work and bumped the groceries down on the kitchen table, would kick off her high-heeled shoes and sit and listen too. So then there were three of them sitting there in the dark, close together, listening, and Zeke was as happy as any boy could be. (P. 14.) Pleasure at having someone concerned about him was shown by Barnaby in Lefty's Boy by Richard Drdek. The idea that she might be concerned about him pleased Barnaby. He looked for a way to block the concept in and concluded that being concerned about someone meant that you not only wondered if he had eaten or was hungry, but that you wanted to know if he would eat tomorrow. (Pp. 66-67.) Family interaction.--Although more child-child interaction was found, there were numerous examples of family interaction such as family trips or family excur- sions. A family trip to gather information for the son was found in George Washington's Breakfast by Jean Fritz. 111 _"We'1l go to Washington's home in Mount Vernon, Virginia," he said, "where George Washington's break- fasts were actually cooked." The next weekend George and Mr. and Mrs. Allen got in the car. They asked George's grandmother to come, but she said, no, she'd cook, but she wouldn't look. (P. A family excursion to an amusement park was found in The Cat Across the Way by Anne Huston. By late afternoon they were all tired and ready to go. Lacey climbed in the front seat between her mother and father, and rested her head on her mother's shoulder as they drove. "Did you have fun, Lace?" asked her father a little while later. Lacey remembered the look of fright on her mother's face as they swooped down a steep hill on the roller coaster, and giggled. "Yes, it ya§_lots of fun, Daddy." (Pp. 102-104.) An invitation to her parents to attend a dog show in which she was competing was given by Robin in The Shy Ones by Lynn Hall. was "Why don't you two come along?" Robin looked from one to the other, suddenly aware that they should have been included in the plans all along. "Then you can make sure I don't get too tired or anything. And besides, you might enjoy it, especially if Katy wins." Her mother, who hadn't wanted to be the one to dis- appoint Robin, jumped at this excuse to approve. "I think it might be fun. What do you say, Dad?" "All right, if Paul will drive. . . ." (P. 171.) Sunday morning breakfast as a special family time found in The Year of the Jeep by Keith Robertson. Sunday-morning breakfast was Cloud's favorite meal of all the week. Somehow the custom had been established that he and his father got up early, while Mrs. Selby and Cloud's sister Ann stayed in bed or at least out of the kitchen until called. When Cloud was small he 112 had set the table while his father cooked. Then gradually he assumed part of the cooking, until finally it was a joint effort. And a grand and glori- ous effort it was. Whatever else might be said about their cooking, it was not lacking in imagination and daring. Once, in a weak moment, after a tiring bout in the kitchen, Mrs. Selby had remarked that she would be willing to eat anything as long as she did not have to cook it. She had kept her word and had never complained yet on a Sunday morning, although several times she was on the edge. When Ann was home she occasionally complained bitterly, but neither Cloud nor his father paid much attention. (Pp. 131- 132.) Shopping time as a family outing was found in The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz. When Mr. Davis had been sick or when, as had happened since then from time to time, he was out of a job, Franny and Mrs. Davis did the marketing between them, bringing home a little at a time, making it stretch, making it last. But when, as now, he was working, the whole family did the weekly marketing together, making a sort of expedition out of it. (P. 42.) Rebellion caused by break-up in family structure.-- In many instances, rebellion found in a child was caused by a break-up in the family structure due to death, divorce, illness, or some other circumstance. Numerous examples of this were found. Rebellion took many forms such as lying, stealing, overeating, running away, or unacceptable behavior, but in each case it was a child striking out in protest of the break-up in his family. A change in behavior was the form rebellion took in A Breath of Fresh Air by Betta Cavanna. . . . Brooke could understand her brother's feeling, his sense of anger at the dreadful thing that was happening, his indignation that the family on whom he so thoroughly depended was breaking up. Peter 113 didn't try to analyze, as Brooke did, the reasons behind this contemplated act. He simply rebelled, and in his rebellion he changed from an outgoing lad with bright eyes and a ready grin to a headstrong teen-ager with a sullen, impassive face. It was impossible to reason with him, although Brooke, filled with sympathy, tried her level best. (P. 24.) Overeating was a form of rebellion that Al took to retaliate for her parents' divorce in A Girl Called Al by Constance Greene. "And you know something? I don't care! I don't care a darn!" Al shouted. "If she has to buy me Chubbies, then she has to buy me Chubbies!" "What are Chubbies?" I asked. "They are dresses that people who are fat have to wear. They are quite disgusting-looking, and frankly, I think my mother, being in Better Dresses, would be humiliated if she had to buy me a Chubby." She smiled at me with her mouth. (Pp. 74-74.) A milder form of rebellion was found in The Trea- sure and the Song by Mildred Lawrence when Binnie's parents were divorced. . . . I wasn't going to either of their choices--a matter of principle. Why should I bother to please people who didn't care enough about me to stay married? (P. 7.) A change in a boy's attitudes was found after his parents were divorced in Some Town You Brought Me To! by Russell Davis. She shook her head. "Discovering your father wasn't all you'd thought he was has changed you, Bud." Which was like right between the eyes. For a second I couldn't make a sound. I was swallowing. Then I said, "Well, I guess I can't help it, if it's true." (P. 63.) 114 In Hank by Dorothy Broderick a boy's whole behav- ior pattern was changed when his father left without any Vnotice. " . When Mr. Thompson decided--the good Lord knows why--that he couldn't stay in Northern anymore, it was like he took some part of Hank with him." Mrs. Thompson paused, and when she spoke again, her voice shook.‘ "I can understand how bad Hank felt, Mr. Conner, but it's almost seven years now, and..." (P. 41.) Destruction of toys sent by her mother after her father died and her mother left her with an aunt while she took care of the business in another country was the form of rebellion taken by Janet in House in the Attic by Moyra McGavin. In the center of the room stood the new doll's house, looking far from new, the splintered wood standing out from its back, empty, the front open showing the holes in the bathroom walls, the folding door jammed at a crazy angle. On her own bed lay the party dress-- had she really needed so much material to make the curtains? (P. 81.) Lying was a form of rebellion taken by Rainey when her father was hospitalized for a long period of time in No Tears for Rainey by Lila Perl. "I'm not crying" were the words that sprang defen- sively to her lips. But she didn't say them. It was no longer necessary to lie. Not crying had been a form of lying, too. Many times in the past, Rainey had felt it would be more honest to cry, but all thoSe other times the tears had not come. (P. 143.) An alcoholic mother who was only home part of the time and who was usually drunk when she was home was the cause of rebellion in One Daypat a Time by Regina Woody. 115 "You think I'm the reason she drinks!" Bitsy stood up and stared him straight in the eyes. "That's what you're so mad about. Maybe it's true," she said, "but what about me? Why am I fat? Why do I overeat?" (Pp. 92.) Rebellion at the death of a father was pictured in A Row of Tigers by Barbara Corcoran. When she reined in, she was at the little hillside cemetery where her father was buried. She slid off the horse and went and Stood beside her father's grave. She stood there for a long time.... "I'm sorry, she said aloud. "I guess it just isn't in me to be good. It's discouraging. Nobody under- stands me but you and Gene. (Pp. 114-115.) AtypiCal Family Situations Atypical family situations included all references to foster families, adopted families, and stepfamilies. These expressions were made primarily by children and depicted attitudes or feelings toward these family groups. Foster families.--Foster families were found in two books. The attitudes presented were always positive. A Quiet Place by Rose Blue portrayed a foster family with three children. When the welfare lady said, "Matthew, this is your new foster-mother," he said, "hello, Mrs. Walters," polite as could be. Mrs. Walters put her arms around Matthew and cuddled him. She said in a gentle, but sure way, "Mrs. Walters? Now you listen here, sugar, I'm your mama from now on, and that's what you call me." Mama's arms felt warm, and Matthew was home for the first time since he had left the shelter. (P. 14.) A warm, loving foster family was also portrayed in My Brother Stevie by Eleanor Clymer. 116 She said, "yes, they're foster children too. You see, Mama and Papa have no children of their own. So they take care of children who have nobody to take care of them.’ They've been doing it for a long time. I don't know how many children they've raised. And we love them as much as if they were our own parents." (P. 52.) Adopted families.--Adopted families were also por- trayed in a primarily positive light. A happy adopted boy was portrayed in Mysteryiat Witchwood by Elizabeth Rainbow. "I, Miguel, was three years old when my papa came to Spain. I was an orphan then, but my papa took care of that. He has told me the story often. My real mama and papa were artist friends of his. They were killed in the crash of a plane. So my papa adopted me!" "Adopted you!" . . . "But you never told us, and we did not know until today how long your papa had been gone. Why didn't you tell us that you were adopted?" The small boy shrugged his shoulders cheerfully. "I never think of it. I do not remember my own papa and mama, so I always think of my papa Henry as my real one. And he always tells me that he thinks the same." (Pp. 119-120.) Although the adopted family in Walk in My Moccasins had some problems in adjusting, the attitudes found were primarily positive. Hearing herself addressed as "Mama" for the first time, Mrs. Littlejohn smiled. Her smile made her round cheeks go up and her eyes narrowed into slits. It was a smile that made Melody feel warm all over. (P. 17.) Stepfamilies.--Five books portrayed stepfamilies and one book contained a reference to a stepfamily. The attitudes toward stepfamilies were overwhelmingly nega- tive. There were references to friction among the chil- dren, jealousy of the new parent, and an inability to 117 accept a parent. Although these problems were partly resolved at the end of the books, the negative expressions greatly outnumbered the positive expressions. In The. SkatingARink by Mildred Lee, Tuck felt guilty because he was not able to accept his stepmother. Tuck felt a twinge of the old guilt at his failure to appreciate his stepmother's taking up for him. He had always felt that she shared the belief of those who thought him not quite right in his head. It made him prefer his father's rage and his brother's taunting. Even as a child, he'd never been able to meet her feeble attempts at mothering halfway. He looked at'her, though, bent over his pants. He looked at her rounded back, her limp tags of hair, her eyes squinted at the stitches because she needed new glasses that cost money. (Pp. 31- 32. ) Constant strife and rebellion by both sets of children were found in Libby's Stepfamily by Shirley Simon. "What I mind is having my father marry again," she said. "We were getting along fine--Millie and Daddy and I. We didn't need any stepmother to boss us." Libby just stared at Bertha. "But my mother wouldn't boss you around," she said at last. "She isn't..." "All stepmothers are bossy," Bertha pronounced. "Who told you that?" Libby could feel the anger rising within her. "Your sister Millie?" "It wasn't just Millie," Bertha insisted stubbornly. "Everybody says stepmothers are bossy. And I never did want one!" (P. 27.) "It's not my family!" she [Mildred] cried. "It's not! I have no family--except Bert. It's a group of people you've assembled for your own reasons, to suit you. It's...it's that woman and her daughter and your brother Henry! It's no family of mine!" (P. 116.) "The way it was! I liked it the way it was before." Libby was almost sobbing now, and she paused to brush away the angry tears. "The way it was before you married Sam. When it was just you and me together! That's what I liked!" (P. 165. ) 118 A girl who resented her stepfather was portrayed in An Understanding Heart by Dorothy Jones. A girl who refused to accept the possibility that her father might remarry was presented in Girl in the Mirror by Zoa Sherburne. She had never admitted to herself that she was afraid her father might marry again. She had tried to ignore the possibility with the childish wishful thinking that if she didn't think about it, it would go away. (P. 11.) Although the stepfamily was not part of the story in Clues in the Woods by Peggy Parish, the negative atti- tude was still apparent. "It says," began Grandpa, "Two Brookdale children, Paula and Mellissa Martin, disappear after a quarrel with their stepmother. The father, who travels much of the time, is in Europe on business. The step- mother says the children are often difficult when he is away. When they were angry the children ran away and went to the home of their father's two elderly aunts. The aunts had taken care of the children after their mother's death until their father's remarriage." (P. 71.) Sibling Relationships Families composed of two or more children were found in seventy-three of the 123 books mentioning family. In comparison to the number of families with two or more children, examples of sibling interaction or sibling 'relationships appeared relatively infrequently. Many _times other children in the family were mentioned only briefly with the story revolving around one particular child. 119 Love of siblings.--Specific references to love of siblings were seldom found. Even though implications of love of siblings were more in evidence, this topic appeared infrequently. Love of a little sister was implied in Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura when Mike kept thinking how he would feel if the lost child were his sister. Mike watched her. Like Mom, he kept thinking of Elsie, even more now that he realized that the lost child was Elsie's little friend that she talked of so constantly...and Brad's sister. (P. 121.) (Other indications of love of siblings were also found in Run Away Home. Mutual love was depicted in a passage telling of an older sister leaving for college. "I'm not leaving the world you know--I'll be just a state away." "A state away," Mike thought numbly. That was what Wichita was, but it seemed more like a world. "I want to go see you off," he said. "I'm not as sleepy as I thought I was." Dad frowned. "I sure hate to be this way, son, but if Mr. Orr came while you were gone, it wouldn't be fair." Mike considered this with a grimace. "Okay, I'll stay," he said unhappily. "But I'm not going to take any old nap, then." "You had better, boy." Merrie laughed at him. "You're the worst looking brother I've ever had." Mike laughed. Then he realized with astonishment that her eyes weren't laughing at all, only her mouth was. "Jeepers," he thought, "you don't suppose she's going to bawl?" "He punched her arm hard as he passed her chair. "See you Thanksgiving, Sis. And learn something, will you?" She hit back at him and missed. He dodged and ran off up the stairs. If his own eyes felt strangely moist, it was nobody's business! (P. 78.) 120 Love of younger siblings was expressed in Walk in My Moccasins by Mary Warren. Melody could never get over her own joy at seeing the little ones, their noses squashed flat against the living room windowpane, awaiting their big sisters' arrival home from school each afternoon. (P. 62.) Pride in siblings.--Expressions of pride in sib- lings or respect for siblings were found several times in the books analyzed.' In The Karters by William Gault the older brother was a hero to the younger brother. "You're his hero, remember," my father said. "No, no. Not for a second." "Yes, yes," my father said. "Tom Roberts, Tri-Counties Street Roadster Champion for two consecutive years. Why does he show his friends all the cups you've won?" I stared. "Woody does that?" "Every time he brings home a new friend," my mother said, "he takes him right to your room if you're not there." (Pp. 26-27.) This feeling of pride was reciprocated by the older brother in The Karters. The spring I am referring to is the spring Elwood was eleven. He's a strange but wonderful guy, my brother Elwood, quite often serious but never dull, a self-sufficient lad. (P. 11.) A feeling of pride was expressed by Melissa toward her younger brother in Listen Lissa by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar. It seemed to Melissa, as she heard Joey explain, that he had grown a couple of feet at least in her esti- mation. Here she had been, condemning him for 'moping,' and all the time he'd been busy trying to think of some way to help Artie. (P. 94. ) 121 Jealousy or resentment of siblings.--Expressions of jealousy or resentment of siblings were found quite often in the books analyzed. The reasons for the jealousy or resentment varied as did the strength of the feeling. Jealousy of a new baby brother was found several times in Ten Minus Nine Equals Joanie by Clarice Pont. Almost reluctantly, Joanie came towards him. He looked so happy! The kiss he planted on Joanie's cheek.was one of joy, but somehow it seemed like a sting to her. She was glad he didn't wait for her to kiss back. Glad, yes in a way, because she didn't feel like kissing him just now. But did he have to turn from her so abruptly to begin telling Mrs. Singer that the baby's hair was red as autumn leaves? Oh, she was probably included in the talk, but she had never felt less important and she thought if she left the room she would never be missed. She maintained a stiff silence. (P. 13.) Jealousy and resentment of an older brother were found in Norah's Ark by Patsy Gray. "Brothers!" Karl muttered. "I wish I had one who was no good--like me. But no, mine has to be perfect. Or that's what Dad thinks. It's all I hear. 'Why can't you be like Bruce? Bruce stays out of trouble. Bruce is a good boy.‘ Bruce, ugh!" "That's a shame." Norah spoke vaguely, not just sure what she meant. Karl must be exaggerating. His dad wouldn't be that unfair or his brother that perfect. On a hunch she asked, "Were you in trouble at home?" But Karl dodged the question by saying,."I'm always in trouble, because Dad isn't fair. It's not my fault." (Pp. 27-28.) Even though she loved her sister, Nancy, in Believe in Spring by Sybil Conrad, also felt some jealousy. Nancy's face fell. Jan, Jan, Jan. Apparently Mom could think of no one else. She hadn't even noticed how wet Nancy was, she was so concerned with the cookies for Jan. (P. 53.) 122 Resentment toward a younger brother was expressed in My Brother Stevie by Eleanor Clymer. The last thing my mother said to me was, "Take care of your brother." I wished she hadn't. I suppose I would have anyhow, butoit made me mad to think of her saying it. Because why should I have to take care of him, just because I'm his sister? Why shouldn't somebody take care of me? Of course I'm older, but I didn't want to be older. It seemed like it wasn't fair to be punished for something you had no say about. (P. 7.) Resentment of a younger brother and a younger sister was found in Name: Johnny Pierce by Barbara Rinkoff. "I've told you a million times, don't touch Em. You've caused enough trouble for one night. Go to your room." I gritted my teeth and started out of the playroom. I was always catching it, while Tommo and Em got off easy. It wasn't fair. This wasn't the first time Dad and I had played this scene. Sometimes I won- dered if I was a stepchild or something. (P. 50.) Resentment of a younger sister who always seemed to gain attention was expressed in Laura's Luck by Marilyn Sachs. "She always has all the luck," Laura thought angrily to herself, that brat! Everybody always takes her part because she's so short and skinny. It doesn't make sense. If she was tall like me, everybody would think she was wrong. Just for one day, let her be me. She'd see what it was like to be the older one, and have a brat for a kid sister. She wouldn't like it one bit. Memories of past kindnesses on her part flooded her mind. All the maps she'd drawn for Amy for school, all the stories she'd told her, the battles she'd fought for her--the little coward! And what had Amy given her in return? Thanks, respect--hah! Laura reviewed savagely the many examples of betrayal on 123 Amy's part. All the times Amy had taunted her, saying "Buck Teeth!" the way she always tattled, and, worst of all, there was cousin Gladys' party. Well, she'd never forget that. That particular memory was nearly two years old but Laura had nourished it with anguish until it had assumed the proportion of chief outrage in her life. (Pp. 4-5.) Defense of siblings.--Children were found defend- ing siblings either verbally or physically in several instances. The examples were usually an older brother or sister defending a younger brother or sister. In nggg and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs an older sister defended her little brother against teasing. "Listen," Veronica shouted, looking up at him, her eyes blazing, "you leave him alone. He's only five, and..you just...don't make fun of him." (P. 14.) An older sister was found defending her brother in The Treasure and the Song by Mildred Lawrence. "I'm coming, too." She looked like a mouse about to do battle with a pair of bobcats. "If you think you're going to put my brother in jail for something he didn't do, you couldn't be wrongerl" (P. 181.) Physical protection was implied in The Mysterypof Ehe Old Muskey by Patience Zawadsky. "Jim!" nine-year-old Billy shouted as he sighted his big brother. "Am I glad to see you!" Jim took in the situation at one glance. Billy's blond hair was rumpled and his blue eyes were fighting mad. Melvin Mason and his friend, Dave Bosco, were holding Billy down on the ground. Big, flabby Dave was twisting Billy's arm behind him while Melvin Mason tried to force a pair of red Tory pants onto Billy's kicking legs. (P. 13.) Daily interaction.--It appeared that many of the interactions among siblings were caused by dissention. Quarreling was found frequently in the books analyzed. 124 In Clues in the Woods by Peggy Parish quarrels arose easily and frequently but were quickly resolved. "Oh that, huh!" said Bill. "Well, if you're not interested, Jed and I can solve it. Hurry up, Jed. We won't even let Miss 'Oh That' listen to the plans." "You will too!" screamed Liza. She picked up a hand- ful of soap suds and threw them in Bill's face. "Why you..." yelled Bill. He picked up a wet plate and drew his arm back. "Don't you throw that plate at me," shouted Liza. "Bill!" Are you out of your mind!" said Jed. But‘Bill's cheeks puffed out. His face grew red. He glared at Liza. And Liza glared right back at him. Then Bill's arm slowly lowered. He put down the plate, but he continued to glare angrily at Liza. "All right, if you two want to just fight, go ahead," said Jed. "I'll make my own plans. And I won't need help from either one of you." That stopped both Liza and Bill. Jed was the best planner of the three. They knew he meant what he said. "Oh, all right," mumbled Bill. "Now come on," said Jed. "Grab a dish towel, Bill. Let's get through here." With all three of them working, it didn't take long to finish cleaning up the kitchen. (Pp. 21-23.) A more serious, long lasting quarrel was implied in Signpost to Terror by Gretchen Sprague. Karen would go on calling her chicken. Of that, Gail was positive. And Gail would bite back her fury, and invent implausible explanations, and fail to convince Karen or stop her, and at last would lash out at Karen's sloppiness or noisiness or any other irrele- vancy that would deflect the teasing. And their mother's lips would tighten, and she would scold Gail for touchiness and Karen for tactlessness and both of - them for bickering and spoiling her day. (Pp. 14-15.) In Hank by Dorothy Broderick a serious quarrel arose when the younger brother was beaten up because of an incident which the older brother instigated. 125 "For crying out loud. Will you listen to me?" Hank shouted. "In the first place, I'm not always fight- ing. And I wasn't fighting today. There was an accident. An accident, you hear me? Everyone said so. I'm sorry Pat Martin's brother got hot under the collar about it, but it wasn't my fault.“ "Nothing's ever your fault, to hear you tell it," Mike said. "All the world is crazy--only Hank Thompson is right. Nuts!" Hank started across the room. "Wait a minute, kid. Listen for a minute, will you?" "Don't bother explaining. And don't come near me. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." With Mike's yelling echoing in his ears, Hank left the house without saying another word. (P. 114.) Other examples of daily interaction between sib- lings found younger children turning to older children for advice or just to talk. In Hot on Ice by Jack woolgar, Rusty wanted to discuss a problem with his older brother. Rusty was eager to talk to his older brother. Bill, with two years of college behind him, would under- stand Rusty's problems. (P. 42.) An older brother was found as support in Action at Paradise Marsh by Ester Wier. "You want a sandwich?" he asked Nels. "I'll make you one." The way Nels looked at him Radish could tell his big brother knew something was wrong, but he also knew Nels wouldn't ask. He would wait to be told. (P. 104.) The children in The Parsonage Parrot by Jean Bothwell talked together frequently. Reese laughed, took her elbow to propel her up the rest of the stairs, and reminded her that they didn't need to take over the whole job from their father. "It's his to do, and ours to help. And we have ten more days before school begins, and that's plenty of 126 time in any town to find out where children go to schOol. I don't mean for you to turn into a worrywart, You look after Lucifer, and Father will do his part, and Mother will come in heavily on the three G's and then--well, it may be said, like in The Vicar of Wakefield, 'Fortune will at last turn in our favor.'" (Pp. 77-78.) Discussion of Findipgs The fact that almost all of the books analyzed con- tained references to family and family structure would seem to indicate that there is abundant material available to provide children with vicarious background experiences for developing attitudes toward family and family structure. Although only casual references to family life were made in some of the books, family interaction was an integral part of the story in the majority of these books. Family influences were apparent many times even though the action was occurring apart from the family. Unfortunately, many of the concepts concerning family seemed to be rather stereotyped. The majority (66 per cent) of the families described were middle class. These middle class families were always Caucasian; there were no middle class Negroes, Orientals, or American Indians portrayed as primary families. The only exception to this was Walk in My Moccasins by Mary Warren in which five Indian children were adopted by a Caucasian family. However, the children were originally from a lower class family. It would seem that this was not an accurate reflection of contemporary American society. 127 Although many times the occupation of the father in the story was not apparent, a wide variety of occupa- tions were found. Descriptions of these jobs were seldom given. The majority of middle class mothers did not work outside of the home while 64 per cent of the lower class mothers had jobs. The percentage of mothers as sole sup- port of the family was higher in the two lower classes. The majority of the families portrayed lived in suburban areas or small towns. Relatively few of the ' families lived in either rural areas or large urban areas. The difference in setting of the story was found primarily in class structure. Lower class families were more often found in urban or rural areas than were middle class families. 3 Family structure also seemed to vary with socio- economic status. In each socio-economic group except the lower class, the majority of the families had both parents living in the home. The reasons for one-parent families also varied with class structure. While death and divorce were the primary reasons fOr children living with one parent or other adults in middle class families, desertion and death appeared to be the main reasons in lower class families. The father or mother usually just disappeared. Most families had one or two children. More larger families were found in the lower class than in any 128 other class. It was interesting to see that the largest family contained only six children. The largest middle class family had four children. (This did not appear to be a truly accurate reflection of American society. Although there are probably more small families in the United States, it would seem that there are enough larger families to warrant inclusion in the literature. Parent-Child Interaction Many expressions of interaction between parents and children were found in the books analyzed. Although there were instances of arguments or of children becoming angry with parents, the examples in this sub-category were primarily positive. Even when the parent was not an immediate part of the story, the child's attitude toward him was usually evident. Child attitude toward parent.--The attitudes expressed were respect for parent, pride in parent, need for parental approval and attention, love of parents and gratitude toward parents, and rejection of parent. Posi- tive expressions greatly outnumbered negative expressions. Eighteen explicit expressions of respect for parents were found as well as many other implied expres- ‘sions. It was interesting to note that these passages referred to respect for a father. Explicit statements of respect for mothers were seldom found. 129 Expressions of pride in parents were also numerous. Again this was usually pride in a father. Mothers were seldom mentioned in this area. Approximately 75 references explicitly expressed a need for parental approval or parental attention. The concept expreSsed was that children wanted to please their parents and to have the parents proud of them. In several instances a lack of parental attention was expressed. Rebellion was usually the result of this lack. Children expressed pleasure and happiness at being with parents or having parents give individual attention to them. This would seem to indicate the importance of family life for children. Fifty-two specific references to love of parents or gratitude toward parents were found. This love was shown in many ways. Although few overt displays of affec- tion were found, a feeling of love was still apparent. At times children found it difficult to express their love for their parents. This is undoubtedly indicative of the emotional state of many children of this age. Self-consciousness as well as a mistrust of their own feelings often prohibit children in this age group from openly expressing their feelings. Expressions of love were still apparent in special actions and behaviors. Very few references to rejection of a parent were found. Several times children rejected a parent's behavior but continued to love the parent. Alcoholic 130 mothers and their ensuing actions were one reason for rejection. It was interesting to note that while three mothers were portrayed as alcoholics, only one father was in this group. The question should be raised as to whether this is an accurate reflection of the incidence of alcoholism among males and females. Parent attitude toward child.--The attitudes expressed by parents toward children were love of child, pride or trust in child, and rejection of child. Posi- tive expressions greatly outnumbered negative expressions. Thirty specific examples of a parent's expressed love or concern for a child were found. The content of the passages varied but the concepts of love and concern were there. Frequently love for a child was implied through the actions of the parents. The idea seemed to be that love does not need to be expressed to be present. This is probably true in many families in this society. Twenty-six explicit references to a parent's pride in a child were found. This feeling of pride was not always expressed to the child but it was usually communi- cated to the child in some way. Few examples of a parent rejecting a child were found. The most serious example was found in The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. The boy in this story became schizophrenic primarily, it appeared, as a result of the parents' total rejection of him and their ensuing actions. Other lesser examples of rejection 131 were found. In each case the child involved developed defense mechanisms of varying kinds. This was probably an accurate reflection of the manner in which children would actually react. Independence from_parents.--Possessive or over- protective parents and the child's need for privacy and a degree of independence from parents were included in this group. Primarily positive attitudes were found. Very few instances of possessive or overprotec- tive parents were portrayed in the books analyzed. While parents were part of the stories and their influence was clearly indicated, children appeared to be guided by parents rather than dominated by them. Only one book, The Blue Year, depicted a very possessive mother. This book also was the only one which mentioned withdrawal of love as a means of controlling children. Overprotective parents were found in several books. Children's reac- tions to these situations appeared to be quite realistic as they usually rebelled openly or covertly. Parents' understanding of the need for privacy and independence for children was frequently portrayed. The relationships appeared to be relaxed and informal within the limits set by parents. Children usually had some degree of independence. This might have been inter- preted to mean permissiveness except that guidelines were usually clearly visible. 132 Family Behavioral Standards Many family behavioral standards were illustrated in the books analyzed. The patterns that were found were family pride, parental guidance, ethical standards of children, adult behaviors, and rejection of family or society's standards. Family pride.--Examples of family pride were evi- denced primarily by members of lower class families. Approximately thirty expressions of an unwillingness to accept charity or assistance were found. The attitude toward Welfare found in two books was especially pertinent. Negative terms were always used to describe Welfare and the people who were associated with Welfare agencies. Mothers and children worked rather than to accept Welfare. The idea seemed to be that people who accepted charity were suspect and lacking in human dignity. One should question whether only the degrading aspect of charity should be portrayed to children. Charity and assistance are necessary in some instances. Are children to believe that anyone accepting assistance is lazy and no longer worthy of humanthoughtfulness and dignity? Parental guidance.--Indications of parental guid- ance were found repeatedly both implicitly and specific- ally. Types of guidance varied both with families and with the age of the child involved. Examples were found of guidance through discussion, adherence to rules set by 133 parents, and various forms of discipline. Sending a child to his room was the most common form of discipline with spanking coming next in frequency of occurrence. Reprimands and lectures were also found. These are probably representative of practices found in this society. Although democratic rather than authoritarian situations were usually presented, parental guidelines were still apparent. Children knew these limitations and, for the most part, acted accordingly. When they overstepped the bounds, they were punished. Ethical standards.--This group included such things as lying, cheating, keeping promises and honesty in general. Relatively few specific examples were found, although acceptance of these standards was implied many times. It almost appeared that these behaviors were taken for granted and that there was no need to talk about them. There was no apparent moralizing about the "rightness" or "goodness" of these behaviors. Adult behaviors.