Judge Philip B. Gilliam of Denver, Colorado 1959

[Trajan]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/judge-words-wisdom-teens-tweens-goes-viral-180634774.html

Open Letter to Teen-ager

Always we hear the plaintive cry of the teen-ager. What can we do?...Were can we go?
The answer is GO HOME!
Hang the storm windows, paint the woodwork. Rake the leaves, mow the lawn, shovel the walk. Wash the car, learn to cook, scrub some floors. Repair the sink, build a boat, get a job.
Help the minister, priest, or rabbi, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army. Visit the sick, assist the poor, study your lessons. And then when you are through - and not too tired - read a book.
Your parents do not owe you entertainment. Your city or village does not owe you recreational facilities.
The world does not owe you a living...You owe the world something.
You owe it your time and your energy and your talents so that no one will be at war or in poverty or sick or lonely again.
Grow up; quit being a crybaby. Get out of your dream world and develop a backbone, not a wishbone, and start acting like a man or a lady.
You're supposed to be mature enough to accept some of the responsibility your parents have carried for years.
They have nursed, protected, helped, appealed, begged, excused, tolerated and denied themselves needed comforts so that you could have every benefit. This they have done gladly, for you are their dearest treasure.
But now, you have no right to expect them to bow to every whim and fancy just because selfish ego instead of common sense dominates your personality, thinking and request.
In Heaven's name, grow up and go home!

 

[2oldtommy]

I would add-----'Learn to take FULL responsibility for your actions!' ---- FWIW-Oldtommy

 

[bepperb]

I'm not necessarily sold that's good advice but it is entertaining that every generation thinks the next one are a bunch of worthless crybabies. Somehow the world keeps turning.

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
it is entertaining that every generation thinks the next one are a bunch of worthless crybabies. Somehow the world keeps turning.



This argument dates back to the time of Plato (and probably before, Plato just happen to write about it). To me, it's a sure sign that you're getting old when you start whining about how worthless the "newer generation is" compared to your own. Stupid and lazy are hardly new, they've existed throughout time.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
I'm not necessarily sold that's good advice but it is entertaining that every generation thinks the next one are a bunch of worthless crybabies. Somehow the world keeps turning.


I had the same thought. Sounds a lot like how the current young generation is perceived. Go figure!

 

[javacontour]

It's easier to yell at kids in general than it is to stand up to your kids and tell them to get to work.

I find myself thinking these thoughts from time to time. But then I sometimes had them when I was 18-22 years old. Working my way through school, paying what my ROTC scholarship didn't cover introduced me to all sorts of entitled kids.

My wife is paying for my step kids to go to school. Meanwhile, I've told my story to my daughter about how I worked my way through school, earning the scholarships and working a job or two while taking a full load and then some, usually never less than 16 hours/semester due to having ROTC as one of my classes. The expectation is that she will have significant "skin in the game" when it comes to her education.

But given time, and some perspective, I see some of the stupid things I did and how the kids are learning from their experiences.

I didn't feel I had the margin for error and relaxation many kids feel they have today.

But then I can also see why they are in no hurry. After all, where are the jobs for them when they get out of school?

 

[antiqueshell]

Quote:
Your city or village does not owe you recreational facilities.



Nice to hear someone else mentioning this.

How many times do you see these kids whining that they have nowhere to go so they are "off the streets" not causing trouble.

I remember I saw this one report on local TV news where some stupid city or town was providing an indoor basketball court open until 1am everyday of the week for these potential trouble makers.

Simply ludicrous. The biggest question is where are the parents, well we know that the father is likely not in their lives. LOL

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Quote:
Your city or village does not owe you recreational facilities.



Nice to hear someone else mentioning this.

How many times do you see these kids whining that they have nowhere to go so they are "off the streets" not causing trouble.


I hear it about as often as I hear adults whining about "kids these days". It might be less about generational discord and more about whiners whining.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: JOD
Originally Posted By: bepperb
it is entertaining that every generation thinks the next one are a bunch of worthless crybabies. Somehow the world keeps turning.



This argument dates back to the time of Plato (and probably before, Plato just happen to write about it). To me, it's a sure sign that you're getting old when you start whining about how worthless the "newer generation is" compared to your own. Stupid and lazy are hardly new, they've existed throughout time.


Yap, it's selective memory of the old generation. We tend to forget all these stupid things we did ourself and how we took things for granted as well (I guess different things).

 

[antiqueshell]

I'm in my mid 40s and I don't ever recall a town or city providing sports facilities for troublesome kids til 1am in the morning. LOL

Just more nanny state nonsense.

But the real issues is the quality of people in our society and how the children are being raised, or not being raised as is the case many times.

 

[Mr Nice]

Not all kids are bozos but I have seen lots of young adults that think they are entitled and have a big ego. Life will quickly educate them when they get a kick on their [censored].

