Reel and Slide (Jan-Sep 1919)

14 REEL and SLIDE Mothers' Congress Film Shows Aid Charity and Entertain Children By George T. Mason (Chairman Children's Theater, Rhode Island Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Association) THROUGH the generosity of the management of the Strand Theater at Providence the Rhode Island Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Association has conducted moving picture shows Saturday mornings from November to Easter. The films are carefully selected from lists of films for children and censored by a committee from the congress. Matrons and ushers are also congress members, and mothers find our theater a convenient place to leave their little ones while they do their shopping. Every five weeks we have a benefit for some worthy organization. Our program includes a comedy, a Burton Holmes travelogue and the news weekly, besides the feature film. We have a very good attendance and at our benefits standing room is generally the order. During the past year, on account of the abnormal conditions caused by the war, an extra demand was made on the resources of the congress, and we were enabled through the income derived from the Children's Theater to assist the following worthy causes : Pre-natal, Well and Sick Baby Clinics, conducted by the congress; War Camp Library Fund, Junior Red Cross and the Armington Memorial Fresh Air Fund, also to meet our own current expenses. A benefit at which "the Blue Bird" was presented furnished funds for the rental of the Benjamin Chapin Son of Democracy series for the seven schools of Providence which have moving picture machines. This year at one benefit about $1,800 was raised for the Red Cross Canteen, and on February 2 another is to be given for the Red Cross Motor Corps. We consider ourselves very fortunate in having such generous assistance and cooperation as that furnished by Charles H. Williams, manager of the Strand Theater, and our inspector of amusements, Sergeant Richard H. Gamble. We wish it were possible for the Congress of Mothers in every state to have a like opportunity. Handling the Problem of Juvenile Films in the Orient (Continued from foregoing page.) may be prone to accentuate geographical differences in certain matters." Let us think clearly. The cinema is here and is likely to remain. To attempt to suppress it is absolutely out of question. Pronounced effect on the nature of children is being produced by it. They are becoming more easily excited. They are fonder of visual ways of learning. They have a wider range of interest. They are immensely fond of moving pictures, whose educative power has been admitted to be considerable by distinguished educationists all over the world. In India at present the cinematograph is not producing the best effects because no selection is made in exhibiting films to children, no healthy limit is put to the length or frequency of children's visits to these shows, no big attempt has yet been made to utilize the cinematograph as befits its powers. We must therefore tackle the problem from two directions, negative' and positive. We need to select suitable films for children and to safeguard their health in enjoying these films. We need to encourage the production of and to use films of direct educational value. Mr. H. Sharp, Indian commissioner for education, was good to inform us that the initiative in this matter would rest with the local governments to whose attention he brought a brief outline of our ccheme. Each local government should appoint a cinematograph committee. The members of the committee should consist of distinguished educationists, headmasters, parents and social workers of the province. The work of the committee would be twofold, negative and positive. The negative work will consists of (a) examining all cinema films sent to be displayed in the cinema theaters of the province; (b) choosing from all these films those which, if they entertained, would give wholesome entertainment, and if they instructed, would give useful instruction ; (c) seek powers to limit the duration of cinema performances for children. The positive work would consist of : (a) Arranging for cinema performances suitable for children; (b) keeping a stock of approved films at headquarters so as to be able to use them again and again where required ; (c) drawing up a list of suitable films so that the cinematograph trade will know on what lines to proceed with future productions. Making Motion Pictures Pay the Expense of Social Welfare Work By Warren M. Covill (Member Affiliated Committees for Better Films) SOCIAL workers, let's be real daring! Let's go into business! Let's finance our welfare work and abandon in part the old heart-breaking plan of private solicitation ! Let's let all the people help in paying for the needy! "Fine," you say, "but how will you do it?" My solution is simple. Regular motion picture entertainments daily, semi-weekly, or weekly, high grade, thoroughly entertaining and wholesome, with the understanding spread broadcast through the town that all the profits will go for some charity. How can that combination help interesting the typical American? The returns from a bright first class entertainment of selected pictures will bring enough to keep any ordinary organization in funds. Think of the wealth of material, the special benefits which can be held, the local talent which can be drawn in, and then take off your coat and go to work. Here is a church in the country town that wants funds for a new Bible, pulpit furniture, new seats ; funds for a new roof, fresh paint and an increase in the minister's pay, hymn books, coal, or a Sunday school visitor. You know how hard the money comes by social suppers, socials, contributions or house to house begging. All the while the Sunday school room is idle during the week, and the town hall is used so seldom that the air becomes musty. All the while the townspeople are spending money for some form of entertainment. There is no motion picture entertainment in the town to draw together the people, even on Saturday nights. Some of them drive fifteen miles in their autos to find the pleasure they crave in the nearest large town. Why not use regularly some hall which will accommodate the town people and the farmers near by, and let them enjoy a thoroughly pleasant evening while thev pay for the church upholstery and the bell? Opposition Not Insurmountable "But," some of you say, "the commercial exhibitors in our town have captured the field!" I am not so sure of that. They may have drawn part of the people, but there is room for one more, especially if the show is as good and you let it be known that all the profits are going into a town hospital, tuberculosis work or for the Boy Scouts. Let me tell you something! The Kips Bay Association on the East Side of New York is partly financed by a motion picture show. The Y. M. C. A. in Coatesville, Pa., is not complaining about the income derived from their regular motion picture house. Each summer at Mt. Tabor, N. J., Mrs. W. C. Cudlipp and her playground committee have entertained a Methodist group and raised sufficient funds for the maintenance of this playground of the association. Don't you know that a large part of the expenses of many of the city Y. M. C. A.s are met by the rental of rooms and the service of meals like a wise and up-to-date boarding house keeper? If they can reduce the amount requested of the public in this way, why can't you with motion pictures? Then there are the people who have cooperated with the regular exhibitor, leaving him the field for most of the year for his own profits. They have raised the money they need by special benefits. The committee in Providence, R. I., showing pictures regularly for young people on Saturday mornings in the Strand Theater has helped the exhibitor draw crowds each week, but they have an understanding that on the fifth week the money will come to them. One benefit raised $1,800 for a Red Cross canteen. Notable Example In New Haven A church in Colorado raised more than enough to put a new roof on its building by working out a plan with the nearby motion picture exhibitor to increase his theater patronage. In New Haven, Conn., the motion picture men agreed, during the war, to contribute to the mayor funds which were made up of their net profits from Sunday night performances. Mayor Fitzgerald announced recently that nearly $20,000 had been divided by him among the Girls' Patriotic League, Red Cross Civilian Relief, Babies' Welfare, Civic Federation and about fifteen other philanthropic war agencies. You see that money can be made even with local benefit shows. Please tell me why the Chautauqua, Redpath agents, concert tours and lecture courses should come into town and organize courses and programs and make money and then take that money away from the town? It is perfectly plain that a committee of the whole town could obtain a splendid and highly patronized entertainment for the town's own benefit and keep the money in the town for the public welfare.