Cinema Progress (1935 - 1937)

technically, sound was not good, and silent ones were out of date not only in cutting, but in the whole presentation. Worst of all, we found these films were not designed for any particular audience. A film would start off for a course in an elementary school and in the middle of the film would jump to calculus. Selection, Editing, Cataloging: Teachers preview films, put down their comments, and find out what they would like to use in their departments, and try to arrange for the purchase of the film. However, if material would be used only sporadically now and then, it might be better to book it and rent it occasionally. At these previews, such things as technical quality, actual projection print, quality, sound quality of the print, original recording, if duplicates were available, etc., were noted with the instructor's comment. Library of Films: We have been building up a library of films, putting down our comments and the teachers' comments. All thes2 notes and comments are transferred to cards similar to questionnaires prepared by the American Film Institute. The general extension division of the university has a large film library which they rent out. We keep those films in the vault and handle their shipping and care. If we could work out an exchange, a national exchange, it would be a fine thing. The American Film Institute is hoping to arrive at that solution, a national exchange of films among universities and schools. Recently at Illino's, an interesting project has been started; the building up of a co-operative library, made up entirely of contributions from every In a few months H. W. Wilson Co. will publish a catalog of educational films that purports to be the most complete catalog of educational films ever made, more complete than the little "1001 Booklet." It will include comments on all films listed, for the use of teachers, and not designed to sell the film. For our own purposes we found it necessary to compile a practical catalog, using a Kardex system, with all the essential information on a master card, with a cross index system of cards. Booking and Classroom Use An instructor gives us the list rf films he wants and the dates on which he desires to use them and we have a booking schedule in advance. In many courses we have now established the practice of arranging for film showings two or three times every week, the film fitting in with the discussion at a specific period in the course. With the equipment we now have, we are able to take the equipment to any classroom. We must have portable equipment as well as established equipment. That means quite a few projectionists must be available. We use some of our electrical engineering students who want part time jobs. Some have had experience in theatrical projection and photography. We have been able to train the students v/no were good projectionists, and as a result, I have about thirty students to call on for projection of different types. Dr. Kissack spoke of other activities in which they are engaged at the University of Minnesota along experimental lines. The problems discussed by Dr. Kissack and the suggestions which he made were a source of inspiration to all those interested in visual education. school THE ADMINISTRATION OF VISUAL EDUCATION* By Fannie W. Dunn and Etta Schneider. (Reviewed by Fred W. Orth) Two instructors of Columbia University have collaborated in bringing together for the student of visual instruction a summary of all pertinent literature on the subject of the Administration of Visual Aids. By sodoing they have saved research workers countless hours of work in threading through theses, pamphlets, monographs, magazine articles, books and mimeographed reports. We have long felt that the vast body of information on the administration of visual education should be assembled and coordinated. This summary '-Published by The American Council of Education, Washington, D. C. represents the efforts of Miss Dunn and Miss Schneider in presenting the first of a series intended to meet this need. An excess of fifty publications dealing with the administration of visual aids were reviewed. This contribution of 215 pages includes valuable records of personal experience and significant generalizations as well as a great deal of important factual data. It is unconventional in treatment, very readable, and will provide good collateral reading for any course in the general field of Visual Education. In compiling the material presented, readers interested in specific visual education problems were constantly 26—