Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1921)

DEC 31 1925 ICI.B48437 3 MOVING PICTURE AGE For Non-Theatrical Film and Slide Users Vol. IV JANUARY, 1921 No. 1 How Our Church Uses Moving Pictures III. Organizing to Handle 'Neighborhood Night' How "hitches" in the evening's entertainment are prevented by committees which are organized to look after details and plan for emergencies By Rev. Roy L. Smith Pastor of Simpson Methodist Church, Minneapolis THE average moving picture is produced for pur We use this night because there is little conflict with poses of entertainment. The producer is an en the children's school work. Beginning at 7:30 we offer tertainer and not an educator or reformer, a program of one hour and a half, of which pictures are Whatever contribution the picture makes to education the principle feature. By appealing to all groups the or reform is incidental to its first purpose — entertain function has become exactly what the name indicates — ment. The church will therefore find pictures better Neighborhood Night. adapted to its social program than any other feature of We have earned some distinction because of the its work. compact organization we have developed for the han Every community has certain social centers, super dling of this affair. Our management is called "The vised or unsupervised. They may be churches, schools, Neighborhood Night Committee" and is answerable to clubs and settlements, or they may be barber shops, the official board of the church on the same basis as the garages, restaurants or pool halls. The influence of the Sunday School board. It consists of six men and six "social center" will depend upon the character of its women, with a chairman, secretary, treasurer and five leadership. An unsupervised place is more liable to be special committees. The committee members, in many bad. I am firmly convinced that the church must soon cases, are not members of the central committee. set out to become the dominating social center of the Monthly meetings are held and the work carefully community and to do so it must minister with sympathy planned and discussed. Reports are made each month and understanding to the social life of the people. to the official board of the church. The special com The instinct to play is universal. During play time mittees are as follows: (1) registration, (2) film, (3) the mind is open and receptive — the player wants to be program, (4) police, (5) social. pleased. The average man's day is full of monotony We admit any child in the neighborhood who and devoid of adventure. The institution which sup presents a season ticket, similar to the card shown on plies recreation, which lightens the day's toil, will find the next page. This ticket is given to the child, without it easy to capture his heart and loyalty. Fortunes are charge, when he registers with us on the registration being made out of the loneliness and monotony of mil card also reproduced on the next page. These registra tions of lives by the agents of commercialized amusement. The church has a wonderful opportunity to inspire and hearten through wholesome recreation provided without thought of profit. With this idea in mind Simpson church has developed a function known as "Neighborhood Night." The purpose is primarily entertainment. The program is planned with the hope of interesting all members of the family. This article is an effort to describe it in detail that others may profit by our experience. Beginning about October 1st, and continuing until May 15th, we set aside every Friday night for this function. This vigorous organization, one of the largest Methodist Churches in Northwest, grew at the rate of 35 per cent net increase in membership last year. An average of three meetings per day are held in the building or in connection with the work. Nearly 2,000 families are being reached by its multiplied ministries. tion cards are filed in the church office. Boys are registered on white cards and girls on red. Children enrolled in our Sunday school are indicated by a blue circle around the number (note illustration). No child is admitted without a ticket unless accompanied by parent or adult. Our own children are registered at the close of their Sunday school session, others register by coming to the church office on Friday afternoons. Because of the lack of space we limit the issuance of tickets. In order to provide for our own children adequately the registration is opened to them one week in advance of the outsiders, tickets being