Reader Objects to Sunday Cinema

Value to Town – Other View

To the Editor of the Isle of Wight Times

Sir,

Ryde Methodist Church Garfield Road

– Heaven forfend that the symbol of the devil, the Sunday Cinema, may attack the morals of this town. Our young people, at least those whom parents have not the sense to forbid any visits to these places of iniquity, are already being contaminated by the American laxity of moral behaviour. Sunday is the one day a week they have a chance to go to church and learn that East-side New York life, protracted osculation, and loose foreign phraseology have no place in this England of ours.

The pity of it is that everything is tending to aid the devil in his work.

Where are our powerful public preachers? The town can hardly boast one man who by the very force of his eloquence could get people away from the cinema to churches. Nor are we likely to have such men while our own bishop can be heard stating in a Ryde church that he did not regard the pulpit- and its sermon- as important in church life.

At least no Sunday cinemas. We have temptation enough without adding more.

Yours faithfully,

E. E. N.

Sir,- The Sunday Cinema question has a possible advantage you do not enumerate  in your news story last week.

Film shows on Sunday might prove an inestimable boon to the Borough as a holiday resort, for little enough remains to be done if a Sunday proves wet in Ryde.

Lest the Council should feel any qualms about taking advantage of war conditions, they can console themselves that a lot of dull things- D.O.R.A. for one- which war has brought about require balancing with a little brightness.

Yours etc.

E. BROWN.

Ryde.

NB: D.O.R.A. – Defence of the Realm Act

Source: Isle of Wight Times 7 March 1940