Page:1954 Juvenile Delinquency Testimony.pdf/114

102 Mr. . If I may explain, the readers does not know that itil the last panel, which is one of the things we try to do in our stories, is have an O. Henry ending for each story.

Senator. I understood you to use the phrase "put upon," and that there was no reader identificationwith one who was put upon, but the converse.

Mr. . That is right, sir.

Senator. Now, in that one, what would be your judg- ment or conclusion as to the identification of the reader with that little girl who has, to use the phrase, framed her mother and shot her father 4

Mr. . In that story, if you read it from the beginning, because you can't pull things out of context

Senator. That is right, you cannot do that.

Mr. . You will see that, a child leads a miserable life in the 6 or 7 pages. It is only on the last page she emerges triumphant.

Senator. As a result of murder and perjury, she emerges as triumphant?

Mr. . That is right.

Mr. . Isthat the O. Wenry finish ¢

Mr. . Yes.

Mr. . In ofher words, everybody reading that would think this girl would go to jail. So the O. Tlenry finish changes that, makes hera wonderful looking girl ?

Mr. . No one knows she did it until the last panel.

Mr. . You think it does them a lot of good to read these things?

Mr. . I don't think it does them a bit of good, but I don't think it does them a bit of harm, either.

The. What would be your procedure to test the story out on a child or children?

Mr. . I give them the story to read and I ask them if they enjoyed it, and if they guessed the ending. If they said they enjeyed it and didn't eness the ending, I figure 4. is a good story, entertaining.

The. What children do you use to make these tests with?

Mr. . Friends, relatives.

Senator. Do you have any children of your own, Mr. Gaines?

Mr. . No, sir.

Senator. Do you use any of the children of your own family, any nieces, nephews?

Mr. . My family has no children, but if they had, I would use thein.

The. You do test them out on children of your friends, do you?

Mr. . Yes.

Mr. . Mr. Gaines, in your using teats, I don't think you are using it jn the same way that we are here. You are not trying to test the offeet on the child, yon are trying to test the readability and whether it would sell?

Mr. . Certainly.

Mr. . That is a different kind of test than the possible effect on the child. Then you have not conducted any tests as to the effects of these upon children?