Chapter 9

In my opinion chapter nine was one of the best chapters in the book. Although most of the information was askew from what was really happening it was extremely interesting to see the viewpoint of someone from many years ago.

Granville Stanley Hall's perception of why adolescence acted the way they did was extremely sexist, racist and rude. I do think that the way you act reflects on the way you were brought up, where you were raised and the people you hung out with. Although, assuming that every person that isn’t white is going to cause trouble is wrong.

He also “argued that the contemporary city and its temptations had made the petty crime of young people a matter for broad social concern, rather than a matter an individual family could control.” (pg 161) This is assuming that the family cannot do anything and based on where they live is going to shape how their children act. Hall seemed to favor any person who was white upper class, the only time he seemed to mention the lower class or a person of a different race was when he was degrading them or assuming that they were going to cause trouble.

It really surprised me when I read “…Hall’s work was welcomed, especially by educators and youth workers, is that is provided a theory for many of their own efforts.” (pg 163) I understand the time period that he was writing but they were teaching children all the wrong ideas.

Hall presented valid reasons for that time period; he wanted people who were reading his work to feel good about themselves. I would like to believe that most people would think that type of book would be out of line in today’s time, but sadly I know that some people probably still agree with him.