description:
Dec. 1, 1965 THE SKYSCRAPER Page Three Alderman Emphasizes City Social Problems by Jennifer Joyce Reluctant Deb's Acting, Accents Stir Immediate Audience Laughter Leon Despres, Alderman of Chi cago's 11th Ward, immediately re inforced his reputation as a dis senter Nov. 16 by denying that the quote on the Speak-Easy banner in McCormick Lounge is Voltaire's. One of Voltaire's biographer's, he said, mistakenly gave him credit for the quote. Turning to the present, Despres appealed to the audience to ask him the embarrassing question be cause it may be the most search ing. Moderator Stan Dale began by asking the alderman why he is the principal objector in the City Council. The alderman testified that out of Chicago's 50 aldermen, the few members not under the city admin istration's pressure attract pub licity when they raise objections in the council. He said that al dermen who rely on the power of the machine for re-election don't voice their opinions. Reactionary Behavior Despres indicated that his resis tance in the council stems from concern over the city's mercenary and reactionary tendencies. He cited the hesitancy of Chicago in adopting open-occupancy housing laws as an example of reac tionary behavior. The alderman pointed out that a resolution for open-occupancy was buried in the Rules Committee of the City Council. An open-occupancy law, he emphasized, would break up the block-by-block pattern of housing segregation which prohibits free movement. When a student asked Des pres to categorize segregation in schools as either de facto or in tentional, he proposed that school Skyscraper Photo by plane Sargol ALDERMAN LEON DES PRES spoke out against city gov ernment at the Nov. 16 Speak-Easy session. segregation results from housing segregation. He blamed Superin tendent of Schools Benjamin C. Willis for dropping the practice of redrawing school district boundary lines which his predecessor had em ployed to insure maximum integra tion. Overrated Administrator The alderman asserted that Wil lis is overrated as an administra tor and that his atrocious views on school integration have damaged the school system. Despres pre dicted that Willis' successor will have a Willis-type bias because he will be elected by the same group which chose Willis. Despres also aired his views on the mayor of Chicago. He admit ted with a smile that Richard J. Daley is a very interesting man. The alderman accused Daley of letting his position as Chicago's Democratic party chairman take priority over his mayoral role. Showy Improvements Despres charged the mayor with improving the central business and upper income areas simply be cause they're showy. He admitted that Daley has done a satisfactory job in conventional housekeeping chores but he reproached him for being not quite good enough as mayor to solve the problems of a great city. In attempting to bring the prob lem into the realm of the college student, he commended those who worked in the save-the-trees move ment in Jackson Park and lauded those who do tutorial work. Such students, Despres insisted, into immediate intimacy problems. come with A reluctant debutante offered an interesting topic for William Douglas Home's play by the same name. The play, presented Nov. 20 and 21 by the Laetare Players, was directed by Miss Mary Penkala. As sistant director was Miss Arlene- Nancy Cozzi, production coordina tor, Sister Mary Jeanelle, B.V.M., and technical director, Mr. George Petterson. The set, an attractive British apartment, was designed by Carroll Westbrook, who also played the role of Jimmy Broadbent. Outstanding Actor Relating the story of a mother, Sheila Broadbent (Pat Krogman), who is attempting to push her daughter, Jane (Bonnie Czarnecki), into an unsought marriage, the play provided an evening of spon taneous enjoyment. Particularly outstanding through out the play was the father, Jimmy, who as his role called for, was sub- by Diane Sargol jected to his wife's decisions, but secretly supported his daughter's ideas of love and how to find it. Skyscraper Photo by Nancy Vandenberg PAT KROGMAN as Sheila Broadbent prattles persuasively to her darling Jane, the Reluctant Debutante. Calls for Re-evaluation Psychiatry Replaces Parents, Religion (Continued from Page 1) A graduate from the University of Copenhagen, he commented that many American parents abdicate their responsibility as soon as their child enters adolescence. In this connection he offered the view that there was too much per missiveness in adult dealings with young people. The Oklahoma pro fessor said that psychiatrists are stricter than religious men because they realize that values strengthen a person's identity and they align themselves with the patient's need to be what he wants to be. Position Clarified Later challenged on the appar ent contradiction of this need for strictness with the demand for ex perimentation, the speaker clari fied his position. He explained I do not prescribe values but I keep the task always in sight. Stressing the necessity for abso lute frankness, Dr. Toussieng used the common example of referring to juvenile car theft as a joy ride. In summary he said that therapists do not try to excuse behavior but they do not try to punish it either. From these remarks, the empha sis shifted to the more technical explanation of the adolescent struggle for values. Self-esteem Gained The child before puberty gains his self-esteem from praise, usually praise for being a good child. As a result his relationship with his parents changes as he begins to accept their value system until at puberty he withdraws from the parents and makes another teen ager his model for identification with prohibitions, the speaker elaborated. In actuality, the adolescent re- adopts the same values which he has projected on his friend. These re-internalized values are colored by what the youth ex periences or fails to experience and he begins to form an ego-ideal (conscience). Here Dr. Toussieng added paren thetically that the endless conver sations of