30 March 1957

Talked with my “God is Perfection”, “God is Law” God loving Mary Anderson the other afternoon. What a revelation! These career women who close their eyes to all except their particular field!

Although R. Z. Baker, her brother-in-law makes speeches about the Brotherhood of Man – these are some of Mary Anderson’s remarks.

She believes “survival of the fittest” is the primary law of nature. Therefore, she would:

1. Help only the intelligent – the rest of humanity should just die off. If we don’t bother with them from they very start, they would not be around to bother us in the present.
2. She went to church with a man attorney she chanced to meet. He took her to lunch and expanded some of his views. She shocked the man, saying:
   1. She had no sympathy for juvenile delinquents. They were not worth bothering with. She told me, when I asked, “but what should be done about them?” – the law would take care of them. If you just ignored them they would stop being delinquents and behave themselves. I asked her, had she read anything about juvenile crimes in the papers? The robbing? Killing, beating up of teachers, etc.? She airily told me she does not bother to read these articles in the paper.
   2. Although she professes to be a god-loving woman, she does not believe in high-pressure groups like the Community Fund.

I asked her if she did not believe in her brother-in-law Baker’s interest in the Y.M.C.A.

“What did I mean?” she asked. “Well,” said I, “the Y.M.C.A. receives 1/3 of its funds from the Community Fund.”

This ignorance of the C.F. she dismissed quite airily again by saying: “They don’t need the Community Fund – they can raise all the money they need.”

“If that is true,” I continued, “How did she explain the fact that they Y Building Fund Campaign a couple of years ago did not meet its goal?”

No available answer.

She differentiates between do-gooders (who she has no use for) and organizations who “do good.” Her attitude is, if an organization does good, that is all there is to it. The money naturally falls into the organizations lap to use it to do good.

Also, she is a believer in eugenics – do away with those who are unnecessary or unfit.

I asked her – Who is to decide who is unnecessary or unfit? No answer. Also, I told her Hitler tried this procedure in Germany with his “inferior race” talk and it was the blackest page in our world’s history.

Her comment? “Well, one can carry these things too far.”

Mary Anderson may be a very bright probate court attorney – yet she is a very narrow, stupid woman with no compassion. I am sure her luncheon partner must have shivered at her rank sadism and thoughtless [lack of] concern for anything outside here narrow bailiwick.

29 March 1957

Last night, Nancy was looking for a poem to use in school. This morning I saw a Book of Knowledge on the coffee table in the living room opened to this poem:

TRAVEL

I should like to rise and go
Where the golden apples grow;–
Where below another sky
Parrot islands anchored lie
And, watched by cockatoos and goats,
Lonely Crusoes building boats;–
Where in sunshine reaching out,
Eastern cities, miles about,
Are with mosque and minaret
Among sandy gardens set,
And the rich good from near and far
Hang for sale in the bazaar,–
Where the Great Wall round China goes,
And on one side the desert blows,
And with bell and voice and drum
Cities on the other hum;–
Where are forests, hot as fire,
Wide as England, tall as a spire,
Full of apes and cocoa-nuts
And the negro hunters’ huts;–
Where the knotty crocodile
Lies and blinks in the Nile,
And the red flamingo flies
Hunting fish before his eyes,–
Where in jungles, near and far,
Man-devouring tigers are,
Lying close and giving ear
Lest the hunt be drawing near,
Or a comer-by be seen
Swinging in a palanquin,–
There among the desert sands
Some deserted city stands,
All its children, sweep and prince,
Grown to manhood ages since,
Not a foot in street or house,
Not a stir of child or mouse,
And when kindly falls the night,
In all the town no spark of light.
There I’ll come when I’m a man
With a camel caravan;
Light a fire in the gloom
of some dusty dining-room;
See the pictures on the walls,
Heroes, fights and festivals,
And in a corner find the toys
Of the old Egyptian boys.

Robert Louis Stevenson

27 March 1957

Is the “Average Public School Education Too Average”?

This question comes to my mind as I read “Examine Courses at Wilberforce.”

Four Ohio college presidents are named to examine study courses at Wilberforce: John S. Millis (W.R.U.), Paul F. Fall (Hiram College), Paul Weaner (Lake Erie College), Howard F. Lowry (Wooster College).

