Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

April, 192 3 109 fessionals — music, comedy films, scenics, news weeklies, and occasionally a popular feature picture are added to the program; but always the spirit of safety is kept uppermost in the minds of the audience. When a Railroad Visualizes Safety Lessons The New York Central Railroad Company is one of the strongest advocates of the motion picture in safety education. Four excellent safety films written by Marcus A. Dow, President of the National Safety Council and until recently General Safety Agent of the New York Central Railroad, have been produced by the road and shown not only to the thousands of Central employees but to workers in many other industries as well. In the principal cities where the road operates terminals, safety rallies are held at least once a year. For such meetings the largest theater available is secured and all employees and their families are invited to attend. On a recent tour, when a series of rallies attended by approximately 75,000 persons was held at thirty-one different cities in as many days, a sevenpiece professional orchestra, a quartet and a well-known vaudeville entertainer were carried in addition to the movie equipment. When it is impossible to get the workman to a theater, the Central takes the theater to him. A number of cars have been equipped with screens and projectors and the seats rearranged to accommodate eighty persons. The car is hauled to a siding and shop men and switching crews are invited to the "show." The safety agent in charge delivers a five-minute safety talk preceding the film. As many showings are given as can be crowded into the day, the number depending upon the location and the number of employees to be reached. Frequently the meetings run as high as eight or ten a day. "We find that our motion pictures have greatly increased the interest in safety on this railroad," Mr. Dow declares. "Employees talk about the films for days afterward. If well staged, a film is the very best kind of medium for teaching the safety lesson. Our four pictures tell dramatic stories with interesting plots, and they are as realistic and perfect as good professional acting and direction could make them. For this reason they have proved a tremendous drawing card. During the recent thirty-one day tour we turned away hundreds at almost every city." Teaching Accident Prevention "We are enthusiastic believers in the motion picture as a part of accident prevention work," says C. E. Pettibone, Vice-President of the American Mutual Liability Insurance Company, "but we feel that it is only one of the things which should be done ; that it is not useful alone, and that its value depends a great deal upon the situation in the plant. The films should not be shown to workmen until the full co-operation of the management has been secured. Once you have the heads thoroughly sold on the idea, the motion picture makes a powerful appeal." More than 18,000 workmen viewed films sent out by this company last year. Evening meetings were held wherever it was possible to assemble the employees of several concerns at one time. Three films have been produced by the Carnegie Steel Company, all of which have found high favor with employees. "The picture which gets the best results is one on an industrial topic with a strong human appeal," says John A. Oartel, Chief of the Safety Bureau. "We have used one film for a number of years and it never seems to lose its force. I have seen people shed tears over it time and again." This company not only holds department rallies on company time, either just before or after the noon period, but puts on special meetings for employees and their families in various mill towns and outdoor picture shows at the children's playgrounds, at these two latter programs the safety pictures being supplemented by music and vaudeville. Improving the Accident Record The Liberty Mutual Insurance Company has produced two pictures which are being widely shown to employees of its clients. These films are carried by the company's field representatives, who arrange for evening meetings in some theater or other central auditorium nnd advertise the event several davs in advance. When FORD EMPLOYEES RECEIVING A LESSON ON EYE ACCIDENT PREVENTION The Ford Motor Company is one of many big industrial firms that maintain their own movie theaters, where safety pictures are shown every day in the week, immediately following the day shift. Each day tickets are distributed in a different department, two weeks being necessary to make the rounds of the 46,000 employees.