The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-08
TOO MUCH PLEASURE.
PARENTS DECIDE TO RESTRICT
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OF
CHILDREN.
Representative Men and Women i'm
Massmccting Start Movement
-,Sail,t EXhaustinS Dissipation.
Baltimore Sun.

"''A'O'S ''oh'
Several hundred parents decided
last night 1T Il massmceting i'm Mccoy
Hall to conlnc the social activities of
their children to normal hours.
After many representative men of
the city, including clergymen, physi-
clans, lawyers, business men, social
workers and the heads of prepara-
tory schools for boys and girls, had
given their views on the subject, reso
lutiOns were adopted authorizing the
appointment of an executive COM
mittee to take up the further discus
scion Of the subject This committee,
which is to be appointed by Judge
Henry ID. Harlan, chairman Of the
meeting, will be clothed with full
powers to represent the parents in
seeking to bring about rational hours
in studies and modes of social pleas
ures.
The resolutions were offered by De
Courcy w. Thorn. Judge Harlan will
appoint the committee within the
next few days. After the members
have outlined q plan of action they
will notify the parents OF the result
and perhaps call another meeting.
AS result Of the conference many
of the wealthy girls and boys of the
city are brought face to face with an
ultimate deprivation of or at least a
decrease in the number of pleasures
they have been enjoying. 1t is prob
able that moving picture shows and
other entertainments will be tabOoed
at nights. that theatrical entertain
ments will undergo a censorship and
list Of plays suitable for the young
or not detrimental 20 them be furnish
ed the parents. Balls and other social
engagements will not only be less fire.
quent in the future but they will be-
gin and end at earlier hours. There
seemed to be an unanimous Opposi-
ton to the early morning homecoming
on the part of boys and girls in their
early teens.
The children will probably be for
bidden, except under certain circum-
stances. to receive visitors or to an
swcr telephone calls during study
hours. There will likely lie fixed pc
riods Of sufficient length for the pre-
parationS OF each days lessons. At
least 1t is thought that such IL ten
tative program will be considered by
tho committee and approved by the
parents.
The conference was brought about
at the instigation Of the head masters
and head mistresscs OF the prepara- =
tory schools in the city. These heads
OF the schools have been for years
more or less disturbed by the lack Of
study and the physical impossibility
on the part OF the pupils Of making
sufficient progress because of the de-
mands made upon them by their So
cial engagements. AS some Of these
teachers pointed out last night, the
children and the parents were the
ones suffering by the condition OF af-
fairs.
Miss Edith Hamilton, mistress OF
the Bryn Mawr School, who was the
prime leader in the movement, open
ed the meeting and told of the trials
and difficulties to which the teachers
are put because OF the fact that their
pupils instead of studying are spend
Ing the night in frequenting theatres,
balls and other entertainments and
show up at school in the morning, not
only without knowledge OF the work
that had been assigned them, but
physically incapacitated to follow the
lessons of the day.
DIES FROM PRIZE FIGHT.