Sabra Holbrook, who went to Vassar ('34), believes that children should be heard. A young Boston social worker, she teamed up two and a half years ago with Byrnes MacDonald, onetime head of New York City's Crime Prevention Bureau and son of famed Utilitarian and Papal Marquis George MacDonald, to start Youth-builders, Inc. Its purpose: "to educate children for responsible citizenship in a democracy." From lecturing to children at school assemblies, Sabra Holbrook learned that they wanted a chance to talk themselves.
So she "organized children's forum clubs in New York City schools. Youngsters of eight to 16 flocked to these clubs (today there are 25), sounded off with enthusiasm. They published a paper, Listen America Now!
Last week Youthbuilders, Inc. staged its biggest affair. Two hundred children and 100 distinguished grown-up guests gathered for a forum and luncheon. Welcomed by a children's committee—James Breetveld, Donald Fox and Morton ("Squeaky") Fleischman—was Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, the main speaker. Said chubby Elsie Reardon, 10: "When you disagree with a person, instead of socking him in the eye . . .
say to him: 'Let us go home and look up the correct answers.' Then you can decide who will get the sock in the eye."