Educational film magazine; (19-)

MOVIES NOW A VITAL FORCE IN UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Motion Picture Studios and Laboratories in Higher Institutions Will Follow the Introduction of the Film in the Classroom By Grace Partridge Smith S Editor-in-Chief The Iowa Alumnus, University of Iowa INCE the use of the motion picture in elementary grades and high schools of the United States is now a well- established fact and visual education in schools, churches, and communities is being emphasized by educators as used for supplementary instruction. Informative replies were received from Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Vermont, California, Washington, Oregon, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Min- filling a long-felt need to stimulate study on the part of pupils* nesota, Illinois, Iowa, and Pennsylvania. and presentation on the part of the teacher, we are' wondering if the motion picture has reached its high water mark or if it is still capable of development for educational purposes. To answer this question we have only to look about us. In answer to the query "How high are the movies?" we shall reply, not "the high school," but "the university." For, indeed, before we have realized it, the motion picture has placed its ftont lines ill the institutions of higher education throughout the country. The significance of this step is as yet siarcely realized but the fact is, the film liij "arrived" in the university and, like il~ advent elsewhere, it has come to stay and to revolutionize. In most cases the professor is willing to give the movie its due. Naturally there are some prejudices to be overcome; he is unwilling to throw away "all that scien- tific bric-a-brac" and substitute pictures for either text book or instructor. He does not recommend a degree based on movie courses alone. No, the motion picture in his hands, becomes like other classroom media for visual education—the slide, the chart, and the diagram—only an aid to in- struction. And the sane educator knows how to give visual aids—be it photograph, slide or motion picture—its proper place in the classroom with respect to other supplementary material. To those who are familiar with the history of photography, with that pioneer. Dr. John W. Draper, said to be the first photographer of the human face (1840) — himself a university man (professor of pRACE PARTRIDGE SMITH, a native of Massa- " chusetts, has been a resident of Iowa for many years. She graduated from the University of Iowa in 1891 and spent fifteen months in study and travel in Germany, France, and England, of which one year was passed as a student of the Royal Con Replies from these questionnaires show that, in the main, facul- ties of these universities are in a receptive mood toward motion pictures. Their reaction to it is noted as "favorable" as a rule with a variation of synonyms to indicate the degree of interest. Only one was distinctly adverse to its use; one had "never heard it discussed;" possibly three of those queried stated that films were not used for instruction but added notes concerning courses in visual education and the use of motion pictures in their ex- tension divisions in many of which film libraries have been built up and which are carrying on important work. The list of subjects actually supple- mented by the motion picture in the class- room recorded from the questionnaires in- cluded Latin, Greek, English, home eco- nomics, journalism, agriculture, engineer- ing, commerce, geology, biology, educa- tion, athletics, architecture, business ad- ministration, besides being used in col- leges of medicine and military depart- ments. That the' film is actually used with such a large list of subjects makes it seem likely that others will soon follow. In the majority of cases two objections must be overcome—prejudice and lack of equipment. The former is fast being re- moved since the motion picture has satis- factorily demonstrated its value as an asset to instruction. The use of the film by educators is sure to raise its level and, in view of these dawning possibilities, one after another of these professors are run- ning hither and thither to "borrow" a pro- jector, to devise ways and means for physics and chemistry at New York Uni- fo^m'^Mre'sm1tt'w.i:sTnrtract*oT"n''Gre^™^^ stretching their slender departmental funds versity), and the experiments and re- University of lowa. For the past four years she to cover cost of equipment, or pooling •' r has been editor-in-chief of The Iowa Alumnus. She ' ' " searches of Edward Muvbridee (1885) '^ a member of pw Beta Kappa, Theta Sigma Piii, their efforts to purchase portable projec- .■' 6 "^ ' and Pi Beta Phi. ^, j under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania in photographing animals and human beings in I motion, it seems fitting that the university should be the last step (in the educational career of the motion picture and that univer- shy men who fostered first attempts in this field should be re- sponsible for its further development. As convincing proofs of the fact that the movies are not, as some predicted, "the next step in university education," but a tors, films, etc. Higher educational institutions are not yet materially equipped for this work; neither are their instructors ready to say definitely just what, when, where, and how films shall be used. A report from the United States Bureau of Education showed that out of 1,000 schools equipped with standard projection machines 670 are installed in universities and colleges and that there is one projection machine to every seven higher educational institutions. step already taken, the writer recently recorded the motion picture Reports from the questionnaire bear out this statement on scarcity pulse of a number of leading educational institutions throughout of equipment. This condition is going to be changed in the near the country by means of a questionnaire. Two score and more future. The University of Nebraska has already constructed, we universities from coast to coast were queried as to the attitude have been advised, a motion picture studio equipped with every of their faculties with regard to the motion picture for classroom device for motion picture work and photography, in connection use. They were also asked to state in what courses films were (Continued on page 10) •