International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1930)

— 66 The Belgian Ministry of Agriculture has notified the International Institute in Rome of the creation and work of this Association, which can collaborate to such excellent purpose with it for the common ends they have in view. Suggestions put forward by certain Agricultural Organizations regarding the part the cinema could play in behalf of agriculture and rural life. The Namur province agricultural league. — This is an agricultural union founded in 1902. It expresses the view that agricultural films ought first and foremost to be utilized for a wider and more effective propaganda of good methods of farming and stock-raising, to help demonstrate the advantages of the farming vocation, and also so as to carry out an educational and recreational mission in country districts. The cinema might well become an efficacious means of checking the exodus from the country. This organization has not yet had much opportunity of taking up the question of the cinema as applied to agriculture and has had recourse so far only to magic lantern shows. In its opinion, agricultural film production ought to deal with the following subjects: the application of science to agriculture (botany, chemistry, zoology); forage crops ; rural institutions; agricultural technique and industries (machinery, land reclamation, sugar refineries, dairy industry) , and lastly, farm economy and social works con nected therewith (re-colonizing the land, improvement of rural conditions, etc.). Ligue agricolf belge. — Founded in 1 92 1 ; is concerned with all matters connected with the financial, commercial, social and technical aspects of agriculture. During 1928-29 it organized a number of lectures, illustrated by magic lantern slides, and was able to note the lively interest these aroused and the practical results they achieved. In fact, all the cooperative societies of the Belgian Agricultural League apply to it continually to organize lectures of this kind. As regards technical procedure and the general lines that agricultural films should pursue, the Organization recommends that particular attention should be paid to comparisons between old-fashioned and up-todate methods of farming, so as to demonstrate clearly the great advantages of modern improved methods. It differentiates clearly between two different categories of spectators. One group consists of intellectual persons with scientific and technical knowledge; the other group embraces the great mass of farm workers who, although they may not have received any high degree of education, possess practical knowledge and skill in agricultural work. Hence the necessity of producing different kinds of films, suitable to showing to the two different categories of spectators. With respect to subject matter the League calls attention to the imporance of the following : a) the advantages of hygiene, simplified methods of work, and the supervision of farms and premises built in accordance with modern technical requirements; b) the composition of the soil and how to improve it (fertilizers, experiment stations); c) diverse crops; plant diseases and how to combat them, and seed selection ; d) harvesting; the preservation of farm products and their handling and manufacture on the farms. The transport and sale of the produce. And lastly films illustrating the various agricultural industries, with special consideration to stock-raising. Commission Nationale Pour L'embellissement de la Vie Rurale. (National Commission for ameliorating country life). — Set up in 1 91 3, with the object of ameliorating the moral, material, and social conditions of the agricultural population, through studies, enquiries, literature and congresses; it aims also at promoting general and vocational training, improving public services, dwelling houses, and farms, and at popularizing improved methods of farming and the use of modern agricultural machinery. Thanks to the initiative of this Commission, the International Commission for the same purpose was constituted in 1925, to which all foreign commissions of a like kind have adhered.