The Lawton Constitution from Lawton, Oklahoma • Page 13

THE LAWTON CONSTITUTION, Thursday, July 1 1974 13 To Interpret Not Always Best Bv BAST BARNES TKt WASHINGTON POST A I ISth-cx-ntiiry English common law, children were regarded as chattels of the family and wards of the state, virtually devoid of rights. Centuries a i i a i Greece, Aristotle argued thai there could be no such ihins as injustice from father to son "(he justice of a master or father is a different Ihing from that of a citizen, for a son or a slave is property and there can be no injustice to one's own property," Arislollc wrote. Colonial America Rave a father the statutory right to put his child lo death under certain circumstances and if necessary to call up the assistance of colony officers lo do so. No i today, bu( i( has become increasingly clear, argue the editors of the Harvard Educa- tional Review, "that the interests of children do not always coincide with those of their parents or the stale and that there is no longer confidence that current laws and policies, which give a wide discretion to interpret the child's best interests, always achieve beneficial ends." an issue of the review published this year, the notion thai adults know what's in the best interests of children and act accordingly is challenged in a series of articles by experts in a variety of fields. Widespread use of drugs, for example, to control classroom behavior of unruly children has reached what one psychiatrist calls i ening" levels.

He contends the practice is a "covert subversion of a should be our educational ideals." Arguments in favor of pre- Patio Is Coffee Site Thirty Wives of Officers of the Field Artillery Board met for coffee on the paf.io of the Fort Sill Officers Club. Douglas James and Mrs. Anthony Fuller. Mrs. Edwin Weber presided anc! Thorpe and Mrs.

George Tillery. newcomers. Farewells were said to Mrs. Richard Thompson. Mrs.

K. C. Rhodes was ap- pointed Officers Wives' Club hospitality board representative, and Mrs. L. L.

Martin was appointed lo the OWC membership board, Members were requested lo sign up for decoration of the Officers Club with Mrs. C. J. Eby and Mrs. R.

C. Tinsley, chairmen. Guests ai the coffee were Mrs. James Hammond. Tamp a and Miss Candy Kindberg, Columbus, Ohio.

summg minor children to be legally incompetent, contends a lawyer, are strikingly familiar to those advanced over the issues of slavery and the a i a i of a i women. And, argues Mary Jo Bane, I a a a a school of education, most of the popular child-care books, i i a i Speck's "Baby and i Care," fail to deal with Ihe gul realities of raising children in a society where work hours and locations are inflexible; where there is no easy movement back and forth be- Ivreen work 'al home and work outside; and where child-raising can be a very lonely instead of an enjoyable social experience. The February issue of the Harvard Educational Review und a subsequent issue scheduled for i a i in the spring are devoted entirely lo an examination of Ihe righls of children. There has been a smattering of published articles on children's rights over the last decade, the Review editors What the Harvard editors sought, they said, was a broad series cf articles focusing on a range of issues dealing with perceptions and programs that'aflect children and their families. In an article on the use.

of amphetamines lo curb the be- liavior of hyperactive children, Lester Greenspoon, a faculty member of Harvard Medical School and a psy- chialrisi. with the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, estimated a cur- a 200,000 said, much of it dealing with such issues as the right Lo equality of educational opportunity, the right to adequate nutrition, health care and comprehensive i development services. school children are routinely being administered drugs to calm unruly behavior. But, argued Greenspoon, hyporacliviiy or "hyperki- nesis" is an all too convenient diagnosis for all sorts of disruptive behavior and drugs are an all too convenient form of therapy. Citing an upheaval in values, increasing questioning of authority and i i i Greenspoon observed that leachers no longer have the unquestioned authority they once had in the classroom.

It is simply easier, he said, for i i behavior to be diagnosed as a physical rather than a social disorder. "The use of drugs, particularly 'amphetamines, in the name of a often does little more than provide a relatively easy and economical way of making the classroom situation more tolerable and manageable for the teacher," he contended. Whal this could lead to, Greenspoon said, is a substitution of drug therapy for any serious medical attempt to define and diagnose hyperactive behavior. Further, he argued such drug therapy "has an extraordinary potential for harm (in the children) can lead to addiction and psychotic conditions." In addition, he said, studies have shown that children receiving certain kinds of drug therapy over prolonged periods fail to gain weight and grow at their normal rates. In an article on "Children and the Law," Hillary Rodham of the Children's Defense Fund, argued in favor of a presumption of competency on the part of minor children in legal mailers instead of the Competence current presumption of in- competency for minors.

