See and hear : the journal on audio-visual learning (1945)

Penn State Production BORN OF NEEDS IN WAR — MATURING IN PEACETIME SERVICE by Irving C. Boerlin and Frank S. Neusbaum II \\ ASN'T EA.S\ I III iiiuix' \va\s than oik' iliis i.iii l)c' said inilhliilh. Clom iiu iiii; aclmiiiislialhc ollicials tliat SKI. (lot* slioiiUl be imiNiccI in l)asit eqiiipiiicnt and buikling alterations lor a studio, necessary for Kimm sound motion picture production, was a hit of a task: conviiuins; goMrniiiciu officials of the Engineering Defense Training I'rograni in Washington was an even bigger one. But "the pressure was on", our country was on the verge of war in October of 1941, and thi' lolleges and uni\ersity extension divisions had been called on "to deliver" in a hurr\ in the training of tliousands of persons for industrial production. Penn State Extension Services trained 17,500 students during this first program (Jan. 1, 1941 to June 30, 1942) and including tfie Engineering Science and Management War Training progiani that followed from July 1, 1942 to June 30. 1945. a total of over 140,000 students were enrolled under the Penn State program covering 242 different comnuinities in the state of Pennsylvania. .■\udio-visuaI materials were used extensively in this Penn State program to improve and accelerate instruction in extension classes, so the production of needed sound moiioii pictures was a logical move. Hv November oi I'JIl, the job of Dying to obtain the necessarv e(|uipiiieiit started, and the task fill to Irving liociliii. who was llie Supervisor ol .\udio-Visiial Aids and the pi oiiioiion man l)rhiiKl I lie production idea. Materials wen ligliieiiing up for ]K)ssible war, and after Dec. 7, 1911 the battle was on. The last BerndtMaurer professional camera and double sound recording svsiem was obtained from that (oiiipanv just before ii went into lOO''^, Navy production, and priorities became complex and elusive. New York siotks |)roiluced several "deuces" and baby keg lights, a dolly, and various other items. Navv-rejected newsreel lights were located in Hollywood, and after some despairing moments, production equipment was (inally jnirchased. Figuratively babes in arms in the production game, a three man staff took over consisting of a director (later deceased) , camera man and sound technician, all of them "doubling in brass". Satisfactory space was located fortunately under a local theater away from street noises, and a studio, thirty by forty feet, with a thirteen foot ceiling at one end was built. Two sound proof booths were added at the other end for projecting and recording, and monk's cloth hangings over Celotex walls, and theater rock wool blanket over the ( C O N T I N U !•■. D ON THE F O L 1. O VV I .NI G PAGE) AUDIO-VISUAL UTILIZATION STANDARDS a. To make motion pictures available for classroom use one situation out of five. 1:5 I). To make slide films or 2"x2" slides available for classroom use one situation out of five. 1:5 c. To provide for the making of motion pictures in terms of school needs; i.e., depicting local school activities. d. To allow for one school trip per teacher per class per semester, or 2 per year. c. To make 3i4"x4" glass slides available for classroom use one situation out of twenty. 1:20 f. To provide for and make 2"x2" slides of locally sig nificant material. g. To use radio once in five situations. 1:5 h. To provide recordings and transcriptions for use once in five situations. 1:5 i. To provide for use of opaque projector and materials once in twentv situations. 1:20 j. To allow for the making of recordings and transcriptions of local significance. k. To provide exhibit, museum material for week's availability to a class. (5 days), 1:30 I. To make turntable available for use of 1:5 teachers. m. To make all materials readily available and accessible with the least effort and lo.ss of time on the pare of the teacher. II. To produce materials not elsewhere available. o. To provide the teacher with all assistance necessary in the effective use of these materials. p. To evaluate the program t()ward constant improvement and utility. q. To jjerinit ma.ss audience a.ssemblies with proper control of sound. r. To allow for administrative contact with all schools for general information and direction. ' Fidin lilt' Sl)f<inl Sic i Hciir Siin'f\ by C. H. Tnhlir. A ii<lio-l'i\uul Diinla). \l,i.yull<iii iOliiii) Srliniih. BY SEE & HEAR 9A