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PAGE 2 GEORGIA BULLETIN BOOK SUPPLEMENT Jesuit Essays Project Image Of Church IN THE EYES OF OTHERS Macmillan, $3.95 In this collection of eight essays the Jesuit authors seek to project a public image of the Catholic Church that will modify the popular image. The areas singled out for exploration are: historical, political, sociologi cal, authoritarianism, biblical, birth control, censorship, and woman. TEEN-AGE Tyranny By Grace and Fred M. Hechinger Morrow, 259 p. $4.50 Has the Teen-ager replaced the adult as the focal point of attention in the wide worlds of education, commerce, and lei sure? Many parents have been thinking this privately for the past generations. Now the hus band and wife team of Grace and Fred M. Hechinger come up with facts and figures to support the thesis. They are no mean authorities on the sub ject, and their case is docu mented in clear language. “Teen-age Tyranny” is a double-edged title because it refers to the relinquishment of adult prerogatives, and Is concerned with the adolscent craving for popularity through mass confirmity. THE HECHINGERS blame much of our current troubles on Progressive Education — whatever that really means. Such things as sel-expression, classroom culture, and the world of the “child-centered”, all are part of the general ex cesses which have led to the flight from reason and logic. The authors lay great stress on the irresponsibility of adults With the exception ofthefirst essay, the authors do not set out the popular image and then refute it, but they honestly set forth what the Church holds as its own, even at the risk of mis-understanding. The essays are restrained, quiet, not ped antic, and as easy to read and comprehend as an evening con versation. THE FIRST essay by Father who abdicate their rights and privileges “for the convenience of the immature**. They also point to the great mistake made in treating adolscence as a separate way of life, rather than a period of transition in which the immature have the oppor tunity to eventually become ma ture — and not only biologi cally. They treat early marriage, teen-age drinking, use of auto mobiles, and the billions of dollars worth of investments made by business angling for the teen-age market. Out of all this comes the terrible amount of waste and extravagance which is portrayed to the teen-ager as a virtue, not a vice; and on the sidelines there are the huck sters ready to jump in and exploit. This and much more is of fered in “Teen-age Tyranny**. If adults are to learn anything from the Hechingers* presenta tion, it is that first and fore most we have got to stop act ing like teen-agers. Our teen agers, alas, have got to learn to enjoy the experience of be ing young before they are dra gooned into growing older. GERARD E. SHERRY Vincent C. Hopkins traces the historical aspects of anti-Ca tholicism in the United States. Although it would be unrealistic to accept his picture as modern even here in the South, yet an understanding of misunder standings is obtained. Father Gustave Weigel follows along to dispel the notion that the Catholic theory of Church- State relations is dictatorship of the Church. His comments on Boniface VIII cannot be ig nored by honest men. He scores a point with: “The theologians can only discuss the relation ship of Church to State if one can define for him what kind of state is meant.*’ If that raises objections, they are quickly an swered by an exposition of three absolute principles. The contribution “Catholics and Corruption** by Father Jo seph C. Fitzpatrick will bring a sign of relief to the Catholic social workers as well as to the Newman Club student in a so ciology class. He gives a cogent explanation to the innuendoes that our Christian people are by and large, hypocrites. Call ing attention to the factors of immigration, changing values, conflict of interests, and tech nology, he sketches a road to follow: cultivation of a personal sense of justice and clarifica tion of ethical norms in a plu ralistic society. IN AN excellent essay, one of the best in the book, Father W. Norris Clarke addresses him self to the inquiring and disturb ed mind - must a Catholic sur- 1. Taste a book or magazine before reading, it may be bitter or even rotten. The mind is more important than the sto mach. Just as some food is fit only for the garbage pail, so some reading is not fit for the mind. 2. A mind that does not per fect itself by good reading does not remain the same; it becomes duller. White fences do not remain white fences; muscles that are not used atrophy, and a mind that does not take men tal nourishment can starve. 3. An opposite extreme is to do all the studying in one dire ction. Over- specialization, Darwin said, ruined his mind, for he thereby lost all taste for music, poetry and the arts. Many theses in universities are on such a specialized subject that they profit neither the stu dent, the university, nor the general public. 4. To limit one's reading to the newspaper and to popular magazines is to fall in to un iformity and the dullness of the ant-hill When everone knows the samething. No one knows any thing. 5. The best time for study depends on one's constitution. Some are born roosters and so their best work in the morning; others are owls and have their best mental activity at night. 