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CONTENTS 


The  Use  of  Lantern  Slides  in  Teaching 
Traffic  Safety 

An  Evaluation  of  Motion  Picture  Films  for 
Classroom  Use  in  Biology 

Some  Common  Causes  of  Damage 
to  Slides  and  Films 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a    Year  • 


JANUARY 


1936 


•.."r:  •••:      ■••  .'.  •••2 


'    **    * 


Schools/'fioUeqes  and  Churches 


Equipped  with 


TRADE  MARK   REC'O. 


PROJECTORS 

Secure  Professional  Sound  and 

Visual  Projection 


All  <3fe^^^r  Projectors  are  Made 
to  One  High  Standard 

The  products  of  our  company  are  used  in  thousands 
of  theatres  and  by  public  and  private  institutions 
throughout  the  world  requiring  superior  results.  Pro- 
fessional sound  and  visual  projection  demands  a 
thorough  understanding  of  materials  and  precision 
workmanship.  Every  part  manufactured  by  us  for 
our  35  mm.  projectors  is  made  to  meet  the  highest 
professional  requirements.    ^»ri#dic5.i 

Only  Manufacturers  in  the  World  Making  a  Complete  Line  of  35  nnm.  Projectors 

INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATION 

88-96  GOLD  STREET  Mr     JO    'Jf  ^^"^  ^^^^'  ^-  ^^ 


Teacher's  Litrary 


December,  1936 


Page  327 


ndex  to  Volume  XV  (1936) 


FORMAL  ARTICLES 

{Arrfiii'iril  Al/ilifih  iiralhf   by  Authors) 

No.      Page 

Anderson,   C.   J.,    Some    Unsolved    Problems    in   the    Develop- 
ment  of   Visual   Education Mar.        73 

Auffhinbaugk,    B.    A.,    Some    Common    Causes   of    Damage    to 

Slides   and   Films    Jan.         10 

Baker,  ilrlhur  O.,  The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction.  .Apr.      107 
BeltH,  Kjiimell  Albrrl,  Vi.'-ual  Aids  in   Itemedial  Reading....  108 

BosUy,  Donald  It.,  Tlie  Opaque  Projector  Applied  to  Written 

Composition   Work    Feb.         42 

Bryan.  Arthur  11.,  Student  Choice  of  Methods  of  Instruction 

in    Biology     Oct.       243 

Burdick,  U.  O.,  Increasing  the  Use  of  Film  Slides Sept.      20B 

CoHirr,    Bobert    Jr.,    "The    Rebel    Rangers"    on    School    Jour- 
neys     May       140 

Dale,    kdiiar.    The    .-Vmerican    Film    Institute Mar.         79 

DeValda,  F.   IV.,  Visual  Education  "Gets  Going"  in  England. Nov.       276 
Doaiic,   boiiold   v.,    What    Makes   a   (Jood   Educational   Film? 
(IJ    Summary    of    Results    of     Experimental    Studies    of 

Educational   Motion   Pictures    Sept.      203 

(II)    Criticisms    of    Educational    Films Oct.       239 

(III)    An  Analysis  of  the  Choices  of  Teachers Nov.      271 

(IV)    Check  List  for  Evaluation  of  Educational  Films ...  Dec.       305 
Dunn,  Fannie   W.,  and  Schneider,  Etta,  Practices  in  City  Ad- 
ministration of  Visual  PMucation Nov.  269,  Dec.       301 

Gramet,     Charles    A.,    Methodology    of    the    Motion    Picture 

Lesson   Dec.       304 

Greene,    Wesley,   Foreign   Films  for    Educational   Institutions 

Sept.    211,    Oct.       246 

Gregg,  Russell  T..  Experiences  with  a  State  Cooperative  Film 

Library     Feb.  39 

Halsey,  Joseph  II.,  An  Experiment  in  Geography  Teaching.  .  May      137 
Hamilton.    IT.    J.,    Administrative    Problems    in    Visual    Edu- 
cation      Sept.      208 

Uaitsen,  J.  E.,  The  Silent  Film  in  Teaching   (St.  Louis  Sym- 
posium)     Apr.      Ill 

Hinchley,  L.  C,  An  Evaluation  of  Motion  Picture  Films  for 

Classroom  Use  in  Biology    Jan.  8 

Hoban,  Charles  F.,  Jr.,  The  Place  and  Values  of  Sound  Pic- 
tures in  Teaching   (St.   Louis  Symposium) Apr.      113 

Eooser,  II.  L.,  Suggestions  on  the  Care  of  16mm  Film  and 

Projectors    June      17.t 

Visual    Instruction — -Iowa    State   College Oct.       241 

Krows,  Arthur  Edwin,  A  Quarter-Century  of  Non-Theatrical 

Films     June      169 

MacUarg,  John  B..  Visual  Education  at   Lawrence  College.  .  Nov.       273 

HcClusky,  F.  Dean,  What  Next  in  Visual  Education? Mar.        84 

Noble  Lorraine,  Distribution — An  Aid  to  Visual  Aids June      177 

Perrin.  H.   Ambrose,  Controversial   Problems   in  Visual  Edu- 
cation      Apr.      105 

Pouter,  Leonard.  The  Sound  Film  as  a  Teaching  Aid Mar.        77 

Stack,   Herbert   J.,    Teaching   Safety   through   Visual   Educa- 
tion      Mar.        82 

Thornton,  D.  C,  Why  a  Department  of  Visual  Education  ?..  Feb.         46 

Welter,  O.  Carl,  The  Sacred  Eye Oct.       245 

Williams,   Paul   T.,   A   Visit   to   the   New    England   Capes — A 

Unit  of  Study  in  Economic  Geography May  142,  June      173 

Willis.  E.  F.,  The  Use  of  Lantern  Slides  in  Teaching  Traffic 

Safety     Jan.  5 

Worrell,    F.    Marshall,    Large-Group-Instruction    through    the 

Use  of  Visual  Aids    Feb.         43 

Teager,  William  A.,  Preparing  Teachirs  in  the  Use  of  Visual- 
Sensory  Aids Mar.        74 

THE  CHURCH  FIELD 

(Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Bbadt) 

Yale  Divinity  School  Has  Motion   Picture  Seminar Jan.  11 

Mission  Work  to  be  Dramatized  in  Motion  Pictures 11 

Girls'   Friendly  Society  Outstanding   Example  of  Motion  Pic- 
ture Interest   13 

Film   Activities   among  the   Denominations 11 

A  Young  People's  Church  with  Motion  Pictures Feb.  49 

Y'oung    People's     Group     Makes     E.xperimental    Picture     (by 

Evelyn    S.    Brown) Mar.  88 

"Padre   Sahib"   to  Visit  United   States 88 

A    College    Dramatic    Club    Enters    the    Movies    (by    William 

L.   Rogers)     May  144 

Missions  in  Syria  to  be  Filmed 145 

How  the  Alert  Minister  Can  Use  a  Life  Situation  Picture.  ..Oct.  247 

News   Notes    Nov.  2X7 

NEWS  AND  NOTES 

(Conducted  by  Joski'hine  Hoffman) 

Use  of  Sound  Films  Increasing Jan.  18 

Resolutions   Passed  by  the  Visual  Instruction  Section  of  the 

Ohio   Education   Association    18 

Slides  on  School  Activities    18 

Cleveland   Library  Bookmarks    18 

Photography  Aids  in  Safety  Work 18 

New  Study  Guides  Prepared    20 

New   Jersey   Visual   Education   Activities 20 

Vermont   State   Film   Library    Apr.  117 

Cinema  Workshop  and  Appreciation  League    117 

Visual   Aids   Prominent   in   Exhibit 117 

The  "Ten  Best"  1935  Films   117 

Motion   Pictures    Promote    Peace    May  150 

Visual  Aids  in  New  York  Schools : .  .  . ,  -  150 

Museum   Films    .Showings    ;  .  .  150 

Highlights   of   the    National   Conference   on  Visual   Education 

and  Film   Exhibition    150 

Film  Catalogs    152 


No. 

New   Sound   Slide  Film  Series June 

Showing   of   Teacher-Made   Educational   Films 

Convention  of  Cinema   Appreciation  Group 

Ohio  Motion  Picture  Institute    

A  Report  from  Geneva    

Film- Art    Programs    

SMPE    Spring   Program    

Photographers'   Convention    

Summer  Conferences  on  Visual   Education Sept. 

Visual   Education   as    Commencement   Theme 

A  Visual  Aids  Bibliography    

Critical  Discussion  of  Photoplays  at  NEA  Convention 

Ohio  Visual  Group  Meets    Oct. 

A  Report  from  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Bureau 

New  York  University  Continues  Film  Lectures 

Bird  Songs   Recorded    

Canada   National   Film   Society   Report Nov. 

Traveling  Peace  Film  Units    

New   Film   Directory    

Visual   Education  Courses  at  Boston  University 

Department   of   Agriculture   Film   Strips 

Film  Makes  its   Debut  at  Salzburg 

Chateau    Becomes    Film    Studio 

Progress    in    Florida    I*ec. 

S.  M.  P.  E.  Fall  Convention    

National   Visual   Education    Directory 

Audio-Visual  Education  Activities  at  Teachers  College 

Conferences  on  Visual  Aids    

A   New  Market   for   Photographs 

R.  A.  Wood,  of  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  Retires 

DEPARTMENT  OF  VISUAL  INSTRUCTION 

(Conducted  by  E.  C.  Waqooneb  and  N.  L.  Gbeene) 

The  St.  Louis  Meetings    Jan. 

Program  for  the  Winter  Meeting  at  St.  Louis Feb. 

The  St.  Louis  Meeting Mar. 

"The  DVI  Caravan  "    

No  Meeting   at  Portland    May 

New  Jersey  Visual  Association  Meets    

Massachusetts    Annual   Meeting    

More  about  "No  Meeting  in  Portland" June 

Membership  in  the  Department,  and  Plans  for  Coming  Year. Oct, 
Official    Roster — Paid    Members — Department    of    Visual    In- 
struction     Nov. 

New  Jersey  Visual  Education  Association  Meets Dec. 

FILM  PRODUCTION  IN  THE  EDUCATIONAL  FIELD 

(Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis) 

Introduction   of  New   Department    Jan. 

The    Experience    of    the    College    of    Veterinary    Medicine    at 

Ohio  State  University  in  16mm  Film  Production ......  Feb. 

Common    Problems     Concerning     Equipment     and    Technical 

Data Mar. 

Discussion  of  Factors  in  the  Design  of  16mm  Motion  Picture 

Projectors    Apr. 

Suggestions   for   Amateur   Producers — Type   of   Film  to   Use, 

Exposure  Meters,  Tripods    May 

Common  Errors  in  the  Production  of  Teaching  Films June 

What  to  Look  for  in  Choosing  Projection  Screens  for  Your 

School    

Student  Activities  with  the   Camera Oct. 

Hints  on  Making  Natural  Color  Movies Nov, 

Problems  in  Sound  Film  Production Dec. 

Teaching  Local  History  through  Motion  Pictures 

AMONG  THE  MAGAZINES  AND  BOOKS 

(Conducted  by  Stei,la  Evelyn  Myers) 

Director  Guides  Teachers  in  Use  of  Visual  Aids  (by  E.  Wini- 
fred  Crawford   in  Nation's  Schools) Jan. 

The  Motion  Picture  and  Music  (by  Douglas  Moore  in  Na- 
tional Board  of  Review  Magazine) 

Mickey  vs.  Popeye   (by  William  deUille  in  Xhe  Forum) .... 

Everybody's  Language   (by  Winston  Churchill  in  Collier's)  .  . 

I  Talked  with  Charlie  Chaplin   (by  A.  J.  Urban  in  Intercine) 

A  Unique  Project  in  Map-Making  (by  D.  P.  Lucas  in  Sierra 
Educational   News)     

Films  in  a  Rural  School  (by  A.  S.  C.  Lambon  in  Sight 
and  Sound)    

Symbol  Stories  (by  Mary  Combs  and  Agnes  Lehman  in 
Grade   Teacher)    

Pictures   in   Geography  Textbooks    (by  Irving  R.    Mello   and 

Ivan  R.  Waterman  in  The  Elementary  School  Journal)  .Feb. 

The  Development  and  Use  of  Stereo  Photography  for  Educa- 
tional Purposes  (by  C.  Kennedy  in  Journal  of  the  So- 
ciety  of  Motion  Picture   Engineers) i 

Notes  on  Pabst   (by  Alberto  Mondadori  in  Intercine) 

Fundamentals  of  Visual  Education  (by  J.  Raymond  Hutch- 
inson  in   The   School  Executive) Mar. 

Developments  in  Visual  Education  (by  Eugene  U.  Uerring- 
ton   in   Visual  Education  News) 

Increasing  Motion  Picture  Appreciation  among  Youth  (by 
Elizabeth  Watson  Pollard  in  International  Journal  of 
Religious    Education)     

The  Educational  Film  in  Public  Cinemas  (by  Luis  Gomez 
Mesa  in  Intercine ) 

Recent  Developments  in  Sound  Technique  (by  Basil  Wright 
i  n   Intercine )     

The  How  of  Visual  Education    (by  Byron  O.  Kirby  in   The 

Journal   of   Education)     ;  •  Apr. 

Using  the  Film  in  a  Secondary  School  (by  Houghton  in 
Sight  and  Sound )    


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809 
309 
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810 
319 


17 

51 

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85 

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13 

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90 

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284 
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316 


15 
IS 

15 
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16 

16 

16 

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47 

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87 

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89 

118 

118 


Nage  328 


The  Educational  Screen 


No.      Page 
What   Are    the    Essential    Characteristics   of    an    Educational 

Film?    (by  Mrs.  Kaufman  in  i^ight  and  Sound) Apr.      118 

Manchester  Educational  Experiment  (in  Sight  and  Sound) .  .  118 

Theater  versus  Pictures    (by  Theresa  Helburn  in  Journal  of 

the  American  Association  of   University  Women) 118 

The   Dance  in  the  Motion  Picture    (by  John  Martin  in  Na- 
tional Board   of  Review   Magazine) 119 

The    Audio-Visual   Studio    (by    Max   B.    Brunstetter   in    The 

School    Executive)     May      147 

Motion   Pictures  for  the  Church    (by  Dorothy  Fritach  Bortz 

in    Church    Management) 147 

The   Cartoon  and  the  Tradition  of  Creative  Arts  in  Motion 

Pictures    (by  Jan  Kucera  in  Jntercine) 147 

The   Lantern   and  Slide  as   a   Teaching  Device    (by  EUa  M. 

