Educational film magazine; (19-)

bom and raised in Uie Balkans and then transplanted to the United States. Send answers to Marimilian P. E. Oroszmann, Pd.D., Chairman Committee on Pedagogical Research in Viiual Education, 107 Wett 87th St., New'York City. Tentative Qoestionnaire for the Use op Teachers (1) To what extent are you using pictures (moving or still) in connection with your "instructional work? What subjects do you illustrate thus? (2) If you had both still and moving pictures at your disposal, what principles and experiences would determine your course in clioosing one or the other form of presentation? (3) Along what lines would you wish to be able to use the mo- tion picture altho circumstances so far prevented this course? (4) Do you encourage pupils to \ isit regular movies for the pur- pose' of supplementing your work by their seeing certain pictures which you think would be helpful? What pictures do you select? (5) What have you found to be the effect of the moving picture illustrations of your subjects upon the child? (a) As to impressions made in comparison with those produced by books, oral instruction, printed and other illustrations, other visual didactic material, direct observation, labora- tory work, visits to museums, factories, workshops, zoolog- ical gardens, the country, etc.? (b) As to educational influences in regard to constructive imagination, moral standards, scholarship, retention of in- formation, interest in study, aspirations, general conduct, specific conduct reactions, etc.? (Pictures including science—biology, sex instruction, botany, zoology, physics, chemistry, geography, etc.— history, literature, stories incl. fairy tales, mythology, etc.) (6) What limitations would you wish to set to the use of the mov- ing pictures on the basis of your observations as to their ef- fect upon the pupil's constructive imagination, their following the lines of least resistance, self-active interest in research, general activity, etc.? (7) What percentage of your pupils attend commercialized movies regularly or occassionally? What effect do you notice their attendance has upon their standing in school, their general mentality, their activities and conduct, in school and out of school? (8) Have you observed differences in the impressions made by the movies upon the different ages and graties of maturity among your pupils, the different types of mind and experience (mental and environmental types), the two sexes, etc.? SuOOESTIONg TO TeACHEHS NOTE: Answers to questions should not be in the form of gen- eral opinions, but must be based upon actual observation and record, through overhearing children's conversations, watching their plays and conduct, reports from home, compositions unsus- pected by the pupils to be records of their thoughts), etc. Send answers to Dept. of Pedagogical Research in Visual Ed- ucation, Maximilian P. E. Oroszmann, Ph.D., Chairman of Com- mittee, 107 West 87th St., New York. DR. CLAXTON COOPERATING WITH COMMITTEE A MONG the helpful letters received by the editor of •'*■ this department was this from Dr. Philander P. Clax- ton. United States Commissioner of Education, Washington, D. C: "I am delighted to know that you are undertaking this new research as to the value of the motion pictures in the education and instruction of the child. So far as I can find none of us knows much about it. I would hesitate to venture any definite assertion. I believe that the mo- tion picture can be very valuable as a means of instruction if proper kinds of film are used in the right way. I believe it can also l>e valuable in forujing character, but this will lie more difficult still. As the motion pictures are now used, no <loubt they accomplish some g<«>d, but there is danger that this g<KKl may lie more than balanced by evil effects. I wish you would write me from time to time just what you are doing in this work." CALIFORNIA PUPILS SEE SAFETY FILMS /^VEU ♦WW children of I/OS Angeles schools have been reached '-' so far by the safety campaign of the Ix>g Angeles railway and the Pacific Electric, in which safety films are being shown before schools under the supervision of Suj)er)ntendent Dorsey. More than 1200 Ixtng Beech high school students have also viewed the film and heard the accompanying lecture by H. H. Matthleson, a member of the national safety council. MAINE HEALTH DEPT. USING FILMS ACCORDING to a letter received by Dr. Leverett D. ■^^ Bristol, Slate commissioner of health, from Prof. C. E. Turner of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, motion picture films on subjects pertaining to health and sanitation are now available to health officers and health workers in Maine, to be used as a part of the State's edu- cational program in such matters. Through the Society for Visual Education of Chicago, the films are offered for use in this field. Prof. Turner is secretary of the committee on health and sanitation of this organization and states that under the direction of Dr. Victor C. Vaughan, dean of the Medical College of the University of Michigan, the health films are rapidly being prepared. Three one-reel subjects are available: "Getting Acquainted with Bacteria," "Conquering the Diph- theria Germ," and "Waste Disposal in Cities." Transportation charges to and from Chicago are to be borne by the exhibitor. For one day a reel can be secured for $3.50; two days to one week for $3.25 per day per reel; for more than a week $3 per reel per day; and for a year $175 per reel. WORLD-WIDE COOPERATION FOR BETTER FILMS (Continued from page 9) larger and larger as if nearing the onlooker until the con- tinents and oceans can be seen; the revolution of the globe and the sequence of day and night are discerned. Like- wise the other reels show the application of trick methods, some of which are apparently complicated and necessitated the invention of special devices. Cooperation is needed to achieve the best results: a com- bination of educational and religious features with the dramatic will be the ideal film. Parts of the above astron- omical film would surely fit in wonderfully into "A Trip to Mars," making it more realistic and thrilling; at the same time hundreds would thus learn of astronomy who would never go to see an educational film. A Poser for the Sunday School Teacher What will the Sunday school teacher, who has shown the first episodes of the Italian Bible film to the class, answer when a pupil says: "At school we saw the popular science films and the world was explained quite different- ly"? The textbook and Bible reading may leave a hazy impression; but the film is too realistic to allow vagueness or insincerity. We cannot yet grasp the future significance of the film for mankind's progress. It presents the biggest task ever yet presented but it must be tackled, and America will lead. For this purpose the Committee of the Film Light Crusade is being organized. It aims not at promoting better films in the theaters (like the National Committee for Better Films), nor to introduce films in school (like the Society for Visual Education), nor to produce Bible films (like the International Church Film Corporation). It will use the film as a means of spreading the Light of Love and Tolerance and Knowledge to fight famine of body and soul, racial and class hatred, in theaters, schools, churches, parks—everywhere this light shedding machine will shine forth the message of the New Age.* * Readem who wisli to help thia work are requested to write tu the Editor. 12