Henry J. Taylor, distinguished syndicated writer whose column appears regularly in the Herald, declares that “sadly, television plays an important part” in the climbing crime statistics across the country.
Mr. Taylor – winner of many awards for philosophy, literature, science and patriotism – calls television the “third parent” in the home and says that during ages 5 through 16, the average American youth watches TV an estimated 50 hours a week.
“In one week, in one city, TV stations monitored by the Federal Communications Commission showed nearly 800 acts of violence,” Mr. Taylor said in a recent column published by the Herald.
“Many TV stations are doing much to correct this (for which, unfortunately, they receive scant credit), but before the average youth reaches 16 he or she witnesses an estimated 12,000 TV deaths.” Mr. Taylor asserts the FBI crime report shows that, undisputably, “countless youngsters who sit at the feet of TV sets seeing criminal and violent actions for entertainment much of their young lives, turn to violence and even to crime for fun.”
Television is a valuable medium but there’s no doubt about it, the weekly log of programs is heavily weighted with shows built around violence and crime.
We hope, as Mr. Taylor said, that there is indeed a trend on the part of television to correct this situation. They should, in our judgment, and the public should demand it.
But there is responsibility with the parents also. . .and with the children. It seems to us that if the average American youth is spending 50 hours a week watching TV he’s vastly overdoing it and ought to be curbed, especially when crime-violence shows are involved.
When does he get his school lessons done? How about his chores? His exercise? His recreation? What time is left for the good old-fashioned pastime of work?
It is our firm belief that every child should be taught to work early in life, and that too much “time on their hands” leads to shiftlessness and sometimes crime.
What is there for a city boy or girl to do? We’d imagine any parent could find worthwhile and sometimes remunerative items. For a starter, how about cleaning the basement or attic, taking down or putting up the screens, cutting the grass or shrubs (in season), hoeing the garden, cleaning the carpet. washing the car, shopping, painting the woodwork, washing the garbage cans, or finding a part-time job?
In free time, how about cultivating the habit of reading’? Or learning to play a musical instrument? Or taking up painting or writing or some other facet of the fine arts?
Television is a fine medium of entertainment. It can be educational, too, especially if the viewer applies judgment dialing channels and programs.
But most good things can be overdone. No one pursuit should be utilized too far at the expense of a balanced life. With television, in our opinion, a good place to cut is when excessive crime shows come on. And in line with Mr. Taylor’s observation, it would appear such control, if widespread, would have a good effect on crime statistics.