In many theaters there is an intermission when refreshments may be purchased. At that time the boy may ask his date what she would like, and then excuse himself while he gets it. (Sometimes refreshments may be purchased before a couple go to their seats.) If his budget doesn’t call for this extra, a boy should come prepared with some little offering to take the place of the purchased refreshments, such as a candy from a roll of mints or a stick of gum. The girl accepts the offer graciously without hinting that she would like something else. As the guest of the occasion, the girl waits for her host to make the overture. It’s also all right for the girl to open her purse and offer him some simple little morsel, but she shouldn’t make a production of it.

The boy may hold the girl’s hand if she has no objection, or place his arm over the back of her seat. Such actions do not go beyond socially acceptable behavior. They may whisper their reactions to the picture or comment to each other about the characters or the plot, so long as they neither embarrass each other nor annoy their neighbors.

When the movie is over, the boy helps the girl into herwraps, and waits in the aisle until the girl emerges and precedes him out of the theater. Then, the boy may suggest stopping at a soda fountain, if he wishes, or if it’s early, the girl may invite him to her home for “cake and milk” or whatever she and her family have agreed upon for an evening snack.

How About Drive-ins?

Going to a drive-in theater poses a somewhat different problem than going to a regular movie. Whereas almost everyone approves of young people attending movies together, behavior at drive-ins is viewed with suspicion and outright disapproval by many adults and young people.