Punk in the 50's?

I came across this stuff in a book, so I decided to transcribe it for your reading pleasure.  I give you: teens in 1956 fucking shit up!

TEENS RIOT IN MASSACHUSETTS

Boston, Mass., March 26, 1956

"Record hops by disc jockeys featuring 'rock and roll' tunes were banned in Boston today after a riot at Massachusetts Institute of Technology's annual charity carnival.  The disturbance involved nearly 3000 students.  It began when hundreds of teenagers who paid the 99c admission fee to see WCOP disc jockey Bill Marlowe discovered the carnival wasn't a record hop, and they couldn't dance.  More than 20 officers were summoned to the scene, but they were unable to cope with the surging mob of teenagers who overturned booths, smashed records, and battled MIT students who tried to keep the order.  'Some of that music is crazy' commented Mary Driscoll of the Boston licensing board.  'Teenagers have no business listening to disc jockeys at 12:00 at night.  They way they're going, they'll have high blood pressure before they're 20.'"

Washington Melee

Newsweek, June 18, 1956

"Even before the joint began to jump, there was trouble at the National Guard Armory in Washington, D.C.  As 500 people, mostly teenagers, poured in for some rock n roll, knives flashed and one young man was cut in the arm.  Inside the auditorium, 25 officers waited tensely for Bill Haley and his Comets to swing into the 'Big Beat'.  Haley gave the downbeat, the brasses blared and kids leaped into the aisles to dance, only to be chased back to their seats by the cops.  At 10:50, the comets socked into their latest hit, 'Hot Dog, Buddy, Buddy!' and the crowd flipped.  Some of the kids danced, some scuffled, fights broke out, a chair flew.  William Warfield, a high school junior, was hit.  Suffering from a concussion and a severe cut over one eye, he was rushed to the hospital.  'Before I knew it, everybody was pounding everybody' he said later.  The fight overflowed into the street.  A 19-year old was struck over the head, and a 16-year old was cut in the ear.  Two cars were stoned and one exuberant teenager turned in a false alarm.  'It's the jungle strain that gets 'em all worked up' said Armory manager Arthur Bergman, surveying the damage."

Theater Attacked

Hartford, Conn., March 28, 1956

"Hartford police have instituted action to revoke the license of the State Theater, as a result of a series of riots during rock n roll shows.  The latest took place this weekend during performances of an Alan Freed show.  The 4000 seat theater has had 5 police riot calls since last November.  Over this past weekend alone, a total of 11 people were arrested.  Practically all of them were teenagers."

Rock, Roll and Riot

Time, June 18, 1956

"In Hartford city officials held special meetings to discuss it....In Minneapolis a theater manager withdrew a film featuring the music after a gang of youngsters left the theater, snake danced around town and smashed windows....At a wild concert in Atlanta's baseball park one night, fists and beer bottles were thrown, and four youngsters were arrested.  The object of all this attention is a musical style known as 'rock n roll' which has captivated U.S. adolescents.  Characteristics: an unrelenting syncopation that sounds like the cracking of a bullwhip; a choleric saxophone honking mating call sounds; an electric guitar turned up so loud that its sound shatters and splits; a vocal group that shudders and exercises violently to the beat while roughly chanting either a near nonsense phrase or a moronic lyric in hillbilly rhythm....Psychologists feel that rock n roll's appeal is to teenagers' need to belong; the results bear passing resemblance to Hitler mass meetings."

For added hilarity, (if you're not already) familiarize yourself with 50's rock and roll.