--Confusion over contradictory adult behaviors was found several times. Children in the books had difficulty understanding why adults said one thing but acted in an opposing manner. This is probably indicative of the feelings of many children in this society. 134 It was interesting to find that one book, Sega Town You Brought Me To!, presented a cynical acceptance of questionable adult behaviors by a child. The hypoc- risy displayed by adults in this instance was apparently accepted by this boy as the way things were and he did not seem to question the morality involved. The town's reputation appeared to be more important than the fact that drugs were found in a boy's pocket. Money, rather than concern for the children, was the motive involved in the helpfulness shown by one parent who was a lawyer. Rejection of family or society's standards.-- Many examples were found which expressed rejection of family or society's standards. The strength and content of the expressions varied greatly. Eight references to rejection of prejudice toward Jew, non-Jews, or Negroes were found. Oddly enough, two examples were found of children rejecting the standards of the parents who had previously rejected society's standards and values to lead uncon- ventional lives. The children in both books wanted to be part of "ordinary society." The motives were different, however. The girl in Why Not Join the Giraffes? didn't want people to know how her family lived. The boy in Eygg in the Fishbowl wanted some of the advantages found in "society's ratrace." 1.55 Children were found rejecting parental ideas con- cerning money on both ends of a continuum. In some instances, children thought parents placed too much empha- sis on money. More often, children wanted to escape the low living standard of the family although in many cases the parents were doing all they could just to maintain that standard. The examples probably are an accurate reflection of attitudes found in this society. As it was stated in several of the books, almost everyone goes through a stage of rebellion or rejection. At least in most instances, the rejection and rebellion found in the books was in a positive direction. Need for Family Many indications of the need for family life and the importance of family were found. This sub-category included the need to keep a family intact, the sense of security and belonging provided by being part of a family unit, family interaction, and rebellion caused by a break- up in the family structure through death, divorce, or some other circumstance. Need to keep family intact.--The importance of family structure to children was perhaps best illustrated through expressions of children in broken homes. Contrary to the findings of an earlier study, divorced parents were not uncommon; they were found in twelve of the books of 136 this study. This did not include several instances of separation or desertion. This could be interpreted as either a reflection of more realism in children's books or of the increasing divorce rate in our society. The children from these homes tried many strate- gies to reunite their parents. In many cases, the child involved expressed feelings of guilt and thought that he was to blame for the divorce. According to some special- ists in child development, children do have these feelings when confronted with divorce. The importance of keeping the children of a family together after the death of one or both parents was also expressed. Sense of securitypand belonging.--Approximately thirty passages referred to the sense of security pro- vided by a family and the importance of belonging to a family group. The children needed to know that they belonged and that someone cared about them and would pro- vide for them. This is probably true not only of the children of this society but of most human beings. Family interaction.--Family interaction in the form of trips or excursions was found. Although there was more child-child interaction, families still were portrayed as doing things together. One criticism by another researcher was that children appeared to operate independently of parents. It was felt that this was not 137 a valid criticism. In reality, children probably do interact more with other children than with parents. It was felt that the examples found in this study were prob- ably proportional to the amount of time parents and chil- dren actually do spend together. Rebellion caused by break-up in family structure.-- The importance of family and family structure was again illustrated by the actions of children from homes where there was a change in family structure due to death, divorce, illness, or some other circumstance. Rebellion was frequently a result of this change. The rebellion took many forms such as lying, non-acceptance of the truth, stealing, overeating, running away, or unacceptable behavior. In each case it was a child striking out in protest against the break-up in his family. Children wanted their families to be together! Many times they could not understand or accept what was happening; neither could they understand their own actions. Atypical family situations.--This sub-category included all references to foster families, adopted families, and stepfamilies. Foster families were found in only two books. The attitudes presented were positive; love and gratitude on the part of both children and adults were apparent. The attitude toward adopted families was also primarily positive. .138 In striking contrast were the attitudes and feel- ings expressed about stepfamilies. Five books of this study portrayed stepfamilies and one additional book con- tained a reference to a stepfamily. The attitudes pre- sented were overwhelmingly negative. There were references to friction among the children, jealousy of the new parent, and an inability to accept a step parent. Although these problems were partially resolved at the ends of the books, the negative expressions were so much more numerous and intense that they greatly outweighed any resolution of the problem. While undoubtedly many of these problems are present in reality, there are also undoubtedly some step- families that adjust without quite so much trauma. It is felt that children are presented a one-sided, negative picture of stepfamilies, beginning at an early age with Cinderella and her wicked stepmother. These attitudes are echoed by many children without any other knowledge of stepfamilies. Some children reading these books will probably acquire stepfamilies. What will the'books do to or for them? Sibling Relationships Families composed of two or more children were found in seventy-three of the 123 books mentioning family. In comparison to the number of families with two or more children, examples of sibling interaction or sibling rela- tionships appeared relatively infrequently. Many times 139 other children in the family were mentioned only briefly with the story revolving around one particular child. Since most of the children also lived in suburban areas where other children of their own age lived nearby, this was logical. There were usually several years difference in ages of siblings and so they would naturally tend to choose playmates of their own age and interest level if they were available. Love of siblings.--This topic appeared infre- quently in the books analyzed. Expressed feelings of love or affection were seldom found although implications of love for siblings were more in evidence. Pride in siblings.--Expressions of pride or respect for siblings were found more often than expres- sions of love and could probably be interpreted as indi- cations of love. Some examples referred to pride in a sibling because of a special action; others referred to the overall behaviors or characteristics of the child. Jealousy or resentment of siblings.--Expressions of jealousy or resentment of siblings were found quite often in the books analyzed. The reasons for the jealousy or resentment varied as did the strength of the feelings. The most common feeling expressed, however, was that for various reasons a sibling received more parental attention in the form of time, care, or praise. These feelings are probably representative of feelings expressed by children in this society. 140 Defense of siblings.--Older children defending younger siblings either verbally or physically were found in several books. The implication was that siblings might disagree among themselves but others were not accorded that privilege. This is undoubtedly true in many families. Daily interaction.--Most of the references in the sub-category "Sibling Relationships" were classified as daily interaction. Unfortunately it appeared that much of this interaction was caused by friction or dissention. Quarrels were frequently depicted. Sometimes these quar- rels arose easily and were quickly resolved. Other times they were more serious and long lasting. However, most siblings probably do quarrel as frequently as was shown in these examples. l Other types of interaction found less frequently were younger children asking older brothers and sisters for advice or attention. Some children appeared to inter- act frequently and pleasantly in this manner. Perhaps more of these relationships should be stressed. Summary of Findings In general the overall picture of the home and family was positive. Although arguments and dissention were found, there appeared to be a healthy relationship between most parents and children. Several books pre- sented the family in a negative light, but those books 141 only served to emphasfge the importance of family and family life for happy, well-adjusted children. The answers to the questions concerning Importance of Family and Family Structure would seem to be: 1. References to family were found in all but two of the books analyzed. In some the family was an integralpart of the story while in others the family was merely part of the background. However, family influences were usually discernable. It appeared that there was abundant material to provide vicarious background experi- ences for children. 2. The attitudes toward home and family were pri- marily positive. The most apparent exception was the negative attitude toward stepfamilies. Indications of 'the importance of family were found repeatedly especially in books where children from broken homes were portrayed. The statement could be made that family life was fre- quently taken for granted until a change in this way of life was threatened. 3. It did not appear that the charges raised in the introduction were substantiated. Many expressions were found of the importance of family and of the need to keep a family intact. Invariably children expressed a need for the security of family life. 4. The average family image as it was portrayed in these books was a middle class Caucasian family with 142 one or two children. The father's occupation, when speci- fied, was usually in the professional or official cate- gories and the family lived in a small town or suburban area. CHAPTER V IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZED RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION What was the treatment of the church in children's realistic fiction? What attitudes toward church were found? Were the questions and charges cited in the intro- duction borne out? What was the image of the church as it was presented in children's realistic fiction? These questions were investigated for the general category of "Importance of Organized Religion and Religious Education." It was found that fifty-seven of the 125 books analyzed (approximately 46 per cent) contained references to church or religion in some form. However, only eleven (9 per cent) of the fifty-seven books were found to have more than just a casual or passing reference to religion. These eleven books are listed in Table 8. Five of the eleven books dealt primarily with families of low socio-economic class. North Town and Whose Town told of the same Negro family from the south who had moved north in an effort to find a better life. A parentless mountain sharecropper family was depicted in Where the Lilies Bloom. Lefty's Boy told of the struggles of the son of a washed-up baseball player who could not 143 144 TABLE 8.--Books Expressing Religious Beliefs Author Title Date Bothwell, Jean The Parsonage Parrott 1969 Cleaver, Vera and ‘ . . Bill Cleaver Where the Lilies Bloom 1969 I'll Get There. It Better Donovan, John Be Worth the Trip 1969 Drdek, Richard Lefpy's Boy 1969 Fitzhugh, Louise The Long Secret 1965 Graham, Lorenz North Town 1965 Graham, Lorenz Whose Town 1969 Jones, Dorothy An Understanding Heart 1967 Konigsberg, E. L. About the B'nai Bagels 1969 Sachs, Marilyn Peter and Veronica 1969 Smith, George Bayou Belle 1967 or would not keep a job and who engaged in frequent, pro- longed absenses while drinking. A poor southern family, labeled "river rats" by the community, was portrayed in Bayou Belle. With the exception of Lefty's Boy which displayed mixed positive and negative attitudes, the attitudes implicitly or explicitly stated in these five books were usually positive. The principal characters in the remaining six books were of the middle socio-economic class. However, 145 a different picture emerged when these books were analyzed separately. Two of the books, Peter and Veronica and 'About the B'nai Bagels, portrayed Jewish families. Reli- gious customs such as bar mitzvahs were explained and the attitudes presented were positive. The Parsonage Parrot was the story of a minister's family in a new parish. In two of the books, although the principal characters were middle class, the statements about religion were made mostly by secondary characters who were in the lower class. In An Understanding Heart the church referred to was in the mill district, the lower class part of town. The Long Secret presented a mixture of positive and nega- tive attitudes, but, in general, the negative attitudes were displayed by the middle class people while the posi- tive attitudes belonged to a lower class family. The last book, I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip, depicted a middle class situation but the attitudes were those of rejection of religion. In general, then, it was seen that seven of the eleven books actually dealt with lower class families while only three presented positive attitudes found in middle class families. One of those portrayed a minis- ter's family while two of the books presented Jewish families. Compared with the total number of fifty-seven books which mentioned religion, the percentages of books 146 with more than a casual reference for each year were: 1965, 16.7 per cent (2 of 12); 1966, 0 per cent (0 of 11); 1967, 15 per cent (2 of 13); 1968, 0 per cent (0 of 16); and 1969, 46.7 per cent (7 of 15). Presentation of Findings The passages pertaining to the general category of religion fell into the eleven sub-categories of: (1) Casual References to Church or Religious Topics, (2) Church Activities, (3) The Bible, (4) Prayer, (5) Grace at Mealtime, (6) Religious Customs, (7) Religious Obser- vances in the Home, (8) Need for Faith, (9) Rejection of Religion, (10) God as a Punishing Agent, and (11) Implied Criticisms. Casual References to Church or Religious Topics In the fifty-seven books mentioning religion, forty-nine items were classified as a casual or a passing reference to church or religious topics. These items dif- fered as to content, but most contained either a neutral or positive attitude toward church. Many of the items merely indicated attendance at church without accompanying explanation. In Long Shot for Papl_by Matthew Christopher church attendance was included in a description of the day's activities. They went to church, had a big breakfast-dinner--pan- cakes, sausages, and scrambled eggs--then the three children shoveled the snow off the driveway and played basketball. (P. 69.) 147 In The Cat Across the Way by Anne Huston, future church attendance was indicated. Lacey sighed and went back to her room. What was there to do this early? She was going to church with her mother and father at eleven, but that was five hours from now. (P. 105.) A suggestion of regular church attendance with a slightly negative overtone was found in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. The family went to church on Sunday morning, but church didn't seem to Corry like the most exciting entertainment they could offer their houseguest. (P. 59.) Another group of items indicated that part of the family attended church, but it was not an activity which was regularly engaged in by the whole family. A child attending church without his parents was found in To Shake A Shadow by Phyllis Naylor. On Sunday, Brad came home from church to find Mae coming downstairs with a tray in her hands. (P. 16.) In Whose Town the mother attended church but the child did not. Lonnie had never been active in the Baptist Church, but his mother was a member, and at one time Lonnie had attended Sunday School. (P. 99.) The parents and a younger child attended church in The Skating Rink by Mildred Lee, but the older boys did not. Sunday mornings were easy for Tuck. He had only to wait till Myron, Ida and Karen left the house for Pine Hill Baptist Church when he could go down to the rink without excuses or explanations, or watching to see if curious eyes observed him. (P. 74.) 148 Regular church attendance by the mother and spor- adic attendance by the father was portrayed in A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell. It was implied that the boy in the story did not attend church. . . . He knew that Sheila Downer would be at church. Blake, who rarely attended, would be at home alone and open to attack. (P. 74.) A description of the setting or of the feelings brought about by being in church was expressed in another group. Anne in Who Needs Rainbows? by Ivy Ruckman expressed a feeling of security while in church. Maybe she could slip in without being seen. She always felt so secure in a church. (P. 80.) A mood was expressed inJenny by Gene Inyart. All the way to church the rain beat a steady tattoo on the roof of the car. All during Mass it drummed on the stained-glass window beside their pew--back- ground music for the "Kyrie" and the "Gloria," swelling louder at the "Credo," slowing down again at the "Sanctus," but never stopping. (Pp. 39-40.) A feeling of peace and forgiveness brought about by being in church was expressed in Ten Minus Nine Equals Joanie by Clarice Pont. Later, Mrs. Sanders served a quick, easy dinner and then they all went to the candlelight service at the church. Walking down the aisle with the others, in the eerie light of a hundred wavering candles, Joanie somehow felt she was forgiven for whatever she might have said to hurt anyone. She made a silent promise to try being nicer in the future. (P. 139.) Church Activities Fifteen items pertaining to church activities were found in passages which were also mostly casual references 149 to a church_activity. The activities were varied but could, for the most part, be divided into social or educa- tional activities. The social activities mentioned were church circle,’ church festival, and church breakfast. They are exempli- fied by the following passages. A passing reference to attendance at a church circle was found in Who Needs Rain- bows by Ivy Ruckman. "I couldn't live without you!" Anne grinned as she opened the gate. "C'mon in, and we'll scrounge for some food. Mom's over at the church for circle, so we'll have the house to ourselves for a while. (Pp. 9-100) Mention of a church festival was found in Supermarket Sleuth by Hope Jordan. When I got home I found the house empty and a note on the kitchen table from Aunt Amy, saying that she and my uncle were at the church strawberry festival. (P. 960) ‘ A casual reference to a church breakfast was found in Girl in the Mirror by Zoa Sherburne. . . . Why would he care if everyone at the church breakfast stared at her and asked who the fat girl was? (P. 42.) The educational activities included Sunday school, Hebrew school, Bible class and prayer meeting. Sunday school was mentioned in Andy and Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. But the next morning Willie and I were feeling peppy again. So after our Sunday School lesson, which was all about forgiveness, we went to the police station to look at Mr. Schmidt behind bars and also to tell him that we didn't have much hard feeling against 150 him for twisting my arm so that it was probably sprained for life and knocking Willie around in such a mean way. (P. 123.) Hebrew school was found in a casual reference in Peter and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs. Friday afternoon.” No Hebrew School. He could do what he liked today. (P. 11.) The grandmother in My Brother Stevie by Eleanor Clymer attended Bible class. But thank goodness it was Friday night and she had gone to church. They were having Bible class. It was at night so the working people could come. I thought if she's praying for us, I hope it does some good. (P. 28.) In Bayou Belle by George Smith the grandmother was the only one in the family attending prayer meeting.l "It's prayer meeting night, in case you've forgotten, Rafe," she said, a bitter twinge to her voice. "And you know I always have to bum a ride if I so much as darken the door of a church." (P. 83.) The Bible In the sub-category of "The Bible," fourteen passages were found. In analyzing all of the books in the study, the Bible was occasionally mentioned without a religious connotation, e.g., "swearing on a stack of Bibles." These passages were not included because it was felt that an attitude toward religion was not inherent in references of that type. Reading of the Bible, as shown by the following passages, was one type of item found. Regular Bible read- ing was presented in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. 151 "Oh, he knows the Book backwards and forwards. Every year he reads it over again, starting at Genesis and going right on through," Jessie Mae was very impressed. Harriet wasn't. (P. 73.) Unexpectedly finding an outwardly unreligious per- son reading the Bible was found in Bayou Belle by George Smith. As he entered the living room he saw his grandfather sitting beside the open window, his head bent down close to the Bible, moving his lips as he read. With a Start, Rafe raised his eyes from the print and looked over the rim of his spectacles. (P. 42.) A slightly negative attitude toward parts of the Bible was presented in Ring and Walk In by Thelma Owens. "Anything, just so it's not the Scriptures. Of course, I like the Jesus passages--especially the I- am-with-thee ones--but nearly everyone who reads to me picks out Ecclesiastes or Job, and that's mighty sickly fare. How about Robinson Crusoe?" (Pp. 85-86.) Use of paraphrases from the Bible in conversation was found in only one book, The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. While there were many examples of this in the book, one passage will illustrate this group. ". . . You gets a quarter when you're good, and I haven't seen anything very good. 'The Lord will provide,’ That's what Mama Jenkins said. You didn't listen real good. The Lord will provide when you're good." (P. 15.) A Bible story used to make a point was another type of passage found in the books analyzed. The minister in The Parsonage Parrot by Jean Bothwell used a direct quotation to illustrate his text. "Father," Reese began, intending an old routine that had gone on between them since he had been a very small boy, "What are you going to preach about this first Sunday here?" . 152 The expected answer had alway been, "About half an hour." But this time Silas Williams chose to give a more reasonable reply. He said, "I've been thinking about that. I'm sure Mr. Crandon's grumbling put it in my mind. I shall announce my text from the last chapter of the Book of Galatians. It reads, 'Let us not be weary in well doing, for in season we shall reap, if we faint not.'" (P. 18.) Dorothy Jones used a Bible story in An Understand- ing Heart to teach a moral. When Kathy was extremely dis- couraged about her relationships with her family and wanted to leave home, Mrs. Hurley reminded her that run- ning away never solved problems. To illustrate her point Mrs. Hurley told Kathy the story of King Solomon in the Old Testament. Solomon wanted only to be a good king and, instead of asking God for riches or power, he asked for wisdom and an understanding heart so that he could dis- cern between good and evil and judge wisely. Because Solomon asked only for this, God also gave him riches and honor. This story proved to Mrs. Hurley that unselfish- ness is power and strength rather than weakness. The use of more than one verse quoted from the Bible was found in only one instance. This was in Mgggg Egyg by Lorenz Graham when the minister read one of the Psalms at the beginning of church. Prayer Prayer was referred to in seventeen books with twenty-four total passages. Of these twenty-four items, 153 seventeen were prayers asking for something and two were prayers of thanksgiving. Fifteen prayers occurred during times of trouble or when an individual needed help. A wide range of situ- ations was found in this group. Asking for help for others was illustrated in Sky on Fire by D. S. Halacy, Jr. "That's right," Ken said heavily. "And I'm wondering how Marvin can take it if his uncle--if he doesn't make it." "We'll pray that he does, son," his mOther told him. (P. 81.) ‘ Asking for strength was portrayed in the following passage from Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver. We went around a fallen tree and I looked back at Trial Valley, misted white from rim to rim, lonely as a moonscape. Lord, I thought. Oh, dearest Lord. Please don't let me give out now. It's only up a little ways further. I want to do this decent, Lord. It has to be decent so that afterward I can say to the others that it was and they'll have that much to remember at least. (P. 68.) Praying as a group for relief from something was found in Bride‘at Eighteen by Hila Colman. In the little village of Hebron, Vermont, where she had been born and grew up, everyone had gathered in the Congregational Church during the previous summer and fall, offering up futile prayers for rain to break the drought. (P. 12.) Praying for oneself in a tense situation was portrayed in Signppst to Terror by Gretchen Sprague. Let them be there. Let them be there. She was praying it, chanting it under—her breath, keeping the beat of her steps. (P. 127.) 154 Prayers of thanksgiving were found in only two instances. Anne, in Who Needs Rainbows by Ivy Ruckman, prayed because she was so happy. "Stars...and songs...and love and beauty and God," Anne whispered, turning her face heavenward in her own kind of prayer. "I'm so happy tonight! So utterly, utterly happy!" (P. 64.) Mrs. Williams, in North Town by Lorenz Graham, gave thanks for the recovery of her husband. She was kneeling, trying to answer him and at the same time gasping her thanks. (P. 194.) One book contained two references to prayers at bedtime. This was Norah's Ark by Patsy Gray. Norah said her prayers and said good night. With envy she heard Karl settle himself. It would have been less lonesome if he would stay awake and talk. (P. 32.) A semi-serious discussion of prayer was found in About the B'nai Bagels by E. L. Konigsberg. I paused a minute before I said, "Mother talks to God a lot. She's always saying things to that light fixture in the kitchen. Do you think she ever got a message back? Like that she should win the Little League championship? And that maybe she should put in a Jacob for an Essau?" "I' m sure your mother wouldn't bother the Lord about Little League." "She sure would! She even tells Him when I don't finish my spinach. 'For such an ungrateful child you cause green grasses to grow?‘ she says. .You just' don't listen to her, Dad. She's been bugging God about Little League ever since she became manager. You should have heard her when Spencer came down with the virus!" . . . "But I don't think she thinks that she is talk- ing to God in that light fixture. She talks to Him quietly in prayer, and she doesn't bother Him about Little League or spinach." 155 "She thanks Him for every game we win!" "She's not thanking Him for the game as such. She's thanking Him for giving her the strength and the stamina. She knows that she, not He, is planning the strategy." "She plans the strategy all right, but so did Rebekah." "Your mother has been talking to God ever since we got married. However, I'm sure that if He eVer answered back, it's been by answering prayers. Not viva-voce." (Pp. 153-155.) Prayer during devotions in a parochial school was discussed in I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip by John Donovan. I don't feel so conspicuous in school on the second day, and a couple of the guys ask me to sit next to. them during morning chapel, which is only for about fifteen minutes and isn't bad. The priest reads a couple of things from the Bible, and we say a few prayers and sing two hymns. I know the Lord's Prayer of course, so I can do that one OK, but I don't know the other prayers. I guess that I'll have to learn a whole lot of prayers before long. Davy the monk. (P. 79.) Two references to prayers specifically asking for something for personal gain were found. Typical of these was the following excerpt from River at Her Feet by Zoa Sherburne. She shut her eyes tightly to close out the sight of her very unmysterious face, and prayed a swift fer- vent prayer. "Dear God, please make me beautiful or glamorous or exciting-looking or something for Eric. So that he can look at me and see something that no one else can possibly see." (P. 136.) Explicitly stated faith in prayer was found in one book, Bayou Belle by George Smith. "No, you've got your own education to see to," the old lady averred. "I've prayed about it. The Lord will see to it all." (P. 65.) 156 Grace at Mealtime There were ten instances of grace being said at mealtimes. Again, several patterns were found. The first was grace as a customary procedure. An example of this was found in North Town by Lorenz Graham. David's plate held beans surrounded by frankfurters and a pile of fried potatoes. As he thanked God for his food, he remembered his own blessing, and when he looked up, he told his mother about his good fortune with the snow shovel. (P. 140.) A second pattern was that of a guest unaccustomed to grace in a home where the blessing was regularly asked. Lefty}s Boy by Richard Drdek provided an illustration of this pattern. When all had been served, Barnaby clutched his fork, but John's voice stopped him. "We will say grace," John said. Barnaby dropped his fork as if it had suddenly become red-hot. John bowed his head and said, "Our hearts are filled with thanks for the many blessings of the day. May we be worthy of them." Barnaby tried to say "amen" but couldn't. If John had noticed, if John had been aware of Barnaby's dis- comfort, he gave no sign. (P. 144.) Two examples of saying grace on special occasions were found. Since these two examples differ in style and in mood, both were included. Mary Warren in Walk in My Moccasins presented a serious example of asking a blessing on a special occasion. Then he said, "This is such a memorable day! If every- one will bow his head, I will return thanks." There was a lull in the conversation while he said grace and thanked God for bringing the family together. (P. 49.) 157 A more tongue-in-cheek example was found in Me, Cassie by Anita Feagles. It was Dan's first night in the house and Eddie's first night at the table since his accident, and it all affected Daddy's sense of sentiment. This is something that rears its soupy head very rarely, but when it does it's murder. He started out with this tender narrative, about togetherness and brotherhood and whatnot, and suggested we say grace. Usually the youngest says it, but she was under the ironing board, and besides, Daddy wanted the floor. We all bowed our heads. (P. 64.) Religious Customs or Beliefs An explanation or description of a religious custom or belief was found in four books. Two of these explanations were of the Jewish observance of bar mitzvah. These paragraphs from Peter and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs were typical of this. For months now, his parents had been discussing Peter's bar mitzvah and the party that was to follow. First there would be the services in the synagogue on Saturday morning, when he and one other boy would read portions of the Torah and make their bar-mitzvah Speeches. Afterward, all the guests would return to the house to eat, drink, and rejoice. A new, silk- fringed tallith, the traditional prayer shawl worn by men, lay wrapped in tissue paper in a box in his parents' closet. His father had bought it for him, and on the day of his bar mitzvah, would present it to him in the synagogue as a symbol of his arrival at religious maturity under Jewish law. Only a month away now, and he would be thirteen, no longer a child. On May 27, a Thursday, his birthday would take place, and on the following Saturday, his bar mitzvah. He had been to many bar mitzvahs of friends and rela- tions in the past. Some of the boys had been nervous, some solemn, some radiant. But one way or another, all had passed their initiation into manhood and had starred in the festivities that followed. There 158 would be gifts, too, many gifts, and although Peter tried hard to ignore the worldly part of his bar mitzvah-—as Rabbi Weiss urged all his students--and keep his mind solely on the spiritual end of it, still his heart thumped joyfully at the flow of presents that would certainly come. He was not nervous at all about his performance in the synagogue. He had studied hard, had understood what he was studying, and spoke Hebrew with an ease that delighted his teacher and troubled his fellow students. When the day arrived, he would be ready. That it would be a day filled only with joy, spiri- tual as well as material, he had no doubt at all. (Pp. 112-113.) Two descriptions of primarily Catholic customs were found. The custom of crossing oneself before prayer was found in About the B'nai Bagels by E. L. Konigsberg. Simon and Sylvester, who are Catholic and who used to cross themselves before each time at bat, began tipping their hats to the Big Light Fixture in the sky. It wasn't that Mother did anything to convert them, it's just that kids have a way of imitating people they like. That's how Si and Syl probably began crossing themselves in the first place. They saw some ball player doing it on TV. (P. 91.) The custom of keeping religious statues or icons in the home was found in The Cat Across the Way by Anne Huston. . . . On the mantel over the fireplace was a statue of a woman in a white gown with a blue shawl over her head and a red heart on the outside of her gown. Lacey recognized it as a statue of the Virgin Mary. (Pp. 71-72.) Religious Observances in the Home This sub-category included all religious obser- vances in the home other than prayer, grace, and reading of the Bible. Only three references of this type were 159 found. Two of the passages were of the Jewish faith and one was of the Christian faith. Other references to Christmas were found in the books analyzed; however, these were not concerned with the religious aspect of Christmas and therefore were not recorded. The one reference to Christmas as a religious observance in the home was found in Walk in My Moccasins by Mary Warren. Then she said, "Melody, you and Mary Beth may unpack the creche while I get dinner on the table." In the shoe box they found on the couch, the girls discovered a miniature wooden stable, and a handful of tiny, exquisitely carved figures--the Holy Family, the animals, the shepherds, the Wise Men, the Babe, all were there. "Oh!" breathed Melody. "Now it's really Christmas!" "They are all carved by hand," Papa told her. "They came from Jerusalem. We always leave the Baby out until Christmas Eve." (P. 141.) Passover was described in About the B'nai Bagels By E. L. Konigsberg. Early in April we had Passover and Dad was in the worst part of the tax season; both gave him indiges- tion. We didn't do a lot of the things you're sup- posed to do for Passover like change dishes and get all the non-Passover foods like flour and cereal Out of the house. Mother just put all that stuff into a certain closet and put masking tape around the edges. Once in a while she "borrowed" something from that closet, and by the eighth day the tape looked rather puckered around the edges. Whenever she took some- thing from there, Mother would look up toward the light fixture and say, "begging Your pardon." But we ate matzos instead of bread, which was the most important thing and also the thing that gave Dad his indigestion. Also Mother made a big Seder and invited her sister, Aunt Thelma and her husband, Uncle Ben. All in all, Passover was casual and fun in our house, but between all the special cooking for that and between all of 160 us having to walk on tiptoe so to give Dad peace to work on his accounts, the time for my special help galloped away, and Mother had to get ready for tryouts. (P. 29.) 