The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 164 The Educational Screen A scene from "Stephen Foster." Courtesy of Walter O. Gutlohn. Inc. From the United Artists feature, "The Count of Monte Cristo." A concise but comprehensive account which covers various administrative problems of an extensive fihn pro- gram throughout the school year. (All accoinpaiiyiiui illustrations are from films used at South High) Systemdtic Planning and Management of a Senior High School Film Program ROBERT COLLIER, JR. Director Visual Instruction South High School, Denver, Colorado THE development of the use of motion pictures at South High School started back in the days of the silent 35mm film. Since that time, we have seen a continual growth in the understanding and use of motion picture films in the classroom. To finance the work has always been the most difficult question. Until two years ago. the .school administration gave us no assist- ance either in the ])urchase of equipment or in the sup- plying of films for school use. The Movie Club Six years ago, through the interest of Mr. John J. Cory, a "Travel CIuIj" was started at South High School, primarily to raise the neces.sary money to supply films for the entire school and purchase equipment for showing them. This was done by charging semester dues of 25 cents per person. The films which were shown to the Travel Club were primarily of educational nature, Mr. Cory feeling at that time that we were not warranted in the use of school time for the purpose of showing comedies, cartoons, and other films of purely recreational type. When Mr. Holm became principal of South, the name of the Travel Club was changed to the Movie Club, and the policy of the club changed to permit the showing once every two weeks of purely entertainment type films. In addition, once each se- mester a feature film requiring about two hours for showing was run. These feature films included Mad About Music, The Count of Monte Cristo. The Covered Wagon. The President Vanishes, and The Maid oj Salem. At present the revenue from the sale of Movie Club memberships provides the entire school with motion pictures. The revenue for two vears was: school vear 1940-41. $1068.75; 1941-1942. $1022.39. The loss in revenue in 1941-42 was due to the federal tax on admissions. From these funds all films for the Movie Club are provided and in addition, about one thousand film titles for use in the various departments in the school are secured. Equipment Besides furnishing the school with all of the films used during the year, this money has largely purchased the following equipment: 1 silent 16 mm projector, 3 sound 16mm classroom projectors. 1 sound 16mm fil- mo-arc auditorium projector, 1 orchestricon speaker. 1 combination transcription player for 33 and 78 RPM records. 2 filmstrip projectors, 3 lantern slide projectors. 2 opaque projectors, 1 microphone for use with sound equipment, 2 35mm silent projectors (usable but not u.sed). Since the start of the Movie Club. South High School has spent over three thousand dollars for visual equip- ment. Some of this money has been furnished by the Athletic, General Education, and Incidental Funds, but the bulk has come from the Movie Club. At the present time the requests for films have become so heavy that the Movie Club money is all needed simply to supply films and cannot be used for the purchase or repair of equipment. Operators To handle this eciuipment a staff of about 25 volun- teer students is used. These boys after a period of training devote one to two periods per day to care for and operate this equipment. Only reliable boys who are good students are cho.sen for this work and wiien advantage is taken of these privileges the students are