South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-05-11
Mayor Keller Gets Report on
Local Motion Picture Shows
With recommendations for
Permanent Board.
SCHOOL CHILDREN ARE
USED IN MAKING TESTS
Show 1886 Out of 2,035 Like
Cowboys, indians and Fight
erS and 13, Including Four
Girls, Prefer Crime Scenes.


That local film censorship. in a city
the size OF South Bend Is neither
practical nor desirable. except possi-
bic in case OF so-called state rights"
films; that. however. a permanent
committee on public amusements
should be appointed. 10 cooperats'
with the exhibitors, and see that films
shown are kept within prOpriety.
bounds, that some of the local
theaters might be physically improv-
ed in the matter OF illumination.
others for ventilation and tempera-
ture. others for cleanliness. some for
number and location of exits. and
still others for width OF isles. and
permitted distractions; and, that the
cooperation of the schools the public
and the theater owners has been gen
erous, in the furtherance of the COM
mitteeS work, is the vital substance
of the report of Mayor Fred W.
Kellers motion picture investigators,
filed Monday morning.
The investigators consist OF L. 8.
Manning, chairman. Mrs. Charles =.
Drummond, Mrs. l.. 5. Fickenscher.
A. J. Tyalvsky and Lem J. Oare. The
report covers u full pages of type
written legal cap, reviewing manner
Of operation, findings. comment and
recommendations, special compliment
being paid TO the following ladies for
their assistance, as theater visitors
and reporters, viz. The Misses Veva
Harrison Lillian Mccain and Addic
Van den Bosch, and Mrs. G.. l.. Immel,
Mrs. Frank Nicely, Mrs. Charles
PerlIey. Mrs. Carrie Never. Mrs. John
Neithardt, Mrs. Charles Russ and
Mrs. Z. ]. Smith. Heads of city de-
partments also cooperated in a num-
Census OF school Children.
Particular attention is given 10 the
results Of the Investigations made in
the schools. TO ascertain the tastes
and impressions made motion picture
upon school children.
BY permission OF the superintend-
ent of schools a census OF portion
of the children in the grades was TAX
en-. The schools reporting in part OF
as a whole were the Kaley Laurel,
Oliver, Colfax. Elder, Perley, Lafay-
cite and COQuillard.
The children were asked to give
their ages and grades; To state how
shows and on what days Of the week.
they attended: whether they went
alone or with parents and what kind
Of moving pictures they liked best
The results OF this census was as
follows:
Number Of children reporting. ZO55I
Boys --..-.--.-.-- 4OS =
Number visiting theaters often .1465f
Seldom Isl
Number who do not go at all..- 24Ss
Attending on Sunday. .--.--.. S8sl
Attending on week days. l146s
Number visiting alone. .. .1ObS1
Eo~- Viz VIII =
Those who prefer exciting plays,
cowboys, Indians. lighting,
etc. 80. Il -
Those who prefer comedies. 2ON
Those who prefer dramas. I'll
Those who prefer educational
films oDSa
Those who prefer scenes Of
violence and crime. ..--. -
OF the 3 who expressed a prefer
ence for pictures OF criminal acts four
were girls.
The figures show that about one
third Of the children reporting show
ed a preference for a higher type OF
show. This third came almost entire
ly from the three upper grades.
Comments ON Findings
The Investigations OF the commit
tee has served 10 impress its mem
bers with the Importance and nitric
acy Of the moving picture problem.
says the report commenting - is
findings.
The best figures obtainable indi-
cate that there are at present IN the
United States 1900 places in which
moving pictures are shown.
The daily attendance is from seven
TO ten million, % per cent of which
attendance are that Of children under
16 years Of age.
1T IS estimated that the American
people expend for this form OF
amusemet 1920. 900 year. almost
as much as is spent for public edu-
cation.
The national board Of censorship
passes on over 1900 new film subjects
each year.
1T is clear that we have in this in
stitution one that is having "A vast m
huence for good or evil and the per-
sistent demand for more strict CEN
sorship OF closer regulation IS due 20
a sense OF possible peril, especially -
the children.
The census taken in South Bene
indicates that 10000 OF our school,
children attend the movies more or
less often The visual and emOuona4
appeal OF the pictures is very great
These children are getting an educa-
tion OF some kind from the pictures
and. as a community We are response
ble for its character"
ION such q showing" says the re-
port. 'the difficulty OF setting definite
standards for a nation and for both
adult and Juvenile audiences Is OBJ
about which there can be little differ
ence OF opinion. and these are tha
features eliminated 20 a large extent
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