Dr. Rembert Stokes, acting Wilberforce president says objective of study is: “the best quality education possible in terms of purpose, history, clientele, faculty and financial support.”

25 March 1957

Zachmannisia

When understanding wisdom falters, brute force takes over.

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Rabbi, Hillel Silver – on his retirement: P.D. [the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper]

Dr. Silver recounted that his ministry here (Cleveland) had spanned the years of two world wars and the annihilation of 6 million Jews, which he called the greatest single tragedy in human history.

“These events, plus others, were enough to shake man’s capacity to get out of the jungle”, the rabbi commented. “Through the darkness I believe we can dimly discern the outline of God’s larger purpose unfolding. We are moving in the right direction.”

He lauded efforts at work in the world today to abolish war, eradicate poverty, help minority groups. “More is being done for the common man than in any time past”, he continued.

Rabbi Silver noted that imperialism and colonialism are on their way out, that efforts are being exerted to strengthen the United Nations.

“At 64 I’m an unreconstructed optimist”, he said, “never to despair for life and labor in your midst.”

He began his sermon by expressing gratitude “to a kind Providence for life and labor in your midst.”

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24 March 1957

Anyone who is completely unselfish with a completely selfish person is a doormat and a fool.

Martyrs breed tyrants.

Zachmannisia for the day:

He who sits in rut gets run over unless no one passes his way.

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How about an article: “And a Child Shall Lead Them”?

How parents, holding their children and grandchildren, finds [sic] the fountain of youth by learning along with their children.

22 March 1957

The right to work, the right to vote, were hard-fought battles for women in the early 1900s. The right for men to organize into labor unions were hard fought battles for men. The battles of men and women for prestige status, each in their own way, were battles that needed to be fought. However, I am a great believer in the swinging pendulum.

Wen something new is added to the human social scene, the idea catches on. The imagination is fired and off goes humanity, chasing the new thought. Freud, women’s rights, men’s rights – and the pendulum swings in the opposite direction.

Russia did this with divorce cases, until the social breakdown incurred was so apparent, even in Russia, social changes had to be made.

Delighted Sylvia [Porter] sets the example of one leader of women. There are many others. Nothing is wasted in this world. All this had to be. But, our mounting divorce rate as the female sheep go over the economic cliffs as women more interested in careers in a man’s world is sweeping aside all consideration of the family.

How tragic.

21 March 1957

After hearing “Conversations” on radio – My summary of “What is an Educated Person” – I refuse to limit it to an educated “Man”. (Robinson Crusoe)

An educated person is one who has a philosophical, positive, beneficial, and an active approach to life situations as they emerge, on whatever level one finds oneself.

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The above is my summary.

Van Doren mentions Bacon, and quotes him so:

“Reading maketh a full man. Conference maketh a ready man. Writing maketh a precise man.”

3/21/57

Letter to Mr. Wright Bryan –

After reading Sylvia Porter’s column “Girls Have Arrived and Sylvia’s Delighted” in this morning’s P.D., I wonder where, or if, I can get the following information:

1. Where can I obtain a copy of “Woman Power”?
2. Where can I get the latest, or a similar study on:
   1. What subjects on a national high school level are being taught female students.
   2. Our national divorce rate and its incidence in states or cities.
   3. The number of juvenile delinquency cases across our nation.
   4. How many children are known to be social problems due to broken homes – nationwide.

And please don’t pass me over to Flora MacFarland. You did this to me once before and I never did get my question answered.

An information seeker,

Jean Zachmann

P.S. You are at perfect liberty to tell me to go dig out my own information.

20 March 1957

Sent a letter to Wright Brian PhD re-possibility of Russia obtaining access to American industrial know-how through stock in American corporations.

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From Lenten guideposts – P. D.

“Plant Foremen Put Christianity to Work” by Morehead Wright – GE Management Institute, Crotonville, N.Y.

Four years it took. Kurt has the article in his billfold.

The 10 guiding principles of foremanship:

1. Put yourself in the other fellow shoes.
2. Give clear and concise instructions.
3. Be fair and give credit and recognition.
4. Handle complaints personally and promptly.
5. Develop inquisitive inquisitiveness about the job.
6. Keep your promises.
7. Develop and use good judgment.
8. Develop true humility.
9. Learn how to know your employees.
10. Lead don’t command.