The result of this would be, argued Rodham, "an implicit presumption a children, like other persons, are capable of exercising rights and assuming responsibilities until proven otherwise." This would not mean, he added, that all children at all ages would have the same rights and responsibilities as adults. "Their substantive and procedural rights could still be limited or modified on the basis of supportable findings about needs and capacities at various, In Ihe review child-care books, Harvard's Mary Jo Bane noted that 59 million copies of the government's pamphlet on child care have been distributed since its first printing in 1916 and 22 million of Dr. Spock's "Baby and Child Care" sold since it was written in 1946. This accounts, she said, for one copy of each book for almost every firstborn child to an American family during that time period. While both books contain much helpful information on the physical care of children, Bane said, each "makes a number of assumptions about mothers of first babies which are largely wrong and probably anxiety producing." For mothers, Bane argues, the arrival of a first baby coincides with moving to a new home in a new neighborhood and means giving up ah old job outside the and resentment which arise in such situations.

Feelings of resentment are never discussed at all, although feelings are "followed by guilt of mothers who expected fulfillment and joy in their new lives and find instead a very mixed bag." Speck, in particular, assumes that young mothers are surrounded by neighbors and friends, Ignoring the fact that many young mothers are In new and alien neighborhoods with no acquaintances and, in fact, lead a very existence. Bane said. By not identifying these problems while being so conscientious about others in the raising of children, both Spock and tile government pamphlet contribute to anxiety in young mothers, it was argued. Ultimately, Bane's article argued, (his can contribute to an attitude in which the mother sees her child 25 the center of her life, only source of emotional satisfaction and self- worth. In turn, she argued, "this places enormous demands on the child who undoubtedly picks up the concerns of his mother." Aerial Battery Has Event Forty officers or Battery (Aerial), 333rd Field Artillery, Artillery Aviatiun Command, and their wives attended an evening liail and a event in the Caisson K'iom of the Fort Sill Officers Club.

Maj. Edward L. McKesson Jr. presided and welcomed Capl. and Mrs.

R. V. Sandlin and Mrs. James C. Black, newcomers.

He presented a gift to Tapt. Michael E. Slamilio. Guests welcomed were Gen. and Mrs.

Richard C. Home 111, San Carlos, a i Col. and Mrs. Donald R. Ley and a and Mrs.

i i S. Bunch. home for a new one in the home. Yet neither Spock nor the government. Bane said, speak to the inevitable frustrations Bed Bath Shop Retiree Group Has Meeting Law-ton Chapler No.

107 of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees held a meeting and covered- dish luncheon -in the Museum of the Great Plains. Miss Catherine L. Stolfa was named delegate lo the national convention of the organiza- i a through Wednesday. Sept. 1 through -1, in Portland.

Ore. Clyde B. Dilts presented a progress report on the mem- i i Spears, chairman of the Icgis- lalive committee, reported on the status of stale and national legislation slfecting retired federal employes. Craig Shoeler, a i presented musical pro- New members welcomed were Lee E. Cleveland, Miss Mary Helen Dunn, Mrs.

Jrnia C. Gilham, Cecil W. Shelton and Mrs. Walter Allen. Mrs.

Thelma i a i i Mr, and Mrs. Russell Marshall and Miss A i a Hall were guests. laws Guide Traveling Family Anniversary Is Marked OSA Chapter No. 5H of the Order of Eastern Star marked ils l()lh anniversary celebration i a meeting and recaption in the Masonic Temple. Lincoln.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack i worthy patron and worthy matron, presided. A 30-year pin was presented to Mrs. M.

B. Capshaw. Tulsa, a former Lawton resident. Mrs. Wayne Weigicy was given a 25-year pin.

Mrs. Donald Morgan, Mrs. Wesley Perry and Mrs. Hazel Priest served from a table decorated with a white net cloth, pink rose centerpiece and silver candelabra with burning tapers, Guests were Mrs. Marvin Schmidt, Miss Fae Cotiing- ham, Mrs.

Ludwig Werner, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hill, Mrs. Leonard Layton, Mr, and Mrs. Charles Maupin.

Mr. and Mrs. James a i Miss Debbie Martin, Mrs. Carl Fox, Rebekahs Donate Paint A donation of four gallons of paint for a clean up project was made when Lawton Rcbe- kah Lodge No. 87 met in the ICOF Hall, 109V 2 D.

Mrs. Louise Langston. noble grand, and Leonard Raincy, vice grand pro tern, presided. Mrs. Floyd Ticc presented the lodge with a dove, one of the emblems Rebekah degree, on behalf of the Past Noble Grand and Busy Bee Clubs.

