Educational film magazine; (19-)

A SUCCESSFUL THREE-YEAR EXPERIMENT IN BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY History, Geography, Science, Health, Sanitation, Safety, Fire Pre- vention, Americanization, and Other Subjects on Weekly Film Programs in Fourteen Public Schools—"Have Found the Motion Picture a Great Aid; It Will Prove to Be the Greatest Essential" By Edward Berman Principal of Vocational School (Public School No. 10) and in charge of Visual Instruction in the Bayonnc Scliools WHEN Bayonne, New Jersey, began working out its Americanization program very early in 1919 the mo- tion picture was thought of as a good means of attract- ing the foreign-born to our schools. Once in the building we thought we could by means of speakers in their native tongue induce them to join our classes, attend our lectures, and enter wholeheartedly into a program for self-improvement. Accordingly a free motion picture show was advertised to all More Than 2,500 Adults Attended Weekly To furnish variety to the program we made use of whatever good historical dramas were available and now and then a good clean comedy. These shows were very well attended. Not counting the children who came with the adults, we found that we were reaching more than 2,500 people every week through these shows. As we would obtain a picture worth while we would show it during the day to our school children and found that ONE of the Bay- onne, N. J., school buildings in whicli educational film programs have become an established week- ly institution. The board of educa- tion has equipped 11 schools with 11 movie projectors. the school children of the district and the children were cau- tioned that no child would be admitted unless accompanied by a parent. The number who came to attend our first show, well over 1,000 adults, was so encouraging that we conceived the idea not only of using the motion picture to attract them to the school but using the picture itself as an educational instrument. We equipped three of our schools with projection apparatus and began our course. This consisted of a geographical and historical series. In geography we showed them scenic pictures of their native lands and then, for comparison, similar scenes in the United States. Our land, its great lakes, mountains, and rivers, its vast area, its great beauty spots, its wonderful indus- trial centers, its immense agricultural stretches—none of these things can be as well taught (particularly to an optience limited in its EInglish) as through the motion picture. We were develop- ing in them an admiration for America eventually to become true love of country. 8 the reaction was excellent. Such pictures as My Own United States, Martyrs of the Alamo, Paul Revere's Ride, Betsey Ross, The Landing of Columbus, The Message to Garcia, etc., went won- derfully well. These pictures made history and geography ac- tually a live study for the boys and girls and served the dual purpose of furnishing a live interest and a living subject. Our board of education early realized the value of this work and began to equip our schools with apparatus. Our fourteen public schools now have four Simplex machines, one Power, four Graphoscopes, and two portable machines. Four Reel Instructional Programs This year we have introduced a complete course in geography, some history, some science, and a lot of health, sanitation, safety first, and fire prevention films. These pictures are grouped in four reel programs and are shown in all the schools to the upper three grades at the one time. A printed program is given