Educational film magazine; (19-)

HOW TO ORGANIZE A VISUAL INSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION IN YOUR CITY By Mrs. Woodallen Chapman Diairman of Motion Pictures, General Federation of Women's Clulw THE many letters received, not only from all over our own land but from other lands as well, asking as to the origin, purposes and methods of procedure of the Visual Instruction Association of New York City, seem to indicate that this new organization is des- tined to meet a very real need now being recognized by educators and thinking people generally. The use of motion pictures for educational purposes can never be brought about by any one group of persons work- ing at the problem independently. It is so new an under- taking that much pioneer work must be done in many di- rections before it has become accepted as a practical form of education for which the taxpaying public is willing to see its good money appropriated . For a time it appeared as though all progress was blocked by a series of obstacles which seemed to form an unsur- mountable barrier. In order to convince the public of the value of motion pictures as an educational medium, only educational pic- tures were needed. These would not be produced in any numbers until the producers could be assured that the fchools would purchase them at a price that would return the money invested. The schools could not secure money for such purposes until the general public was convinced that motion pictures were worth such an investment and would authorize the school boards to make the necessary appro- priations. Thus everything seemed at a standstill. This was the situation when Dr. Ernest L. Crandall, new- ly appointed Director of Visual Instruction of New York City, decided to see what he could do to break the deadlock. At his invitation, the teachers and principals already in- terested in visual instruction and desirous of seeing motion pictures used as an aid in instruction, met with the motion i)icture producers of New York City who had done any- thing that could, by any stretch of the imagination, be called educational. The cooperation thus secured resulted finally in films being selected and arranged in three series, correlated with three courses of study. Only a very small proportion of these films had been made for educational purposes and were, therefore, really suited to the classroom. But they made possible the attempt to use motion pictures in con- nection with regular school courses. It then became evident that another element was needed in the cooperation. When the time came for the Board of Estimate to make its appropriations for school work, who was there to go l)efore them as representing the taxpaying public to ask for the amount needed to carry the plans so carefully prepared? Then it became apparent that the fullest cooperation of parents and teachers and the public generally was needed to put through successfully the plan to make motion pic- tures an active adjunct to education. Other communities feel the need of a Visual Instruction Association and are writing in to ask just what steps to take in forming one. The steps to be taken in organizing a Visual Instruction Association will vary somewhat with local conditions, but the groups to be interested are practically the same. First there are the school authorities. The Director of Visual Instruction, where there is one, will be glad to wel- come the formation of an organization working for the en- largement and better equipment of his department. He will readily be a prime mover in the whole undertaking. The interest and active cooperation of the superintendent of schools and the principals of the high schools should also be secured. The Parent-Teachers Association will also be ready to take an active part in the formation of this new organization, as will also members of the women's clubs. From these various groups a committee can be formed whose work it shall be to direct the preliminaries of or- ganization. Before issuing the call for the first meeting, let this committee find the person best fitted to present in a telling speech the value of visual instruction, the efficacy of motion pictures as an aid to visual instruction, and the need of an organization to assist in equipping the schools for this work. It would also be well to discuss the persons best suited for the first officers of the new organization. Thus, when the first meeting is called, matters will run along fairly smoothly. The opening address will stimulate thought and open the way for discussion. There will be those present ready to move the formation of the organiza- tion and to nominate its officers. Since the purposes of these various Visual Instruction Associations will be so nearly identical, it might be helpful to give herewith the simple constitution adopted by the New York City Association, which can easily be modi- fied to suit local conditions. Since the great work of this association is to be convincing the public of the educational value of motion pictures, its first step will be a public showing of pictures of that kind. The New York Association gave such a demonstration soon after its formation in the Rivoli Theater before an audience of over five hundred. One immediate result was a marked increase in member- ship. The films shown were selected from the courses being given in connection with the school curriculum and were as follows: Geography—'The Panama Canal" (Kineto Co). Litera- ture—"The Courtship of Miles Standish" (one reel). Bi- ology—"The Living World" (Carter Cinema Co.). 22