 

[bigmike]

Our local middle school has a baseball field with stadium lighting (why, I don't know?). Those lights are on every night until around midnight or so, well past the curfew for teenagers. Apparently, they think it is important to make sure the field is lit up for youths. I see it as a major waste of tax dollars. I have no idea how people sleep that live next door to the field, either.

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
I'm in my mid 40s and I don't ever recall a town or city providing sports facilities for troublesome kids til 1am in the morning. LOL

Just more nanny state nonsense.

But the real issues is the quality of people in our society and how the children are being raised, or not being raised as is the case many times.


Never had them when I was a kid either. We had strict rules about how late you could stay out. How much television. (No video games back then.) And if you *dared* to mouth off....

You didn't dare do anything more than use chalk/toilet paper on Mischief Night. Not only because cops would come around and slap your pockets, (in case you had eggs.), but you had to clean up everything the next day.

 

[Pablo]

I think stimulation dollars should buy us a community pool.

 

[Cujet]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
I'm not necessarily sold that's good advice but it is entertaining that every generation thinks the next one are a bunch of worthless crybabies. Somehow the world keeps turning.



The world keeps turning because a select few engineers and technically minded people, who understand scientific reasoning make it possible. Sorry, but without industry, this earth won't support 7 billion people.

So, go home. Learn and become part of the solution. Not part of the problem. This world owes you nothing.

 

[Waltbx]

Such a good blog. Thanks for your energy and commitment.

I trust that you will share with me a willingness to correct a firestorm of injustice. My mother was the author of "Letter to a Teenager" incorrectly attributed to Judge Philip Gilliam, a good man, who has acknowledge he wasn't the author and "never pretended to be." It is so unfair to my mother, who has since passed. My sisters and I would be deeply grateful if she would receive the recognition she deserved.

The letter was written in response to a near riot after a football game in 1955. The teens involved said they "had nothing to do, nowhere to go."

I have substantial documentation.

I have copies of two letters, one from The Reader's Digest of September 15, 1958 and the second from Abigail Van Buren (syndicated column "Dear Abby") dated January 16, 1978 acknowledging her authorship. I would post copies if I knew how.

Abby says in the letter "Dear Doris: You, dear, modest, generous lady. I am returning all the documentation per your request. As I recall, a judge in Denver, Judge Gilliam (or something like that) took credit for the letter you wrote. And several others had the nerve to claim authorship."

The Reader's Digest letter says, in part: "We were delighted to have your letter and to learn that you are the author of 'letter to a Teen-Ager,' which we reprinted in our August [1958] issue. Our payment check for $80.00 is enclosed... You may be interested to know that since your letter appeared in the Digest it has received even wider circulation, for we are now receiving reprints from all over the country."

In her correction piece, Inez Robb, whose syndicated column appeared in 140 papers, wrote: "Since about 50 per cent of my correspondents attributed the letter to Philip B Gilliam, the widely-know judge of Denver's Juvenile Court. I telephoned to ask him when he had first written it.
" 'But I am not the author, I didn't originate it,' Judge Gilliam said. "I don't know who wrote it. As best I can remember, I received an anonymous letter from an irate parent seven or eight years ago. He or she laid down the platform that has since become known as 'Letter To A Teen-ager.' "
" 'A few months after I received it I was speaking at Boys' Ranch in Amarillo, Texas,' Judge Gilliam continued. 'I used the advice in the talk and the Boys' Ranch publication reprinted it, and credited it to me."
Well, if Judge Gilliam is not the author of "Letter To A Teen-ager," who is?
Stop the press! The mailman has just delivered a delightful letter from Mrs. Doris Burvill (sic.) of Hibbing, Minn., who says she wrote the famous letter "several years ago after a near student riot in Hibbing, following a basketball game."
"It was first published in the Hibbing Daily Tribune" the author says "And was picked up by The Readers Digest."
Mrs. Burville: Front and center, and take a bow!"

Here are several links to Abby's columns where she corrects the false attribution to the Judge. Her column is syndicated and you will find that article in many newspapers carrying Dear Abby.

From the Chicago Tribune, October 29, 1995: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-10-29/news/9510290386_1_dear-abby-open-letter-sick

The Bryan Times, July 2, 1985. (go to page 3 upper right) http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=NtGNdKbuCngC&dat=19850702&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

Inez Robb, Lewiston Evening Journal, March 26, 1963 (jump to page three) http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19630326&id=f7QgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vmkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2309,2430303

Thanks for your consideration.

 

[Bladecutter]

Funny how you never say what your mother's name actually is, in all of your post.

BC.

 

[MrHorspwer]

Alternate headline:
Cranky judge says, "GET OFF MY LAWN!"

Actual picture of judge: