The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 71 The Educational Screen children an understanding of the useful- ness and value of each creature. Units of work included the families of monke\s and apes, bears, game birds and the ruflfed grouse. Every period was subdivided into four parts: discussion, reading, film test. The sequence was rotated for each unit. The results of showing the film at different times within the period was measured by means of objective tests of the true- false type. Each of the rotation proce- dures was used twice: first, to obtain re- sults ; second, to verify the results ob- tained. In the iTiajority of cases there was little change in scores obtained on the tests. The conclusions reached from this study are: 1) that the showing of the film after the material had been read is superior to the utilization of it for mo- tivating purposes; and 2) the use of the film after reading clarifies the printed matter better than the printed matter elucidates the film. These conclusions are valid only for one type of material and for one age level. Photoplay Appreciation What Shall We Do About Hatred.— by Alice V. Keliher— Progressive Edu- cation, 16:485-7 November, 1939 In order to help young people to guard against the furious outbursts of hidden feeling and the hot-headed moves which result from restraints imposed on us by our mores, we as teachers can first understand the process in ourselves, and secondly we can help our young peo- ple to understand it. High school stu- dents are well able to understand the role of emotions in behavior. For ex- ample, these were some of the comments of high school students after seeing the excerpt of the motion picture "Fury,": "The tension, the awful waiting feeling, the growing excitement put everything out of the people's minds except the lust for revenge against someone, anyone." "It's just like going to war. Nobody is really against the enemy. But they will look for the slightest excuse to take out their anger on someone else." Such open study, through films, of the manipulation of human emotions should be widely encouraged since awareness of what is happening within us gives us some measure of control over what we do. Rather than being victims of our feelings, we can more and more direct them to useful channels. Group Discussion Guide — a monthly cumulative presentation of individual photoplay studies, replacing the indi- vidual guides previously issued. Rec- reational and Educational Guides, Inc. Rodm 1418, 1501 Broadway, New York, N. Y. $2.00 yearly. William Lewin, editor. This enlarged edition of the photo- play study guides which have previously been a great help to students and teachers furnishes excellent illustrations, study helps and background information in the form of production notes. Guides to The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Gulliver's Travels, The Great Victor Herbert, and Harvest are included in the January, 1940 issue. Periodicals Films— h quarterly of discussion and analvsis. Vol. 1, No. 1. Kamin Pub- lishers, 15 West S6th St., N.Y.C. $2.00 year, 60c issue. November, 1939 The appearance on the news stands of a new magazine Films gives promise of filling the gap in film literature created by the dissolution of Experimental Cinema and New Theatre {and Film). By the very simplicity of its format— almost severity— Films reveals the ser- iousness of its purpose. In its first is- sue, it has brought together some fine statements by leaders in the creative cinema movement. Professor Sawyer Falk of Syracuse University, opens the discussion on a metaphysical note, by which he indicates that there is a decency and humanitarianism in art, and especial- ly in the cinema art, which transcends any reformist campaign now in existence. He offers three ethical principles or "counter-rules against censorship," by which film makers might be guided if they are to meet the requirements of American morality. That the motion picture movement lost a guiding spirit in the premature death in 1933 of Harry Alan Potamkin is re- vealed by the manuscript printed in this issue of Films. Dr. Edgar Dale, in a series of annotations, points out the basic soundness of Potamkin's observations almost ten years ago, about the relation- ship of films to society, and of both to the impressionable minds of the young. The serious movie-goers who want some guidance in appreciating the creative technique in films, will find much of value in Cavalcanti's discussion on the use of sound (commentary, music, dia- logue, and natural sounds) in movies. This periodical is especially recom- mended to teachers of photoplay appre- ciation and to teachers interested in the social force of the movies. Motion Picture Number — Design, 41: 7-32 December, 1939 This issue, as stated in the foreword by Felix Payant, is devoted entirely to the motion picture as a force in art edu- cation and an art whose implications are many and varied. Daniel M. Mendelowitz, Assistant Professor of Art Education at Stanford University, in his article "Motion Pic- tures and Art Education," sees the mo- tion picture as having "potentialities of being one of the most important educa- tional and cultural agencies of our time. This powerful artistic medium has cer- tain mechanical features which make it particularly effective as an instrument for mass education." Film production technique is discussed in a number of articles, namely, "ABC's of Movie Making," by Benjamin F. Farber, Jr., "Motion Pictures Come from a Design," by Evelyn S. Brown of the Harmon Foundation, "Scholastic Holly- woods," a description of movie-making activities at Central High School, Newark, New Jersey, by Alexander B. Lewis, and "A Modernized Cinderella," another student-made film, by Ruth Henry of San Diego. Reviews and news of artistic films, many striking illustrations, and a listing of educational films available for art education, complete this splendid num- ber. Source Materials List of Free Films and Recommended Literature—compiled by Marian M. Wiersch, Nels Nelson and M. I. Smith. Visual Education Section, Northeast Division, Minnesota Education Associa- tion, October, 1939. 30 pp. mimeo. Available from M. I, Smith. High School, Hibbing, Minn, for 10 cents. A list of approximately one hundred free films recommended by the three members of the Visual Education Con- ference Literature Committee who have compiled the list, representing the schools of Duluth, Hibbing and Virginia, Minn. The films are arranged according to the Dewey Decimal Library classification, with screening time, silent or sound, date produced, distributor, a brief description of the film content, and recommended grade placement. A List of Films on Skiing—Lawrence E. Briggs, Secretary, Western Mass. Winter Sports Council.— Journal of Health and Physical Education. 11:36 January, 1940 Films are listed according to dis- tributors, with fairly complete informa- tion as to size, length and price. No at- tempt at annotation or evaluation. Sources of Free and Inexpensive Aids — Francis Feency, Creighton School, Phoenix, Ariz.— The Arizona Teacher, 28:144 January, 1940 An evaluated list of bibliographies which have appeared recently, dealing with materials from commercial sources. Subsequent listings by the same autho." will indicate government and professional sources that is, if interest in the field warrants. Visual Education—Paul Anderson, Dil- lon, Montana. Montana Education, 16:9 December, 1939 This is the first issue in which a page on visual education has been allo- cated. This was in response to a request from the Social Studies Sectional meet- ing of the Montana Education Associa- tion. An attempt will be made in this monthly section to exchang; experiences in visual education, to evaluate film use, and to list news notes. A short article by Robert Hamilton of Bozeman summarizes the proceedings at the Midwestern Forum held in Chicago last May. (Proceedings available from Educational Screen.)