development a person ordinarily acquires attachments to those close by, and 

 as he grows up he attaches himself to more groups. And he comes normally to 

 feel himself a member of an ever larger group. He depends upon others and 

 comes to help others in ways that create more satisfaction for all than would 

 be possible if each tried to live alone. 



The Family and Civilization All the records we have of human living 

 show that, whatever the form ot society, people always lived in families. The 

 individual is born into the family, he is shaped by the family, and he nor- 

 mally expresses himself as an independent adult through the family. All 

 social life, then, rests upon the family, which first of all nurtures and protects 

 the infant. The amount of care given to the child determines the degree of 

 social development. And this is also an index of social development. That is, 

 the more advanced a civilization is, the more it uses its resources for the 

 benefit of children and youth. And the more effectively any civilization 

 serves its children and youth, the better off is the entire community likely 

 to be. 



It is a sound principle for any civilization to protect and free its youth, 

 but there is no simple rule for applying this principle. It is a mistake, for 

 example, to assume that postponing the problems and responsibilities of life 

 will itself ensure advantages for the protected individuals. Boys and girls 

 who have all their needs supplied and who are as "free" as babies from any 

 obligations are likely to grow up into rather helpless and useless persons whom 

 nobody likes but themselves. 



For over a hundred years in this country thoughtful people have recognized 

 that protecting the health and development of children hnngs general benefits. 

 Schooling and legal protection are of public concern, not merely privileges 

 for those who can afford them. Training and educating children result in the 

 well-being and happiness of the whole community. But it does not follow 

 that every individual will gain from every additional year of schooling, or will 

 be better off as an adult, or a better member of the family or the community, 

 because of more schooling. For schooling, past a certain point, like food or 

 medicine or clothing, has to be suited to the particular individual. And it has 

 to be suited to the kind of culture in which he is to live. 



To be effective and cumulative, the gains of civilization have to reach 

 down to the infant long before the child can take part in schools or clinics or 

 radio concerts. Most of our devices for better living act upon the individual 

 through the family. Health services attempt to reach the child before he is 

 born, through maternity clinics and through the education of parents. The 

 nutrition of children before school age has come to be a matter of public con- 

 cern, especially in time of war. Every child brings with him to school or 

 kindergarten, out of his home, a multitude of conditionings and attitudes 

 that influence the way he adjusts himself to social living. Some children 



430 



