The Sidney herald., 1955-03-17
Braaten Reviews
Crime Comics
Menace at PTA

PTA President r. A. Gilster in
troduced Syl Braaten, main speak
er at PTA of the Sidney public
schools Tuesday. Braaten spoke
forcefully reviewing the menace
of Crime Comics as a cause of
juvenile delinquency. While other
causes have been pointed to by
criminologists, Braaten said that
much of the increase in juvenile
crimes can be traced directly to
the parallel tremendous increase
in crime comics available to chill
dren. According to DR.. Werthens
in his book, Seduction of the
Innocent, many crimes of vio-
lence have been found to be re-
enactments of comic book plots de-
picting crimes such as assault,
murder, rape, with average age
Of criminals falling steadily. Each
time that legal action to control
the sale of such comics is attempt
ed, it is met with a cry Of "cen-
sorship" by the publishers. They
specialize in anonymity, publish
under various names and change
names often making it difficult K
pin them down. Recent efforts a
control have resulted in a comic
( code authority with Charles f
z Murphy, former New York Cit.
magistrate acting as "Czar" to en-
S force the code. Braaten cited ex
S amples taken from popular comic
publications he bought in Sidne.
this week. The action has playe'
down crime somewhat, but in com
IIparing covers and contents, h
e showed that murder and gamblin
b lare still there. AS an example c
: enforcement Of the code, a de
|. capitated body may still be pic
: tured, but there must be no blooC
d We as parents and all other con
!. cerned adults must give our chill
;. dren every opportunity to becom
g good citizens, Braaten enphasiz
: ed, as he pointed out our two-fol
Is duty, "To Prepare Our Childre
+ For the Future and to Prepal
v the Future for Our Children" Or
of the things we can do to hel
achieve this goal is to remove tt
cancerous growth of crime con
: , les. 1t is your problem and mine
= he said in conclusion. Finding Il
II answers is up to u.s."
= Mrs. John Book read a pap,
. written by a college student WI
pointed out that young peop
hear so much today about you
crimes and juvenile Delinquent
is that they are beginning to a,
ID their parents, were they too
IS children often neglected viii
le their parents were away seekil
l. their own pleasure, or did the
e. parents emphasize home ties al
ne happy home life and church a
i. tivities when they were youn
And were children a generate
ago better supervised than CHI
dren are today? Were childr
early encouraged to take responl
bility? There were many 9th
points brought out giving mu
food for thought and the disco
10 cry that many young people q
n ready to help find answers.
DR.. R. D. Benson announc
n. that the Public Health Service
n conjunction with the State Boa
a of Health plans to conduct Po
2. vaccination of school children
70 first and second grades who hs
III their parents consent. Slips v
pe be sent home to parents befC
the date which will be in Ap
ng DR.. Benson answered questiC
of about the polio program.
is Sidney fire chief Dave, b
Turner and Harold Mercer spC
ars to the PTA recommending
on. proposed new fire hall for S
~ ney.
er. The Women's Chorus of the S
ali ney Music club sang three cho.
n numbers from Oklahoma and
Law rousel. The selections, very mi
on enjoyed, were announced by N
i'd Syl Braaten, president of the y
ers sic club. Mrs. Harold Rounce v
accompanist.
th- PTA President R. A. Gils
nd conducted the business meet
. and Mrs. Rodney Hanson, p
gram chairman announced
program. Mrs. Powell won
IN room count and the PTA penn
having the largest number of p
ents present. A nominating &C
mittee of three members chosen
this meeting are Mrs. Otto Ha