Selex Repeal Old Ordinances
On Pool Halls and Dance Halls

Will there be "trouble in River City?"

The Randolph Selectboard last week voted to repeal ordinances dating from the 1960s covering pool rooms and dance halls.

The changes were requested by zoning administrator Mardee Sanchez.

Randolph citizens should not worry, however, that the activities of pool, billiards, and dancing—once greatly frowned upon—will go unregulated. Sanchez said the activities are covered in other ordinances that have been passed since then.

Actually, the Selectboard last week thought it was repealing the ordinances, but it may not have gotten the job done. It turns out that state law requires an ordinance to be repealed in the same way that an ordinance is passed—with a special public warning, including a summary of the ordinances—and at a meeting duly warned for the purpose.

Social Spotlight

The two ordinances are an interesting spotlight on social mores from earlier in the 20th century. Pool halls could not operate after midnight, nor on Sunday. No minors were to be admitted without written consent which was to be kept on file on the premises (and minors meant people under 21, not 18).

The ordinance demanded that no partitions or other room dividers be erected, in order to keep a "clear and unobstructed vision of all parts of such billiard or pool room from the street." That would presumably allow police (or busybodies) to inspect the premises from the sidewalk, and to keep an eye out for clusters of men (almost always men) who might indulge in "gaming or gambling therein," which was prohibited. Consumption of alcoholic beverages was also, of course, forbidden.

The law also prohibited any "private or secret admission or presence" by anybody when the place was closed for business.

Violators could be fined from $5 to $50.

(To put that in perspective, in the 1970s, games of eight-ball at George's Pool Hall in Randolph cost five cents)

Dance halls were similarly instructed not to stay open past midnight, or on Sundays. A police officer was required to be at all dances, to be sure that a "clean and sanitary condition" was maintained in the toilet facilities and to guard against drinking or disorderly conduct.