Probst    in    Educational    Method) 147 

Educational  Audio  Film  Production    (by  D.    V.  Arnspiger), 

Problems  of   Developing  Visual   Education   in   a   School 

System    (by   Claude   Hardy),    Motion    Pictures   and   the 

Social    Sciences    (by    Frederic    M.    Thrasher),     (in    Na- 
tional Board  of  Review  Magazine) 147 

A  Universal  Educator    (by  Anna  Y.   Dorris  in  Sierra  Edu- 
cational  News)     June     179 

The   Motion   Picture   as   a   New   Tool   for   a   New   Education 

(by  Fred  W.  Orth  in  Nebraska  Educational  Journal)  .  .  179 

Why  Visual  Materials   Appeal   in  Science    (by  /.   M.  Stach- 

house    in    Education) 179 

Planning   the   Mathematics   Classroom    (by  Fred  Bedford   in 

The   School  Executive) 179 

The    Program    of    Visual    Education    in     the     Elgin     Public 

Schools   (by  E.  C.   Waggoner  in  The  Illinois  Teacher)  .  .  179 

Projected    Visual    Aids    in    Vocational    Agriculture    in    Iowa 

(by  A,  H.  Hausrath  in  The  School  Review) .  179 

Effective    Use    of    Motion    Pictures    (by   /.    A.    Hollinger   in 

The     Nation's     Schools) 180 

Some  Techniques   in  Microprojection    (by  Frederick  L,   Fitz- 

patrick   in   Science   Education) 180 

Successful    Visualization     (by    Austin    J.    Hotlingsworth    in 

Church  Management)    180 

Puppets   in   the   Library    (by  SUowa  H.   Andrew   in   Wilson 

Bulletin   for    Librarians) Sept.     218 

Building  a  Visual  Education  Program   (by  Harold  C.  Bauer 

in  Minnesota  Journal   of  Education) 218 

The  New  Visual  Culture    (by  Lancelot  Hogben  in  Sight  and 

Sound)     218 

Equipment  for  Teaching  Geography  (by  Vera  E.  Bigdon  and 

Frank  E.  Sorenson  in  The  School  Executive) 218 

Devices  to  Create  Interest  in  Geography   (by  Lucy  M.  Smith 

in  The  Journal  of  Geography) 218 

Cartooning  Finds  a   Place   in  the   Sun    (by  Harriet   Weaver 

in  School  Arts) 218 

Visual  Education  is  Great — What  is  Next!   (by  Pedro  J.  he- 

mos  in  School  Arts) 218 

Amateur     Photoplay    Composition     (by     William    Lewin    in 

Education)     Oct.      250 

Films  in  the  Classroom  (by  Eric  Clayton  Jones  in  the  Educa- 
tion Outlook)    250 

Efficient  Use  of  Visual  Aids  and  Radio  (by  Walter  C.  Martin 

in   The   School   Executive) 250 

The  (Juicksands  of  the  Movies   (by  Qilbert  Seldes  in  Atlantic 

Monthly)      Nov.      278 

The  Camera  in  School   (by  Alexander  B.  Lewis  and  John  A. 

Deady  in  Movie  Makers) 278 

Movies  Aid  Labor   (by  Ralph  M.  Barnes  in  Movie  Makers)  .  .  278 

Discrimination  in  the  Use  of  Movies   (by  Ben  B.  Darrow  in 

The    Education    Digest) 278 

Motion  Pictures  and  Public  Opinion    (by  Alexander  Markey 

in    Vital    Speeches)  ....._ .•  •  •  : ^"^^ 

Progressive   Education — Special   Visual   Education  issue.  .  .  .Dec.      311 
Motion   Pictures  Bring  Life  to  Conferences    (by  Anna  Van- 

dercook  in  International  Journal  of  Religious  Education)  312 

Photoplays   as   an   Aid  to  Education    (by   William   Lewin   in 

The  Instructor)    312 

The  Verbal  Accompaniment  of  the  Educational  Film    (by  /. 

E.  Hansen  in  Journal  of  Experimental  Education) ....  312 

Bear  Projection   (by  Earl  Theisen  in  Movie  Makers) 312 

Radio.    Movies   and  the  Teacher    (by  Paul   G.   Reed  in  New 

York  Stale  Education)    324 

BOOK  REVIEWS 

Third   Dimension  Picture   Books:     Footprint  Series Jan.        16 

The  Administration  of  Visual  Aids  (by  Fannie  W.  Dunn  and 

Etta    Schneider)     Apr.      128 

Materials   of    Instruction    (Eighth    Yearbook   of    the    Depart- 
ment of  Supervisors  and  Directors  of  Instruction) June     180 

A  Motion  Picture  Edition  of  Romeo  and  Juliet Sept.     219 

Teacher    Preparation    in    Visual    Education    (by    Fannie    W. 

Dunn  and  Etta  Schneider) Oct.      250 

Bibliography    on    Visual    Education    (by    Middlesex    County. 

N.  J.,  Supervising  Principals'  Association) 250 

How    to    Judge    Motion    Pictures    and    How    to    Organize    a 

Photoplay  Club    (by  Sarah  McLean  Mullen) 251 

World  Fellowship :    The  Stake  of  the  Church  in  Motion  Pic- 
tures   (by  Rev.    Worth   Tippy),   Motion   Pictures   and  a 

New  Soul  Science    (by  Dr.  Francis  S.  Onderdonk) .  .  .  .Nov.      279 
Values    of    Movies    and    Talkies    in    Education     (by    A.    P. 

Bonis)     Dec.      324 

FILM  ESTIMATES    (full   pace  or  more  in  each  issue) 

CURRENT  FILM  RELEASES 

Boulder  Dam  Films  Now  Available   Free Jan.  28 

Outstanding  Film  Added  to  Blue  List 28 

Horse   Power   in  Action 28 

Two  Free  Sound   Subjects    29 

New   Film-and-Projector    Service    Offered 29 

Motion  Pictures  on  Better  Housing 29 

Winter   Sports  Film  for   Schools 29 

Natural  Science  Series    Feb.  58 

New    Industrial    Subjects    58 

Ethiopia   in   16mm   Film 60 


No. 

School  Films  Prepared  from  Feature  Classics Mar. 

Tate   Animated   Surgical   Films 

Additions  to  Garrison  Library 

Two   New   Industrials    

A  Novel   Sport  Subject    

Shakespeare   Classic   Faithfully  Screened    May 

Sound  Films  on  House  Fly  and  Leaves 

Culver   Issues   New    16mm   Prints 

To  the  South  Seas  with  Pillsbury 

Juvenile  Film  Programs    June 

Syracuse   University   Plans   Film   Production 

Noted  Naturalist  Prepares  Two  New  Films 

Films  for   Summer   Sessions    

16mm  Sound  Film  on  Football Oct. 

Historical    Subject    

China   Series   Timely    

New  Film  Catalog    

The  World  in  Review   Nov. 

1936    Olympics   in   16mm   Sound 

A   New   Industrial   Subject 

Film  on  Progressive  Education    Dec. 

New  Studio  to  Produce  16mm  Films 

New  Industrial  Subjects    

Motion  Picture  Depicts  Prison  Conditions 

SCHOOL  DEPARTMENT 

(Conducted  by  Dr.  F.   Dkan  McClusky) 

Assembly  Programs  with  Pupilmade  Slides  (by  Vivian  Sow- 
ers Rankin)    Jan. 

The  Combination  of  Art  and  Visual  Instruction  (by  Lennice 
C.  Eyraud )    

Visual    Education    in    the    Kindergarten     (by    Margaret    M. 

Brine )      Feb. 

University    Projection    Course     

New   York  Visual    Group   Program 

New  York  University  Continues   Film   Course 

Biology  in  the  Canal  Zone   (by  Theodora  Campbell) Mar. 

Wisconsin    Visual    Instruction    Institute 

A  Report  on  Visual  Aids  (by  the  New  York  State  Associa- 
tion of  Elementary  Principals) 

Lesson  on  the  Canadian  Fur  Trapper — Geography  4B — Us- 
ing American  Museum  Slides  (by  Mrs.  Pauline  A.  Bash- 
kowitz)     Apr. 

Cartoonland   Mysteries — Film   Review    

A  Movie  a  Day   (by  O.  Louise  Randell) May 

Film  Comprehension  Test  (by  Arnold  W  Reitze)  .  .June  188,  Sept. 

Don   Quixote — Film   Review    

The   Use   of   Lantern   Slides   in  Teaching   Biology    (by  J.    G. 

Nelson)     Oct. 

Technical  High  School  Film  in  Color  (by  H.  M.  Kuckuk) .  . . 

"Experiencing"  in  the  Use  of  Educational  Movies  at  Kinder- 
garten Level   (by  Bess  L.  Stinson) Nov. 

Visual   Group   Meets    

We   Are   All  Artists — Film   Review 

Screen  Techniques  for  Still  Projectors Dec. 

Christmas  Poem  Illustrated  with  Slides 

A   Report  of  Motion   Pictures  in   Biology 

AMONG  THE  PRODUCERS 

Leica   Photography  in   New  Form Jan. 

Additions  to  S.   O.  S   Stock 

Central   Camera   Catalogs    

New   Equipment   for   8mm   Filmos 

Bass    Bargaingram    

The   DeVry  Line    

Additions  to  SVE  Filraslide  Library   Feb. 

DeVry  Welcomes  Visitors  at  N.  E.  A 

,  1936   DeVry  Annual  Conference    

Sound   System  Offers  New  Features 

New  Distribution  Plan  for  Gutlohn  Films 

Revised   Victor   Directory    

Export  Manager  Tours  Orient    

Eastman  Presents  Magazine  Cine-Kodak Apr. 

New  Winder  for  Leica  Users 

Improvements  in   Britelite   Screens    

New    Camera    Accessories    

Two  New  Silent  Victors    May 

Filmo   8mm   Speed   Cameras    

New    Eastman    Products    

Mogull   Film   Catalog    

SVE    Introduces   Tri-Purpose    Projector June 

New  Filmosound  on  Market    

The  Episcope — New  Opaque  Projector    

Victor  P.   A.   System    

RCA  Expands  Educational   Department    . Sept. 

More  Keystone  Geography  Units    

New    Gutlohn    Division    

New   Material   Produced  by   Stillfilm 

Central's   Fall   Sale   Book    

Bell   and  Howell  Accessories   Catalog 

The  New  DeVry  16mm  Challenger Oct. 

S.  O  S.  Equipment  Catalog    

Eastman  Announces  Miniature  Camera    

Central  Camera's  New  Department    

Kodachrome  for   Smni   and  Still  Cameras Nov. 

New  RCA  Sound  Catalog  for  Schools 

DeVry  Foreign   Business   Rapidly  Growing 

Bell    and   Howell   Film    Catalog 

An  Orthovis  Aid  to  Geometry  Teachers 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Visual  Aids 

MISCELLANEOUS 

DeVry  Summer  School  Changes  Name Mar. 

S.  R.  Burns  of  International  Projector  Dies 

A  Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films  in  Teaching Apr. 

Film  Catalogs    Apr. 

Summer   Courses   in  Visual   Instruction May 

Program  of  National  Conference  on  Visual  Education June 

The  Largest  and  Best  DeVry  Conference Sept. 

Developing  Visual  Education    Dec. 


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January,  1936 


Page  3 


Educational  Screen 

Combined  with 

Visual   Instruction  News 
JANUARY,  1936 

VOLUME  XV  NUMBER  I 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN.  Inc. 


DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L,  Greene,  Editor 
Ellsworth  C.  Dent 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Josephine  Hoffman 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
R.  F.  H.  Johnson 
Marion  F,  Lanphier 
F.  Dean  McClusliy 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 


CONTENTS 

The  Use  of  Lantern  Slides  in  Teaching  Traffic  Safety. 

E.  F.  Willis - - -  -  5 

An  Evaluation  of  Motion  Picture  Films  for  Classroom 

Use  in  Biology.     L.  C.  Hinchley 8 

Some  Common  Causes  of  Damage  to  Slides  and  Films. 

B.  A.  Aughinbaugh.... 1 0 

The  Church  Field.     Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Brady I  I 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis.. 13 

The  Film  Estimates 14 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 15 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

Conducted  by  E.  C.  V/aggoner. 17 

News  and  Notes.     Conducted  by  Josephine  Hoffman.. 18 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky 22 

Current  Film  Releases.. 28 

Among  the  Producers 30 

Here  They  Are!    A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field .32 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index. 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  January,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.     Published    every   month   except  July   and    August. 

$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


Page  4 


The  Educational  Screen 


camera! 


MAJOa  ATTOACTION 

TO*   START. T+^t 

N  t  W  •  Y  E  Aa 

MODEL-25 


R.EG.U.S. 
PAT.  OFF. 


(^orid's  SitiaUisi, 
3inestf  Coiuesi  j^riced 

Ul&H    aUALITY 
SOUND  PROJECTOR 


VICTOR  ANIMM06RAPH  CORP, 

HEUJ  XOftK  C«iCACO-0*VEnPOftT,»0U)*-mSin«Ui 


HlCiud SOU N D  PROJ EC TQ]^ 


January,  1936 


Page  5 


The  Use  of  Lantern  Slides  In 
Teaching  Traffic  Safety 


EFFORTS  have  been  made  to  reduce  our  auto- 
mobile accidents  through  improving  the  engi- 
neering features  of  our  highways  and  automo- 
biles. Stricter  enforcement  is  being  tried  in  vain 
all  over  the  country.  Education  is  now  being 
stressed  more  and  more  as  a  means  to  mitigate 
our  highway  death  toll.  It  is  a  known  fact  that 
accidents  among  grade  school  children,  where  safety 
education  is  carried  on,  are  on  the  decline.  Real- 
izing this  fact  the  Superior  Vocational  School  is 
offering  adults  a  course  in  Traffic  Safety.  It  is 
hoped  that  such  education  will  in  a  few  years  make 
our  highways  safer  for  both  business  and  pleasure. 
At  present  our  favorite  auto  tours  are  death  traps 
even  for  the  most  careful  drivers. 

