The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

December, 194} Page 381 use films, in Guatemala and Haiti only two each. In Peru the Ministry of Education maintains a film library and has encourajjed visual education in its schools and collcfjes, but only 7 sound 16mm pro- jectors and 400 silent projectors are available in all of Peru. The following resume, by countries, ^ives a thumb nail sketch of the dearth of equipment available in the schools of Latin America and should be suggestive for the development of post-war mar- kets in this untapped region. Argentina—There are no available statistics on the number of institutions maintaining film li- braries; but it is estimated in trade circles that there are in Argentina several thousand silent film projectors and several sound film projectors for 16nim films. Some development was registered in the use of 35mm projectors in conference rooms of newer governmental and ])rivate buildings, and of the 16mm projectors by some commercial firms, but Argentina is hardly a ready market for any im- mediate development. A complete distribution of 16mm films has been set up by the United States Coordination Committee for Argentina, supplying American "shorts" which are shipped by govern- mental agencies from the United States. The Archivo Grafico of the Argentine Government has set up a film library to which all Argentine pro- ducers have been asked to send a copy of every film. It has also accepted films from American company representatives and seems interested in distribution of 16mm films. Bolivia^ —So far as is known the American Insti- tute (in La Paz and in Cochabamba) is equipped for showing educational films and has both 16 and 35mm silent projectors. It is hardly a market for films, however, since the Institute has no funds for this purpose and has so far used only films obtained from the United States Government for free exhi- bitions. Brazil —Appro.ximateU- 1,900 projectors of the 16mm size are in operation in schools and public buildings, most of these owned and operated by the Government. It is believed that their distribu- tion parallels more or less the distribution of motion picture theater e(|uipment, the larger number lo- cated in the central and southern districts of the countrj-. British Guiana — Government institutions are using American portables. Schools and public buildings are not equipped with jjrojection appa- ratus. The Georgetown Consular District has re- cently acquired a portable American 16mm sound projector, and contemplates showing non-theatrical films to schools, the Y.M.C.A., 4-H Clubs, etc., in Georgetown and vicinity. Chile — The Institute of Educational Cinemato- graphy maintains a film library of some 172 silent films and 68 sound films, mostly 16mm, plus 17 educational features of normal theater size. These films are exhibited throughout the country, in schools, clubs, and other institutions. The Institute has been in existence over 10 vears and most of its films are quite old, about 80 per cent having been bought from the United States, 10 percent from England, and 10 percent being of local manufacture. The Chile-United States Cultural Institute has spon- sored, since February 1942, showings of educational films (which now include 53 short subjects) sup- plied by the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs and by the Department of State. Over 300 exhibi- tions of these films to date have been given in San- tiago, \"alparaiso and the surrounding district to specially selected audiences totaling over 100,000 persons. Several Government agencies, as for ex- ample the Dircccion General de Sanidad, the Caja de Scguro Obrcro. etc., own projectors and a few use sound trucks to take educational films into outlying districts not otherwise reached by any motion pic- tures. The limited amount of materials so far avail- able has prevented any rapid expansion in this program. Educational institutions have not made any great use of films in teaching. A lack of teacher experi- ence in the use of such material, combined with the small number of films available, limits the possi- bilities. There are not more than 8 or 10 schools in Chile with sound projectors, although more have silent machines. None of these machines are used to any great extent due to the lack of material and the cost of renting films. There are no schools and colleges maintaining film libraries. Most of the 35mm projectors in use in Chile be- long to commercial theaters. Of the estimated total of 380 35mm projectors in the country probably not more than 10 are to be found in educational insti- tutions. As for 16mm projectors, it is estimated that, including those privately owned, there are about 60 sound machines and 350 silent. There are an estimated 600 8inm projectors. The number of schools maintaining slide-film libraries in Chile is not definitely known, but it is perhaps 15 or 20. Colombia —The educational campaign in motion picture films started with the inauguration of the "Cultural Theater"' in 1943, but it was onlj- since 1939 that this campaign became really^ active. The free exhibitions in the "Cultural Theater" were complemented in 1940 by the "Ambulant Schools" for the showing of cultural motion pictures in the differ- ent districts of Bogota, and through the different Muni- cipalities within the country. Equipment and trucks for nine "Ambulant Schools" were made possible by vari- ous public and private institutions. Due to cooperation by the Mini-stry of Education, which is supplying equipment and films, there has been a great increase in the use of pictures in all private and official schools and in all institutions seeking a better education for the people. From 20 to 30 private insti- tutions, besides all the Public Schools, Education De- partments, and official Schools, are making use of mo- tion picture material. Practically no school or college owns any educa- tional film material. There are twenty-four 35mm projectors in use in educational institutions in Co- lombia and forty-four 16mm sound and silent pro-