Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

400 California Wars On Motor Fatalities Aroused by the tale of death from automobile accidents, California motorists have enlisted the aid of the movie in an effort to impress safety lessons. The hairbreath escapes at railroad crossings — the chance that did not end so luckily — the hazards taken on mountain roads and in, the very heart of the city's traffic, and the fatal consequences to many of these hazards are all shown in this picture, "Carelessness, the National Enemy," a San Franciscomade picture being shown by the State Automobile Association's public safety department. Throughout Northern and Central California this picture sounds the warning that is the keynote of the organization's safety campaign. The locale of the picture is familiar to every San Francisco autoist. Twin Peaks and the Coast road to Half Moon Bay; San Francisco business streets and about the bay scenes make every driver realize that the accident pictured might have happened to him, by a trick of chance. Titles and pictures furnish one of the most telling lectures on the right and wrong way of operating automobiles that has ever been released. Every foot of film is a lesson — every driver will handle the wheel more carefully after seeing this picture. Two cars plunge over a 600foot cliff on the Half Moon Bay road. Another makes an 800-foot slide from the summit of Twin Peaks. The Automobile Association will have the picture shown in all cities of the State where this subject is receiving public attention because of the number of arrests, accidents and deaths. It is part of their campaign to cut down the total of 1,364 lives claimed in California last year in traffic tragedies. In 20 years the critics will refer to many motion pictures now being made as great art. VISUAL EDUCATION Some Things Are Right With Movies By Marshall Neilan At a time when many persons seem to be trying to discover "What's Wrong With the Movies," it seems well to point out, for their education, something of "What's Right With the Movies": No other art has advanced as fast as the photoplay — it has had practically 15 short years of life. Criticism of pictures always overlooks their youth. The proportion of artistic pictures is greater than the proportion of artistic novels. Criticism runs in waves, and now the waves are breaking against the motion picture. Motion pictures are not made for one class alone — they must be all embracing. Pictures have just passed a period of groping, as occurs in the beginning of all arts, and are now starting toward a goal with full and confident strides. The motion picture is really the first of the democratic arts. Where, in all history of arts, has any new art risen in such heights as the motion picture in 15 years? There are, in proportion, more pictures among the estimated 800 features produced each year in America that have a speaking acquaintance with art, than there are of the 5,000 novels published yearly in America. In 2,000 years there has appeared but one Shakespeare. A king or a president is readily replaced, a great artist never. And yet, pictures have produced Chaplin, Pickford, Ray, Negri and Chaney. These people are great artists in their own medium. The greatest of the art of literature is being produced for the screen — witness, "Oliver Twist," "The Christian," "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," "The Magic Skin," "The Prisoner of Zenda," "The Covered Wagon," and "Ben Hur." November, 1924 A Valuable New Visual Aid One of the most interesting and important contributions to visual education is the development of the new Trans-Lux Opaque Projector. This projector, in conjunction with the wellknown Trans-Lux Daylight Picture Screen, makes it possible for the teacher in any semi-lighted classroom to show ANY picture material, such as newspaper cuttings, a magazine or text book pages, photographs or post cards. The optics of this new equipment an of a high degree of perfection. The lens used is of such precise optical correction that it is in reality equal to the finest photographic anastigmat made. This means that such material as line diagrams or maps are reproduced and projected with perfect definition, there being no aberration at any part of the screen. One of the greatest drawbacks in oldstyle opaque projectors, has been the discomfort experienced from their becoming very hot after they have been in use for fifteen or twenty minutes. Furthermore, it was not at all uncommon to find that a favorite picture had become somewhat scorched if it had been left in the projector for more than a minute or two. With the new TransLux Opaque Projector this difficulty is completely overcome by a very ingenious mechanical construction, plus the use of a suction blower which is built into the projector. Actual thermometer tests show that a printed page or a photograph may be left safely in this new projector indefinitely. The projector has also been tested with the lights on for a period of eight hours continuously, and it has been found that the back remains comfortable to handle even though the room and projector may be considerably in excess of the usual 70-degrees. This entire equipment has been worked Out very successfully, and many of the leading educators have pronounced this a most valuable contribution to visual education. CHARACTER ANALYSIS That subtle something that turns FAILURE INTO SUCCESS Is graphically and simply explained, in a very complete and practical way, in a handy book, profusely illustrated, and written by a Master Character Analyst and Sales Expert. Sent to any address, postpaid for ONLY TWO DOLLARS ($2.00) THE KIPPING INSTITUTE {Incorporated) 206 East Monroe Street Springfield, Illinois