Film and Radio Guide (Oct 1945-Jun 1946)

34 FILM AND RADIO GUIDE Volume XII, No. 3 ning, brings out the high points which apply to the unit with which it is being used. One does not realize the enthusiasm of the teachers for visual aids until a picture fails to arrive because another user has not returned it on time. When this happens, the director would reach out a Paul Bunyan arm to the state library and pick up the film if this were possible. The superintendent of schools, James D. Darnall, is the most visual-minded member of the faculty. When a visual conference is held within a reasonable radius of Geneseo, he insists that the entire faculty attend. It is gratifying to find so many new ideas arising as the result of such a meeting. There is always an upswing in requests for film strips as well as for movies. For example, following a recent meeting, the math teacher asked for a strip on positive and negative numbers. She had also assigned the preparation of graphs to be shown the class. They were unsuccessfully being demonstrated, so she used the opaque projector, displayed the graphs, and asked the students to clarify them, using the projections. These are only a few of the uses of visual aids in the Geneseo Township High School. The Use of Films in Church Program Only recently has there been any concerted and united effort to put into the church curriculum and program the use of films and slides. This has come about mainly because religious educators have realized with other educators the possibilities in this medium of education. The use of the film and the slide in the church, as in many publicschool systems, has not been given adequate guidance and importance. The Army and Navy have proved through their use of visual aids what can be done in the educational pi'ocess. Now the church, like the schools, is realizing the importance of the film and moving into a practical educational program. The fact that there are many producers in the religious field has given new impetus to the use of the film in the church BY REV. CHARLES W. DOBBERTIN Minister, The Methodist Church, Allegan, Michigan program. Many excellent films — documentry, educational, and inspirational— are coming to the church market. Much can be accomplished in the local church already through the proper use of materials that are available. Denominations are working together to give proper guidance in the use of films. Church programs are thus increasingly being vitalized through the use of the motion picture and slide. Manufacturers of projection equipment are interested in the church field as a potential market. For years, many of these manufacturers have been trying to encourage churches to use the motion picture. Now the church has at last awakened to the potentialities of the film. Some of the films now distributed for church use do not win a strong response from those This school is looking forward to the time when a greater number of projectors will be available. There will be a screen in each classroom, and the room will be easily and quickly darkened. A film-strip projector is desirable for a maximum of three rooms. A teacher may then show a projection with the least possible fuss of running over the building to collect material. The interest of teachers in projection of pictures rises in direct proportion to the availability of materials. Teachers realize that “visuals” are aids and not another load to their already overburdened classroom backs. the who use them. One of the reasons for this is that these films are not adequate for the educational program of the church. It must be said, however, that no film is so poor that it cannot do some good. Every film, good or bad, is only a medium, an aid, in the educational task of the church. When the poor film is used as this kind of tool, the proper guidance of those viewing the film will assist them in utilizing only the useful portions. One of the difficulties confronting the use of the film in the church program is that of distribution. The Religious Film Association, composed of some 22 d i f f e r e n t denominational groups, has done much to alleviate some of the distribution difficulties. There is sufficient material