The Cordova daily times., 1922-05-06
A LESSON FROM THE MOVIES

.'iSe''i' 'S''l journals, and by composers as well as pie ture theater managers, that the public can be educated up to desire for better things for their inherent quality.
 What has brought all this discussion about | is the increased education and appreciation in good music, and the growing acquaintance with the works of all the masters-which has been provided largely by the magnificent Isvmphony orchestras of the picture theatres.
 When the symphony orchestra idea first began to be associated with the picture thea CT, it was not because of an actual demand for it, but for the advertising value to be de- rived from an undertaking of magnitude However, the people were willing to be ed heated in good music and the theater of consequence is almost compelled to maintain an orchestra competent to interpret the classic masterpieces, because the people have become educated to appreciate them, and in conse- quence demand them.
 This is proof that the people generally are willing to grasp the better things when op- portunity offers and are not satisfied with the cheap and tawdry after they have become used to the better
 Of course it would not be fair to say that no patrons of the movies were able to under stand and appreciate the beauties of classical music before the movies introduced the sym phony orchestra and the master organlst; but within the last ten years the number who might be included within that class has in creased thousand per cent
 Newspapers generally might well take a
 lesson from the movies in popular education. And while newspapers probably always will he conducted primarily for the dissemination of news and the circulating of advertising, they have a wide opportunity to educate the public in real literature instead of an over abundance of commonplace miscellany and cheap, unimportant and verbose articles of subject matter relatively unimportant as in formation to the majority of the papers read CTS.
 A large orchestra with a poor conductor vould not be a success. The music would not "oet over.' The performance must be up to the musical text, otherwise the audience shows a lack of interest.
 A publisher may print a big paper. It may be filled with variety and abundance ot ma terial. But it may be thrown together pro- miscuously, and give the beholder the Idea that the only impression to be conveyed IS that of quantity. Nothing IS particularly at tractive. It is monotonous. It is inharmonlous It might be called the ''Print-Shop Blues' A "blue" note is discordant note. Discordant notes are not attractive to the ear, and dls cordant makeup is not attractive to the eye
 The features of a newspaper should be se- Iected with the utmost care-first, as to quail itv and second as to attractlveness-then De made up in harmonious, pleasing style which suggests the symphony in newspaper preparation.
 When Mr. Curtis took over the Ladles' Home Journal he was not in the financial po- sition to spend money for articles that he now is, but he made the publication attractive to the eye and it ''caught on." He improved It as he could in it's contents, and always made it attractive geographically. He educated his public to something better than they had been used to- and as he led they followed. Every one knows the result.
 It is foolish for any man in business to say, "Oh, that is good enough' unless 1t IS as good as he can possibly do. His customers may not expect anything better, but if he gives them something better, they will respond to it.
 Despite occasional signs which would lead one to suspect the contrary, the race IS on the up grade Every man has his responsibility and his opportunity whether in the movies, the musical profession, journalism, politics,