The Chicago Daily Courier discusses the acute problem of American student youth in an editorial entitled “What Shall We Do With Our Youth?” The Courier says:
The problem of our American student youth has for a long time given our sociologists and economists no rest. Several decades ago the problem was practically non-existent in the United States. When a young man completed his professional studies he was certain to get a position and to settle down, to marry, usually, and become a useful member of the American people. Many of them also became leaders and contributed much to their communities, their states and all the nation.
But now the colleges and universities release tens of thousands of young men and women year after year who have studied various professions but cannot find any place for themselves. At a meeting held recently in New York to consider the burning question of present-day youth the fear was expressed that the abnormal economic conditions for youth would have an injurious effect upon their characters, which would be worse than anything else.
The student youth, which is usually the standard bearer of civilization and culture, may possibly become degraded because of the adverse economic conditions. This would have a very bad effect upon future generations. The problem of youth is now very much intensified by the added question of character development, and the American leaders will have to give it much thought.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
