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photo by Steve VanGunda
Tate Branton laughs as his cousin Conner Branton points at the movie screen during Tuesday’s showing of “The Legend of Black Thunder Mountain” at the Arcade Theater.
Arcade offers free movies
Published Wednesday, June 11, 2008
FERRIDAY — It may not have been a premiere at Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, but you wouldn’t have known that from the way eight-year-old Wesley Barber’s eyes widened when the lights dimmed at the Arcade Theater Tuesday.
What it was, though, was the official movie premiere in the newly rebuilt Arcade.
“It’s a lot of fun to go to the movies,” Wesley said, his eyes on the screen.
The movie, “The Legend of Black Thunder Mountain,” was part treasure hunt, part Grizzly Adams and part kindly animal epic, and was open with free admission to children who just finished first through third grades as part of the summer day camps the local churches in Ferriday put on every summer.
The movies will be available every Tuesday starting at 1:30 for students who have completed first through third grades, and every Friday, starting this week, for students who have completed fourth through sixth grades.
For Conner Branton, an eight year old from Ferriday who just finished the second grade at Cathedral School, having the chance to go see a movie in Ferriday suited him just fine.
“It’s cool,” he said, looking around the theater.
The children were very excited to be going to see the movie, Wesley’s mother Lisa Barber said.
“They love to go see a movie,” she said.
During each program, the group organizing it hosts a brief session during the intermission to expose the children to things they might not normally see.
Tuesday’s program was intermission.
Volunteer Betty Paul said she became involved with the movie program after her church, Sevier Memorial United Methodist Church, asked congregants to pitch in.
“I’m a teacher anyway, so I figured I could help with this,” Paul said.
At the weekly showings, popcorn and drinks will be provided for each student, and the movies chosen will be age appropriate.
An adult should accompany students to the movies.
Comments
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 1 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Will the accompanying adult get free popcorn and drinks too? When's the next movie? Is that only for kids from Ferriday? I may be able to borrow a couple of kids to bring up there so they can have a little entertainment for the lazy summer daze. This could be as great as when I was a kid and could get in the show and buy popcorn and a coke all for a quarter, lol.
Posted by drawpaintsing (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is good. I'm interested in knowing when the next movie is. This can be a good "going-out" for me and my family, even if I have to drive all the way from Fayette.
Posted by daris (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I was told that only a few kids showed up. It's very sad that the mothers that's not working will not get up to take the kids to the Arcade. These kids need something positive in their lives. I think this is a GREAT idea but we want get up and let our kids enjoy this. I'm sure I'll get some negetative feed back on this comment. We don't have a problem getting up and taking our kids to events where there's music, drinking and etc. but we can't get up and take them to something that can be fun, and safe for them. Please parents get up and take your kids, this is something really nice. To you drawpaintsing I applaud you, you're willing to drive from Fayette and these parents is only a few blocks away and can't take their kids. We wonder why our kids grow up to fast and stay in trouble, this is one reason why, we don't get up and participate in positive things. Again please give them something to do. When the pool was open you could see so many kids going to the pool without an adult, but since you have to have adult with you the kids want be able to enjoy this. "SO SAD"
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It did seem extremely empty in the picture. Come on parents/grandparents/aunts and uncles. Everyone complains yet no one wants to do anything with their kids. Except complain about them of course.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 7:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree, parents these days (SOME parents) dont want to put forth a whole lot of time and effort.
I ran myself ragged raising mine....I sat at hot Tennis lessons at Duncan Park, I sat through cute bit sometimes dreadful rehearsals at the little theatre LOL, plays turned out awesome, but boy oh boy those first few rehearsals were quite an experience!
I sat through music lessons, sat in the hot gym for gymnastics lessons, dealt with 5o kids running around during the summer Indian Village things and more...PARENTS, this children, we chose to have them, and it is our job to guide them.
So c'mon, go do these things with your children!!
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 9:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
But didn't we have fun ntzmom?! It was almost like being a kid again!
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Are adults allowed in this show? I hope so. Be a shame if we weren't. Maybe that's why just a few kids showed up. It's too dangerous to drop your kids off anywhere these days without adult supervision.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Those were the days ntzmom....Ever want to make a mom smile talk about all you did when there kids were young..
Posted by dmackZuluking (anonymous) on June 11, 2008 at 10:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Arcade was it's name..It's a rebirth of a beginning in downtown Ferriday, and that's great because I was there when blacks had to sit up top and whites on the bottom and I remember the day when both white & black could sit together. And I remember when they closed..and became a night club. Because everyone started driving to Natchez to see the new Mall cinema. PS ..please bring back the drive-in theater.
Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 12:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes freedom42, it was tons of fun...I wouldnt have missed it for the world!
Posted by PollyG (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW!!! I find that anything you do with children are TONS OF FUN, and yes it bring back sweet memories of my own childhood. I too remember the days of the old Arcade when blacks were at the top and whites on the bottom, night club,pawn shop,and finally the closing. Those were some good days, to sit at a movie all day for a quarter. I do hope the parent will bring their children tomorrow, I know they will all enjoy it. I dropped in Tuesday evening and everyone was so friendly and nice. I will be bringing some children for the movie myself tomorrow, and I don't have any that age. Just want the children to enjoy a movie and have summer-time fun. It's a teacher thing.
Posted by peachpit (anonymous) on June 12, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Free Movies at the old Arcade Theater. Reminds me of the old days when, at Christmas time, all the kids could go the movies there all day for free while parents shopped. It was called the merchants movie jamboree if I remember right. And no Peace it's not just for Ferriday kids. The Arcade is owned by the State of Louisiana and is run by the Sec. of State.
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