Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

January, 1922 MOVING PICTURE AGE 27 students sit in the dark. It must afford opportunity for students to see the lesson as it is pictured on the screen. This applies to all types of manual training. It applies to music, elocution, dancing, gymnastics, hygiene, and nearly all fields of educational endeavor. Our modern educators complain bitterly of the lack of activity in education. Educational film material should seek to remedy this and to provide the means of exhibit where the film may show things and pupils may do that which is pictured upon the screen. The motion picture does not function in education when the film is placed on a rigid circuit and sent from place to place over the country. We are soon to establish in each community an educational motion-picture library, stocked with standard material and as available as the present bookstore or local library. GOSSIP-GATHERING on FILM BOULEVARD IN the November bulletin of "Exceptional Photoplays," published by the National Board of Review, Charles Urban's popular classic "The Four Seasons" is the first picture listed in the department devoted to current photoplays containing points of exceptional merit. This film was produced by Raymond L. Ditmars, under the personal direction of Charles Urban, and is to be released nationally early in January. ******** An interesting exposition of the power of the industrial film has just come to light. Upon having a large group of equally graded children write compositions on lumbering, it was found, upon reading the papers, that one student ranked far above his nearest competitor. Inquiry as to his ability to write on the subject was traced as a direct result, according to the student's explanation, to witnessing a two-reel lumbering film two weeks previously. The film that had made such a clear impression was "A Romance of the Hardwoods," produced by the Atlas Educational Film Company, Chicago. So much comment has been occasioned by "Dream Pictures," the novel form of visualization conducted by Mr. Branson DeCou, of East Orange, N. J., that it seems of interest to examine one of Mr. DeCou's programs. Victrola selections that harmonize with the spirit of the slides being shown are used to complete the desired atmosphere, and educators who have watched the effect of "Dream Pictures" upon a group of children state that the beneficial results are remarkable. The program recently used in the Newark public schools is as follows (the slides being named first) : 1. "The Charms of Southern California"; accompanied by Geraldine Farrar and Fritz Kreisler in "Knowest Thou the Land" (Mignon). 2. "Beginning California's History" (views of the Franciscan Missions) ; accompanied by orchestra in "In a Monastery Garden." 3. "Moods of the Pacific" ; accompanied by orchestra in overture from William Tell — "The Storm and the Calm." 4. "The Liveliest of Valleys" (views of Yosemite Valley) ; accompanied by symphony orchestra in Prelude to Lohengrin. 5. . "The Lake of the Sky Blue Water" (views of Lake Tahoe) ; accompanied by Alma Gluck in "From the Land of the Sky Blue Water." 6. "The Cathedrals of the Woods"; accompanied by Alma Gluck and the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra in the Orpheus Ballet. 7. "The Mountain That Was God" (views of Mount Rainier) ; accompanied by Jascha Heifetz in "On Wings of Song" (Mendelssohn). 8. "Wildflowers of the Mountains"; accompanied by Elman String Quartet in "Quartet in G Major." 9. "The End of the Trail" (studies of the Blackfeet Indians) ; accompanied by Fritz Kreisler in "Indian Lament" (Dvorak). T*TTTT** The Society for Visual Education, producer of industrial and educational films, in some of its recent publicity sheets quotes J. J. O'Brien, president of the South Bend Lathe Works, regarding the value of films portraying the various trades. Mr. O'Brien states that too many boys, upon leaving school, simply "drift" into a job, rather than select occupations to which they are adapted; and he sees a great opportunity for a series of films depicting the mechanical trades, when placed in the hands of a vocational expert. The summary of his comments is that through films boys might be guided in this most important matter of occupation, and that the need of film material for this purpose is urgent. ******** National Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures, Inc., announces that it has secured distribution rights on "The Spirit of Joan of Arc," a film produced to show what the French are doing for themselves, and to raise funds for the tubercular children among the war-ridden population of France. This concern has also secured non-theatrical distribution rights for the Burton Holmes Travel Pictures library and for all the appropriate material produced by the Swedish Biograph Company. ******** Although its offices were gutted by fire a few weeks ago, New Era Films is carrying on business "as usual" at a new address, 804 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. Thanks to the fireproof vaults, absolutely no film was destroyed, and Mr. Burhorn, president of the concern, states that the accident will interfere in no way with his service to churches and schools. Interesting" Men on the Boulevard This series would bring before you men prominent in the commercial phases of visual instruction, for these individuals have played an important but generally unrecognized role in stimulating tht use of visual aids beyond their immediate interests. No particular sequence has been employed in the series Charles Howard Mills TOO rarely do we find the educational-film department of a motion-picture concern under the administrative control of an educator; and in such infrequent instances the searcher for pedagogical equipment enjoys a confidence that his problems will be grasped intelligently and his requirements met capably. Of such satisfactory classification is the firm-jawed gentleman at the left. For 16 years Charles Howard Mills has been engaged in recreational, boys'-club, and public-welfare work, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Grand Rapids, and Kansas City. During the last eight years of his strictly educational service Mr. Mills was with the boards of education of Grand Rapids and Kansas City, and in both positions was constantly using films in schools and churches for educational and community-recreation purposes. Out of the 84 schools in Kansas City, Mr. Mills has at various times operated motion-picture projectors in 65 of them; and, based on the plan instituted by him m that city, Kansas City today employs visual instruction systematically in 40 schools. The late Rev. Benjamin Fay Mills, a minister and lecturer of national reputation, was the father of this advocate of visual aids ; and the son has in some ways carried on his sire's service. He has worked with Jane Addams at Hull House, has served in churches as director of religious education, and has done considerable lecturing on Lyceum and Chautauqua platforms. In his present connection as Director of the Educational Department, Pathe Exchange, Inc., Mr. Mills is producing pedagogical films — the Pathe Screen Studies — on geography, history, nature study, biology, and other subjects, and is also working along constructive lines for the highest interests of the entire non-theatrical field.