Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

COMMUNITY MOVIES IN SAN DIEGO CHURCH Travelof:^. S^■enil•^. XTeeklie?. Comedies. Dramatic and Historic Features Found of Great Value By H. V. Mather Director ut Religious KHucatioD, First Methuilist Churrh, San Die^o, Cat. education at the First Methodist Church, San DieRO. California. He is in charce of the community service programs which arc offered without charge to the public each Tuesday evening, as a jiart of the educational and recreational work of the church. These programs, largely mo- tion pictures, attract many from churches of all sects, the attendance sometimes numbering 1,200 persons. THE ptogiej^si ve, forw arding-looking church of today is rapidly coming to realize that its Christian dutv lies not only in open- ing its doors to religious worship four times each Sunday and once in the middle of the week, but is also conscious of the existence of a great op- portunity to be of service to the conimunitv at large by raising moral, recrea- tional, and physical, as uell as spiritual stand- ards. The progress of recent years has brought with it a demand for a re- ligion that is real, a re- ligion that is alive, a religion that appeals to red-blooded young man- hood and young woman- hood, a religion that teaches and demon- strates that Christianitv and somber demeanor. does not demand long faces but permits and encourages joy in both service and worship, and provides healthful, wholesome recreation and amuse- ment. In the motion picture the church with a vision has an unequalled opportunity to provide for its members and constituency a ])rogram which is both educational and recreational, and which at the same time maintains the dignity of the church and the reverence in which it is held. True, the tnotion picture contains many elements of evil which, when made use of without supervision, and for commercial purposes, do not tend in any degree to fit in with the plan of the Christian church. But the motion picture, like all other agencies or institutions, has unlimited possibilities for good as well as for evil. It is an institution which has come to stay; the church can use it for its own upbuilding, and for the betterment, recreationally and edu- cationally, of the community. Hence, an opportunity to do real community service is ofi'ered to the church tiirough the motion picture. The time has come whi-n the producers are turning a listening ear to the demand for better pictures. This is, in a large measure, due to the influence of the church. The demand will, to a great extent, govern the supply. Because of this fact, the church has it within its power to raise tiie standard of the inotion picture to a higher level. It is not the province of the church to compete with the motion picture theaters: it is for the church to offer programs which are above reproach, and through this means not only provide entertainment and instruction for the community, but also create in the community a demand for better pictures—pictures which do not blight the morals of those who witness them—in the theaters. j Community Sermce Progr.\ms The First Methodist Church of San Diego, California, has been conducting a program of community service for a number of months, and has found motion pictures to be of great value. On Tuesday evening of each week a pro- gram is offered free of charge to all in the community who desire to attend. Large numbers of persons who have not attended this particular church, and many who are not affiliated with any church, are always in the audiences, which verv often tax the capacity of the large auditorium. The programs which are offered include motion pictures, popular lectures, educational addresses, stereopticon lec- tures, recitals, musical programs, and other similar features. Cooperation with the State L niversitv has brought some good programs, in which lecturers, still and motion pictures have been used to advantage. The motion picture exchanges have shown an increasing desire to provide subjects which meet the needs of the church and from which objectionajile scenes have been removed. On some occasions results have not been very satisfactory. A great variety of subjects have been used, including travelogs, scenics, weeklies, comedies, dramas and history features. In commencing its work, this church determined to secure the very best in the way of equipment, and feels amply repaid for the investment made. Instead of producing mediocer results, which would have beeti detrimental to the success of the project, its motion pictures are on a par with those shown in any picture theater in the city. This fact has had much to do with the success of the program, and will undoubtedly have the same effect in other localities. Rev. Dr. Lincoln A. Ferris, tHe energetic and wide-visionetl pastor of the church, believes that motion pictures can be used to advantage by any church as a portion of its com- munity service program, provided they are used with judg- ment and under proper supervision. [Ml [M) MORMON CHLRCH TAKES LP MOVIES I'nder the direction of the scientific society of the latter Day .Saints" t niversitv. Salt Lake City. I tah, a series of motion picture pro- ductions are lieing screened at this church school. This is said to he the first time the Mormon (.'hurch has taken up the use of movies. 14