The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

388 Picture Service on Wheels The Educational Sere Then comes a one or two-reeler of educational matter, and we have given up trying to fit all educational reels definitely to our local work. It can't be done; anyway, we believe in the broader viewpoint. We consider the scenic or travel reels splendid educational matter. Next follows a three to five-reel, preferably a feature picture containing a human interest story to bring home the educational subjects. This if possible can be applied to our local conditions and our work. Sometimes a short talk helps to show how we can apply the vital points to our own home or community work. Following this picture we take up a silver collection to help pay the expenses of the motion picture project. Finally, comes an educational reel and a one-reel comedy or a two-reel comedy. Though the comedy may have no educational value, it is immensely important. A good laugh does us all good and we like to turn on the lights when the audience is smiling and send them home in a happy frame of mind. The above program is supplemented with the use of slides while changing reels. This not only avoids an awkward break, but is an excellent opportunity for putting much good stufif across. Slides containing local announcements can be made in a few seconds and are always appreciated by the audience. SHdes are used showing the standing of towns in contests, naming the local winners of prizes, giving announcements of our meetings and general information regarding the County Bureau. People like to sing, though many of us don't want anyone to see or hear us at it. So occasionally we sing between reels, throwing the words on the screen with the stereopticon. We find the volume of sound about a third greater if the hall is left in darkness. In most of our rural towns these enter tainments are an established institution Everyone that can, comes. Often a suppei by some local organization precedes the pictures, or perhaps after the collection, refreshments are served. We generally use the town hall, occasionally the Grange, church or school hall. The pictures could be given outdoors in seasonable weather, but during the Summer we in Massachusetts have daylight saving — fool time, the farmers call it — which makes good pictures impossible until nine o'clock or later. We have been at this for a year and a half and in that time have pretty well exhausted some of the better-known sources of supply, but new fields keep opening up and new films are being made, so we don't despair. It would be a simple matter to make up programs if we could pay for all the films, but when most of our program must come from the free list, — well, it is more difficult. Speaking of difficulties, the comedy is our greatest. The requirements are so great. First, it must create spontaneous laughter, because concluding an educational program, it must lift them out of the deeper thoughts and let them see life is not all work. Second, it must have real points in it and not depend on slap-stick stuff to create a laugh. Third, it must be clean. We sometimes show in a church. At all times we ask the support of the clergy and naturally we cannot screen anything objectionable to them. Last year in making up one of our programs, I inspected 27 comedies before finding one suitable for our entertainments. For the educational part of our program we have used nearly all the Government films. Some of the earlier ones are poor and of little value, but the later ones are good, and for County Bureau work, the Pleasant View series is excellent. Among the industrials, I think the General Electric Company heads the list. Their