The audio-visual handbook (1942)

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100 The Audio-Visual Handbook The first moving pictures presented to the public were offered in doorway recreation spots such as the penny arcades of today, and created quite a stir among those who would drop a penny in the slot to see John L. Sullivan strike a few times at an opponent. As the popularity of this magical device increased, an apparatus was perfected which permitted the pictures to be projected across a room against a reflecting screen. There were no picture "palaces," and the only amusement places large enough to permit a crowd to gather were rather small. In some cases it was necessary to borrow chairs from the nearest undertaking parlor to accommodate those who desired to be seated comfortably during the brief period required to run through the entire show — usually about ten minutes. In one of the early discussions of motion pictures, the story is told of a group which had gathered in one of the small picture houses to see motion pictures of ocean waves coming in to the shore. The pictures were so realistic that those who were seated in the front rows actually bolted, causing damage to the furniture and to others present. Since those early days the motion picture has grown to the point where it is generally accredited with being as powerful as the press in its influence upon the life of the American people. The first Western pictures were produced way out "west" in West Orange, New Jersey. Pictures today are produced with settings in every part of the world, and some of the highly imaginative ones with settings of other worlds. There seems to be almost no limit to the possibilities of the motion picture in presenting life of all types in every part of the universe. Use of Motion Pictures in Education. Although Edison's early dream was the utilization of the motion picture for educational purposes, motion pictures strayed far from that purpose before they again returned to the educational field. The first intensive application of the motion picture to educational procedure was immediately before and during the first World War, largely for propaganda purposes. Motion pictures were found to be so valuable during that period, that the close of the war brought into existence many types of educational films and film producers. Henry Ford launched a production program covering large numbers of pictures for educational use, many of which were the best available at that time. The large industrial organizations had found motion pictures to be especially helpful within the organization, and began preparing pictures which could be used to educate the public with respect to the functions and products of those organizations. Educational film producers sprang up in various parts of