1 Several customs were mentioned in a passage from Irving and Me by Sid Hoff. It isn't that Mom and Dad aren't good Jews. They just don't keep two sets of dishes--one for meat and one for dairy--and only go to temple for weddings and bar mitzvahs. But the first thing they did when we moved in here was hang up mezuzahs on the doorway. And they always say "Gesendheit" (God bless you) when somebody sneezes. I guess Irving's family are real Jews--orthodox. His father always wears a yarmulke (skull cap) and on Saturday Irving can't get any money because it's Shabbos. (P. 67.) Need for Faith An expression of a need to believe in God and in His presence was found four times. Of these, three of the references occurred when an individual was troubled or in need. The other was a statement of a belief in God as a source of comfort. The following passages indicated both patterns. Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver contained a passage expressing a need to believe in the presence of God in order to have strength to meet the obstacles in life. At that hour they hated me and I hated myself, knowing how I appeared to them-~a pinch-faced crone, straggle- haired, bony, ragged, too desperate for anyone with only fourteen years on them but still driven by a desperation that was unholy and ugly. Straggling up the mountainside through the sodden, gloomy daybreak I would see the beauty of it all around me, free for the looking and the listening. Surely, I would think, the Lord is here. Roy Luther believed that He was and 101 I believe it, too. He is here and watching over everything, helping it. I believe that. But if this is so where is my share of the help, answer me that. (P. 110.) The concept of God as a source of comfort was expressed in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. Mrs. Welsch went back to her mending, then looked up again. "I happen to believe in God. I turn to Him for solace and I also feel that I would be lost with- out Him. But it is purely a personal matter. I think a person should think about it, not simply accept what is handed them, but think about it. You should draw your own conclusions. You'll know in time what you feel." (P. 168.) Rejection of Religion Rejection of religion was found in six references in five books. The content of these passages varied; some were rejection of organized religion, some were rejection of religion in general, and others were a loss of faith in religion. Agnostics were mentioned in I'll. Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip by John Donovan. After Altschuler has had his fill of staring at me, he says, "I'm an agnostic." "What's that?" "It's someone who doesn't know if there's a God or not." "Do you have special churches?” "Agnostics don't go to church. The point of being an agnostic is that you're not certain if there should be any churches." "Oh," I say. "Are your parents agnostics too?" Altschuler looks at me again as though he doesn't believe the question I asked, but finally he says, "We don't talk about religion at home. It's a personal .thing for us to make up our own minds about." (P. 80.) 162 Rejection of organized religion, but not religion in general, was expressed in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh when Harriet asked her father if he was religious. ". . . I don't follow any organized religion. That is not to say I am not a religious man. I just mean that I have made up my own set of ethics and don't take them from an organized religion." "Do you pray?" "No. No, I don't Harriet. Why?". . . "Because...I just wondered about very religious people," Harriet shifted around a bit. She wondered what it was she had wondered. "What about them?" "Well...I don't know. I just wondered. Do they really mean it?" "Some of them. Some of them don't. Some of them just say a lot of words and they don't mean anything. It depends on the person. I do think though, that we should respect someone's religion whether we share it or not." (Pp. 134-135.) Complete rejection of religion by a child was also found in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. When Harriet asked Janie what she thought of God, Janie replied: "It's all a lot of nonsense. I don't believe a word of it. I told my mother that the other day and she fainted dead away." Beth Ellen could almost feel Janie smiling fiercely in the dark. "A lot of people believe in it," she said timidly. "Who?" said Janie. "Anyway," she continued, "that's their problem. A lot of people thought the world was flat too. So what? What do they know?" "Well...how do you know?" said Harriet. "I just know," said Janie emphatically. "There isn't any God and there never was one and that's that." "Well...where did the idea come from, then?" Harriet persisted. "Who knows where rotten ideas come from? Just throw them out, that's what I say," Janie snapped. (Pp. 140-141.) 163 Confusion and doubts about religion were expressed in Leftyfs Boy by Richard Drdek when Barnaby, the protagon- ist, declared that he didn't believe in Christmas: Gently, because he was genuinely concerned, John asked, "Is it that you don't believe, or is it that you can't believe in Christmas?" Now it was out. Now the bag of snakes had been dumped on the floor. All those notions, all those vague ideas that had been plaguing him all week were demand- ing an explanation, an interpretation. Finally he said, "I don't really know. I guess that I must find that out. I think that what is so important to me is not what I do or do not believe, but ng_I believe. I wish I could explain it better, but I can't." (Pp. 144-145.) Cynicism about the effects of religion was expressed in The BoyAWho Could MakeHimself Disappear by Kin Platt. Yeah, yeah. Once a year they remember it. It sure doesn't last long. Peace on earth my foot. Nobody told me it was getting to be Christmas. No wonder there's so many people shopping and carrying presents. He saw a woman ahead of him carrying a lot of packages and pulling a little boy, who stumbled and fell. She swore and yanked him to his feet. Then she trans- ferred her packages so she could have her right arm free to hit the kid. He cried and she yelled crossly at him. He fell again, she yanked him, switched her packages and smacked the boy once more hard. He was about four. And nobody noticed. There's a lot of peace on earth going on! (P. 190.) A loss of faith was expressed in Where the Lilies §1222_by Vera and Bill Cleaver. Romey turned sideways in his chair, moved his feet back and forth on the rung of it. He said, "The Lord has forgotten us. This land is forgotten. We're forgotten. We're forgotten people." 164 So harsh he said that but not with vigor. He said it like an old decayed man would say it--a truth filled with absolute despair. It was the most desolate, most disheartening thing I had ever heard anyone say and I didn't have any answer for it. I looked at my brother and I thought, It's the truth. The Lord has forgotten us. This land is forgotten. We're forgotten people. (P. 104.) God as a Punishing Agent Six references to God as a punishing agent were found in four books. All six of these items were included because it was felt that such references might be a source of negative attitudes developed by children. A retarded child was seen as punishment from God in The Deep Search by Theodora Koob. My mother thinks he was given to her. I think she thinks it was for some reason...she's even religious about it, and I'm not sure whether she thinks it was an act of God to punish her or to make her a better person. (P. 51.) A lost child was seen as punishment from God in two instances in the same book, The Degp Search by Theodora Koob. "What have I done, Mrs. Fontaine....what have I done that God has taken my little girl away from me?" Mrs. Hannahan cried. (P. 90.) "Oh, I've been such a beast to my own child, God is punishing me...why wouldn't He?" (P. 91.) A rebellious child was seen as punishment from God in Hank by Dorothy Broderick. "You're impossible, Hank. Sometimes I wish you'd never been born." Mrs. Thompson turned and walked into the living room, her sobs filling the house. Between her sobs, Hank could hear her talking to 165 herself. "Dear God, what did I do to deserve this? God, why are You so cruel?" (P. 43.) The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh expressed the idea that everyone would be punished by God eventually. "We must leave it to God to carry out our punish- ments," . . . (P. 9.) A child requesting punishment from God for his parents was portrayed in The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. He remembered one of the first letters he had written to God: "Hey, how come you let them do these things? It's about time you paid attention to what's going on." He signed it Your friend, Roger Baxter. And another one: "Thanks a lot for what you let her do to me yesterday. He didn't seem to care much. You know, I don't want you to strike them down dead exactly but how about some lightening and thunder to scare them a little? My friend Adam tells me you're probably on a vacation. Maybe you ought to hurry back." He signed this one R. B. (P. 174.) Implied Criticisms The sub-category "Implied Criticisms" of religion contained nineteen references varying in content but which projected a negative attitude toward people professing a belief in Christianity or a negative attitude toward people of a different faith. Twelve books were repre- sented in this sub-category. In Where the Lilies Bloom the idea was expressed that people go to church because they are afraid not to. In one block I counted three churches and I said to Mr. Connell that the townpeople must be uncommonly good. He said, "They ain't. They're just runnin' scared like everybody else." (P. 151.) 166 People who practice Christianity only on Sunday were mentioned in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. "That's right, son. That man's a good Sunday Christian, but it doesn't hold over into Monday." (P. 99.) Troublemakers in church congregations were found in An UnderstandingiHeart by Dorothy Jones. "I'm Mrs. Adams," the woman said. Nodding at a glum- faced young woman who was with her, she added, "This is Miss Westlake. We thought we'd drop in and look things over . " Kathy shivered. "How--how nice," she said. "Did you want to leave your children here?" "Oh, no, my children are grown! But this is my church, so I'm interested in everything that goes on around here." Mrs. Adams said. "How much rent are you paying Reverend and Mrs. Hurley for the use of the basement?" Kathy felt her face growing warm. "We don't pay rent to the Hurleys," she countered. "We make a contribu- tion to the church." "Of course," Mrs. Adams said. But her smile, Kathy observed, was more of a smirk. (Pp. 129-130.) Troublemakers in church were found also in The Parsonage Parrot by Jean Bothwell. "Stop right there, Pru. He can't pronounce on that. He's not Mr. God though he may think so at times. Our church is for everybody who wants to come, as every church should be." (P. 128.) An implied criticism of a profesSed Christian was found in The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh. Harriet watched her through slit eyes, thinking, What kind of a pill would bring the Bible to the beach. (P. 114.) Part-time Christians were mentioned in Whose Town by Lorenz Graham. 167 Everyone knew that Easter was a religious festival, and almost everyone went to church. People went to church on Easter who would not be seen there again until the following Easter--un1ess there happened to be a funeral or wedding in the family. (P. 143.) Also in Whose Town was found criticisms of other people's religious beliefs. "I never did understand how colored people could be Catholics," she said . . . "They say that in New Orleans lots of colored people are Catholic," David said. "They tell me that with them the priest has to do all the praying," Mrs. Williams said. David laughed. "Don't our folks always say, 'Pray for me, and I'll be praying for you,‘ or 'You ought to be praying for Brother so-and-so‘or Sister so-and- so?'" "Oh, but that's different. After all, each of us can pray. We don't have to depend on the preacher or some priest." (Pp. 216-217.) Discussion of Findings The relatively small proportion of books in this study (9 per cent) which contained more than a casual reference to religion would seem to indicate a paucity of material to provide vicarious background experiences from which children could develop attitudes toward religion. While few explicit examples were found that would substantiate or deny the questions and charges stated in the introduction, the lack of material on religion or religious education might perhaps indicate that religion and religious education were not considered important. Since it has been assumed that literature reflects the 168 mores of a society, exclusion of a topic in books for children would seem to indicate exclusion of that same tOpic in the society. It appeared, then, that in the books analyzed, many of the attitudes found were not overt rejection of religion but rather a disregard for religion./'Although' many examples of positive attitudes toward religion were found, these examples were primarily in books about lower class families or Jewish families. Most references to religion in middle class families were fleeting or secon- dary in importance to another event or idea expressed in the passage. Two books specifically mentioned absence of religious training or influence by parents, stating that it was a personal thing and that children could make decisions about it later. This would seem to indicate a lack of emphasis on religious education. (The conclusions that might have been reached from reading these books were that religion was only important to lower class people and that middle class people valued religion only when they were in trouble or when they needed help. The publishing dates of the eleven books which contained more than a casual reference to religion pre- sented an interesting picture. Although the number of books mentioning religion was approximately the same for each of the five years, the percentage of books 169 emphasizing religion greatly increased in 1969 [from about 16 per cent (2 of 12) to 47 per cent (7 of 15)]. Of the seven books published in 1969, five presented primarily positive attitudes and two presented attitudes of rejec- tion. This might be interpreted to mean several things: (1) the "time lag," or lapse of time between the writing of the book and its publishing date, might be responsible for the lack of books presenting rejection of religion, or conversely, (2) a feeling for the importance of reli- gion might be gaining more impetus and perhaps might be more prominent in books in the future. Cgsual Refgpence to Church or Religious Topics The sub-category "Casual Reference to Church or Religious Topics" contained more examples than any of the other sub-categories; this reflects, perhaps, the casual attitudes of society toward religion. The content of these examples was varied. However, most presented either positive or neutral attitudes. It appeared that the strength of these casual references was not great enough to greatly influence a child's developing attitudes. The reference itself was frequently of secondary importance, subordinate to another thought expressed in the same sentence or paragraph. 170 Church Activities Very few references to church activities were found in the books analyzed. These items, when they were present, were usually only casual references to attendance at some activity within the context of another unrelated thought. There was a decided lack of emphasis on religious education for children as Sunday school was rarely men- tioned. There were a few more instances of religious education for adults in the form of prayer meetings or Bible classes. The Bible The Bible was specifically referred to in fourteen passages in the books analyzed. The attitudes present in these passages were primarily positive; however, a few negative expressions were also found. From the sparseness of material about the Bible found in the books analyzed, it would appear that children would not encounter these attitudes frequently enough to be greatly influenced by them. Prayer The sub-category "Prayer" included all references to prayer except grace at mealtimes. Twenty-four passages of this type were found. While the number itself showed no particular significance, the fact that, of those 171 twenty-four prayers, seventeen were prayers asking for something seemed to indicate the concept that most peOple pray when they are in need of help or when they specifi- cally want something. A striking note was found in that in times of trouble or need people turned to prayer even _when no other mention of religion was made. Further evidence to substantiate that idea was found when only two prayers of thanksgiving occurred in all of the books analyzed. Lack of religious training was indicated by the fact that bedtime prayers by children were only found in two instances--both by the same child. Only one statement explicitly expressed faith in prayer and the idea that prayers would be answered. Several passages implied doubt in the value of prayer. From all indications it would appear that in the books analyzed there were not enough positive expressions of prayer to make much impact on the attitudes developed by children toward prayer. The only exceptions were prayers asking for something. The question was raised: Is the attitude being developed of only valuing religion when there is a need to pray for help? Grace at Mealtime Only ten examples of grace at mealtime were found. While the attitudes toward asking the blessing were pri- marily positive and only two examples expressed negative 172 feelings, the negative expressions were given more empha- sis than the positive expressions. The positive expres- sions were, for the most part, included as part of a routine or within the context of another thought. The negative expressions had further elaborations and more intense feelings were presented. Religious Customs and Beliefs An explanation or description of a religious custom or belief was found in only three books. Two of the books were about Jewish families and the descriptions were of bar mitzvahs. Positive attitudes were presented. The ceremonies were described in enough detail to enable a reader to conceptualize the purposes and traditions of bar mitzvahs. The two remaining passages both portrayed a custom ascribed to the Catholic faith. These were making the sign of the cross before prayer and keeping religious statues or icons in the home. No explanations were given for these customs; they were merely presented in a casual reference. Conspicuously absent were any references to con- firmation, first communion, baptism or any other ceremony similar to bar mitzvahs that would enable a child to gather some information about these events and their place in Christian beliefs. Is it to be assumed that Jewish families naturally include their religion in their daily lives while Christian families do not? 173 ggligious Observances in the Home 1 -All religious observances in the home except prayer, grace, and reading of the Bible were included in this sub-category. Only three references of this type were found, two of which were in Jewish families and one of which was in a Christian home. The observances in the homes of Jewish families were primarily those of Passover. Some precepts govern- ing Passover were described and some of the activities included in this observance were giVen. Although analo- gous holidays or events are present in the Christian faith (Lent, fast days) these were not found in any of the books analyzed. The only observance found in a Christian home was arrangement of a créche at Christmas. Although many pas- sages referred to Christmas activities in the home, these were of gifts and parties; religious connotations were not present. Need for Faith Expressions of a need to believe in God as a sus- taining presence were found four times. Three of these expressions occurred when an individual was troubled or in need. Although the individual in the fourth instance was not in immediate need, belief in God was still cited as a source of comfort. 174 These passages appear to confirm the idea that religion is important only in times of trouble or need. Rejection of Religion While only six references to rejection of religion were found this number still appeared to be significant. First, there were more explicit statements of rejection of religion than there were explicit statements of a need for religious faith. Secondly, none of these six refer- ences was a casual expression. Each of them depicted intense feelings of bitterness, hopelessness, and con-. fusion or carefully thought out reasons for disbelief. It was interesting to note that of these six refer- ences to rejection of religion five were exhibited by children and one was the expression of an adult. Further, the adult only rejected organized religion while maintain- ing his own set of ethics or religious beliefs; the children appeared to reject religion in general. God as a Punishing Agent Punishment from God was referred to six times in four books. Five of these expressions were by adults and one was a child requesting punishment for his parents. The situations viewed by the adults as punishment from God were interesting. In one instance a retarded child was the punishment. A rebellious teen-agar was viewed as punishment in another book. A lost child was seen by a mother as punishment for neglecting the child. 175 The attitudes expressed would appear to foster negative feelings of fear in children. Instead of the "hellfire and brimstone" found in children's boOks of a previous era, the feeling in these books appeared to be more immediate. Punishment from God occurred during life instead of after death. IMplied Criticisms _In the sub-category "Implied Criticisms," nine- teen references were found which varied in content but which projected a negative feeling about people professing a belief in Christianity, other religions, or religion in general. The fact that several times members of congrega- tions were depicted as more interested in making trouble than in acquiring grace seemed to be significant. It is probably quite an accurate reflection of what happens in this society. References to "Sunday Christians" and "holiday Christians" were also found. These also probably accu- rately reflect prevalent modes of behavior in this society. Summary of Findingg The general theme which appeared from a summari- zation of all of the references to religion appeared to be a very casual attitude toward church or religion until anxiety or adverse circumstances were manifested. In 176 those times, a definite trend toward religion occurred. A noteworthy exception was found in books about Jewish families or lower class families. Even here there were some striking differences. Three books in the study were about Jewish families; all contained references to reli- gion. Although seven of the eleven books containing more than a casual reference to religion were about lower class families, not all books about lower class families contained references to religion. The implication seems to be that Jewish families more actively involve religion in their everyday lives than do other families. Interestingly enough, for all of the casualness evidenced in the books, an undercurrent of fear of retri- bution was still found although it was in an immediate sense rather than a fear of punishment after death. The answers to the questions posed at the begin- ning of the chapter would seem to be: 1. Other than casual references, the treatment of the church and religion in children's realistic fiction .was minimal. There was a paucity of material and little importance seemed to be placed on the topic. 2. The majority of references to church or reli- gion seemingly contained neutral connotations. Although frequency of occurrence of positive and negative attitudes was probably about the same, the negative attitudes seemed to have more emphasis and to make more impact than did the positive attitudes. 177 3. While the questions and charges stated in the introduction were not specifically substantiated, the relative unimportance of religion and religious education was indicated by the Sparsity of material concerning this topic. 4. The image of the church and religion appeared to be a source of comfort and help in times of adversity a source that was relegated to the background when there was no immediate need. CHAPTER'VI IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION Included in the category "Importance of Education" were all references to school, teachers, and education in general. The following questions were investigated for this category: (1) What attitudes toward school were expressed explicitly or implicitly in children's contem- porary realistic fiction? (2) Were the questions and charges leveled at education as cited in Chapter I reflected in the content of the literature for children? (3) What was the general image of the school as it was presented in children's realistic fiction? Of the 125 books analyzed, ninety-six books (approximately 77 per cent) contained some reference to school. The content and extent of these references varied greatly. In some books school was mentioned only in pass- ing with a neutral connotation. In other books school (was a major focus with both positive and negative atti- -tudes projected. Presentation of the Findingg The sub-categories found in the category "Impor- 'tance of Education" were: 178 179 School Personnel a. b. e. Principals Teachers Physical Descriptions and Personality Traits of Teachers . Teaching as a Career Truant Officers Student-Teacher Interaction d. Unfair Accusations by Teachers and Principals Teacher Concern for Students Teacher HarraSsment of Students Student Harrassment of Teachers Attitudes toward School and Education a. b. c. d. Need for Education Dislike of School Parents Against Education Criticisms of Schools Method and Content a. b. Academic Work Homework Grades and Grouping Choice of Classes Forms of Discipline School Buildings a. b. Appearance of Schools Security Measures in Schools 180 School Personnel Many passages were found which referred to teachers and principals. Some of these were descriptions of teachers or principals; while others expressed feelings toward teachers or principals. All expressed an attitude. Principals.--In passages describing student feel- ings about principals or conversation with principals, negative attitudes were found approximately twice as often as were positive attitudes. In Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury, however, a positive attitude was found in a reassuring comment about a principal. They stopped at the principal's door. Corry had hold of Lucinda's hand, and it was hot and damp and twitch- ing with nervousness. She pressed some fresh tissues in it. "Don't be scared," she said. "The principal's okay." (P. 33.) An understanding, helpful principal was portrayed in A Breath of Fresh Air by Betty Cavanna. Mr. Watson, although he may have hoped for a fuller explanation, didn't press her. Instead he said gently, "Thank you. I understand. I'll do what I can." He really does understand, thought Brooke as she rose to leave. It seemed astonishing that she had been in his office for less than ten minutes, and yet had established with this middle-aged man a kind of mutual trust. He does understand, and he'll do what he can to help Peter, now that he knows. (P. 82.) Contempt for a principal was expressed in To Shake A Shadow by Phyllis Naylor. At school, it didn't take long for something to break. During the second period Brad was just opening his science text when Mr. Hilliard came to the doorway. It was Hilliard's way. Whenever anyone had done 181 something wrong, the small, bespectacled man with the ill-fitting suit marched pompously to the door of a classroom and commanded, in the biggest voice he could muster, that the offender accompany him to the office. He never appeared at the door for any other reason. (P. 630) (Defiance of a principal was found in Kin Platt's Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear. The tide shifted back again to defiance of the prin- cipal. . . . He saw Mr. Wilshire's look hardening into lines of hatred. He would have to show them he was boss now. Why did they always expect you to give in when they issued a command, even when they were wrong? Just because they were bigger and stronger, or maybe knew more? (P. 37.) - Mixed feelings about a principal whose moods were reflected in his actions were portrayed in Bayou Belle by George Smith. Leland Burch, the principal of Riverview High, was a man about whom Willie had mixed feelings. Some days, when "Old Smiley" had just won a skirmish with his school board, or had killed his limit of ducks, he could be a pleasure to be around. But on other days, such as when Riverview High placed last at the annual literary rally at State University or when he'd been saddled with a pretty young teacher who couldn't keep order in her classes, he was a regular scrooge. (Pp. 75-76.) Teachers.--In general comments about teachers expressing a thought or describing a teacher, there were more negative expressions than positive expressions. A teacher who hated his students was depicted in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. "Don't give me any of your insolence." Silence, the silence that can only pass between a teacher who hates, and a pupil who holds contempt, the silence of hostility. (P. 74.) 182 An antagonistic teacher was also found in Ivy Ruckman's Who Needs Rainbows. The room was uncomfortably warm, and the voices of the other students reciting in unison gradually diminished until only a handful were answering. The others were all looking at Anne. "Your attention," the teacher said sharply, "should be up here"--she rapped her knuckles against the blackboard--"and not on this girl!" ,"What do you want?" she asked Anne abruptly. Anne was so startled she couldn't say a word. She walked quickly to the teacher's desk and showed her schedule. "All right. I'm Miss Halsey. Class, this is Anne Chaney." She put her initials on the schedule. "Take the third seat in that row, and use this book for now. Page one-seventeen, exercise three...I don't know why they send all you new students in here. We haven't enough room as it is," Miss Halsey complained. Anne could hardly see the page numbers through the tears in her eyes. It had been little help that the other students had looked at her sympathetically as she walked down the aisle, or that the girl sitting across from her had even smiled and pointed out the correct exercise. . . . (P. 31.) A negative description of a teacher was found in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. Mr. Smoot, who taught Problems, was sort of a fool... He didn't teach, he rambled and told personal stories. His students had to keep on the right side of him, though, for he gave stiff exams. (P. 111.) A negative feeling for a teacher was presented in The Teddy Bear Habit or How I Became a Winner by James Collier. Or there was the time when I had to go up on the stage in assembly and make a speech about how much Mrs. Creepy had done for the school, and how much we were going to miss her, and a lot of other lies that my English teacher wrote out for me. (P. 18.) 183 'Teachers with phony attitudes were depicted in Hank by Dorothy Broderick. Hank's thoughts were interrupted by a message asking him to report to Mr. Connor, his faculty adviser. "Now what?" he muttered as he walked the long corridor to Mr. Connor's office. He didn't know Connor and he wondered if he was going to be any different from the others--all mealy-mouthed, with phony smiles, who didn't give a hoot as long as you didn't bother them. (P. 28.) Positive feelings toward a teacher Were found in Believe in Spriag by Sybil Conrad. "That was a fine reading, Nancy," Mr. March said. "You've moved all of us deeply." Nancy gazed soulfully at him. He had been her favo- rite teacher from the beginning. Mr. March was tall and lean. Behind horn-rimmed glasses, his warm dark brown eyes always had a friendly twinkle. Loving Shakespeare as he did, he transmitted his enthusiasm to his pupils. (P. 46.) A helpful, understanding teacher was portrayed in A Question of Harmony by Gretchen Sprague. "Look," Jeanne said, "do you think you're the first person who ever cried over something? You know Miss Daley. She'd lie down on the railroad tracks if it would help a student writer. She'll like you for caring enough to cry." (P. 212.) Approachability in a teacher was found in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. Beth jumped then. Mr. Farrell was passing between the long tables of sinks and equipment, and had stopped behind them. He was the kind of teacher Jean could tell” WMr.Farre11, it isn't fair to sneak up on people that way." (P. 52.) Respect for and trust in a teacher was found in The Deep Search by Theodora Koob. 184 He ushered her in before him. She didn't sit down at first, and the guidance counselor didn't either. Bic Grayhem had a way of making students, any students, feel like ladies and gentlemen in his office, which was why they could all call him Bic as respectfully as if they had said "sir." (Pp. 49-50.) Physical descriptions and personality traits of teachers.--Physical descriptions of teachers tended to fall into patterns. Although there were six references to teachers as being young and pretty, most descriptions tended to be of the stereotyped pictureof a schoolteacher. Women teachers were described variously as young and pretty, middle-aged, motherly and plump, or old and withered. The men teachers, when a physical description was given, were usually bald and wore glasses or were tall, slender, scholarly looking and wore glasses. A pretty, young teacher was found in Mary Warren's Walk in My Moccasins. "I like my teacher, Miss Marston," said Mary Beth, trying to make up for Melody's not talking. "She's young and pretty. And she plays jump rope with us at recess." (P. 55.) Miss Underhill, in The Tacky Little Icicle Shack by Theodora Koob, was pictured as looking exactly like a schoolmarm. . . . Goodness, Miss Underhill looked so high up from Starven's kneeling position that the redhead all but gasped. gag wouldn't have any trouble in her class, Starven could tell already. She wasn't any beauty either; he remembered, feeling giggly, how he had asked if she were cute! She had a rather angular face and ordinary brown slightly wavy hair cut short 185 and shaped around her ears. Her complexion was a bit sallow. As Rick said, afterward, she looked "exactly like a schoolteacher, mostly the old schoolmarm type." (Pp. 68-69.) The image of teachers as always being old was found in Reach for the Dream by Mildred Lawrence. Norrie had never thought much about teachers. . . . Most of them were too old and led very placid lives, or so it seemed. (Pp. 114-115.) A kind, motherly teacher was portrayed in Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura. It was nearly noon when the teacher looked over at him strangely and asked, "Michael, are you feeling all right?" "Why, yes, ma'am," Mike replied quickly. "Your face looks swollen," she said thoughtfully, leaving the desk to walk towards him. Mike had liked her right off. She was older than Mom and built a little thickly without looking fat. She had a quiet, patient expression that made Mike comfortable right away. (P. 89.) The most complete description of a teacher was found in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. Old Mother Hubbard stopped him outside the door of the homeroom. It looked as if she had been waiting for him. She had a long, long list of complaints, from every teacher he had. He kept his eyes averted, not wanting to look at her. He did not deny anything. He liked this woman just a few years out of teachers' college. They called her Old Mother Hubbard because her name was Jean Hubbard. She was not old. She had nice warm brown hair that swung around her face and shoulders and a wide generous mouth and a cute snub nose and a kind of heart-shaped face. She had the best figure of any teacher in the school. But the most scary eyes. They were bright, unflinching blue that pierced and probed and dared you to tell them a lie. Kids at Hamilton High said they would rather have a two-hour bawling-out from someone like old lady Marvin than a two-second stare from those eyes of the Hubbard. (P. 82.) 