The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-12-13
WHAT WOMEN CAN DO
WITH MOTION PICTURES

by Mrs. WOOQallen CnapnldN, CHAIR
man of Motion Pictures, General
Federation of Women's Clubs.
A clarion call comes ringing to the
women of our land. Awaken, wom-
en- of America! A mighty instrument
for the upbuilding of the nation lies
ready to your hand. Rise up and use
this power for the welfare of your
country
To this call the women are already
responding, eagerly asking to be
shown how their activities may be
most effectively directed.
In the days gone by, when woman
stood timorously beside the stream of
life, apprehensively watching its
whirling current, fearful lest some
sudden eddy should bring danger to
her loved ones or her home, her atti-
tude was naturally defensive. With
negative attitude of mind, she natu-
rally felt that whatever possessed pos
sihilities of harm should be combat
ted, censored, suppressed.
Today woman is in the very swirl
of the life-stream, realizing more and
more every day that by the use of her
own God-given powers she can make
it's currents subservient to her own
definite ends. With this, positive,
constructive attitude of mind she is
beginning to see that the force of
motion pictures is not something to
be feared by her but something which
she can use.
That there is danger from the mis-
use of motion pictures, no thinking
person can deny. That there have
been many pictures which contained
much that was harmful to the unfold
ing mind of the child must be admit
ted. But the remedy for all of these
ills rests in the hands of the people,
because it is the people who make the
success or failure of every motion pic
ture ever produced.
And who are the people?
Why, you and land our friends
and neighbors.
It is in our hands that the whole
matter rests. The vital question IS,
Are we aware of our power and are
we making definite use of it?
The General Federation of Won-
ems Clubs has awakened to the need
for a definite plan of action which
will have for it's aim the using OF mo-
ton pictures for the formation OF
right character and the upbuilding of
the nations life.
The qualities which have made the
wrong kind of motion picture so much
to be dreaded are the very qualities
which will make the right kind of mo-
ton picture a wonderful power for
good. All we need to do is to see to
It that enough of the right kind OF
pictures are made and given wide cir
culation so that the undesirable ones
will be driven out of existence.
We believe that this can be done
through the active cooperation of all
who have the welfare of the commun-
ity and the nation at heart-and we
are convinced that in this classifica-
tion will be found the producers and
exhibitors of motion pictures them
selves.
The place to begin this active CO.
operation is in the local community.
The plan is a very simple one. The
first step is for the local club or clubs
to appoint chairman of motion pic
lures whose first duty it will >be to
become personally acquainted with
the owner of the local motion picture
theater Cor owners, if there is more
than one theater). She should ap-
proach him, not as one who has come
to tell him how to run his business but
as a member of the community who
appreciates the service he is render
ing by furnishing needed entertain
ment. She should be woman who
has a real appreciation of motion pic
lures and who can, therefore, make
him feel that she is really his friend.
Her next duty is to arouse the
clubwomen and the other good peo-
Pile of the community to their respon-
sibility in this matter. They are not
helping the cause Of good motion pic
lures when they sit back ard by hear
say criticize the perfectly terrible"
pictures that are being shown at "the
movies" 1t is their place to go to
the pictures, see with their cvn eyes
what is being put on from week to
week, ard then use their critical fac
ulty constructively, not destructively.
They should go with the intention