Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

THE ^lOTIOX PICTURE XEAVS 35 IN THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD Project on Foot to Establish Educational Film Exchange in Kansas City, to Supply Schools, Colleges, Churches, and All Similar Institutions with Suitable Pictures — Louisiana Church Uses Films Regularly with Profitable Results IX the center of the flat, treeless plains countrj of Western Kansas a few days ago, the teacher of a one-room rural school looked about herself at the thirty desks of her pupils and said with a nexpressive gesture : "Yes, with a motion picture machine and the right kind of films, my work would be lightened tremendously. Teaching would have greater results and it would be better for the pupils. They would learn more and faster."' The school in which she stood had been erected as the model rural school connected with the Fort Hajs Normal at Hays. Kan., and the teacher was perhaps the most advanced of all the country school teachers in that state. It is her aim — and results show that she is rapidly approaching her ideal — to make the school as efficient as an% in the larger cities and she believes that the motion picture holds forth the greatest promise in that line. Need Appeal to the Eye "Present day teaching depends too much upon the awakening of earinterest in the pupil," she continued. 'T mean by that, all teaching, all lessens appeal onh to the one sense of hearing. I would have it appeal to the eye. Seeing, j-ou know, is believing— and teaching to the ej-e always brings greater and more lasting results. ■■ Unable to procure satisfactorj releases and projecting machines suitable to the use of the small school, this teacher has done the next best thing. She has made hundreds of picture cards — historical, biographical, numerical, alphabetical, cards illustrating natural historj^, literature, arithmetic and practicallj every subject taught or touched upon in the school work. These are used daih to take the place of the-motion pictures she has been unable to obtain. An Educational Film Exchange Back in Kansas Cit}-. of which the teacher knew nothing, a plan is being unfolded that probablj soon will result in the formation of the first educational film service in this countrj-. R. V. Rothermel, manager of the feature division of the local General Film agency, has had it in mind for several j-ears and the idea probably will be carried out soon. Briefl}-. it is a plan to form an edu cational film exchange to supphschools. colleges, medical societies, mercantile houses, homes, Chautauquas, Sundaj schools, churches and special gatherings with suitable films for illustration of lectures and studies. Small portable projecting machines that can be shipped by express from place to place, with small folding screens that require only a few" moments to set up would solve the machine problem. Accompanying each film, would be sent out literature and descriptive matter for lectures and a large percentage of the films would show Biblical scenes and studies. At the present time about 250 educational films are released every j^ear. These are of a topical, scenic and indi:strial nature. Several of the larger exchanges have huge laboratories for the filming of plant and animal life studies. Others keep their representatives on the road continuall}" snapping travel and industrial scenes. But these films are released intermittentl}-, different services handle them, and it is not possible now to obtain a regular program of such features. Mr. Rothermel's Idea yir. Rothermel would combine all this in one — he would arrange it so that any person, exhibitor, lecturer or minister could obtain at a moment's notice the special film wanted. "Edison's greatest idea in perfecting the motion picture was educational."' ;Mr. Rothermel said. "Edison believes that the highest future of it is in the schools and homes." Several small projecting machines that sell for $100 up have recenth^ been put upon the market. A few of them are suitable for use in small lecture and schoolrooms. It is true that these smaller machines have not been developed so highly as the larger machine for exhibitor's use. But it is only a matter of time until that development is reached in the smaller machines. The possible lack of electric power can be overcome easil}' by the substitution of cheap, portable gas tanks and Mr. Rothermel believes that problem is practicallj^ solved now. The possibility of motion pictures in the school sj"Stem of Kansas Cit}has long been considered bj the board of education. Most of the buildings have been equipped with electric power and in many of them special screen rooms have been built. Films for Kansas City Schools "The schools of Kansas City will be equipped with motion pictures as soon as the special needs of the schools are supplied," J. M. Greenwood, former superintendent of the schools here, said three 3'ears ago. "Not onlj^ will the cit} schools adopt it, but the countrjf schools as w-ell." ]Mr. Rothermel believes that the film will find its wa}' ultimately into the church for Bible study. He believes also that it will become the means of advancing the science of agriculture, of teaching children the alphabet and the multiplication tables. Motion Pictures in Church Xapoleonville, La., located in the most intense^ Catholic section of Catholic Louisiana, is probabl}' the first in the countrj' to so endorse the motion picture business as to have a theatre < actually operated by the church, and on Sundaj-. Under the direction of Father L. I. H. L'Anglaise, who came here comparatively recentlj' from the Canadian Acadia section, the old church of St. Ann was torn down and was replaced by a splendid new structure. However, the funds were not sufficient to complete the interior of the edifice and the rector, Father L'Anglaise and some of the ladies of the church, hit upon the plan of forming a Nickel Club, the dues of which should be five cents a week. In a 3-ear's time this club had raised $800. and Father L'Anglaise proposed that the club build on the church grounds a structure suitable for the exhibition of motion pictures, and to use the proceeds for the completion of the church work. This suggestion was adopted, and since that time regular film programs have been presented on Wednesdaj-s, Saturdays and Sundays, under the personal direction of the priest. Church Averages $35 a Week Local am.ateur talent often volunteers to aid the program. The churchmotion picture house is averaging a net income of $35 a week, and there will soon be enough money in the treasury' to complete St. Ann's. During the absence of Father L'Anglaise on a continental tour the motion picture house is under the direction of Dr. E. Di.gas and Lee Guillot. • The church theatre uses the General Film Service.