Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

16 MOVING PICTURE AGE January, 1922 side of the schoolhouse serves as a screen in these instances. We like to throw the picture about 60 feet ; this gives everyone a chance to see very readily, taking the average crowd into consideration. Our greatest trouble with the average schoolhouse has been that it cannot accommodate the attendance ; and sometimes we overcome this by holding two shows. Feature Films It may be of interest to the readers of this article to know the names of some of the best educational films that we have so far used. I have endeavored to list them according to their educational value. "Out of the Shadows." A two-reel picture showing how a family escaped tuberculosis caused by using milk from an infected herd. "Modern Health Crusade." A one-reel picture centering around the country schoolhouse, showing how the teacher interested the pupils in personal cleanliness. "The Pit Silo." Shows practically all the steps in the construction of a pit silo. "Selecting the Laying Hen." Shows how to cull poultry as well as how to select good layers from a general standpoint. "The Forest Ranger" and "The How and Why of Spuds." A Definite County Project Our plan now is to make a regular county project out of the -motion pictures. The details in connection with this project will be worked out by the State Leader of County Agents' Work. At the present time there are eight projectors owned and used by county farm bureaus in Montana, and each projector provides exhibitions throughout its entire county. There will be perhaps twice this num"ber of machines in the state during 1922. The necessity of putting film exhibitions in the form of a project is becoming more evident as time goes on. In working out this project it is hoped that some sort of a circuit will be inaugurated whereby we will have access to a greater amount of first-class educational films. Without a doubt the movies for the rural districts are here to stay. It is an absolute necessity if we are to keep the boys and girls ■on the farm and at the same time make rural life more pleasant for the older people. A Higher-Service Challenge to Every County Agent! With the use of the projector we are able to get practically 100 per cenl attendance at our meetings; this instrument enables tis io reach the 35 per cent that we had failed to reach in any other way. As a rule we have short talks between reels, pertaining to the •community program of work. We are accomplishing just as much of our conventional county-agent work as before the projector was installed. Over and above this may be figured as assets the educational value of the pictures, and the fact that we have a 100 per cent attendance of the men as well as making the meetings so interesting that the women and children are glad to attend. I would not try to do county-agent work again without access to a motion-picture projector. One other redeeming feature about the film exhibition in the rural districts is that it tends to maintain the morale of the country people, especially where they are more or less isolated. Practically all the children and a number of the women in my county have never seen motion pictures until we visited their neighborhood. Now they look forward to these shows and are asking from time to time when the next showing will be given in their respective communities. Missouri Teachers Convene IN November the Missouri State Teachers' Association held session at St. Louis, at the Educational Museum, which is the distributing center for all visual-instruction equipment used by the St. Louis public schools. Mr. C. G. Rathmann, assistant superintendent of schools for St. Louis, was the presiding officer. Visual instruction played an important part in the deliberations of the session. Prof. C. H. Williams, of the University of Missouri, gave valuable information regarding the visual aids put at the disposal -of Missouri schools by the University of Missouri. The university film library contains about 300 non-commercial films, and 30 of these may be used at no greater expense than the annual $5 fee for the inspection and care of films. Slides in sets of from 50 to 100 are also loaned for such subjects as history, arts and sciences, and agriculture, the only cost on these being the transportation •charges. Mr. Rathmann told of the establishment of the St. Louis Educational Museum in 1904, and then went on to describe the system by which the schools of the city are supplied with visual aids each week. Mr. Rathmann emphasized the thought that, while the value of the film was recognized, use was made of every other visual aid that could prove its efficacy in classroom service. Mr. Rupert Peters, in charge of visual instruction in the Kansas City public schools, told of the progress made in that city with visual aids, stressing the fact that the Kansas City efforts were closely aligned with community service. He advocated the specific training of the teacher in methods of visual instruction before she be allowed to attempt the use of visual aids. Prof. J. V. Ankeney, of the University of Missouri, who is secretary of the National Academy of Visual Instruction, and .a Contributing Editor of Moving Picture Age, spoke on the valuation, technique, source, and distribution of the educational film. He and Mr. Peters also collaborated in a demonstration of visual instruction in which was shown the development of the Rontgen ray. Upon vote the association members present organized as a Section for Visual Education for the state of Missouri. Twentyfive enrolled immediately as active members, and the following officers were elected : Chairman, Mr. C. G. Rathmann ; vice-chairman, Prof. C. H. Williams ; secretary, Mr. R. A. Rocfort. Leaders in Visualization These brief biographical sketches are appearing in order that you may enjoy a more intimate acquaintance with the men who have achieved some degree of national fame for their accomplishments with visual aids. The series will include representatives of all fields within the scope of visual instruction — religious, educational, social, etc. No definite sequence has been followed Rev. Johnston Myers W1 'HEN one wishes a worthwhile opinion on any subject he does not approach the individual who has had dealings with the subject for a few weeks or a few months ; wherever possible he confers with the person whose judgment is based upon experience extending over a period of years. All of which leads directly to the thought that the pastor who seeks an authoritative expression of opinion regarding the value of motion pictures in the church could do no better than consult with Rev. Johnston Myers, for 27 years pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Chicago, and for Photo by Moffett, Chicago io years a user of motion pictures in that church. Rev. Myers did not become an exhibitor of non-theatrical films by accident. When the possibilities contained in motion pictures for his service first attracted him, he did not thrust the thought aside as too unconventional or too unchurchly; instead, he studied the proposition carefully, and let the welfare of his parishioners, rather than personal prejudice or possible inconvenience, be the deciding factor. The result was the installation of projection equipment, and since that time — a time when, it is unnecessary to say, the implements of film projection were as crude as any pessimist could imagine — Rev. Myers has continued in the work of screening worthwhile productions for his people. But to quote his own words : "There are two methods of reaching the mind with truth — through the eye gate and through the ear gate. The church has confined itself almost wholly to the ear gate. With the coming of the motion picture the discovery was made that people could be taught the most important lessons through the eye. About 10 years ago we began to use pictures in the church. There was some objection, and we only used them occasionally. Now we use them regularly every week. We have our own projector, and we give pictures for entertainment, instruction, and worship. Whenever they are shown they attract and interest large audiences. Some of the pictures bring spiritual blessing greater than that of any sermon. Moving pictures are rapidly becoming a very important adjunct to the work in a Christian church. From my own experience I do not see how any up-to-date, active church can do without them."