The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-09
DANGERS OF PUBLIC DANCES.

In Europe, where everybody in a
small village knows every one else,
public dances are not Objectionable,
because they are almost family af-
fairs, but in this country, where the
mass of people are strangers to each
other, where there is in many cases
NO home influence, and no religious
control, and where we can only judge
of the individual when we have had
time to see and study his character,
public dances to which any one can
go for trifle are extremely danger
Gus, and the prudent man and still
more prudent girl will keep away
from them.
Some years ago we had, all over
the United States, skating Kinks.
They were harmless at first, no
doubt, but they speedily became such
dangerous places for the youth of the
communities in which they were To-
Gated that in many places they were
closed by the public authorities.
OF course, if parents took the trou-
BILE to know where their children
were after dark, especially where
their girls were, it would not be nee
essary to point out the evils of pub
lie dancing establishments, but as
many parents seem blind to what
should most interest them, word
of caution may do some good, and
may in Gods Providence be the
means of causing some girl or boy
he 1rSr hn
or he is standing, before it is too
late.
If the girls could hear the remarks
made by their partners in many cases
after the dancing is over, many of
them would realize the danger they
are running. But, of course, as a
rule, anything Objectionable is left
unsaid until the girls are out of hear
ing.
1t is a notable fact that the most
vulgar and suggestive dances, rag
ging" of the most Objectionable char
acter, are the most popular at these
places of which we are writing. That
Ito any person of rception-would
be sufficient to show the danger that
lies on the other side of the dance
hall. H
A young woman who values her
reputation as every young woman
should, would not make the acquaint-
ance of a young man of whom she
knows nothing, but even the most
careful girls are liable to be intro
duced to Objectionable men, and the
fact that girl goes to public dance
is more or less of an indication that
she is not particular as to the society
she keeps. She is more than likely
\ to meet there men who are there for
mo other purpose than to take adj
vantage of her innocence. After the
dance there is a supper, possibly with
liquor, a walk home and evil and
danger Turk alt along the route.
Parents who allow their daughters
to go to public dances, to associate
with men of whom they know moth
ing, and to remain out at night at all
hours-the father or mother who
through carelessness or laziness al
low their children, boys or girls to
take the chances Of sin and ruin
which Turk in public dances should
not be surprised if disgrace, shame
and sorrow overtake their children
as a result of their Indifference;
neither should they be surprised that
when they appear before God-as
some day they must-they should find
that they have prepared for them
selves a very severe accounting be-
cause they neglected their plain duty
as parents. Meantime the public
authorities, as protectors to certain
extent of public morals, could wisely
keep an eye open to what is going on
at some of the public dances in this
city.