The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 242 The Educational Screen grams which are designed to win more readers for the wealth of books the hbrary has to offer. Some five thousand more books were issued from the children's department on the Saturdays this winter when there were moving pictures than on the corres- ponding Saturdays last year without them. The child- ren's librarian reports sustained reading interests in the subjects of the films shown and a substantial increase in the dem.and for non-fiction. The moving pictures are shown in the art gallery of the librar}' that encourages the use of books and is are drawn into the gallery to see the films and at the same time are introduced to exhibitions of good paint- ings and other arts. It all adds up to a broader use of the library that encourages the use if books and is proving to be an additional stimulant to more and better reading. Education and Legislation (Concluded from page 231) to reconsider. In July the "War Film Committee" was organized expressly to bring these facts to congressional attention. The Committee is composed of representa- tives from eight organizations—four academic and educational, four commercial and professional (names of these associations are listed on this page.) The Com- mittee is at work to marshall the public and professional opinion of the entire country and turn its full power toward Washington. If every American citizen really interested in the welfare of his country and world civi- lization would write now to his Senators and Repre- sentatives at Washington, urging full restoration and expansion of the Bureau of Motion Pictures of the Office of War Information, he would be helping might- ily toward winning not only the war but a long, long post-war peace and permanent progress for education. A New and Greater OWI WAR is ephemeral. It has its day—albeit mad, ghastly, and more costly than decades of peace. Years of peace and productivity are required for a year of war and destruction. An Office of Information is invaluable during the brief span of war, but could be still more so during the long span of peace. There should be no break in the continuity. With war's end— and it may be nearer even than the chronic optimists imagine—the Office of War Information should become the Office of World Information. If the wisdom of the race is adequate to the achieve- ment of a post-war "United Nations," the new "Office of World Information" can be priceless to the cause of civilization. It would be a community service for the shrunken world, under a centralized directorate, with representation from all the nations, located as well at Washington as anywhere. Official appointees abroad, writers and cameramen, would maintain the flow of facts and films to Washington for re-issue by radio and motion picture around the world. If there is to be any concerted search for world adjustment and permanent peace it may require years to determine the final form- ula. A vast amount of "education" will be needed before the thoughts and attitudes of all the nations can be brought to harmony and decision. The right motion pictures, in adequate supply, would be the master means for bringing the nations to think, feel, and act together. It will be done some day. It could be started now. N. L. G. 16mm War Film Committee Organized Representatives of eight national associations met during the Midwestern Visual Education Forum in Chicago, July 23-24, to discuss the support of the 16mm war film program. The following groups were represented: Educational Film Library Association, Department of Visual Instruction of the N. E. A., Audio Visual Aids Committee of the American Lib- rary Association, National University Extension As- sociation. Allied Non-Theatrical Film Association, National Association of Visual Education Dealers, National War Committee for the Visual Education Industry, and Visual Equipment Manufacturers' As- sociation. These eight organizations formed a 16mm War Film Committee, composed of the presidents (or their desig- nated appointees) of the respective associations, and pledged their resources and facilities to Congress and OWI to attain maximum eflfective use of 16mm war films on the home front and to take necessary steps to achieve that end. The representatives on the committee agreed that one responsibility of OWI is to supply the necessary number of prints of IGmm factual or educational films, of a non-partisan nature, available from federal agencies, United Nations, semi-official or private sources, for use by the above groups. Such films on absenteeism, industrial safety, wartime nutrition, food, women in war, wartime child care, war bonds, salvage, rationing, manpower, conservation, combat reports, and other vital war problems are essentials of the nation's emergency information program. It was also unanimoush' agreed that two conditions are necessary to reach this objective: 1. The personnel for administering such a service must be trained and experienced in 16mm distri- bution and utihzation. 2. To be truly democratic and thoroughly effective, this emergency 16mm War Film Service of OWI must include a 16mm Advisory and Policy Com- mittee, similar to the Newspaper Advisory Com- mittee established by Palmer Hoyt, Director of OWT's Domestic Branch. This Advisory and Policy Committee should in- clude representatives of 16mm associations and should work closely for the duration with the designated heads of the OWI 16mm Film Service in establishing basic policy, in determining types and quality of films to be distributed, and in developing utilization procedures. Each one of the affiliated national associations ac- cepted certain jobs, to avoid overlapping. Responsibility for contacting other national organizations interested in war films was assigned to different members of the Committee. David J. Goodman. Executive Director. Foley and Edmunds, has been appointed Educational Specialist of the Training Aids Division of the Army Air Forces, New York City, under supervision of Dr. Howard A. Gray.