International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1930)

-58 the scholastic film and the institution of regular educational film weeks, the advantages of which have been proved by the German example. Unless an initiative of this kind is supported by the Government, all the praiseworthy efforts made by private producers of scholastic films are likely to be sterile. (Le Cine'opse, Paris, F. 37/100). Since the foundation of the Lyons Regional Teaching Film Bureau, in 1921, a whole series of film archives devoted to films of a cultural tenour sprang up, thanks to the support given by various local administrations. After Lyons, Nancy, Lille, ClermontFerrand, Nimes, and Saint-Etienne, Paris with her « Musee Pedagogique » took the natural lead as the centre of the educational film in France. The coordination requisite for fruitful work was however lacking between these various institutions, and as time went on they found themselves unable, with the limited means at their disposal, to meet all the applications they received. Thus it became necessary to harness all these scattered forces in order to give an effective impetus to the educational film. This has now been done by the institution on the 14th. November 1929 of the Federation des Offices Cinematographiques d'Enseignemeftt et d 'Education . Senator Brenier, of Lyons, an ardent pioneer of the educational film, was elected President. In addition to the delegates of the several educational film institutions, the executive commission of the Federation counts among its members representatives of public and technical education, of agriculture, and of the Musee Pedagogique (Comoedia, Paris, F. 37/110). It is being ever more widely realized that the educational film is one of the most important factors in education. The Ministry of Public Education in Czechoslovakia has instituted a general control over the production of cultural films in the Republic. The purpose of this control is to facilitate a better distribution of educational films to schools and institutions concerned with popular education. (Volksbildungsarbeit , Teplitz Schonau F. 37/"8). In Bulgaria the Ministry of Education has drafted a bill on the educational film which aims at rendering the systematic use of teaching films compulsory in the schools (Volksbildungsarbeit ; F. 37/119). Oslo is the first European city to introduce film teaching into its schools {LichtbildBilhne, Berlin, F. 37/95). In the « Visual Review », E. C. Dent refers to the institution of a cinema archive at Kansas University ; this consists of substandard dimension educational films (16 mm.). Attention is called to the advantage of these small sized films for educational purposes: first and foremost they are much cheaper than standard size films ; then they are more easily handled as regards shipping and use in class, and do not entail very rigorous preventive measures against fire. {Normal Instructor and Primary Plans, Dansville N. Y. F., 37/108). The first sound film for teaching purposes has been released in America, and exhibited at the Teachers' College of Columbia University to an audience of public school inspectors and masters. This show will be followed by others in different parts of the State, so as to bring home to teachers the value of the new medium of instruction. The Educational Research Department of the « Electrical Research Products Company » — a subsidiary of the Western Electric Company — produced this film, under the direction of Prof. H. D. Kitson. During its exhibition it was stated that in the new school year several schools would introduce sound films in an experimental way. ( The Educational Screen, Chicago, F. 37/98). Clarence J. North has been appointed Director of the new motion picture division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce in Washington. In addition to the function of assisting the American film industry in the development of foreign markets, the newly created division will also devote considerable attention to the interchange of industrial and educational films between Europe and America. (The Educational Screen, Chicago, N. 8, F. 17/59). The Austrian Educational Film Company is showing week by week in the Vienna cinemas films adapted to the curriculums of the several schools. Special views of the films are first exhibited to the masters, so that they may be acquainted with their content before their pupils are shown them.