Educational film magazine; (19-)

MOVIES FOR KIDDIES—WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT IT? (Continued from page l'>) The Ideal Soi-unox Some of the communities in the neighborhood of New York City have found a successful solution for this problem. For a number of years the active women of the town have formed a committee which has entire charge of putting on programs, carefully selected and censored for children, in the auditorium of the high school. These women have not only paid for the entire equipment needed, but they are now clearing from $100 to $150 a night. This means that for years the children in these localities have had splendid entertainment and have seen only the best, cleanest, and most suitable pictures. Not only that, but the community itself has had the benefit of the profits accruing from these entertainments and, in addition, the school is equipped for using motion pictures in the school work. This plan is one that is gradually gaining in favor. In New York City fathers and mothers of the well-to-do class have banded themselves together in the Junior Cinema Clul) which is giving a series of most carefully censored programs in one of the largest theaters of the city to the children of its members. At the same time, in one of the largest high schools, a similar series is being given free to the children of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades by the Director of Visual Instruction of the New York City schools. Such specially prepared programs for children put on as a community service seems to be the ideal solution of "The Problem of the Movies." That there are obstacles to overcome is to be ex- pected, but through cooperation they can surely be removed. As a first step toward that cooperation let every club, or other group of women, who would like to see this work inaugu- rated in their own community and would be glad to undertake it send a letter to the writer giving expression to their desire and making known something of their local conditions. Every such letter will help in the work of overcoming the obstacles. GRAPHOSCOPE'S OWN FILM SERVICE THE Graphoscope Company, manufacturers of motion picture projectors, have an interesting plan for developing a film distribution service which will be of great value both to producers of non-theatrical pictures and to the many schools, churches and community centers which are looking for this service. In each of their twenty-six service companies they are developing this service which includes the projection of films for exhibitors. These films are supplied by the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A., National THE well equipped projection room of the Graphoscope Service Company, Washington, D. C. Here films are screened and booked for owners of Graphcseope projectors—an important new development In the non-theatrical field. ARISTOCRAT OF THE FLOWER WORLD IN PICTOGRAPH 7056 'T'HE picture shows some remarkable and interesting facts about ■*■ the orchid—facts which disclose the truth about this mys- terious and remarkable plant. It proves that the orchid is not, as is commonly believed a parasit, but, on the contrary, an indepen- dent plant which lives entirely upon light and air and which, although it attaches itself to the shrubs and trees of the tropics does not draw its sustenance from them. The picture shows how cross pollenization produces many new specimens; how the seeds (maturing after many months of patient care), are planted on a simple preparation of moss, peat, and char- coaL It shows how the plant conserves moisture in its own little private reservoir against dry days to come and how the maturing bud is guarded by a thick sheath from accident or harm. The picture brings information to the layman and delight to the horti- culturist Catholic Council, industrial producers, and other organizations. Five of these offices are already in operation and it is hoped that within the next two or three months the service will make it possible for non-theatrical users to select films in their county centers. In Washingtoi) alone 700 reels a month are being distributed by this service, and twenty-seven churches besides schools and com- munity centers are being assisted to select films by this organiza- tion. Rev. E. C. Horn, formerly of Redwood Falls, Minn., is now pastor of the Methodist Church at Fairmont, Minn. He is an enthusiast on the subject of motion pictures in churches and through his elTorts at a recent Sunday morning service in Fair- mont nearly $1,000 were subscribed by the congregation for the purchase of up-to-date projection equipment and operating ex- penses. > URBAN INSTITUTE Charles Urban, Educational Film Pioneer, Purchases Former Home of Cosmopolitan Magazine at IrTington-on-the-HuSson, N. Y. A N indication of the growing inijiortance and commercial possi- ■'^ hilities of the non-theatrical motion picture field was evidenced recently in the purchase by Charles Urban, president of Kineto Company of America, Inc., and Urban Motion Picture Industries, Inc., of the building formerly occui)ied l)y the ( ()■ iic«)|it«n .Maga- zine St Irvington-on- tho-Hudson, N. Y. Mf. Urban has within the past twenty years demonstrated his abiding faith in the future of the educational motion picture by invest- ing large sums in the accumulation of valuable nrga- tiven. As B fitting rllmax to his yrurs of effort and outbiy •• an educational i% lW\W^^.,„ 'pHE beautiful clauic structure at Irvincton-on-the-Hodaon, N. Y., which may stand as a monument ^ to the Jtre work of Cbarlet Urban at an educational film pioneer. 20 film pioneer he has effected the purchase of this splendid classic structure designed by the late Stanford White. Those wlio know and love Charles Urban and admire him for the wonderful pioneer work he has done during the past two decades will hope that Urban Institute, the name he has given to this former shrine of literature, may prove to be his monument. May it not also prove a Mecca for Pilgrims seeking the light in visual education? Urban Institute, it is announced, is to be the future home of the Movie Chat, the Kineto Review, the Science Series, the World Travel Series and other short subjects which eventually are to comprise "The Living Book of Knowledge," a world encyclopedia in motion picture form. At Urban Institute .also are to l)e pianufactured the Spirograph, a miniature home, school, and sales projector using a film disc, and the Kinekroni, a new color jiroccss; It is understoo<l that in one wing of the building will be housed the Scien- tific Film Com- pany, directed by Charles F. Herm, who specializes in m i c r o-cinematog- raphy.