Evening star. [volume], January 15, 1961, Page Page 5, Image 109

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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The Gilbert Survey . . .
WHAT TEENS THINK ABOUT THE ARTS
By EUGENE GILBERT
Gilbert Youth Research Co.
, Don't let the blue jeans and sneakers fool you. Our
young people do have a yen for Culture.
This Is the conclusion we drew after questioning 985
representative high school students. And it is apparent
even though only 2 per cent attend the symphony regu
larly and only 6 per cent always go to the art museums.
Their reasons for not pursuing the cultural arts
more enthusiastically, however, were revealing; and
Mom and Dad might do well to take heed.
Betty Chalkley, 17, of Richmond, Va M said she
never had attended a symphony but “would love to.” The
trouble is, she said, “I can never get anyone to go with*
Only a handful of the youngsters questioned felt
like Thomas Kapp, 17, of Miami Beach, Fla.—"l hate
classical music."
Boys appeared less interested in concerts than girls.
Os the 52 per cent who said they never attended, 63 per *
eent were boys and 41 per cent girls.
Plays and Music
Attendance at road company productions of Broad
way shows revealed the same teen-age attitude: En
thusiasm among those who had seen them, and at least a
desire to see them among those who hadn’t. Only 24
per cent of the boys and 88 per cent of the girls had
seen a road show.
“I enjoy them very much,* said Cyndle Stocker, 18,
of Claremont, Calif., "ever so much more than the
movies of the same shows."
As to "Little Theater" performances, 74 per cent of
the young people said there was one in their city, but 71
per cent of the boys and 50 per cent of the girls said
they never attend any of the performances.
They explained the plays usually were on week
nights and, besides, the tickets were too expensive.
Os all the art forms, ballet attracted the smallest
teen-age audience. But again, the 16 per cent of the
boys and 45 per cent of the girls who had attended
generally were enthusiastic.
Mrs. Ricker's Mail . . .
HOW MUCH SHOULD A BABY SITTER CHARGE?
By DOROTHY RICKER
RefUter-Trlhune Syndicate
Dear Mrs. Bicker:
I am 17 years old and
fairly popular. I am asked
to baby sit qaite often for
families I know. I usually
accept because I like the
work and can use the
money. Our family has a
very modest Income. I
could have an allowance
but I dent want to take
the money because Mother
oonld owe use some new
clothes. The problem is,
she objects to my baby sit- ”
*%vt, she says I am not
•aid onouch —50 cents an
now. Second, she does not
want me to baby stt on
Kiel nichts. This objec
soenu unreasonable to
Co because I do not accept
to Jobs. Furthermore,
night Jobe are really a
pleasing since I can con
centrate and do my home
work where it is quiet. The
third objection Mother has
b that I could be dating.
Recently I was asked for
a date on a night I had
agreed to sit for a lady.
Mother was very angry
when 1 refused the date,
bat I thought it would be
wrong to disappoint her at
the last minute. Mrs.
Ricker, if you think Moth
er is right I will give in.
If you don’t, I will appre
ciate any suggestions on
hew to convince her I am
fit
right. Just voicing my
opinions hasn’t helped.
PAULA.
Hie charges for baby
sitting probably vary in dif
ferent parts of the country.
However, I have just checked
three local baby sitting agen
cies by phone. In each case
they charge 60 tents per
hour until midnight, then it
goes up to 75 cents an hour.
Added to this is 60 cents for
transportation. Since a baby .
sitting agency has to be paid
something for its service, it
seems you are not underpaid
as Mom believes.
—THE BUNDAY ITAR, WmHholm. D. ft—
r* Hri . 1 BP-h ? w
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Modern teens take a look at modem art.
"Very impressive and beautiful,* commented Betty
F. Chalkley, 17, of Richmond, Va.
Os the 82 per cent of the youngsters who said there
was an art gallery or museum in their vicinity (and
all of them knew whether'there was or was not), 51 per
As long as the homes
where you work are respecta
ble and baby sitting doesn’t
interfere with your school
work. I think your mother
should not complain. If Mom
won’t listen to you. perhaps
reading this column will help
convince her that you are
right.
