New Britain herald., 1916-05-13
BAN ON MOVIES IS
 SCHOOL BOARD PLAN
Common Council Will Be Asked to
 Establish Board Of CenSOrS
TO PROTECT THE YOUNG
Bad Pictures Wrecking Moral Fiber of the Youth of the City and CauS-
 ing Wave of Truancy-Drama of
 SaIacious Order Needs Correction.

ing Wave of Truancy-Drama of
 Salacious Order Needs Correction.
 Motion pictures of salacious character and the unrestricted doings of bandits, burglars, horse thieves and a host of their kin for the benc- fit of films fiends are to receive a decided check in this city if tie common council takes seriously l resolution unanimously passed by the board of education yesterday. The resolution calls for censorship of all films exhibited in New Britain for the moral welfare of the public.s 4 Little discussion accompanied the passage of the resolution, but the members of the school board showed no hesltancy in passing it. President B. F. Gaffney in presenting the reso- lution for action remarked briefly on the harmful character of certain pictures that have been shown recent ly here in New Britain
 Discussing the matter more lengthi- 1y today. he said it had been brought to the attention of the school board from many sources that moving pie lures are having a harmful influence on the school children and that some of the films shown are actually bad. This does not mean a sweep ing condemnation of motion pictures said MT Gaffney. but is a direct at- tack on films of harmful character and tending to moral injury of those who view them
 Causes Truancy.
 The motion pictures are blamed for much of the truancy in the schools. During the past few weeks since winter gave way to spring, truancy has been on the increase. The police and the truant officer as well as the school superintendent are aware of the cause Many small boys are movie fiends and do not hesitate 10 steal to obtain the money necessary to gain entrance to the moving pic ture houses. Frequently the truapt officer, who for long time has made it part of his duties to visit the thoa- ters, spots the youthful deunquehlS when their rapt attention is diverted to the screen. upon which perform the heroes and the bad men. TOO frequently the small boy picks the bad man for his hero an dis soon found emulating the actions of the picture burglars, bandits and crirl- inals of the movie world. A recent attempt to wreck a train in the western section of the city by gang of young truants is believed by the police to be directly due to the wholesome influence of lurid motion drama.
 Immoral Pictures.
 Problem plays and pictures illus tra ting drama of the salaciOuS order will also come under the ban if the school boards resolution brings fruit in the way of board of censors. These pictures, while of an entirely different character than those which it is believed have caused the recent wave of truancy in the local schools, are to be strongly condemned, in the opinion of President Gaffney.
 The influence of certain motion pie ture which have been shown here only recently and, in fact, of type which is frequently exhibited in the local picture houses, is bad morally, he states. The state law provides that small children shall not attend moving picture performances unless they be accompanied by older persons That makes it almost impossible to restrict the audience for many parents and relatives of children take them regu- larly to the picture houses If the in f1uence of the picture is bad, the chill dren are liable to be contaminated and the school board believes that the only practical remedy lies in a board of censors, which shall possess power under the city ordinances to act where it decides it is for the moral good of the community.
 The Resolution.
 The resolution which is to be re- ferred to the common council for ac- ton at the May meeting next week follows:
 Whereas moving pictures have be- come a recognized means of public amusement and entertainment and in structiOn and are constantly exhibited in this city for all persons, classes and ages not expressly prohibited by stat ute and there is at the present time no means of controlling the kind and character of pictures exhibited in this community some of which pictures exhibited have at times been detri- mental to the moral and physical well fare of the youth and the people of this community.
 Resolved: That the school commit tee of the city of New Britain in order to preserve the morals of the school children of our community from any such contamination, hereby requests the common council of the city of New Britain to draft ordinances creating a censorship over all moving pictures to be exhibited in public places in this community, to create such further rules and regulations and ordinances regarding the licensing and exhibit of all moving picture films in the city