The Silver Moon Drive In, Lewisburg Pa
During the pandemic quarantine of 2020, it was suggested that we have Easter Sunday services at drive in movie theaters. This is not a new idea.
In 1955, 50 cars and nearly 200 people attended Easter Sunrise service at the Silver Moon Drive In In Lewisburg. This same theater was at this time in a battle with local churchmen & residents over their illegal showings of "motion pictures for commercial purposes" on Sundays, in violation of the states Blue Law. Each week the theater would be fined for violating the law, and each week they would pay the fine and continue on.
Built in 1952, The Silver Moon Drive In was the only theater in the area to defy Pennsylvania's Blue Law that prohibited showing motion pictures for commercial purposes on a Sunday. For three years, the owners received a weekly citation and fine. Each employee, management, and operator could be fined $50 each week, with total fines ranging from $50 to over $200 a week. Those who attended the Sunday showings were encouraged to leave a "silver offering" at the ticket booth, to help cover the fines. Boyer and Lewis, owners, admitted to being aware of the law, but feeling that it was an outdated and foolish law, they, chose to ignore it.
A citizens committee was organized by churchmen and residents of the township, and under the direction of Charles Bond at Bucknell University, filed a complaint. Dr Bond reported that the county citizens, indigent over the violation, would not take action on a county wide basis unless it was definitely shown that the township committee would not be able to control the Sunday shows.
The owners of the Silver Moon were active in their own churches, and the drive in space was made available for churches to use. In April of 1955, Easter Sunday services were held at the Silver Moon Drive In. Rev. Lester Barton, the pastor of the Milton Baptist church, held the dawn service. Nearly 200 people, in 50 cars, attended.
Although many ministers objected to, and preached against, movies being shown on the sabbath, many of the objectors were more concerned with the theaters flaunted disregard for the law. In 1953, after nearly two full seasons of operating, the township posted a referendum for vote to overturn the law and allow Sunday movie showings. The referendum failed by 33 votes. The community was split nearly 50/50 on the issue of Sunday movies.
In 1954, nothing had changed. Dr. Bond was still writing editorials against the Sunday showings, the Silver Moon Theater was still showing movies on Sunday evenings, the Justice of the Peace continued to issue a fine each week, and each week the fine was paid.
In 1955 this finally came to an end, as the owners and employees were called to court to appear for a hearing and were there directed to cease the Sunday showings. It wasn't until November of 1957 that the referendum once again was placed on the ballot, and this time it passed, by a margin of 18 votes, allowing the Silver Moon to legally show movies on Sunday for the first time in their 1958 season.
Flea markets were held on the grounds as early as 1973, but it wasn't until 1989 that the plaza flea market along 15 was moved to the Silver Moon property. Today the Silver Moon Flea Market is held both indoors and out, with a paved parking lot where a grass field and speakers once faced a movie screen.
Lewis sold the Silver Moon to Keister in 1990, and the plan was for the theater to be torn down that fall. But newspapers continued to list movies showing at the theater through 2008.
Lewis sold the Silver Moon to Keister in 1990, and the plan was for the theater to be torn down that fall. But newspapers continued to list movies showing at the theater through 2008.
A History & Time Line Of the Silver Moon Drive In
In June of 1952, several drive in movie theaters were being built tin this area. But the workers at three local sites were planning to picket, as the sites were being built under "non union conditions."
On May 20 1952, the Daily Item reported that "quiet picketing goes on at the site of the theater." Union workers were picketing to protest non union conditions. The strike was not against the owners, but rather against the contractor.
In late may of 1952, pickets at the Silver Moon had been called off when the contractor, Alberston promised to met with the local trade council officials to discuss the possibility of instituting "union conditions" Picket lines had also been postponed at the Modern Open-Air Theater between Northumberland and Danville, as well as at a drive in Linden, between Willaimsport and Jersey Shore. All of the theaters were being built by Albertson, but for different owners.
An obituary for Frank W. Royer of Pleasant Gap Pa. states that Mr Royer was both the builder and original owner of the Silver Moon. He also owned several other outdoor theaters in addition to an indoor theater in State College.
In February of 1953, The Theatre Incorporated
Silver Moon Inc. was formed, including A. A. Kohlbecker, H.E. Neill, and Frank Royer of Centre County, and Frank Lewis of Lewisburg. In 1952 the business had been listed as a partnership.
November 15 1952
In July of 1953, the owners were paying $128 weekly in fines. A $50 fine for the projectionist, a $50 fine for the cashier, and $28 in fees. Each week, Justice of the Peace Dale M. Reichart would issue a warrant for the fine, and Constable Robert Fisher would deliver it. Those who visited the theater were encouraged to leave "a silver offering" at the ticket booth, to help offset the fines. As of July 22, the theater had paid $1,100 in fines for the year.
In November of 1953, a referendum on the fall ballot, to allow Sunday movies, was defeated by a small margin - just 33 votes. 256 voted against, and 222 voted to allow the showings.
