Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-12
MOVIES BLAMED,
FOR CHILDISH
} WAYWARDNEss

. That the moving picture theaters of
the five and ten cent variety of Ho-
nolulu, which have recently taken TO
holding matilees each afternoon and
catering largely to children, are the
cause OF the waywardness of a num-
Der OF young Honolufans because OF
the nature OF the pictures shown, is
the opinion of Probation Officer l.
c. AndsrSaa. -
During the past week ADdarson has
had occasion 10 handle a number OF
cases which have come before the ju-
:yenile court, all of which have been
classed under the heads of vandal-
ism and petty thieVing In citing the
cause for the actions of those who
have been hailed before the court,
Anderson claims that his youthful
charges have been imbibed with
spirit to become desperadoes through
witnessing the moving pictures de-
picting thrilling scenes of life in the
effete west such as are shown at the
.theaters in question during the after
hoon performances.
Anderson said this morning that,
Upon questioning a number of the
been taken into custody, he had found
that nearly all of these have been in
the habit of attending the matinees
and, after watching the train robber-
les, holdups and adventures of detec-
tiyes which have been flashed upon
the screen, had left with a feeling
that they, too, could become heroes
and commit the daring deeds of crime
such as the movies actors pretend to.
Accerdingeto the probation officer, the
first case of this kind TO come before
the attention of the court was that
of boy nine years old, who entered
his mothers room and took therefrom
a small bank containing about eight
dollars 1t is said that he broke open
the bank; threw the remains away
gathered a band of his friends about
him and proceeded to spend the mon-
ey in riotous living. When asked
the boy why he had taken the mon
ey, said Anderson, 'he said that he
had been to see the moving pictures
and that he wanted to become like
the men he had seen taking part in
the plays" .:- .>>.~
Another ease pointed out by Ander-
son is that which involves ten bows
who are deniZens of the Kakaako dis
trict. Dressed as cowboys and carry
ing cap pistols and toy guns, one boy
being found in possession of an
empty 30 caliber revolver, they
charged down with whoops and yells
upon an empty house in the district
and proceeded to shoot out all the
W anl-r = y -.
milton. When gathered together and
taken within the confines of Anser-
sons Office in the judiciary building,
they admitted to the officer. he says,
that the Daredevil Dick" spirit was
strong in each and every one of
them, caused by moving pictures.
The most peculiar case to come to
the attention of the court says Ander-
son, is that of a boy who is alleged
to be an employe of one of these pic
ture shows, and who was turned over
to the probation officer for having
broken into his own home one day
this week. Anderson says that the
boy told him that, after finishing his
work in the evening, he was in the
habit of getting homie at | o'clock in
the morning and sometimes not at
all. On Wednesday, at l o'clock, he
was caught by his parents trying to
get into the house without their
knowledge to get his clothes so that
he could run away, as he afterwards
is said to have told Anderson. When
hailed before the court, Were he was
taken by his step-father, he said that
he had had it in mind for some time
to run away, and when told that he
could take his choice between being
sent to the reform school or going
home, he said that he preferred the
former. He was taken to the indus
trial school, this morning, where he
will remain until he has reached his
majority. Anderson said this morn-
ing that he now has a number OF
similar cases under investigation. all
of which he attributed to the class of
motion pictures Icing shown at the
afternoon performances at certain
local theaters. r Il
+: A. prominent social worker, when
asked to give his opinion concerning
the LEGAL motion picture situation,
said this morning that, shortly after
the new curfew law went into effect
some time ago. more than 300 minors
were arrested in one evening for
hanging around the entrances of pic-.
~ture theaters. 81 believe that this
has been the cause of the picture
theaters opening up afternoon per-
formances, he went on to say. E'be-
cause the managers know that the
trade is large and that they cannot
get a juvenile attendance in the
evening. The class of pictures which
are advertised by glaring posters are
good drawing cards and serve to
tempt the children to pay a nickle to
see the pictures. ..~":