Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

14 MOVING PICTURE AGE March, 1922 ten episodes in the life of Abraham Lincoln. These pictures were tried out in a number of evening schools, with splendid reactions on the part of everyone concerned. Mr. George Ripley Pinkham, principal of Lafayette Evening School, writes as follows : We have had two evenings with the film, one of which was the showing of two episodes on Abraham Lincoln. These scenes have caused a great deal of interest among the foreign-born, who, though speaking very little English, were greatly interested in the pictures. We followed up the lesson in the foreign* classes — mostly Spanish and Portuguese^— by using the scenes for subject-matter. These two programs aptly illustrated the fact that the picture is a universal language and has a big place in our scheme of education. In arranging for these meetings I had in mind the facts that foreigners were suspicious of any propaganda that involved a possible exploitation of their shortcomings, and that the term "Americanization" should not be mentioned. Arrangements were made with principals of a group of schools, serving a large foreign element, to have a series of meetings. A cordial invitation was extended to the parents through the children. A most effective avenue to the heart of a parent is through the child. These meetings varied in different schools, but the thought was the same — to have the parents come with a limited number of children. They assembled in the auditorium, where the pupils of the school gave a brief program of physical exercises, recitations, and songs. The singing involved the use of "America," "The Star-Spangled Banner," and one or two other American patriotic songs. This was followed by a selected film program, interspersed with patriotic slides. These slides were pictures of great Americans, and proved to be one of the most interesting parts of the program. I was deeply impressed with the reaction of the audience to the pictures of Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Wilson, and our present President and Vice-president as they were flashed on the screen. At the close of the program, the principal and teachers shook hands with the parents, and in some instances took them to the various classrooms, where exhibits of the pupils' work had been arranged for them. In other words, they were made to feel at home, and to feel that everything possible was being done for the benefit of their children. Walter J. Greene, principal of the McKinley School, writes as follows: I was very much pleased with the Americanization program you provided for us on May 3rd. I believe that the moving picture is one of the best means of presenting American life and ideals without arousing antagonism or distrust. I certainly hope that the work will be continued in the fall. This is the best kind of program that I have seen. ' At the conclusion of these gatherings for parents I felt that we had uncovered an opportunity to do most effective work in Americanization in a quiet way, taking advantage of the means already in our possession. Summer-Evening Playground Programs To make this plan effective, it was decided to give film and slide programs in the evening, in the playgrounds connected with four schools ; also in two playgrounds, formerly municipal, and in the yards of the Parental School and Jewish Sisterhood. The programs began the week of July 11 and ended the week of August 12. Altogether 35 programs were given, with an attendance ranging from 500 to 3,000 at each performance. In three places the motion-picture equipment of the school was used, simply moving it from its place in the permanent booth to that part of the building where it was most convenient to throw from a window upon a screen hung in the opposite part of the yard. All other centers were served by a board of education truck that was fitted up especially with a machine, screen, and other accessories. These programs were most popular, and gave me more satisfaction than any other use of the film with which I have been associated. The increase in attendance at each center was very marked. For instance, at Washington Street the attendance began with about five hundred. The next week it increased to 800 and the following week to 1,000. Miss Josephine Miller, head worker of the Jewish Sisterhood of Newark, writes as follows regarding this work: The pictures served a much-needed place for recreation in our neighborhood. People look forward from the time the warm weather arrives, and ask us for the date of the opening night. I like the variety of program used this year — something educational and something amusing. From 750 to 900 people stand to see them, and come in later to express their appreciation. We offer our thanks most sincerely for your kindness this summer. Because the majority of people had to stand, the programs were made about an hour long, and during the changing of reels were shown slides giving notices of the educational opportunities of the city. For instance, one slide gave notice of the date of the opening of day school. Another slide announced the opening date of evening school. Pictures of great Americans formed an important part of the program. Some of the films used were: "Thomas Jefferson Morgan" ; "Chocolate of the Gang" ; "The Story of a Stick"; "The U. S. Naval Academy"; "The Panama Canal" ; "The Orange Industry" ; "The House That Jack Built" ; "The Health Crusader" ; "Backyard Barnstormers" ; "Is America Worth Saving?"; "Behold Your Worst Enemy!"; "Knights of the Crossroads," and "Mutt and Jeff." The results of this work in Americanization were very encouraging, and plans are already under way to continue it next season. If the vast majority of sense impressions that result in knowledge are first visualized, then it behooves us to make large use of these visual aids in all schemes of education, and particularly in giving the foreigner right impressions of America and all that America stands for. A Word from a Philistine (Continued from page 9) I submit that the condition is wrong. / submit that it ought tobe possible for the schools to present as often as once a week, if they desire, specialized children's programs, or specialised programs for high-school students: great films that for one reason or another the local theatres cannot or will not use; that illuminate history, or literature, or life; films that do not need to be new, but that are drawn from all the motion pictures in existence. I submit that the present situation is contrary to sound public policy, and that it is made possible by the operation chiefly of a single force — the greed of local exhibitors. Having thus beaten my head against the stone wall of established custom, I stand off to survey the spot, and am forced to admit that the wall seems about as solid as ever. What is most likely to induce discouragement or mental violence, according to one's mental makeup, is to read the conditions of 1922 so exactly described in 1916. Writing in the Survey of March 4, 1916, under the title "A Film Library," John Collier says : There has been a periodical outburst of interest in motion pictures among teachers, church workers, and social workers, for many years. Again and again institutions have gone to the expense of installing film machines and making large plans, only to find that programs of film were not available. In the same way, the movement, which has been insistently advertised and pushed in a competent way, for specialized children's programs has beaten in vain against the entanglements of the prevailing system of film distribution. . . . Motion pictures must be set free from an intolerable trade restraint. Collier's proposal for such liberation, however, has been six years on the way, and is not here yet, except in its beginnings. His suggestion is that "business philanthropy or state initiative is needed for the successful liberation of the film," and he proposes that state funds be frankly applied to the upbuilding of a great film library, where films may be freely available to public or private educational institutions and other non-theatrical users. In our own state the state university has made a very respectable beginning in this direction ; but it is only a beginning. It would not seem unreasonable to entertain a hope that producing agencies might take cognizance of the situation I have just described, recognize the fact that the educational uses of feature films will remain unrealized so long as present methods of distribution exist, and work out some method that will not bear too harshly on local professional exhibitors but which will permit public institutions to make at least limited use of great films which have lost their novelty values. But that again may be the Utopian dream of a man who is merely interested in the welfare of boys and girls, and who is not particularly interested in the sterner, nobler, more masculine matter of deriving a maximum profit from all phases of the motionpicture industry! Meanwhile, we propose to keep on butting our heads against the wall wherever we think we see a loose stone. We invite our non-theatrical compatriots the country over to join us in the same effort and perhaps— perhaps— aided by time, financial depression, and other disintegrating factors, we may yet demolish the obstacle. Anyhow, it's a glorious way to take exercise!