The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 382 The Educational Screen projectors available. Also, there are some private and official colleges, in addition, using slide-films with some of their classes in Botany, Zoology, Art History. Geography and Universal History, etc. Most of this equipment also is owned by the Minis- try of National Education. There are no schools maintaining slide-film libraries, and only a few own small slide collections. The Ministry of National Education has an ap- proximate stock of 450 films, of which there are 343 in the "Cultural Theater" warehouse and the rest is at the schools and other institutions. Of this stock, there are only about 250 films (16mm and 35mm) that can be used. These films are distributed for free exhibition purposes among the schools, with projector and operator if necessary, upon request made to the Ministry of Education. During the years of 1939, 1940 and 1941 the Ministry installed laboratory equipment and worked on the ])roduction of films. Costa Rica —No educational films proper, except the ones exhibited at the Raventos theater for school children, have been shown in schools in Costa Rica. There is no 16mm equipment available except one old silent projector which is never used. No plans are contemplated as far as known, and hence there is no present market for these materials. Cuba —One firm exists in Habana. Pdicitlas Edii- cativas, which has made a considerable investment in a laboratory and projectors to exhibit 16mm educa- tional and commercial films. The firm maintains six sound projectors and three silent ones, and has received a few films produced by United States Government agencies. Collaborating with this firm are the Institiicioii Hispano-Cubano de Cttltura and the Compania Industrial Ciiieinatografica de la Habana, the latter making films for distribution in Cuba. Zenith Films, S. A., is another Habana firm which has devoted much eflFort to circulating 16mm educational films. This concern obtained several films from Eng- land, but the last shipment was lost at sea. These con- , cerns have expressed great interest in the 16mm U. S. Government films particularly in the four sound films in Spanish produced by the Department of Agriculture. The 35mm British propaganda films are showing in practically all theaters. The American films are shown mostly in the various clubs, social organizations, and in private projection rooms, but their circulation is far below that of the British Government films. Educational institutions are hampered, as every- where, by lack of funds, and also the difficulty in obtaining Spanish-version pictures. Price is a drawback. Local agencies protest that a price of $50.00 per reel, with a $30.00 royalty, is too high. A few religious pictures are shown by Catholic schools and colleges; but aside from these, the schools see very few educational films. No schools or colleges at present maintain film libraries, al- though many of them want films. They buy occa- sionally from big American distributors. Aside from the machines privately owned, there are believed to be between three and four hundred projectors for silent 16mm film in operation. Of sound projectors there are not more than about thirty. There are two concerns now equipped to dub films, or to supply Spanish sub-titles, namely the Peliculas Ediicativas and the Laboratorio CHIC, also of Habana. Slide-films are used very little. A few private schools have made inquiries recently concerning slide-films on natural history. Language consti- tutes a problem. None of the schools maintains its own slide-film library. Ten schools in Habana now take film or slide-film service, and it was expected that beginning last September there would be nearly a hundred. No film libraries are maintained bv the Govern- ment Educational Office. However, through co- operation of distributors mentioned above, a con- ference of school inspectors from each province was held in Habana, and films were shown in an effort to secure a government subsidy for using films in schools. A project to get projectors in a number of schools by charging five cents per pupil failed in 1941. Dominican Republic —As yet no films are used in education. There is interest in the field, but no film libraries are maintained. The only 16mm pro- jectors in the Republic are one silent owned by the Compania Electrica and one sound in ])ossession of the Legation. There are a few 8mm and 16mm pro- jectors in private use. Slide-films made by local photographers are used for advertising in theaters, but none in schools. The Government does not pro- duce educational films, nor is there any commercial production. Prospects for selling films or equip- ment to schools are not encouraging at present. Ecuador —The Ministry of Education has been unable to include motion pictures in its program. Considerable interest has been shown, however, both by the public and private schools in educa- tional films lent or exhibited by other groups, es- pecially through the courtesy of the cultural officer of the American Embassy and the local Coordina- tion Committee. Ecuadoran educators are cjuite aware of the value of educational films for pedago- gical purposes and unanimously lament the financial stringency. The Jesuit and Christian Brethren schools have silent projectors and show occasional religious films, usually by the Papal Nuncio. The Military College has excellent 35mm sound projection equipment of American manufacture, is said to have a small film library, a present from the German Legation, and has occasionally rented other films. A few schools are reported to have 16mm projectors, but no description or list is avail- able. Slide-films are not used to any appreciable extent by schools in Ecuador and slide-film libraries are negligible. There is no domestic production of either educational or commercial films, save a few commercials for advertising. The prospect for sales in Ecuador is very poor. (To be concluded in January)