A meeting was announced for 8 p.m. Monday, July 22, in -the IOOF Hall. Where The Women Are Twenty-three Wives of Officers of the 1st a a i (Lance), 12th Field Artillery, ID Corps, met. for a monthly coffee in (he home of Mrs. Edward Hackney.

The hostess presided and introduced A. Talbott, a guest. Farewells were said to Mrs. Edward Craig. The battalion picnic, to be held Saturday, July 27, was discussed.

Miss Nellie Saxton, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Roberts, Mrs. Joe House and Mrs. Ralph Dodd.

Also: Mrs. Johnny Tinney, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Fuqua, Phillip a Mrs. 0.

C. Aubrey. Mrs. Catherine Foster, Mr. and Mrs.

John Anderson, Cache; Mrs. Bill Carman and Mrs. Nona Shows, Elgin, and Mr. and Mrs. Capshaw.

Tulsa. Magee Is Hostess August projects were disc a Jaycee a met in Ihe home of Mrs. George Mafiee, 4905 Dover. Mrs. Terry Reffett presided and cited Mrs.

Terrell Crow as Jaycee of the Month for her work on the Shooter Education program. A program on interior decorating will be'presenled at the next meeting sel for 7:30 p.m. a A 1 2 i Jaycee Hut. CWU Sponsors Sewing Session A sewing session, sponsored a i Church Women United, will be held Monday, July 22, in the i i i Church. The day-long activity will begin at a.m., and is open to all women.

Participants should bring scissors, needles, thread, bias tape and portable sewing machines if possible. They may also bring material. a a i quills, school satchels, health and sewing kits are being made needy persons and disaster victims in several countries. They will be distributed by Church World Services. of the Guild of the host church will serve it salad luncheon lo the.

workers. Many parents have written to me about the horrors of the family vacation. Some of the letters are so vehement ir. their criticism and sadistic in their solutions, I feel I should outline some of the laws throughout the country regarding the vacationing family. The Abandon-Child Law: It is illegal in 47 stales lo leave a child in a rost- room and pretend it was a mistake.

Maryland and Utah are sympathetic to parents if they can produce a doctor's certificate showing mental deterioration caused by the trip. Alaska (which is quite permissive) allows a mild sedation for the children. The New Jersey vs. Kidder Law: It is illegal on the New Jersey turnpike for a child to hang out of the car window and make a noise like a siren. A decision on this was handed down in 1953.

after 45 cars (including thrre police cruisers) pulled over to the side of the road and tied up traffic for 52 hours. The Key Decision: All 50 states have rulings regarding children who collect restroom keys as souvenirs. One of ihe stiffer penalties is feeding a child a quart of Gatorade and putting him outside a locked door until a key shows up. The No-Fault Litter Law: Vehicles bearing families are not permitted lo stop in 'the downtown area of cities having populations of 450,000 or more to look for a gym shoe that someone threw out of the moving vehicle. It is suggested that mothers put name tapes and full addresses on both shoes.

Anti-noise laws: Nearly every city (including three ghost towns in Arizona) has the noise pollutant law, If, in fact, your vacationers have two radios playing at full volume a barking dog and a father screaming, "Would anyone believe we didn't HAVE to get married?" and can be heard wiih all the car windows up, everyone in the car can be arrested. Safe Driving Law: It is unlawful to inflate a 20-fooJ life raft in a sedan blocking Daddy's view of the road, braid his hair while he is driving in the mountains, or tie his shoes together when he is going through a tunnel. ers New FCS (Food and Comfort Service) has issued a motion soon to he voted upon by local legislatures that drivers must stop a minimum of every twelve hours for food and comfort. Failure to do this gives occupants of Ihe car the right to declare mutiny and replace the driver at the next service exit. Put an Alpine on your back for only (pins proof-of-purchaae of Stewart Sandwiches) Wherever you bike or hike, the Alpine Ring Pack belongs on your back.

Its i Earthtone-green. water repellent oxford nylon is reinforced at all points of strain. Size: IS" 13" 5W with 13" TVii' expandable pocket. Designed with rings for tying on additional gear. Adjustable shoulder harness with foam paddihg for comfort.

And leather patch harness anchor you can write your name and address on. Regularly priced up to $9.00 at most stores. Get yours for only $4.95 plus proof-of-purchase of Stewart Sandwiches-- delicious hot meat with melted cheese in a bun. Just heat 'n eat. Or pack therh in your Alpine and eat them cold.

Pive kinds in your grocer's freezer. World Fomogs Company, quality ouHIUars. Non-ravoling nylon tia-down cord. Sturdy loalhor hirness anchor and ID puch. Now, everyone have a good time ihis year even if you have to break some heads to do it.

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