Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1921)

J a nuary, 1921 MOVING PICTURE AGE 15 How Our Church Uses Moving Pictures (Continued from page 8) developed perfect teamwork with the leader. The chairman of our committee presides, opening and closing the program with prayer. I make it my business to be in the program, if even for only a few minutes, to let the people know that I am watching the meeting. The use of illustrated songs makes it possible to "patch up" a program at the last minute if talent disappoints us or in any emergency. The use of season tickets makes doorkeepers necessary. These are called the police committee. These people have their regular stations and understand every regulation thoroughly. We adhere to every ruling very carefully — one "exception" will dissipate the gains of weeks. The doors are open at 7 :00 with doorkeepers present, and children are required to be seated in an orderly fashion. Inside, the "police" make it their business to maintain order. Our building consists of a main floor and a gallery. By bitter experience we have found it necessary to confine unattended children to the main floor. This great crowd of active little folk needs a "salting of adults." Therefore "attendants" are scattered through the crowd. If a child persists in misbehavior he must surrender his season ticket. How Neighborhood Night Helps Get New Members Because of the large number of strangers we have found it necessary to delegate certain people, "the social committee," to mix with the crowd and meet the newcomers. By being present at the close of the program, I have been able to meet many such people to do this work as a part of their "church work" whether they are interested in the picture program or not. All names are carefully filed in the office of the church. Visitors find that it is easy to invite strangers to the "picture show" and through that to get them interested in our other activities. Several variations of this plan are in use in other churches of my acquaintance. Central Park Methodist Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, uses two or three reels on their Tuesday "Community Night," which are followed by classes in a variety of subjects. The pictures are usually an advertisement for the study classes. The Agricultural School of the University of Minnesota is in a district not directly served by a picture house. The school puts on a weekly program and charges a small admission, the profits going to local improvements. The students are put in charge of the program, and thus are taught how to handle public meetings. St. Paul Methodist Church, Chicago, formerly used pictures on Friday evenings as a program of entertainment for young people living in rooming houses in the vicinity. The picture was followed by a frolic which usually lasted for a couple of hours after the picture. This function was known as "Friendly Friday Night" and the follow-up work was done by a committee which worked in the crowd that stayed for the frolic. The Methodist Church of Rantoul, Illinois, combines business, religion, entertainment and sociability in a big "Church Night" which includes a dinner, committee meetings, a picture and study classes. Halsted Street Institutional Church, Chicago, uses miscellaneous films chosen particularly for children and offers an hour of entertainment on Monday evening, interspersed with singing and other forms of entertainment. The children of that section of the city call it the "Penny Show" because of the admission price. This entertainment is promoted as a means of getting the children interested in the other activities of the church. As an advertisement it is a success. As an entertainment in a slum community it renders a real service. First Methodist Church, Flint, Michigan, uses pic HEALTH THE FOUNDATION OF ALL HAPPINESS Make this world a better place to live in by SHOWING the PARENTS how to give their children the advantage of perfect HEALTH as depicted in the one-reel film — THE PRICELESS GIFT OF HEALTH Write NOW for Illustrated Descriptive Circular WORCESTER FILM CORPORATION 145 West 45th Street New York City SAVE %m COLD DOLLARS On a 400-foot Liberty War Model, brand new Universal, fitted with 50 M. M. Tessar F:3.5 lens, 6 magazines, shipping trunk, case for camera, case for magazines, repair kit, extra parts. List $840.00. BASS special $450.00 And $113.?? REAL CASH On a brand new 1920 model, direct from factory, 200-foot capacity UNIVERSAL — the 20th Century standard of quality. 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Kleinschmidt, the Alaskan explorer, has taken 12,000 ft. of new films on Alaska, showing wild animal life in the far north. Baumer Films, Inc., is handling the M. P. T. O. Industrial films through the various exhibitor organizations throughout the country. Baumer holds contract with 27 state leagues for the exclusive showings of these productions. The first release, December 1st, dealt with the Kelly Springfield tires. Thereafter there will be one a month, each to be released on the first of the month. Please say, "As advertised in MOVING PICTURE AGE," when you write to advertisers.