6. A student who is not liv ing a moral life, will frown on all reading which calls his moral bankruptcy to account. A bank robber does not like to render his freedom of con science and use of reason in submission to the authority of the Catholic Church? In his essay, “Authority of Private Judgment*’ he quietly and lu cidly answers so many ques tions. His essay brings up a question - what about The Church’s attitude toward bib lical studies? This interest is taken up in “The Study of Scrip tures” by the editor, Father Ro bert W. Gleason. In twenty pages Father Glea son has telescoped interesting historical developments in the biblical field, as well as a clarification of the “literary” forms** which still bothersome professors. To be regretted here especially, and this holds for the entire book, is the fail ure to satisfy the serious read er with a suggested bibliogra phy. The bibliography in each of these areas is too extensive for the ordinary reader to know what to choose. Books, like rabbits, do multiply. “The Catholic Church and Birth Control” by Father Jo seph S. Duhamel is perhaps the best essay. Here is one that ought to be meditated upon by clergy and laity alike. Every one knows the image of The Church toward this modem scourge which destroys moral fiber so subtly. Father Duhamel hides behind no emotional trees, nor does he discount the serious problems involved. This essay is quite thorough and clearly written. have a searchlight on him as he blasts a safe;- neither does an evil man want the light on truth shining on his evil deeds. 7. As food is chewed, so must reading. As the mouth has gas tric juices, so does the mind have mental juices to convert reading into Knowledge. As wood must be chopped before it is burned, so reading must be meditated on to get its full flavor. 8. The eye is not always see ing; every now and then it winks, or goes into temporary dark ness. So the mind has to take itself away from what it is read ing in order to reflect on the knowledge, and thus understand it better when one returns to the book. 9. Do not always keep an “open mind,” that is read everything without making decisions. An “open mind” that never de cides on anything as true, can turn out to be nothing more than a hole in the head. The “open mouth” that never closes on food starves. 10. If the book is your own, read with a pencil; mark the important passages for a se cond 0 a third reading, if the book is not your own, forget the suggestion. This would have been no help to Anatole France, who said that the only books he had in his library were those that he borrowed from friends. 11. The Book of the Month is not necessarily the book worth reading. If you have never read Plutarch’s Lives, it is the same as if it just were off ANOTHER thorny subject fol lows in Father Harold C. Gar diner’s essay on “The Catholic Church and Censorship.” Fa ther Gardiner is quite aware of his area, since he is liter ary editor of America. His discussion of criticism versus censorship does much to lay the foundation for the real im age of the Church in this area. Throughout the authors have dealt very well with some* difficult subjects, but the most difficult and the most dange rous was left to Father Joseph Donuel. He bravely takes his stand with the other seven Je suits in his essay, “Man and Woman in the Church.” He does a creditable job, but seems to fall victim to a popular im age (mostly masculine) of wo man that will not be shared by many (mostly feminine) - such as “Woman's mind is somewhat hazier and more nebulous be cause. . .” Women, however, will probably concede that where his thumb is on the scale, he discounts more liberally. Father Hopkins renders a service to truth in pointing out an important factor in most hate literature - human greed. This book can be recommend ed widely. It would be an excel lent gift for your inquisitive friend and especially for your son or daughter in college. They will not be disappointed. T. T. McNULTY, O.F.M. the press. Emerson suggested never reading a book until it was out a year. What is the latest fashion is not necessar ily the best. What ever happen ed to the sack dress? 12 Reading novels exclusively or looking'at television dramas and Westerns exclusively, stirs up the emotions against objects that are purely fictitious and unreal. Later on, when emotions should be aroused toward a real object, it will be discover ed that they have become jad ed. The modern would has thus lost the power of moral indig nation. 13. Students would do well to recall that a number of classes in colleges are not worth foll owing; principally among them are classes where the pro fessors dictate their notes; also a class in which statistics are given for that year only. A good book is worth more than some college courses. 14. There is no short cut to knowledge. No easy path exists toward acquiring a foreign lang uage or mathematics. The taste for everything that is fine and noble is the result of dis cipline and hard work. 15. A man may be very cle ver, know much, publish much, astound quiz masters and be a devil. Knowledge of and by itself is not sancitity. Goodness is in the will, not the intellect. 16. Pray before studying, for though knowledge comes from bttks, wisdom comes from God. PRAYER BOOK AND RITUAL Available at all bookstores in nine handsome bindings and many colors—$3.95 to $16.00 or write for free descriptive brochure. HELICON PRESS BALTIMORE 2, MD. TEEN-AGE MORES Young Tyrants Ways To Improve Mind