The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-04
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
By GARDNER MACK.
How Exhibitors and
Mothers Clubs
Can Improve
the Films.
BY GARDNER MACK

One Of the most interesting inves-
legations with reference TO motion
pictures is now in progress il Wash
ington and ,he result is being anX-
iously awaited by a number Of or
ganizatons that have for their pur-
pose general social service. Through
the medium of the Boy Scout or
raniZa;ions a systematic attempt is
being made TO determine Just what
The children of this city DO 10
E.ause themselves when they are
permitted TO choose their own forms
OF amusement The motion picture
Is a recognized factor in this investi-
cation. as the boys have been asked
10 state exactly what sort of pic
turo they like best TO see-if they
like 70 see them at all
Ii viii be most instructive to read
the replies TO the inquiries that have
been made. Each boy is asked to
state honestly what he thinks, and
in order to prove that the plan is
being worked for the general bene-
iIt OF all boys, no names will be
attached TO any OF the answers
me youngsters being permitted to
write exactly as they Ieel without
the fear OF being embarrassed by
having their ideas made pubmc
property. II is hoped, therefor
that the answers that will be receIN-
Cu VIA De conclusive, and If found
10 Ice the case. this will be the very
IIrst tine that a well directed eff
Tort has been made 10 get this kind
OF information.
ma n .
Ell for enlarging on this idea of the
motion picture exhibitor through the
medium OF the women's organiZa-
lions In his neighborhood Tor the
purpose Of finding out just what sort
"f pictures his clientele best likes.
some time ago when we suggested in
this column that the mothers clubs
and similar organiZatiO by co-op-
Grating with the exhibitors. could
make themselves a very important
factor in the success of the motion
picture business we we're severely
criticised for suggesting such an
idea As 4 matter of fact the idea
originally came from an exhibitor
and was utilized by him TO obtain
very good business start with his
tneaters. And the mothers clubs in
MS section of the city took it up and
pushed il through even before any
The school mothers clubs are be-
coming the most useful social service
organizations in the city. This year
they are found i'm larger numbers
than ever and all of them are in a
fourishing condition. The idea Of
the organizations is to help the
schools, primarily, and to get some
understanding of the teachers prob
lens so that the parents can sup
plement the efforts of the teachers.
But the mothers clubs have found
that they can do even more than
that They have become interested
IN AFFAIRS outside of the schools that
affect their children's daily lives.
The motion picture is the largest in
nuence on child life we know of out
Side OF the school and the church.
The live exhibitor. therefore. viii
DO well TO take the mothers clubs
IN his neighborhood into his con-
hdence and work with them And
the officers Of the clubs who are real
~ In earnest in their desire to be of
benent TO their communities. could
GO the community no better service
than hunting out the live exhibitor
and helping him II is ali very well
Tor the exhibitor to think that rbe
inHuence OF the mothers amounts TO
nc little IN his business-but his
thoughts in that direction are OF no
practical benefit 10 him. The moth
ers can make or break his theafer-
lie IS there to do business with the
neiShborhood, and IL will not be very
long before he has no business II he
attempts 10 run counter to the wish
Is or the majority of the mothers.
il would seem, therefore. that the
man who has the interests of his
business at heart would not wait for
me club women to come to him. but
would 90 TO the club women with his
Proposition.
In The city Of Detroit, where there
is at present 70 police censor Of the
lliin' the Federation of Women's Clubs
Is looking after the pictures. And so
wei have the officers Of the FEEDER
alton impressed their ideas on the
exhibitors that within the past four
-n5nths there have only been two
cases Of objectionab bic matter shown
90 the screen. IT must not be thought
t"r "a moment that the co-operation
81 the exhibitor with Woman's
club IS recognition of the right OF
'ehs"rS hip. On the contrary it is a
preventive OF censorship. II the mo-
u9n picture exhibitors in this civ
Nil take the people in their neigh
horhood INTO their confidence and
sho" only such film as the neigh
borhood most desires to sec there
WIZ never be an objectionable fin,
ana never will. therefore. be no rsa3
son fnF- cpprorSbft -