PICTURES FOR THE PUBLIC.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20320, 31 January 1928, Page 4

PICTURES FOR THE PUBLIC.

lO IHE KDITOK. SIK.—T have had occasion to, write to your paper lotteis of protest' or critx.sai regarding the pictures shown locally, and I ask for space to otter a few mo.c observations in the same connection. There is in Dunedin at present a picture tcem.ng with “ ghosts ” and ghostly influences. Every act throughout the entiic picture, every expression of the actors and tiio isolated, deserted scone of the place all arc calculated, and so stressed, lo g. V c rise to that feeling of fear and trep.elation which such hoirors are liable to inspire. 1 he. influences on the audience la;t Saturday afternoon, when five out of s.x were children from four to 14 years of age can better be imagined than described. The screams and yells when this or that door opens in the wall and a long, claw-like hand, covered with hair, emerges and (very slowly, of course) makes to grasp the throat of an actor or the heroine in the picture was undoubted evidence of the influence the pictmo wap having. The atmosphere of cobwebs, dungeon solitude, secret spring doors and traps was so cleverly worked m and maintained the whole so besprinkled with murder and insanity thill gio.vn up patrons could not escape the influence that was intended or feel perfectly at case a; even a hostile critic can testify.

Su, sif tins age we have ut last progre sod fvotr. the slate of mitul which in. the in fane,- of intellect peopled the world with ghosts anil ghostly influences, and which cowered before the ignorant fears inspire ! hy diseased imaginations and lack cf knowledge, Kdueationists and students of juvenile character and needs every day stress eniphat.ca.lly that fear should have absolutely no place in the child mind. Some go so far as to condemn the inspiration of even a fear of wrong doing and punishment for it. In any ease the necessity to keep such .nonsense as ghost, stories from children's minds is veiy evident and fortunately fairly widely understood, as paients rarely entertain the ideas and do not allow their children to be mad? into little cowards by such (ales. N\ hy should the training of parents be undone by such methods, especially when the parents may he willing to indulge the children in this respect rltbeugh not fond of pictures themselves? Without theit knowing it, the children’s fears and superstitions arc being played upon. Imagine the wide influence of sneh pictures not only on those children who, having seen them, induce others to go also, but upon those who only learn of it second hand or third hand, with the various tlrugs exaggerated and distorted. Xo’w, there is a subject upon w.nch practical unanimity has been attained, except for the prude ridden relies of a former ace most people admit (although only in theorv. 1 am afraid) that enlightenment, on the various aspects of the sex question U vitally necessary. Unrng the war the limitary authorities were compelled to cnrgn.cn by lectures the men under their charge. The necessity of it in pr.vate life, in the home when children are fairly young amt more so when they are at an adolescent, ace is every day being made more evident Most people admit that ignorance is not innocence, and that the boy or girl who coe, out into the world, in a very htera. sense nowadays, cannot he over burdened with knowledge on tins most, important and far-reaching subject This is tne state of the collective m.nd to-day. and it only remain* for the people to put into practice what common sense tells them is necessary. Only the remnants of paralysing piudeiy keep the average man from teaching m* children a much needed lesson. Now to Dunedin has come or returned a pitruii. which in a verv mild manner oopicts tac fruits of sexual immorality. those who have seen u complain that its losou ilost to a great extent hy evasion and obscurity, but it is a ? tc {J “ direction, llns picture is Le.iig showr n Dunedin ut the same time as t e tale criticised hevom. Wbcicas the picture is open to anyone at all. from children Of the lender Ost age upwards the other picture, the necessity of which * undeniable, is closed to the same children, and is shown only to adults in stpaiaK r,., r t s of the .budding I 1 liisbnnd and wile are not allowed to view the pud,ire together or di-enss tne various aspects of th matter as they pass before then eves. lh . whole tiling is a reversion to that winch wo hoped was a thing of the past and shows i muddle-beadedness on the two questions that is pitiful and criminal. W hue tear ot phantoms of the imagination are to he inflamed to the highest degree in young children, fear of the stark rea hl.es o sexual irregularities m everyday life and guidance in everyday life is avoided despite its vital necessity 1 Is this the measure of our boasted civilisation and on ighfenrnent ? Fear of -'hosts encouraged, but fear of realities forbidden or given in an abortive form under stringent restrictions and limitations! [low long will it before the positions will be reversed? J he spectacle presented m Dunedin tins week is enough to make any thoughtful and sane person wren in piiv and sorrow at our • tupid-tv.— I am. etc., CoxsiSTKJCCT.