early teens are an at tempt at self-definition through social closeness with peers. Reactions Cited This stage, Dr. Toussieng in terjected, offers an opportunity for the church to impress values. Moreover, by the adoption of an ego-ideal, the individual is reach ing for something beyond himself and so undertakes a struggle. The degree to which the individual ac complishes the struggle deter mines his degree of mental health according to the child psychiatrist. On yet another facet, the speaker mentioned that facing up to pain is an essential part of mental health. In areas totally unrelated to youth the doctor cited adverse reactions to local phases of the poverty programs and Project Headstart. He observed that if people recognize the need for such measures they must also recognize a failing on their own part. He extended the reasoning to the civil rights movement observing that op position to civil rights legislation is a means of avoiding the reality that people let 100 years pass be fore enforcing the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Development Observed Returning to the analogy of child development the analyst ob served that in this area the coun try is in a juvenile state of do's and don'ts. In concluding the formal portion of his lecture, Dr. Toussieng voiced the opinion that it is high time religion again takes its place in society. Religion alone has the responsibility to make people realize what and whom. Questions from the audience illic- ited further remarks from the speaker. Sacrifice Needed When asked if there were any psychological reactions among Catholics to the authority in the Church, he commented that some young people begin to see the changes in the liturgy as something driving them away. He observed that young people need an issue that they can sacrifice and strug gle for. Stemming from this somewhat was a question concerning the re action of college students to au thority. Dr. Toussieng attributed this to the fact that children are maturing one and one-half years earlier and that parents are push ing children too fast. Often, he speculated, these outbursts are at tempts at asking for protection from their own impulses. Asked to define authority, the speaker offered the view that it stems from a certain amount of inner security on one hand and that it is also endowed from some external source. Questions Explored On the role of the clergy, the doctor said they are there to help young people in their struggle by helping them explore some of the basic questions of religious mean ing and identity. Likewise, commenting on the moral and psychological role of par ents he remarked that he never be lieved that the way to fight sin is to remove the temptation. Still, he maintains that adults are re sponsible for sexual immorality be cause they are constantly seducing the kids. Moving to schools Dr. Toussieng observed that teachers have al lowed the parents to pass the buck to the schools. The schools have lost their identity as they no longer know what they're doing. Returning to religion, the psy chiatrist maintained that anybody who is mentally healthy has to turn to areas beyond himself. Continuing, he said man does not create his own values but rather integrates them from others. The problem today arises be cause many parents cannot pass on values because they don't realize them. Especially noteworthy was Jim my's vociferous explanation to Sheila of her tactics in seeking an unwanted husband for Jane. This was the only scene in the play where he offered a caustic argu ment to his domineering wife. Pat Krogman was obviously au dience-conscious. This was evident in lines such as Oh, Jimmy, di rected to the audience almost as an aside, rather than to her hus band. Throughout the play she spoke to the audience, ignoring the characters opposite her on stage. The reluctant debutante proved capable of fulfilling her role. The image of a tomboy in cut-offs and sweater in the first scene, Jane became a graceful young lady at the cocktail party in Scene 2, and manifest her femininity as she fell in love with David Hoylake-John- ston (Noel Uzemac). Instant Laughter The comical expressions of Cla rissa (Janet Bina) which accom panied her own lines as well as her mother's remarks, elicited in stant laughter from the audience. The sophistication of Mabel, Clarissa's mother, was expertly brought to the stage by Ann Foxen. The gossip which ensued between Mabel and Sheila was expected from two mothers attempting to push their young daughters into society, but the conversation re garding the character of Hoylake- Johnston was extremely difficult to follow. The most outstanding aspect of the play was the British accent flawlessly maintained. Barbara Rivelli, a crew member, explained that when a play calls for an ac cent, the entire cast and crew learn it. Whil.e dressing for the perform ance, the actresses fell in and out of the British accent with complete ease. They also assumed their character identity, becoming com pletely oblivious to the bustling in the costume room as they ran through their lines before curtain time. Skyscraper Photo by Nancy Vandenberjr BONNIE CZARNECKI as Jane Broadbent commiserates with her father Jimmy Broadbent played by Carroll Westbrook. Once on stage, the actors brought their audience into the ac tion of the play with complete con fidence and enthusiasm. With the responsive audience and a spirited cast, The Reluctant Debutante was an excellent commencement to the annual drama season.
title:
1965-12-01 (3)
publisher:
Women and Leadership Archives http://www.luc.edu/wla
creator:
Mundelein College
description:
Student newspaper for Mundelein College
subject:
Newspapers
subject:
Religious communities--Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
subject:
Students
subject:
Universities and colleges
subject:
Women's education
relation:
Mundelein College Records
type:
Text
language:
English
rights:
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coverage:
Chicago, Illinois
coverage:
Mundelein College