I am looking for the source of a quote but haven't got the exact
quote--it was something like--the success of a country should be
measured in the laughter of its children.

Might you help me find the source of this wise statement?

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Request for Question Clarification by juggler-ga on 29 Oct 2005 18:46 PDT

Hi,

A plaque on eBay displays the saying, "Judge a nation by the smiles,
by the laughter of her children." The plaque credits the saying to
E.B. Michaels.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4408268588&category=43411

Does this answer your question?

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Clarification of Question by searching360-ga on 30 Oct 2005 09:13 PST

Dear Juggler,
I think that may answer my question but I don't know who E.B. Michaels
is and am eager to be certain of who said this quote as I am giving a
rather big lecture in a couple weeks and alas need a more solid
citation than an ebay plaque. Is there a more certain way to confirm
this?
Very impressed with your speed and skill thus far!

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Request for Question Clarification by juggler-ga on 30 Oct 2005 13:02 PST

This is just conjecture... but I have a hunch that E.B. Michaels was
(is?) a Unitarian Universalist and the saying may come from a
Unitarian Universalist publication.

The following quotation is also credited to E.B. Michaels:

"May our hearts be open to all the children of the generations of man,
that the circles of love and peace may grow. ? E. B. Michaels"
http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/mulligan/76/index2.html

Another web page indicates that more or less the same quotation
appears as a benediction in a Unitarian Universalist publication:

"The words of our Unison Benediction are printed in the Order of
Worship [from Great Occasions]:
Benediction
And now may our hearts be open to all the children of the generations
of humankind, that the circle of love and peace may grow forevermore."
http://www.uua.org/families/witness_celebration/naming.html

Thus, E.B. Michaels may be a Unitarian Universalist author and the
"Judge a nation" saying may have also originated in a Unitarian
Universalist worship publication.  People often repeat sayings that
they first hear in church.

Again, this is just a hypothesis, and considering the $5 list price
here, I can't realistically spend more time pursuing it. However, let
me know if you consider this enough information to have earned the fee
here.

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Clarification of Question by searching360-ga on 30 Oct 2005 13:22 PST

Thanks for your help. I greatly appreciate it. Consider the questions answered.

Best regards.
s360

Okay, thanks. 

 We'll make "Judge a nation by the smiles, by the laughter of her
children" by E.B. Michaels the official answer here.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4408268588&category=43411

--------
search strategy:
"a country * * * laughter of * children"
"a nation * * * laughter of * children"

Thanks again!