International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

372 EDUCATIONAL CINEMATOGRAPHY The middle schools solved this problem by concentrating their pupils' attention upon instructive or cultural films when such where shown in neighbouring cinemas, arranging when possible for performances to be given exclusively for certain classes of the schools, the children being admitted at reduced prices. In Vienna, the ' Urania ' and the ' House of Popular Education ' have, by means of the organization of the frequent projection of films for the pupils of the middle schools, given to young people the benefit of some most useful films, so that the middle school masters, after studying the criticisms and observations made at these performances, have found them useful for the continuation of the work. Similar attempts have also been made in other cities. The Middle School Masters' Union for the production of films and photographs has for some time interested itself in the question of scholastic films. In a fitting moment the Union, through Prof. H. Fuchsig, collaborated in the elaboration of programmes concerning the necessity of films, established by the National Ministry of Education and made by the Cinematographic Scholastic Union for the elementary and high schools. It must be remembered that the abovenamed organization has taken active part, under the direction of its President, Court Councillor, Doctor K. Czerwenka, in the preparation of the third International Conference of the Educationl films which took place at Vienna in 1931. The Austrian Photographic and Cinematographic Service which is subordinate to the National Ministry of Education, with which the above-named Union has a continuous relationship, has particularly interested itself for several years now, in all problems of pedagogic and technical character relating to the educational film and its use as a means of instruction (especially in the middle schools) and has* sought, as far as possible, to solve them. The Austrian Photographic and Cinema tographic Service was the first organization in Austria to realize the great importance, for educational purposes, of the reduced size film, and has for some time been doing everything in its power to bring about an improvement in projectors for reduced size films and a reduction in their price. The Union has also striven for the production of such films for educational purposes. It is only the sub-standard film (the 16 mm film has been chosen because from the technical point of view it is the one most conducive to the ends desired) which premits of an elimination of the already mentioned difficulties which represent an impediment to the direct projection of films in the classes, and the various types of projecting apparatus are to-day so perfected and well-constructed as to give pictures sufficiently luminous for teaching which may be used by the master with the greatest facility. In addition, they can be screened in the class-room without any danger to the pupils, since the reduced size films are made of a practically non-inflammable slow combustion material. In this manner only will it be possible to realize the wish of all teachers and all friends and supporters of the educational film, i. e., the possibility of using the films in the moment desired, so necessary and advantageous in the field of education, especially in the middle schools. Since it is difficult and often impossible to alter the prospective programmes of a collective projection of films during school hours, one should be able to effect the projection outside the school hours of instruction : this is, indeed, one of the conditions — sine qua non — for the regular use of the cinema. Since the apparatus for the reduced size films attained the desired qualities, the Austrian middle schools have made ever increasing use of this means of instruction. The acquisition, for each individual school, of small apparatus for reduced size films has unfortunately been rendered difficult owing to the economic conditions