For Talking & Laughing

Drinking brightens up the conversation. Physical intimacies and liberties tend to become licence and naturally lead to sex indiscretions. Petting is a vulgar practice in which decent people will not indulge.

These statements a young person may decide to be unqualifiedly true, probably true, an open question, probably false, or unqualifiedly false. They are parts of a study and discussion outline issued last week by the Conference on Preparation for Marriage & Homemaking of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, prepared for leaders of young people (16 to 19 years) in church study groups, Hi-Y clubs, Girl Reserves and summer conferences. Edited by Dr. Benjamin Severance Winchester, educational secretary of the Federal Council, the outline was prepared by representatives of the churches, the Y. M. C. A., the Y. W. C. A., the American Social Hygiene Association and the American Eugenics Society.

In effect, the outline aims to make respectable, sanitary and uplifting the official "smut session" familiar to every preparatory school and college student. "One object of [the word] test," say its authors, ''is to draw off the emotional tension of the group--to get them talking and laughing freely over their own responses; to win one another's confidence and to gain confidence in the leader; to see how many absurd and unfounded opinions we hold. . . ." Words are given to the boys & girls, to be pondered for not more than five seconds, crossed out if disagreeable. Sample words:

Sex Ladies' Home Journal Anthony Comstock Mary Pickford Necking Judge Ben Lindsey Boy Friend Carrie Chapman Catt

Jazz Thrill Baby Birth Control Flirtation Unmarried Mother Night Club Victorian Free Love Old Maid Flaming Youth After they have talked and laughed over the "word test," boys & girls may try the "opinion test," deciding quickly whether the statements about drinking, dancing and fornication are true or false. Then they are ready for discussion of problems based upon such questions as these (For girls): What is wrong in spooning, just letting a boy put his arm around you and kissing you? What is "passion"? What if a boy just steals a kiss? (For boys): What sensations (evil) come from spooning? Why is it that the prettiest girls are always the kind that expect to be "petted"? Will you define love?

Last fortnight the Federal Council issued a similar outline for group-study of Prohibition. Excerpts:

In the "word test": Andrew W. Mellon, Alfred E. Smith, Al Capone, W. C. T. U., Cirrhosis of the Liver, Beer, Whiskey, Drunkard, Political Corruption, Racketeer, Machine Gun.

Statements to be marked true or false: Light wines and beer are harmless. The teaching of the Bible is against the drinking of liquor in any form. All moderate drinkers tend to become heavy drinkers.

''Personal experience stories" which the group leader reads aloud: "Two fellows of high school age went off one weekend to visit a friend. He got in touch with a bootlegger and they had considerable to drink. The two visitors got thoroughly 'soused' and had to be taken home in an automobile and put to bed."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.