186 An old withered Latin teacher was portrayed in The Ivory Cage by Corinne Willis. . . . The person who was most surprised at seeing the corsage was old Miss Howard. She was standing at the door when the Latin class filed in looking more like a withered brown leaf than usual. (P. 181.) Personality traits were very stereotyped. When specific traits were mentioned, they tended to have nega- tive overtones. In general teachers were portrayed as being bossy, rigid, efficient, rule-oriented and exces- sively neat. All of those characteristics were found in passages in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. You could close your eyes on a crowded bus and pick out the schoolmarms by the bossy tone of voice and the "I-advise-you's" and the "pay-attention's. . . ." Not that Jean Hubbard was not a schoolmarm in every sense of the word. She was. She had the schoolmarm's opinionation, tendency to boss, finality, love of discipline, mania for rules and routine, flair for the brutal onslaught of the direct question. But he thought she was also just about the most terrific womanly woman he had ever known. He did not even care if she belonged to the horrendous fraternity-sorority of schoolteachers. (Pp. 23, 141.) Extreme neatness and love of order was portrayed in a teacher in Sue Ellen by Edith Hunter. Mrs. Perry and Mrs. Garvey, the principal, had stopped by the door of Mrs. Perry's room to talk for a few minutes. The bell had not rung yet for the end of recess. "Oh, dear," said Mrs. Perry. "Just look at my room! Lunch boxes and paper bags on the floor, and someone's sweater left lying in a heap. I must get after my children as soon as they come in."~ Mrs. Perry had a reputation for keeping the neatest classroom in the Morristown Center School. "A place for everything and everything in its place," she often told her children. (P. 4.) 187 Automatic reactions of a one-time schoolteacher were depicted in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. "It's as Dad says," her mother corrected automati- cally. She had been a schoolteacher before she married, and poor grammar offended her. (P. 15.) Even though a positive picture Was drawn of a specific teacher in A Breath of Fresh Air by Betty Cavanna, a negative attitude was displayed toward women teachers in general. The Chuckling at the picture, Brooke nodded. One of the things that endeared Miss Anna to her pupils was her willingness to use the vernacular to bring a scene alive. In the teaching profession, which did odd things to women, tending to make them dry and effi- cient, she was a rare person, maintaining as she did an emotional balance and a flexible womanhood, com- bined with perspicacity and a contagious sense of humor. (P. 93.) A negative description of a teacher was found in Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. Mr. Rawling was a tartar to most of the students at the Busby School. To Roger he was something more: an enigma. A painful one. Roger had never before met a person with such a strangely commanding personality. And, since Mr. Rawling was not only his home room but his English teacher, Roger had a lot of time to try to get used to him. But it was like trying to hold quicksilver. The form kept changing, running away from him. Mr. Rawling had once been an actor. In the teaching profession he held on to his histrionics, construct- ing ordinary sentences somehow in high grammar, posturing and mincing and clowning shamelessly to get the effect he sought. He used his voice as an instrument, with almost surgical skill flaying, probing, cutting and dissecting his subjects. So cleverly contrived were his stagings that his classes were always audiences rather than groups of students. Mr. Rawling was the whole show, always on stage, always the star. And with the sure instinct of a 188 gifted performer, he knew when a mollifying quip was needed to soothe the unfortunates pierced with his wit and his sarcasm. (Pp. 22-23.) Teaching as a career.--Only three references were made to teaching as a career, all of which had negative overtones. Vacations were apparently the motive in Supermarket Sleuth by HOpe Jordan. "I'm browsing too," he concluded. "I like botany. But if I minor in that, what would I do--teach? That might be a nice life, with time off for fishing and traveling." (P. 73.) Teaching as a means of livelihood while pursuing a more important interest was presented in Amelia Walden's In Search of Ophelia. "I did this stint at teaching," she was telling Mark. "Four years and I'd had enough. Miranda and I met at Carnegie Tech--or maybe you knew. We took a few education classes together. Funny thing, Randy was always the one who intended to go through with it, be a teacher, while I chafed and rebelled. Then she went haywire and became an actress," a short dry laugh, "while I tried to teach. Just long enough to save up and treat myself to this year of doing what I want most in the world to do. If I stayed on payroll I'd never write. Maybe I'll be back teaching next year, but I've got to give myself this try at it. (Pp. 21-22.) Incredulity at anyone choosing teaching as a career was portrayed in Hold That Computer by William Hayes. "Miss Ramsdale," Hank said, "what made you resort to teaching as a way of life?" "It's interesting that you should ask that," said Miss Ramsdale. "Would you, perhaps, also like to know if I have any peculiar quirks?" (P. 99.) 189 Truant officers.--Four references to truant officers were found in the books analyzed. These were primarily expressions of fear. Jon Madian in Beautiful Junk expressed a fear of the consequences a child faced if found by the truant officer. The school bell rang in the distance. Suddenly it was quiet in the alley. "What if the truant officer finds me?" Charlie thought. "What will they do to me at school?" He wished that Sammy were with him. (P. 18.) Threats of police or principal acting as truant officers were used to make a child attend school in How Many Miles to Babylon? by Paula Fox. "You want the police to take you to school? The principal will come in a black car to get you. They know you have to go to school," said Aunt Grace. (P. 2.) Student-Teacher Interaction Although many examples of conversations between teachers and students were found, the sub-category "Student-Teacher Interaction" was reserved for specific confrontations between students and teachers or for references expressing a teacher's obvious awareness of a student's need. Unfair accusations by teachers and principals.-- Six references to teachers or principals accusing a stu- dent of some serious misbehavior without proof were found. .In four of the incidents the adult later apologized. lfiowever, much more emphasis was given to the accusation 'than to the apology. 190 In To Shake a Shadow by Phyllis Naylor, Judith. was accused of stealing money from a classmate with the implication that, since her father had embezzled money from the bank, she was the obvious suspect. ".p. . But do you know what happened, Mother? Connie said she was sure I t-took it, and told the teacher I was hiding it in my socks!" Judith covered her face again and the tears came heavily. "In front of the whole class, Mother! I had to take off m-my shoes and socks and nobody else had to do it but me!" (P. 53.) A teacher accusing a child of stealing a book because the child was the last one reading it was found in A Row of Tigers by Barbara Corcoran. "Miss Christianson said I stole a book." She said it flatly, as if it were of no importance. He shrugged. "Teachers are all alike. If you took a book, take it back. She'll forget about it." He stood up and fOlded the letter into his pocket. "HaVe you seen Lucky?" Jackie shook her head and rode out of the barn. She went across the meadow so she wouldn't have to go by the house. Perhaps even now her mother was talking to Miss Christianson on the phone. She knew her mother would believe Miss Christianson. Everyone would. After all, she was the teacher. Even Gene took it for granted that she had taken the book. She dug her heels into Homer's ribs and headed for Cemetery Hill. (P. 134.) An unfair accusation by a principal with the impli- cation of prejudice toward Negroes was found in Whose Town by Lorenz Graham. "I'm not going to keep you out of school at this time. I could do it. You are already eighteen years of age. We don't have to keep you here. You know that, don't you?" David's eyes were filling with tears. His voice was weak and did not carry the assurance he wished it might as he said, "But I haven't done anything wrong, Mr. Hart." 191 "Yes, that's what they all say." Mr. Hart spoke in a harsh voice. "And I'm not prejudiced, either. I'm as fair as a man can be. Just the same, I will not tolerate violence and misconduct on the part of you people or any other people. You're going to have your chance in court. We're going to let you stay in school for the present, but you may not be gradu- ated. We'll be watching you. Anything out of line either here or out in the community will mean the end of your stay at Central. This goes for you, and for any of your friends who get mixed up in attacking law-abiding citizens for any reasons. Now I hope you understand that." (Pp. 104-105.) ' Teacher concern for students.--Eleven teachers were specifically mentioned as showing concern for students in school and out of school. These instances included such things as home visits, letters or phone calls to parents, individual talks with students, and invitations to the teacher's home. Extra time was spent by a teacher in The Deep Search by Theodora Koob to read the records of a student to see if an explanation for her behavior could be found. the Bic Grayhem knew they expected him to keep tuned in though. "Everybody knows who the guidance counselor at Central Consolidated is," Bic liked to say, "and if anybody wants to lay an egg on my doorstep, I'll either hatch it or scramble it." So he remembered keenly the next day when he passed Dee Fontaine in the hall; then it occurred to him that she had been such an exemplary student in every way that he didn't know -a darned thing about her. He went digging in the files instead of taking his coffee break. (Pp. 11-12.) Concern for an unreachable student was shown by teacher in Elisabeth Ogilvie's The Pigeon Pair. . . . But he did his schoolwork all right; he didn't want Mr. Adams talking to him. Mr. Adams was always trying to get Greg into things and inviting him over to his house. Greg would be polite but wooden, and 192 pretty soon he'd start to sweat, and then Mr. Adams would give up. But he'd look after Greg in a worried way and shake his head. (P. 37.) Concern for an apparently unexplained decline in a student's work and attitude in school was shown by a teacher in Shadow of a Crow by Marie Pitcher. all Dear Mr. Austin, You will probably feel as disappointed as I do when you see William's grades for the past six-week period: particularly as you no doubt share my opinion that he is capable of earning much better ones. I first noticed the change in his work, and in his attitudes, a short time before the Spring vacation began, but I was confident that he would improve after the holi- days. However, he seems to have become progressively worse. I observe that he spends a good deal of time in writing and passing notes and in other forms of irresponsible behavior, and have called this to his attention without much effect. I have always con- sidered your son a very likable boy, and one who has usually been c00perative.p This letter is not intended as a complaint, but is written in the hope that you will lend me your interest and advice to help get William on the right track again. Sincerely yours, Howard Barry Willie colored as his sister looked straight at him after she had finished. The letter sounded very fair and kind, and he realized that Mr. Barry really cared about his progress. He liked Mr. Barry a lot, and wondered now why he had caused the teacher so much trouble. (Pp. 87-88.) Concern for a student was shown by Jean Hubbard through A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. "Vite, I don't mind all this, I mean, I think together we can cope with it." The Hubbard was great on togetherness, the "we" stuff, and she almost made you believe it. "But I must admit I was shocked and dis- appointed by something else, something not on this list of complaints. . . . (P. 21.) "Didn't you, Vite? Are you sure? Didn't you have some kind of pipe dream about being able to go through life any old way you wanted to, doing what you wanted, 193 not considering the effect on other people? Calling the signals for the game yourself, making the rules. You heard the judge. He said you were lost to feeling. That's your trouble, Vite. That's your real, trouble. You just couldn't care less. . . ." (P. 126.) He had never cried in his life. Never. But he felt the sobs rise. Sobs without tears. Great voiceless sobs that wretched his body, shaking it, engulfing him. He stood there in the grip of the thing he could not control. Then the shattering sobs gave way, and he felt the cold sweat of relief, a relief that flooded his tense and nerve-wracked frame. The voice came to him as from a long way off, a blurred voice, through a dim fog of consciousness. "You'll be all right now, Vite. You'll feel better." He turned and faced her, only half seeing her, a misty figure of a woman, still part girl, a young slender figure, tall, with the windblown, snarled thatch that always seemed to need combing. The Hubbard. In that moment of yielding and relief, he felt some- thing strangely akin to caring. She was talking to him, matter-of-factly, as if nothing had happened, as if this were not a room in which a million chains had not suddenly dropped from him. . . . (P. 128.) Teacher harrassment of students.--Instances of teachers harrassing students in one way or another were implied several times. There were at least ten specific incidents given. These varied as to the strength of the harrassment, but in each case a confused, embarrassed or rebellious student emerged. Repeated instances of the teacher correcting a student or yelling at a student were found in How Many .Miles to Babylon? by Paula Fox. "James Douglas! Come back to us!" He jumped in his seat and fumbled for his book which fell out of his hands to the floor. . . . 194 "Not her, James but here. Come up to the blackboard and Write out both words," said Miss Meadowsweet. . . . "James Douglas! You're sleeping!" cried Miss Meadowsweet. His hand was damp where his cheek had rested against it. For a second he couldn't see clearly. Everyone was laughing except the teacher. "The fours," she cried. . . . . "Cover your mouth with your hand when you yawn," said Miss Meadowsweet. He didn't see how she could spot him yawning in a room full of kids-~dozens, fifty maybe. (P. 16.) Repeated correction of a child was also found in Reggie's No-Good Bird by Nellie Burchardt. "Don't say, 'gee,' Reginald," said Mrs. Sullivan. "If you don't know, just sa you don't know. 'Gee' doesn't do anything to clarify your meaning, does it?" "I guess not," said Reginald, confused. Why did she always have to make everything he said into a lesson on how not to talk? It made him forget what he had wanted to say in the first place. (P. 61.) A teacher looking for and expecting to find mistakes in a student's paper was portrayed in A Likely Place by Paula Fox. "Lewis, you must learn to spell their. What will happen to you if you can't tell the difference between their and there?" What would happen? Lewis wondered, as he wrote their fifty times. He was writing out the words so they formed a design like a snake on the lined paper. The teacher looked over his shoulder. "Lewis, you must learn the difference between a drawing class and a spelling exercise." (P. 12.) Making a scapegoat of a student was found in N3 Tears for Rainey by Lila Perl. "The girl who forgot her apron last week!" Miss Reese's voice pierced Rainey's consciousness. "I won't have any talking when I'm explaining the lesson. Now I'm warning you, there is no room for troublemakers in II this class. . . . 195 Miss Reese charged over. She picked up the pot briskly and dipped the wooden spoon up and down in it a few times. "Dreadful," she said, making a face. "I might have known this would be the group that would 'get into trouble." Rainey backed away. It wasn't her fault this time-- and wasn't Miss Reese going to be disappointed when she found that out. Now began Miss Reese's cross-examination, harsher and more penetrating than on the toughest of the TV crime shows. "What part did ygu_play in this? When did you first notice something was wrong? Then what did you do? Where were you at the time?" It went on and on. Remembering the spilled sugar--and incidentally there was still some on the floor that Miss Reese was crunching underfoot--Rainey walked back between the shelves to the point where she had seen the box of starch. As she put her hand up to touch it, Miss Reese let out a scream. It was not a large scream; it was a small scream. And it was not a scream of terror; it was a scream of triumph. "Precisely!" Miss Reese exclaimed. "I might have known it. It's incredible, and yet I might have knOwn it. . ." (Pp. 35-37.) A teacher who vented his frustrations on his stu- dents was found in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. Mr. Cliftenfield had the reputation of being the meanest pedagogue in the school. He ruled his domain, the auto-mechanic shop with a devastating weapon. Vitriolic sarcasm. A wizened little man, not over five feet two, with a bad limp and a crippled left arm incurred in a factory accident, he had something like a genius in mechanical engineering. His career had been cut short when the accident in young manhood had made him a rather pitiable sight and spoiled his chances in industry. He had settled, with inner rankling, for the secure life of the schoolroom. The boys hated him. They would have endured a bully who pummeled them with his fists. They had nothing but contempt and a rather terrified inability to cope with a bully who tormented them with his tongue. (Pp. 50-51.) 196 Sarcasm as a weapon used by a teacher was also found in The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear by Kin Platt. "My name is Rawling," the teacher said to Roger. "Now there's no point to my being Rawling if you per- sist in calling me something else, is there?" His voice was framed in kindliness and polite inquiry. "No," said Roger. He was standing near his desk chair, his legs suddenly quivering and trembling convulsively. Like my fawn, he instantly thought. Safe in school, what the heck did he have to be scared about? The soothing voice of Mr. Rawling continued. "Now if my name were Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, or Nikolai Andreevich Rimske-Korsakow, or Maximilien Francois Marie Isidore de Robespierre--I could possibly understand your having a little difficulty pronouncing it." The class had started to titter. Mr. Rawling, leaning back indolently in his chair, pretended to ignore it. "But Rawling is such a simple name. Don't you think?" Roger didn't answer. A sticky hotness swept his face‘ and his hair went damp. Everyone's eyes were on him he knew, all strangers' eyes. The tittering started again, then a girl in the back row suddenly, uncon- trollably, shrieked. "Hardly that funny, Miss Wide-in-the-Beam," said Mr. Rawling, a sneer curling his lips. Roger didn't look back to see the discomfited Miss Wide-in-the-Beam. He was grateful for the sidetrack- ing of Mr. Rawling yet sorry for her, too, as the room shrilled with laughter at her expense. Was she really "wide-in-the-beam" and if so how could the teacher kid about a thing like that in front of everybody? Mr. Rawling clapped his hands for attention. The laughter slowly subsided until the room was almost still, then another girl seated to Roger's left let out another squeal and was helplessly lost in laughter. "You're hardly one to call the kettle black, Miss Tight-Pants," Mr. Rawling snapped. Roger could see this new victim, to whom the jibe didn't seem as important as being the center of attention. 197 Feeling that the teacher's attack upon him was now finished, Roger sank slowly into his seat and, when Mr. Rawling appeared to take no notice, leaned back breathing a deep sigh of relief. (Pp. 23-24.) Student harrassment of teachers.--Three specific references to harrassment of teachers by students were found in two books. In A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden tactics which could drive a teacher from teaching were described. One minute he guessed he would drop out. The next, he thought he wouldn't give the bunch of stinkers behind the desks with their ever-ready "justifiable complaint" sheets the satisfaction. Everyone except the Hubbard would like to get rid of him. He guessed maybe he ought to go back and make their lives more miserable than he ever had, really work at it this time. A kid with a grudge against a teacher could torture the teacher in lots of subtle ways. He had seen it done. He would love to watch old man Cliftenfield die by inches. Psychologically. Mental anguish was the worst kind. He could get his bunch together, the Tuccis and the others, and put them wise, and cook up stuff and kill off the guy profes- sionally. There were ways and means. . . . They had done that to poor old half-silly Mrs. Marstenberg and the Board of Education had eased her out--not his bunch, not him and the Tuccis but Karl Bellowski and his fans, when Mrs. Marstenberg had got Karl expelled. Yeah, it could be done. .(Pp. 82-83.) Harrassing a teacher by interrupting the class' was found in Name: Johnnnyierce by Barbara Rinkoff. "Boys!" Miss Perl called, and started toward us. Mick leaped onto the teacher's desk and slashed his sword through the air. "Death to Thisbe. I will avenge my honor," Mick jumped from the desk, lunging at Joe. He flew through the air looking like a Gooney bird coming in for a landing. At that very moment, Miss Perl was about to grab the pointer from my hand. 198 "Geronimo!" roared Mick. He landed with a thud into Joe, who stumbled and fell back onto me. Want! went the pointer, shooting for— ward...straight at Miss Perl's head. I shut my eyes and jerked the pointer up, hoping I hadn't stabbed the teacher. "Oh, my God!" screamed Miss Perl. I forced myself to look. There, on the end of the pointer, hung a scalp! "My wiglet, moaned Miss Perl, clutching her head. "Scalp 'em all, Johnny,| broke up. someone yelled, and the class "You...you," sobbed Miss Perl. She grabbed at my shirt and at Mick's arm. The tears streamed down her face, creating black rivers of mascara as they fell. She propelled us down the hall toward Mr. Weber's office. I could still hear the kids back in the class- room howling. I remember thinking that I should stop laughing, but I couldn't. (Pp. 39-40.) Attitudes Toward School and Education Many references were found that contained an explicit or an implied attitude toward education. The content of these references varied as did the attitude presented. Need for education.--Attitudes portraying a need for education fell into three groups: education necessary for good jobs; education as a means to a better life; and education for its own sake. Of these three groups, the expression that education was necessary for a good job occurred most often (eleven times). A high school drop-out was portrayed as having difficulty finding and keeping a job in Whose Town by Lorenz Graham. 199 Head was one of the fellows who had dropped out of school to go to work. He lived with his mother who had been unable to do anything to help him. He was a naturally bright boy, smart in a way but not smart enough to get, much less hold, a job without a high school education and with no training or experience. Most of the time he was idle. David knew that Head had been "away" for nearly a year. (P. 17.) A boy's understanding of the need for a high school diploma was portrayed in The Nittinritty by Frank Bonham. . . . Of course, Uncle Baron had had mighty little education himself. Couldn't write much more than his own name. Just the same, he was smart. He would understand that a kid with no high school diploma might as well cut off a leg. Then he could at least be sure of public assistance. (P. 27.) Need of a college education was expressed in Stagestruck Secretary by Lucy Berry. She poured over the ads in the New York Times, visited employment agencies, and discovered that a major deterrent was her lack of a college degree. The employers with interesting jobs--called glamour jobs by the employment agencies--which included book publishers, magazines, newspapers, television, radio, theater, advertising agencies, art galleries, museums, etc.--would not even grant her an interview as a pri- vate secretary without a college education. (P. 24.) Next in number of occurrences was the expression of education for its own sake. Eight references were found. A need to have information was found in Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver. How old are the Great Smoky Mountains? A hundred years? Two? Why can't I have some books so I can find out the answers to a few things? So I wouldn't have to stand here shamed in front of this child and admit to him that I don't know how old the Great Smoky Mountains are. 200 Romey is looking at me. He says, "It's all right, Mary Call. Don't fret yourself about it. I'll find out sometime." It's not all right with me not to know this. I need to correct my ignorance. I need so many things. (P. 15.) A desire to know more about a subject which was hampered by a lack of prerequisite knowledge was expressed in The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz. "Oh--" She smiled at them. "Well, take the stars. I look at the stars sometimes and I think to myself, I could have been an astronomer. Yes, really I would like to understand about the stars. I could under- stand about the stars, but I'd have to have learned so much else first. And the fact is, I only finished what is grammar school in this country. So--the stars for me are only to look at." (P. 82.) Education as a means to a better life was found in six references. Escape from poverty was the motivation in The Nitty Gritty by Frank Bonham. It was called Poverty, and according to Charlie's father there was no use struggling to escape its web, because it would only wear you out so that you died sooner . Mr. Toia, however, claimed that education made the handiest pair of tin snips you ever saw to cut your way out. (P. 35.) Escape from not only poverty but a whole way of life was seen by Mary Call as possible through education in Where the Lilies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver. "We got to go to school, huh?" "Yes. We've got to go to school. You don't want to grow up ignorant, do you? And have people call you a happy pappy?" "What's a happy pappy?" "A happy pappy is a poor, no-account mountaineer who sits rocking on the porch of his shotgun shack all day 201 long waiting for the mailman to bring him his charity check. He's so ignorant that's all he knows how to do. He hasn't even got sense enough to know that he's not supposed to marry his first cousin and have feeble- minded children, born blind and deaf and the Lord only knows what else." "What's a shotgun shack?" "A shotgun shack is a shack you can shoot a shotgun through and not hit anything." "I don't see how anybody could be happy being a happy pappy having to live in a shotgun shack with his cousin and a bunch of feebleminded kids," observed Romey. I said, "Romey, that's what I'm trying to tell you. Happy pappys aren't happy. They're useless and lonely and sick. They just look happy to the people who drive by and see them sitting there rocking and grinning." ' "Where'd you learn all this?" "Miss Breathitt at school showed it to me in a magazine." (Pp. 76-77.) Dislike of school.--Although there were repeated implications of a dislike for or an indifference to school, specific statements 0f dislike for school were found in approximately twenty books. Of these, twelve were casual references such as this passage from The Pigeon Pair by Elisabeth Ogilvie. "You're female; you don't understand these things." His eyes were blazing. "I know what I can do good at, and it's not going to Williston High. I hate school! I've hated it since the fourth grade. And I'm through with it!" (P. 83.) Passages from other books explained more fully why school was disliked. Teasing and torment by other students was a partial reason for dislike of school found in The Skating Rink by Mildred Lee. 202 He had made up his mind to quit school. . . . His decision had occurred suddenly this time, brought on by Elva Grime's laughing at him in the classroom. Miss Bayliss, Tuck's English teacher, had asked a question that had fallen into the boredom and indif- ference of the class like a rock rolling into a dry creek bed. Tuck knew the answer and had raised his hand--a thing he never did. He couldn't imagine why he had done it this time unless Elva's smile across the aisle at him a moment before the question had rattled him out of his senses. Anyway, he had started, fool-like to answer, halting and stammering under the greedily curious eyes of the class. Then Elva had giggled, a high, thin giggle that started the other and confused Tuck so badly he hadn't even got the answer out-—couldn't have, even if it. hadn't left his head by then. Bent over his desk, hot and hating himself and Elva and everybody in the room, with Miss Bayliss angrily calling the class to order, he had made his decision to quit school. This time it would stand. It could because he would be sixteen come March. He would quit then and nobody could do a thing about it. . . . (P. 14.) Tuck wanted suddenly to open up and spill the long, weighted misery of his school days--all the taunts and jeers, the sniggering that had merged and swollen into the monstrous wound he had resolved to endure no longer than the law made necessary. He could bear them at home. There he was known, an accustomed part of the family, accepted, however gracelessly, as one of them. He belonged--at least, they thought he did. But at school each time he opened his mouth and per- mitted his crippled words to jerk and stumble forth it was like a first time. (P. 26.) The teacher's continual yelling created a dislike for school for James in How Many Miles to Babylon? by Paula Fox. . . . It was too much like being in school. Miss Meadowsweet had once told him that he didn't know how_ to listen, and that he wouldn't be able to find his way out of a paper bag if he kept on the way he was going. Was there something wrong with his hearing? she had yelled. While Miss Meadowsweet had been yelling, James had been imagining himself inside a paper bag, an enormous 203 brown paper bag with the top tied around with a piece of string. He felt as if he were in one now. Wasn't there any air in this room? Yet it was so cold. He supposed Stick didn't go to school either. Why did he have to go? There was no point in asking himself that question. He knew why. His Aunts made him go. His Aunt Grace told him how proud his mother would be when she came back from the hospital and saw all the good marks he was going to get someday, and heard the teachers say what a fine boy he was. But his mother-- she had been sitting on the floor in the corner, crying. She wasn't proud, just sick. (Pp. 102-103.) Inability to read and the subsequent failures were the reasons given for disliking school in The Seventeenth- Street Gang by Emily Neville. .'. . From both C. C. and his mother Junior gradually learned English. By the time he went to school, he could understand and speak it fairly well, but he wasn't ready to start reading it. C. C. had started school full of enthusiasm. He liked the kids and the teacher, and he liked the blocks and the paints and picture books. Then the teacher started concentrating on the black squiggles under the pictures, and after a few months she expected him to know some of them. School wasn't so good after that. C. C. guessed at words and usually guessed wrong, and other kids snickered. C. C. wasn't used to failure; he'd always been a leader. Pretty soon he stopped trying to guess words and just wouldn't answer. The only kid who never laughed at him was Junior, who couldn't read at all. When the teacher asked him a word, he said, "It looks like a cockroach." The class all laughed, and the teacher didn't ask Junior any more words. ' At the end of the third grade he and C. C. went into a special remedial reading class. Finally they had both learned to read, but they were behind in every- thing, and now they were repeating sixth grade. In the new strange class of younger kids they stuck together like glue. Junior was the only one in the class who knew what the initials C. C. stood for, and C. C. was the only one who knew that Junior's real name was Angel Rivera. (Pp. 23-25.) ‘ 204 Two references expressing both positive and nega- tive attitudes toward school were found. In The Mystery of the Fat Cat by Frank Bonham school was seen as some- thing to relieve the boredom and monotony of a long summer with nothing to do. Suddenly school was out! Bad news, thought Buddy. As bad as it came. Any kid who had been through a normal Dogtown summer knew that all but the hardest-core dropouts would be pounding on the schoolhouse doors in August, trying to get back in. Dogtown was not exactly an amusement park. When you had drunk your gallons of charged water and eaten your tons of potato chips, had your boredom-fights, and worn out the sidewalk on a few corners standing around-- Man, you were ready for anything, even school. (P. 87.) School as a place to pass the time was also found in Hank by Dorothy Broderick. . . . The day was never going to end at this rate. Maybe school was a drag sometimes, but at least it passed the time. It was too cold to wander around; driving would just use up his gasoline. Nowhere to go, nothing to do. He got behind the wheel and headed back to Northern. He was through with school! Nothing would make him go back, even if they would let him. He needed a job and if he couldn't find it in Northern, he'd make good his threat and leave home. There wasn't anything else he could do. (P. 102.) Parents against education.--Eight examples of parents or other interested adults who were against edu- cation were found. In each case the child in the refer- ence wanted to continue school. A mother who was against continued education for social reasons was found in The LongASecret by Louise Fitzhugh. 205 "I'm going to college and get a Ph.D." Beth Ellen felt a desperation come into her voice. "You'll do nothing of the sort. You will attend a suitable school, for two years at the most. A school that {_shall pick." (Pp. 245-246.) A lower class parent who considered education a waste was portrayed in The Nitty Gritty by Frank Bonham. . . . Charlie could have told Mr. Toia that he was wasting his breath trying to talk education to his father. The teacher got up and offered Mr. Matthews his hand as he went toward the door. (P. 25.) A father who wanted his son to be a baseball star was depicted as considering an education a waste of time in Lefty's Boy by Richard Drdek. "I thought I'd like to finish school. So maybe I could get into college sometime if I wanted. A lot of players go to college during the off season." "Nuts! You trying to know more than your old man? College is for those slobs who have to work for a living. My kid's going to be a star." (P. 181.) A friend of the Williams family thought David should quit school when his father became ill in North Town by Lorenz Graham. His belief was that college was only for white people or rich colored people. Mr. Crutchfield had not thoroughly approved of David's plan to remain in school. He thought that David already had more education than a man needed. He could not encompass David's dream of going to college and becoming a doctor. He thought that such ideas were for white people, or for very rich colored people, certainly not for anyone within his own circle of friends. (P. 174.) Some insight into why many parents feared school or were against further education was found in Sue Ellen by Edith Hunter. 206 Miss Kelly had discovered, as the auction went along, that every single member of her class had someone there: either a mother or a father or a grandmother. It was the first time that many of these parents had been inside of a school for anything pleasant. Most of them had come at some time to talk with the teachers or the principals about the problems their children were having. But tonight was different; tonight they were proud and happy parents. (Pp. 151- 152.) Criticisms of schools.