Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

22 REEL and SLIDE Films and Slides Make Patriots of Foreigners By M. R. Gabbert (Industrial Secretary, South Chicago Y. M. C. A.) THE community in which the South Chicago Department of the Young Men's Christian Association of Chicago is located makes it almost a necessity to use motion pictures and stereopticon slides. South Chicago is a great industrial communit}-. Its chief products are iron and steel. Its workers are drawn from every state in Europe. Many of them have learned to speak English, and have taken out their naturalization papers, but a very large number do not speak English at all, and others speak it only very poorh'. The number who have not taken out their citizenship papers may be indicated by stating that within a year the Department has helped more than twelve hundred through their declaration of intention. Reach Foreign Population The Young Men's Christian Association has for a long time been teaching English to the immigrants. This work has been done in all the centers of foreign population. Through the close relations which exist between the South Chicago Department and the industries in the district, we are putting a great deal of emphasis on the need of learning the language. This is only one phase of the problem of interpreting America to the immigrant and the immigrant to America. It is neces sary to take measures looking to a more adequate adjustment of the immigrant and his family to the conditions which he finds in his new home. The conditions growing out of our entrance into the war have made it necessary to reach these large numbers of men who have not been Americanized by methods more immediate and direct than those that we had used under less pressing circumstances. Outline of the Program We have had to help them learn the language of America, to provide some social and recreational program which the increased demands on nervous and physical energy made imperative; and, above all, to help them develop a feeling of real patriotism for America in times which demand great sacrifices. In such a program, the motion picture and stereopticon have an important place. The story of our national life can be told much more effectively in that way than in any other, particularly in cases where the matter of language has to be considered. We have been having motion picture and stereopticon lecture programs on themes from American History. A series of programs on the general subject, "The Traditions of America," was given beginning the first of 1918, in the public park auditoriums of our district. The subjects of the series were: The Settlement of America, Independence, Development of a National Consciousness, Material Development of America, World Recognition, World Leadership, American Achievements. Better Films Idea Spreading DESPITE the war, the Better Films Movement continues to progress. In the course of the last two months, the number of committees interested in the movement, which have affiliated with the National Committee for Better Films, has increased to 121. Nearly every State in the Union is represented. One State, Missouri, has 13 affiliated committees. California, New York, Ohio, and South Dakota each have 5 or more committees, and Massachusetts, Ken tucky, Illinois, and Michigan are tied for fourth place in the list. Among the organizations which are represented are women's clubs, mothers' congresses, parent-teacher association, principals and teachers of schools, etc. One of the most interesting of these is the Cleveland Cinema Club, a large organization of men and women which is giving a great deal of attention in the constructive development of motion pictures of fine quality. This club has a marked influence upon the exhibitions of motion pictures in the Ohio city. miiniiiiiniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniinniiiiiiiiiiinnimiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiini^^ SCREEN LECTURES Something new in slides telling the whole story FILM LECTURES Motion pictures which will give 100% advertising We specialize in producing Scientific, Welfare, Safety and Propaganda films and lantern slide lecture sets. We will compete in technique with any producer and deliver only the best / FILMGRAPHS-Educationals PRODUCING I PICTUREPOEMS-Vizualized Poetry Novel and Original) FUNNYGRAPHS-Original Comedies Subjects J JOKERGRAPHS— Original Comedies POPULAR SCIENCE SCREENGRAPHS — Scientific Educationals FILMGRAPHS, Inc. Operated by the Lessor, J. Frank Martin, D*J.|. L 1. D 981A Union Arcade, i ItlSDUrgn^ 1 81. Please say, "As advertised in REEL and SLIDE," when you write to advertisers.