In our century

As motion pictures developed as a popular entertainment form in the early 1900s, city officials grappled with several concerns. Darkened theaters began opening in any storefront or back room, fires destroyed property and threatened lives because of film’s flammability and the theaters’ poor fire prevention practices, and the content of some movies was offensive to some residents.

According to an article in the October 1913 edition of The American City, New York passed the first comprehensive law in the country to regulate motion picture theaters. It went into effect Aug. 12, 1913, and aimed to “do away with the danger to the audience from fire and panic, from inadequate ventilation and sanitation, and for a supervision that would abolish immoral practices.” At the time the law was passed, there were 800 motion picture show places in the city, with a daily attendance of more than 700,000.

In February 1917, The American City featured an article by Cranston Brenton, chairman of the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, that called for every community to address the “problem” created by “the almost incomprehensible development of motion picture production and exhibition.” “Motion Pictures and Local Responsibility” explained the National Board’s process for reviewing 10,500 films annually and rejecting their content if they were obscene, sacrilegious or immoral. Despite its role in screening films, the board remained opposed to censorship because it believed movies were an expression of free speech. Recognizing that films approved by the board might not appeal to every town, the article called on local officials to establish their own film review committees to screen pictures before their general release. “Never forget that you are the public to which the film producers must of necessity cater; and then, if you do your duty as an American citizen and see to it that your local civic authorities do theirs, in your particular community the motion picture problem will rapidly disappear,” he wrote.

Previous “In our century” Stories

• In our century — July 1935
  Cities install parking meters in business districts to improve traffic flow, reduce car damage and generate revenue
• In our century — April 1910
  Cities organize July Fourth events, regulate fireworks to reduce Independence Day injuries and deaths
• In our century — May 1915
  Cities seize revenue-generating opportunities to provide ice and refrigeration to residents and businesses
• In our century — May 1914
  Officials invest in maps to guide public projects, improve city administration and communicate plans to the public
• In our century — September 1915
  Technology develops to ensure the safe movement of trains, cars and emergency vehicles through city streets
• In our century — July 1914
  Among the early efforts to improve public health, cities invent and seek weapons of mass fly destruction
• In our century — August 1913
  When bond issues fail, cities seek alternative funding for infrastructure improvements and other public projects
• In our century — August 1914
  Cities improve cleanliness and public health by strategically placing public restrooms and encouraging their use
• In our century — December 1914
  Cities begin the tradition of decorating enormous public Christmas trees to celebrate the holidays
• In our century — June 1910
  Government accounting methods and reports mature from vague and incomplete records to standard formats.
• In our century — October 1909
  Investigations into corruption and mismanagement lead to (some) reforms in government policies and operations.
• In our century — January 1913
  Cities experiment with road surfaces and set out methods for funding road construction and maintenance.
• In our century — September 1909
  Limits on outdoor advertising are set through cities’ hard-fought battles over billboard sizes, messages and locations.
• In our century — August 1911
  Fire departments gain authority, modern equipment to prevent and improve response times to structure fires.
• In our century — June 1910
  Street lights become symbols of communities’ economic success, and lighting technology efficiency evolves.
• In our century — September 1909
  With urban growth comes city leaders’ desire to control and direct it for the community’s greatest benefit.
• In our century — September 1909
  Cities embrace playgrounds as valuable public assets for children’s safety, health and social development.
• In our century — September 1909
  Women embrace public causes, work to improve their communities and expand their societal roles.
• In our century — March 1910
  Cities develop methods, mechanisms and regulations for residential solid waste collection and disposal.
• In our century — November 1909
  Occupancy laws and social workers emerge in the early 1900s to clean up inner-city neighborhoods.
• The way we were
  Publisher’s son remembers American City & County‘s roots.