Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

VISUAL INSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AT THE N. E. A. CONVENTION One Afternoon Devoted to the Reading of Papers and Discussions- Informal Conferences Lead to Appointment of National Committee of Educators to Form a National Visual Education Association—Films Show-n at Hotel Cleveland, Advertising Club, and Commercial BXhibits ByDolph Eastman "IHE semi-centennial meeting of the Department of Superintendence of the National Education Associa- . tion, whose first gathering took place five years after :lose of the Civil War. in 1870. was a success worthy he occasion. Should the same ratio of progress be i during the fifty years to follow, the educational sys- of the Lnited States will lead the entire world in lods. in thoroughness, and in practical results, le registered attendance, exclusive of local participation, )nvention headquarters in the Hotel Cleveland, Cleve- , Ohio, during the week beginning Mondav, Febru- 23, was about 4,500. Vi ith the addition of the names lleveland superintendents, principals and teachers and bose who failed to register, the total attendance was over 5.000. The lack of hotel and rooming accommo- )ns in the city undoubtedly prevented many more from ing to the meeting and drove others away several days re they would otherwise have left. The commercial bitors were disappointed at the comparatively ^mall ber of visitors in their hall, due no doubt to the fact the building was several blocks away from the leading Is save one, and in a rather inaccessible part of the city. Intense Interest in Visual Education )r the first time in the history of the National Education elation there is a Department of \ isual Education for- y established as an official section of the Department of ?rintendence. The officers during the past year, who ! re-elected, are: President, L. N. Hines, state superin- Ent of public instruction, Indianapolis; vice-president. . Beveridge, superintendent of schools. Omaha; secre- C. F. Pye. secretary Iowa State Teachers" Association, Moines. The official program of the visual education Jtment on Wednesday afternoon, February 2.5, in the •oom of the Hotel Hollenden, was as follows: i.L Education In Communtty Center Work Zharles Roach. Assistant Professor in charge Instruction Service. Iowa State College. Ames, Iowa. KETENESS In EDUCATION fohn H. Francis, Superintendent of Schools, Columbus, Ohio. Economic Side of Visual Eduovtion r. Paul Goode, University of Chicago. Chicago 111. I'D Table Discussion On Visual Eot cation ^ed by Frank A. Cause. Superintendent of Schools, Bav C^ilv. Mich. le reading of papers was limited to twenty minutes and oral discussion to five minutes for each speaker. Mr. :h was able to read only a portion of his valuable ribution on "Visual Education in Communitv Center k," which this magazine will publish in full in a forth- ing issue. Superintendent Francis spoke without notes in a direct, forceful manner brought out the salient, landing features concerning the use of visual instruc- material in the schools. Both Prof. Goode and Mr. 5e added many helpful ideas and suggestions in their ;rs, as did the several speakers who followed, ne incident occurred toward the close of the round B discussion, which smacked of commercialism, was in ous bad taste, and should not have been permitted bv iident Hines. who was in the chair. It was an attempt ave the Department of Visual Education of the N. E. A. in record as officially approxing the standard theater film. 35 millimeters in width, as the only film to be used in the schools of the United States. The presiding officer allowed the resolution to come to a viva voce vote without recording the ayes and nays, but the feeble response of affirmatives and the thundering chorus of negatives showed unmistakably that the sentiment of the assemblage was that the N. E. A. had better leave the question of the use of standard theater film or safety standard non-theatrical film to the individual school or college, to decide as the local authorities see fit. It was the first public demonstration of flie difference of opinion on this subject, with an over- whelming sentiment in favor of an open, independent mind and a disposition to consider both sides. The Informal Conferences Due to the initiative of W. H. Dudley, of the University of Wisconsin; W. D. Henderson, of the University of Mich- igan: and J. \X. Shepherd, of the University of Texas, con- stituting the visual instruction committee of the \atienal Lniversity Extension Association, there was an informal conference Monday afternoon, February 23, on the ninth floor of the Hotel Cleveland, and on Wednesday evening at the Hotel Hollenden following an informal dinner in the cafeteria of the hotel. The discussions at these two conferences, presided over by .Mr. Dudley, had to do with ways and means of using films, slides, stereographs, maps, charts and other visual instruction material in the schools and colleges but were primarily concerned with motion pictures. Some interest- ing developments were noted at these meetings, but the only decisive action taken was the adoption of a motion that Mr. Dudley appoint a national committee of nine educators having no connection with commercial interests, who are to call a general conference within two months, if possible, of all individuals and groups who would like to get together and form a National Visual Education .Asso- {Continued from page 6) .\fter all. it is not a matter of whether it is Tom's machine. Dick's screen or Harn's film. The issue is larger and higher than that. It is a matter of ethical principle and obedience to law and order,- of moral responsibilit}- and civic dut)- towards the public and our individual selves. We said in the beginning, and we say now, that we shall do everything within our power to develop the educational use of motion pictures. The thing is too big, the industry is too big, to permit commercial interests, or selfish motives, or mere comfort, convenience, and "cheapness" to endanger the entire non-theatrical field when it is so easy to play safe. By advocating the principle of ■'Safety First,'" compliance with law, and safeguard- ing of human life—especially tlie precious life of Young America—we are taking steps to make the future of educational films secure, no matter what developments may come.