Because  adults  generally  feel  they  have  had 
enough  schooling,  it  is  especially  hard  to  secure 
their  attendance  at  classes.  Teaching  with  lantern 
slides  adds  interest  to  the  course,  eliminates  chance 
of  misunderstanding,  and  aids  in  the  presentation 
of  subject  matter.  This  not  only  means  better 
teaching,  but  also  assures  the  class  a  better  attend- 
ance. 

"Who  has  the  right  of  way?"  is  a  question  often 
asked  by  the  motorist.  Before  answering  his  ques- 
tion, it  is  important  to  know  the  positions  of  the 
cars  involved,  their  direction  of  travel,  and  the  type 
of  intersection  at  which  the  right  of  way  is  in  ques- 
tion. The  presentation  of  all  these  facts  is  very 
difficult  even  in  a  long  explanation. 

To  understand  such  an  explanation  intelligently, 
the  student  must  visualize  the  entire  intersection, 
the  two  or  more  cars  involved  and  their  relative 
positions  on  the  roadway.  Although  the  question 
may  be  stated  perfectly  so  that  the  student  does 
not  miss  a  word  of  it,  he  can  not  imagine  a  correct 
picture  of  the  situation  and  at  the  same  time  retain 
the  facts  necessary  for  fair  judgment.  When  the 
instructor  finishes  the  statement  of  facts  he  is  be- 
sieged by  a  dozen  questions.  The  teacher  resorts 
to  a  sketch  on  the  blackboard,  a  visual  aid.  Valu- 
able time  is  consumed  in  drawing.  Student  interest 
is  lost.  When  completed  the  sketch  is  frequently  so 
imperfect  that  the  student,  when  his  attention  is 
drawn  to  the  subject  again,  is  more  interested  in 
criticizing  the  sketch  than  in  answering  the  ques- 
tion. 

These  difficulties  of  presentation  and  student 
understanding  are  eliminated  when  a  slide,  as 
shown  in  Fig.   1,  is  flashed  on  the    screen.      In    a 


By     E.     F.    WILLIS 

Superior  Vocational  School.  Superior,  Wis. 


glance  the  student  sees  that  the  intersection  is  not 
at  an  arterial  highway,  for  no  stop  signs  are  shown. 
The  relative  positions  of  the  cars  are  before  him. 
The  question  then  becomes,  "Who  has  the  right 
of  way,  driver  of  car  No.  1  or  No.  2?"  No  time  is 
lost.  Student  interest  is  held  high  and  undiverted, 
for  the  sketch  is  perfect.  The  situation  could  not 
be  more  clearly  presented  to  the  observer. 

By  asking  and  discussing  a  few  more  questions 
concerning  the  right  of  way  of  the  other  cars  shown 
in  the  figure,,  the  student  will  have  learned  the  law 
of  right  of  way  at  non-arterial  intersections  as  well 
as  the  law  governing  the  right  of  way  of  cars  mak- 
ing left  turns  at  any  intersection.  Slides  similar  to 
Fig.  1  are  used  to  teach  rules  of  right  of  way  at  ar- 
terial highways,  at  alleys  or  private  driveways;  of 
cars  starting  from  a  parked  position,  of  funeral  pro- 
cessions and  of  pedestrians. 


0 


^ 


/-:03—      -cd]- 


Figure  1. 

Slides  can  be  used  for  review  and  testing  pur- 
poses as  well  as  for  teaching.  For  example,  with 
the  aid  of  the  slide  shown  in  Fig.  2  the  following 
questions  may  be  asked  about  each  car  shown:  Is 
this  car  parked  correctly?  What  parking  law  is  be- 
ing violated?  Explain  how  the  car  should  be 
parked.  You  have  in  this  one  slide  a  good  review  of 
the  parking  laws  not  connected  with  pedestrian 
travel. 

The  teaching  of  traffic  laws  is  only  the  smaller 
part  of  a  course  in  Traffic  Safety.  It  does  the  stu- 
dent no  good  to  know  the  law  if  he  does  not  obey 
it  while  driving.  To  be  at  least  somewhat  assured 
of  the  student's  obedience  to  the  laws  learned,  the 


Page  6 


The  Educational  Screen 


safety   instructor   must   make   the    student    safety- 
minded. 

Safety-mindedness    must    be    drilled    into    people 
or  it  does  not  take.    \  common  method  used  to  pro- 


"ra" 


(Gj 


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tg 


t^ 


Figure  2. 
duce  a  safety  consciousness  is  by  talks.  Continu- 
ous preaching  on  any  subject  makes  that  topic  un- 
interesting and  boresome.  Since  Safety  is  no  ex- 
ception the  safety  instructor's  problem  becomes 
one  of  teaching  his  subject  in  an  interesting  yet 
effective  manner. 

Using  lantern  slides  is  the  answer.  A  carefully 
selected  picture  or  cartoon,  thrown  on  the  screen 
will  teach  a  lesson  in  a  few  moments.  Asking  a 
few  questions  concerning  these  illustrations  will 
tend  to  direct  the  thinking  of  the  student  so  that 
the  picture  and  the  idea  it  represents  will  be  fixed 
on  the  student's  mmd  without  tiresome  talks. 

For  example,  an  appeal  to  the  driver's  pride  may 
be  made  by  a  hypothetical  question  like  the  follow- 
ing: "Several  drivers  are  discussing  with  pride 
their  feats  of  motoring.  What  will  be  the  main 
subject  discussed  by  this  group?" 

Answer:  "Speed  in  getting  from  one  place  to 
another." 

Question :  "With  our  modern  cars  and  highways 
don't  you  think,  you  or  anyone  else,  perhaps,  could 
make  equally  good  time,  if  you  wished  to  take  the 
chances  these  drivers  take?" 

Answer:    "Yes."  (Emphatically  spoken) 

Question :  "Since  anyone  could  make  the  trip 
equally  fast,  nothing  to  be  proud  of  has  been  in- 
volved.   That  is  true,  is  it  not?" 

Answer:    "Yes." 

Question:  "How  many  can  boast  of  this  man's 
record  (referring  to  the  picture)  of  53  years  and 
no  accidents?" 

Answer:  "Not  many  of  us."  This  answer  may 
be  a  bit  slow  in  coming  for  it  is  not  a  matter  of 
pride. 

Question :    "Such  service  is  a  real  achievement. 


A\  hat  then  should  motorists  be  proud  of? 
Answer:   "A  safe  driving  record." 
When  the  above  answer  is  made  the  instructor 
has  every  right  to  be  jubilant  for  he  has  accom- 
plished his  purpose.     His  lesson  in  safety-minded- 
ness  is   successful   without   his   making    a    speech. 
The  picture  and  the  class  made  the  speech  for  him. 
There  are  five  other  weaknesses  in  human  nature 
through  which  the  appeal  for  safe  and  lawful  driv- 
ing may  be  made.     Since  it  is  impossible  to  show 
cuts  of  slides  illustrating  all  these  weak  points  a 
mention  of  them  will  suffice  to  show  the  limitless 
possibilities  of  slides. 

Courtesy  among  drivers  as  well  as  between  driv- 
ers and  pedestrians  along  our  highways  would  do 
much  to  relieve  our  terrible  accident  toll.  Courtesy 
is  nothing  more  than  being  thoughtful  of  the  rights, 
comfort,  and  convenience  of  others.  Most  motor- 
ists of  today  think  only  of  their  own  convenience. 
Many  drivers  risk  their  lives  and  those  of  others, 
often  the  lives  of  passengers  who  are  very  dear  to 
them,  just  to  avoid  the  inconvenience  of  slowing 
down,  shifting  gears,  or  losing  a  fraction  of  a  sec- 
ond. Facts  of  this  nature  can  be  produced  on  the 
screen  in  the  form  of  a  very  striking  cartoon.  Motor- 
ists have  not  been  taught  to  think  of  others  while 
driving,  therefore,  they  have  never  thought  of  dis- 
courtesy in  the  exact  and  real  way  that  the  cartoon 
shows  it  to  them.  The  idea  is  new.  It  is  novel  and 
makes  its  mark,  teaching  an  excellent  lesson  in 
safety. 

The  set  of  lantern  slides  which  I  have  developed 
with  the  aid  of  the  Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co., 
for  my  work  in  Superior,  Wisconsin,  contains  sev- 
eral slides  of  a  humorous  nature.  The  reader  may 
feel  that  safety  is  a  serious  subject  and  that  humor 
can  play  no  part  in  a  safety  program.  People  who 
read,  "And  Sudden  Death",  by  F.  C.  Furnas,  re- 
member it  because  it  is  striking.  The  very  grue- 
someness  of  the  article  makes  an  impression  on 
one's  mind.  Humor  can  impress  equally  as  much. 
Everyone  remembers  for  years,  certain  humorous 
incidents  in  his  life.  It  would  seem  wise,  therefore, 
to  impress  on  a  person's  mind  by  use  of  a  humorous 
slide  the  absolute  foolishness  of  jay-walking.  The 
slide  shows  a  man  reading  a  newspaper  while  jay- 
walking between  two  parked  cars  and  in  front  of 
an  on-coming  car.  An  inset  shows  a  hen  crossing 
the  road  in  the  country,  following  a  course  similar 
to  that  taken  by  the  man.  The  slide  is  entitled, 
"You  Expect  It  in  a  Hen."*  Humorous  slides  of 
this  nature  are  always  effective  because  they  are 
impressive  and  relieve  the  awful  seriousness  which 
the  word  safety  connotes. 

Sportsmanship  to  most  people  embodies  a  high 
ideal  of  fair  play.     Everyone    likes    to    be    a    good 


*This   slide   was  taken  from   the   pamphlet,   "Thou   Shalt   Not 
Kill",  by  Travelers  Insurance  Co. 


January,  1936 


Page  7 


sport.  Driving  is  really  a  game,  the  rules  of  which 
are  the  traffic  laws.  A  slide  showing  a  player  vio- 
lating the  code  of  sportsmanship  in  a  recognized 
athletic  game  carefully  compared  with  one  showing  a 
dangerous  driving  habit  has  a  good  effect  on  drivers. 

Xo  better  method  for  convincing  a  man  of  his 
faults,  driving  or  otherwise,  has  ever  been  developed 
than  self-confession.  A  very  simple  approach  to 
this  weak  spot  in  human  nature  lies  open  to  the 
safety  instructor.  Ask  the  student  to  mention  por- 
tions of  the  roadway  upon  which  he  believes  most 
fatal  accidents  occur.  Through  this  exercise  the 
pupil  learns  where  he  should  drive  most  carefully. 
Now  encourage  a  discussion  among  the  class  on  the 
subject,  "The  Time  of  Day  and  the  Day  of  the 
Week  During  Which  Most  Accidents  Occur."  After 
some  agreement  has  been  reached  the  next  project 
is  to  list  the  reasons  why  these  particular  hours  and 
day  have  been  chosen.  In  the  list  will  be  some 
driving  faults.  A  start  has  been  made  in  the  con- 
fession of  driving  sins  which  will  be  completed  in 
the  next  problem,  the  listing  of  driving  habits  that 
produce  most  fatal  accidents.  Slides  of  charts, 
graphs,  and  statistical  tables  are  used  to  check  the 
correctness  of  the  list  made.  In  most  cases  the  stu- 
dent lists  will  be  fairly  accurate. 

I  once  asked  one  of  my  classes  if  anyone  would 
be  willing  to  drive  down  one  of  our  main  arteries 


Figure  3, 

of  travel  at  a  speed  of  40  miles  an  hour.  Every 
member  of  the  class  refused  on  the  score  that  a 
traffic  officer  might  arrest  him  for  speeding.  Mo- 
torists fear  being  caught  and  punished.  Into  this 
^pening  the  safety  instructor  puts  his  wedge  of 
scientific  laws  which  are  always  on  the  job,  always 
obeyed,  to  make  the  student  safety-minded. 

The  laws  of  physics  which  enter  into  the  driving 
of  a  car  can  be  easily  impressed  on  the  student's 
mind  through  the  use  of  lantern  slides.  For  in- 
stance :  A  lantern  slide  showing  a  powerful  arm 
pushing  a  car  off  the  roadway  illustrates  centrifugal 


force.  A  slide  showing  how  weak  and  strong  men 
entering  into  a  tug  of  war  may  be  likened  to  poor 
and  good  brakes  operating  against  inertia  to  stop 
the  car.  A  lantern  slide  comparing  the  force  of 
momentum  of  a  hammer  striking  a  nail  with  the 
force  of  momentum  of  a  car  striking  a  fixed  object, 
or  another  car,  will  show  the  destructive  force  of 
fast  moving  automobiles. 

The  fifth  mode  of  making  the  student  safety- 
minded  lies  in  an  appeal  to  the  student's  reason. 
The  traffic  code  is  a  well  organized,  thoroughly  de- 
veloped set  of  rules  governing  the  movements  of 
traffic  in  such  a  way  as  to  provide  for  the  rights, 
convenience,  comfort  and  safety  of  the  motorist. 
If  the  student  can  be  made  to  realize  the  truth  of 
the  above  statement,  he  is  more  likely  to  obey  the 
traffic  code  than  to  disobey  it.  Transgressions  of 
the  rules  of  the  highway  are  often  due  to  the  driv- 
er's impression  that  the  law  is  placing,  without  good 
reason,  restrictions  oil  his  liberty  and  comfort. 

The  use  of  lantern  slides  presents  numerous  op- 
portunities to  the  safety  instructor  to  illustrate 
such  an  idea.  Take  for  example  the  slide  shown  in 
Fig,  3,  Driver  of  car  No.  1  is  making  an  improper 
left  turn.  Not  only  is  the  driver  crossing  the  path 
of  car  No.  2,  thus  inconveniencing  the  driver  of  that 
car,  but  he  is  also  holding  up  any  traffic  w-hich  may 
be  behind  car  No.  2  and  endangering  the  life  and 
property  of  both  drivers.  If  the  driver  of  car  No.  1 
made  his  left  turn,  as  required  by  law,  from  the  lane 
of  travel  in  which  car  No.  2  is  moving,  no  such 
chance  of  an  accident  or  tie  up  in  traffic  would  have 
been  possible.  A  pedestrian  using  the  crosswalk 
directly  in  front  of  car  No.  3,  would  not  be  able  to 
see  a  car  approaching  in  the  lane  of  travel  nearest 
the  curb.  The  driver's  view  of  the  pedestrian  is 
also  cut  off  by  car  No.  3  which  would  not  be  true 
if  the  car  were  parked  fifteen  feet  from  the  cross- 
walk as  required  by  law.  And  so  on,  through  the 
whole  traffic  code  can  be  shown  the  dire  necessity 
of  obedience  to  the  law  for  the  safety  and  conven- 
ience of  all  users  of  the  highway. 

