 The Tenth Man is the one man in ten in your community who needs or will need psychiatric care. Or perhaps it's a woman or a child. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ralph Bellamy. The child is father of the man. William Wordsworth wrote that line almost 150 years ago. When the world was familiar with poets, but not with psychologists. Perhaps the psychologists of Wordsworth Day didn't agree with the poet, but modern psychologists do agree. The child is father of the man. We know now that what happens to us as children has a far-reaching effect upon our later lives. That's why bringing up children is such an awful responsibility, yet such a beautiful experience. The play you're about to hear is on that very subject. It's called The Child is Father of the Man. And it begins in the dining room of Howard and Peggy Dodds, a nice young couple with a seven-year-old named Stan. You'll be sure and eat all of that nice potato, won't you, Stan? Yes, Mark? See, Peg, I told you he would. Stan, he promised me he would before supper. Then you watch him and see that he does. Come on now, Stanley. Try and down a little more of that potato, will you, old man? Yes, Daddy. Old man. What a silly way to address a child. Okay, okay. How do you think we're ever going to teach him to speak properly? Dr. Lewis in his book on how to bring up children says never use terms that confuse a child. Now, if you call him old man... All right, Peggy. Eat that potato, Stanley. I am, Daddy. Then try not to stutter. I will, and that's another thing. Dr. Lewis says never... Oh, hang, Dr. Lewis. Howard. What does he know about children, anyway? Is he got any of his own? Hundred. What? In laboratories. Stop fidgeting, Stan. Can I leave this table now, Daddy? Yes, Stanley. Really, Howard, he hasn't eaten the same... Don't let him alone, Peg. He won't eat any more through nagging. But it's like this every meal. No wonder he prefers you to me. When I try to discipline him, you let him have his own way. It's not right, Howard. It undermines his respect for me. Quote, unquote, Dr. Lewis. There's nothing wrong with bringing children up according to the rules, is there? No, of course not. Only... Or maybe all the rules don't apply to Stanley. Maybe he shouldn't be expected to follow them. After all, he's an individual. Stanley's a normal, seven-year-old boy. What is he? Peg, let's stop kidding ourselves. We have a problem, Charles. Don't you think it's time we did something about it? Do something. It's if I haven't tried and tried. I know I'm only a mother, but I do make an effort. I know you do, dear, but after all... All right. Suppose you tell me what to do about it. The Peg, we both failed in a way. Maybe it's not too late. Let's get help now before this gets any worse. What do you say, Peg? All right. You think he'll do any good, but where will we go? Well, there's a child guidance clinic down on Clinton. Mrs. Stanton, do you think that Stanley's dottering is connected in some way with his lack of appetite? Quite possibly. In the first place, the dottering is probably caused by emotional tension at New York. But according to Dr. Moore's report, I'd say that the feeding problem is most important. Oh, if you only could help me with that. We'll try. Now, you said that the trouble started about six months after you took him home from the hospital. That's right. At first he seemed to have a good appetite. Then just after his formula had been increased, he started falling asleep before finishing his bottle. However, I kept waking him up until he finished it. When it was violent tantrum, objected strenuously and got worse, got worse with each success of increase. And he's been like that down to the present time? Yes. What did your baby doctor say when Stanley didn't take that increased formula? My baby doctor? Well, I don't think I told him. He was so very busy. I assumed that the scheduled increases in the formula were right for Stanley. Well, nevertheless, he probably expected to be kept informed. Well, you've told me there's a scene with Stanley at every meal time. Yes. He just won't eat unless he's threatened. And I gather that even threatening doesn't work. Mrs. Dodds, what kind of effect do these scenes have on you and your husband? Well, dinner time isn't very pleasant. How am I a bickering all the time? We're both getting so nervous and jittery. Well, I think something should be done to make meal times more enjoyable for Stanley. Or would it be difficult at first, since this has been going on so long, but I think it would be worth the effort. But how? Well, you might try ignoring Stanley's lack of appetite. What? You talk to him, of course, and encourage him to talk, but not a word about food. In other words, relax and have a good time at the meal. But Stanley won't eat. Have you ever tried this method consistently? Well, I've been so anxious to get food in turn that... Mrs. Dodds is such a thing as being over-anxious. Now I know you follow the rules carefully, but you must accept occasional exceptions