The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 6 The Educational Screen Texas War Film Program A comprehensive account of cm achievement unique to date—the organization of an entire state for most effective use of war films. JOHN W. GUNSTREAM Director of Radio and Visual Education and State War Film Coordinator State Department of Education, Austin, Texas From "Henry Browne, Farmer," a U. S. Department of Agriculture production distributed by the Office of War Information. IN a war which is total or nothing for America, every weapon that can honorably help speed the day of complete victory must be seized upon and used— intelligently and effectively. There is no exception. To win this war, America must have more than the best fighting men and equipment at the proper place, in the proper amount, at the proper time; she must likewise have an informed people, fully aware of the grave problems which confront the nation, and trained and ready to do whatever must be done. There can be no other formula for success. Wars are not won by military weapons alone; the seeds of victory must first be planted in the human mind. Of all the educational weapons mobilized for wartime service, none has proved more versatile and effective than motion pictures. Excellent for use in training for developing skills, valuable in building confidence in our cause and repugnance to the Fascist ideal, unexcelled in conveying information—information about battles, war production, the issues of the war, the needs of our armed services, et cetera —motion pictures are playing an important dual role in the great drama of our times. They are helping mightily to train our armed forces and millions of war workers; at the same time, they are planting the seeds of victory in the minds of the American people. One of the most significant developments in the field of wartime motion pictures is the broad and effec- tive utilization of the 16mm motion picture by the government to tell the story of America at War to the non-theatrical audience. Our National Government is now seriously engaged in an effort to produce and distribute motion pictures that will help win the war and build a durable peace. Moreover, it is mobilizing in the effort all available 16mm projection equipment and distribution facilities, educational and otherwise. Notable success has already been achieved by such government agencies as the Office of War Information and the Ofiiice of Inter-American Affairs. These agencies are now using the 16mm motion picture increasingly to bring pertinent and concrete information to the people in every section of the country. Thus the motion picture is now becoming, as never before, a great instrument for democratic education—education which is destined to reach into every home, rich and poor, farm and city, with a message that is easily understood and long remembered. The Texas War Film Program, initiated on Novem- ber 2 by the State Department of Education, is a direct outgrowth of.the government's inchoate policy of using the 16mm motion picture for mass informational and educational, purposes. Various government departments had established quite successful distribution channels through existing film libraries and agencies in the sev- eral states, but no attempt had been made prior to the beginning of the Texas Program to .set up an intensive, state-wide plan for the distribution of government films to all the people. With more than one thousand school- owned 16mm sound projectors, revealed by an official registration of all such equipment, and with a basic distribution organization already provided by twenty- four supervisory districts of the State Department of Education, Texas seemed to offer a suitable proving ground for an all-out state war film program. At the request of State Superintendent L. A. Woods, a Texas war film plan was designed and presented to