There  are  then^,  six  channels  through  which  the 
safety  leader  may  inculcate  a  spirit  of  safety- 
mindedness  in  his  student.  These  methods  briefly 
stated  are  an  appeal  to  the  driver's  spirit  and  sense 
of  pride,  sportsmanship,  courtesy,  reason,  fear  of 
disobeying  scientific  laws  which  will  aways  be  en- 
forced and  self-improvement  through  the  acknowl- 
edgement of  his  driving  faults. 

Lantern  slides  make  easy  the  approach  to  these 
six  channels  leading  to  student  safety-mindedness. 
They  provide  ease  of  presentation  and  understand- 
ing of  the  subject  matter  which  contribute  to  a  vivid 
student  interest  in  the  course,  valuable  factors  to 
good  teaching. 


All  cuts  of  slides  furnished  through  the  courtesy  of  the  Con- 
rad Slide  and  Projection  Co..  Superior,  Wisconsin. 


Page  8 


The  Educational  Screen 


An  Evaluation  of  Motion  Picture  Films 
For  Classroom  Use  In  Biolosy^^^ 


IN  AN  attempt  to  determine  whether  the  motion 
picture  is  likely  to  give  pupils  wrong  ideas  of 
biological  concepts,  five  films  were  shown  to  a 
biology  class  of  25  sophomores  and  juniors  in  Mar- 
fa,  Texas,  High  School.  Three  of  the  films  seemed 
not  well  adapted  to  high  school  use  because  they 
lacked  organization  around  a  definite  biological 
principle  or  were  too  advanced  in  nature.  The 
other  pictures,  "The  Living  Cell"  and  "The  Mos- 
quito," were  better  organized  and  had  fewer,  but 
definite,  sub-titles.  The  results  obtained  from 
showing  these  two  films  will  be  discussed  in  this 
article. 

Test  questions,  chiefly  of  the  recall  type,  were 
secured  by  a  thorough  analysis  of  the  films.  Twen- 
ty-two questions  of  varying  difficulty  were  se- 
lected from  the  picture  and  the  sub-titles  of  "The 
Living  Cell."    The  questions  follow: 

\.  Yeast  cultures  can  be  made  by  putting  yeast 
in     (sugar)     solution. 
2.  A  bud  forms  on  the  yeast  in  about     (one  hour) 
time. 

3.  The  ameba  moves  by  (a  flowing)  of  its  pro- 
toplasm. 

4.  A     (membrane)     surrounds  the  ameba. 

5.  The  dense  central  mass  of  protoplasm  in  the 
ameba's  body  is  the     (nucleus). 

6.  The  thinner  protoplasm  surrounding  this  inner 
central  mass  is     (cytoplasm). 

7.  The  ameba  takes  in  food  by  (engulfing  or 
surrounding)     it. 

.  8.  Daughter  cells  are  formed  from  the  parent  by 
(division). 

9.  One  of  the  principal  difl^erences  between  the 
ameba  and  the  paramecium  is  (their  shape  or  their 
power  of  motion). 

10.  What  important  part  of  the  paramecium  could 
be  seen?     (Nucleus  or  food  vacuole). 

11.  The  growth  on  the  side  of  the  hydra  is  a 
(bud.) 

12.  The  body  of  the  hydra  is  composed  of  (two) 
layers  of  cells. 

13.  A  longitudinal  section  of  an  object  is  made 
by  cutting  it    (lengthwise). 

14.  The  skin  of  the  flatworm  contains  (two) 
layers  of  muscles. 

(1)  This  article  is  based  on  Chapter  V  of  "Visual  Aids  for 
Demonstrating  Subject  Matter  in  High  School  Biology,"  an 
unpublished  Master's  thesis  written  at  the  Colorado  State 
College  of  Education. 


By      L.      C.      HINCHLEY 

High   School,   Marfa,  Texas 

15.  Muscle  cells  have  several  (nuclei),  which 
are  located  on 

16.  the     (outside)     of  the  cell. 

17.  Muscle  cells  are  arranged  in     (bundles). 

18.  What  are  the  waving  bodies  which  were 
shown  after  the  title,  "Ciliated  Epithelium?"   (Celia). 

19.  What  was  the  round  object  which  these 
bodies  were  tossing  along  toward  the  right?  (Dust 
particle). 

20.  The  centrosome  of  the  ciliated  cell  is  found 
in  the     (nucleus). 

21.  Growth  in  animals  is  caused  by  (cell  di- 
vision). 

22.  In  the  pictures  showing  growth  in  animals, 
what  was  shown  after  the  title,  "Three  Days  La- 
ter?"    (Blastula). 

These  questions  were  given  as  a  pretest  on  the 
afternoon  before  the  films  were  shown  at  night. 
Immediately  following  the  showing  of  the  films,  the 
same  test  was  again  given  to  determine  how  much  in- 
formation was  obtained  from  the  film.  The  results  of 
these  tests  are  given  in  Table  I,  which  contains  the 
"Right,"  "Wrong,"  and  "No  attempt"  answers  for 
both  the  pretest  and  the  follow-up  test. 

TABLE  I 
The  Questions  of  the  Test  on  "The  Living  Cell"  Arranged 
In  order  of  Difficulty  According  to  the  Number  of 
Pupils  Showing  Improvement  on  the  Test  Items 
Frequencies 
First  Test  Second  Test 

Question      Right    Wrong       No        Right     Wrong       No 
attempt  attempt 

21  0  6  17  17  3  3 

8  6  3  14  19  0  4 

13  5  3  15  IS  7  1 

9  1  2  20  9  6  8 

14  4  8  11  11  10  2 

18  0  0  23  6  6  11 

10  2  3  18  8  7  8 

6  2  0  21  7  4  12 
17             2             6            15             7            10  6 

5  5  1  17  9  6  8 

15  0  3  20  4  6  13 
4             0             3           20             4            12  7 

12  4  11  8  8  15  0 

7  1  10  12  4  11  8 
20             0             0           23             2             5            16 

1  7  6  10  9  14  0 

2  0  6  17  2  16  5 

3  0  8  15  2  10  11 

16  0  2  21  1  10  12 

11  2  4  17  1  14  8 

19  0  1  22  0  6  17 

22  0  0  23  0  15  8 


January,  19} 6 


Page  9 


It  would  appear  from  the  data  in  the  table  that 
the  questions  at  the  beginning  of  the  table  were 
easily  answered  after  the  pupils  had  seen  the  film, 
but  that  the  questions  at  the  end  of  the  table  were 
as  difficult  after  the  film  presentation  as  before. 
A  discussion  of  Questions  21  and  22  will  show  this 
contrast  clearly. 

In  the  film  a  succession  of  pictures  showing  the 
formation  of  a  large  mass  of  cells  by  the  process  of 
division  and  subdivision  answered  Question  21. 
But  added  to  the  clearness  of  the  pictures  there 
was  the  sub-title,  "Growth  in  animals  is  caused  by 
the  division  of  their  cells."  Hence  there  were  sev- 
enteen correct  answers  to  this  question  on  the  fol- 
low-up test  though  there  had  been  no  right  answers 
on  the  pretest.  Also,  there  were  seventeen  who 
made  no  attempt  to  answer  the  question  on  the  pre- 
test but  only  three  who  made  no  attempt  on  the 
follow-up  test.  The  film  had  made  a  bit  of  infor- 
mation quite  clear  to  a  number  of  students. 

Question  22  was  not  answered  so  clearly.  Fol- 
lowing the  sub-title  "Three  Days  Later"  a  picture 
of  a  blastula  was  flashed  on  the  screen.  There  was 
no  accompanying  explanation  of  what  this  particu- 
lar mass  of  cells  was  intended  to  represent.  The 
picture  was  too  indistinct  for  the  students  to  per- 
ceive that  the  mass  was  a  hollow  ball  of  cells  al- 
though they  had  seen  good  lantern  slides  and  flat 
pictures  of  this  stage  in  animal  development  and 
had  studied  the  blastula  of  the  frog  in  the  labora- 
tory. Of  the  fifteen  pupils  who  attempted  to 
answer  the  question  none  made  a  creditable  answer 
and  there  were  eight  who  made  no  attempt  to 
answer. 

Quite  similar  results  were  obtained  in  the  case 
of  the  second  film,  "The  Mosquito."  The  twenty- 
five  questions  on  this  film  were  given  under  condi- 
tions like  those  on  "The  Living  Cell."  The  ques- 
tions follow : 

1.  The  mosquito  breeds  wherever  there  is  (stag- 
nant)    water. 

2.  Its  eggs  are  laid  in  the  form  of  a     (raft). 


3.  The  eggs  are  found  near  the    (surface)     of  the 
water. 

4.  They  are     (1  to  200)     in  number. 

5.  The  eggs  hatch  in     (1  or  2  days)     time. 

6.  The  larva  hatches  from  the    (sharp  or  pointed) 
end  of  the  egg. 

7.  The  larva's  heart  is     (tube)  -shaped. 

8.  The  larva  breathes  through     (tubes). 

9.  The  larva  gets  its  air  from  (above)  water. 

10.  It  eats     (microscopic  plants  and  animals). 
IL  The  larva  moults     (three)     times. 

12.  The  time  required  for  each  moulting  is  about 
(thirty  minutes). 

13.  During  the  last  moult    the    insect    breathes 
through  (tubes) 

14.  which  are  on  the     (head). 


15.  While  in  the  pupa  stage  the  mosquito  eats 
(nothing). 

16.  Its  peculiar  movements  in  this  stage  gave  it 
the  name     (tumbler). 

17.  The  pupal  stage  lasts     (2-5  days). 

18.  The  adult  emerges  from  the  pupal  skin  (1 
hour)     time. 

19.  The     (female)     mosquito  bites. 

20.  Its  bill  is  provided  with  parts  for     (piercing) 

21.  and  parts  for     (sucking). 

22.  The  (male)  mosquito  sucks  but  does  not 
bite. 

23.  Mosquitoes  may  be  killed  in  the     (water)    by 

means  of  oil. 

24.  The  male  mosquito's  hearing  organs  look  like 
(feathers). 

25.  In  Marfa  the  mosquito  is  most  likely  to  breed 
in   (water  tanks). 

Reference  to  Table  II  will  show  that  on  this  test 
also  some  questions  seem  to  be  easy  while  others 
are  too  difficult  for  many  pupils  to  answer.  For  ex- 
ample, there  were  twenty  pupils  who  gained 
enough  information  from  the  film  to  be  able  to 
answer  Question  8  correctly,  but  Question  5  was 
answered  correctly  by  only  three  pupils.  And  these 
were  the  same  three  who,  probably  by  guess,  had 
answered  it  right  on  the  pretest. 

TABLE  II 
The  Questions  of  the  Test  oh  "The  Mosquito"  Arranged 
In  order  of  Difficulty  According  to  the  Number  of 
Pupils  Showing  Improvement  on  the  Test  Items 
Frequencies 
First  Test  Second  Test 

Question      Right    Wrong       No        Right     Wrong       No 
attempt  attempt 

8  2  13  10  22  2  1 

4  0  19  6  20  5  0 

13  2  2  21  20  4  1 

6  4  6  IS  20  3  2 

10  0  7  18  16  9  0 

19  10  5  10  25  0  0 

22  10  5  10  25  0  0 

15  1  3  21  16  5  4 

21  4  S  16  18  6  1       ■ 

16  0  8  17  12  10  3 

20  0  9  16  12  13  0 

14  0  2  23  11  10  4 

17  2  5  18  12  7  6 

9  3  3  19  13  9  3 

2  0  13  12  10  IS  0 

7  1  13  11  9  12  4 

24  0  3  22  7  9  9 

23  18  4  3  24  1  0 

11  IS  4  6  21  3  1 

3  IS  10  0  21  '4  0 

25  7  9             9            10           13             2 
1            21  4              0            23              2              0 

18  0  7            18              2            13            10 

12  0  9            16              2            18              5 

5  3  13              9              3            14              8 
The  varying  difficulty  of  the  questions  may  be 

explained  as  in  the  case  of  the  first  film.     The  ques- 

(Concludcd  on  page  20) 


Page  10 


The  Educational  Screen 


Some  Common  Causes  of  Damage  to 
Slides  and  Films 


PROBABLY  the  most  frequent  cause  of  damage  to 
films  is  a  bent  reel.  If  the  lip  of  the  reel  is  bent 
inward  at  one  point  it  is  apt  to  catch  the  film  at 
each  round  and  tear  or  cut  it  along  one  edge.  When 
one  edge  of  a  film  is  damaged  at  regular  intervals  this 
is  very  likely  the  cause.  Such  damage  is  irrepairable 
and  can  only  be  rectified  by  complete  replacement. 
This  same  damage  may  be  caused  by  a  point  being  bent 
out  far  enough  to  contact  the  reel  box  and  thus  throw 
the  reel  out  of  plumb  which  in  turn  drags  the  film  over 
the  reel  edge.  Toed-in  reels  catch  the  film  and  put  a 
strain  on  it.  Films  may  be  damaged  as  easily  on  a  re- 
wind as  on  a  projector.  The  rewind  units  (if  they  are 
separate)  must  be  in  line,  otherwise  the  film  slaps 
against  the  reel  and  may  be  cut.  Films  should  never 
be  rewound  rapidly  (the  mile-a-minute  rewinding 
causes  havoc  with  film)  since  there  is  bound  to  be 
some  slapping  against  the  reel  and  consequent  damage. 

