Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

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REEL and SLIDE 15 Films, and Commercial "Extension United Shoe Machinery Company Circuits Reels on Factory Processes Educational System Akin to Operation of State University Extension Plan yy By J. F. O'Connell {Publicity Director, United Shoe Machinery Company) [HAT it is peculiarly the function of the big industrial enterprise to engage in educational work, relative to, but not always profitable to its industry, is the actuating motive of the United Shoe Machinery Company in filming the educational reels distributed by them. In a measure, the national industrial enterprise owes much to the community and its relationship is becoming more and more that of the State University to the general public, as regards what is termed "extension" work. In moving pictures, the industrial enterprise finds the ideal medium for going beyond the more or less narrow confines of the trade itself and doing its bit to keep informed the public upon which it depends for support. Commonly, this is called advertising. Yet, it is difficult to effectively carry out such an educational project without acquiring some slight taint in this direction, though our films certainly are not really advertising films and cannot directly sell our product for us. This is proven alone in the fact that our film has a sufficiently broad appeal to interest shoe men as well as the general public and the demand for it in educational institutions is a fairly good criterion of its educational value. Company Makes Experiments The United Shoe Machinery Corporation of Boston was one of the very first business organizations in the United States to recognize the value of moving pictures in educating the public in the manufacture of a universally used article — shoes. The corporation has since its first attempt at depicting the manufacture of shoes on the screen, made several films and in each instance improvements were made over the earlier ones, until to-day "The Making of a Shoe," its most widely used film, is considered one of the best and most comprehensive films in the commercial and educational world. The first object of producing the films was to educate the public m the intricate operations which go into the making of an ordinary Goodyear welt shoe. In the manufacture of a shoe there are 174 machines, and with additional handlings the operations total 210. To show the entire manufacture of a shoe it would take several reels. To cut down and show only the essential operations and yet not lose the continunty of manufacture was one of the difficult problems which confronted the corporation in its initial efforts. Finally, this object was achieved and to-day the films show about 40 of the principal operations, mostly machines, and the effect desired is very successfully achieved. The early filrris were produced in the sunlight on a turntable, but that was before indoor cinematography became the exact sci ence it is to-day. The most recent films were taken under actual working conditions with artificial light with distant and "close-up" views. In the pictures will be found exactness and precision which is almost equal to seeing the very machines themselves in their various operations. Requests Pour in Immediately Because of the many intricate machines and the smallness of the important working parts, many of the pictures had to be taken several times before satisfactory results were obtained. Finally, 2,000 feet of film were successfully produced in one of America's best and most modern shoe factories. Upon the completion of the films, and after the first exhibition, requests began to pour in from all parts of the country, asking for exhibitions before trade organizations, colleges and schools. For several years now these films (there are at present several duplicate sets) have been traveling about the country. Because of the universal use of shoes it is easy to imagine that every man, woman and child desires some knowledge of their manufacture, and this conclusion was arrived at by the United Shoe Machinery Corporation, and has been proved beyond the shadow of a doubt. The films have been shown in almost every large city and town in America, every college and university of any size and in thousands of high schools and preparatory schools. Shoe trade organizations scarcely ever hold a convention or meeting of any size, but "The Making of a Shoe" films are considered an essential part of the program. Its educational value to men in the shoe trade is beyond question, as it saves a trip to the shoe factory and on the whole a more comprehensive knowledge is gained because of the proper succession of operations under the most modern methods. The films are distributed from the Boston office of the company under the supervision of the Publicity Department which handles all requests for exhibitions. The company often furnishes lecturers with the films and the combination has proved most successful from the very beginning. Considering what we set out to achieve in the production and distribution of our films, we have found them to be a success. But, in order to effectvely utilize this medium, a definite policy is essential and a definite goal required. Scene from reel depicting fine dairy cattle produced for Orchard Lake Farm, Kentland, Indiana, by Atlas Educational Film Co. Buffalo Schools to Combine Lantern Slides and Specimens in Teaching LANTERN slides on architecture, art, classics, science, school life and other subjects will illustrate lectures in the Buffalo schools under a new plan. Of especial interest will be the exhibit? of various kinds of natural products in all stages of their development, domestic woods, rubber, camphor, cork, waxes, oils, medicinal plants and materials for tanning and dyeing. Another exhibit is devoted to clothing and shelter, under which are shown the various animal and vegetable fibers of the world and the fabrics made from them. There is nothing in the loan collections which cannot be used in direct connection with the work of the schools. They contain no curiosities nor abnormalities, no freaks of nature. The material is not shown to the children simply as new or extraordinary things to satisfy their curiosity, but to educate them. The specimens of mammals, birds, insects, minerals, the natural and manufactured products of a country, in geography, for instance, are placed before the children to verify what they themselves have discovered through their own observation and reasoning as ta the animal and vegetable life, the soil products and the occupations of the people. The objects are handled, observed, studied, compared with each other and with those which have been considered in connection with other countries and generally discussed. The children determine how the products before them affect the life of the people, their industries and commerce, their intercourse with other nations and other aspects. In many schools each child takes up one of the articles, gathers all the information he can get regarding it and discusses it with his class. A moving picture machine will be used at the school by Mr. Pease to illustrate his lectures on nature subjects. There is also a large moving picture machine in the basement of the library building. .