Evening star., 1928-04-29

Generally. when group Of mothers
Is gathered. the talk gets around to their
children's craze for the motion pictures.
They call II q problem TO know how to
deal with them. II is surely natural
on the part Of the youth Of today to
desire to 20 to the movies ana the
problem part Of 1t can readily be solved
to the mutual satisfaction OF both
generations. There appears to be 9
perfectly simple and logical way OF
doing 1t.
II does seem a pity that so many
parents are worried over o matter tnat
they could manage with ease. granted
that they have measure OF controI
over their promising. up-and- coming
young products Of this twentieth CEN
lury.
It is rather exciting to realize that
this century Is ours, TO make It great
or mar 1t. However, fear that there
are lots Of parents who feel that though
they may only think they own 1t, their
children know that they do: In co1Se-
uuence, when they are still In the units,
they begin to decide for themselves how
to behave, what to do, what to wear
and all the rest. High up in the cata-
| logue of their pleasures and recreat'ons
come the motion pictures.
Every enlightened parent knows that
| ths right motion pictures for children
| are not only excellent entertainment
| but are also of real value TO them
educationally. The trouble lies In the
| fact that too many parents have not
considered 1t a problem TO be worked
out with the child. They have allowed
their children to go to the pictures at
will and have let them pick their own
movies.
The whole matter in a nutshell is
| simply this: From 5 years old on up
| children are going TO want to go TO
motion pictures. The average child
races home from school and announces
that he is wild to see certain picture
because Jimmie has seen 1t and he says
1t is swell. There would result no din
Guilty, no unhappy scene, II the child
had been taught that his parents de-
cision as to whether he could or could
not go to see 1t was q right and just
one.
Back In the gay nineties, which SEEM
for the twentieth century, at least
parents had sufficient control over and
earned SUFFICIENT respect from their
children to be able to supervise with
ease their theatergoing. When Joseph
Jefferson In RIP Van Wrinkle" or Her
mann, the great magician, came TO the
city the children were in the audience
with their parents; when Ten Nights
In a Barroom," THE Cripple Greek
Murder" or Camille" was billed those
same children were tucked in their beds,
sound asleep. while the parents were
at the theater.
There are plenty of motion pictures
for children, enough to give them q
rich fare the year round. A short time
ago an article In Q magazine stated
that it was 4 bad idea for children 70
20 to the pictures too often and thus
acquire their education through their
eyes and not through having to use
their brains by the medium Of reading
slowly and digesting thoroughly. That
seems rather going to am extreme. for
there are so many pictures that are
mentally stimulating and inspiring to
youth. II. for instance, you have ever
been TO q children's matinee Of "Old
Ironsides" you have surely felt the
patriotic response Of the youthful audi
ence. II II thrilling to hear them ap-
plaud. to realize how quickly they pick
out the high spots, how responsive they
are to the underlying historic truths and
individual acts Of courage and heroism
Then, In this day Of ease and COM
fort, what q vivid contrast does The
Covered Wagon" Showi Our children
of Nation still in its youth can see
what hardships were endured only rs
years ago. The Iron Horse" shows them
how We developed our great heritage
The Vanishing American" tells q fane
story Of the original natives. These pic
lures, to name only o few historical
ones at random, coupled with others
like "Ben-Hur" and The Hunchback
OF Notre Dame" furnish finely instruc-
diet for children.
But how many grown people, seeing
children seated all around them at q
sophisticated drama, are saddened by
the thought that here are little brains
being warped by sight before under
standing. Countless thousands Of chill
dren crowd into the picture theaters
every day-and night Their parents,