CONCERNING CINEMAS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 18

CONCERNING CINEMAS

ENGLISH HOME OFFICE REPORT.

TJESTZHST

w-T + 7 hV r-° •most intimately connected conflicting character was given durin ff the PubTc^ eW, by *!° NatLal CouncVof that in th fl I™ °an bo little lk)«bt rontl X ? W^ 6n all kindß of films could be shown to boy 3 and girls without discrimination-a certain amount 0 7dZ- » could bo attributed directly and ndrroctly to the picture-houses. Cases of imitative crime were not infrennpnt fn°ord U'T ent t R i Ver° «^ of^thoft ma W « m f«w.«*nj"ion to the kinel n«,but Ii, SM on ys additional evidence of the attraction which this type of nerforraance holds for juveniles. P Any sweeping allegation as to the effect of,the pitcures leading directly to the wrtli caution. When tho argument became common tho nimblo-witted boy of th. streets was not above converting it to his own uso, and naively telling the Ma.g.sra.te that "ho Mw it in tho pc! nil vi *c k'n-ema has sometimes supphed the poison, it has also provided the antidote. A boy was recently committed to _ a. reformatory school for an ofFunco isr&7 fc of,V ictUr -° Show- Tho ""POP-intendent-a. believer in moral homepitl.y 75A mi the .kinema operator in tho excellent little picture theatre provided for the training and recreation of ' tho boys, and the offender is now doing well. Ihe effect of tho-kmema on juvenile dolinquency was recently considered by tho bcottish National Council of Juvenile' Organisations, who came to somewhat simiJar conclusions—"There is a conllict of opinions among social workers of long ex. perionce on the question of the direct connection between tlio kinema and juvenile delinquency. In any case, such a/comiccton is difficult oE proof. It may be saM that when tho homo influence is not doflnitoly good, whore tho elementary facts of right and wrong, of honesty and dishonesty, are not taught attendance ut certain picture houses undoubtedly has a serious effect from the point- of. view of juvenile delinquency. ]t may be added that there were several cases of theft in whioli it becamn clear that money was stolen in order to pay the charge for admission to a kinema."

TKere are, however, two sides to the question. If the kinema, without thD exemso of proper restraint is likely to produce evil results it is also true to say that it has provided young peoplo with cheap and widespread facilities for recreation and the field which it offers in tho direction for education is still largely unexplored.