Educational film magazine; (January-December 1920)

wielded heretofore by members of the industr\, and bring about radical changes for the better in the production and exhibition of films. If the industry does not gracefully accede to the growing demand of the parents, the teachers, the preachers, the civic and social workers of the nation that it purify itself by casting out from the screen all unclean things, the bitter alternative will be universal state or national regulation and supervision; or, failinj;; that, the ulti- mate possibility of strangulation of one of the great businesses of this country and of the world. Of course no sane man in the motion picture busi- ness wants willingly to kill the goose which has laid and is laying so many golden eggs. But have the leaders of tliis industry the facts? And if they have the facts, are they deliberately indiiferent or antag- onistic to them? Care they nothing about the warn- ings which are being uttered with increasing signifi- cance by the intellectual and moral leaders of each community? Will they fly in the face of facts— which, after all, are only history in the making—and suicidally ignore the fate of the saloon, the prize- ring, the pool room, the gambling hall, and the house of prostitution? Despite promising developments in our own special provinces, it must be admitted that for some time to come the non-theatrical motion picture field must de- pend for its supply of films largely upon existing and projected producing and distributing facilities of the theatrical field. For this reason the attitude of the present film industr)- as a whole toward the character of its photoplay and comedy productions is more im- portant to exhibitors in our field than might appear on first thought. This is one motive, but not the only one, which actuates us in our efforts to raise the en- tire tone of film production to a standard worthy of the schools, churches, libraries, art museums, com- munity centers and other local institutions and oi- ganizations which value the minds and souls of chil- dren in other terms than dollars and cents. It must be remembered that of the 25,000,000 children of school age in the United States a large proportion are in constant attendance at the movie theaters, and about eighty per cent of these theaters are comparatively small neighborhood houses show- ing more or less trashy program pictures and ques- tionable "comedies" for the most part. What would be thought of public or private libraries which per- mitted impressionable children to read such stories or come into contact with such scenes as are daily screened in theaters around the corner from these libraries? j* re educators, child welfare workers and parents mistaken when they declare that the good influences of the home, the school, the church, the library, the community center and other constructive social forces are being undermined and destroyed the bad influences of the typical neighborhood mc theater? We think not, and we are not blinded the fact that hundreds of good theaters present general clean, wholesome programs and that m:^ dramatic and comedy productions are in general 1 mirable and worthy of commendation and encoun ment. The bulk of picture income, however, con from the smaller houses making up eighty per (i of the exhibitors, and the bulk of the mental i< moral injury to our young people occurs in tl places. Various solutions have been offered, among t'j censorship, careful selection, federal regulation, s cial pictures and special performances for ado cents and adults, and there are some extremists every community who would abolish the movies a gether. Like the solution of most problems, it i probably be found somewhere between the two , tremes; but of this we are certain—that if the thi rical division of the motion picture industry, a1 whole, does not voluntarily see to it that the tone i character of its output are up to the high standa of public and private libraries, thus eliminating neutralizing and demoralizing effects of many of present productions, public opinion will comj through force of law the adoption of surh standai Education was never a more important factor in life of the people and the future of the race than i today, following the social tunnoil of the gvea war in history; and if we cannot have screen enj tainment that is clean, wholesome, uplifting an(! source of auxiliary- strength to the sohool, the chui' the library and the home rather than a source! weakness and danger, it were better—a thousij times better—to confine film production, distribut and exhibition to those subjects which are helpfu character and citizenship and which the non-theatri motion picture field welcomes with relief i gratitude. "HOW WE BREATHE' IN PICTOGRAPH \^ ith the aid of animated technical drawings. J. F. Lc thai has shown clearly and interestingly the function breathing. One first sees a single cell, the simplest f< of life, and how necessary it is for this cell to receiv constant supply of oxygen to keep it alive. One is t shown that the human body consists of billions of tl cells, and how they receive their supply of oxygen from \ast number of tiny blood vessels all over the body, function of the heart and lungs in pumping the pure bl to the cells, and absorbing the carbon dioxide, takin; to the lungs to be purified, is also explained and the C' plete respiratory action shown. The drawings are so cle and so vivid that you imagine you can actually see lungs absorbing oxygen and giving off caibon dioxide well as hear the heart beats, as that organ pumps the bb through the body.