New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-04
MOTHER DEFENDS FILMS
Sees Good as Well as Evil in
Moving Picture Shows.
ERA OF FADS, SHE SAYS
New York Woman Tells How She
Is Successfully Rearing Ten
Happy Children.

The public has heard great deal of crti-
cism OF moving pictures. The ordinary film
used for commercial purposes has been de-
nounced as the corrupter Of morals and
the inc!ter of crime. OF course, even the
reformers who do not see how the aver
age picture show can benefit the child do
not think moving pictures are necessarily
evil They want the type of pictures
changed so that each film shall preach
it's own sermon. AS for diversion, even the
scientific students of sociology managed to
get some from the recent showing of edu-
cauonal and sermonized films in the Chart
ties Building. since three of the five exhib-
tied ended with a kiss, followed by the
statement flashed upon the screen, "Ap-
proved by the Board OF Censorship"
There is in New York City one woman, at
least, who has the courage not TO join in the
general hue and cry against all existing
conditions. Mrs. Harry c. Arthur. though
not sociologist, college professor, nor, so
far as is known. the president of any re-
form club, is. nevertheless, the successful
mother of ten happy. normal children, and
her convictions on matters pertaining TO
children might therefore carry some weight
She said TO the writer:
An Era Of Fads, She Says.
We are passing through an era Of fads,
but, after all, il Is the mothers OF the great
mass OF the common people who are doing
the work Of the wo. Id. No nation is really
great unless the mothers are-well. to use a
vulgarism, ION the job" The mothers Of
the working people know that the way 70
protect the young Is to go where they go,
the same associations. The need is really
10 understand a child. after all. When he
tells his first lie the important thing is not
10 punish him, but to find out why he told
vivid imagination; some from sheer egotism
they want to brag: some from cowardice-
they are afraid Of being punished.
In my house no child is punished for an
accident To be sure l have to get new
crocksry every Saturday, for they are a
careless lot Even my furniture is a wreck.
My house is headquarters for all the chill
dren in the neighborhood, and you can
imagine how they demoish things. When
my husband wants 10 know why we can't
have our furniture Ike other peoples |
tell him we can get new furniture some
day, but II we break the children's lives
we can't renew them.
Whatever my boys hear on the streets
know" continued Mrs. Arthur. Il some
times learn very sad things about children.
and used to fancy could do some good by
talking TO other mothers. remember very
well when went TO the mother Of one little
girl and told her some things thought she
ought TO know. The woman had fish stall
in market, and then learned the appro-
priateness OF the expression swear like 2
Billingsgate fishwife. She not only swore
at me in choice Billingsgate, but actually
pursued me with the FISH knife. Then and
there ! lost all desire TO go 10 individual
mothers with friendly advice" Mrs. Arthur
went on:
But you wanted 10 know what think Of
moving pictures, diont you? Wen, | thinE
they are hne Things tor the children. we
hear lot about lac decline OF Lne human
race but IL isn't declining; it's gong tor
wald. We have six hundI ed thousand cnil-
dlen Of school age IN this city and Cnly
per Cent OF those are abnormal People
talk lot about the abnormal SIX thousand
and we get reports from Plantations deal
ing with crime and through the pubic
press. We get statistics OF defective de-
linQuent ana dependent children, AMI the
general impression is wrong.
In hearing Of so many unfOrtnnates we
lose tight of the proportion, winch really j.
not alarming. The numen race isn't going
back with only per cent abnormal. What
we hear about the harmful effect OF moving
pictures on CHILDREN applies 10 this small
normal child. For instance, when you read
the story Of Cinderella did you want to
copy Cinderella or the wicked stepsisters?
When you read Jack the Giant killer"
did II fill you with the desire 10 go cut and
Kill somebody right away? When you read
"Bluebeard" do you think, II you had been
a boy. you would have had the ambillon
10 marry lot OF women ana tnen XIII
them as he did?