Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

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BETTER FILMS A Department Conducted by MRS. WOODALLEN CHAPMAN Chairman, Committee of Community Service on Motion Pictures, General Federation of Women's Clubs In this department appear each month news items of activities for finer films throughout the country, lists of pictures officially approved by the Federation through its reviewing committee, and announcements by Mrs. Chapman in regard to the Federation's work for better films. IT is well for us to remember that motion pictures have a double function to perform. They bring enjoyment by stirring the emotions ; these are the dramatic films. But they may also give satisfaction by imparting organized knowledge to the intellectual faculties ; and of such a class are the educational films. Women are becoming deeply interested in the subject of educational motion pictures, for they see the great value to the child of this visual aid. There are children — hundreds of them — whose power of visualization is very weak. The verbal description given by the teacher awakens no response in their undeveloped brain centers. In all probability the children have not had enough experience to give meaning to the words the teacher uses, and the words therefore pass out of the immature minds leaving no impress behind them. Think of the hours wasted by teachers in fruitless lecturing before children of this type ! Or, again, the memory images formed are too weak to become permanent, and so the child "forgets." This may be because the child is of the active motor type that finds it almost impossible to fasten the mind upon any subject solely by an effort of the will for a period of time long enough to produce a lasting impression. The Retardation Classes These are the children who are constantly falling behind their grades, filling the retardation classes, which add so much additional taxation to the already heavy burden being carried by the citizens of the community. In the city of New York, according to an investigation made by the Russell Sage Foundation, the "repeaters," as these unfortunate children are called, during the year of 1907 cost that great municipality $4,901,290, or 12.6 per cent of the entire school budget. The same class of children cost the city of Chicago during the same year $2,119,287, or 18 per cent of its school budget. While all children are benefited by the use of rightly made educational motion pictures, it is these backward children who receive the greatest help. Enough may be saved on this one item alone to more than pay for the installation of equipment and film service in an entire school system. This statement is enough by itself to make one wonder why all schools are not using motion pictures as an aid to visual instruction. When the women of the General Federation approached school authorities with offers of assistance in equipping their schools for the use of classroom motion pictures, they eventually discovered the answer to this question. They found many schools already equipped for motion-picture projection; in many other instances they found school boards ready to make the needed investment, but doing nothing because of the lack of suitable educational films. When school superintendents were interviewed on the subject, the majority of them made the positive statement, "There are no educational films !" — a staggering assertion in face of the printed announcement of numerous film companies that they had many reels of "educational" motion pictures. Two Points of View The educator who speaks of an educational motion picture has in mind a motion picture made specifically for the purpose of teaching some definite subject. He expects the picture to be scientifically accurate and logical in its presentation, going into the whole matter with such thoroughness as to lead to a real development of the unfolding mind of the child. He feels that he has a right to expect that the psychology of the child shall be considered, and that the instruction shall be founded upon accepted principles of pedagogy. Some motion-picture producers who use the word "educational" refer to a subject that is neither a drama nor a comedy. This film has been made and used, not for the instruction of the child in the schoolroom, but for the entertainment of theatre audiences. As this picture, is of no further use in the theatrical field the producer hopes to obtain additional income by selling or renting it to schools. The Converted Theatrical Film In the early days of the motion-picture industry, school authorities were misled by this definition of the word "educational." They tried to make these films supplement the work in the classroom. They soon found, however, that the subject-matter was not presented in such a way as to be of any real value scholastically. The presentation was noticeably superficial, being titled insuch a way as to amuse rather than instruct. The chief aim of the titles seemed to be to raise a laugh, and it apparently made no difference how false an impression might be created in the mind of the observer. Films made for theatrical use can never rightly be called educational films. It is the attempt to use these motion pictures for a purpose for which they were not originally intended that has produced the present pessimistic attitude on the part of many educators. There is another point to be considered in connection with this question of using theatrical films in the classroom. The films have already been through the theatrical circuit and are often in unsatisfactory physical condition. No theatrical man would use them, for he knows his audiences would not continue to patronize his theatre if they were called upon to endure old, "rainy" films. Yet in many cases the children of this country have been called upon to view just such films for hours. The Federation's Policy on School Films The General Federation of Women's Clubs, which has chosen for this department the precept "To use motion pictures for the upbuilding of the nation's life," has therefore taken a position as opposed to the use of theatrical films in the classroom. It may be necessary to use some of these films as a makeshift at the present time, but this practice must be recognized as only a temporary measure. It is the purpose of the Federation to encourage, in every way in its power, the production and use of genuine educational motion pictures. That there are a few educational motion pictures which measure up to required standards in this particular is a cause for sincere congratulation, and their existence proves that such pictures can be made and enables the educators, by experience, to gather some definite idea as to the actual efficacy of films in education. Reasons for the Dearth of Pedagogical Pictures There are several reasons why more truly educational motion pictures are not available today. Certain elements are essential to the production of a successful educational motion picture. There must be, first of all, a thorough knowledge of the subject to be presented, combined with a practical understanding of motion-picture photography and an ability to make accurate and impressive films. A comprehension of the psychology of the child is required ; a knowledge of the laws of pedagogy; a power of visualization, and an ability to present facts in a telling manner. Great patience is also an essential requisite, for these pictures cannot be hurriedly produced. Months and even years may be required to secure certain desired conditions and effects. Again, educational motion pictures are, as may be gathered from these statements, expensive to produce — and what assurance is there for the producer that he will be able to reimburse himself for the money thus invested? The General Federation recognizes that a demand must be created for the film produced primarily for educational purposes. The school must come to recognize the value of the pedagogically correct educational film. The general public must be educated to understand that such pictures are an important adjunct to school work, and are therefore worth paying for. When the taxpayers think intelligently on this matter, more school boards will be ready to make the needed appropriations. In this work the General Federation can render a distinct service. Its offer of co-operation in the field of visual instruction by aid of motion pictures, made to Dr. John J. Tigert, Commissioner of Education for the United States, elicited the following reply from Commissioner Tigert : I was very much interested in what you had to say yesterday with reference to the plans of. women's clubs for the promotion of educational films. There is no question in my mind but that methods of instruction in certain subjects in our schools are going to be revolutionized by the introduction of visual aids. Unfortunately films, slides, stereoscopes, and other visual apparatus have been promoted in the past by the commercial producers without any organized effort on the part of school people and those interested generally in education to assist them in giving us the kind of material that is pedagogical and otherwise (Continued on page 27) 21