FAREWELL TO CHILDHOOD

e [Music] [Music] a [Music] North Carolina families live in these particular homes like homes in every state they are the expression of a love the love that men and women feel for each other and for their children the Stewart family Happ in this home and like most other other families they are held together by love but like other loving parents Mr and Mrs Stewart can be quite angry on occasion will you look at that if I've told her once I've told her a hundred times she will not put her things away oh no not leading lady now Ellen you can't expect her to run upstairs with her stuff every time she comes in the house I tell you is nothing but temper and Tantrums and salts she was all over it by the time she was six now she's 15 is starting all over again oh let's not go through all that again can't we have any peace and quiet around here anymore go ahead take her side you in that school counselor Mrs SS and you know very well that Mrs SS is supposed to advise the boys and girls at school that's her job Mrs SS says I should go out for the dramatic Society Mrs SS says I might make a great actress I could have been an actress anybody could do you think she'll talk to me about it oh no I'm just left out of everything what do you want a pin where is she now she said she was going to a party at glender Ford oh [Music] n [Music] Peet Pete you shouldn't have done it golly Susan what's the [Music] matter you sound like the angel Gabriel h h you dope Jesus no matter what anybody says there's nothing wrong about a [Music] kiss thanks for bringing me home Pete I had a swell time I had a swell time too father mother this is Pete I'm afraid it's all my fault Mr Stewart I'm afraid it is it might improve matters if you went home sorry Susan I'll be seeing you nice PE nicest boy I know you did everything you could to embarrass him I don't think much of anyone who brings you home at this hour of night is this the kind of advice Mrs SS gives you Pete Bolton is my friend you know we only want what's best for you sus Susan where were you where I told you I'd be at glendas oh no you weren't not after 11:00 I know I called Glenda you called her yes I did we had to Susan we were so worried I'm not going to be SPI you make a fool of me in front of my friends I'm not doing anything wrong and I have a right to lead my own life Susan come back here [Music] I I might as well be dead for all anyone cares I work and I try every other kid has a good time nobody picks on them [Music] [Music] every other girl has better clothes than [Music] mine I'll do something wonderful like like finding a million dollars or becoming a in Florence night and Gale then look [Music] out weren't so ugly I might I might join the Foreign Service like Mahari you're old Susan Stewart you have skin like an alligator [Music] you're a woman of mystery you have all the Allure of the Orient who are you you're a beautiful actress the most beautiful actress in the whole world world and I love you good night my beloved you dope [Music] that's the most adorably divined cardigan I've seen in years bassets they've got a new shipment that's a pretty ribbon too but I think a COR one it look prettier in my hair hey looks like MC Martin's got himself a new date yipes look at those clothes she's in my dramatic Society she always dresses like that maybe that's what her mother wants to wear don't talk about mothers to me why can't they grow up like the rest of them they don't get out much hey Pete did you hear Jim Hammer's old man's making him work in the store to pay for that Fender he'll be there for Life parents my Pop's giving me fits one day it's go up and be a man and the next day you're out too [Music] late here comes your friend hi Max Max hi Max that's my part in the play no it isn't you're going to play Katie Kate that's the old woman yes well goodbye now see you later they can't do this to me I'm going to go tell Mrs SS that was my part in the play I was just right for it what Kate's as old as my mom I'll show them I'll resign from the dramatic Society hey take it easy oh you're just like all the rest but I'll resign just you wait and see or I'll kill myself first Susan what gives with her who knows women come on sit down not at all glender now I'm not trying to check up on Susan the way she thinks I just wondered whether you'd happen to see her and if she said where she was going oh she said she was going to see Mrs SS well then that's probably where she is no then of course I won't worry thank you Glenda bye-bye so that ssw woman again doesn't she know we expect that child home in time for dinner I have a good mind to go over there and tell her exactly what I think why don't you no I didn't mean exactly that actually I'm worried about Susan and so were you and it does see why don't you go and see her then now don't go on insisting on my going why not she may have some advice for us all right dinner can wait and you're coming with me she's your daughter too you know why why does it have to be me frightens me not getting the part frightens me I must be a dreadful person no you're not Dreadful don't try to tell me that I know I'm not a very brilliant person Susan