Torn  or  enlarged  sprocket  holes  is  another  type  of 
damage.  This  is  due  to  several  possible  causes.  If  the 
holes  are  torn  on  both  sides  it  is  apparently  due  to  some 
extra  strain,  or  pull,  having  been  put  on  the  whole 
film.  And  this  in  turn  may  be  caused  by  letting  the 
loops  become  too  small,  or  a  tension  screw  to  become  too 
tight.  If  the  damage  appears  only  on  one  side  of  the 
film  it  is  perhaps  due  to  either  a  dirty  sprocket  tooth 
or  to  a  hooked  tooth.  The  hooked  tooth  can  only  be 
detected  with  a  microscope.  Neither  the  dirty  or 
hooked  sprocket  tooth  w-ill  tear  or  enlarge  every  hole 
on  one  r.ide  of  the  film,  but  only  those  it  contacts ; 
hence,  the  damage  will  be  of  recurring  kind — every 
third  or  fourth  hole,  for  example. 

Scratches  are  made  on  film  by  bits  of  hardened  emul- 
sion becoming  caked  on  the  edge  of  the  aperture  (hole 
through  which  the  film  is  shown).  These  bits  of 
hardened  emulsion  may  be  very  small,  but  they  cut 
deeply  into  the  surface  of  the  film.  They  can  be  re- 
moved by  lightly  scraping  with  a  penny,  this  being 
copper  is  fairly  soft  metal  and  will  not  scratch  the 
metal  of  the  aperture  plate.  A  touch  of  moisture  will 
help  in  this  operation.  Scratches  cannot  be  removed 
from  film,  and  thus  require  replacement  of  the  film. 
The  source  »f  scratches  can  be  traced  by  the  exchange 
to  identical  patterns  found  on  two  reels  from  the  same 
school. 

Blisters  are  made  on  film  by  allowing  the  film  to 
stand  too  long  before  the  light.  Stop-on-film  devices 
should  be  used  with  extreme  caution.  They  are  sel- 
dom of  any  great  use  and  they  certainly  do  cause  much 
damage  to  films  by  thoughtless  users.    We  have  known 


By     B.     A.     AUGHINBAUGH 

Director  of  Visual   Instruction,  State  of  Ohio,  Columbus 

teachers  to  put  a  blister  on  a  reel  of  film  at  every  new 
scene.    This  is  pure  vandalism. 

Brittlcness  in  films  may  be  caused  bv  lack  of  mois- 
ture in  the  texture  or,  in  cold  weather,  by  low  tem- 
perature. It  is  well  to  allow  films  to  remain  in  a  room 
until  they  approach  room  temperatvire  before  project- 
ing them.  Dryness  may  be  overcome  by  wrapping  the 
reel  in  a  damp  (not  wet)  cloth  and  leaving  it  for  a 
few  hours.  One  objection  to  circuiting  films  is  the 
likelihood  of  their  becoming  dry  from  the  heat  of  the 
projectors  and  no  moisture  returned  by  the  use  of 
humidors.  We  have  put  sponges  in  the  lids  of  our 
shipping  cans  to  overcome  this  to  some  extent.  These 
sponges  should  be  kept  damp  (not  wet)  by  those  on 
the  circuit. 

Misframes  (pictures  half  up  and  half  down)  are 
due  to  improper  patching  of  films.  All  splices  are  made 
by  the  exchange  with  a  splicing  device,  which  assures 
smoothness  and  accuracy.  A  splice  should  never  ex- 
ceed one  sprocket  hole  in  width  and  it  should  not  be 
made  with  an  excessive  amount  of  cement  as  this 
makes  it  hard  and  thick.  The  splice  should  extend  to 
the  very  edge  of  the  film,  otherwise  the  film  will  curl 
up  at  that  point.  Film  should  never  be  cemented  with 
any  cement  but  that  obtained  in  a  photo  supply  house 
.selling  motion  picture  film  of  the  16  mm  or  smaller 
size.  All  of  non-inflammable  film,  both  35  mm  and 
16  mm,  requires  the  type  of  cement  mentioned,  which 
is  for  16  mm  film  (and  all  16  mm  is  non-inflammable). 
Schools  using  theatrical  films  as  well  as  non-inflam- 
mable films  are  the  worst  oflfenders  in  this  respect 
as  the  boys  who  are  allowed  to  do  the  operating  do 
not  know  the  difference  in  the  two  kinds  of  films  and 
think  any  cement  will  do.     But  this  is  not  the  case. 

Careless  operators.  We  debated  whether  or  not  to 
put  this  cause  first.  It  is  said  that  most  auto  accidents 
are  due  to  youthful  drivers.  It  is  a  characteristic  of 
youth  to  presume  knowledge  not  possessed,  and  in  this 
day  almost  every  boy  thinks  he  is  a  finished  mechanic. 
He  probably  reaches  this  conclusion  from  seeing  the 
unschooled  workmen  who  are  willing  to  pass  judgment 
on  any  ailment  of  a  motor  car  that  falls  into  their  gar- 
age clutches.  The  superintendents,  principals,  and 
teachers  probably  know  more  about  a  motion  picture 
projector  than  these  boys,  only  they  have  a  finer  sense 
of  modesty.  It  is  the  old  story  of  "fools  rushing  in", 
etc.  We  have  yet  to  see  the  school  boy  who  could  be 
allowed  to  take  charge  of  projection  work  without 
careful  supervision  of  a  teacher.     If  they  do  nothing 

{Concluded  on  page  31) 


January,  193  6 


Page  11 


The  Church  Field 


Yale  Divinity  School  Has 
Motion  Picture  Seminar 

THAT  the  topsy-like  growth  of  motion  pictures 
in  church  life  is  gradually  evolving  into  a 
planned,  soundly  developed  medium  is  indicated 
by  the  activity  of  educators  in  their  work  with  vis- 
ual aids.  This  is  the  second  year  in  which  the  Di- 
vinity School  of  Yale  University  has  carried  on 
practical  work  in  the  field  of  motion  pictures  for 
which  credit  is  given. 

The  Motion  Picture  Practicum,  as  it  is  called, 
has  been  organized  by  Dr.  Paul  H.  Vieth,  director 
of  field  work  and  associate  professor  of  religious  edu- 
cation at  that  institution.  This  seminar  is  concerning 
itself  with  the  use  of  visual  aids  in  church  programs 
as  part  of  an  effort  to  guide  church  workers  in  a 
more  effective  use  of  projector  and  screen  in  their 
work. 

"Our  original  purpose  in  this  seminar,"  states  Dr. 
Vieth.  "was  to  study  the  use  of  existing  motion 
picture  materials.  It  was  suggested,  however,  that 
one  way  of  educating  ourselves  in  motion  pictures 
would  be  to  try  our  hand  at  production.  Moreover, 
there  are  so  few  visual  aids,  particularly  in  the  mo- 
tion picture,  available  for  use  in  religious  education 
that  it  was  thought  a  development  of  this  sort  in  a 
theological  seminary  might  make  a  contribution  of 
value.  Each  member  of  the  seminar  was  required 
to  select  some  theme  around  which  he  would  de- 
velop a  scenario.  In  this  connection  we  had  expert 
help  from  books  on  the  scenario  and  from  a  person- 
al visit  to  the  Practicum  by  Mr.  Arthur  L.  Gale,  of 
the  Amateur  Cinema  League." 

\Mien  the  end  of  the  school  year  came,  according 
to  Dr.  Vieth,  only  one  of  the  scenarios  which  had  been 
developed  seemed  suitable  for  filming.  This  was  a 
simple  story  for  children  about  the  ages  of  nine  to 
twelve.  It  interpreted  the  petition  Forgive  Us  Our 
Trespasses  from  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

Another  member  of  the  seminar,  however,  had 
produced  a  scenario  in  another  course  on  the  Chris- 
tian family.  The  subject  was  concerned  with  the 
education  of  children  in  the  use  of  money.  The 
scenario  was  designed  for  use  in  parent  education. 
Even  though  only  one  member  of  the  seminar 
was  available  in  New  Haven  during  the  summer,  it 
was  considered  desirable  to  develop  these  two 
scenarios  into  picture  form.  The  work  accordingly 
was  carried  on  in  co-operation  with  The  Religious 
Motion  Picture  Foundation  with  the  assistance  of 
a  commercial  photographer.  While  the  ideal  plan, 
according  to  those  responsible  for  the  work,  would 
have  been  to  have  the  whole  first  year's  Practicum 


Conduc+ed  by  MARY  BEATTIE  BRADY 

Director,    Harmon    Foundation,    New   York   City 


participate  in  the  making  of  the  pictures,  for  many 
reasons  this  was  not  possible  and  it  was  decided  to 
push  the  work  forward  so  as  to  have  some  tangi- 
ble, original  work  around  which  the  second  year's 
Practicum  could  center  its  attention  during  the  first 
semester  of  the  school  year  1935-36. 

When  the  pictures  were  completed  and  studied 
by  Dr.  Vieth  and  the  representatives  of  the  Foun- 
dation, it  was  found  that  while  interesting  they 
were  neither  sufficiently  satisfactory  from  the 
standpoint  of  photography  or  the  general  arrange- 
ment of  the  film  to  consider  the  experiment  com- 
plete. In  other  words,  the  first  filming  of  these 
scenarios  represented  simply  a  stage  not  only  in  the 
production  of  the  finished  picture  but  also  in  the 
prior  preparation  of  scenario  and  specifications  for 
filming  procedure. 

In  accordance  with  the  plan,  therefore,  it  was 
arranged  that  the  first  edition,  so  to  speak,  of  these 
pictures  would  be  studied  this  year  by  the  members 
of  the  seminar,  shown  to  various  critical  groups  and 
suggestions  for  revision  and  improvement  consid- 
ered. 

During  the  second  semester  of  this  school  year, 
again  with  the  co-operation  of  The  Religious  Mo- 
tion Picture  Foundation,  it  is  planned  to  have  the 
Practicum  as  a  whole  do  the  refilming  of  these  sub- 
jects, thus  effecting  a  teaching  blue  print  for  crea- 
tive work  in  visual  life  situation  material  for  re- 
ligious eduction.  As  stated  by  Dr.  Vieth,  this  whole 
undertaking  has  been  primarily  an  educational  one 
for  those  engaged  in  it.  They  have  had  an  oppor- 
tunity not  only  to  consider  the  making  of  effective 
pictures  for  religious  education,  but  also  to  follow 
through  stage  by  stage  the  process  of  their  evolu- 
tion from  ideas  to  tangible  results.  While  Dr.  Vieth 
makes  it  clear  that  Yale  Divinity  School  has  no 
thought  of  entering  extensively  into  the  production 
of  motion  pictures,  he  suggests  that  it  is  possible 
that  if  this  type  of  educational  work  is  continued 
a  few  other  subjects  incorporating  further  phases 
of  experimentation  may  be  developed  as  the  result 
of  the  interest  created  in  what  has  been  accomplished 
thus  far. 

Mission  Work  to  be  Dramatized 

in  Motion  Pictures 

An  innovation  long  desired  by  those  in  the  religious 
motion  picture  field  is  at  last  in  sight.  The  Board  of 
Foreign  Missions  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
in  consultation  with  the  Religious  Motion  Picture  Foun- 


Page  12 


The  Educational  Screen 


dation  is  arranging  to  have  one  of  its  missionaries  in 
the  field  produce  a  motion  picture  from  a  formal 
scenario. 

In  the  past  most  films  produced  by  missionaries  have 
been  a  conglomerate  of  incidental  scenes  picked  up 
around  their  respective  stations.  In  this  case  the  Meth- 
odist Board  has  enrolled  the  missionary,  the  Reverend 
W.  S.  Reinoehl  of  Singapore,  S.S.  in  the  Amateur  Cin- 
ema League  and  has  had  the  League  send  him  helpful 
literature  on  the  making  of  motion  pictures.  Mr. 
Reinoehl  is  to  prepare  the  preliminary  scenario  for  a 
dramatic  picture,  weaving  it  around  his  o-wn  experi- 
ences and  those  of  other  missionaries  in  his  field.  This 
scenario  is  then  to  be  sent  to  the  Board  which  will  go 
over  it  with  the  Religious  Motion  Picture  Foundation 
and  the  Amateur  Cinema  League,  who  will  criticize  it 
and  make  suggestions  from  the  technical  point  of  view. 
After  the  scenario  has  been  polished  up  and  rewritten 
it  will  be  returned  to  Mr.  Reinoehl  who  will  then — and 
not  until  then — start  filming  the  picture. 

Girls'  Friendly  Society  Outstanding  Example 
of  Motion  Picture  Interest 

An  organization  which,  for  a  number  of  years, 
has  taken  a  very  constructive,  stimulating  attitude 
toward  motion  pictures  is  the  Girls'  Friendly  So- 
ciety of  the  U.  S.  A.  This  organization  is  sponsored 
by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  America,  but 
its  membership  is  open  to  any  girl  who  wants  to 
join,  regardless  of  race,  creed,  color  or  age. 

Their  program  during  the  current  year  is  on 
Christian  citizenship.  The  October  issue  of  their 
monthly  magazine  was  given  over  entirely  to  a  con- 
sideration of  the  motion  picture.  While  the  main 
emphasis  on  this  subject  at  the  present  time  has  to 
do  with  understanding  and  appreciation  of  com- 
mercial motion  pictures  as  entertainment  in  a  com- 
munity^  the  organization  has  nevertheless  stressed 
in  its  program-building  the  place  of  motion  pictures 
designed  for  general  non-theatrical  use.  In  fact, 
the  Society  has  a  motion  picture  which  demon- 
strates its  work.  Realizing  how  often  girls  go  to 
the  movies,  it  was  felt  by  leaders  of  the  organiza- 
tion that  an  understanding  of  the  best  pictures  was 
important. 

The  first  part  of  the  program,  which  was  undertaken 
on  the  theme  of  Let's  Go  to  the  Movies  centered  around 
the  idea  of  helping  its  own  members  choose  the 
better  pictures  in  movies.  This  included  prepara- 
tion of  a  list  of  questions  to  be  used  in  Society 
meetings  on  "Do  You  Know  Your  Movies?",  "Get- 
ting Your  Money's  Worth  at  the  Movies".  Sug- 
gestions for  discussion  programs  on  what  was  seen 
and  on  developing  standards  for  appraisal  of  pic- 
tures have  been  included  in  these  program  outlines. 
People  who  have  been  studying  motion  pictures 
from  the  point  of  view  of  churches  and  allied  or- 


ganizations believe  that  the  Girls'  Friendly  Society 
is  as  movie-minded  in  a  constructive  way  as  any 
group  in  the  country  today. 

