The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

aids and wants them at the same time to fit in with the curricuUim. This situation is eased by the string of fihn hbraries which stretch across Canada from Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island — often housed in the local public library for convenience's sake. This system of film libraries was originally set up under the auspices and by the efforts of the National Film Board of Canada, and many of the films are still dejwsited free of charge by the board. Most of the libraries nowadays, how^ever. are under the wing of a local film council composed of citizens from many walks of life. These councils encourage the use of films in all sorts of public concerns, including of course education ; and the film libraries are a convenient and inexpensive source of material for teachers. Rural Film Circuits The only schools which find serious obstacles in the way of visual education are the small ones in remote districts, where no projectors are available and films and filmstripes are hard to obtain. It is these schools which benefit from the rural circuits operated by the National F'ilm Board. Originated in 1942, the circuits run only in regions where ordinary theatrical film show's are seldom, if ever, to be had. The Film Board man with his jwrtable equipment has a regular route to cover every month, except July and August. In every place, he gives a general community show in the evening, and in the day time, he visits the schools. Often several small schools will gather for the show in the largest school-house or in the community hall. For many of the children present, these are literally the only films ever seen in their lives ; and needless to say, they look forward eagerly to the Film Board's monthly visit. The educational value to them of a carefully selected film program is incalculable — far greater, surely, than to the city child who feels hard done bv if he is not allowed to spend every Saturday afternoon at the movies. Each of the rural circuit programs contains one film specially chosen for school use. Last year they included an N.F.B. film for young children on the work of the police; British films on the eyes and ears; U. S. productions on communications {Our Shrinking IVoHci) SALT FROM THE EARTH describes the Malagash salt mine in Nova Scotia, largest in the British Empire. Grade 3 of the Kingston Public School attend a screening as part of their curriculum. G. B. Scott at the projector is a member of the AudioVisual Education Department. and on race relations (The World I Live In) ; and a beautiful Swedish film about life in Lapland. The coming season's program will bring to country children films on the instruments of the symphony orchestra ; on postal services ; on electricity ; and on Eskimo life. It is recognized, however, that when teachers cannot choose the films to be shown, the time for showing, and cannot preview the films, we have but a makeshift form of visual education. It is far better than none, of course, but still far short of the best. To overcome these drawbacks, each rural program is accompanied by a teacher's guide, sent out ahead of time in order to let the teacher familiarize himself with the films as well as possible without preview. These guides, while dealing particularly with the films labelled "school." also cover every other film on the program which might lie useful as a school film, in order to cater as far as can be to the needs of all grades. In addition to a synopsis of the film, the guides contain suggestions for class preparation, follow-up work, and a certain amount of background material for the benefit of the teachers far from reference libraries. There is never the slightest suggestion, either in the guides or in the actual showings, of supplanting the teacher or of telling him what he ought to do ; everything is offered as a service to assist him. In fact, teachers are encouraged to ask the Film Board man to bring a certain film with him next time TREES THAT REACH THE SKY is a film on spruce logging in British Columbia. The train hauls logs down to the water.