International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

MOTION PICTURES IN EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES 461 tion declared, " For the purpose of making and influencing public opinion and thought, the motion picture in its present stage is the most powerful influence now known, and as its use increases and its field of operations develops, its power to influence the public will increase ". Dr. Wesley C. Mitchell, speaking for the Motion Picture Research Council, summarized the influence of motion pictures by stating : Moving pictures are one of the most powerful influences in the ' making of mind ' at the present time. They affect the great masses of people and they affect these masses during the impressionable years of childhood and youth. The industry has developed on a strictly commercial basis into one of our most conspicuous branches of business, demonstrating that moving pictures meet an intensely felt interest. Obviously moving pictures are doing things to our thoughts and feelings. It is high time that we discovered what these things really are. There is no problem that could be of greater concern to those who are interested in the quality of our future citizens. 2. THE MOTION PICTURE IN THE SERVICE OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL HYGIENE The importance of educating the public regarding public health and all that is a menace to health is recognized. Motion pictures have opened up new opportunities in the fields of medicine, health and social hygiene. Films on these subjects naturally fall in two groups : (1) scientific films intended for the use of the medical profession, and (2) films intended for general school use and for the public as a whole. There are many valuable films in both of these groups. By means of close-ups, microcinematographic films, and other special adaptations, films become an invaluable tool in medical colleges, hospitals and the in-service training of physicians. The Carl Henry Davis Library (425 East Wisconsin Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) has a good list of professional films on obstetrics and gynecology. The medical films of the Eastman Teaching Films, Inc., (Rochester, New York), have been approved by the American College of Surgeons. Other films for the medical profession have been issued by various national associations, hospitals, commercial companies, and practicing physicians. a) Films of the Uni There are many medted States Public ;ca]) health and hyHealth Service. gjene fi,ms for the lay public, and for use in elementary and secondary schools. Public health departments, universities and colleges, the American Social Hygiene Association and various other national societies, the Eastman Teaching Films, Inc., the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and various other commercial companies maintain libraries of films in this group. The activities of the Federal, State and local government in the production and distribution of public health films are practically centralized in the Public Health Service of the United States Treasury Department. A more detailed account of the use of motion pictures in public health education follows : Congress has made available to the United States Public Health Service only very limited sums for the preparation of exhibits for use in public health education. The amount available during the current fiscal year is $ 1 ,000. This money is utilized in the preparation of exhibits for scientific meetings and of other material which will present to the medical profession and to the public at large the recent advances in public health and scientific fields. A small portion of this amount has been devoted to the preparation of certain films dealing with special phases of public health work. Such films are not suitable for general distribution but are to be used for special audiences. One of the films, entitled " Trachoma Work of the Public Health Service ", deals with trachoma, an eye disease, in the moun X