PITTSFIELD — Penny Hathaway, 45, in many ways is a product of the idealism that blossomed in the 1960s.

Today, in her 24th year of marriage, she is the mother of four adopted children, each either black or of mixed race; Hathaway and her husband are, as she puts it, very white.

“I was idealistic,” she said. “I wanted to make difference.”

Hathaway worked in the publishing industry for 10 years, but as her parental responsibilities began to multiply, her priorities changed. She decided she needed to be at home, making care of her adopted children her focal point with some work as a tutor and substitute teacher to supplement the family income.

“I got bored very easily with many jobs,” she said, “but I’ll tell you this is one job that I have not got bored with. I would not change it for anything, but it has been difficult.”

Hathaway said she and her husband have a strong relationship. He takes care of the finances, including retirement planning. She is the primary-care provider for the children.

Living in Pittsfield, she said, has been good for her family. She said Maine Central Institute, which functions as a private/public high school and prep school, has helped bring a touch of diversity to the town.

“We have been very fortunate to have a pretty mixed community here,” she said, “because of Maine Central Institute. We haven’t experienced a lot of racism.”

But Hathaway has observed a gradual erosion of behavior among young people that alarms her. Many teenagers, she said, think nothing of using the “n” word in reference to black people.

“Everybody is using that word,” she said, “which for me, having adopted four black children, is difficult to hear.”

Her generation, she said, did not tolerate such vulgarity and insensitivity. She points to the civil rights movement as the legacy of the baby boomer generation.

“We have rights no matter what you do, no matter who you are,” she said. Colin Hickey — 861-9205 chickey@centralmaine.com