The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-29
woman,s vIeu of pnncInE

NOAHAhB NhGW 0M DAMchnE To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
 Now that so much is being said about dancing and Pershing Pier. please allow me to write a flow lines on tho subject
 Although I am not an Episcopalian, but belong to church which objects to dancing. do want to say I thor oughly agree with Dr. Barnwell in what he has to say, and glory in ilis "spunk" to come forward and publish his views. I am sure all broad mind ed people will think as he does. It is so narrow to keep up such a stir about such 6 little thing as dancing, when there are so many really evil and sinful things which should be attended to.
 Please tell me what harm there Is in innocent dancing? The Bible does not say, Thou shalt not dance" but 1t does tell us we must not islander one another (not in these words. how ever, but 1t is what 1t means). How many preachers do you hear preach on this subject? Yet, there are more girls and women ruined from slan- derous tongues than anything else In the world. You seldom ever hear a sermon on this subject-it's always against dancing.
 If a girl or boy is going to be bad it doesn't take the ballroom to make them so. They will be bad any where you put them. In my opinion, they are safer there than anywhere, for there they arc not thinking of evil, but keeping time to music.
 l know a man who thinks if one dances, they are dancing straight Into torment. His daughters were never allowed to enter a ballroom; yet two of them went wrong in his own par Tor.
 The only explanation one ever gives when you ask what harm there is In dancing, they speak of 1t as revelry and say 1t leads to evil things. They approve of skating and swimming yet the dictionary says rovelry means boisterous festivity Well. what is more boisterous than skating and swimming, and what could lead to more evil than swimming, half-naked l together? It not only leads to tho worst kind of evil. but 1t takes that sweet modesty away from any woman to expose her naked limbs There are not only girls and boys. but wonn on, men and children in all classes who indulge in this kind of revelry When they are in the ballroom they have their clothes on. I admit some wear their dresses rather low in the back--but the back is not half ns bad as the legs"
 There Is nothing in the world a' beautiful as graceful, decent dancing and nothing as ugly and repulsive as "shimmy" dancing, so if all this nor, rid "jazz and shimmy" dancing couio stop, what harm is there in grace ful, beautiful dancing7 saw in the fpaper not long ago where some smar' I ( Law Man. who said: 'fDid you ever see anyone dance into heavenT ASH this man If he ever saw anyone walk into heaven, and tell him if he doesn look out, his slanderous tongue WiH keen him from getting there at all.
 Dr. Henry asked: of it is moral affair to dance at East Lake, why the necessity of chaperon" Tha' is easily answered. Everyone knows that all young people arc indiscreet and it takes an older head to ol- rect them. If pr. Henry will just re- member back, he will recall things he did in youth that ne wouion uo now We all would.
 don't believe all these people who are talking so against dancing now really feel that way; they just sim nlv want to carry their point; for the ones who have most to say agalns' 
 it are the ones who really never sec inside of ballroom.
 do not approve of a wide.open town on Sundays. I think we snouio keep that day holy, as God has toio @ us to. and I am not against the preachers, for admire them all ane | mink Birmingham has the best min isters I know of anywhere. If thes would stick to the gospel ana tn' m teachings of the Bible anu e. .. inc slanderers and other evils tha are vile-then some good will be ac complished in this old town.
 want to add a few lines more and tell you how much enjoy reau ing your Age-Heraid every mo, t.,1 i.tnti It is indeed a fine paper. and I thini is the best in the south. Very respee,
 fully, eror1rIEP
 Birmingham. January 20, ls2Z.