343. City's Anti-Kissing Articles 1905-1950

Updated: Mar 24, 2022

As the decades in Pensacola flew by, the act of kissing became a source of vast conversation among its citizens as reflected by the News Journal. One of the first mentions of the topic of the 20th century was on March 16, 1905 when Lulu Glaser stated that "there are only three men in the world who have the right to really kiss a woman, her husband, her father, and her brother." Her disdainful comment was in reference to kissing on the stage by actors. She further stated that "passionate kissing is not at all necessary to accentuate a love scene before an American audience." Kissing and Hollywood surfaced again April 14, 1913 when Pensacola's Dr. Stephen Russell Mallory Kennedy spoke of the practice. As one of the city's amateur actors, he stated that those on stage never "really enjoyed kissing during a performance." In fact, he stated that nothing will sooner break a man or woman of the habit of kissing, than to have to submit to being kissed every night and matinee for forty weeks." On February 21, 1925, the topic was again defended in the upcoming movie "The Silent Watcher" at the Isis Theater. The next year it was pointed out that at least Japan did not approve of any kissing scenes at all unless it was a quick clinch at best.

Due to the controversy of the act itself, the newspaper chose to dig into the origin of kissing on February 5, 1910. However, the article stated that once began the act became impossible to stop. In comparison, the author stated "to extinguish a prairie fire would be but a baby's task compared" to stopping the custom of kissing. Three years later on January 20, 1913, the paper tackled the absurdity of St. Louis' making kissing in public against the law. They went so far as stating that, "St. Louis, where the primitive innocence of paradise is being restored, war is declared upon kissing (even) in private!" In 1934, Mrs. Nancy Mary Ann Trammell West was interviewed at the age of 100 years old and after sixty years of marriage she said she and her husband had "never kissed" even after fourteen children. She further reflected "ain't it a sight the things folks think up nowadays!" Compare this to Ora M. Leedon who was arrested in 1908 in Chicago for desertion of his wife. When asked the reason why, he stated my wife is "too strong on the love business to suit me. I don't want a woman kissing me all the time." Before I left her, my wife read about an actress making a hit "with a kiss that lasted forty seconds." He further reflected that "my wife could beat that with one hand tied behind her back. I don't mind a little kiss now and then, but I draw the line at more than six a day!"

However, most of the negativity about kissing were for medical reasons and the spread of germs. In 1905, Pensacolians were told by a professor that to kiss a young lady was the same as kissing dirt! Of course, he was NOT talking of the girl but was drawing a comparison to the custom of women whitening their skin with chalk or fuller's earth (used to fight wrinkles and blemishes). This plus "pearl powder" (made from bismuth) is "nothing but dirt." He finalized with "so, after all (boys), you were kissing dirt." But most of the articles involved the spread of infectious diseases such as influenza, measles, etc. One of the uncontrollable diseases of the day that they felt was being spread by kissing was "consumption" or called tuberculosis today. There was no cure and proved fatal in many cases.

But not everyone agreed with giving up kissing, disease or not! In fact, in August 1933 the beginning of a nationwide fad began at Coney Island's Luna Park. Couples paired up to see who could kiss the longest without interruption. The winning couple set a record of three hours and two minutes. That record has since been put to shame on February 12, 2013 by a couple from Thailand who lasted 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds.

But, the custom of kissing also entered the world of politics during the last century as well. The "kissing of babies" became very popular among those running for public office and continued well into our own generation. However, the News Journal pointed out in 1938 that Mr. Paul V. McNutt, governor of Indiana, was running for office. One feminine observer commented on his well-advertised handsome appearance that "if Mr. McNitt really wants to be elected President, he should revise the old political tradition of kissing babies and try kissing the mothers instead."

During WWII, such behavior became very common on the streets of Pensacola as many of the men were heading off to faraway battlefields, some never to return. One of our US Navy aviation cadets found this out the hard way in July of 1944. It began when his fiancée arrived from Dallas, Texas within a few days of his graduating from flight school at the Naval Air Station. The war in the South Pacific was still a year from its bloody end and the invasion of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam was close at hand. But none of this was on the minds of the two young lovers just days away from their wedding. On July 5th, the two were strolling downtown talking about this and that when they passed a bench on the grounds of a local school. They sat down and were holding hands when they were observed by an officer of the Pensacola Police Department. Whether the bride-to-be looked "exceptionally young" or perhaps there was more than holding hands taking place is none of our business. But the officer became suspicious and asked the young lady for identification. She produced credentials from her mother that stated she had permission to marry the young cadet. Both were arrested for "making love on school grounds." They appeared in police court on July 7th and received a lecture that their public conduct was out of bounds and they were to cease and desist! I imagine that was the extent of their punishment, given the circumstances and the fact that the young man was desperately needed as a pilot in the South Pacific! But given the facts, I doubt this story was ever shared with their grandchildren!