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Salient. An organ of student opinion at Victoria University, Wellington. Vol. 23, No. 9. Wednesday, November 9, 1960

Urge For Adult Experiences

Urge For Adult Experiences

Delinquency stems from an adolescent urge for adult experiences. It stems from envy and an urge for the freedom of adult life. Whether or not statistics agree I cannot say but it seems from my reading of "Truth" that the majority of teenage delinquents are unskilled, highly paid workers … teenagers earning adult wages and able to afford the pleasures of adult life. Not only will raising the school leaving age prevent them from taking these jobs, it will keep these junior "Al Capones" within the control of State trained supervisors. And by the time they graduate to the adult world, they will be better able to cope with the influx of money … money … money.

As a psychological compensation for the depriving of a chance to enter adult life, it is essential that if the school leaving age is raised, school uniforms must be abolished. Besides restricting natural adolescent development, school uniforms are a ridiculously expensive rule, a major reason why many of the children of lower class homes leave school at 15. It is expensive not in itself but in its effect. In the natural adolescent urge for development the youngster is urgent in his appeal for an additional set or sets of clothing that he can wear for social acceptance in his pseudo adult world … the world outside the jurisdiction of the school.

The abolition of school uniforms will reduce parent expenses and offer junior an ego appetiser, and remove a grave psychological barrier to the development of many teenagers. And new trends in clothing styles are neat and functional.

Thus by raising the school leaving age and abolishing school uniforms three things of importance are achieved.

(a)A major cause of delinquency is stemmed.
(b)The adolescent urge of adult-hood is pampered.
(c)Higher educational is made possible.