International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

-555 communities report that they propose in the future to have such libraries or depositaries. In 13 per cent of the communities, " free " films were used exclusively. In 19 per cent of the communities, the average rental rates per film were less than one dollar, while in 28 per cent of cases they ranged from one dollar to 1 dollar 95 cents. In 23 per cent of cases the rentals were about three dollars per reel. It is probable that the films costing one dollar and a half or less were really distributed free, and that the only cost was for transportation. The subjects for which films were used in the American public schools show that the largest percentage went to the teaching of Social Science and Natural Science, with Physical Education, Manual Arts, Domestic Economy and Commercial Instruction coming next in the list. The questionnaires issued and examined showed that the great majority of teachers approved the use of the didactic film in the public schools. Some of the advantages cited were : " increased interest in school work " ; improvement in accuracy on the part of the scholars » ; improvement in vocabulary " ; " increased mental activity ". Among the disadvantages referred to in the answers to the questionnaires, were : " Darkening of the school-rooms " ; " impossibility for the teacher to make sufficient detailed study of the film " ; " too many titles per film ". THE USE OF MOTION PICTURES IN CHARACTER EDUCATION Mr Howard M. Lesourd has published with the above title an interesting study on the possibilities offered by the use of cinematography, especially in schools for educating the character of the young. Believing that the two subjects of greatest popular interest in the educational world today are the cinema and the education of character, the author examines the means and systems which give the most effective results in these two important fields. The methods of educating character adopted in public schools comprise both indirect and direct means. Recourse may be had to the use of cinematography in indirect education of character when the films form an integral part of the scholastic curriculum. The cinema opens up to young and perceptive imaginations vast horizons which otherwise would only be known in a purely abstract fashion. For example, trials have been made to determine the effect obtained by films reproducing the habits and costumes of various peoples and races. Such effects varied considerably according to the way the subject was presented, allowing it to be gathered that there exists a definite possibility of developing in children the sense of brotherhood towards other peoples by means of suitable pictures of their qualities and characteristics. Even films of a purely spectacular nature can be used in schools with an indirect educational intent. Besides a careful choice of subjectmatter, an appropriate discussion of the ethical principles contained in the film is necessary, bringing such principles into application with the children's practical daily existence. Notable effects have been remarked in some cases by the use of projections of scenes taken from films being run in local halls, such scenes being suitably commented. The direct method of educating character by the cinema is carried out by the use of specially prepared films. Such films may be obtained either by the production of new " shorts ", or cutting from real life films or theatrical films such special situations and characteristics as fit in with the ideas it is proposed to inculcate in the children. Films dealing with the choice of a career may be recommended in the first case, or pictures representing problems on the relations between peoples or dealing with social justice or international good will. After showing that the cost of acquiring and using such films is in no way excessive,