Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-07-20
Dr.. W. B. Dickinson Lectures on Su'
pervised Fairgrounds at the
Morning Session.
MORNING HOUR PROGRAM BEST
The Orphean Male Quarte-Con'
gresham Murdoch Speaks in
the Evening.
MORNING HOUR PROGRAM BEST
From Saturdays Daily

Yesterday morning at Chautauqua
DR.. w. B. Dickinson lectured on Su-
pervised Fairgrounds. A larger au-
dience heard him than heard DR..
Minakuchi the morning before, but
In view of the importance of the
theme the attendance was pitifully
small. The morning hours are char
acteristically Chautauquan, and
those who attend are not slow to
say that they are the very best the
program has to offer. Dr.. Dickin-
son is secretary Of the National
Fairgrounds Association of Ameri-
ca, and he is an expert upon the
question of the direction of play life.
He is a man Of commanding appear
ance, good voice and effective adj
dress, and presents his material in a
manner psychologically correct. His
address yesterday resulted in the or
ganization of a committee looking
toward the initiation Of supervised
Fairgrounds in Webster City. The
following persons were elected men,
bers of that committee, and they will
keep in touch with the literature
and plans of the National Associa-
ton: Rev. Arthur Metcalf, Mrs. F.
E. Whitley, Supt. D. M. Kelly, Muir
ray McMurray and Mrs. w. J. lit
terrell.
DR.. Dickinson said that the play
ground question was not one vital
only or chiefly to cities, but was
equally a burning question for the
small town and the country cross
roads, for the country general store
with it's low ideals and it's vitiating
atmosphere stamps it's character up
on the boys who gather there. The
association endeavors to form young
life so that it will never need to be
reformed. The problem Is threefold:
There is the question OF the scien-
tific direction of child play; also
that of the proper atmosphere Of
recreation for those older than the
child; and the other problem of how
people should spend leisure time
"Tell me how YOU use the time that
is yours and I will tel lyou what
kind of a person you are" exclaimed
DR.. Dickinson. Play life is natural
in the child, but it must be wisely
directed or it may lead to ruin.
In speaking on concentrated
recreation DR.. Dickinson discussed
the movies. All forms of commercial
recreation should be brought under
effective control, especially the NOV
ing picture theater. Children and
young people are greatly affected by
this popular appeal to the eye. The
lecturer related how he had recently
attended delightfully."- appointed
movie theater in a large city. Four
reels were shown, and three of them
were distinctly worthwhile. But the
fourth picture was a subtle presen-
tation of crime, a picture vicious to
look upon and evil to think about.
The scenes were very suggestive and
led to the grand climax of murder.
When the climax came a little girl
screamed, and DR.. Dickinson later
learned that children present slept
little that night, sure sign that
the show had wrought evil to their
forming minds.
To show way out, DR.. Dickinson
told how one committee had sue
ceeded in controlling the programs
Of certain theater. 1t is a commit
tee representing the various moral
forces in the town and it includes
the manager of the theater. This
manager wishes his show not only
to be above reproach but to be
teacher Of ethics in the community
and a preacher Of high ideals. Once
a week, with the manager, these
people go over what the market has
to afford. At first the committee
made some mistakes, but in time
they learned their new business,
and now the show is ideal. And
best of all from the owners point of
view, the theater is crowded night
ly and is making money. DR.. Dick
inson included in his criticism of
moving picture shows the fact that
they develope the new disease
which is appearing in American life
which he named spectatoritis. In
real entertainment and recreation
everybody should take a part. That
Is the beauty of the playground
there are no spectators, everybody