The  appreciation  of  the  leaders  of  the  Girls' 
Friendly  Society  of  the  value  of  motion  pictures  is 
increasingly  shown  not  only  in  the  emphasis  they 
are  placing  on  the  selection  of  the  best  in  motion 
pictures  as  entertainment  but  in  the  use  of  this 
method  of  expression  in  their  own  meetings  which 
are  concerned  with  practical  understanding  and  par- 
ticipation in  worth  while  activities  of  the  world  in 
which  we  live. 

Film  Activities  Among  the  Denominations 

To  capture  in  motion  pictures  the  activities  inci- 
dent to  the  hundredth  anniversary  of  Baptist  mission 
work  in  India,  Mr.  Harry  Myers,  Secretary,  Stereop- 
ticon  Lectures,  Moving  Pictures,  Exhibits  Department 
of  the  Northern  Baptist  Convention,  has  gone  to  the 
Orient  on  a  special  assignment  that  will  keep  him  away 
until  the  spring  of  1936.  Mr.  Myers  will  visit  the  lead- 
ing Baptist  mission  stations  in  Burma  and  along  the 
eastern  coast  of  India  from  Madras  north.  In  addi- 
tion to  material  dealing  with  the  work  of  the  missions, 
Mr.  Myers  plans  to  film  general  environmental  ma- 
terial of  the  life  and  cultures  of  the  sections  he  visits. 
It  is  planned  to  have  the  film  edited  in  time  for  the 
Annual  Northern  Baptist  Convention  meeting  in  St. 
Louis,  May,  1936. 

In  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Reverend  Jay 
S.  Stowell  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  has 
films  of  a  number  of  interesting  church  activities,  and 
is  giving  increasing  attention  to  motion  picture  ma- 
terial. In  the  Methodist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
New  York  City,  several  pictures  of  mission  work 
abroad  are  available,  and  cooperation  is  given  to  mis- 
sionaries interested  in  motion  pictures  in  planning  their 
preparation  for  picture  work  which  gives  promise  of 
eflfective  use  in  churches  throughout  the  United  States. 

In  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  par- 
ticular attention  has  been  given  to  the  motion  picture 
medium  for  a  number  of  years.  The  Board  of  For- 
eign Missions  and  the  Board  of  National  Missions  of 
this  denomination  have  been  outstanding  in  the  making 
and  use  of  film  as  well  aS"  other  visual  material  as  an 
aid  in  promotional  work.  The  new  film  added  to  the 
film  library  this  year  includes  ten  reels  on  Latin  Amer- 
ica. On  Wings  Under  the  Southern  Cross  is  a  three- 
reel  bird's-eye  view  of  Latin  America  and  its  people. 
Single  reels  of  countries  of  South  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, as  well  as  a  ten-reel  picture  of  Mexico  called 
Where  Latin  America  Begins,  are  available.  The 
Board  of  National  Missions  among  other  film  has  pro- 
duced this  year  Skylines,  a  three-reel  study  of  a  great 
metropolitan  center  (New  York)  to  which  the  church 
seeks  to  minister. 


January,  1936 


Page  13 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


EDUCATIONAL  institutions  are  becoming  more 
conscious  of  the  motion  picture  film  as  a 
valuable  asset  to  present  -  day  teaching  methods. 
We  definitely  know,  for  instance,  that  visual  records 
in  the  form  of  motion  pictures  of  certain  scientific 
phenomena  bring  to  the  student  in  these  fields  a  clearer 
and  more  concise  picture  of  the  events  taking  place 
than  any  other  known  method. 

We  are  all  familiar  with  the  older  system  of 
teaching,  using  only  the  textbook,  lecture  and  reci- 
tation method  whose  success  or  failure  depended 
upon  the  personality  of  the  instructor  and  the  in- 
terpretation of  the  subject  matter  by  the  author  in 
his  textbook.  With  the  motion  picture  film  pro- 
duced in  all  sections  of  the  world  the  customs,  life 
and  activity  of  these  people  may  be  brought  before 
the  eyes  of  the  student  in  a  true  and  unbiased  light 
at  the  will  of  the  instructor.  It  is  readily  seen  that 
if  the  film  is  planned  as  an  integral  part  of  a  course 
of  study  it  soon  becomes  an  invaluable  aid. 

Many  films,  made  specifically  for  teaching  pur- 
poses by  eminent  authorities,  constitute  our  present 
stock  of  genuine  "educational  films".  In  addition, 
there  have  been  produced  some  films  of  educational 
value  by  various  industrial  and  manufacturing  con- 
cerns as  well  as  by  various  travel  organizations. 
The  efforts  in  making  available  on  16mm.  film 
many  valuable  theatrical  productions,  which  would 
otherwise  be  unobtainable  to  the  average  school,  is 
particularly  commendable.  We  find  however,  that 
in  some  cases  the  material  as  presented  is  in  a  form 
too  general  to  be  of  maximum  service  for  certain 
types  of  classroom  use. 

To  meet  this  objection  there  is  a  growing  interest 
in  the  production  of  instructional  films  by  educa- 
tional institutions.  Here  the  film  is  made  under 
the  direct  supervision  of  the  teacher  or  in  some 
cases  by  the  teacher  himself.  It  seems  likely  that 
in  the  future  a  substantial  number  of  teaching  films 
will  be  produced  in  this  manner.  Then  by  coopera- 
tive exchange  with  other  producing  areas  there  may 
be  built  up  a  national  film  library  covering  many 
phases  of  educational  activity.  The  resulting  film 
library  should  become  a  very  important  and  valu- 
able factor  in  the  present  educational  system. 

There  im.mediately  arises  the  problem  of  quality 
and  technique  in  the  films  which  will  be  produced 
by  the  school.  It  seems  logical  to  suppose  that  al- 
most all  of  the  films  produced  non-professionally 
will  be  made  on  16mm  size,  sometimes  referred  to 
as  "Amateur  Movies".  Experience  has  shown  that 
when  an  audience  views  a  16mm.  film  in  a  home 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 


or  other  informal  gathering  they  are  prone  to  over- 
look certain  shortcomings  in  technical  photography, 
planning,  scenario,  etc.  No  such  lenience  occurs 
when  the  film  is  shown  to  a  large  class  or  in  an 
auditorium.  Here  it  is  critically  compared  to  the 
professional  production  seen  in  the  theatre.  There- 
in rises  much  of  the  adverse  criticism  of  the  present 
day  16mm.  teaching  films. 

This  comparison  is  both  unfortunate  and  fortu- 
nate for  the  future  of  this  type  of  film.  In  the  first 
place  it  seems  highly  improbable  that  many  schools 
and  universities  would  ever  have  equipment  includ- 
ing cameras,  illumination  equipment,  backgrounds, 
personnel  and  the  other  elaborate  and  costly  items 
for  the  production  of  the  professional  type  films. 
However  this  critical  judgment  is  a  very,  valuable 
asset  in  obtaining  as  high  a  standard  of  16mm.  film 
as  possible.  On  the  other  hand  such  elaborate 
equipment  is  often  unnecessary  for  the  production 
of  educational  films.  The  prime  requisite,  however- 
is  a  complete  mastery  of  the  technical  operation, 
possibilities  and  limitations  of  the  small  equipment. 

The  trouble  in  the  past  has  been  that  anyone  pos- 
sessing a  16mm.  camera  of  any  type  and  an  ele- 
mentary knowledge  of  photography  has  felt  quali- 
fied to  produce  films.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  many  of 
these  cameras  have  definite  technical  limitations. 
On  the  other  hand,  with  proper  16mm.  equipment 
one  can  obtain  results  in  the  production  of  educa- 
tional films  comparing  very  favorably  with  the  larger 
35mm.  equipment. 

Many  excellent  16mm.  films  have  already  been 
produced  in  various  areas.  Unfortunately  some  of 
these  have  had  very  little  publicity  and  are  gen- 
erally unknown  to  school  people.  If  information 
concerning  these  films  was  available,  duplications 
in  certain  fields  would  be  avoided  and  more  effort 
could  be  placed  on  original  productions.  A  further 
result  would  be  more  extensive  vise  of  the  films  now 
available. 

These  remarks,  however,  should  not  lead  over- 
enthusiastic  teachers  to  believe  that  16mm.  produc- 
tion is  simple  and  easy.  Satisfactory  production 
in  this  field  involves  many  factors  with  which  one 
should  become  familiar  before  attempting  such 
work.  Prospective  producers  of  educational  films 
must  know  the  mechanics  of  motion  picture  equip- 
ment, types  of  lighting,  editing  and  selection  of 
titles.     Although  technical  excellence  is  a  primary 

(Concluded  on  page  27) 


Page  14 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


Alias  Bulldog:  DrummondCJack  Hulbert,  Claud 
Hulbert)  (G-B)  Super-detective  theme  complete- 
ly and  deftly  burlesqued,  in  typically  English 
style.  Action  more  lively  than  violent,  dialog 
amusing  without  wisecracks,  villains  who  are 
not  "tough  guys".  Subtle,  intelligent,  laugh- 
able. English  spoken  throughout.  12-24-35 
(A)  Entertaining          (Y)  Good           C)  Exciting 

Annie  Oakley  (Barbara  Stanwyck,  Preston 
Foster)  (RKO)  Hilarious  costume  comedy  of 
Buffalo  Bill  days,  mixing  history,  slapstick  and 
elemental  human  appeal.  Enough  color,  fast 
action  and  low  comedy  to  outweigh  faults  of 
jerky  continuity,  glaring  improbabilities,  and 
very  unsympathetic  hero.  12-10-35 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Good  (C)  Good 

Born  for  Glory  (English  production)  (G-B) 
Pictures  vividly  life  and  spirit  of  British 
navy,  in  peace  and  war,  exemplified  by  young 
hero  who  lives  up  to  his  heroic  inheritance. 
Weakened  by  artificial  plot,  strained  coinci- 
dence, and  some  unintentionally  comic  shoot- 
ing scenes.  1-7-36 
(A)  Hardly                  (Y)  Perhaps                  (C)  No 

Thft  Case  of  the  Lucky  Legs  (Warren  Wn- 
liam,  Genevieve  Tobin)  (Warner)  Perry  Mason 
mystery  story  made  into  unrecognizable  jazz. 
Heavy-drinking-lawyer-detective-hero  made  so 
flippant  and  smart-aleck  that  farce  comedy  be- 
comes burlesque  and  mystery  is  lost  in  fast  tem- 
po, complexity,  and  struggle  for  laughs.  12-17-35 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Collegiate  (Jack  Oakie,  Joe  Penner)  (Para.) 
Gay,  irresponsible  playboy  inherits  Girls'  school, 
turns  it  into  "Charm  School"  featuring  dance 
and  music,  and  makes  it  pay.  Preposterous 
and  silly  farce  with  a  few  amusing  spots  by 
the  four  comedians.  Oakie's  "singing"  an- 
other feature.  12-31-35 
(A)  Absurd                       (Y)  (C)  Perhaps  amusing 

Coronado  (Jack  Haley,  Leon  Errol)  (Para.) 
Crude  concoction  about  sailor  and  girl  whose 
father  refuses  to  believe  them  married.  Cheap- 
ly risque  in  parts,  and  the  rest  suffers  from 
stale  hokum  and  mediocre  acting.  Leon  Er- 
rol's  extensive  clowning  is  only  feature  of  any 
interest.  12-24-35 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

Crime  and  Punishment  (Peter  Lorre,  Edward 
Arnold)  (Columbia)  Powerful  screening  of  Dos- 
toyevski's  grim  tale  about  brilliant  murderer, 
leaving  no  clews,  driven  by  conscience  to  con- 
fess. Arnold  splendid  as  detective.  Lorre  sin- 
ister and  weirdly  gripping  as  hero,  but  gro- 
tesque and  repulsive  as  lover.  12-17-35 
(A)Fineof  kind    (Yj  Doubtful    (C)  By  no  means 

Dance  Band  ( Buddy  Rogers,  June  Clyde ) 
(1st  Division)  Most  of  footage  is  devoted  to 
band  music,  for  hero  and  heroine  are  rival 
orchestra  leaders  working  for  prize  in  band 
contest.  Wholesome  little  romance  between 
persistent  hero  and  scornful  heroine  is  mildly 
diverting.  12-31-35 

(A)  Thin         (Y)  Harmless         (C)  If  it  interests 

Eagle's  Brood,  The  (Bill  Boyd,  Wm.  Allison) 
(Para.)  Another  Hopalong  Cassidy  western 
with  Boyd  doing  his  heroics  in  usual  style. 
Heavy  gang-villainy  accomplishes  many  shoot- 
ings, including  cold-blooded  murder  of  leading 
lady,  until  Boyd  and  pal  save  little  grandson 
of  aged  Mexican  outlaw,  etc.  1-7-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

East  of  Java  (Charles  Bickford)  (Univ.) 
Old-style  thriller  built  solely  for  shudders. 
Sinister  ship,  oriental  crew,  caged  lions,  wreck, 
desert  island,  gruesome  dangers,  with  tough, 
two-fisted,  escaped-criminal  hero  to  run  the 
killings,  threaten  heroine's  virtue,  and  finally 
die  to  save  her !  12-24-35 

(A)  Depends  on  taste  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

'Frisco  Kid  (Jas.  Cagney,  Margaret  Lindsay) 
(Warner)  Notorious  Barbary  Coast  sensation- 
alized to  the  limit.  Tough  hero  rises  to  peak 
of  gambling  power,  till  only  Vigilantes  can  end 
vice  and  violence.  Heroine,  crusading  editor's 
daughter,  subdues  and  saves  hero  from  noose 
and  for  herself.  12-10-35 

(A>  Gd.  of  kind    (Y)  Unwhole.    (C)  By  no  means 

Grand  Exit  (Edmund  Lowe,  Ann  Sothern) 
(Colum.)  Usual  detective  role  for  Lowe.  He 
deftly  solves  arson  mystery  and  skilfully  nurses 
a  romance,  though  heroine  is  one  of  the  sus- 
pects. Much  fire-alarm  excitement  and  con- 
stant smart-aleck  dialog  by  supremely  self- 
satisfied  hero  and  others.  12-10-35 
(A)  Depends  on  taste     (Y)  Amus.     (C)  Doubtful 

Guard  That  Girl  ( Robert  Allen,  Florence 
Rice)  (Columbia)  Thoroughly  puzzling  thriller, 
uneven  in  quality  but  with  plot  satisfy ingly 
complex  and  ingenious,  suspense  well  main- 
tained and  agreeable  romantic  interest.  Act- 
ing not  the  best  and  characters  not  always 
convincing,    unfortunately.  1-7-36 

(A)  Fairly  good  (Y)  Good  (C)  Hardly 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical   Films 

(The  Film   Estimates,  In  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special   arrangement  with  The   Educational   Screen) 

Date    of   mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


I  Dream  Too  Much  (Lili  Pons,  Henry  Fon- 
da) (RKO)  Pleasing  little  story  of  opera- 
singer  who  wanted  her  small-guage  husband 
and  a  baby  more  than  a  glamorous  stage-ca- 
reer. Fine  music,  classical  and  popular,  and 
notable  for  Lili's  charm,  unmistakable  acting 
talent  and   glorious   singing.  1-7-36 

(A)  Enjoyable  (Y)  Excellent   (C)Mature  but  gd. 

