Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1915)

526 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 23, 1915 Moving Picture Educator Cooducted by the RBV. W. H. JACKSON CHILDREN LEARN WHILE BEING AMUSED. Mrs. Katherine F. Carter, of 171 Madison avenue, New York, N. v., who specializes in educational motion pictures, is receiving inquiries from theaters, schools, churches, mother's clubs, civic societies and educational associations from all parts of the country as to the possibility of obtaining educational subjects for their respective requirements. Up to the present time so few schools have been provided with the equipment necessary for the use of motion pictures that Mrs. Carter is co-operating with the school boards in providing weekly and semi-weekly educational programs in the local theaters. The pictures in these programs are carefully selected and censored and have proven of estimable value to pupils of all grades. Mrs. Carter has a library containing a very large number of carefully selected and classified educational subjects, and she has arranged regular courses in History, Geography (physical and historical) Literature, Botany, Zoology, Sociology, Natural Science, Useful Arts, Fine Arts, etc. These courses are designed to cover the general school period of forty weeks. Programs containing pictures for an evening's entertainment suitable for any particular work will be submitted upon request. Lectures and lecturers are also furnished. IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD. The war pictures have found immediate favor among clergymen. In Chicago more than one hundred ministers viewed the films, some showing section of actual fighting and other scenes of great battle centers. The exhibition of these pictures was pronounced as most helpful, and, besides conveying an intelligent understanding of the situation, shows the need and activity of the Red Cross agencies; furthermore, fifty per cent of the proceeds from these exhibitions is in many places given to the Belgian Red Cross Society. One minister in Chicago declared the heartrending scenes seemed such as to make peaceful sleep impossible because of the remembrances of pictures of mothers with babies and toddling children fleeing from their homes. Newspapers from Texas speak in great expectation of the anticipated educational effect of the pictures in that State. * * ♦ In Auburn, N. Y., a clergyman is making a vigorous attack upon the billboards of the theaters, and, incidentally, through them upon the theaters and picture houses which use them. It is quite possible that there is just ground for much criticism of the outside appearance of many of that class of picture house which has not yet come within the refined and educating influence of the true use of moving pictures with appropriate advertising. The stand taken by the Moving Picture World has, no doubt, been most helpful in this direction. It should be more widely known, however, that violent criticism of the pictures themselves are now generally no longer justifiable. Five years ago there was occasion for many adverse reflections, but not to-day. We will gladly support any minister who seeks to destroy the vicious taste which causes the entrance of a picture house to cast a question upon the value of the picture within. It should be more widely known that such posters are libels, and their condemnation, even unto abolishment, will only leave the value of the picture unharmed. * * * A Church "White List" is being prepared in some places for the guidances of churches and schools. One of these movements is called the "Catholic Theater Movement," and is probably designed as a special guide for their own denomination; from the list already published we are bound to say they must have been chosen from a very limited supply. Large numbers of the best, most intelligent, most interesting and most educational films are not included in the published list, evidently the compilers must be ignorant of the existence of a large series of pictures far superior to those chosen. In the name of educational kinematography it should be more widely known that the field of suitable pictures is very large, much larger than seems to be supposed, if the only reports we are able to read seems to suggest. By means of this page it is desired that all users of educational pictures should know that small lists appearing in denominational magazines or local society papers are but small selections from the larger list, and, so far as we have seen, these small lists are very inferior. SCHOOLS OF THE WESTERN STATES KEEP AHEAD. The motion pictures have begun active work in the Denver schools. A fully equipped apparatus has been installed in the West Side High School and will be used for the teaching of science, literature, history and industrialism. Mr. C. W. Bigelow, principal of the school, says: "High spots of history will be thrown on the screen in such a manner as to make impressions on the minds of the pupils in a way impossible by text-books." He also intends to have produced for the students, most noted English classics in drama form. Another school has been using moving pictures in a limited manner for two years, and will now enlarge the scope of its work. Other branch schools will visit the high school for special educational exhibitions. Without doubt the Denver schools are in earnest, and seem to be working along most practical lines, they are to be commended for so doing in contrast to those schools who cannot seem to acquire any initiative, but must wait until everything is cut and dried for them. In Minneapolis the Bremer school, the largest graded school building in the city, is to have exhibitions from three to five times a week. Because of a large picture loving public who must needs go some distance to see good pictures, the school principal, Wm. O. H. Miller, plans to hold exhibitions of such a nature as shall secure universal patronage; for this purpose he will not confine himself to educationals, although pictures of a "good type" will be insisted upon. The Tuttle school, in the same city, is now also equipped for picture exhibitions, making it appear that school auditoriums are the coming centers for high-class exhibitions. Reports from California repeat the steady growth of picture work in the more than ISO schools now using them, together with a still brighter outlook. TOPICALS. The topical pictures are growing more interesting'' and popular, if that is possible. Of course the war is responsible for this increased power they show over the public mind. A noticeable feature is the greater promptitude which is now being observed. The topicals were always interesting as recording past events, but as descriptive of current events, and picturing incidents in actual happening is a great advance. As a proof of this may be mentioned that where only after eflfects of the war were shown, now positive incidents with the flash and smoke of canons firing are actually reproduced. Whenever a disastrous fire occurred the picture showed only the after effects. A film was shown recently of a great lumber fire when burning most fiercely; the blaze, steam and smoke making one of the most gorgeous and thrilling pictures imaginable, considerably increasing the effects of the picture by its reality. Happenings of all kinds and full of importance are now illustrated parallel with the newspaper accounts, while the interest is keen, and not as formerly, when they had become almost ancient history. This progress and up-to-dateness has not only increased the popular demand and' acceptability of the world-wide topical films, but it has considerably enhanced their educational value; they should be seen by the young people everywhere. i