oh you are you know you are teaching to know that you're not a bit different from the rest of your crowd and why am I lonely you're not alone your classmates have the same sense of of being at Sea childhood is an island you've left that behind on the edge of the sea is the mainland you'll be grown up when you reach it on the sea you're traveling grownups can sometimes seem pretty obstinate and trying mothers and fathers sometimes have problems worries you may not know anything about sometimes parents can seem awfully unreasonable it's hard for them to change it's easier for you your younger will you try to to understand them as people Susan to give in a little here and there I will if you say so I trust you Mrs SS if only I had a oh darn should I go mother this is a pleasure come in won't you thank you I've U wanted to talk to you about Susan Mrs SS I guess I've waited long enough I'd like that Susan why don't you run along with your father that's a good idea but I don't want to I'm sure you don't it's awfully nice of you to see us Mrs SS well it's a pleasure Mr Stewart hope we're not intruding not at all good night Mr Stones good night Peter good night good night Mr Stewart won't you sit down Mrs Stewart she'll absolutely ruin everything the time that conversation's over may as well leave town stickiest thing you could have let her do why did you I thought it was a good idea golly who wants to have their friends dragged into a family argument Susan maybe your mother knows best why why does it just naturally have to be that parents know best we're trying Susan that's why your mother went to Mrs SS oh why can't you see things my way I'm afraid you don't know day after day Mrs SS that's true enough although we do see a great deal of her at school just does what ever comes into our mind we think you're quite a good one Mind of a 15year old when do you want her to start using it this 15-year-old mind when she's 18 or 24 surely you don't want that Mrs Stewart no cream and sugar thanks S have a little cream her dissatisfactions of her strength she got to think with the mind she has Mrs steart you and I we must never be guilty of holding life back but it's as though I couldn't share her life anymore she's never at home when she is she's so irritable and contrary why don't worry about it Mrs Stewart they all have to go through it this period of struggle uncertainty Revolt it's how they grow up to become independent people trust Susan she can handle freedom because you've given her a good foundation of sound values tell me what's happened between me and my daughter she needs her friends and her gang they all do she needs do and boys you wouldn't want to have her unattractive ignored oh I know it's a difficult period she's hot-headed disagrees with you about everything wants to run life on her own turns just now she's kicking over some of the traces but never was there a time when she needed you more we can't help we can only remember if we don't declare war on them we can only remember that Underneath It All they're so uncertain about everything make it your friend M give her about three more years in which to grow you're going to be very proud of her I don't know what's gotten into you you never used to pick on me oh baby you mustn't feel that way I'm not a baby not don't want to be cuddled I I want to be understood sure sure you do Susan we all want to be under stood even your mother I'll try I'll try real hard Susie Mrs sums told me about the part Susan I'm sorry you didn't get the one you wanted I thought you know that white lace dress of mine well Mrs SS and I thought it would be just perfect for your second act that is if you think it's right oh brother look it's hanging in the closet in my hall and don't say brother say looks as if you made out all right yes you know she's 11th in a class of 46 Susan say that's fine I can remember now a little more of what it was like she's going through a very difficult period yes and we've got to give her a lot of understanding we' got to show her make her really know that we love her mother mother it's it's wonderful it's wonderful it's just perfect for me and just right for the part oh Mom you're wonderful I feel as though I'd lost you oh Mom don't be silly you know it's not fair bad not bad at all I wonder if pet will like it well no it's not supposed to be boy bait well I like that we loved it on mother always trying to take the fun out of Susan don't bother your father when he wants to read turn around go over here I want to see something something goodness some people you know I was wondering if we let it up in the front and down in the back maybe it wouldn't wiggle so looks pretty good to me just the way it is well it looks as if you girls are going to work things out all right for now no the trials of adolescence aren't settled in one day they must be lived through day after day year year after [Music] year parents are dismayed by Rebellion strangely mixed with the need for guidance and support adolescents are mortified by inner and outer forces urging them toward maturity while holding them [Music] back and for both Generations the only answers are love and and understanding [Music]