Dear Mrs. Ricker:
I like a bey Very much
but he thinks 1 stood him
up on a date. I really
didn’t but I don’t know
what to do about It. I
don’t feel It would be right
to chase after him to try
to make him understand. I
ean see, from his point of
view, that it would look as
if I really stood him np.
I talked with hie brother
and he said the bey b
really mad at me. Should
I call him up and try to
explain what happened?
Do you think that would
be too forward? Or, should
I ask his brother to talk
to him for me? The boy
means a lot to me and I
won’t be satisfied until,
somehow, I let him know
the truth.
USA.
Your letter is rather vague
but if you have an adequate
excuse for the date mix-up
I think you owe the boy an
explanation. However, this
is something you should do
yourself—not through his
brother or anyone else.
While girls should not can
boys just to chat. I believe
it would be all right in this
case to can the boy and ex
plain what happened. Better
still, why not write him a
short letter? Not a mushy
letter but one that. is
straightforward and factual.
Then keep your fingers
crossed and let's hope he will
understand.
Dear Mrs. Ricker:
I have a different kind
of problem and I need your
advice. Our furniture is
cent said they visit them sometimes, 23 per cent seldom
and 20 per cent never did.
"On quite a few Sundays when there’s a good ex-,
hibit,” said Betty Best, 17, of Richmond, "my aunt and
I go."
Betty's answer was significant. Time and again the
young people Indicated that if more adults showed in
terest, more teen-agers would take an interest in culture.
One of the most revealing results of the survey was
the percentage of teen-agers who undertake cultural
advancement on their own.
How many of them have library cards? A whopping
89 per cent—and 60 per cent use them often, outside
of school work; only 6 per cent never.
Reading and Painting
"I enjoy reading more than anything else,” said
Judy Chesus, 17, of St. Louis.
And what about lectures—outside of school?—Forty
one per cent of the youngsters had attended them and
their reasons for going were well summed up by Sandra
Spath, 17, of St. Louis.
“To learn something I knew nothing about,” she
explained.
As a result of their own desires, 50 per cent of the
youngsters had done some sketching or painting. Only
37 per cent never had (13 per cent did not say). And
42 per cent, outside of school, had written some poetry.
What did they do with the painting or poem?
“Stuck it in my drawer,” said Anne Lansberg, 15, of
Webster Groves, Mo., who did a painting.
“Threw it away, it was terrible,” said Jamara War
hurst, 17, of Claremont, who also tried her hand at
painting.
Margaret E. Gates, 17, of Claremont has written
many poems, she said, “to Venus, Satan, God, myself, a *
friend." But all of them are “kept carefully hidden."
Among the other avocations of our teen-agers, 7
per cent take dancing lessons, 39 per cent play chess,
31 per cent collect classical records, 34 per cent listen
to the opera on television, and 23 per cent are studying
some musical instrument.
so old-fashioned and run
down that I don’t want to
invite boys to my home.
Also, I am ashamed of my
parents. I am 15 and
never had a date.
I met a new boy recently
and I like him very much
but Um afraid to invite
him to our house because
it looks so shabby. Do you
think I am wrong? Some
people have told me I am
“cute” but I discourage
beys’ interest in me be
cause of the way our house
■ U--
■OOwS.
NAN.
If your parents are hard
/ Working, respectable people
you should not be ashamed
of them. As for your home,
if it is dean and neat that
helps to cover up a lot of
shabbiness and a REAL
friend will like you for your
self—not for where you live.
MONIY FOR TNI MOI
Win "Mo” certificates on new TEEN
BEAT show —Saturdays, every half hour
—9:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Hear brand
new high school music salutes too!
WWDC Radio-dial 1260
TEW, I
We all cannot live in fine
homes but a lot can be done
to improve a home by using
a little effort, paint, varnish
and inexpensive curtain ma
terials.
Why don’t you ask Mom
and Dad if they would be will
ing to buy some things to help
brighten up the place? * You
are old enough to help with
the project. You and Mom
could make new curtains and
slipcovers and help Dad with
the painting. lam sure you
all would be happily sur
prised to see what you can
do yourselves, at compara
tively little expense, to im
prove your home.
(Letters to Mrs. R icker can
be answered through her col
umn only. Write to Dorothy
Ricker in care of TEEN, The
Washington Star, Washing
ton 3, D. C.)
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