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desire to be entertained, whether by the pictures, the music, the general effects, sensational stuff or even so-called cultural films.
Any systematic programme of popular education presupposes a class of persons who desire to educate themselves or be educated. The definite announcement by the theatre management that a film had a certain educational content and purpose, would itself create a separate and distinct public; the majority of the usual public would stay away, realising the educational aim. The more enthusiastic among cinema proprietors have purposely and often skilfully catered for a special class, held matinees for cultural film societies, made arrangements with cultural associations and by so doing — i. e. by acting for a time as the rallying-point of a specific group instead of continuing to supply cinema for all — have given valuable assistance to the work of popular education; they have recognized the distinction between culture picked up casually and culture as part of a system.
Systematic education and an unselected public are nearly always mutually exclusive. The function of the cultural theatre or association is generally speaking, to provide "high-standard", "cultural" or " artistic " entertainment for a large class of people who, it is understood, will derive therefrom and take home with them a modicum of recreation if not also of culture. A theatrical film, therefore, which contains both elements, will serve both purposes. When a cultural institution makes it a principle to shun the film, while offering its members every kind of dramatic rubbish, the reason very often lies in sheer ignorance of the cinema or an attitude of contemptuous superiority towards it. If the same institution chooses a subject, such as, for example, " Humour in music ", the motive is rather a desire to satisfy the demand for amusement than any really educational aim. The important point, however, is the specific public catered for; in the form, that is, of associations pursuing a cultural aim or some other ideal and incidentally offering their members educational fare, while for the rest providing facilities for sport, social intercourse or whatever else it may be. All of them can count upon receiving the support of a circle of members united by a common mentality and aim or by community of class. These bonds of union — created by statute, organised meetings, allocation of responsibilities, cultivation of community feeling, a mutual agreement on a wide variety of matters even outside the constitutional objects of the association — also determine the attitude towards entertainment, art, culture and cinematography. There is a desire, even an obligation to abide by the verdict of the class, professional group or the club, to accept what is applauded by the majority and to reject what it condemns. We may or may not deplore this state of things, but it is the sociological foundation upon which we can alone build.
Alongside this selection of human material, we find a certain unity within an only semi-articulate or conscious group living in any not too