I  Found  Stella  Parish  (Ian  Hunter,  Kay  Fran- 
cis, Sybil  Jason)  (Warner)  Romantic  melodrama 
of  notable  quality  and  fine  dialog.  From  Lon- 
don stage  success,  innocent  heroine's  unfortu- 
nate past  drives  herself  and  child  into  exile. 
Star  reporter  seeks,  finds,  loses,  and  wins. 
Hunter  and  Jason  roles  excellent.  12-17-35 

(A)  Interesting        (Y)  Good        (C)  Beyond  them 

The  Great  Impersonation  (Edmund  Lowe) 
(Univ.)  Wildly  improbable  thriller  with  Lowe 
in  double-identity  role  so  perfect  that  double's 
wife  believes  him  her  returned  husband.  Heavy 
melodrama  of  gigantic  war  plot  with  lunatic 
complications.  Dialog,  however,  in  passable 
English   instead   of  wisecracks.  12-24-35 

(A)  Dep.  on  taste      (Y)  Doubtful  value      (C)  No 

The  Littlest  Rebel  (Shirley  Temple,  John 
Boles)  (Fox)  Civil  War  story  of  South  with 
elaborate  role  amazingly  well  played  by  this 
extraordinary  little  star.  Supporting  cast  some- 
times heavy  and  wooden.  Comedy,  charm, 
thrill,  and  especially  pathos.  Shirley's  finest 
work  to  date.  12-24-35 

(A)  Exceptional    (Y)  Excel.    (C)  Unless  too  sad 

The  Man  Who  Broke  the  Bank  at  Monte  Car- 
lo (Ronald  Colman,  Joan  Bennett)  (Fox)  Ad- 
venture story  with  slight  plot,  gaily  and  pleas- 
antly done.  Colman  engaging  as  impecunious 
Russian  nobleman.  Makes  fortune  at  Monte  Car- 
lo, falls  in  love  with  heroine  hired  to  lure  him 
back,  loses  money  but  wins  heroine.  12-31-35 
(A)(Y)  Entertaining  (C)  No  interest 

Maria  Chapdelaine  (French  production,  Eng- 
lish titles)  (Atlantic)  Masterpiece  of  charm  and 
power  showing  life-struggle  of  French-Canadi- 
ans, God-fearing,  life-loving,  uneducated  coun- 
try folk,  devoted  to  tradition  and  family,  strong 
in  simplicity  of  motive  and  character.  Famous 
novel  finely  screened.  12-24-35 

(A)Notable     (Y)Excel.     (C)Mostly  beyond  them 

Metropolitan  (Lawrence  Tibbetts,  Virginia 
Bruce)  (Fox)  Thin  story  built  expressly  as  frame 
for  operatic  arias  and  songs  finely  rendered 
with  usual  Tibbetts  vigor.  His  acting  is  highly 
self-confident,  expansive,  explosive,  but  hardly 
satisfying.  Many  moments  unconsciously  com- 
ic, or  less  comic  than  intended.  12-17-35 
(A)  Fair            (Y)  Fairly  good            (C)  Harmless 

The  Morals  of  Marcus  (Lupe  Velez,  Ian  Hunt- 
er) (British-Gaumont)  Fair  screening  of  W.  J. 
Locke  story  about  English  girl  escaping  Turk- 
ish harem,  attaching  herself  to  unsentimental 
English  archaeologist,  and  winning  out  to  wife- 
hood. Caddish  villain  manages  to  insert  ob- 
jectionable dialog  and  action.  12-10-35 
(A)  Fairly  good            (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Music  is  Magic  (Alice  Faye,  Bebe  Daniels, 
Ray  Walker)  (Fox)  Lively  musical  comedy  sa- 
tire on  Hollywood  about  fading,  tempermental 
movie  star  (well  played  by  Bebe)  and  an  aspir- 
ing vaudeville  troupe  that  finally  succeeds  in 
getting  into  the  movies.  Slapstick  antics  of 
Mitchell  and  Durante  get  tiresome.  12-31-35 
(A)  Fair  of  kind     (Y)  (C)  Probably  entertaining 

The  Old  Homestead  (Mary  Carlyle,  Lawrence 
Gray)  (Liberty)  Ordinary  comedy,  elementary 
in  plot  and  acting,  dubbed  with  famous  title. 
Heroine  gets  rural  quintette  chance  at  radio 
in  big  city.  Proves  unhappy  venture,  hero  goes 
woman-chasing,  but  finally  back  to  country 
for   happy  ending.  12-10-35 

(A)  Mediocre     (Y)  Perhaps      (C)  Little  interest 

One  Way  Ticket  (Walter  Connolly,  Lloyd 
Nolan)  (Columbia)  Good  acting  in  implausible 
tale  of  romance  born  behind  prison  walls. 
Fine  daughter  of  prison-guard  captain  marries 
escaped  convict  who  is  finally  caught  and 
brought  back  to  finish  sentence.  Ethics  a  bit 
dubious  in  spots.  12-31-35 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Over  Night  (Robt.  Donat,  Pearl  Argyle)  (Gau- 
mont-British)  Finely  acted  light  melodrama 
about  country  bank  clerk  who  yearns  for  city 
thrills,  "borrows"  bank  funds  and  entrains  for 
London.  Smooth  train  acquaintance  scents  easy 
money,  but  heroine,  unwilling  member  of  gang, 
saves  all.     Three  notable  roles.  12-17-35 

(A)  Rather  good  (Y)  Good  (C)  Perhaps 


Rose  of  the  Rancho  (Gladys  Swarthout,  John 
Boles )  ( Para. )  The  famous  Belasco  stage- 
play  becomes  a  rather  antequated  western, 
with  the  action  slowed  down  to  musical-com- 
edy tempo.  Swarthout's  singing  is  the  feature. 
Benign  John  Boles  does  the  best  he  can  with 
a   strenuous   he-man   role.  1-7-36 

(A)  Fair       (Y)  Fairly  good       (C)  Little  interest 

Sans  Famille  (French  Production)  (Atlantic 
Films)  Fine  screening  of  famous  Malot  story  of 
kidnapped  English  boy,  reared  in  France,  buf- 
feted by  misfortune,  finally  restored  to  mother. 
Outstanding  work  by  Robert  Lynen,  hero  of 
"Poll  de  Carotte".  Many  scenes  charming,  few 
harsh,  none  dull.  No  English  titles.  12-17-35 
(A)<Y)  Excellent  (C)  Mostly  very  good 

Scrooge  (Sir  Seymour  Hicks  and  English 
cast)  (Para.)  British  film  rendering  truly  and 
beautifully  the  story,  backgrounds  and  spirit 
of  the  immortal  "Christmas  Carol".  Character 
interpretation,  tempo  of  action,  and  especially 
the  role  of  Scrooge  by  Sir  Seymour  would 
please    Dickens    himself.  12-24-35 

(A)  Excellent        (Y)  Excellent        (C)  Excellent 

Ship  Cafe'  (Carl  Brisson,  Arline  Judge) 
(Para.)  InconseQuential  tale  of  a  seaman  who 
becomes  involved  with  a  cheap  night-club,  a 
cheap  girl  and  a  cheap  countess.  Third  rate  at- 
tempts at  songs  and  dances,  feeble  comedy, 
little  material  of  interest  to  anyone.  Supposed 
"smart"   dialog  is  painful.  12-24-35 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

So  Red  the  Rose  (Margaret  Sullavan,  Walter 
Connolly)  (Para.)  Pictures  charmingly  life  in 
the  Old  South,  sentimental,  idyllic,  till  Civil 
War  brings  terror,  hallucinations,  heartbreak, 
tragedy,  ruin  and  social  chaos.  Beautifully  done 
but  continuous  disaster  make  it  as  depressing  as 
entertaining.      Quite   anti-war.  12-17-35 

( A)  ( Y)  Fine  of  kind  (C)  Doubtful 

Splendor  (Miriam  Hopkins,  Joel  McCrea) 
(U.A.)  Sophisticated  society  drama,  smartly 
produced  but  with  unpleasant  theme  and  wood- 
en hero.  Aristocratic  mother  would  make  son 
marry  money,  but  he  weds  humble  heroine  who 
devotedly  gives  herself  to  rich  patron  to  get  job 
for  husband  to  save  family  finances.  12-31-35 
(A)  Depends  on  taste      (Y)  Unsuitable      (C)  No 

Stormy  (Noah  Beery  Jr..  Jean  Rogers)  (Univ.) 
Melodramatic,  stirring  story  of  ranch  life,  cent- 
ered around  boy  hero's  devoted  love  for  horses. 
His  own  colt  makes  the  complications.  Charac- 
ter interest  and  human  appeal  atone  for  in- 
credibilities and  technical  faults.  Wild  horse 
herd  in   Painted  Desert  notable.  12-10-35 

(A)  Good  of  kind    (Y)  Good    (C)  Excit  but  good 

Sylvia  Scarlett)  Hepburn,  Aherne, Grant)  (RKO) 
Hepburn  does  fine  dual  role  in  appealing  ro- 
mantic whimsy.  Heroine  masquerading  as  boy, 
with  father,  joins  cockney  crook.  They  reform 
and  become  show  troupe.  Their  adventures  make 
delightful  comedy  and  some  grim  pathos.  Lovely 
photography  and  notable  performances,  12-31-35 
(A)  Notable         (Y)  Good  (C)  Little  interest 

Transatlantic  Tunnel  (Richard  Dix.  Leslie 
Banks,  Madge  Evans)  (Gau.-Brit.)  Great  specta- 
cle-drama, ably  done,  of  gigantic  engineering 
task  to  bind  England  and  America.  Done  with 
dignity,  power  and  surprising  convincingness. 
Expertly  achieves  credible  combination  of  hu- 
man interest  and  monstrous  mechanics.  12-17-35 
(A)  (Y)  Very  int.  of  kind    (C)  Perhaps  too  strong 

Two  for  Tonight  (Bing  Crosby.  Joan  Bennett) 
(Para.)  Slapstick  farce  about  crooner  forced 
by  absurd  circumstances  into  playwriting,  and 
his  complex  struggles  to  find  plot  in  real  ex- 
perience. Boland  and  Cossart  amusing.  Mildly 
entertaining  whole,  with  incessant  close-ups  of 
Bing  looking  his  best.  12-10-35 

(A)  Feeble      (Y)  Prob.  good      (C)  If  it  interests 

Your  Uncle  Dudley  (E.  E.  Horton)  (MGM) 
Wholesome  domestic  farce-comedy  of  long-suf- 
fering "booster"  of  small-town  enterprise;, 
with  loving  cups  as  sole  reward,  his  business 
dwindling,  relations  to  be  supported,  and  a  pa- 
tient fiancee.  But  the  worm  turns  at  last  and 
domestic  happiness   is   restored.  12-31-35 

(A)  Gd.  of  kind    (Y)  Amusing    (C)  Fairly  amus. 

Youth  March  (Soviet  newsreel)  (Amkino)  First 
in  series  of  propaganda  reels  showing  glorious 
life  under  Soviet.  Red  Square  in  gala  dress. 
Thousands  of  radiant  youth  and  children  march, 
drill,  maneuver.  Stalin  in  person,  and  in  huge 
portraits,  dominates  all  as  beneficent  father  of 
Russian    progress.  12-10-35 

(A)  Striking      (Y-C)  Int.  unless  thot  mi.sleading 


January,  193  6 


Page  15 


Amons  the  Magazines  and  Books 


Nation's  Schools  (November,  '35)  "Director 
Guides  Teachers  in  Use  of  Visual  Aids,"  by  E. 
\\'inifred  Crawford. 

Excellent  suggestions  are  presented  as  to  the 
most  helpful  relations  between  a  director  of  visual 
education  and  classroom  teachers,  as  to  teachers' 
meetings  for  A'isual  instruction  technique,  and  the 
issuing  of  bulletins. 

National  Board  of  Review  Magazine  (November, 
'35)  "The  Motion  l^icture  and  Music,"  by  Douglas 
Moore,  Department  of  Music,  Columbia  University. 

