Film and education; a symposium on the role of the film in the field of education ([1948])

FILM AND EDUCATION proximately 11,500,000 spread across nearly 3,500,000 square miles, Canada has only about three persons per square mile. Canada has only eight cities of over 100,000 population, another 70 communities between 10,000 and 1000,000, and some 74 communities between 5,000 and 10,000. These population statistics help one to appreciate the comparison in size between the United States and Canada which vitally affects the potential film use at the present time. The National Film Board In Canada, the federal government agency for film production and distribution is the National Film Board, established by Act of Parliament in May, 1939. This action was taken as a result of a survey of film activities made for the Canadian Government by John Grierson, who became the Dominion's first Film Commissioner. The duties of the Board, as defined by the Film Act and subsequent Orders-in-Council, are to advise on government film activities, to coordinate national and departmental film programs, to direct the distribution of government films in Canada and abroad, and to coordinate and develop information services to supplement this distribution. Ross McLean, the present Commissioner, succeeded Mr. Grierson in January 1947. Under the leadership of John Grierson, the Board developed the use of films "as they have never been used before, in a planned and scientific way to provide what might be described as a supplementary system of national education."1 Originally designed to function in the field of film, the Board's scope has greatly expanded to include the preparation of posters, publication design, still photography displays, filmstrips and graphic media in general for government departments and agencies. "In the visual presentation of ideas to serve the information needs of government departments and especially to dis 1 Hardy, Forsyth. Grierson On Documentary. [438]