The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-26
The Children'S Movie Matinee

THE children's hour" for the
movie matinee" WHICH has been In
augurated by the Better Film organ
ization in connection with the man
agement of the various moving pic
ture theatres of the city, brings to
mind the words Of the poet, when he
said:
Between the dusk and. the twilight
When the clouds begin to lower,
There comes pause in the days oc-
cupation
Which is known as the children's
hourl"
Surely no hour of the day is more
delightful or more filled with joy
than that one which is set apart for
the little folk, and whether it be the
early morning hour of 10 o'clock or
the late evening hour of o'clock,
the sentiment is quite the same, and
the sweetness and the closeness with
which it is infested warns our hearts
and makes us happy to spend go only
too short minutes in the presence of
little innocent, beautiful childhood.
1t is really 4 very wonderful idea.
as well as most beneficial and
worthy one, on the part of those con-
nected with the Better Film organ
zation," of which Mrs. Paul II. Earle
is the efficient chairman and Mrs.
Neil Wallace, who Is the official
moving picture censor" of Birming-
ham; DR.. Charles B. Glenn. superin-
tendent of the public schools; Dr.
Charles A. Brown, assistant superin-
tendent; Miss Rosa Strickland DR..
]. e.. billiard. Mr.. r. A. Porter, Mrs.
j. r. IIornady and Mrs. A w. &.
II ms q Col IF tsSaf-
urday matinees" for the children, for
it gives the assurance of the very
best and most wholesome and most
educational as well as entertaining,
pictures that are produced on the
film.
TT is the intention of the intensive
committee" said Mrs. Earle yester-
day prior to the second in the series
of "children's matinees," which VIII
take place this morning at 10 o'clock
Ito cooperate with the management
of the various theatres in producing
the best pictures for the children TO
see And just here / want to say
that 1 have never seen anything more
cordial than the moving picture play
house managers have been in the
matter. Mr.. Lloyd Townes of the
Strand has left nothing undone to
perfect the arrangements the Better
Film organization has been trying
to inaugurate. He is greatly in favor
of the idea, and it is his earnest de-
sire to produce only the best pic
lures, those without any chance of
communicating the young mind, those
without any trace of anything that
would be Objectionable. Mr.. TONNES
feels that the better the pictures
are the better clientele the pictures
will have. and he wants only the
highest class and the most BEAUTIFUL
pictures not only for the children but
the grown-ups.' Mr.. Townes has such
fine and such high ideals in connec-
ton with the moving pictures, and
he is an exceptionally clever and
wholesome young man and most
agreeable to work with.
The moving picture management
of the various pictures houses, Mrs.
Earle declared, have been most gem
erous in their arrangements with us,
taking out of the proceeds from the
matinees only the actual expenses for
presenting the pictures. while the
Better Film organization gets the
rest, and we put that back into the
fund to secure first run pictures.
For instance, a flrst-run picture of
Mary Pickford costs way up into the
thousands of dollars, and it would
be difficult for us to secure one, but
If we keep on building up and in
creasing our exchequer we may be
able to do this some day.
THE Better Film organization is
the outcome of Mrs. Neil Wallace's
suggestion which parents and teach
ers have heartily indorsed," Mrs.
Earle said, "and we feel that know
ing as much as Mrs. Wallace does
about pictures, and being In the posi-
ton she is in, she can advise us ju-
diciously and her idea is a very COM
mendable one for the children.
1.-TWO thousand children sweeping