1954 - Theater Improvements
The only major revamping of the theaters equipment was in 1954. That year technology changed, and the CinemaScope was introduced. With the screen change, new projectors were needed and more lights were added.
In March of 1955, The Silver Moon Drive In was the first of the local drive in movie theaters to announce their reopening. Over the past winter, they had built a cinemascopic screen, one of the largest outdoor screens in the area. For opening week-end that year, popcorn was free with admission.
1955 - Easter Sunrise Service
April 1955
In April of 1955, Easter Sunday services were held at the Silver Moon Drive In.
Rev. Lester Barton, the pastor of the Milton Baptist church, held the dawn service.
Nearly 200 people, in 50 cars, attended.
March 1955
Each week, fines ranging up to a total of $200 were issued, for violating the Blue Law and showing movies on Sundays. Each employee and all of management was fined each week, so by making Lewis the sole proprietor, he was the only one liable for the weekly fine, reducing it to the maximum of $50 per a person per a week.
In May of 1956, The Silver Moon Showed the controversial movie, No Greater Sin.
"No Greater Sin" is a fictionalized film about a campaign in an unnamed city to halt the spread of syphilis. The film, which was reportedly to help stop the spread of venereal disease among teenagers, was not overly factual, and never actually mentioned that syphilis was spread by having sex. Sex was never mentioned at all, although the word prostitute was used, without any explanation of the connection between the profession and the disease.
1955 - Sunday Movies Cease
From 1952-1955, the owners of the SIlver Moon showed movies on Sunday nights, and paid the fine each week. The community was divided on the issue of actually showing movies on Sundays, but they were much more were united in their concern that the law was so obviously, and flagrantly, ignored. In 1955, after much outrage by local ministers & residents, and many letters to the editor by Charles Bond of Bucknell, the employees and owners were called in for a hearing, and although they planned to appeal the verdict, Sunday Movie Showings came to an end.
1957 - Vote Yes For Sunday Movies
In November of 1957, the township was once again asked to vote on the issue of Sunday Movies. The Silver Moon ran an advertisement in the local newspapers, pleading their case.
November 1 1957
"Regardless of the outcome of this election, our theatre facilities will remain available to all churches, church organizations, and charitable organizations as they have in the past."
This time the referendum passed - by a mere 18 votes.The final tally was 260 votes for, 242 against.
1973 - The Flea Market
I don't know what year the flea market began, but ads for it were being run as early as 1973, and continued at least through 1976.
In 1977 the car speaker system was replaced by the car radio transmitter. At the time, it was only the second of its kind on the east coast.
1989 - Flea Market Moved to Silver Moon
In 1989 the Daily Item reported that Art Keister moved his flea market from the plaza on route 15 to the Silver Moon Drive in Theater. He rented the space from Frank Lewis, with the option to buy.
Sandy Keister sent me this correction - The Keisters didn’t have the flea market at the plaza They had the restaurant inside the plaza (Frank n Stein’s). When Ron Garman moved the flea market to Watsontown the vendors wanted the market to be back in Rt 15 . Art asked Frank Lewis to rent the drive in for a flea market and eventually Mr. Lewis sold it to Keisters.
In June of 1990, Lewis sold the theater to Keister. The Keisters had planned to tear down the theater by fall, and have the area paved for parking. The movie screen was to be given to Lewis once it was torn down.
However, as of 2008, the newspapers were still running movie listings for the Silver Moon theater. On August 31 2008, The Outsiders was showing at the Silver Moon.
More About The Pennsylvania Blue Laws
Pennsylvania enacted it's very first blue law in 1682, shortly after William Penn founded it as a colony. The law stated:"Whoever does or performs any worldly employment or business whatsoever on the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, works of necessity and charity only exempted, or uses or practices any game, hunting, shooting, sport or diversion whatsoever on the same day not authorized by law" is considered to be a law breaker."
The law was carried over when Pennsylvania became a state in 1787.
In 1933, Pennsylvania amended the law to allow sports on Sundays. Before that, in 1922 the general assembly voted to allow ice cream sales in 1922, and gasoline sales in 1926.
Fishing on Sunday was permitted beginning in 1937.
Throughout the 1930's, all the way through the 1970's, individual communities added their own blue laws, including a ban on showing movies, playing pool, or selling cars, on a Sunday.
Although a 1978 ruling by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court made many of the blue laws unconstitutional, because they were not applied evenly.
However, as of 2019, many of the blue laws are still on the books, making it illegal to attend a movie on Sunday in many areas of Pennsylvania. It's not a law that is ever known to be enforced, and lawmakers have been working towards removing the blue laws from the books.
====================
Where The Movies Played
An Index Of Old Movie Theaters
In & Around The West Branch Valley
================
Very good article! Went to the Silver Moon often-especially on Dollar a car nights.
ReplyDelete