07-23-51 Council Meeting Minutes

Home Browse Search

REGULAR MEETING JULY 23RD, 1951 REPORT OF ORDINANCE COMMITTEE The Ordinance Committee met on July 16, 1951, at 8:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers at the City Hall, South Bend, Indiana. Present in person were Stanley Korpal, Chairman; Al Kemper and Chester Muszynski, members; the City Attorney, Frederick K. Baer, and representatives of the theaters of South Bend, Indiana. The meeting was opened by the Chairman and the persons present were informed of the proceedings which had taken place to date which led to the meeting and the consideration of an ordinance for the censorhip of movies. The theater owners or their representatives were given an opportunity to state their case. The committee was informed by them that all the movies reaching South Bend came from Chicago where they were first subjected to a Boaf-d of Review and anyfhing which was deemed to be unfit or improper to be presented on local screens was either deleted or the entire film was cancelled. The said representatives advised the members of the committee that for years past they had been extremely careful in the selection of movies for South Bend, and that whenever any organized group had voiced any opposition to any movie which was objectionable, whether on religious or moral grounds, such movie was immediately removed from showing. The operators further pledged to the committee that they would continue to do the following: 1. Impose a voluntary censorship on all movies to be brought into South Bend. 2. That the cashiers and ticket takers of each movie theater would be instructed to use extreme care and caution in the admission of persons to movies who were not adults, when such movies are advertised for "adults only". On the basis of the discussion and on the information presented, your committee makes the following recommendation to the Common Council; 1. That the theaters of the City of South Bend be given an opportunity to impose their own censorship on movies to be shown locally. It is the opinion of the committee that -the exhibitors are in the best position to fulfill this responsibility. 2. That such voluntary censorship be given a reasonable trial period. That during such period the committee will carefully observe the movies shown in the city, and thereafter, report its.findings to the Council. 3. That no censorship ordinance be considered or enacted until adequate showing is made that the above program has failed to achieve the desired results. Submitted to the Common `Council of the City of South Bend, this 23rd day of July, 1951. COMMITTEE ON ORDINANCES Stanley C. Korpal Alvin P. Kemper Chester Muszynski Councilman Erler made a motion that the report of the Ordinance Committee be accepted and placed on file. Councilman Bestle seconded the motion. Motion carried. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE To the Common Council of the City of South Bend: Your Committee of the Whole to whom was referred "An Ordinance fixing the annual salary of the South Bend, Indiana, City Court Probation Officer; and appropriating from the General Fund of said city the sum of Three Hundred Ninety- eight Dollars and Fifty Cents ($398.50) to the 1951 budgetary item, Services Personal, in the Office of City Judge; repealing any and all conflicting ordinances, and declaring an extraordinary emergency ". Respectfully -report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion this ordinance go to the Council as favorable. STANLEY C. KORPAL, Chairman Councilman Tellson made a motion that the report be accepted. Councilman Glass seconded the motion. Motion carried. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE . To the Common Council of the City of South Bend: Your Committee of the Whole to whom was referred "An Ordinance reducing a certain item in the 1951 South Bend, Indiana, Municipal Civil Cit Budget, and appropriating from the General Fund of said City the sum of Five Hundred Twenty -five ($525.00� Dollars, to a certain other budgetary item of the 1951 budget of said city, and declaring an extraordinary emergency'% Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion this ordinance go to the Council as favorable. STANLEY C. KORPAL, Chairman Councilman Glass made a motion that the report be accepted. Councilman Kemper seconded the motion. Motion carried. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE To the Common Council of the City of South Bend: Your Committee of the Whole to whom was referred "An Ordinance reducing certain items in the 1951 South Bend, Indiana, Municipal Civil City Budget, and appropriating from the General Fund of said city the sum of Twenty -Four Thousand Three Hundred ($24,300.00) Dollars, to certain other budgetary items of the 1951 budget of said city, and declaring an extraordinary emergency ". Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion this ordinance go to the Council as favorable. STANLEY C. KORPAL, Chairman Councilman Kemper made a motion that the report be accepted. Councilman Glass seconded the motion. Motion carried.