to the rules. Exceptions? Well, that formula increase was an exception. Stanley was probably not ready for more food at that time, and his aversion to it probably began when he associated food with the unpleasantness. Hmm. Crowns reasonable. We can't be positive, of course, till we've had a chance to find out more about Stanley and the whole situation. Try to relax a bit if you've got it, won't you? I certainly will. Starting tonight. Well, I never thought I'd live to see today. You went through the entire meal without mentioning food to Stanley. I hope this plan works out all right. You noticed, of course, that he didn't touch the thing. Not a morsel. Noticed all right. I hope Mrs. Stanton knows what she's doing. Well, at least I enjoyed my dinner. Does that count? Of course it does, darling. Of course it does. Maggie! In here, Howard, in the kitchen. Oh, hello, dear. How's my Apollo psychiatrist tonight? Don't joke, Howard. Why, what's the matter, dear? I took Stanley to the doctor's. So what's happened? Don't get excited, Howard. It's just that I couldn't stand it any longer. Do you know that that child has lost weight since he stopped posting him to eat? What Mrs. Stanton told you to expect a little drop in weight at first? At first, yes, but it's more than a week now. Oh, darling, a week isn't very long to break down habits of seven-year standing. Oh, it's no use. Here we are, right back where we started. What have you got in that paper bag? Oh, an extra lamb chop. What for? I stopped by and asked Mrs. Stanton to have dinner with us. You want? Well, her idea wasn't working out, so I thought maybe if she did a little field work... Well, get out and straighten up the living room. We're going to have company for dinner. I've got work to do. Would you like some more coffee, Mrs. Stanton? Oh, no, thank you, Mrs. Dodd. Well, shall we adjourn to the living room? You may. You can, you tired business man. But I'm going to help Mrs. Dodd do the dishes. Oh, no. No, you're a guest. Oh, do let me help. Besides, we can talk. All right, but I still... Stanley, what are you doing with that piece of fruit? I just wanted to eat it. That's all. Well, why? Oh, I suppose it's all right. Run along now and listen to the radio, Saddy. Yes, ma'am. Come on. Mrs. Stanton, wasn't it strange that Stanley should have picked up that apple? He didn't touch his dinner at all. Has misappetizing proved any since you stopped coaxing him to it? Not at this. He's losing weight so fast. Oh, I give up. I don't know what to do with him. Oh, this is no time to lose your morale. Morale? I don't think I've ever had any. I've never felt at ease with Stanley. I never enjoyed raising him the way other mothers enjoy their children. Mrs. Dodd, did you want him to be the boy? Oh, yes. How wouldn't I have so had? Oh, I've tried so hard. Everything seems to go wrong. Well, I once suggested to you that perhaps you tried too hard, and I'd hope that you'd take it. But I did take a suggestion about the coaxing. I haven't said a word to Stanley about food. I see you don't say anything at all through now. I guess I don't. This ordeal by seeding has always stood like a war between us. You grew up thinking of me only as a fitter of something. Oh, it shouldn't be like that. Children need love, but they must get it as affection, and not as the kind of discipline that we can understand. To make my own, oh, no, it isn't like that. But you mustn't give up trying. It's so very important. Now, don't be afraid of making mistakes. And always watch for the slightest sign of improvement. But the way that you notice that Stanley isn't stopping, Stanley isn't listening, that's right. I hardly notice it, but you're right. Well, isn't that some encouragement? Oh, yeah. We mustn't give up now. Stanley is no longer terrified by the thought of food, but he still doesn't enjoy eating. Now, to make him really enjoy it, we might try something special, like a picnic. A picnic? Well, yeah. Have you ever taken a month's picnic? No, but I will. If it'll make him eat, we'll have a picnic every Sunday. Oh, oh, oh. Peggy? Mm-hmm. Now that the summer's over, what are we going to do about these picnics? You mean you're not tired of answering the main name? Oh, I love it. It's been a wonderful summer day. Picnics every Sunday. And how Stanley enjoys it. Look at him carrying after that dog. He's certainly a different boy. Now that he's learned to eat at home, too, do you suppose he'll still enjoy eating, even when we give up the picnic? Well, I know. It wasn't just the picnic that did the trick. It was a lot of fun. Like eating up on family or here time. And you're storing mine around. Well, I still wonder, huh? Oh, relax, Howard. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Wow. Oh, I'm learning how. I'm learning how to enjoy being a mother. You have just heard the child is father of the man, a presentation of the National Mental Health Foundation and other organizations dedicated to the preservation of mental health. Ralph Bellamy acted as narrator.