The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers, Digital Edition > My Day
My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt

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NEEDLES, Calif—My trip here started last Friday night, when I took a plane to Chicago after having conquered a cold germ that kept me mostly in my house for two days.

In Chicago, we held the fifth annual regional meeting of the American Association for the United Nations for representatives of state associations and chapters in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

On Saturday morning we conducted a meeting of state presidents of the AAUN, and while all members can attend any meeting, this was largely devoted to the reasons for organization and hopes for greater activity.

The luncheon had as its main purpose the admission of new members, and few people left it without becoming members. The afternoon meeting concerned increase of membership, with the evening session aimed at answering the question: What kind of work must be undertaken to keep people interested and to attain the objective of spreading information about the United Nations?

On Sunday morning, my secretary, Miss Maureen Corr, joined me for the flight to Phoenix, Ariz., from where we came here Monday for a speaking engagement.

In spite of the hoarseness in my voice caused by a cold, I went on a radio panel in New York late last week to discuss a situation that causes concern to many families in which there are teen-age children. It was this: How should parents try to control girls and boys in their leisure-time activities?

The story that was first acted before the panel and then discussed concerned a father and mother whose daughter, at 15, wanted to "go steady" with a boy they considered not too desirable. The child liked the boy and felt he was really much better than her parents thought he was. When her parents forbade her seeing him, she saw him surreptiously.

This finally was discovered, and when the two young people wanted to marry, the father made it impossible. The father was, of course, within his rights. But was his action wise?

Our panel was composed of a doctor, a lawyer who practices in the domestic relations courts and a number of distinguished professionals who know, I think, far more about problems such as this than Dr. Ralph Sockman, another panel member, and myself. Dr. Sockman apologized by saying he was a grandfather and did not have professional knowledge in this area. I could only speak as a great-grandmother without too much knowledge on this subject.

The discussion brought up many interesting sidelights which I thought were of value. In fact, just to have these questions discussed is important, for it helps people think out their problems.

I want to add my thanks to Chief Justice Irving Ben Cooper of the New York Court of Special Sessions for his tenure of service, marked by a great devotion to duty and great integrity. All of us who know him were certainly sad to hear that he will resign on March 1. A public servant of his standards is rare to find, and the public owes him its deep gratitude.

E. R.

(Copyright, 1960, by United Feature Syndicate, Inc.)


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About this document

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt, January 12, 1960

Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962
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Digital edition created by The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project The George Washington University 312 Academic Building 2100 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007

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Digital edition published 2008, 2017 by
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MEP edition publlished on June 30, 2008.

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Transcription created from a photocopy of a UFS wire copy of a My Day column instance archived at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library.
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