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We 're not better
Just older
Not elderly wise
". . . can you imagine us years from today
sharing a park bench quietly?
How terribly strange to be 70. "
"Bookends" -Paul Simon.
It was during the hot summer of 1965 that Roger
Daltry of the Who stuttered out one of the strongest
anthems of the decade. The song was "My Generation"
and the Who layed it out bluntly: "I hope I doe before I
get old ..."
The message mellowed over the years and was recog
nized for what it was-a quiet fear of aging. Popular music
has always mirrored its generation. The Paul Simon
trilogy on The Bookends LP turned many heads when its
quiet reflection-John Prine's simple but effective portrait
of old age-isolation and loneliness.
The pop poetics aside-old age is as real and inevitable
as death. How we as a generation will react to that reality
-we will be in the majoirty by that time-will be a sad
and interesting thing. We who have worshiped youth are
going to have to deal with old age.
I have no doubts that few people are crying in their
beer at the moment-old age is far enough away that it
doesn't really matter, much. Sure, it'll be hard watching
our parents and relatives age, it's something we adapt to.
Sometimes by sending them away to "nursing homes",
sometimes just forgetting them.
The economics of old age-many elderly are dirt poor
because of a forced retirement-are pathetic. The elderly
are made to feel useless. All too many times they don't
eat well. Worst of all they are ignored.
Mabel Lee, age 91, who was interviewed for this issue
of Section B was honestly mystified why people have kept
coming to her for interviews. She suggested at one point
that people are so amazed at finding an active 91 -year-old
that they have to do a story on them. For our pur
poses, her amazing life-hardly her age-was the drawing
card.
In retrospect, her comment was very perceptive.
Compare the Mabel Lee story with the one next to it. The
elderly in Lancaster County. The first question to come to
mind is how many more brilliant people-like Mabel Lee
,are there? How mmy have we prematurely shut away?
The "problems facing Americans as they get older has
always been a quiet controversy. It's bound to explode
when the woodstock generation arrives" en massee at old
age. We had better take care of the elderly's problems
now, so tomorrow nobody has to take care of ours.
Michael F. Zangari
Special Editor
Contents
Shyness In America. Page 3
Philip Zimbardo, a psychologist from Stanford Uni
versity has just published his research on shyness.
Considering his findings that as many as 80 percent of
us tend to be shy at one time in our lives, it just might be
the most prevalent disease in America. Ray Walden takes
a look at the book, and draws some conclusions of his
own.
Miss Linda and Romper Room Page 4-5
Mary Jo Pitzl tackles the Do-Bees and finds that tele
vision pre-school is not all fun and games. Boa constric
tors, expletives and animals with potty problems add to
the excitement. Daily Nebraskan photographer Ted Kirk
is allowed to stretch out a bit and comes up with a goodly
amount of choice photographs.
Miss Lee Page 6
Ellen (A.K.A.-E.K.) Casaccio asks the eternal
question, "What can you say about a 91-year-old woman
who is independent, honored to the max, and shows no
signs of slowing down?" and comes up with the answer,
"Not enough." :v-
Lancaster County's Elderly. Page 7
There are approximately 43,000 people over 60 years
of age in Lancaster County. Jan Lliteras takes a look at
some of the problems and what's being done about them.
Jim Zietlow, administrator with the Lincoln-Lancaster
Commission Qn Aging comments.
CBtlGODLTO-'dD
Section B is a magazine supplement to the Daily
Nebraskan. Lay-Out Editor is Liz Beard.
Photo by Tad Kirk
