Summary

Why We Respect the Law

Source Archive Films by Getty Images
Title: Why We Respect the Law
File Number: PA-0513 Digibeta
Color: B W
Type: Educational
Year: 1950
Subjects: LAW THEFT BASEBALL LUMBER GUILT LAWYERS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY CRIME SOCIETY CITIZENSHIP
Description: Why We Respect the Law Director: Gil Altschul. Cameraman: Bruce Colling. Writers: Dick Creyke, Royal. Editor: George Wilbern. Narrator: Franklyn Ferguson. Educational Collaborator: Carter Davidson, Ph.D., President of Union College, Chancellor of Union University. With Gil Fergusen (Mr. Hudson) "Nerd Eddie" (Kent Lawrence) "Don" (Joey) Dorothy Day (Mrs. Lawrence). KEN & 3 FRIENDS STEAL BOARDS TO MAKE BACKSTOP FOR BASEBALL FIELD. KEN SUFFERS FROM GUILT & SEES FAMILY LAWYER WHO HELPS HIM DEVELOP RESPECT FOR LAWS. KEN THEN HELPS OTHER BOYS SETTLE ACCOUNTS WITH CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. Ken Smith sez: "Kent" is caught stealing lumber to build a backstop for a baseball diamond. His court-appointed lawyer tells him that "law is in harmony with the universe itself," and then shows us what life would be like if their were no laws (it's very bad). He then guides us (via flashback) through the life of another teen thief, who started out stealing pennies from his mother and wound up robbing a grocery store and landing in jail. "You mean, taking a couple of boards could lead to something like that?" asks Kent. "Couldn't it?" replies the lawyer. The troublemaking leader of Kent's gang later played goody two-shoes "Don" in The Benefits Of Looking Ahead.
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