Zachmannisia for the day:

When all the pluses and minuses are all tallied at the end of a life – who shall say which one was the smartest – the so-called “wise man”, or the so-called “fool”?

19 March 1957

After listening to Dr. Bonds of Baldwin Wallace talk on the City Club Forum about Nasser’s frustrations, and how Nasser has practically never been out of Egypt – this thought occurs to me: Our friends, who know us, know what we are like. Our antagonists – who have never met us, conjure up many dragons sometimes concerning the kind of person we are.

Perhaps, if Nasser were invited to U.S., something could be added to his frame of reference. We have exchange students. Dallas goes all over. Why not let these leaders in other countries come and see how we live. Also we should go and see how they live – I mean the sensitive, understanding ones among us.

I recall the time I became the first female president of the Young People’s group at Trinity Cathedral – thanks to the politicking of Pete, Charles and Art. It came to my ears, through one of those three, this one gal was furious at me in my presidency. I did not even know her. Then I wrote her a note saying, if there was any way in which I had offended her, I wish she would let me know.

The result – she wrote me a note back inviting me to her home with the fellows and their girls. We all had a most pleasant evening. This young lady, who was married, and I had some very pleasant contacts, until my father died, and I dropped away from the Young People’s group. Seems to me I started at the community fund then, too, and worked there late hours for several months.

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From a social psychological point of view – when I finally took the course – I guess scientifically (Lord how I hate that word is when applied to human relations) I was adding a new element into her frame of reference.

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Why do I so hate the word “scientific” when discussing human relationships? Well, I guess it’s because human relations should come from the heart, not from a precocious statistician. But then, I suppose, maybe some statisticians have a real hard for humans. Actually, I seriously doubt it most of the time. They are so antiseptic they never do anything but accumulate data, leaving most of the emotions and heart completely out of the matter.

So it has to be? So it is necessary – All right! All right! But, I’ll still take a wise and loving heart. No pencil in the pocket without a clip social engineer for me.

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I wrote a letter to Mr. Blake of Central National today, and it started me thinking. I’ll have to buy some Central National Bank stock next, if Jean Wolfe approves, just as soon as our investment account builds up and some of the Zachmann bills are off our necks.

Philosophy for the day – Zachmannesia:

Some people like special privileges for their own gain. The only time special attention is of any value is when you have something to give. Otherwise there is no satisfaction in it. It’s like cheating at solitaire if personal gain alone is your only motive – no satisfaction of meeting a challenge.

Things to discuss with Mr. Blake:

1. Central National Bank stock awards instead of monetary awards.
2. The bank sponsorship of the Cleveland Indians – and what the Indians might do for little leaguers.
3. Maybe then “bad land investments” quote “Blanche” unquote.
4. Oh yes “Trusts” and the shrinking man – Too much banking dignity scares the little fellow with quite a bit of money in insurance.

My conversation with Merrian at the Y third floor opening. Henry Ford versus Cadillac.

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17 March 1957

Oh Lord! If I could only write well enough to release my thoughts in publishable printed form!!

Yesterday, at the [Cleveland] City Club forum, Dr. Bonds of Baldwin Wallace, in speaking of the need to penetrate the Arab world with understanding (enlightened) and brotherhood – he used the words “status symbol”. He was referring to Egypt’s rebellion against help in agriculture, instead insisting upon the Aswan Dam and the status symbol of electrical power and industrialization which is so highly revered by the powerful countries: U.S. – Russia, Germany, England etc.

At the same time; in our country women today are in trouble – The kid in the street talk about the “crazy women drivers”; my son when I get upset about Egypt and Israel, the pitiful abuse of helpless inarticulate parents, stumbling blindly through troubled times, calls me a busy-body. Our male society is setting the social learning. Philip Wylie has popularized “momism” while men have deserted the family life for business activity exclusively, sports, and Marilyn Monroes.

Women, rebelling against their unaccepted social status, use the male status symbol. They try to meet and beat men in the business world. It is only the lonely, heartsick yet militant conscientious mothers who are fighting for their family’s moral and spiritual existence.

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