Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-19
CHIEF HARRY T. BAXTER
On Censorship Of Public Dances This
Winter

ITO PERMIT the young people to dance
i to their hearts content. and at the same
time TO surround them with such safeguards
as will assure their. parents their children
are in proper surroundings and free from all
influences of evil, is the purpose of the COM
mittee, headed by Harry Il. Baxter. chief
of the Bureau of City Property, which will
exercise the necessary supervision at puDhc
dances during the coming fall and winter.
"The idea of Mayor Moore" said Chief
Baxter. lin appointing this committee is to
carry out throughout the entire year the
work which was so successfully accomplished
during the summer at the open-air dances
1.-The plan OF general supervision which
was instituted and very successfully carried
out at the big open air dances held on the
Parkway and elsewhere during the summer
will simply be extended to public dances
during the remainder of the year. The sum
mer dances were held under an admirable
discipline. although 1t must be said that
little supervision was necessary. as the
voluntary conduct of the dancers was all
that could be desired.
Some idea Of the crowds that attended
the open air dances on the Parkway may
be gathered from the figures showing from
10000 to l2.OOU persons present AT ehch
one. A crowd almost as large attended the
open air dances in the southern part of the
city, especially those held at Third street
and MOyamcnSng avenue.
THE committee will have n kind Of su-
pcrvision over all the dancing in hotels,
public dancing halls and dancing schools.
1t was proper. the Mayor thought. to look
into this matter. and this is the reason for
the appointment of so large committee.
Public Dances Orderly
with regard to the public dances which
were he'd this summer ii must be admitted
that the order maintained there was in the
highest degree crcditable to the dancers and
the mcrrynakers in general. There was not
| .l.,i., ,ltp ln.l Of
time during the period when these dances
were being given. and there was not Ning q
arrest record which is remarkable when
the youth and natural high spirits of the
dances are considered and the enormous
! number Of them taken into account.
"On the other hand. we have received
| hundreds of letters Of the most favorable
! comment and praise for the manner in which
| the dances were being conducted. These
| letters came chiefly. not from the dancers
themselves, but from older persons who had
! been present in the capacity of OnloOkcrs.
! $50 strong has been the impression made
| by the public summer dances. we have re-
| ceived letters from fourteen other cities, OF
| various Sizes asking for full information as
to the manner in which the Philadelphia
! dances were conducted. Some of these cities
! hnvc asked us to send personal representa- =
tives 10 them to explain in just what way
| the dances were organized and supervised
| while others of them have requested permis
| TO study the proceedings at first hand.
The very fact that the Mayor intends to
exercise some degree of supervision over the
indoor dances this winter will in itself hay,
A restraining effect upon those who are
pcfhnps a little inclined to go too near tn,
danger mark in the manner Of dances which
tncJ put ON their programs. With this il
view. the Mayor has drawn his committee
! from pretty nearly all walks of life. so tina
| representatives of many lines and scycra
degree OF nOCicty will be the judges of what
is right and what Is wrong in the dance.
SuppIemcnting the Police
THE committee will not in any sense TAX,
over the work OF the police department o.
rncruarh upon it in any way. We sha
make il our business simply to cooperate
win the police, and they will not be sum
mOuCd to our aid except AS q last resort
| 70 Judge from our experiences during the
Inst summer. there win be few II any in
stances where we shall not meet with tho
co uprratiOn of the dancers and, we hone
of those under whose auspices the dances
are being given.
when any member of the committee finds
that dances which may be reasonably OBJ
iccted to are being danced, the first step viii
Lc 10 warn the gvers Of the dance that it is
objectionable and that IL must be stOpped
lhcn the members of the committee will
make u report TO me of the circumstances
andxl will send an official notification anu
u n ,rning that the oifense must not be re
peakrd.
/ Nc have very effective method of dis
:, eipIll& for those managers OF dance halls