Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-03
Children and Moving Picture Shows.


Some Western cities are becoming
worked up over the question of the
attendance of children at moving pic
ture shows Managers and proprie-
who supply the films, declare that
their business is being injured and that
they are willing to submit the pictures
for criticism On the one side it Is
claimed that many of the pictures are
questionable" and "cheaply sensa-
tional," while on the other it is as
serted that the pictures elevate and
educate
Judge Stubbs, of Indiana, devoted
tnre SHOW" He declared that its
worst feature was found in the in
fiuence it had on the children. He
said that a small boy does not have
to go to such places very often be-
fore ne becomes infatuated, with the
result that he resorts to all kinds oil
schemes to get the nickel for admis-
sion. Boys and girls, he said, had
been brought before his court for
the offender with money whereby ad-
mission might be gained to the show.
The Children's Aid association of
indianapolis found that in one even
ing $500 children We're patrons of the
moving picture shows. On that basis
it was estimated that at least 10000
children visited the shows every week.
The general criticism so widely ex-
tant at the present time is that the
cheapness of the exhibition is the first
menace, to which is added the facina-
tion to which Judge Stubbs calls at
tention. Now it is asked that all
managers and proprietors unite in ac-
ton forbidding children under 16
years of age from patronizing their
shows unless accompanied by parents
or guardians. The picture show man
ayers have expressed Willingness to
cooperate, and it is believed that
conditions will be improved. Judge
Stubs words concerning his obser
yations may be of interest to many.
He said;
| could mention many, many cases
where il was shown that the intense
desire Of the boys to visit these NOV
ipe r,ic aJ iptp
trouble.
/ have often heard it said that the
exhibition of the better. cleaner and
more wholesome class of pictures is
elevating, ana that it cultvates re-
finement and a love of art. This argu-
ment is nonsense when applied to
children. Where is the boy that was
ever known to steal in order that he
nigh: visit the John Heron Art in
stitute? What the boy loves in these
exhibitions is not the art displayed
the beautiful shading that may be
found in many of these pictures, but
the movement. the rapid change from
one situation to another. He does not
care a rap for the art
Without referring to specific in
stances, it is enough to say that many
young girls have been brought into
court. cases wherein it was shown that
the repeated visits of such girls tC
these shows unaccompanied by theii
parents had much to do with theii
delinquency. After such girls. Otter
mere children. visit these shows
number Of times the desire to attenC
the exhibitions takes such hold upor
them that they can't resist, or thinl
they cart, and the result is that they
slip away from home. The evil does
not come altogether from the exhibi
tion of the vicious or degrading typ
of pictures such as prize fights. etc.
pictures that ought TO be absolutel,
prohibited. but in my opinion il Il
largely stimulated by the averag'
class of pictures that may be seeI
every evening in scores of these 1.-The
aters." evils that come TO children be
cause Of the intense interest they tak'
in what they see.