The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 116 Proceedings of the D. V. I. Meeting The Educational Screen 62.3 percent replies out of the total of 23,617. Present and Prospective Usefulness of Data Compilation of returns commenced in October 1940. Because of the short time which elapsed in making this survey available to interested groups, it is felt that the data are timely and should be useful both to distributors of edu- cational films and to equipment manu- facturers who are seeking outlets for their products. Since the inception of this survey, the Government had entered upon its Defense Program on a large scale. This survey therefore should be help- ful to Defense officials interested in the utilization of the motion picture as an instrument of education for specialized groups and workers. Through the in- formation presented it is possible to ascertain immediately which high schools and colleges are equipped to show motion pictures in the further- ance of such Defense educational pro- grams as may develop. Cultural and Utilitarian Functions of Films Many important industrial organiza- tions have sponsored educational films and furnished free distribution of prints to schools. Some of these com- panies have had a sufficiently broad vision to eliminate direct advertising and selling elements from their films. In such cases their efforts to reach the educational field have been notably successful. Others have included a burdensome amount of advertising or blatant sales "plugs," and have found that, to them, most educational channels of distribution have been closed. Industry, in part, has realized the value of the film in creating good will that finds expression in the years to come. They are willing to invest in futures, and so they use the classroom, not to tell of the superiorities of a particular product, but to give a broad view of a process or an industry and to instill in the audience an apprecia- tion of the part played by an industry in the march of American progress. Their contribution is a patriotic one. and they deserve the wide acceptance which has been accorded their films. Any keen observer of the current scene perceives at once the state of flux, the clashes, the swift changes and readjustments in political and social ideas in many regions of the world. On one point our own country stands absolutely firm and undeviating—that point being its devotion to the prin- ciples and methods of democracy. But we all realize that if democracy is to be enabled to stand its ground during the coming years, and to develop its inherent strength and magnificence of purpose, it must be based on an ade- quately informed public opinion. It must rest solidly on knowledge—on the possession of all the essential facts about modern life. The citizens of a democratic republic must know, and be able to appraise, all the things that in- fluence his daily round of life—all the things that contribute to his conveni- ence, security, power, and ease of move- ment—all the things that help to shape the vigorous social currents that swirl around his head. This means that he must know the industries of his native land. And such knowledge can be imparted most prof- itably and advantageously in his youth- ful, formative years, when he is in the classroom, intent on education. A new, dynamic, modern realistic spirit is mak- ing itself increasingly felt in American education. We long ago came to under- stand that education was not merely a matter of ancient history, lyric or epic poetry, conjugations or foreign verbs, and abstruse philosophic concepts. And today we know that education should not (on the other hand) be a matter of exclusive concentration on some nar- row practical specialty, professional or technological. True education today must embrace a broad, clear compre- hension of all the major factors that go to make up modern life. Outstanding among those factors is American industry, in all its aspects. If the young American of today is to play a proper part in the teeming, splendid life of our Nation, he must know about machinery, factories, manu- facturing processes, business manage- ment, consumer requirements, inven- tive ingenuity, maintenance of quality, stylization of merchandise and many phases of mass production and of indi- vidual craftsmanship. Only by famili- arizing himself with such vital elements in the everyday working of our national economy can he render himself com- petent to confront, and pass upon, the major problems of the present day and of the years to come. Thus, without the slightest doubt, a knowledge of Ameri- can industry should play a highly im- portant role in the schooling of our youth. It must form a part of any rational training for geod citizenship. Th^ use of motion pictures in edu- cation has developed during the past four years into a potent instrumentality for a great number of progressive edu- cators in the American school system. Observations made in various cesters throughout the country have proved conclusively that, where motion pictures have been used in the presentation ef educational material, a greater knowl- edge of the subject has been gained by students and the vital factor of retention has been heightened and strengthened. It is generally acknowledged that the motion picture is unmatched in its por- trayal of scientific experiments, bio- logical and botanical processes, in graphic, detailed and illuminating manner. In subjects such as geography, it conveys actual reality with incom- parable exactness. Re-creations of his- tory and exemplifications of civic themes by means of motion-picture films arouse and maintain the stu- dent's interest in these vital subjects. In still other fields of study, the great usefulness of the motion picture has also been amply demonstrated. The inherent appeal of the medium^— arising from youth's instinctive love of pictures and the reaction normally associated with entertainment films — serves almost invariably to intensify and "vivify" the reception of knowl- edge through the motion picture, ren- dering the knowledge thus imparted an integral, dynamic part of the student's mental and emotional make-up. Con- sequently, it seems highly essential that dependable facts should be made public showing the extent to which motion- picture equipment is available in Ameri- can educational institutions at the present time. Comparison with Previous Survey Four years ago a study was made by Due probably to typist error in the original copy supplied to us, there appear some inconsistencies in totals and percentages on the Questionnaire return. Because our deadline precludes a check-up by the author, we give here a tabulation of figures as given in the text. Eliminating the 444 "elementary" and "closed" schools the figures are ; Mailing Returns % of Returns Zna 9855 35.4% (of first mailing) 17978 7609 42.3% (of second mailing) 45811 17464 38.1% (of total mailing) or 62.7% (of schools contacted) The distributed figures given (including the 444) show the following: Mailing Returns % Colleges 1725 1424 82.6% (of those contacted) Private and Parochial Schools 2935 2341 79.8% (of those contacted) Public High Schools 23617 14725 62.3% (of those contacted) Totals 28277 18490 65.4% (of those contacted) Editor