--All of the charges against school were found in a striking indictment of school and teachers in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden as well as in passages in To Shake A Shadow by Phyllis Naylor and Anita Feagles' Me, Cassie. Amelia Walden's A Name for Himself contained many instances of negative attitudes toward school. This place was great preparation for life. The heck it was. All his five elder brothers had walked through these halls before him. They sure had got one great preparation for life. He hated the place. It stank. It was a lousy school. Even as schools went which was not very far in his philosophy of life, this one was lousy. A crazy school. Freedom Land was the official student nickname for the place. And an accurate dubbing it was at that. A permissive school. Permissive throughout, from the sanctum sanctorum of the principa1--Mr. Bags-under- the-eyes Nielson. Vite doubted that any kid had laid eyes on him since school began. He was surrounded by a solid phalanx of secretaries and clerks who always said he was too busy or in conference. Mahoney--FBI Mahoney--took care of things, bawled the kids out, thundered at them, kidded them along, shouted or coaxed them into doing what was right. Aside from Mahoney, things just ran themselves. No bells. No buzzers. You just got some invisible radar when to move and moved on to the next class. Not too many rules. You had to guess when you were doing the right or the wrong and most of the time it was the wrong and then you piled up detentions or a long list of com- plaints. Skip specialized in detentions. Vite in complaints. He was sick of the nagging. 207 This school--good old Freedom Land--it had everything. And nothing. It had the big splashy auditorium, the "theater," fully equipped with the dressing rooms and the electrician's board and the floods and dimmers, all the expensive lines and pulleys for flying scenery. It had the gyms. It had the machine shop and the automobile shop and the woodworking shop and the draft- ing rooms and the arts and crafts. It had every kind of classroom for every kind of subject that was ever intended to bedevil and bedazzle the confused adoles- cent. It had the courtyard with the stone benches and the rustic benches and tables and the fountain and the greenery. It had the glass cases in the halls for the one-man shows of the exhibitionist art classes and the trophy displays of the exhibitionist athletes. It had the glass—panelled offices, boy, did it ever have glass-panelled offices for all the overlings and the underlings with all the important-sounding titles with the callous-smiling faces, all teeth and a yard wide, and no soul, nothing behind the empty smiles. - It had the teachers who came bouncing in just under the line with the hard and the suave chatter and the lingo of the trade and a lot of useless stuff stored under their craniums, but never an original thought, not a creative thought in a carload. They stayed so many hours and twice a month picked up their checks and they knew just what margin of time they could allow themselves to get out to their shiny Oldsmobiles or Buicks or Chryslers. They dressed pretty well. They didn't give a darn about the kids once they shut the school door behind them. They were paid well these days in these parts. They had fancy letters after their names. MS. MA. PhD. They even waved to you when they drove past you on the road. They buddied up to you in the school room, real relaxed and informal and modern they were. They had a hard time remembering your name. He hated this stinking school. It was a lousy place. It had everything and it had nothing. . . . (Pp. 24-26.) Phoniness of schools and teachers was portrayed in To Shake a Shadow by Phyllis Naylor. "Man, somebody's got the whole thing wrong," Frank said, taking the plate the waitress brought him. "Darby Junior High is the phoniest place going. And Hilliard leads the parade." 208 "It's a grind," he said, jerking his head in the direction of Darby Junior High. "A stupid grind, you know that? And after that high school and college because my dad says that's the way it's going to be." Brad bit into his sandwich and didn't answer. "Look," said Frank. "In third grade we dug up worms and put 'em in jars, didn't we? In sixth grade we made a worm farm in a terrarium. In earth science we're studying about soil and the contribution of worms, in high school we'll dissect them, and in college we'll do a term paper on the life cycle of a flatworm or something. I mean, this is going to help a guy make his first million?" (P. 73.) Lack of pertinent material or information from teachers was presented in Anita Feagles' Me, Cassie. That would have been a terrific help in school if I'd gone on, but the trouble is, I have this selective listening, and teachers aren't one of the things I select. I tried it a couple of times and discovered that you get an awful lot of chaff with the meat. (P. 10.) A criticism of people who continue their educa- tions was also found in Me, Cassie by Anita Feagles. My father used to have this older sister who was sort of a fink. I mean she was perfectly nice and all, but she kept getting these advanced degrees, and she worked on some kind of esoteric research about fungi, or something like that which very few people are interested in. This went on for quite a while, and she married this other finky scholar who also had the hots for fungi. (P. 24.) Method and Content Included in this sub-category were academic work, homework, grades and grouping, choice of classes, and forms of discipline. The attitudes found were varied. Academic work.--There were many specific refer- ences to the content of classes or the methods used by 209 teachers. The majority of these references were negative, indicating boring lessons, teachers who would accept only their own ideas, and inappropriate content. Few examples were found of interest and thought on the part of the students. Use of newspapers instead of text books to make social studies alive and exciting was found in The Nitty Gritty by Frank Bonham. . . . Sometimes when they came to class there would be a stack of newspapers on his desk and that would be the textbook for that period. A newspaper! The kids went away arguing about the war or a hospital for Dogtown, instead of being half asleep and not caring which came first, John Adams or John Quincy Adams. (P. 19.) Using slides as motivation for a lesson was found in I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip by John Donovan. That is the end of that interruption, and Mr. Miller starts talking about tin mining in the Andes. It's very interesting, the way he presents his story with some slides and a lot of stuff to dramatize how thin the air is up there and how difficult it is to mine there and still keep your health. He makes us close our eyes and imagine we are all in the Andes and have only half as much air available to us as we have in New York. (Pp. 71-72.) Creating a need for knowledge was used in The Tacky Little Icicle Shack by Theodora Koob to make learning exciting. And so it turned out that a week later, the Randolph Township Elementary School opened happily, indeed. Already, the first, second, and third grades had been initiated into the project and were making all the decorations, including the lanterns. The church was 210 donating the Sunday School chairs. Mr. Randolph offered the tacky little icicle shack complete with whatever water and electric was necessary. And that enterprising Miss Underhill had already charged the aquarium and terrarium and ordered the globe and the tape recorder. . . . Looking in on the middle grades that day, there was Mr. Mack sitting calmly in his half—moon shaped basket in the corner by the book closet. The children were already used to him for he had Come to school the opening day with his mistress and behaved with such great dignity that the children could only do likewise. And the classes were organ- ized in small groups within larger groups. Starven was figuring on one of the blackboards with three other fourth grade boys. . . . (P. 105.) Both positive and negative pictures were presented in Fast Green Car by W. E. Butterworth. The positive aspect was found in the challenge created by college classes while the negative aspect was the lack of challenge in high school classes. Lee College, in other words, had turned out to be a place where he could learn something, a challenge rather than a place where he would have to simply put in his time learning things that he would promptly forget once examinations were over. Just as important was the fact that they were going to treat him as a man, rather than as a little boy. . . . He was mistaken about one more thing, too. He couldn't coast through college as he had coasted through high school. They seemed to know just how much work to assign to make you work. And he worked hard. (P. 55.) A dull lesson was presented in Andy and Willie by Sheridan Cox. We were having this dull recitation in class on the main exports of the United States. . . . (P. 27.) Lack of relevant material was portrayed in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. Mr. Smoot of the History Department never allowed dis- cussions of serious topics in his class if he could help it. (P. 47.) 211 Content too advanced for the class was found in A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell. All afternoon at school, Bats had been rehearsing in his mind the plot of his adventure. Twice he smiled broadly during English Class. The teacher had looked sternly disapproving. In the first place, Bats' smile was unexpected and seldom. In the second place, she was demonstrating with expression the reading of a poem which she admitted to herself was beyond the ability of the class to absorb but which was a favo- rite of hers. It was Elegy in A Country Churchyard, mournful, touching, and certainly not humorous! (Pp. 113-114.) A teacher who would accept only her only ideas for assignments was depicted in Easy Does It by Ester Wier. Miss Grayson had hinted broadly that American history was filled with heroes and the class would do well to make a choice from among them. Chip considered them, then made his decision. Since it was to be his com- position, he felt he'd have to choose his own hero. He felt Miss Grayson's reaction the moment he named his great man. ”Terrible Thomas, the Blackest and the Best!" Her disapproval was so overwhelming that for a moment he faltered, then went on reading. When he finished, the three team members who were in his class clasped their hands and raised them over their heads, showing plainly that they considered his choice a winner. "That was not what I had in mind," the teacher said as soon as Chip sat down. "I do not think a baseball player belongs among our great men. I also question the good taste of adding those words after the name of this--this pitcher." Chip knew it was no use trying to explain that he hadn't made up those words. If she had ever read the sports pages, she would know that Terrible Thomas himself always added them proudly whenever he referred to himself. (P. 15.) Scoffing at a teacher's use of praise was found in Andy_and Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. Miss Easter, our fifth grade teacher, was enthusiastic about having her students give speeches, and so right 212 away we all had to give a speech on an interesting experience during the summer vacation. I gave a talk which Miss Easter praised for two minutes and fifty- seven seconds. I know this for a fact because Willie, who is quite scientific, timed her. It was the longest anyone was praised. (P. 4.) Use of television, tape recorders, and other equip- ment was made in only one book, Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary. Amy soon discovered there was nothing old-fashioned about the inside of the temporary classroom. Boys and girls were crowding around a lot of new equipment--a television set, a tape recorder, a record player, a slide projector and a screen. . . . "These are our audio-visual aids," Mrs. Martin explained after her new class had saluted the flag. "Audio means to hear and visual means to see. Our audio-visual aids will help us to learn with our ears and our eyes." To demonstrate one of the ways in which the new equipment could be used, she put a record on the phonograph, and the class heard someone playing America the Beautiful on the piano to accom- pany their morning song. (Pp. 68-69.) Homework.--Relatively few references were made to homework in the books analyzed. These presented varying attitudes. A neutral attitude was found in Shadow of a Crow by Marie Pitcher. You got a lot of homework in fifth grade, so it was swell to have a little relief from it. . . . (P. 17.) Homework as a means to an end was found in several references as was illustrated in An Understanding Heart by Dorothy Jones. Back in her room, Kathy collected the textbooks and notes she'd dropped on the floor beside her bed last night when she'd been too weary to hold them any longer. Four hours, she thought proudly. If I can put in four more hours of study on my French tonight, I may bring my grade up to a "B." (P. 10.) 213 Homework was seen as interfering with other acti- vities in Andy and Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. Besides, Miss Easter was sold on a lot of dumb home- work for everybody in the fifth grade, and she started piling this dumb homework on us to the point where we didn't have a chance to concentrate on anything impor— tant anyway, except fifth grade basketball practice and an occasional look at television every night. (P. 127.) Grades and grouping.--Many references were made to grades received in school or to the groups in which chil- dren were placed. Some of the references to grades showed concern or anxiety; others were more matter-of-fact, accepting grades as a part of school. An accepting attitude was found in The Shy Ones by Lynn Hall. Finally it was all over--the last test and the last assembly, the final cleaning out of desks and lockers, and the last picking up of report cards. Robin got three B's, one A, and one C, but the C was in physical education, so it didn't really count. It was about the same kind of report card she had always brought home. (P. Surprise and concern about grades was found in Shadow of a Crow by Marie Pitcher. Today Willie felt in no hurry to reach his own house. His card showed two failing marks, and almost all the others were Cs. Willie couldn't figure it out. Before this, he'd scarcely ever received a grade lower than a B. (P. 69.) ' Indifference toward grades was portrayed in Shadow of a Crow by Marie Pitcher. "Aw, you'd pass anyhow, I always do, and I get Cs and Ds all the time." Willie recalled a remark he'd overheard at the end of the fourth grade term. "It wouldn't do any good not 214 to promote him," the teacher was saying to the prin- cipal. "He wouldn't do any better next year and he'd only make trouble for the others." (P. 93.) An awareness of ability grouping was found several times. Honors track in high school was mentioned in Name: Johnny Pierce by Barbara Rinkoff. We were in the same class until high school. Then Rice was put in the honors track and I got left with regular kids. It was rotten being separated, but we still had after school and holidays to do things together. (P. 9.) A low ability class was presented in Peter and Veronica by Marilyn Sachs. éfll Marv was a builder. He built all the time. Even when he wasn't building, he was thinking about building. In school, he was in the dumb class because his teachers said he just wouldn't pay attention. He failed in math, but had no difficulty in constructing the complicated mechanical elevator that stood twelve feet high over in one corner of the yard. The elevator had taken Marv only three months to build. Peter, who was always the star pupil in his math classes, had offered to help, but had found all the calculations too difficult for him to fathom. Marv had his own system of figuring that left Peter far behind. But Marv was always patient and tolerant so Peter carried the wood, hammered the nails, and put the screws and pulleys where he was told. Static reading groups were indicated in Mitch and by Beverly Cleary. People were always telling Mitchell he could read, but somehow he had trouble believing them. If he could read, really read, not just stumble along in an easy book, why was he always in the slowest reading group in his class? (P. 47.) The practice of schools of putting a transfer student back a year was found in five references. The attitudes portrayed by the students in each case were pri- marily negative. was 215 Acceptance of this practice as standard procedure found in North Town by Lorenz Graham. "What year are you?" asked the girl. "I'm supposed to be a senior." "Yeah, but they put you back when you transfer," she announced. "They always do that. Like no other school could be as good as ours." (P. 7.) A fuller explanation of this practice and the sub- sequent feelings by the student was found in Whose Town by Lorenz Graham. The When David had first come with his family to North Town, he had brought with him school records showing that he was a junior. However, the standards of his school and of the whole South were considered far behind those of Central High School. He had been put back a full year. Counselors had ignored his wish to prepare himself to go to college. He had been put 7 into the general course, assigned to the classes that counselors thought a colored boy should have. It was not until he made good on the football team that he was considered as possible college material. He sometimes wondered what would have happened had he been equipped with a smaller body and a bigger head. He could have been a real "brain," but he would still be taking vocational courses. (P. 69.) Provisional admittance to a grade was found in‘ Parsonage Parrot by Jean Bothwell. "They took most of my credits from Blue Lake," said Reese, "but I'm only admitted to eighth grade provi- sionally." "I didn't expect that," said his father. "What's the trouble?" "Because the curriculum is different here. I had subjects in Blue Lake that are not required in New York and they have some here that I haven't studied. I'll have to work a lot harder than I ever did before, to make them up in a way they'll accept." (Pp. 127- 128.) ' 216 Choice of classes.--The variety of classes avail- able in a school was mentioned only twice. David, in North Town by Lorenz Graham, was amazed at the wide variety of classes offered. Until now, David had not realized how many courses a school in the North offered and what a wide range of choices students had. At his school in the South, everyone in the same class had to take the same sub- jects, and almost all of them were taught by the same teacher. His principal had prepared a typed statement describing his work and the studies at the Training School. The counselor now studied it carefully, and although David told him he hoped to go to college after high school, the counselor enrolled him in the vocational course, rather than the college prepara- tory. Later, he said, David might make a change. He classified him as a sophomore. (P. 9.) Disappointment at the small number of choices was expressed by a boy moving from a large town to a small town in Sky on Fire by D. S. Halacy, Jr. Ken didn't have to spend much time considering his choices from among the available courses. Math would probably be a repeat for him, he realized, and instead of electronics and electricity he'd have to settle for Advanced Science. Spanish was the only foreign lan- guage offered and that wouldn't fit well with the semester of German he'd taken in the accelerated pro- gram back home. It was hardly what he would have hoped for, but by two o'clock he had come up with the best compromise possible. (Pp. 14-15.) Forms of discipline.--Punishment as a means of discipline was mentioned frequently in the books containing descriptions of School (Table 9). This punishment was seldom given in private and seldom seemed appropriate to the misbehavior which was portrayed. Being sent out of the room for not listening was found in The Gumdrop Necklace by Phyllis LaFarge. 217 TABLE 9.--Forms of Discipline Discipline Number of Occurrences Disapproving Looks 2 Yelling (publicly) 9 Lecturing (publicly)* 15 Sarcastic Remarks 5 Extra Test or Extra Work 7 (Done at noon, recess, or after school)** Staying in at Recess Staying after School Sent out of Room 1 Sent to Principal's Office 14 Suspension 4 Physical Punishment New *Includes both individual and whole group lectures. **Not counted in the staying-in categories. . . He was so worried that he could not think of anything else. His teacher sent him out of the room for not paying attention. . . . (P. 27.) Staying after school for extra work was found in in the City by Mary Francis Shura. and When the last boy was in his seat, Miss Miller said, "That was a pretty thoughtless way for you boys to behave. You've kept us all from starting on time. See me after school for special work for makeup." (P. 76.) Use of physical punishment was expressed in Andy Willie by Lee Sheridan Cox. So then Miss Easter marched Willie to the principal's office where he got a paddling for fighting twice in one recess and not telling why. (P. 156.) 218 Sarcasm and extra work were used as punishment by the teacher in A Likely Place by Paula Fox. Miss Mowdith, the music teacher, said that Lewis was throwing the whole class off key. "I think, Lewis," she said, "that you must be hearing the music of outer space. I never heard a G like that in my entire life! My dear boy! If we could amplify that note of yours over a public-address system, all the mice in this city would hit the road!" (P. 11.) Being sent to the principal's office was portrayed in The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz. . . . Jimmy got sent to the principal's office twice, the first time for alarming a substitute teacher with his tales about giant rats in the basement, and the second time for not going when he was sent the first time. (P. 144.) Sarcasm and public ridicule were found used by a teacher in The Skating Rink by Mildred Lee. Miss Bayliss held up the whole English class to lec- ture him on his absent-mindedness, ending with a sour face, "Where are you, Tucker, anyway? Obviously not in this room." And when the usual guffaws and titters raced around the room she looked rather pleased with herself instead of angry at the class as she used to." (P. 97.) Suspension from a class was found in No Tears for Rainey by Lila Perl. Rainey wanted nobody. She had been suspended from the cooking class. . . Miss Reese had stated that one of Rainey's parents must come to school without delay. Rainey was not to re-enter the class before the matter of her behavior, on two occasions now, had been thoroughly thrashed out. And even then, Miss Reese had implied, it was unlikely Rainey would ever come back in that class again. (Pp. 115-116.) 219 School Buildings Very little reference was found pertaining to the school buildings themselves. Appearance of schools.--The interior appearance of classrooms was seldom described and then in very general terms. The exterior appearances of schools varied slightly but most seemed to be old and-large. A one-room school was mentioned once and two-room schools were in two books. No other descriptions were given for those schools. A run-down appearance of a school was found in Wheels for Ginny's Chariot by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar. "Oh, no!" she thought. "What a dump!" And it was, too. A one-story, shingled building that had formerly been white but was now a drab gray, it looked as though it would fall down any minute. (P. l.) A school with a frightening appearance was found in The Cat Across the Way by Anne Huston. . . . and the school was a huge, ugly place that looked like a scary castle...a castle with creepy dim stair wells, long winding halls, and unfriendly leering faces. (P. 8.) Also implying a large, unfriendly appearance was this passage from Hold That Computer by William Hayes. Irving School with its crenelated walls always looked like a huge fortress. (P. 103.) A large school was also found in A Dog for Joey by Nan Gilbert. 220 Hopkins Junior High-~the gold letters of its name glinted in the sun. A daunting structure with a bewildering number of wings and ells. (P. 13.) The only references to schools being new or well- equipped were in books about children moving from the country or from a small, poor town in the South. New in the City by Muriel Stanek presented a new school building. As they walked into the school, Joey was surprised to see that the building was new. (P. 69.) A Negro boy from the South was amazed at the well- equipped school he was to attend in North Town by Lorenz Graham. After talking about some of his classes, he tried to describe the huge gymnasium, the well-equipped shops, and the science room with its gleaming modern laboratory. . . . (Pp. ll-l2.) Security measures in schools.--Only two references to security measures in schools were found. The practice of keeping a school building locked was found in The Cat Across the Way by Anne Huston. . . . Lacey is from the country where schools are small and where doors don't have to be locked against strangers coming uninvited into the building. (Pp. 26-27.) A policeman on duty in a school was found in How Many Miles to Babylon? by Paula Fox. Mr. Johnson's room was way down at the end of the cor- ridor near the school entrance. Sometimes a policeman stood there and leaned up against the door with his hat tipped over half his face. He was a special policeman, not like the ones who directed traffic or the ones who sometimes came at night to James' building. He wore a thick black leather holster strapped to his hip. (P. 17.) 221 Discussion of Findings References to school or education were found in ninety-six of the 125 books analyzed (77 per cent). The content and extent of these references varied greatly. Some books contained only a casual, passing reference to school or education. Other stories presented school in the context of a child's daily experiences. In other books school was the primary setting for the story and all events revolved around the school. This relatively large proportion of books portraying the school or educa- tion in some way would seem to indicate that children would encounter at least some of these books from which they could gather vicarious background experiences to aid in the development of attitudes toward education. While a few passages appeared to negate the charges raised in the introduction, more seemed to sub- stantiate them. An aura of negative feeling seemed to hover over schools and education. Principals Relatively few references to principals were found in the books analyzed. However, the fact that negative attitudes toward principals were found approximately twice as often as were positive attitudes would Seem to indicate that a child reading these books would be more apt to gain negative feelings toward principals. Helpful, under- standing principals were seldom found. Instead a rather 222 grim picture of a principal emerged; a weak, contemptuous, power-seeking, punishment-giving individual was frequently found in the principal's office. It was felt that this was not a realistic picture and that a very one-sided Consideration was given to principals. Teachers More negative than positive attitudes were found in general comments about teachers. Teachers were depicted as being antagonistic, foolish, phony, or hateful. They were also portrayed as being helpful, understanding, respectable, and likable. However, the negative expres- sions were generally more intense and seemed to make more impression upon the reader. It was interesting to note that neutral feelings toward a teacher were seldom found. The students, in general, expressed attitudes that were either very favor- able or very unfavorable. Physical Descriptions and Personality Traits of Teachers In general, the physical descriptions of teachers 1 tended to be of the stereotyped variety. The teachers were of three types: young and pretty; middle-aged, motherly and plump; or old and withered if they were women. The men were either short, bald, and wore glasses; or tall, slender, scholarly looking and wore glasses. Need for glasses seemed to be a prerequisite for men 223 teachers, and would hardly appear to be an accurate reflec- tion of the male teachers in our society. Although it was gratifying to find that young teachers were being pre- sented, it does not follow that all young teachers are pretty. Neither are all middle-aged teachers plump and motherly. Most of the older teachers were pictured as withered spinsters. Personality traits were extremely stereotypic with primarily negative overtones. Teachers were portrayed as being bossy, rigid, efficient, rule-oriented, excessively neat, and dried up. One passage implied that normal, well-rounded women were rare in the teaching profession. Other passages implied that teachers were creatures of habit with firmly ingrained traits such as correcting grammar. Undoubtedly there are teachers who fit into the mold as it was portrayed. However, the authors did not appear to recognize that teachers are also people, and that a variety of personalities are to be found in the teaching profession as well as in everyday life. The question may then be raised: Is the attitude being devel- oped in children that teachers are different from other people? Teaching as a Career Only three references were made to teaching as a career and the teaching profession was treated rather 224 negatively. One passage implied incredibility at anyone choosing teaching as a profession. Reasons given for choosing teaching as a career were vacations which allowed time for pursuing other interests such as travel, recreation, or writing. While some, perhaps many, teachers undoubtedly do enter the field of teaching for these reasons, it was felt that an incomplete picture was presented here. Truant Officers Only four references to truant officers were found in the books analyzed. These were primarily threats or expressions of fear. The lack of material on truant officers probably is an accurate reflection of this society. It does not seem that truant officers, per se, are common in schools. Absences are usually investigated by other school personnel. Unfair Accusations by Teachers and Principals Instances of teachers or principals accusing stu- dents of some serious misbehavior without proof were found six times. A decidedly negative attitude was projected. The students were embarrassed, frustrated, or rebellious. Although the adult later apologized in four of the inci- dents, the accusation was given more emphasis than the apology. These examples could perhaps cause negative feelings in a child reading the books. Unfortunately, 225 incidents such as these probably do occur in schools now. If something of this nature had happened to a child, these examples would confirm beliefs in the unfairness of teachers and principals. However, the fact that only six instances occurred in 125 books would seem to indicate that this is not a prevalent belief on the part of the authors. Teacher Concern for Students Eleven teachers were specifically mentioned as showing Concern for students in school and out of school. The attitudes expressed in these references were positive. The feelings expressed by students were primarily appre- ciation, respect, and trust. These references would seem to provide material for development of positive atti- tudes toward teachers. Teacher Harrassment of Students Ten specific incidents of teacher harrassment of students were found as well as several other implied 1 references to harrassment. The type of harrassment as well as the strength of the encounter varied, but the results were the same-~a confused, embarrassed or rebel- lious student emerged. The picture that emerged was that of teachers venting their frustrations upon their students. Teachers used sarcasm, public ridicule, and repeated cor- rection as tools in handling their students. Intense 226 negative attitudes were projected. It would seem almost certain that children reading these passages would develop negative feelings toward these teachers. It was incred- ible that the children in the passages reacted as mildly as they appeared to in some cases. Student Harrassment of Teachers Overt student harrassment of teachers rarely occurred in the books analyzed. Only three specific references were found. Only one of these passages referred to deliberate, planned harrassment by a student. In light of all the wrong doings portrayed by teachers, this seemed rather unbelievable and unrealistic. Current theories about behavior which indicate that children rebel or retaliate against unjust behavior by adults would seem to indicate that more student harrassment of teachers should occur if indeed teachers behaved in the manner in which they were portrayed in the books. This seemed to be an unjust, one-sided presentation. The attitudes presented were that children were consistently wronged by teachers but did not engage in retribution. Dislike of School Statements of dislike of school were found fre- quently in the books analyzed. Many were just casual expressions without accompanying explanations. Others were more intense expressions depicting unhappiness and 227 unpleasant experiences in school. While these examples were to be expected, the significant finding was that there were very few specific statements expressing a liking for school to counteract the references to a dis- like of school. Therefore, it would seem that children would be more apt to encounter negative expressions of dislike. Even when a need for education was expressed, pleasure or enjoyment did not appear to accompany the educative process. School many times appeared to be something that had to be endured. Parents against Education Eight examples of parents or other interested adults who were against education were found. It was interesting to note the situations in which these refer- ences occurred. Some of the examples were of lower class parents who could not see the value of further education. The opposite extreme was found in an upper-middle class parent who, for social reasons, wanted her daughter to attend only the "right" school and then for only two years. It was also interesting to note that the child in each example valued education for some reason and wanted to continue in school. The attitudes found, then, were both positive and negative. Need for Education Approximately twenty-five passages referred to a need for education. Of these, eleven indicated that a 228 high school diploma was necessary for a job or that a college education was a prerequisite for an interesting job. Strengthening this concept were six passages which indicated that education was a means of escape from poverty and a steppingrstone to a better life. These passages were probably quite an accurate reflection of the attitudes found in contemporary American society. Eight references were found to need for education for personal gratification. Since the expression that education was necessary for a good job was found twice as often as the expression of education for personal gratification, one must ask: Is this the attitude this society wants to inculcate in children? Is this a reflection of an achievement oriented society? Criticisms of Schools Supporting statements were found for the charges against school cited in the introduction. Intense feel- ings of bitterness and hopelessness were expressed in a striking indictment of schools and teachers in a book by Amelia Walden. This book was filled with negative atti- tudes toward school and teachers. The feelings expressed were so intense and so emphatic that it seems that a child reading this book could not avoid negative connota- tions. It was definitely a source for negative attitude development. The author appeared to express feelings of resentment as teachers were portrayed as phony, uncaring, 229 lacking in knowledge, and uncreative. School was seen as totally irrelevant. Phoniness of schools and teachers as well as irrelevant materials were found in several other books. Although the feelings expressed were less intense, nega- tive attitudes were still apparent. It would seem that these books could definitely influence developing atti-' tudes of those who read them. Academic Work Many specific references to the content of classes or the methods used by teachers were found. In general, these references were overwhelmingly negative. Examples of boring lessons, teachers who would accept only their own ideas, and inappropriate content were prevalent. Very few examples of interest and thought on the part of the students were evident. Teachers did not seem to practice currently acceptable teaching methods, motivation appeared to be nonexistent, and adherance to textbooks seemed to be the rule in many cases. The exceptions to the above statements seemed sig- nificant. These exceptions were found in private schools, schools for exceptional children, and in a two-room country school. In these cases interesting methods of presentation were used, individual differences seemed to be taken into account, and the students appeared eager to learn. 