Educational film magazine; (19-)

STATUS OF EDUCATIONAL MOTION PICTURES IN AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE data published in the following table was gathered through questionnaires sent to the public school superintende.its of many cities of the United States by the Municipal Reference Library, New York City. The information is by no means complete; but as an indication of the extent to which motion pictures arebeing employed in the public school sys ems of ihe country, it is il- luminating and significant. It will be noted that few of the schools have any defini e plan for visual education and many of the funds are raised by the teachers and pupils rather than by official appropriations from the boards of education. 'w I Are yo*j usinK | Are ther used in Imolion picturet] tchool auembUeB, i!n any way m' parents' meetintfs. lyo'ir '■djcnt'oa-i or teachers' meel- m! system? [ intfs ? _!__ 1 Are the films used j partly di- versional ; as well as i ioatnictive ? Used in c'aBS-room worL ? (f so, what sub- jects ? What curriculum subjects do you feel are best suited? Boston..' Chicago.. Cleveland.. Denver — Detroit ..- Duiulh Elizabeth. N.J.. Erie. Pa, Grand Rapids. Mich, Indianapolis, Ind... Kansas Gty Lynn, Mass.. New Haven, Coon. New York Newark, N.J..-- Norfolk. Va Omaha Paterson. N. J. - Philadelphia Pittsburg. Pa Providence. R.I. Richmond, Va St. Paul. Minn. .... Salt Lake Gty---- San Antonio.Tez.. San Francisco Schenectady. N.Y. Spokaoe.Wash.-- Sprioffield. Mass. Syracote --- TacoiM. Wash... Washington. D.C. Wilmintftoo, Del... Worcester. Mats... Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Ves Yes Yes Yes Somewhat Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yea Yes Yes Yes No Yet School Centers School assemblies. Parents' meetings School assemblies Yes Yes Yes School assemblies and Parents' meetings School centers Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Largely diversional Yes Yes Yes Yea Yes Yes I Is there a special ap* How is work direct- 'propriation for this ed? Through a sep- kind of work? How arate department or much? Have you bureau of visual in- apian for develop-! Btruction? in^ visual education in your system? Used in all schools and grades in tfeotfraphy.; history, literature and science ; Not very extensively, mostly in £eo£raphy i No I Not extensively. Hope to do so. No Yes Educational I Yes j Yes Both Instructive Yes Yes Dept. of extended Use of Schools School Extension Bureau Department hein£ organized Principal of school Dept. of Visual Instruction Public Recreational Dept. Principals li not, how is the ex- pense met ? Films best suited to history, tfeotfraphy and civics Yes, particularly in science In Three grammar schools No j Yes. Elem. schools in £eo2raphy. physical (raining, literature, Hifih-schools, biolotiy, physical training Yes. History, civics, hygiene and literature best suited Department of Visual Instruction Special Department Small appropria- tion. Plan in process No No i Small t':)propriation. Yes Small appropriation No Planning to use films Small appropria- tion for visual instruction No From the appropi .ation of The Dept. of Extended Use of schools General expense budget Funds raised by enter- tainment Do you buy , what are the chief sources of Knt th^m ? ' *"'"''*' °^''''"'' '^" *'**" "*^''' Best suited to tfeotfraphy, history and agriculture Yes. In history, £eo£raphy and literature Principals of schools ; Dept. of Visual In- j struction Dept. of Visual In- struction _ ; Principals of Indi- vidual schools I Yes I Yes 1 Mostly I instructive School assemblies | Yes and I Parents' meetings I Yes Yes School assemblies School assemblies School assemblies and community iatherin^B Assemblies and parents' meetings Yes School assemblies Yfs Yes Yes Instructive Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Groups of classes Upper grades and high school. Best suited to geography and science Grammar grades, in nature study. geography and civics Yes. Geography and science Hitfh schools Principals of schools Principals of schools Dept. of Nature study and school gardens I Principals of schools . Assistant superin- tendent Yes No Yes Yes. Yes No No. No plan No. No No. No Admission charges Individual schools Rent and borrow Rent Rent Rent Community Motion Picture Bureau Indusiriai and general dis- tributors Educational museum of pubiic schools and local exchanges Industrial and government Universities, exchanges, Industrials Edison Pathe and Community 1 From general expense fund Expenses largely enet by admissions By school, and by School ; and home league | Funds raised by enter- tainment Funds raised by enter- tainment and parents' | associations | Funds raised by school , General fund i Funds raised by schools Funds raised by schools Rent Rent Rent and borrow Rent ' Buy and rent Buy Pathe and others Film exchanges als. Motion Picture Producers Rent snd borrow Real Buy and rent ! Industrials—Phil. Commercial ! Museum and film exchan£ea ! United Projector Film Co. /ari.ous sonrces No Grammar grades in history, civics, geog- raphy, literature and nature study Grammar grades Somewhat Somewhat. Science Yes. Upper grades, geography and history Grammar grades in geography, history and English Grade schools Principals of schools \ Bureau of Visual i Indefinite. Have i Education ! plan Principals of schools : Yes I i Plan (o use more | ' extensively ; Principals of schools' Funds raised by schools No. Principals of schools; Superintendent and ! principals Principals of schools No pan Yes No No plan Vo No plan No Funds raised by schools Rent Rent Rent and borrow Rent R<>nt i Stale University and local exchanges .Slate University and Industrials Industrials ! Industrials School «ssemblic« t Principal of achool * Funds raised by schools Funds raised by schools Rent Buy State educational department I GEOGRAPHY FILM LECTURES IN PHIL'A. SCHOOLS "pUBLIC school pupils in Philadelphia will study the new geography course this winter with the aid of motion pictures. Trade relations of the United States form an important phase of this new course. The Philadelphia Commercial Museum, in cooperation with the public schools, has prepared a series of lectures which are intended to supplement the class work and are planned to avoid duplication of instruction given in the classroom. The superintendent of schools is authorized to grant permission to classes to extend these lectures. The schedule of lectures, correlating with the study of geog- raphy, includes: Philadelphia and its industries, grade 4A; Penn- sylvania and its industries, grade 4B; the Middle Atlantic states, grade 4B; various sections of the United States, grade 5A; Mexico, Central and South America, grade 5B; Europe, grade 6A; Asia, grade 6B. The port of Philadelphia, commercial transportation, the wheat, cotton, lumber and other industries and current topics in geography are scheduled for grades 7 and 8. SPECIAL SIJRSCKIPTION OFFKR.S: Ebijcatwhal Film Macazinu and Loom- lojkr Catalog, a months. II; » moiithii, ll.SO. Send your trial order TODAY. CONGREGATIONAL CONFERENCE DISCUSSES MOVIES REV. E. A. THOMPSON, pastor of Quincy Congregational Church, Quincy, 111., and Rev. Harry L. Meyer, pastor of the Congregational Church at Decatur, 111., discussed the value of motion pictures in the church at the recent state conference of their sect in Galesburg, 111. Mr. Thompson has been using movies for two years and has increased the attendance through their use from 75 to about 800. "The pictures are a means, not an end," he said. "It is essential that the spirit of reverence, religion and prayer pervade the church and that the films be made a part of, not a substitute for, the church service." The service is opened and closed with some form of worship, the picture being the basis of a brief sermon. Only those films with a moral or ethical lesson are ever used. Experience showed that the movies attracted a well-balanced crowd many of whom became attracted to the church and joined its membership. Mr. Meyer said that he found the five reel feature, with a plot, action, and dramatic appeal was the most successful in connection with his evening service. He stressed the fact that the projection- ist should be skilled and the best to be obtained. He also insisted upon the spirit of reverence and religion dominating the service. 10