International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURES IN EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES 453 INTRODUCTION a) The Purpose of This report on the the Report. instructional use and indirect educational influence of motion pictures in the United States has been prepared in response to a request from Dr. Luciano de Feo, Director of the International Educational Cinematographic Institute, that the United States Office of Educaation cooperate in the preparations for the recent International Congress of Educational and Instructional Cinematography which was held in Rome during the first part of April, 1934. In addition to its use abroad, the report is intended to serve various governmental, educational, voluntary and motion picture agencies in the United States which are seeking a concise compilation of factual information and sources of information about motion pictures in relation to education. No attempt has been made to present all possible phases of the subject. The study has been confined to a consideration of the principal questions raised by Doctor de Feo in his original request for the report. The study emphasizes factual data collected from many sources, and, even though the emphasis was not placed on opinions, various and even conflicting viewpoints are reflected in the report. Since it appeared that an attempt to unify the data and reconcile all divergent elements would reduce the value of the report, which is intended to give an airplane view of the situation, it became a difficult undertaking to evaluate the data from various sources. Without doubt the report has errors in this respect, but years of research and experimentation would be needed to make an exhaustive study of the subject. It is hoped that the present study will be of some service to interested groups and, incidentally, encourage centers throughout the United States and foreign countries as well to keep the Office of Education informed regarding future motion picture activities. b) Sources and Pro A preliminary confercedure. ence was held at the Federal Office of Education on September 25, 1933, at which thirty-five representatives of governmental, voluntary and motion picture agencies discussed the major topics of this report. Later, certain members of the conference were invited to prepare preliminary statements covering different units of the report. These statements were compiled into a preliminary draft which was submitted to the members of the conference and representatives of sixty-five other agencies for their criticisms and supplementation. Members of ten or twelve of the most interested agencies were interviewed personally in regard to the report. The suggested additions and revisions were carefully studied, and the final copy of the report prepared from them and from additional data gathered in connection with the report. The study had not progressed far before it became apparent that much of the source material referred to could be used as exhibits to illustrate various parts of the report when it was submitted to Rome. The list of these exhibits also becomes a guide from which people who are interested in various phases of the subject can secure additional information. c) The Plan of the Following this inReport. troduction the main body of the report is divided into nine units as follows : (1) The educational influence of motion pictures ; (2) The motion picture in the service of health and social hygiene ; (3) The motion picture in governmental service and patriotism ; (4) The use of motion pictures in vocational education ; (5) The motion picture in international understanding ; (6) Motion picture legislation ; (7) The technique of making and displaying motion pictures ; (8) The systematic introduction of motion pictures in teaching ; and (9) Educational problems