The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-06-11
To the Parent Who Cares. Spare a
Moment and Read This

The Bijou Theatre is now under new
management and | desire to say few
words with reference to the conduct
of the place and the influence it will
have on children.
There are parents who forbid their
children from attending picture shows
and other places of cheap amusement
of the kind. and you are the ones to
whom this is most directed. | want
to remove some of the prejudice you
may hold against all picture shows
possibly; at least. l want to tell you
how | conduct my picture show, and
then after you are satisfied in time
that l am telling the truth, you
ought to assent to a removal of the
ban.
In my theatre refinement prevails.
This does not mean that | cater only
to the "la-de-dah" sort of patronage
by any means Respectful people of
all degrees are welcome in my house,
and l do not discriminate, except that
the rowdy, the "masher' and the un-
desrabes in general, soon give my
place wide berth. Young boys are
hard proposition to handle by many,
but | have little trouble on that
score. Order from them is demand
ed, and when | find one who disobeys,
further admittance is refused. So |
warrant you good order, and this
brings us to the most important part
of all things, what the child sees and
hears, and the influence of moving
pictures.
Now eliminate entirely stage "actin
aid yodeyil", the merits or demerits
of which ii is unnecessary to discuss,
because that kind of entertainment
forms no part of my show. Mine is
a straight program of pictures, with
the addition of good music. 1t may
be that you disapprove of moving pic
lures because you think they are vic
ious, too sensational many times, and
harmful and unhealthy morally for
the young. There are some films of
that kind extant and managers utterly
unconcerned as to what kind of pic
lures are offered their patrons, I'll
admit, but fortunately for the busi-
ness, few in numbers and growing
less. The managers with a spoon
full of common sense have long ago
cleaned out and quit showing any
such stuff like THE Jesse James
Gang" Five Years in Sing Sing,
'Bulah Binford' and that kind of rot
but at any rate here is one of them
that does not show any such pictures
and never will. and | ask you to be-
lleye this a fact.
| want to extend you this assurance:
Your child, if permitted to attend my
show will not see or hear anything
improper in the slightest degree; neV-
er that which is degrading, never the
sensational. | do not depend on that
kind to attract You may feel that !
am lying to you now, because the
show business seems to have corner
on all liars in the world not in poll
ties, but keep an eye on the Bijou and
sooner or later you will be satisfied
that the entertainment there is whole
some and a perfectly fit place for your
boy or girl to attend and | am basing
my financial success on your finding
this out.
But do not draw a conclusion that
my aim is that of catering to children
alone; far from it, The Bijou is for
the grown up Neither must you I'M
agine that the program will consist
OF the religious, or such, IN the entire.
Clean comedy, the wild western, the
beautiful heroine, splendid hero, and
deep dyed villain will cayort in the
pictures as of old, along with the
classic. the artistic, because there is
good in everything when properly
wrought, and | shall display no other
kind
Respectfully and sincerely yours,
M. ST. LEDGER,
Mgr Bijou Theater