230 It also seemed significant that in this age of technology the "hardware" of teaching was seldom mentioned. Use of educational television, tape recorders, and teach- ing machines was found in only one book. From these passages it would appear that the. charges raised in the introduction were indeed substanti- ated in these books for children. Homework Very few references were made to homework in the books analyzed. These references were casual and the attitudes presented were usually neutral. Homework just appeared to be a necessary part of school. It did not seem that these references occurred frequently enough or that they were strong enough to greatly influence chil- dren. Grades and Grouping Many references were found to grades and grouping. Grades were apparently accepted by children as a fact of life in most books. Although concern about grades was expressed, a neutral attitude was usually exhibited. An awareness on the part of children of ability grouping was found. Again, this appeared to be just a part of life. Feelings toward these groups were not usually mentioned. This did not seem realistic. 231 Negative attitudes were found in students who were retained a year when they transferred to a new school. This was presented as a common practice. Choice of Classes The variety of classes available in a school was mentioned only twice. The pictures presented were that schools in the South which accepted Negro students had a smaller variety of classes than did schools in the North and that large schools in the East had a larger choice of classes than did small schools in the West. Because of financial reasons, these are probably accurate reflections of schools in this society. Forms of Discipline Negative discipline in the form of punishment was mentioned frequently in the books containing descriptions of schools. It appeared that misbehavior was punished automatically with no consideration for underlying reasons or for the possible effects of the punishment. Descriptions of self-discipline or techniques of positive discipline were not found. It appeared that the teachers in these books did have rule-oriented classrooms andthat infractions of the rules were immediately punished. 1 The types of punishment found were almost always contrary to the accepted theories of child behavior and 232 development specialists of today. The punishments seldom appeared to be appropriate to the misbehavior committed. Inattention was punished by making the child leave the room thereby defeating the purpose which should have been gaining the attention of the child. In this case he only missed more of the lesson. Fighting was punished by spanking which, according to the specialists, teaches a child that physical aggression is all right as long as one is an adult. Extra tests in arithmetic were given for misconduct thereby confirming many children's belief that arithmetic itself is a punishment. The punishments were almost always given publicly with no apparent regard for the child's feelings. From all appearances in the books, it would seem that the primary role of the principal was to mete out punishments for conduct that teachers apparently could not handle. Although most of the punishments described were contrary to accepted theories of today, they were proba- bly quite an accurate reflection of the methods used by many teachers in this society. Appearance of Schools The appearance of schools was seldom described in the books analyzed. When descriptions were given, they were primarily negative. Most schools appeared to be old and large, presenting a prison-like, unfriendly facade. 233 A new school was mentioned only once. In light of all of the construction of school buildings, it would seem that more new schools should be present in books for children. The appearance of the schools in these books could probably foster negative feelings on the part of children toward school. It was interesting to find that one-room and two- room schools were mentioned three times. Security Measures in Schools Two references to security measures in school were found. The practice of keeping school doors locked was presented in one book. In another book a policeman some- times guarded the door. Both of these instances referred to large schools in large cities. Probably more of this actually occurs in this society. Summary of Findings Although many positive references to school or education were found in the books analyzed, negative atti- tudes appeared to be more prevalent. The negative expres- sions also seemed to be more intense or more emphatic. Stronger feelings were portrayed and further explanations for the negative feelings were given. Even when positive or neutral attitudes were found, pleasure or enjoyment seldom appeared to be associated with school. Children were not against school, but they were not eager to go to school. 234 The answers to the questions posed at the begin- ning of the chapter would seem to be: 1. References to school and education were found in approximately three-fourths of the books analyzed. This was probably an accurate reflection of the amount of time spent in school by children. The inclusion of school or education in books for children seemed adequate. 2. Although many positive attitudes toward school and education were found, the majority of the expressions appeared to be negative. The negative attitudes also appeared to be more intense. 3. The questions and charges cited in the intro- duction were substantiated by specific passages in several books. References in many other books implied confirma- tion of those charges. 4. The image of school and education seemed to be that it was an unavoidable part of life, essential for a good job, but not necessarily a source of enjoyment. CHAPTER VII DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY From the analysis of references concerning home, school, and church as well as from passages describing actions of children, evidence was sought that would either support or refute the charges raised in the intro- duction: (1) there is an attitude of permissiveness in our society which results in an increasing lack of responsibility on the part of children; and (2) rigid value systems of families are resulting in an increasing lack of responsibility and a rejection of these systems by younger people. Presentation of Findings In the category "Development of Personal Respon- sibility" two sub-categories were identified: (1) Accep- tance of Responsibility; and (2) Lack of Responsibility. Acceptance of Responsibility Passages indicating acceptance of responsibility commensurate with the age of the child or beyond were found frequently. 235 236 One pattern found was that of a child seeking a job to help with family finances. In Striped Ice Cream by Jean Lexau the eleven year old son found odd jobs to help support the family. "Well, I'd better get to work," Abe said. "I'm going to help the regular delivery boy at the store up on Grove Street today. His brother's sick. A lot of people have their stuff delivered over there." "Oh, Abe, those heavy boxes!" Cecily said. Abe said, "It's just for a few days. Don't worry. And don't tell Mama until it's over. It won't hurt me. He has a bike and everything." (Pp. 79-80.) A girl who gave up her chance to buy clothes for a coming year with a new family in a new town where she would attend school in order to help her family was por- trayed in Lots of Love, Lucinda by Bianca Bradbury. "Mama wanted me to buy clothes with the money I'd saved while I was working, but I couldn't. I made her take it. She'll miss my wages, she'll have a real rough year, I hate to think how rough. But learning means an awful lot to her. When the prin- cipal of our high school came and told her he'd recommended me for the education project, she thought this chance came straight from heaven." (P. 44.) Another girl who gave personally needed money to help her family was found in Bayou Belle by George Smith. Dustie, who was working in the garment factory in Providence to make money for college, helped with the Potter expenses more than she should. Still, it wasn't enough, with prices on practically everything going up. The sad thing about it, Dustie hated the monotonous work at the sewing machine but she was too proud to borrow the money. Willie knew all this and it troubled him. (P. 12.) 237 Older children as sole support of the family were mentioned in at least three books. Typical of this pattern was this passage from Who Needs Rainbows by Ivy Ruckman. "Seems there are seven children in the family," Mr. Chandy continued, "and David is the sole support. His mother gets a small pension from the county, but it doesn't amount to much. Actually, she seemed worried that I might not keep him on as janitor." (P. 26.) Children working to help defray school or college expenses were also found. Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura contained an example of this. "I can't wait to tell Dad about my job," Merrie said happily. "Isn't it wonderful?" "Yeah, I guess," Mike said. "But with all your studies and football games to go to and all, why did you want a job so bad?" Merrie stared at him almost unbelieving. "You..of all people. Why, Mike, don't you remember how anxious you were before you got the kids? Why did you want a job so much?" Mike felt himself coloring under her direct glance. He couldn't tell her the real truth. He only shrugged. "I'm a boy," he said vaguely. She laughed. "And I'm a girl. That doesn't mean I can't be a help to Mom and Dad, does it?" (P. 61.) Many other examples of children working for various reasons were found in the books. Some had part- time jobs, some worked only sporadically, and some carried full-time jobs in addition to school. Children accepting responsibility for parents or for parents behavior was another pattern found in this sub- category. A seven year old girl is shown caring for her younger brother and sister when her mother fails to in Sue Ellen by Edith Hunter. 238 "Ma," she called. "Ma." She had to shout over the television. "Did you put the medicine on Barbara and the baby?" "No,” said her mother. "They been out playin'." "I'll get them in and wash them up," said Sue Ellen. "Then you can put it on all of us." . . . "What do you need hot water for?" asked Mrs. Stokley, crossly. She had grown up in the mountains where they didn't even have running water, never mind hot water. She didn't see why anyone needed to wash in hot water. . . . "Mrs. Carboni said the medicine ain't goin' to do no good if we're dirty. If I get hot water I can get the kids cleaner," explained Sue Ellen. "Oh, all right, but don't you get them kids in here 'till the kettle's steamin'," said Mrs. Stokley. "I'll turn it on." "And Ma," said Sue Ellen. Since her mother had agreed to the hot water perhaps she'd agree to some- thing else. "Can I bring the kids into the bedroom? I'll play school with them. They won't bother you none." (Pp. 87-88.) Responsibility toward a drunkard father was por- trayed in Lefty's Bgy by Richard Drdek. "He stinks, and he can't stand his own stink. He crawls up those steps, hating himself and hating what he's doing to himself. He's dirty and he stinks. He's 'like some lousy dog that's been on the prowl for a week. So I undress him and wash him, and I feed him soup and black coffee. When he looks up at me and laughs and says, 'Gee, kid. I really hung one on,’ he's human again. But how many times can I go through it? I keep telling myself that next time I'll walk out on him and let him clean himself up. Next time, I tell myself, I won't be here. But I always am." (Pp. 39-40.) The cares and worries that accompany acceptance of responsibility were illustrated by another group of pas- sages. The Karters by William Gault portrayed a boy being shunned by both sides for staying with his convictions. 239 I heard footsteps on the concrete and turned to see my dad standing there. "You look sour," he said. "Something go wrong out there after we left? " "Not much. I'm getting a reputation for being stuffy." He laughed. "Naturally. You're a citizen, Tom. You have a sense of responsibility. If you're determined to be a citizen, it's best not to be too thin-skinned. Am I making sense?" "As usual," I admitted. "I always seem to be the man in the middle." "It's a lonely place to be," he said. "However, your major vice is likely to keep you there." "And what's my major vice?" "You can see both sides of a question," he told me. "Come on, it's time for dinner." (Pp. 104-105.) A girl being shunned by her friend because of a responsible act was also shown in Ringgand Walk In by Thelma Owens. "Okay," he said cheerfully, "so she won't. You still had to do what you did. Responsibility means caring for people—-for old ladies who are crippled, like Mrs. Gentle, and young girls who are silly, like Ceil. When you can accept responsibility and its hurts, you've grown up. Now," he said, "wipe your nose and quit acting as if you're as young as Ceil." (P. 134.) A fuller explanation of what it means to accept responsibility was found in Sudden Iron by John Clarke. They'd made a lot of promises, sucked him in, cheated him. His jaw jutted out, and he turned to his father, accusations pushing in his throat. And his dad, who was watching him said very quietly: fJudging values is up to each one of us." . . . He stared, tight-jawed, at a shiny spot on the rear fender of his rod where the sun was hitting, a million things pouring through him. "They're a bunch of crooks," he muttered. His dad nodded. "They're crooked," he said. Bob bit his lip. "You mean I am, too, if I try to sell this?" 240 His dad was silent, and Bob knew that the silence meant he, himself, had to answer. "Okay," he muttered. "You could go to the Better Business Bureau and report them," his father said. "Why?" Bob asked sharply. "Responsibility," his father said. "So somebody else won't get hurt." Bob struggled with his feelings. "Why me?" he demanded. "I could just quit." "You could," his dad said, not answering the rest of it. "Oh, boy!" he muttered, and his father said nothing. Bob thought of the fat, wheezy.man. He didn't care if the deal was crooked. He thought of the sharpie--he'd probably sold a dozen coolers. And then he thought of the young boy, and the anxious look on his face, and the way his toes were worn. And he thought of something else, too—-himself. He'd have to live with himself, and he wouldn't much like knowing he'd ducked it. "What would I have to do?" he muttered. "Just go," his dad said. "Make a report. Want me to go with you?" Bob shot a look at him. "Would you?" he asked. "Of course," his father said. "How about tomorrow?" So they went. It wasn't as bad as Bob had expected. They filled in a report, turned in the fan and sales pamphlets, and a man behind a desk asked some questions, and checked his files. "It's not the first complaint we've had," he said, and for a minute Bob thought that he hadn't had to come at all; somebody else had already reported. Then he was glad he hadn't said the thought out loud. The man thanked them and, as he and his dad walked down the long, cool marble corridor of the building, Bob's mind was turning over like a mill at the lights. Caveat emptor--that was okay if buyers were all smart. But some of them weren't, they were only trusting. And beware didn't just mean: look out, you'll be cheated! It meant something else: beware of being the cheater. He was up in his room after dinner, alone, not wanting to be with the family. Not that they were going to talk about what had happened. Not that they_were 241 against him. ’That's what made it tough; the thing that kept pulling you up when you wanted to duck out. If you could just escape to some place where nobody cared what you did, you wouldn't have problems. Only then, Bob thought, you wouldn't have anybody who cared whether you did or not, and that was Alonesville. It was a mess. (Pp. 95-97.) Numerous examples of children accepting responsi- bility for their own behaviors in various situations were found. In Sky on Fire by D. S. Halacy, Jr., Ken accepted the blame for a fight on the football field. . . . I hate to have to go to Mr. Sargeant with this." "Do you have to?" Ken asked. "Look, I guess it was my fault. I' m the dumb one. I've got no scholarship at stake and I wasn't going to be in the game anyway. Put me off the team." "I had already intended to do that, Walton," Lacey said evenly. "But I'm glad to hear you say what you did. Now maybe I'll just try to keep this little secret out here in the gym. No need bothering Mr. Sargent when he's got so many bigger problems. Eh?" "Right. I'd hate to see Marvin get in trouble." "Let's see how well you can button that lip, then. How's your face feel?" "Like a railroad tie hit me," Ken said. "But I'm all right." "In my book you are, Walton. . . ." (P. 44.) In Hank_by Dorothy Broderick a boy admits his part in an illegal activity, tries to prevent another, and is willing to accept punishment for what he has done. "What's your role in this?" Hank stared down at the slugs and began arranging them into designs on the table top. He looked up at the sergeant and said, "I'm supposed to be there. Last night I helped plan the whole thing and tonight I'm supposed to drive one of the two cars Red expects to load up." "But you don't want to go." "No . II 242 II my? ll "Why?" Hank echoed. "That's what I asked--why don't you want to go?" "Well, gee...I mean, Red's a crook. He's got to be stopped," Hank said softly. "So, Red's a crook. What about you? After all, you're sitting there telling me you have counterfeit coins in your possesSion, which is a federal crime, and are an accessory before the fact to a state crime. You must be aware of the trouble that can get you into." "I know. I'm confused about a lot of things. But I just know I had to tell you, to try and begin to straighten things out. I never should have gone to Milltown and I sure never should have gone back. But I did. I'm willing to take what's coming to me--even if I don't like it." (Pp. 134-135.) A fifteen-year-old boy took responsibility for deciding his own future in Lefty's Bgy by Richard Drdek. Then Barnaby realized that this was not a matter for the Fates to decide. He had to do what he had to do. He had to leave the past and try to do the best he could with the future. That was what John meant when he talked about taking a risk. John had made a decision, had taken the risk, when he had picked up the stone that he threw at the Russian tank. This decision was going to be his, Barnaby's decision. Barnaby asked the next man who left the dining room, "Which way is it to Cleveland?" (P. 199.) Another boy taking responsibility for his own actions was found in Sudden Iron by John Clarke. Bob stood up, the decision he had made clear and hard in his mind. It had been tough to make it. The toughest thing he had ever had to do, but he was not going to falter now. "You all know the kind of talk there's been in the papers," he said. "You know I was on Glen Street the night the dog was hit, and you've censured me for it." His shoulders straightened back harder. "I've got the club in trouble. I'm going to the papers and tell them I was the one. And I hereby tender my resignation from the South Siders so that no more blame will fall on you." (P.'l82.) 243 A younger boy was found taking responsibility for his own actions in Reggie's No-Good Bird by Nellie Burchardt. , He ruffed up Benjie's ears the way he knew the dog liked. He'd been mean to Benjie, Reggie thought. Sure, people had been unfair to him in school, but that wasn't Benjie's fault. A lot of unfair things happened to a lot of people, but a guy couldn't go on all his life taking it out on others, or crying and running to Mommy like that little kid in the barrel. Sitting around feeling no-good wasn't any answer, either. (P. 122-123.) Many examples were found in which children dis- played in some way acceptance of responsibility toward society or toward other people. The content of theSe passages was varied but all expressed a feeling of doing something because it had to be done or because it was the right thing to do. In Listen Lissa by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar, Melissa was involved in many volunteer community projects. "Melissa, dear, must you tear off again?" asked Mrs. Preston . . . "It seems to me I hardly see you any more." "But, Mother, somebody has to help that child," Melissa answered, referring to Tommy Robertson, the brain-injured boy whose patterning therapy she had taken on at the suggestion of Dr. Humphreys. (P. 114.) In Pancake Special by Margaret and George Ogan, a boy and his father who were both injured in a rescue mission were portrayed as having to take part in the rescue even at the cost of injury to themselves. Responsibility toward an injured man even though he had tried to kill her was portrayed in Gail in Signpost to Terror by Gretchen Sprague. 244 Lew was alive, and Gail was not free. She turned and let her eyes fall on him. He lay in a heap, half on his side, half prone, knees bent, head forward, arms flung forward. The gray sweatshirt was rain-streaked and heavy against him; she could see the outline of the gun in his hip pocket. The rain pelted down. She went to him. "Don't!" cried Martin again. "Come on!" She shook her head. "He's alive," she called. "We can't leave him." (Pp. 193-194.) In Action at Paradise Marsh by Ester Wier, a young boy was found sacrificing his pet rainbow trout to help save the marsh from the people who wanted to drain it and build a housing project there. "I'll stay," Radish said. It was a matter of honor to- him not to run away and leave everything for Mr. Moon to do, no matter how much he would like to. "If... when...we get him in that net, I'll ride my bike to the hatchery and get Nels to bring something big enough to carry him back in." He hesitated a minute before adding, "Nels has ice and stuff like that and he'll know the best way to..." He didn't finish the sentence. (P. 121.) Children who performed some heroic action and couldn't understand why people made such a fuss when they were only doing what had to be done were shown in several books. In A Dash of Pepper by Thelma Bell, Clyde just wanted the whole thing to be forgotten. Clyde sighed impatiently. Here it was again. More complimentary words. Didn't they know the thing was ancient history? No one but Jeff really understood how he had felt since the ride. Jeff neither praised nor envied. He continued to be his practical self and, in contrast to the acclaim of others, Jeff's comments and questions were a relief. "Say, did you try Pepper at the fences? Might be a jumper, you 245 never can tell." All down to earth and natural and carrying Clyde along, not rolling his hour's achieve- ment into a huge snowball of accomplishment. (Pp. 151-152.) ‘ A young boy who did not want to be rewarded after saving a little girl's life was found in Run Away Home by Mary Francis Shura. "They wanted to reward you for what you did," Dad said, "but I told them you'd rather not be paid. I was right, wasn't I?" "Of course you were," Mike replied quickly. (P. 132.) Children displaying responsibility by paying their own debts were found several times in the books analyzed. In Mary on Roller Skates by Emma Brock, Mary used her own money to replace groceries she dropped while carrying them for a neighbor. "I have some money I earned before. We can figure out how much is gone and we can buy some more groceries to replace them," Mary promised. (P. 12.) In Inside the Gate by Mildred Lawrence a boy insisted on paying a debt even though he won a race which was supposed to cancel the debt. "When you won the race, all fair and square?" "Doesn't make any difference," he said stubbornly. "I owe him, and I'm not going to weasel out of it. I don't want to be--" His voice shook a little. "If I don't pay, I'm a slob like him, see?" (P. 172.) Robin, in The Shy Ones by Lynn Hall, accepted responsibility for paying any expenses that the treatment of a dog might incur. Dr. Cook cleared his throat. "I hate to bring up an ugly subject like money, but if no one claims her-- well, there will be expenses, setting the leg and all." 246 Robin lifted her chin and looked him in the eye. "Don't worry, Dr. Cook. I'll be responsible. Could I see her again before I go?" (P. 23.) The children in the books many times displayed responsibility by performing their jobs around the home or by not asking for things they knew their parents could not afford. In Striped Ice Cream by Joan Lexau, the children not only worked around the neighborhood when they could find jobs, they also regularly helped at home. After breakfast the next morning all the children helped their mother clean the apartment as they always did on Saturday. It was Becky's week for making the bed where she slept with Maude and Flo. It was the job she hated most. (P. 10.) In Another Man O'War by C. W. Anderson, Sally faithfully exercised her colt even though it sometimes would have been easier to stay inside the house. When her grandfather told her that horses lost con- dition and took on fat during the winter she decided this would not happen to their colt. So in all weather she and the chestnut colt were a familiar sight, Sally sometimes so bundled up she resembled a small Santa Claus. (P. 67.) Although the previous excerpts were representative of the passages found in the books which expressed respon- sibility, it should be stressed that these were just a sample. Many other references were found. Lack of Responsibility The absence of personal responsibility was seldom found in the books analyzed. When it was found, the problem was usually resolved by the end of the book with 247 the child maturing and accepting reSponsibility for his own actions. Only one reference was found specifically mentioning society as a cause of lack of responsibility. This was in A Name for Himself by Amelia Walden. "Now I have one thing more to say to you. I believe you have the sickness of your generation. You have been given both too much and too little. You have a family which you do not seem to appreciate. You have a home, clothes, food, the comfort of being able to belong. Yet you seem to be lacking in gratitude. There have been many generations in America that have called themselves lost. Yours perhaps, without call- ing itself that, is truly lost. Lost most especialiy in feeling. "I hope you will find yourself. Nothing I can say here today can make you find yourself. We cannot force you to find yourself. We can only, as I say, hope that you will." The gavel came down, hard, three times. Vito listened to the sound. He was free. He turned and with a nod from Al Rosselli he walked out, not the door that would have taken him past his family. He could not face them. He wanted to run. To run, run, run. (Pp. 118-119.) Lack of responsibility was displayed consistently by Norrie in Reach for the Dream by Mildred Lawrence. However, more maturity could be seen by the end of the story. "I'm sorry." It was the only thing Norrie could think of to say. "Sorry because you did it or sorry because you got caught?" Mrs. W. asked in a level voice. Norrie honestly didn't know. Probably sorry because she might lose her job, and then what would Mom say? "You can take the time out of my pay." "That's not the point. The point is that I depended on you, and you went vaporing off without even think- ing about what you were supposed to be doing." Norrie quivered as Mrs. W's words washed oVer her like an 248 icy spray. "Suppose the place had caught fire or somebody had broken in and stolen the silver or wrecked the Doll House?" (P. 58.) Although it was a form of rebellion, Joey in A Dog for Joey by Nan Gilbert displayed lack of responsibility by stealing rather than performing his own chores. This was rebellion and the boy became very responsible by the end of the story. He didn't want to steal; he had no intention of stealing ever again. But now in spite of himself he began sneaking sidelong glances at every locker he passed. Of course an open locker was no guarantee of money inside. But if there just happened to be some lying around, and if Joey just happened to be alone in the hall... "It isn't stealing!" Joey reassured himself. "I'll put every penny back, soon as I get my money from Pa." To prove his sincerity, he had made a tiny, cryptic entry in the back of his notebook: "121--64¢." By midweek another notation appeared beneath the first in his notebook: "lS4--15¢." And then another: "239--10¢." (P. 65.) A more serious and lasting lack of responsibility was found in secondary characters in Who Needs Rainbows by Ivy Ruckman. This lack of responsibility was not resolved by the end of the story and permissiveness appeared to be a partial cause. Anne, the central charac- ter, had dropped out of Tops, the girls' club, because the club members would not accept her friend Maxy who was a Negro. "Teddy? She was stealing?" "Not stealing, Anne!" Jane pursed her lips. "That's a perfectly vulgar word for it. Besides, we all do it." 249 "You all...do what?" "Shoplift, if that's what you're used to calling it. Half my clothes still have price tags on them. Well, don't stare at me, Anne. Everybody does it!" "I've never heard of such a thing!" Anne frowned.* "But why? Your folks all have money. You don't need to--to steal." "Anne," Jane laughed, "cut the sermon. Who wants to buy clothes? Dad has three charge accounts in my name. I can buy anything I want." "Well, then..." "Don't you see how exciting it is? You get a pile of clothes you want to try on and then just glob every- thing together in the dressing room. Those dumb clerks never know what you've got. Then you walk out wearing two skirts! Maybe you even pgy_something else, just to throw them off." . . . "Your folks don't know, do they?" Anne finally managed to ask. "Oh, Lord, no! They'd ship me off to a girl's school so fast I wouldn't know what happened..." Jane paused, then looked narrowly at Anne. "And they're never going to know, either--that's where you come in." "I don't get it," Anne said. "Well, like you admitted, you would like to be back in Tops..." "Sure, but..." "Just listen, now, and I'll explain how easy it is. . . . "You see, Cynthia and I had operated in Harmon's before. We didn't even intend to do any 'shopping' there last Thursday. It was just that-~well, it was Teddy's first time, and we were going along for moral support." . . . Jane talked for a long time, and when she finished Anne knew the situation pretty well. Teddy hadn't been careful enough. The girls were stOpped on their way out of the store by a matronly looking woman who asked that they go with her upstairs. There, of course, the woman found the stolen sweater. She took Teddy into an inner office, and stayed there just long enough for Cynthia and Jane to escape down the freight elevator and into the alley behind the store. "Wouldn't Teddy have to give your names, anyway?" Anne asked. 250 "Heck no! Even while we were still there, she told the clerk she didn't know who we were, that we just happened to leave the store when she did." "And you let Teddy take all the blame?" "Of course. She won't talk. It could have been Cynthia or me just as well. Teddy knows that." "Where"--Anne was almost afraid to ask--”uh...where do I fit in?" . . . "That old bag down at Harmon's called the dean of girls at school and reported Teddy. She also said she suspected her 'two friends' of taking items in the store. She absolutely insisted that she's seen us around before. So now we three have to appear before the dean and the principal right after school Monday for that saleslady to identify us." "She'll remember you, won't she?" Anne was still trying to figure Jane's angle. "Of course, but that doesn't mean anyone will believe her. Cynthia's mother's coming to school Monday to vouch that Cynthia was at home with her Thursday after school." "Her mother's going to do that?" "Cyn's mother would do anything for her!" "I still don't see how I can help," Anne said. "All you have to do is come with me to the dean's office. Tell her we were together Thursday after school. Where we were doesn't matter, just so we have the same story-~one they can't check on." Jane looked pleased with herself. "Easy, huh?" . . . "Why are you asking fig?" Anne stalled for time, think- ing how nice it would be to rejoin Tops. "Frankly, you're the only girl I can trust. No one else knows, and if I told any of my so-called friends, it would be all over town in no time. I just had a hunch you'd keep your mouth shut, that's all. What do you say?" "I...don't know. I wish I could help you." . . . "But you gap help! It's so easy. One little innocent lie on your part can save my whole reputation," Jane urged impatiently. "And," she said with meaning, "belonging to Tops could do things for Maxy that your friendship would never do." "You make it sound attractive," Anne agreed, "but I wish now you hadn't told me anything at all. What if I did help you out? Would you stop...shoplifting?" 251 "Oh, come on, Anne," Jane grinned. "Don't take all my kicks!" Then seeing the determined look on Anne's face, she swung around in the car and put the key in the ignition. "Okay, okay! I promise. No more fun and games for Jane. From now on everything goes on the charge accounts." Jane started the engine. "It's all set for Monday after school, then. Where shall we say we were Thursday? Was anybody home at your place?" "Now, wait, Jane! I can't just stand there and tell a bold-faced lie. Can't we think of some decent way to work it out?" Anne sounded genuinely sympathetic. "Decent way?" Jane was nearly screaming. "Look, Jane. Why don't you just admit being with Teddy? You didn't take anything then. You'd at least be able to live with yourself." "I like living with myself just as I am! Haven't you heard that Jane Croft doesn't have a conscience?" . . . "No, Anne, I think you'll help me. I could start some pretty dirty rumors around Washington High, and you wouldn't want me to do that." "What do you mean?" Anne asked, . . . "I mean that you and David could have an awfully murky affair. Everyone loves scandal. You told me yourself that Dave and you were practically working side by side at your church." Jane laughed maliciously. "I could make up a really nasty one about you two." "Jane, you wouldn't do a thing like that!" Anne had a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Look, Anne," Jane's voice was hateful. "People listen to me. In an hour, your cozy basement rendez- vous with David Sewleski will have the hottest tag in school." . . - "You also told me you were going back to New York for the summer. That's convenient, too, isn't it? You'll be having Dave's baby there." Suddenly Anne's hand lashed out, and before she even knew what was happening, she'd struck Jane hard across the mouth. . . . "Now you've done it!" Jane snarled once she got the car back under control. "Boy, am I going to smear you! Nothing could stop me now!" "Ever try to stop a juicy rumor? It'll be good experi- ence for you," Jane said venomously as Anne got out. 252 "Did it ever occur to you"--Anne's voice shook-~"that I know your secret and can do as much damage with the truth as you can with your lies?" "You don't have the guts!" Jane's face was pinched with anger, and the veins stood out in her neck. "Besides, how many friends do y92_have? Two! And one of them's a nigger!" (Pp. 137-141.) Discussion of Findings The two charges which provided the basis for the category "Development of Personal Responsibility" were: (1) there is an attitude of permissiveness in our society which results in an increasing lack of responsibility on the part of children; and (2) rigid value systems of families are resulting in an increasing lack of responsi- bility and a rejection of these systems by younger people. The sub-categories found were acceptance of responsibility and lack of responsibility. Children's behavior patterns which indicated either acceptance of responsibility commensurate with their age level or lack of responsibility were discernable in almost all of the books. It appeared that there was abundant material in the books analyzed to provide background information for children concerning responsible and irresponsible behavior. Acceptance of Responsibility Many different behavior patterns indicating acceptance of responsibility by children were found in the books analyzed. One pattern that appeared repeatedly 253 was that of a child working outside of the home to help with family finances. The amount of time spent in work- ing varied primarily according to the age of the child with some older children working full time as well as attending school. Although the majority of children working were from lower class families, several children from middle class families also had jobs. The difference appeared to be that children from lower class families worked so that their families could survive while children from middle class families worked to earn money for a special project. Achievement did appear to be the moti- vating factor in most instances. Children accepting responsibility for their parents' behavior was another pattern found. In several books the children appeared to be more responsible than the parents. The idea that responsibility and growing up brings some discomfort or pain was depicted in several books. It was indicated that to be true to one's own convictions sometimes brought about disapproval from peers. The con- cept seemed to be that it was important to uphold con- victions even though it would have been easier not to. Children taking responsibility for their actions and accepting the consequences were frequently portrayed in the books analyzed. There were very few instances of a child placing the blame on someone else for his actions. 