The Moving Picture Weekly (1917-1919)

22 THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY Instructional Films Become A Fact MOMENTOUS CO-OPERATION WITH D. APPLETON, THE SCHOOLBOOK PUBLISHERS BRINGS THE UNIVERSAL EDUCATIONAL INTO NEW FIELD OF USEFULNESS. J± FAR REACHING plan for the introduction into the schools of systematic series of instructional films as supplements to standard text books is being rapidly developed by the Educational Department of the ■ Universal "Film 'Manufacturing Company, in co-operation with D. Appleton and Company, school book publishers. In announcing this plan Harry Levey, Manager of the Educational Department of the Universal Company stated that the first of the series is to be exhibited at the February session of the National Educational Association at Cleveland, Ohio, during the last week in February. "Under this plan," said Mr. Levey "films closely paralleling the text books are to be built up in close cooperation with the authors of the texts, whose names will appear on the films as evidence of correctness and authenticity. From the standpoint of motion-picture technique, the excellence of the films will be assured by the past accomplishments in the field of educational films of the men and women whom I have been so fortunate as to obtain for these productions. "The thorough treatment which marks the text of the publisher with whom we are co-operating will be rigidly adhered to in the production of the film. The two companies associated in this project are acknowledged leaders in their respective fields, and both have established reputations which their joint productions will be made to uphold. The so-called "educational" pictures which have thus far appeared on our screens represent sporadic efforts which have nothing in common with the broad, comprehensive scope of the new undertaking, which is the pioneer effort for systematic series of pedagogical films, in logical sequence, for class room use." "Practically every subject of the school curricula from the primary grades to the University are to be visualized, not only such subjects as history, geography, nature study, physics, geology, biology, chemistry and agriculture, which obviously lend themselves to graphic picturization, but such subjects as accounting and mathematics, which, contrary to general impressions, are admirably suited to screen presentation! "While these series of films are intended primarily for use in connec tion with the texts which they parallel, they will be so designed that they can be used independently if desired. "Authorities state that 80 per cent, of human knowledge is received through the eye and that the great majority of people are "eye-minded" rather than "ear-minded," that is, remember by visual images rather than by memory of sounds.. Geography and history are to many pupils the Dictures in their school books or the mental images which they create. If the same lessons are supplemented by pictures of the entire subjects in motion, the impressions will be many times as strong and lasting. These films are not intended in any way to replace the text or take the place of effort on the part of the pupil, so necessary to mental training, but they will make the effort more pleasant, its effort more lasting and the knowledge acquired by a certain mental effect much wider. Since this project was publicly announced I have received thousands of letters from educators in all parts of the country warmly commending the plan. It is the concensus of opinion of leaders in education that the project is the longest step forward for the development of education in modern times." real reason for the ghastly hue in his complexion. The Company, which is travelling under the control of Mr. Henry McRae, director-general of the Pacific Coast Universal Film Manufacturing Co., had, said Mr. Harris, been struck with the exceedingly hearty welcome which they had received at the hands of the people of Shanghai and the facilities that had been extended to them of making their pictures, particularly at the Race Course. NONE TOO SMALL. Universal Film Exchanges, Oklahoma City. I would like to say that the town or theatre never gets too small to show "The Heart of Humanity" or any one of Dorothy Phillips' grreat pictures. I would like you to send me her pictures when possible. C. L. ABER, Mgr. Mince Theatre, Mince, Okla. A Bit of Publicity from Far Away China (Continued from page 18) for popular-priced entertainments for the masses. It is now no uncommon thing for the first night of a new film to be looked forward to with quite as much interest as a new production of grand opera. Speaking as an actor, Mr. Harris found that the two styles of work were vastly different. The absence of lines which to make effect forced the artistes to fall back upon attitude, gesture and expression to a much greater extent until a really clever artiste can convey a message even by the "expression of his back." A Cure for Jaundice Mr. Hams also spoke of a certain amount of difficulty in acting in the open streets, the impossibility of always getting a crowd to behave as if nothing unusual were toward and the many distractions that even the artistes themselves found in the crowds. Apropos of this he told an excellent story of an incident which occurred to him in Seattle. It will be remembered that in order to obtain the best results in photography the artistes make up with a yellowish grease paint and in some studios they actually wear canary yellow collars and shirts. Just before leaving Seattle, they were making ready to go out for a picture and he was waiting alone for his companions in a motor-car ready made up for his work. On the side walk stood an old lady who regarded him commiseratingly for a while and then timorously coming forward, remarked to him "I know you are a very sick man. I know of a wonderful doctor down in Tacoma and he cured me of Jaundice in three months." The old lady was considerably confused when Mr. Harris explained the