The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-04-06
PLAN CIVIC BODY
To CENSOR DRAMA
workers for Uplift of People
to Form Organization in
Richmond
WILL PASS JUDGEMENT
ON ALL THEATRlCALS
Immoral, Indecent and Harm
full Productions to be Bar
red from City if Present
Plans MaterialiZe

Plans have been inaugurated and
organization of body OF the lead
ing men and women Of Richmond for
the purpose of imposing rigid but
fair and impartial censorship on the
productions in general.
The personnel of the organization
will include persons OF Nigh stand
ing. OF spotless reputation and un-
doubted integrity, who have the In
terests OF tho people at heart and
cannot be swayed from their pur-
pose to eradicate indecent and harm
fui productions. Each member will
be nc. only capable Of impartial criti-
cism OF theatrical productions, but
an authority on the drama, comedy
and farce
To Clean the Boards.
1t is proposed TO clean the Ameri-
can boards of all productions which
are harmful to the people and tho
purpose OF the Richmond organiza-
ton Will be to make 1t Impossible for
this city. How this will be accom-
piished Is. OF course, problematical,
but the plan as already outlined.
seems to be practical.
The board of citizen censors will
obtain accurate advance Information
on every show billed to appear In
Richmond. The board will then sit
in Judgment on the production and
decide whether 1t is worthy of the
attention and time of the people OF
the city II the piece under censor
ship Is approved, the censors will 30
notify all of the theatre-goers of Rich
taond
In the event that the production
la inGecent suggestive or haI uitul
the board OF censors. basinx their
Judgment on unquestionable advance
Information, will condemn the show
as unworthy of being Witnessed by a
Richmond audience and the theatre
going public Will be notified 10 this
effect.
BY this method of censorship the
board viii encourage moral and edu-
cational productions TO come to Rich
mond and at the same time present
an tnsurmountabie barrier to produc-
tons of an opposite nature by max
ing 1t almost impossible for its man
agement to attract an audience large
enough to defray expenses.
Want Peoples Aid.
1t Is planned to enlist the aid and
cooperation OF every person in Rich
mond who frequently or even at wide
separated Intervals attends the
plashouses. Theatre-goers will be
asked to pledge themselves to attend
only vthnsa plays Wainh .,ana given the
stamp OF approval by the board OF
censors. In this way the immoral and
indecent productions will be black
listed by the placing OF worthy and
commendable shows on the white list
The Richmond board OF citizen
theatrical censors Is to be organized
along the same principles as the re-
Gently formed American League OF
Drama of Boston, which is yet only
In infancy. and has not had time in
which to prove it's worth. The Bos-
ton organization includes In its per-
sonnet such men as President Law
renee Lowell, Of Harvard University,
and Henry Higginson, one of the
Hubs leading citizens and philauthro-
pists. who has practically supported
the Boston symphony Orchestra by
defraying deficits with liberal contri-
buttons
Among the women members of the
Boston League is Miss F. G. Curtis,
of the elite social set of the Hub.
leader in philanthropic work and
member OF the State Board of Chart
ties OF Massa chusetts. Miss Curtis il
not only we'll known in Boston. but
has large number OF friends and
admirers In Richmond.