254 Responsibility toward society as well as family was frequently depicted. The content of the passages varied but the general theme was that some action was undertaken because it had to be done or it was the right thing to do. Many other behavior patterns that implied accep- tance of responsibility were found. It appeared that, in general, most children in the books analyzed did accept responsibility commensurate with their age level and in many cases even beyond. Lack of Responsibility The absence of personal responsibility in children was seldom found in the books analyzed. When it was found, it usually appeared to be just a phase that the child was going through and often a single irresponsible act was the result of rebellion against something. In almost all instances the problem was resolved by the end of the book with the child maturing and accepting responsibility for his own actions. One book, A Name for Himself, specifically men- tioned permissiveness of society as a cause of irrespon- sibility in youth. However, there were so many compli- cating factors in this book that it was impossible to trace the cause of the boy's lack of responsibility directly to permissiveness in society. 255 One book was found to substantiate the charge that rebellion against rigid value systems of families was the cause of lack of responsibility in children. This was A Dog for Joey by Nan Gilbert. Joey rebelled against his father's "Old Country" ideas, stole money, and acted in an altogether irresponsible manner. How- ever, he completely changed by the end of the book and was then portrayed as almost a model boy. The only other books in which children displayed a serious lack of responsibility were Reach for the Dream ‘ and Who Needs Rainbows. ‘The girl in Reach for the Dream seldom completed anything she began and could not be relied upon. Her progress in maturing and accepting responsibility was apparent. Although her father was dead, her mother did not appear to be permissive. Lack of responsibility was shown by a secondary character in Who Needs Rainbows. This problem apparently was not resolved. Summary of Findings In general, the theme that seemed to run through all the 125 books was that responsibility was a virtue. While no direct moralizing was done, the implication at times seemed to be that responsible behavior would be praised or rewarded. In other cases, responsible behavior was eXpected and accepted as a natural mode of behavior. 256 There were numerous indications of responsible behavior and few indications of lack of responsibility in children. At times the behavior appeared almost too good to be true. To answer the charges, then, one book was found to substantiate each charge. Most of the examples in the other books would refute those accusations. CHAPTER VIII SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The purpose of this study was to analyze the treat- ment of the home, the church and the school as they have been depicted in realistic fiction books dealing with contemporary American society which were published between the years 1965 and 1969 and included in selected recommended book lists for children between the ages of nine and four- teen. The major questions which this study sought to answer were: What attitudes toward these three basic institu- tions--the home, the church, and the school-~are expressed explicitly or implicitly in children's contemporary realistic fiction? Are the following questions and charges substanti- ated in the attitudes which are embodied in literature for children: 1. The family is portrayed as relatively less important than it was in previous generations. 257 258 2. Family structure is becoming increasingly loose. 3. There isxan attitude of permissiveness in our society which results in an increasing lack of responsibility on the part of children. 4. Rigid value systems of families are resulting in an increasing lack of responsibility and a rejection of these systems by younger people. 5. Schools are not providing relevant materials. 6. Teachers are not practicing currently accept- able methodology. 7. There is a loss of faith in churches and organized religion. 8. Young people are turning away from churches and labeling them hypocritical. What is the image of the family as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? What is the image of the church as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? What is the image of the school as it is presented in children's realistic fiction? A review of the liyerature revealed no other studies dealing specifically with the treatment of the home, the church, and the school in American realistic fiction for children. 259 A random sample of 125 books listed in selected recommended book lists was investigated for this study. Twenty-five books for each of the years 1965 through 1969 were included. The books met the following criteria: (1) published during the years 1965 through 1969; (2) realistic fiction portraying a contemporary setting in the United States; (3) recommended as being of interest to children nine to fourteen years of age. The method used to analyze the treatment of the home, the church and the school as they have been depicted incontemporary realistic fiction for children was content assessment. Four broad categories were chosen for inves- tigation: Importance of Family and Family Structure; Importance of Religion; Importance of Education; and Development of Personal Responsibility. Each of the 125 books was read thoroughly and all passages referring to any of the four broad categories were recorded. These passages were then classified into sub-categories as identified in Chapters IV, V, VI and VII. The passages in these sub-categories were used as the basis for making judgments and drawing conclusions to answer the questions raised in the study. The results of the study were as follows: Importance of the Family and Fami y Structure Of the 125 books analyzed for this study, 123 contained some reference to family. Several of these 123 260 books contained only passing references to family; however, in the majority of the books the family occupied a promi- nent place in the story. The majority (66 per cent) of the families were middle class Caucasians. No middle class Negroes, Orientals, or American Indians were portrayed as primary families in the books analyzed. Fathers were found in a variety of specific occu- pations although no details of the jobs were given. The majority of mothers did not work outside of the home. The percentage of working mothers was much greater in the two lower classes. The majority of the families in the books lived in suburban or small town areas. Usually only lower class families lived in urban or rural areas. In each socio-economic group except lower class, the majority of the families had both parents living in the home. While death and divorce were the primary reasons for children living with one parent or other adults in middle class families, desertion and death appeared to be the main reasons in lower class families. Most families had one or two children. Lower class families had more children than did middle class families. The largest family in the books was composed of six children. Attitudes expressed by a child toward a parent were respect for parent, pride in parent, need for 261 parental approval and attention, love of parents and gratitude toward them, and rejection of‘parents. Posi- tive expressions greatly outnumbered negative expressions. Expressions of love and gratitude were found toward both mothers and fathers. Expressions of pride and respect were primarily for fathers. The children in the books displayed a great need for parental approval and attention. Attitudes expressed by parents toward a child were love of child, pride or trust in child, and rejection of child. Rejection was seldom found. Expressions of love and pride were numerous. The attitudes presented were primarily positive. The need of a degree of independence from parents was found repeatedly as was parental understanding of this need. Children, for the most part, were granted independence appropriate for their age level. Possessive or overprotective parents were seldom found. Thirty instances of family pride were found pri- marily in books about lower class families. These people were unwilling to accept charity or assistance because it was degrading. Numerous indications of parental guidance were found in such forms as discussions, advice, rules, stan- dards of behavior, and discipline. The forms of disci- pline were primarily a child being sent to his room or being given a spanking. 262 The children in the books seemed to unquestionably accept ethical standards. There was no apparent moraliz- ing. Confusion caused by contradictory adult behaviors was found several times. The children found it difficult to understand why adults would say one thing and act in an opposing manner. Many examples were found which expressed rejection of family or society's standards. Displays of prejudice were rejected eight times. Two children rejected the ' unconventionality of their parents. These examples usu- ally took the form of positive action. Indications of the need for family and the impor- tance of family were found repeatedly. Children from divorced homes expressed hope that their parents would reunite. Children also worked to keep brothers and sisters together after the death of one or both parents. Thirty passages referred to the sense of security provided by a family and the importance of belonging to a family group. Although more child—child interaction occurred, there were numerous examples of family interaction such as family trips or excursions. In many instances, rebellion found in a child was the direct result of a change in his family structure due to death, divorce, or illness. Rebellion took many forms such as lying, stealing, overeating, running away, or unacceptable behavior. 263 Atypical family situations included foster fami- lies, adopted families, and stepfamilies. The attitudes toward foster families and adopted families were positive. The attitudes toward stepfamilies were overwhelmingly negative. Relatively few examples of sibling interaction were found when consideration was given to the fact that seventy-three of the 123 books mentioning families con- tained families with two or more children. The patterns found were love of siblings, pride in siblings, jealousy or resentment of siblings, defense of siblings, and daily interaction. Daily interaction appeared to consiSt pri- marily of quarreling. Importance of Religion and ReligiOus Education Fifty-seven of the 125 books in the study con- tained some reference to religion. Eleven books contained more than a casual or a passing reference to religion. In seven of the eleven books, positive attitudes toward religion were found in lower class families; two books presented positive attitudes in middle class Jewish fami- lies; one book presented positive attitudes in a story about a middle class minister's family. One book expressed primarily negative attitudes in a middle class family. While there were many references to church, most of them were very casual and did not contain either a 264 positive or negative attitude. When attitudes were expressed or implied there were approximately the same number of positive and negative feelings. The negative feelings seemed to have more impact. There were occa- tional references to church activities, both educational and social. These also had primarily neutral connotations. The Bible was mentioned fourteen times with a religious connotation. Excerpts from the Bible were given infrequently. Prayer was mentioned twenty-four times. Seventeen of those occasions were prayers asking for some- thing and two were prayers of thanksgiving. Ten examples of grace at mealtime were found. The attitudes expressed were primarily neutral or positive; however, several nega- tive expressions were also found. Explanations or descriptions of religious customs or beliefs were found for only the Jewish and Catholic faiths. Only three instances of religious observances in the home were found. These included two Jewish obser- vances and one Christian observance. The need for faith was found in four passages. These were primarily expressions of faith as a source of comfort or strength. Rejection of religion was found in six references in five books. Of these, two were rejection of organized religion and four were rejection of religion in general. In five instances the rejection was by children. 265 God as a punishing agent was found in six passages in four books. There were nineteen implied criticisms of religion. These were primarily of persons professing Christianity. Criticisms of other religions and religion in general also were found. Importance of Education Ninety-six of the 125 books in the study (77 per cent) contained references to school. The frequency, length, and content of the references varied greatly. A wide range of attitudes, from positive to strongly nega- tive, was found. Many passages were found which referred to school personnel. Some of these passages were descriptions of teachers or principals while others were expressions of feelings toward teachers or principals. While both posi- tive and negative attitudes were found, the negative expressions appeared to be more emphatic. Negative attitudes were found approximately twice as often as were positive attitudes in expressions of student feelings about principals. In general comments about teachers expressing a thought or describing a teacher, there were more negative expressions than posi- tive expressions. There were several patterns of descriptions of teachers, most of which tended to be stereotyped. In 266 general, the women teachers were young and pretty; middle- aged, motherly and plump; or old and withered. The men were usually bald and wore glasses or were tall, slender, scholarly-looking and wore glasses. Personality traits were very stereotyped and usually projected negative atti- tudes. In general, teachers were portrayed as being bossy, rigid, efficient, rule-oriented, excessively neat, and "dried-up." Only three references were made to teaching as a career all of which had negative overtones. Four references to truant officers were found in the books analyzed. These were primarily expressions of fear. References to unfair accusations of students by a teacher or principal were found in six instances. In four of the incidents the adult later apologized. How- ever, much more emphasis was given to the accusation than to the apology. Eleven teachers were specifically mentioned as showing concern for students in school and out of school. These references included such things as home visits, letters or phone calls to parents, individual talks with students, and invitations to the teacher's home. There were ten specific references to teachers harrassing students in one way or another. These refer- ences varied as to the strength of the harrassment, but 267 in each case a confused, embarrassed or rebellious student emerged. Three specific references to harrassment of teachers by students were found in two books. Approximately twenty-five expressions of a need for education were found. These fell into three patterns: education necessary for good jobs; education as a means to a better life; and education for its own sake. Although there were repeated implications of a dislike for or an indifference to school, specific state- ments of dislike for school were found in approximately twenty books. The strength of these expressions varied from casual to intense. Eight examples of parents or other interested adults who were against education were found. In each case the child in the reference wanted to continue school. In "Criticisms of Schools" all of the charges against school were found in three books. The criticisms included irrelevant materials, inadequate presentations by teachers, and an aura of phoniness over the whole edu- cative process. Many references to the content of classes or the methods used by teachers were found. The majority of these references were negative, indicating boring lessons, teachers who would only accept their own ideas, and inappropriate content. Few examples were found of interest and thought on the part of students. Relatively few 268 references were made to homework in the books analyzed. These presented attitudes varying from casual acceptance to viewing homework as a means to an end. Primarily neutral attitudes were projected. Many references were made to grades received in school or to the groups in which children were placed. Some of the references to grades showed concern; others were more matter-of-fact, accepting grades as a part of school. An awareness of ability grouping was found several times. The practice of putting a transfer stu- dent back a year was found in five references. The attitudes portrayed by the students in each case were primarily negative. The variety of classes available in a school was mentioned twice. Disappointment at the limited number of classes was found in one book while surprise at the large number of available classes was found in another book. Punishment as a means of discipline was mentioned frequently in the books containing descriptions of school. The punishment was seldom given in private and seldom 1 seemed appropriate to the misbehavior which was portrayed. School buildings were seldom described. When they were, the buildings generally appeared to be old and large. Three references were found to one-room and two-1 room schools.‘ Two references to security measures in schools were found. 269 Development of Personal Responsibility Almost all of the 125 books analyzed contained behavior patterns that indicated either acceptance of responsibility or lack of responsibility. Many behavior patterns indicating acceptance of responsibility were found. Some of these were: children working to help with family expenses or in some cases to support the family; children accepting responsibility for parents or for parental behavior; children upholding their convictions when faced with opposition or ridicule from peers; children taking responsibility for their own behaviors and accepting the consequences; children dis— playing an awareness of their place in society and their responsibility to society or to other individuals as human beings; children working to pay their debts; and children performing their household duties. Lack of responsibility was seldom found. Only one book was found to substantiate each of the charges or accusations stated in the introduction. In general, it appeared that responsibility was considered a virtue in the books analyzed. At times the children appeared to be almost too responsible. There seemed to be abundant material and infor- mation for children to react to attitudes concerning responsible and irresponsible behavior. 270 Conclusions The major conclusions with reference to the treat- ment of the home, the church and the school as they were portrayed in contemporary realistic fiction for children _ were as follows: 1. The families presented in the books were pri- marily middle class Caucasians. Negro families, when present, were usually depicted as lower-middle class or lower class. Primary families of other races were not found. A variety of attitudes toward family and family structure were presented. These attitudes were primarily positive and the importance of family was stressed repeat- edly. The children in the books, while they might dis- agree with parents or become angry with parents, valued their families and needed the security provided by a family. The strikingly negative attitude displayed toward stepfamilies and step parents raises an important question: Is it possible that in the effort to supply realistic fiction for therapeutic purposes, the reverse situation has arisen and instead of alleviating problems of children in stepfamilies more problems arise because of the nega- tive attitudes gained from reading about stepfamilies? 2. A paucity of material about religion or reli- gious activities was found. It did not appear that 271 realistic pictures of religion were portrayed. A very casual attitude toward religion was apparent in middle class families. While undoubtedly many of the attitudes found are indicative of a part of this society, it would seem that religion is important to more than just lower class or Jewish people. Very few descriptions of religious rituals or observances were found. Christmas was seldom mentioned with a religious connotation. More Jewish observances were described than any other faith. It would seem that there is not enough material available to provide children with adequate experiential background for making decisions. Rather than outright rejection of religion, the prevailing attitude seemed to be an indifference toward religion. 3. School or education was mentioned in approx- imately three-fourths of the books of the study. The attitudes presented were predominantly negative. While many favorable expressions were found, the negative atti- tudes greatly outweighed them both in intensity of feeling and importance of the statement. Schools and teachers appeared to be very stereo- typed. This was especially apparent in descriptions of characteristics of teachers. 272 More positive expressions were found in books referring to private schools or schools for exceptional children. References to content and methodology were pri- marily negative. Modern equipment or teaching methods were seldom evidenced. It would appear that the charges raised in the introduction were substantiated by the examples found in the books. 1 4. The children in the books analyzed usually displayed acceptance of responsibility commensurate with their maturity level. At times they appeared to be almost too responsible. Indications of acceptance of responsibility were found repeatedly. When lack of responsibility was displayed, the problem was usually due in part to rebellion and was usually resolved by the end of the story. Only one example was found to substantiate each of the charges raised in the introduction. The other examples appear to refute these accusations. Recommendations Results of the present study indicate that, while a diversity of attitudes toward home, church, and school are included in contemporary realistic fiction for chil- dren, the pluralistic nature of our society is not com- pletely reflected. This pluralism may be reflected more accurately if: 273 1. Books with a primary family other than middle 'class Caucasian are written, including the portrayal of middle class Negro, Oriental, Mexican-American, American Indian and other types of families. 2. Books presenting stepfamilies in a positive light are written and published. 3. More families in both rural and urban areas are presented. 4. A more positive attitude toward charity and assistance is presented. 5. More Sibling relationships are included. 6. A greater number of books including refer- ences to religion are made available. 7. More people who are neither lower class nor Jewish are presented as valuing religion. 8. People are portrayed as valuing religion in other than adverse circumstances. 9. Descriptions of religious rituals or obser- vances of various religions are included. 10. Fewer stereotyped descriptions of teachers are included. 11. More positive attitudes toward school and education are presented. The justification for these recommendations lies in the fact that, if literature does provide simulated background experiences for children and if children's 274 attitudes are influenced by the attitudes presented in literature, the pluralistic nature of society must be presented. If children are exposed to only one facet of society, then the purpose of providing vicarious back- ground experience is defeated. It is strongly urged that authors and publishers incorporate these findings and recommendations into the future realistic fiction for children. It is also urged that teachers and librarians use the information provided by this study to present a variety of views and opinions. insofar as it is possible with the books available. Implications for Further Study Several possible areas of research have been identified by this study. Using all or several of the categories and sub- categories found in this content assessment, a content analysis could be conducted with a predetermined coding procedure to determine the statistical significance of the findings. Since this was a survey study the results are necessarily more generalized. It would be interest- ing to compare the results of this study with those of a more structured content analysis. A replication of this study using books for younger children could be done including a pictorial analysis. It would be interesting to compare the results of such a study with this one to determine whether the 275 attitudes presented varied greatly with the age of the children for whom the books were written. Further investigations should be conducted to determine whether or not children's attitudes are indeed influenced by literature without accompanying discussions by teachers or other students. It is obvious from this study that books for chil- dren do portray attitudes, beliefs, and values. An inves- tigation of the awareness of students of these attitudes, beliefs, and values should be conducted. Are children aware of the attitudes present? Do they interpret them in the same manner as the adult researchers? Do adults "read into" situations attitudes of which children are not aware? Since there was such a large increase in 1969 of the percentage of books with more than a passing refer- ence to religion, it is deemed essential that a study dealing with just this tOpic should be undertaken to discover the importance of religion in books published since 1969. It would be interesting to compare the attitudes toward home, church and school in realistic fiction with those in another type of literature such as science fiction or fantasy. BIBLIOGRAPHY 276 BIBLIOGRAPHY Children's Books Adrian, Mary. Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones. New York: Hastings House, 1965. Agle, Nan Hayden. Kate and the Apple Tree. New York: Seabury Press, 1965. Anderson, C. W. Another Man O'War. New York: Macmillan Co., 1966. Barry, Lucy. Stagestruck Secretary. New York: wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Bell, Thelma. A Dash of Pepper. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1965. Blue, Rose. A Quiet Place. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969. Bonham, Frank. The Mystery of the Fat Cat. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1968. The Nitty Gritty. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1968. Bothwell, Jean. The Parsonage Parrot. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969. Bradbury, Bianca. Lots of Love, Lucinda. New York: Ives Washburn, Inc., 1966. . The Blue Year. New York: Ives Washburn, Inc., 1967. Brecht, Edith. Timothy's Hawk. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1965. Brock, Emma. Mary on Rgller Skates. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1967. Broderick, Dorothy. Hank. New York: Harper and Row, 1965. 277 278 Burchardt, Nellie. Reggie's No-Good Bird. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1967. Butterworth, W. E. Fast Green Car. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1965. Byars, Betsy. The Midnight Fox. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1968. Campbell, Hope. Why_Not Join the Giraffes? New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1968. Cavanna, Betty. A Breath of Fresh Air. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Christopher, Matthew. Long Shot for Paul. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1966. Clarke, John. Sudden Iron. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1969. Cleary, Beverly. Mitch ang Amy. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1967. Cleaver, Vera, and Cleaver, Bill. Where the Lilies Bloom. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969. Clymer, Eleanor. My Brother Stevie. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1967. Collier, James. The TeddyyBear Habit or How I Became_a Winner. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1967. Colman, Hila. Bride at Eighteen. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Conrad, Sybil. Believe in Spring. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1967. Corbett, Scott. Pippa Passes. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1966. Corcoran, Barbara. A Row of Tigers. New York: Atheneum Press, 1969. Cox, Lee Sheridan. Andygand Willie. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1967. Cretan, Gladys. All Except Sammy. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1966. 279 David, Russell. Some Town You Brought Me To! New York: Crown PubliShers, Inc., 1969. Dean, Leigh. The Looking Down Game. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1968. Donovan, John. I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. New York: Harper and Row, 1969. Drdek, Richard. Leftyjs Boy. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1969. Feagles, Anita. Me, Cassie. New York: Dial Press, 1968. . 27 Cats Next Door. New York: Young Scott Books, 1965. Fife, Dale. Who's in Charge of Lincoln? New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1965. Fisher, Laura. You Were Princess LasE Time. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965. Fitzhugh, Louise. The Long Secret. New York: Harper and Row, 1965. Fox, Paula. A Likely Place. New York: Macmillan Co., 1967. . How Many Miles to Babylon? New York: David White Co., 1967. Fritz, Jean. George Washington's Breakfast. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1969. ' Gault, William. The Karters. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1965. Gilbert, Nan. A Dog for Joey. New York: Harper and Row, 1967. Graham, Lorenz. North Town. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1965. . Whose Town. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, Co., 1969. Gray, Patsy. Norah's Ark. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1966. Greene, Constance. A Girl Called Al. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1969. 280 Halacy, D. 8., Jr. Sky on Fire. New York: Macmillan Co., 1965. Hall, Lynn. The_Shy_Ones. Chicago: Follett Publishing Co., 1967. Hayes, William D. Hold That Computer. New York: Atheneum Press, 1968. . Project: Scoop. New York: Atheneum Press, 1966. Haywood, Carolyn. Ever-Ready Eddie. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1968. Hoff, Syd. Irving and Me. New York: Harper and Row, 1967. Holberg, Ruth. Jill and the Applebird House. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1968. Huff, Roderick. The Blue Racer. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1966. Hunter, Edith. Sue Ellen. Boston, Mass.: Houghton ‘ Mifflin, 1969. Huston, Anne. The Cat Across the Way. New York: Seabury Press, 1968. Inyart, Gene. Jenny. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1966. Jones, Dorothy. An Understanding Heart. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1967. Jordan, Hope. Supermarket Sleuth. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Co., 1969. Konigsburg, E. L. About the B'nai Bagels. New York: Atheneum Press, 1969. . Jennifer, Hecatey McBeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth. New York: Atheneum Press, 1967. Koob, Theodora. The Deep Search. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969. . TheiTacky Little Icicle Shack. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1966. 281 LaFarge, Phyllis. 'TheGumdrop Necklace. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1967. Laing, Frederick. A Question of Pride. New York: Four Winds Press, 1967. Lawrence, Mildred. Inside the Gate. New York: Harcourt, A: Brace and World, Inc., 1968. . Reach for the Dream. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1967. . The Treasure agd the Song. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1966. Lee, Mildred. The Skating Rink. New York: Seabury Press, 1969. L'Engle, Madeleine. Prelude. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1968. Lexau, Joan. Striped Ice Cream. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1968. Lord, Beman. Shot-Put Challenge. New York: Henry Z. Walck, Inc., 1969. Luis, Earlene, and Millar, Barbara. Listen Lissa. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1968. . Wheels for Ginny's Chariot. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1966. Madian, Jon. Beautiful Junk. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1968. McGavin, Moyra. The House in the Attic. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1966. Naylor, Phyllis. To Shake a Shadow. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1967. Neville, Emily. The Seventeenth-Street Gang. New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, 1966. O'Dell, Scott. Journey to Jericho. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, Co., 1969. Ogan, Margaret, and Ogan, George. Pancake Special. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1965. 282 Ogilvie, Elisabeth. The Pigeon Pair. New York: McGraw- Hill Book Co., 1967. Olson, Gene. The Most Beaupiful Girl in the World. Phiadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1968. Owens, Thelma. Ring and Walk In. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co.,‘l969. Parish, Peggy. Clues in the Woods. New York: Macmillan Co., 1968. Peet, Bill. Capyboppy. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1966. Perl, Lila. No Tears for Rainey. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969. Pitcher, Marie. Shadow of a Crow. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1968. Platt, Kin. The Boy Who Could Make Himself Disappear. Philadelphia, Pa.: Chilton Book Co., 1968. Pont, Clarice. Ten Minus Nine Eguals Joanie. San Carlos, Calif.: Golden Gates Junior Books, 1965. Prieto, Mariana. Tomato Boy. New York: The John Day Co., Inc., 1967. Rainbow, Elizabeth. Mystery at Witchwood. New York: Weybright and Talley, Inc., 1968. Renick, Marion. Watch Those Red Wheels Roll. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1965. Rinkoff, Barbara. Name: Johnny Pierce. New York: Seabury Press, 1969. Robertson, Keith. The Year of the Jeep. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1968. Ruckman, Ivy. Who Needs Rainbows. New York: Julian Messner, Inc., 1969. Sachs, Marilyn. Laura's Luck. New York: Doubleday and Co., 1965. ' . Peter and Veronica. New York: Doubleday and Co., 1969. Scholz, Jackson. Spark Plug at Short. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. 283 Sherburne, Zoa. Girl in_the Mirror. New York: wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. . River at Her Feet. New York: wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1965. Shura, Mary Francis. Run Away Home. New York: Alfred A. _ Knopf, Inc., 1 65. Simon, Shirley. Libby's Stepfamily. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Co., 1966. Smith, George. Beyou Belle. New York: The John Day Co., Inc., 1967. Snyder, Zilpha. Eyes in the Fishbowl. New York: Atheneum Press, 1968. Sprague, Gretchen. A Question of Harmony. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1965. . Signpost to Terror. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1967. ’ Stanek, Muriel. New in the City. Chicago: Albert Whitman and Co., 1965. stolz, Mary. The Noonday Friends. New York: Harper and Row, 1965. Swift, Helen. Head over Heels. New York: Delacorte, 1968. Tolles, Martha. Too Many Boy_. Camden, N.J.: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1965. Walden, Amelia. A Name for Himselg. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1967. . In Search of Ophelia. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1966. Warburg, Sandol. Growing Time. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1969. Warren, Mary. Walk in My Moccasins. Philadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1966. Weik, Mary Hays. The Jazz Man. New York: Atheneum Press, 1966. 