The Washington times., 1918-03-07
HOME AND THE
MOVIES
LOretto Lynch Makes
a Plea for Them as
Educational
RvTOreftO T.. LYNCH.
By LOrettO G. Lynch,
Instructor War Cookery y. Y. Even
ing HiEh school for Women.

A ND now comes a letter to ms
N from a very earnest, con-
"A scientious woman who be-
H.ves that tho motion picture the
ntre has spoiled" home life. There
was a time" she writes me. when
the family gathered around the IRE
side and read the classics. or per-
hsps they read the Bible or sang
hymns or played checkers, but now
# is so different Each one. when
dinner Is over, hsstens TO the local
moving picture house just as often
q. he or she can AFFORD to 60. Won't
YOU. please write something about
thIs?"
Gladly will /. And I'm going 10
suppose. Of course. that your local
moving picture house shows only
the best in motion pictures. Do you
remember the time not so far back
when in your very town. the girl
who made a misstep in her early
youth was denied the privilege OF
both wifehood and motherhood?
or can you recall the case OF Joe
Brown, who spent a couple Of years
IN fail. although even q few folks
never believed him guilty OF en-
bexzIIng- OF course you remem-
her how he had 10 leave town be-
cause he couldn't get Job. of
course. you remember TO self-re-
spectlng girl could think Of oecom-
ing his wife or making a home for
him.
And vet that all happened when
MI the family stayed at home AL
most every evening for lack OF
.omewhere TO go. Not only your
Family but the Jonses and the
Smiths and the Greens all stayed at
home too.
Rrt maxwell. somehow or oth-
or folks don't have the standards
tb.v used to have Women that
took a single wrong step are toll
grated. Folks not only speak kindly
Of them. but some even praise them
as nne housekeepers and devoted
mothers. And men with prison rec
ords have been given q chance to
work in that new factory even when
their records were known.
And "oId maids" once considered
mere superiority in the household
are often looked upon now as silent
heroines. And I attribute a large
percentage OF this broadened view
point and simple tolerance to the
local motion picture house
The masterful motion picture
makes folks think. The Simon L.
Gree man gets a perspective Of him
self as he sits in the audience and
sees his prototype on the screen.
And the man of occasional spree
fame gets An inkIinE OF what his
young high school daughter suffers
when some catty school mate re-
marks. What can one expect from
girl with a drunken sot for pa"
And the stinEy man learns how
his wife has the butcher and the
baker and the gown maker present
bills larger than they should be so
that shs manages TO get the little
personal spending money he denie,
her
And somehow or other each OF
that audience returns home with a
broader viewpoint a more tolerant
Gttitude.
The comics. too. have done their
Ghare. For the weary. the discour-
aged. the disappointed and th'
Erouchy have bsen made 70 smile
once again
Yes. the motion picture house has
wrought many changes IN the com
munity. And even ~ it does take
the GRANVILLE stay-st-home family
out OF the home for a few evenings
week. the members OF that fam
Nv return home more tolerant. Al
round. they are much better 70
having visited the movies.