The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

September, 1923 A Motion Picture Survey 325 Christ, Neal of the Navy, etc. Grade children recalled The Iron Claw, Uncle Tom's Cabin, The Tarzan Series, Mutt and Jeff, Daddy Longlegs, The Birth of a Nation, Jack the Giant Killer and Pollyanna. The element of interest more than their age probably was responsible for their memory. For instance, one child remembered a snow storm, others Indians, others animals of various kinds — the thing holding their interest at the time providing the thread of recollection. The significance, then, of these answers lies not so much in what the play was, as in what details held their interest at that early time. III. The third question, "Have you gone regularly?" was answered by the majority in the negative. While more than half do not go regularly, the majority do go frequently. The fifth grade children, especially the boys, go more regularly than those of the higher grades. Few stated their convictions or scruples against going to shows. IV. The fourth question, "How many times a week do you go?" brought answers that showed an average of one and a half times a week for the four thousand answering the question. Some two dozen never go. Two go once or twice a year. Then, there is the other extreme. Some three dozen go five or six times a week, and one boy goes eight times a week — his father owns the theatre ! It is reasonable to assume that a moderate attendance of the theatre does not necessarily reduce the scholarship of the student, and that the normal child of average ability will seek the recreation of the masses. On the other hand, it is self-evident that a pupil could not attend the theatre every day and do his best work in school. It is interesting to note that the exceptions, both those who do not go at all, and those who go over frequently, are far below the average in their scholarship. V. It seems significant that the High school students go farther away from home than the children of the grades. This would indicate that the former go to the downtown theaters, while the grade children go to the small neighborhood show houses. This is verified by many who name the downtown theaters they patronize. The small children, then, are patronizing the "round the corner" theater, whose capital is usually too small to bring the best pictures. This sort does not attempt to compete with the big houses, whose bill boards and press announcements must recommend them to a more or less critical and discerning adult public. These neighborhood movie houses cater to the natural desire of the small child for excitement, concern themselves only with the dimes he brings, and ignore the influences of their screen. .They do not advertise except at their doors. The children's parents do not know what they are seeing and only when lawlessness breaks out rampant in a school or community, can parents see the mischief that has been done. VI. The admission fee they pay also indicates that the High school boys and girls go to the best theaters, while the grade children go to the cheap shows. The former pay twenty-eight cents — the latter, sixteen cents. Many lower grade children patronize a three-cent show, and their list of favorite films would indicate that that show should be condemned, and closed as a public nuisance. VII and VIII. The High school students favor Sunday, with Saturday a close second, for attending the theater. The grade children go more on Saturday, but Sunday nearly ties with it. This means that either there is a dearth of things in this community for children to do when not in school, or a desire of parents to get rid of their children on Saturday and Sunday by turning them over to the gentle ministrations of the men who watch box receipts only. Inasmuch