Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

370 VISUAL EDUCATION November, 1924 The Scenario Contest iimnum i uiimiiiin iiiiuiiNMiiinmilii! IIIIIINIMH iniillllin V ISUAL EDUCATION'S Scenario Contest, conducted during last winter and spring produced some real thrills. The Contest was arranged to bring out as far as possible the most advanced ideas of those who are using films in teaching, and of those who are interested in such work, as to what subjects and what types of films they desire to have developed in the future. The original date for closing the Contest was February 1 5th, 1 924, but there was so much interest shown on the part of subscribers who felt that they could not prepare properly in the short time allowed, that the time was extended until May 1 5th. The Contest was open to all subscribers, and hundreds of scenarios were submitted. The range of subjects and treatment of the scenarios sent in was very wide, as the following were the only requirements: (1) SUBJECT — Any usually taught in Elementary or High Schools. (2) LENGTH — One reel, i. e., about 25 to 30 scenes, requiring not imore than 15 minutes to project. (3) TITLES for scenes. (4) TIME LIMIT — All copy to be typewritten and mailed on or before May 15, 1924. (5) ELIGIBILITY— Every subscriber to the magazine "VISUAL EDUCATION", eligible to enter contest. The Judges were: Miss A. Loretto Clarke, Supervisor of Visual Instruction, Los Angeles Public Schools. Prof. Frank N. Freeman, University of Chicago. Prof. F. Dean McClusky, University of Illinois. Prof. Forest Ray Moulton, University of Chicago. Prof. Joseph J. Weber, Visual Instruction Dept., University of Arkansas. E. U. Graff, Supt. of Schools, Indianapolis, Ind. Pres. W. W. Atwood, Clark University. After the Contest closed the first step was to read all the hundreds of scenarios to eliminate those which did not meet the first requirement. Strange to say there were scores of them, many being sex triangles or melodramas. The next step was to divide the mass of remaining scenarios among the judges for reading, and to keep the manuscripts circulating from judge to judge without any more delay than was made necessary by the movements of the judges about the country due to their special summer activities. Packages were sent first class mail, special delivery, and in several cases were rushed through by aeroplane. In spite of every effort by the judges, the results of the Contest missed publication in the October issue of VISUAL EDUCATION. The scenario winning the first prize will be filmed and made available to the schools by THE SOCIETY FOR VISUAL EDUCATION, the first organization primarily and continuously engaged in the effort to develop the motion picture into a true aid in the education of both the youths and the adults of our country. The Society is composed of hundreds of teachers, educational leaders, scientists, research workers and industrial leaders, throughout the United States and to some extent abroad, and there have been many inquiries as to the progress of the Contest in providing new and good material for school use. To those who have read the scenarios submitted, it is a matter of regret that there were not many more prizes available, as the interest and merit of a large number of the scenarios is high. The list of prize winners appears on the next page. Synopses of their scenarios will be published from time to time.