 "Our
Troubled Youth!"
by Frederick Mayer
Bantam Books, 1959
The back cover reads:
"Across the U.S.A newspaper headlines scream stories of teen-age killings,
burglaries, rapes, prostitution. From city slums to prosperous suburban
communities, our children are committing crimes, acts of violence, and
sexual promiscuity. WHY? In this remarkably frank and hard-hitting book
by famous educator
Frederick Mayer, you get the whole shocking
story behind the headlines, the reasons for this frightening behavior and
the answers to what we can do about America's number one problem. OUR TROUBLED
YOUTH."
Boys with zip guns, girls who stay out to late,
nice children who go bad hanging out with the wrong crowds, doing things
just for kicks--it's all part of the world of the juvenile delinquent.
This is one of the many books written by socialists and educators during
the 1950's to address parents' fear of the emerging and disillusioned teenage
culture. The ideas expressed in Our Troubled Youth are actually
quite modern with the author blaming the crumbling of the nuclear family
as one of the reasons behind J.D. Mayer seems a bit too touchy-feely
when it comes to talking about solutions, but overall it's a lot more level-headed
then most books (and movies) that exploit J.D. for a quick buck.
A nice part of this book is hidden within the advice are some great J.D.
vignettes, writing that would make any tawdry paperback author proud. Here's
an example from the inside cover: "PORTRAIT OF A JUVENILE DELINQUENT. His
father is a heavy drinker. His mother is unfaithful and the boy knows it.
His fifteen-year-old sweetheart uses heroin and prostitutes herself in
order to pay for it. He despises his parents and teachers, and hates cops.
He has committed petty crimes for thrills and excitement, takes joy-rides
in stolen cars and carries a weapon. His ambition is to be a big shot,
with a Cadillac and a string of blondes. He is a potential alcoholic. Some
day he may kill. This boy is not from a slum. He lives in a pleasant community
and is considered a model student."
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