284 Wier, Ester. Action at Paradise Marsh. Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 1968. . Easy Does It. New York: Vanguard Press, 1965. Willis, Corinne. The Ivory Cage. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1966. Woody, Regina. One Day at a Time. Philadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1968. Woolgar, Jack. {Hot on Ice. Chicago: Albert Whitman and Co., 1965. Zawadsky, Patience. The Mystery of the Old Musket. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1967. Zolotow, Charlotte. The Hating Book. New York: Harper and Row, 1969. Articles Carlson, Julie. "Family Unity in Natalie Savage Carlson's Books for Children." Elementary English, Vol. 45 (February, 1968), pp. 214-217. Carlson, Ruth Kearney. "Ten Values of Children's Liter- ature." Children and Literature. Edited by Jane H. Catterson. Newark, Delaware: Inter- national Reading Association, 1970, pp. 25-38. Casmir, Fred L. "Children's Books: A Search for Reality." Elementary English, Vol. 39 (December, 1962), pp. 803-805. Douglass, Malcolm P. "No Rainbow Pot of Gold-~Announce- ment of the Third Recognition of Merit." Clare- mont Reading Conference 3lst Yearbook. Edited by Malcolm P. Douglass. Claremont, California: Claremont Graduate School and University Center, 1967, pp. 238-240. . "Reading and Emerging Cultural Values." Clare- mont Reading_Conference 28th Yearbook. Edited by Malcolm P. Douglass. Claremont, California: Claremont Graduate School and University Center, 1964, pp. 5-9. Fisher, Frank L. "Influence of Reading and Discussion on the Attitudes of Fifth Graders Toward American Indians." Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 62 (November, 1968), pp. l30-l34. 285 Frank, Josette. "Literature of Human Understanding." Readings About Children's Literature. Edited by Evelyn Robinson. New York: DaVid McKay Co., Inc., 1966, pp. 313-318. "Gleanings from the Dartmouth Discussions." Response to Literature. Edited by James R. Squire. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1968, PP. 49-75. Harding, D. W. "Response to Literature: The Report of the Study Group." Response to Literature. Edited by James R. Squire. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1968, pp. ll-27. Hentoff, Nat. "Fiction for Teenagers." Opiy Connect: Readings on Children's Literature. Edited by Sheila Egoff, et al. New York: Oxford Univer- sity Press, 1969, pp. 399-406. Homze, Alma. "Children Face Themselves Through Books: A Bibliography." Elementary English, Vol. 41 (November, 1964), pp. 788-792. . "People in Children's Books." Childhood Educa- tion, Vol. 42, No. 9 (May, 1966), pp. 538-543. Hutchison, John A. "The Communication of Values." Claremont Reading Conferenceiggth Yearbook. Edited by James R. Squire. Claremont, California: Claremont Graduate School and University Center, 1964, pp. 87-89. Jacobs, Leland B. "Give Children Literature." Readings About Children's Literature. Edited by Evelyn Robinson. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1966, pp. 3-8. Landau, Elliott D., ed. "Highlights of the Fifth Inter- mountain Conference on Children's Literature." Elementary English, Vol. 66 (November, 1969), pp. 926-929. Lowry, Heath W. "A Review of Five Recent Content Analyses of Related Sociological Factors in Children's Literature." Elementary English, Vol. 66 (October, 1969), pp. 736-740. McClelland, David C. "To Know Why Men Do What They Do." Psychology Today, Vol. 4, No. 8 (January, 1971), pp. 35-39, 70-75. 286 McClelland, David C. "Values in Popular Literature for Children." Childhood Education, Vol. 40 (Novem- ber, 1953), pp. 135-138. ' Mandel, Richard L. "Children's Books: Mirror of Social Development." Elementary School Journal, Vol. 64 (January, 1964), pp. 190-199. Maurice, Sister Mary. "Awakening to Human Values in Children's Literature." Catholic School Journal, Vol. 68 (March, 1968), pp. 41-43. Miller, James E., Jr. "Literature and the Moral Imagina- tion." Response to Literature. Edited by James R. Squire. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1968, pp. 29-30. Newell, Ethel. "At the North End of Pooh: A Study of Bibliotherapy." Readings About Children's Liter- ature. Edited by Evelyn Robinson. New York: David McKay Co., 1966, pp. 40-45. Ozmon, Howard A., Jr. "Value Implications in Children's Reading Material." The Reading Teacher, Vol. 22 (December, 1968), pp. 246-250. Parker, Elizabeth Ann. "The Author's Voice in Story." ElementarytEnglish, Vol. 67 (April, 1970), pp. 483-485. Pascal, Billy J. "How Children Learn Values." Education Digest, Vol. 33 (May, 1968), pp. 49-51. Peller, Emma C., "Children's Literature and World Under- standing." Children and Literature. Edited by Jane H. Catterson. Newark, Delaware: Inter- national Reading Association, 1970, pp. 18-24. Peterson, Barbara G. "Life Maladjustment Through Chil- dren's Literature." Elementary English, Vol. 40 (November, 1963), pp. 716-718. Raths, Louis E. "Clarifying Values." Curriculum for Today's Boys and Girls. Edited by Robert S. Fleming. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill Books, 1963, pp. 315-342. Rosenheim, Edward W., Jr. "Children's Reading and Adult Values." Only Connect: Readipgs on Children's Literature. Edited by Sheila Egoff, et al. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969, pp. l7-32. 287 Rudolph, Sister Catherine. "Books and Role-Playing." Elementary English, Vol. 67 (January, 1970), pp. 46-49. Russell, David H. "Personal Values in Reading." The Reading Teacher, Vol. 12 (October, 1958), pp. 3-9. . "Some Research on the Impact of Reading." English Journal, Vol. 47 (May, 1958), pp. 398-413. Sauer, Julia L. "Making the World Safe for the Janey Larkins." Readings About Children's Literature. Edited by Evelyn Robinson. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1966, pp. 318-327. Shepherd, John. "The Treatment of Characters in Popular Children's Fiction." Elementary Epglish, Vol. 39 (November, 1962), pp. 672-676. Smith, Mary Rogers. "The Humanities in Books for Today's Children and Youth." Claremont ReeginggConference 28th Yearbook. Edited by Malcolm P. Douglass. Claremont, California: Claremont Graduate School and University Center, 1964, pp. 78-86. Tiedt, Iris M. "Planning an Elementary School Literature Program." Elementary English, Vol. 67 (February, 1970), Pp. 193-198. Witty, Paul A. "Meeting Developmental Needs Through Reading." Readings About Children's Literature. Edited by Evelyn Robinson. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1966, pp. 20-30. Books Ambrose, Edna, and Miel, Alice. Children's Social Learning: Implications of Research and Expert Stud . Washington, D.C.: Association for Super- VlSlon and Curriculum Development, 1958. Arbuthnot, May Hill. Children's Reading in the Home. Glenview, Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Co., 1969. Berelson, Bernard. Content Analysis in Communigetion Research. Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press, 1952. Cohen, Arthur R. Attitude Change and Social Influence. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1964. 288 Ellis, Anne W. The Family Story in the 1960's. Hamden, Connecticut: Archon Books and Clive Bingley, 1970. Good, Carter V., ed. Dictionary of Education. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1945. Harding, D. W. Experience into Words. London: Chatto and Windus, 1963. Hazard, Paul. Books, Children and Men. Boston: The Horn Book, 1947. Hiebert, Ray Eldon, ed. Books in Human Development. Washington, D.C.: The American UniVersity and the Agency for International Development, 1964. Holsti, Ole R. Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Reading, Massachusetts: AddiSon-Wesley Publishing Co., 1969. Huck, Charlotte 8., and Kuhn, Doris Young. Children's Literature in the Elementary School. 2nd editiOn. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1968. Kircher, Clara J. Behavior Patterns in Children's Books. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1966. Loban, Walter. Literature and Social Sensitivity. Champaign, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1953. Lorang, Sister Mary Corde. Burning Ice: The Moral_end Emotional Effects of Reading. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968. Pilgrim, Geneva, and McAllister, Mariana K. Books, Young People, and Reading Guidance. New York: Harper and Row, 1968. Raths, Louis E.; Harmin, Merrill; and Simon, Sidney B. Values and Teaching. Columbus, Ohio: Charles E. Merrill Books, Inc., 1966. Rosenblatt, Louise. Literature as Exploration. Revised edition. New York: Noble and Noble Publishers, Inc., 1967. Russell, David H. Children's Thinking. Boston: Ginn and Co., 1956. 289 Taba, Hilda. With Perspective on Human Relations. Washington, D.C.: American Council—on Education, 1955. Waples, Douglas; Berelson, Bernard; and Bradshaw, Franklin R. What Reading Does to People. Chicago: University of ChiCago Press, 1940. Unpublished Materials Chambers, Dewey W. "An Exploratory Study of Social Values in Children's Literature." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Wayne State Universtiy, 1965. Homze, Alma Cross. "Interpersonal Relationships in Children's Literature, 1920 to 1960." Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 1963. Hubbell, William Kelvey. "The Role of Children's Books as Socializing Agents." Unpublished M.A. thesis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1951. Shaw, Jean Duncan. "An Historical Survey of Themes Recurrent in Selected Children's Books Published in America Since 1850.” Unpublished Ph.D. disser- tation, Temple University, 1966. APPENDICES 290 10. 11. 12. 13. APPENDIX A FINAL BOOK LIST 1965 Adrian, Mary. (Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones. New York: Hastings House, 1965. Agle, Nan Hayden. Kate and the Apple Tree. New York: Seabury Press, 1965. ' Bell, Thelma. A Dash of Pepper. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1965. Brecht, Edith. Timothy's Hawk. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1965. Broderick, Dorothy. Hank. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., l965. Butterworth, W. E. Fast Green Car. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1965. Feagles, Anita. 27 Cats Next Door. New York: Young Scott Books, 1965. Fife, Dale. Who's in Charge of Lincoln. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1965. Fisher, Laura. You Were Princess Last Time. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1965. Fitzhugh, Louise. The Long Secret. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., l965. Gault, William. The Karters. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1965. Graham, Lorenz. North Town. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1965. Halacy, D. 8., Jr. Sky on Fire. New York: Macmillan Co., 1965. 291 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 292 Ogan, Margaret, and Ogan, George. Papeake Special. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1965. Pont, Clarice. Ten Minus One Eguals Joanie. San Carlos, Calif.: Golden Gates Junior Books, 1965. Renick, Marion. Watch Those Red Wheels Roll. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1965. Sachs, Marilyn. Laura's Luck. New York: Doubleday and Co., 1965. ‘ Sherburne, Zoa. River at Her Feet. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1965. Shura, Mary Francis. Run Away Home. New York: Alfred A. KnOpf, Inc., 1965. Sprague, Gretchen. A Question of Harmony. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1965. Stanek, Muriel. New in the City. Chicago: Albert Whitman and Co., 1965. . Stolz, Mary. The NoondeyFriends. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., l965. Tolles, Martha. Too Many Boys. Camden, N.J.: Thomas Nelson and Sons, 1965. Wier, Ester. Eaey Does It. New York: Vanguard Press, 1965. Woolgar, Jack. Hot on Ice. Chicago: Albert Whitman and Co., 1965. ' 1966 Anderson, C. W. Another Man O'War. New York: Macmillan Co., 1966. Barry, Lucy. Stagestruck Secretary. New York: wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Bradbury, Bianca. Lots of Love, Lucinda. New York: Ives Washburn, Inc., 1966. Cavanna, Betty. A Breath of Fresh Air. New York: wm. Morrow and Co., Inc.,71966. 10. ll. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 293 Christopher, Matthew. Long Shot for Paul. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1966. Colman, Hila. ‘Bride'at'Eighteen. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Corbett, Scott. Pippa Passes. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1966. Cretan, Gladys. All Except Sammy. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1966. Gray, Patsy. Norah's Ark. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1966. Hayes, William D. Project: Scoop. New York: Atheneum Press, 1966. Huff, Roderick. The_Blue Racer. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1966. Inyart, Gene. Jenny. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1966. Koob, Theodora. The TackygLittle Icicle Shack. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1966. Lawrence, Mildred. The Treasure and the Song. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1966. Luis, Earlene, and Millar, Barbara. Wheels for Ginny's Chariot. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1966. McGavin, Moyra. The House in the Attic. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1966. Neville, Emily. The Seventeenth-Street Gang. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., 1966. Peet, Bill. Capyboppy. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1966. Scholz, Jackson. Spark Plug at Short. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Sherburne, Zoa. ”Girl’in’the‘Mirror. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1966. Simon, Shirley. Libby's Stepfamily. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Co., 1966. 22. 23. 24. 25. 10. ll. 12. 294 Walden, Amelia. In Search of Ophelia. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1966} Warren, Mary. Walk in My Moccasins. Philadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1966. Weik, Mary Hays. The Jazz Man. New York: Atheneum Press, 1966. Willis, Corinne. The Ivory Cage. New York: David McKay Co., Inc., 1966. 1967 Bradbury, Bianca. The Blue Year. New York: Ives Washburn, Inc., 1967. Brock, Emma. Mary on Roller Sketes. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1967. Burchardt, Nellie. Reggie'stgo-Good Bird. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1967. Cleary, Beverly. Mitch and Amy. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., 1967. Clymer, Eleanor. My Brother Stevie. New York: Holt, ‘—-_ Rinehart, and Winston, Inc., 1967. Collier, James. The Tedgy Bear Habit or Hog I Became a Winner. New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1967. Conrad, Sybil. Believe in Spring. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1967. Cox, Lee Sheridan. Andy and Willie. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1967. Fox, Paula. A Likely Place. New York: Macmillan Co., 1967. Fox, Paula. How Many Miles to Babylon? New York: David White Co., 1967. Gilbert, Nan. A Deg for Joey. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs. , 1967. Hall, Lynn. The Shy Ones. Chicago: Follett Pub- lishing Co., 1967. 13. 14. 15. l6. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 295 Hoff, Sid. Irving and Me. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., 1967. Jones, Dorothy. An Understending Heart. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1967. Konigsburg, E. L. Jennifer, Hecate, McBeth, William McKinley and Me, Elizabeth. New York: Atheneum Press, 1967. LaFarge, Phyllis. The Gumdrop Necklace. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1967. Laing, Frederick. A Question of Pride. New York: Four Winds Press, 1967. ‘ Lawrence, Mildred. Reach for the Dream. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1967. Naylor, Phyllis. To Shake a Shadow. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingden Press, 1967. ‘ Ogilvie, Elisabeth. The Pigeon Pair. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1967. Prieto, Mariana. Tomato Boy. New York: The John Day Co., Inc., 1967. Smith, George. Bayou Belle. New York: The John Day Co., Inc., 1967. Sprague, Grethcen. Signpost to Terror. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1967. Walden, Amelia. A Name for Himself. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1967. Zawadsky, Patience. The Mystery of the Old Musket. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1967. 1968 Bonham, Frank. The Mystery of the Fat Cat. New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1968. Bonham, Frank. The Nitty Gritt . New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., Inc., 1968. , Byars, Betsy. The Midnight Fox. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1968. 10. ll. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 2.96 Campbell, Hope. Why Not Join the Giraffes? New York: W. W. Norton andTCo., 1968. Dean, Leigh. The Looking Down Game. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., Inc., 1968. Feagles, Anita. Me, Cassie. New York: The Dial Press, 1968. Hayes, William D. ‘Hold That Computer. New York: Atheneum Press, 1968. Haywood, Carolyn. Ever-Ready Eddie. New York: Wm. Morrow and Co., Inc., 1968. Holberg, Ruth. Jill and the_Applebird House. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1968. Huston, Anne. The Cat Across the Wey. New York: Seabury Press, 1968. Lawrence, Mildred. Inside the Gate. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1968. L'Engle, Madeleine. Prelude. New York: Vanguard Press, Inc., 1968. Lexau, Joan. Striped Ice Cream. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1968. Luis, Earlene, and Millar, Barbara. Listen Lissa. New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1968. Madian, Jon. Beautiful Junk. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1968. Olson, Gene. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. Philadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1968. Parish, Peggy. Clues in the Woods. New York: Macmillan Co., 1968. Pitcher, Marie. Shadow of a Crow. New York: Double- day and Co., Inc., 1968. Platt, Kin. The Boy Who Could Make Hlmself Disappear. Philadelphia, Pa.: Chilton Book Co., 1968. Rainbow, Elizabeth. Mystery at Witchwood. New York: Weybright and Talley, Inc., 1968. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 10. 11. 297 Robertson, Keith. The Year of the Jeep. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1968. Snyder, Zilpha. Eyes in the Fishbowl. New York: Atheneum Press, 1968. Swift, Helen. Head Over Heels. New York: Delacorte (Dell Publishing Co.), 1968. Wier, Ester.‘ Action at Paradise Marsh. Harrisburg, Pa.: StackpoIe Books,‘l968. Woody, Regina. One Day at a Time. Philadelphia, Pa.: The Westminster Press, 1968. 1969 Blue, Rose. A Quiet Place. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969. Bothwell, Jean. ThelParsonage Parrot. New York: Franklin Watts, Inc., 1969. Clarke, John. Sudden Iron. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1969. Cleaver, Vera, and Cleaver, Bill. Where the Lilies Bloom. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969. Corcoran, Barbara. A Row of Tigers. New York: Atheneum Press, 1969. ‘ Davis, Russell. Some Town You Brought Me To! New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1969. Donovan, John. I'll Get There. It BettertBe Worth the Trip. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., I969. Drdek, Richard. Lefty's Boy. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1969. Fritz, Jean. George Washington's Breakfast. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1969. Graham, Lorenz. Whose Town. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1969. Greene, Constance. A Girl Called Al. New York: Viking Press, Inc., 1969. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 298 Hunter, Edith. Sue Ellen. Boston, Mass.: .Houghton Mifflin, 1969. Jordan, Hope. Supermarket Sleuth. New York: Lothrop, Lee and Shepherd Co., 1969. Konigsburg, E. L. About the B'nai Bagels. New York: Atheneum Press, 1969. Koob, Theodora. The Deep Search. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1969. Lee, Mildred. The Skating Rink. New York: Seabury Press, 1969. Lord, Beman. Shot-Put Challenge. New York: Henry Z. Walck, Inc., 1969. O'Dell, Scott. ggurney to Jericho. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 1969. Owens, Thelma. Ring and Walk In. Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Co., 1969. Perl, Lila. No Tearsifor Rainey. Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. LippifiCott Co., 1969. Rinkoff, Barbara. Name: Johnny Pierce. New York: Seabury Press, 1969. Ruckman, Ivy. Who Needs Rainbows. New York: Julian Messner, Inc., 1969. Sachs, Marilyn. Peter and Veronica. New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1969. Warburg, Sandol. Growing Time. Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1969. Zolotow, Charlotte. The Hating Book. New York: Harper and Row, Pubs., 1969. APPENDIX B PERMISSION ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Credits are listed in the order in which the books appear in the text.) From SHADOW OF A CROW by Marie Pitcher. Copyright © 1968 by Marie Elizabeth Pitcher. Published by Doubleday and Co., Inc..and reprinted with their permission. From the book EASY DOES IT by Ester Wier. Copyright (C) 1965. Used with permission of Vanguard Press, Inc. From LOTS OF LOVE, LUCINDA by Bianca Bradbury. Copyright C) 1966. Published by Ives Washburn, Inc. and reprinted with their permissiOn. From A BREATH OF FRESH AIR by Betty Cavanna. Copyright (C) 1966. Published by William Morrow & Co. and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE BLUE RACER by Roderick Huff. Copyright C) 1966 by Roderick Huff. Published by E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From JILL AND THE APPLEBIRD HOUSE by Ruth Holberg. Copy- right (C) 1968 by Ruth Holberg. Published by Doubleday & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From NORTH TOWN by Lorenz Graham. Copyright (C) 1965 by Lorenz Graham. Used by Permission of Thomas Y. Crowell, publishers. From TEN MINUS NINE EQUALS JOANIE by Clarice Pont. Copy- right (C) 1965 by Clarice Pont. Published by Golden Gate Junior Books and reprinted with their permission. From PIPPA PASSES by Scott Corbett. Copyright (C) 1966 by Scott Corbett. Reprinted by permission of Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. 299 300 From THE PARSONAGE PARROT by Jean Bothwell. Copyright Cc) 1969 by Jean Bothwell. Published by Franklin Watts, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book A DASH OF PEPPER by Thelma Bell. Copyright C) 1965 by Thelma Bell. Published by The Viking Press, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From ANDY AND WILLIE by Lee Sheridan Cox. Copyright; C) 1967 by Lee Sheridan Cox. Published by Charles Scribner's Sons and reprinted with their permission. From HEAD OVER HEELS by Helen Swift. Copyright © 1968 by Helen Swift. Published by Delacorte, a division of Dell Publishing Co., Inc., and reprinted with their permission. From A ROW OF TIGERS by Barbara Corcoran. Copyright © 1969 by Barbara Corcoran. Used by permission of Atheneum Publishers. From NORAH'S ARK by Patsy Gray. Copyright (C) 1966 by Patsy Gray. Published by Grosset and Dunlap, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE BOY WHO COULD MAKE HIMSELF DISAPPEAR by Kin Platt. Copyright (C) 1968 by the author. Used with permission of Chilton Book Company, Philadelphia. FrOm the book THE KARTERS by William Gault. Copyright (C) 1965 by William Gault. Published by E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From PETER AND VERONICA by Marilyn Sachs. Copyright © 1969 by Marilyn Sachs. Published by Doubleday & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book A QUESTION OF PRIDE by Frederick Laing. Copyright (C) 1967 by Frederick Laing. Published by Four Winds Press, a division of Scholastic Magazines, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From THE SEVENTEENTH-STREET GANG by Emily Neville. Copy- right © 1966. Published by Harper & Row and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE NITTY GRITTY by Frank Bonham. Copyright C) 1968 by Frank Bonham. Published by E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. 301 From NAME: JOHNNY PIERCE by Barbara Rinkoff. Copyright C) 1969 by Barbara Rinkoff. Published by The Seabury Press and reprinted with their permission. From SKY ON FIRE by D. S. Halacy, Jr. Copyright (C) 1965. Published by Macmillan Co. From SUPERMARKET SLEUTH by Hope Jordan. Copyright 1969 by Hope Jordan. Published by Lothrop, Lee & Shepherd. Used by permission Of William Morrow & Co., Inc. From THE LONG SECRET by Louise Fitzhugh. Copyright © 1965 by Louise Fitzhugh. Published by Harper & Row and reprinted with their permission. From JENNY by Gene Inyart. Copyright © 1966 by Franklin Watts, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From ONE DAY AT A TIME by Regina J. Woody, The Westminster Press. Copyright © MCMLXVIII Regina J. Woody. Used by permission. From THE SHY ONES by Lynn Hall. Copyright © 1967 by Lynn Hall. Published by Follett Publishing CO. and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE BLUE YEAR by Bianca Bradbury. Copyright C) 1967. Published by Ives washburn, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From WHO NEEDS RAINBOWS by Ivy Ruckman. Copyright © 1969 by Ivy Ruckman. Reprinted by permission of Julian Messner, a division of Simon and Schuster, Inc. From IRVING AND ME by Syd Hoff. Copyright © 1967 by Syd Hoff. Published by Harper and Row and reprinted with their permission. From I'LL GET THERE. IT BETTER BE WORTH THE TRIP by John Donovan. Copyright (C) 1969 by John Donovan. Published by Harper and Row and reprinted with their permission. From THE GUMDROP NECKLACE by Phyllis LaFarge. Copyright C) 1967. Published by Alfred A. KnOpf, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE MYSTERY OF THE FAT CAT by Frank Bonham. Copyright. © 1968 by Prank Bonham. Published by E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. 302 From the book TIMOTHY'S HAWK by Edith Brecht. Copyright C) 1965 by Edith Brecht. Published by The Viking Press, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book RUN AWAY HOME by Mary Francis Shura. Copy- right © 1965. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From THE TEDDY BEAR HABIT OR HOW I BECAME A WINNER by James Collier. COpyright: C) 1967 by James Collier. Published by Grosset and Dunlop, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From the book BELIEVE IN SPRING by Sybil Conrad. Copy- right; C) 1967. Used with permission of Vanguard Press, Inc. From A DOG FOR JOEY by Nan Gilbert. Copyright © 1967 by Nan Gilbert. Published by Harper and Row and reprinted with their permission. From A QUESTION OF HARMONY by Gretchen Sprague. Copyright C) 1965 by Gretchen Sprague. Published by Dodd, Mead & Co. and reprinted with their permission. From the book A NAME FOR HIMSELF by Amelia Walden. Copy- right © 1967 by Amelia Walden. Published by the J. B. Lippincott Company and reprinted with their permission. From A LIKELY PLACE by Paula Fox. Copyright © 1967 by Paula Fox. Published by The Macmillan Company. From ABOUT THE B'NAI BAGELS by E. L. Konigsberg. Copy- right © 1969 by E. L. Konigsberg. Used by permission of Atheneum Publishers. From HOT ON ICE by Jack Woolgar. Copyright © 1965 by Jack Woolgar. Published by Albert Whitman & CO. and reprinted with their permission. From WHOSE TOWN by Lorenz Graham. Copyright © 1969 by Lorenz Graham. Thomas Y. Crowell, publishers. Used by permission. From HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON? by Paula Fox. Copyright C) 1967. Published by David White Company and reprinted with their permission. From the book STRIPED ICE CREAM by Joan Lexau. Copyright C) 1968 by Joan Lexau. Published by J. B. Lippincott Co. and reprinted with their permission. 303 From the book THE PIGEON PAIR by Elisabeth Ogilvie. COpy- right Cc) 1967 by Elisabeth Ogilvie. Used with permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company. From the book SUE ELLEN by Edith Hunter. Copyright © 1969 by Edith Hunter. Published by Houthton Mifflin Co. and reprinted with their permission. From the book WHERE THE LILIES BLOOM by Vera and Bill Cleaver. Copyright. C) 1969. Published by the J. B. Lippincott Company and reprinted with their permission. From TOO MANY BOYS by Martha Tolles. Copyright © 1965. Published by Thomas Nelson and Sons and reprinted with their permission. From the book SUDDEN IRON by John Clarke. Copyright © 1969 by John Clarke. Used with permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company. From REACH FOR THE DREAM by Mildred Lawrence. Copyright C) 1967. Published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From WHO'S IN CHARGE OF LINCOLN? by Dale Fife. Copyright C) 1965. Published by Coward-McCann, Inc. and used with their permission. From the book A GIRL NAMED AL by Constance Greene. Copy- right © 1969. Published by The Viking Press, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From LISTEN LISSA by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar. COpyright. C) 1968. Published by Dodd, Mead & Co. and reprinted with their permission. From YOU WERE PRINCESS LAST TIME by Laura Fisher. Copy- right; C) 1965 by Laura Fisher. Reprinted by permission of Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc. From WHEELS FOR GINNY'S CHARIOT by Earlene Luis and Barbara Millar. Copyright (C) 1966. Published by Dodd, Mead and Company and reprinted with their permission. From the book NO TEARS FOR RAINEY by Lila Perl. Copyright © 1969 by Lila Perl. Published by the J. B. Lippincott Company and reprinted with their permission. From 27 CATS NEXT DOOR by Anita Feagles. Copyright © 1965. Published by Young Scott Books. 304 From SOME TOWN YOU BROUGHT ME TO! by Russell F. Davis. Copyright (C) 1969, by Russell F. Davis. Used by permis- sion of Crown Publishers, Inc. From TO SHAKE A SHADOW by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Copy- right © l967by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Published by Abingdon Press and reprinted with their permission. From EYES IN THE FISHBOWL by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Copyright; C) 1968 by Zilpha Keatley Snyder. Used by per- mission Of Atheneum Publishers. From WHY NOT JOIN THE GIRAFFES? by Hope Campbell. Copy- right © 1968 by Hope Campbell. Published by Grosset and Dunlop, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From LEFTY'S BOY by Richard Drdek. Copyright. C) 1969 by Richard Drdek. Published by Doubleday and Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From THE TREASURE AND THE SONG by Mildred Lawrence. Copyright. C) 1966. Published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich and reprinted with their permission. From the book THE DEEP SEARCH by Theodora Koob. Copyright C) 1969 by Theodora Koob. Published by J. B. Lippincott Company and reprinted with their permission. From THE NOONDAY FRIENDS by Mary Stolz. Copyright © 1965 by Mary Stolz. Published by Harper and Row and reprinted with their permission. From A QUIET PLACE by Rose Blue. Copyright © 1969 by Rose Bluestone. Published by Franklin Watts, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From ALL EXCEPT SAMMY by Gladys Cretan. Copyright © 1966 by Gladys Cretan. Published by Little Brown and Co. and reprinted with their permission. From THE JAZZ MAN by Mary Hays Weik. Copyright © 1966 by Mary Hays Weik. Used by permission of Atheneum Publishers. From GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BREAKFAST by Jean Fritz. Copy- right: C) 1969 by Jean Fritz. Published by Coward-McCann, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From THE CAT ACROSS THE WAY by Anne Huston. Copyright. C) 1968 by Anne Huston. Published by the Seabury Press and reprinted with their permission. 305 From the book THE YEAR OF THE JEEP by Keith Robertson. Copyright; C) 1968 by Keith Robertson. Published by The Viking Press, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From HANK by Dorothy Broderick. Copyright © 1965 by Dorothy Broderick. Published by Harper and Row and reprinted with their permission. . From THE HOUSE IN THE ATTIC by Moyra McGavin. COpyright C) 1966 by Moyra McGavin. Published by Coward-McCann, Inc. From MY BROTHER STEVIE by Eleanor Clymer. Copyright © 1967 by Eleanor Clymer. Reprinted by permission of Holt, Rinehart & Winston, Inc. From MYSTERY AT WITCHWOOD by Elizabeth Rainbow. Copyright C) 1968. Published by Weybright and Talley, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From WALK IN MY MOCCASINS by Mary Phraner Warren, The Westminster Press. Copyright © MCMLXVI, Mary Phraner Warren. Used by permission. From THE SKATING RINK by Mildred Lee. Copyright © 1969. Published by The Seabury Press and reprinted with their permission. From LIBBY'S STEPFAMILY by Shirley Simon. Copyright. C) 1966 by Shirley Simon. Published by Lothrop, Lee & Shepherd. Used by permission of William Morrow and Co. From GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Zoa Sherburne. Copyright © 1966 by Zoa Sherburne. Published by William Morrow & Co. and reprinted with their permission. From CLUES IN THE WOODS by Peggy Parish. Copyright. C) 1968. Published by The Macmillan Co. From LAURA'S LUCK by Marilyn Sachs. Copyright © 1965 by Marilyn Sachs. Published by Doubleday and Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From THE MYSTERY OF THE OLD MUSKET by Patience Zawadsky. Copyright © 1967. Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons. From SIGNPOST TO TERROR by Gretchen Sprague. Copyright. C) 1967 by Gretchen Sprague. Published by Dodd, Mead and Co. and reprinted with their permission. From the book ACTION AT PARADISE MARSH by Ester Wier. Copyright (C) 1968 by Ester Wier. Published by Stackpole Books and reprinted with their permission. 306 From the book LONG SHOT FOR PAUL by Matt Christopher. Copyright © 1966. Published by Little, Brown and Com- pany and reprinted with their permission. Copyright © 1967 by George Harmon Smith. Reprinted from BAYOU BELLE by George Harmon Smith, by permission of The John Day Company, Inc., publisher. From the book RING AND WALK IN by Thelma Owens. Copy- right. C) 1969 by Thelma Owens. Published by Little, Brown and Co. and reprinted with their permission. From BRIDE AT EIGHTEEN by Hila Colman. Copyright. C) 1966 by Hila Colman. Published by William Morrow & Co. and reprinted with their permission. From RIVER AT HER FEET by Zoa Sherburne. Copyright. C) 1965 by Zoa Sherburne. Published by William Morrow and Co. and reprinted with their permission. . From ME, CASSIE by Anita MacRae Feagles. Copyright. C) 1968. Published by The Dial Press and reprinted with their permission. From AN UNDERSTANDING HEART by Dorothy Holder Jones. Copyright. C) 1967 by Dorothy Holder Jones. Used by per- mission of Funk and Wagnalls, publishers. From the book THE TACKY LITTLE ICICLE SHACK by Theodora Koob. Copyright. C) 1966 by Theodora Koob. Published by J. B. Lippincott Co. and reprinted with their permission. From THE IVORY CAGE by Corinne Willis. Copyright © 1966 by Corinne Willis. Used by permission of David McKay Company, Inc. From the book IN SEARCH OF OPHELIA by Amelia Walden. Copyright. C) 1966 by Amelia Walden. Used with permission of McGraw-Hill Book Company. From the book BEAUTIFUL JUNK by Jon Madian. COpyright. C) 1968 by Jon Madian. Published by Little, Brown and Company and reprinted with their permission. From HOLD THAT COMPUTER by William D. Hayes. Copyright. C) 1968 by William D. Hayes. Used by permission of Atheneum Publishers. From REGGIE'S NO-GOOD BIRD by Nellie Burchardt. Copyright C) 1967 by Franklin Watts, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. 307 From STAGESTRUCK SECRETARY by Lucy Berry. Copyright. C) 1966 by Lucy Berry. Published by William Morrow & Co. and used with their permission. From FAST GREEN CAR by W; E. Butterworth. Copyright: C) 1965 by W. E. Butterworth. Published by Grosset and Dunlop, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From MITCH AND AMY by Beverly Cleary. Copyright. C) 1967 by Beverly Cleary. Published by William Morrow & Co., Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From NEW IN THE CITY by Muriel Stanek. Copyright. C) 1965. Published by Albert Whitman & Co. and used with their permission. From the book MARY ON ROLLER SKATES by Emma L. Brock. Copyright; C) 1967 by Emma L. Brock. Published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and reprinted with their permission. From INSIDE THE GATE by Mildred Lawrence. Copyright C) 1968 by Mildred Lawrence. Published by Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich and reprinted with their permission. ‘ From ANOTHER MAN O'WAR by C. W. Anderson. Copyright © 1966 by C. W. Anderson. Published by The Macmillan Company. MICHIGAN STQTE UNIV. LIBRARIES IllllmlllWIIIWIHWIII)HIIIWHIINH\IIINHHIWI 31293101080756