Harper's  Magazine  for  July  published  an  article  by 
Professor  Moore,  which  is,  in  part,  reproduced  with 
additional  matter.  A  complete  history  of  the  vari- 
ous attempts  to  associate  music  with  pictures,  both 
silent  and  sound,  gives  a  far  better  appreciation  of 
this  difficult  art  to  the  average  person.  A  reaction 
has  set  in  towards  more  and  more  pantomime  and 
less  dialogue.  "The  idea  of  visual  flow  has  been 
rediscovered,  the  magic  of  photography  has  been  at 
least  partly  restored,  and  we  are  now  receiving 
examples  of  greatly  improved  pictures."  It  has  been 
discovered  that  the  new  art  of  the  film  can  much 
more  successfully  reproduce  the  novel  than  it  can 
the  stage.  Directors  learned  that  there  is  as  much 
danger  in  sonorous  as  in  photographic  literalness. 
An  imitative  effect  may  be  distracting  "when  not 
sensitively  related  to  the  underlying  dramatic  val- 
ues." The  timeless  element  of  music  is  illuminated 
Ijy  Prof.  Moore,  since  it  merges  moods  and  emo- 
tions of  the  past  into  the  present  situation,  and 
also  prophetically  reaches  into  the  future  and 
weaves  the  coming  moods  and  emotions  into  what 
now  is.  "The  power  of  music  over  the  imagination 
is  probably  greater  than  that  of  any  other  medium 
of  expression.  ...  It  should  pass  almost  unnoticed 
(in  any  form  of  dramatic  projection)  but  should 
add  to  the  emotional  reaction  of  the  audience  un- 
consciously. It  would  be  a  great  feather  in  the 
cap  of  the  young  art  of  the  motion  picture  if  it 
could  realize  the  musical  possibilities  which  the 
theatre  has  so  largely  ignored." 

The  Forum  (November,  '35)  "Mickey  vs.  Pop- 
eye,"  by  William  deMille. 

A  recent  vote  amongst  school  children  to  decide 
upon  the  relative  popularity  of  Mickey  Mouse  and 
Popeye  indicates  a  probable  victory  for  the  latter 
by  a  small  number  of  votes.  "This  is  amazing  and 
revolutionary  .  .  .  Must  the  gentle  altruism  of 
Mickey  bow  to  the  rugged  individualism  of  Pop- 
eye?"  Under  the  drive  of  modern  progress  and 
world  mechanization,  the  right  and  left  schools  of 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


juvenile  philosophy  have  each  evolved  their  own 
appropriate  symbols:  "Mickey,  a  veritable  Sir  Gala- 
had, polished,  courteous,  unselfish,  and  full  of  a 
great  desire  to  help  the  world ;  Popeye,  sinister,  self- 
assertive,  worshipping  strength  rather  than  justice, 
determined  to  dominate  rather  than  to  help.  Should 
Popeye  commit  an  uncouth  act  ...  he  excuses  it 
by  the  nearest  approach  to  an  apology  he  can  find 
in  his  nature — 'I  yam  what  I  yam,  and  that's  all  I 
yam'." 

Mr.  deMille  deplores  Popeye,  like  a  Hun  from 
the  North,  threatening  the  cultural  supremacy  of 
Mickey  and  Minnie.  It  means  even  the  disintegra- 
tion of  domestic  ideals  and  the  integrity  of  the 
American  home.  As  to  physical  expression,  we 
find,  "Mickey's  voice,  gentle,  childish,  charming; 
Popeye's  rough,  raw,  and  raucous.  Mickey's  grace- 
ful movements  and  his  long  and  expressive  tail  are 
poetry,  whereas  Popeye's  movements  are  uncouth, 
jerky,  expressive  of  power  without  beauty." 

The  explanation  of  the  vote  being  almost  a  tie. 
is  possibly  in  the  fact  that  both  of  these  figures  dis- 
play the  quality  of  courage.  No  two  heroes  since 
the  world  began  have  so  frequently  dared  the  im- 
possible as  these  two.  By  all  the  laws  of  nature 
and  man  the  two  have  died  a  thousand  deaths. 
"They  both  achieve.  Each  in  his  own  way  strives 
to  solve  the  world's  problems.  It  will  be  interest- 
ing to  see  which  will  dominate  the  future  thought 
»» 

Collier's  (October  26,  '35)  "Everybody's  Lan- 
guage", by  Winston  Churchill. 

The  development  of  the  genius  of  Charlie  Chap- 
lin in  the  American  environment,  producing  in  him 
the  king  of  pantomimic  art,  is  thoughtfully  ana- 
lyzed. "It  is  the  supreme  achievement  of  Mr.  Chap- 
lin that  he  has  revived  in  modern  times  one  of  the 
great  arts  of  the  ancient  world."  This  art  had  its 
golden  age  under  the  early  Caesars.  Since  panto- 
mime is  the  true  universal  language,  Mr.  Churchill 
believes  that  it  should  be  revived  with  a  deliberate 
limitation  of  the  mechanical  aids  now  in  use. 

"The  primitive  mind  thinks  more  easily  in  pic- 
tures than  in  words.  The  films  which  are  shown 
amid  the  stillness  of  the  African  tropical  night  or 
under  the  skies  of  Asia  may  determine,  in  the  long 
run,  the  fate  of  empires  and  of  civilizations.  They 
will  promote,  or  detroy,  the  prestige  by  which  the 
white  man  maintains  his  precarious  supremacy 
amid  the  teeming  multitudes  of  black  and  brown 


Page  16 


The  Educational  Screen 


and  yellow."  When  we  think  of  Chaplin,  we  think 
especially  of  his  feet,  but  his  feet  are  a  "property". 
His  feet  and  walk  are  the  feet  and  walk  of  a  cab- 
man that  Chaplin  often  saw  in  the  Kensington 
Road,  in  London,  and  to  whom  they  were  not 
humorous.  "But  the  boy  saw  the  comic  possibili- 
ties of  that  uneasy  progress.  He  watched  the  old 
man  and  copied  his  movements  until  he  had  mas- 
tered every  step  in  the  dismal  repertoire  and  turned 
it  into  mirth. 

"The  same  power  of  observation,  the  same  patient 
thoroughness,  could  be  used — and  would  be  used — 
to  give  us  convincing  characterizations  of  serious 
roles.  Chaplin  has  desired  to  portray  the  role  of 
Napoleon  in  a  serious  characterization.  Churchill 
believes  that  his  future  may  lie  in  the  portrayal  of 
such  characters  in  non-talking  films,  and  in  the  de- 
velopment of  a  universal  cinema.  "To  explore  the 
possibilities  of  the  non-talking  film,,  to  make  of  it 
a  new  and  individual  art  form,  would  not  be  a  retro- 
grade step,  but  an  advance."  The  author  holds  that 
dialogue,  a  necessary  party  of  a  stage  play,  is  not 
inherent  in  a  picture  any  more  than  it  is  in  a  ballet. 
Of  all  the  many  brilliant  and  original  minds  asso- 
ciated with  the  cinema  today,  there  is  no  one  so 
well  equipped  for  this  experiment  as  Mr.  Chaplin. 
Possibly  no  one  else  would  venture  upon  it.  "I 
wish  him  good  luck — and  the  courage  of  his  own 
convictions  and  his  own  magnificent  powers." 

Intercine  (October,  '35)  "I  Talked  with  Charlie 
Chaplin",  by  A.  J.  Urban. 

During  an  interview  in  Chaplin's  bungalow,  the  fol- 
lowing ideas  were  voiced.  "Picture  and  talk  do  not  tol- 
erate each  other.  It  is  the  union  of  two  different  inco- 
herent forms."  He  intends  to  try  out  talking  pictures, 
but  not  in  his  tramp  character  for  this  character  be- 
longs to  all  countries.  Talking  would  localize  him. 
One  word  in  this  character  would  kill  Chaplin's 
twenty  years'  work.  In  the  comedian's  new  pic- 
ture, he  thought  of  having  the  other  characters  talk 
while  he  would  remain  silent,  but  that  would  look 
as  if  he  were  dumb,  so  sound  is  used  only  indirect- 
ly. "No  actors  in  sound  pictures  could  be  employed 
as  they  forgot  the  art  of  mimicry.  Cameramen  and 
assistant  directors,  likewise,  who  knew  the  silent 
art,  had  to  be  engaged.  When  people  talk,  action 
stops;  comedy  demands  action.  I  shall  always 
make  only  silent  comedies,  even  if  I  gave  up  the 
tramp  character  and  started  with  a  new  one."  If 
he  ever  makes  a  talking  picture;^  it  will  be  a  drama, 
never  a  comedy.  Cartoons  are  today  the  only 
American  art  in  films,  "because  in  it  and  only  in  it 
the  artist  is  absolutely  free  to  use  his  phantasy  and 
to  do  whatever  he  likes  to  do  with  the  picture." 

He  believes  that  colors  in  our  best  late  films  are 
too  heavy.  "There  is  a  big  difiference  between 
viewing  a  still  picture  and  seeing  masses  of  color 


in  motion."  The  re\ie\ver  suggests  that  here  Chap- 
lin is  suggesting  an  excellent  problem  for  research 
students. 

Sierra  Educational  News  (December,  '35)  "A 
Unique  Project  in  Map-Making,"  by  D.  P.  Lucas. 

Making  a  map,  in  which  each  state  is  represented 
by  its  most  typical  wood,  was  accomplished  after 
one  and  a  half  years  spent  in  making  inquiries  of 
all  the  states.  A  print  of  the  map  is  interesting  and 
instructive,  but  especially  will  be  appreciated  the 
list  of  woods  from  Alabama  to  Wyoming. 

Sight  and  Sound  (London,  Autumn,,  '35)  "Films 
in  a  Rural  School."  by  A.  S.  C.  Lambon,  M.  R.  S.  T. 
Excellent  adaptations  of  projection  under  unfavor- 
able conditions  are  here  shown  to  produce  good 
results.  A  cloak-room  is  converted  into  a  projec- 
tion room,  seating  50  pupils;  the  machine  is  always 
ready  and  no  time  is  lost  in  having  a  picture  lesson. 
After  trying  many  types  of  screens,  an  ordinary 
twill  sheet  has  proved  satisfactory  and  has  the  ad- 
vantage of  being  easily  rolled  up. 

"Making  the  Past  Live,"  by  Mary  Field,  M.  A. 
No  one  making  original  dramatizations  of  historical 
scenes,  either  on  the  stage  or  pictorially,  should  be 
ignorant  of  the  very  pertinent  points  brought  out 
in  this  article.  Since  a  picture  is  always  definite 
in  detail,  the  problem  is  considered  of  giving  a  gen- 
neral  idea  of  .multiplicity  of  detailed  conditions 
over  a  period  of  history.  "Inaccuracy  is,  I  think, 
forgivable  in  an  historical  film,  but  untruthfulness 
is  inexcusable.  Too  much  accuracy  will  kill  a  film, 
make  the  actors  wooden,  enchain  the  director,  limit 
the  scenario  writer.  The  aim  of  an  historical  film 
should  be  to  interpret  the  past  with  truth  and 
honesty,  and  then  it  doesn't  matter  if  the  hats  are 
five  years  out  of  date,  or  if  the  make-up  is  modelled 
on  a  portrait  of  ten  years  before  the  action." 

Grade  Teacher  (December,  '35)  "Symbol  Sto- 
ries," by  Mary  Combs  and  Agnes  Lehman. 

Pupils  combine  art  and  language  to  tell  a  geog- 
'raphy  story.  The  illustrated  stories  are  fully  re- 
produced. An  enigmatic  element  introduces  the 
spirit  of  a  game. 

Third  Dimension  Picture  Books 

Footprint  Series  :  Gknts  of  the  Animal  Kingdom, 
Strange  Animals,  Monkeys  and  Apes,  Wild  Oxen. 
Published  by  Orthovis  Printing  Company,  Chicago, 
with  the  cooperation  of  Field  Museum  of  Natural  His- 
tory. These  four  books  for  children,  designed  to  bring 
authentic  pictures  and  stories  about  animals  from  the 
natural  history  museum  into  the  homes  and  schools, 
are  new  additions  to  "The  Footprint  Series."  Four 
previous  titles  in  the  series^"The  Lion,"  "The  Bear," 
"The  Deer,"  and  "Wild  Sheep  and  Goats"  were  re- 

{Concliided  on  page  25) 


January,  1936 


Page  17 


Department  of  Visual  Instruction 


The  St.  Louis  Meetings 

THE  FEBRUARY  meeting  of  the  Department  of 
'  Visual  Instruction  will  be  held,  as  usual,  concur- 
rently with  the  annual  meetings  of  the  Department  of 
Superintendence  at  St.  Louis,  February  22  to  29,  1936 
— but  with  one  marked  departure  from  previous  practice. 
It  is  planned  to  condense  the  customary  three-day  pro- 
gram into  a  day  and  a  half.  This  is  done  to  bring  the 
Department  of  Visual  Instruction  into  accord  with  the 
recent  regulations  of  the  Department  of  Superintend- 
ence which  were  adopted  to  avoid  conflict  between  the 
main  sessions  and  the  group  sessions  and  to  ease  the 
difficulty  of  finding  separate  assembly  rooms  for  some 
thirty-six  subordinate  Departments  which  seek  to  hold 
their  sessions  during  the  same  days.  It  is  further  be- 
lieved that  a  closely-knit  program  of  a  day  and  a  half 
may  appeal  strongly  to  many  in  the  visual  field  whose 
free  time  is  rigidly  limited,  and  that  such  concentration 
may  result  in  still  larger  attendance  on  the  visual  in- 
struction program. 

The  program  is  still  in  process  of  formation  and 
therefore,  as  given  below,  should  be  considered  merely 
tentative.  Changes  and  additions  will  undoubtedly  be 
made  but  the  final  form  will  appear  in  the  February 
Educ.xtioxal  Screen  which  will  reach  its  readers  a 
week  or  ten  days  before  the  meetings. 

Program  of  the  Winter  Meeting  of    ~ 
The  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 
of  the  N.  E.  A. 
(Monday  and  Tuesday,  February  241-11  and  25th) 

Held  concurrently  with  the  meetings  of 
The  Department  of  Superintendence  at  St.  Louis, 
February  22-27,  1936 
MONDAY,  FEBRUARY  24th 
12  O'clock,  Noon.     Department  Luncheon  and  Regis- 
tration.   (Send  reservation    for  luncheon — $1.00 — 
to   Amelia    Meissner,   Chairman   of    Arrangement, 
Educational  Museum,  3325  Bell  Avenue,  St.  Louis.) 
Hotel   Melbourne,   Grand  and   Lindell   Boulevards 
(Bus  or  Taxi  to  St.  Louis  Educational  Museum) 
2  P.M.  to  4:30  P.M.    Afternoon  Session  at  St.  Louis 
Educational  Museum 

Session  will  be  devoted  to  several  demonstration  les- 
sons using  visual  aids,  with  classes  of  pupils  from 
lower  grades,  intermediate  grades,  and  High  School ; 
and  to  a  close-up  survey  of  the  actual  workings  of  the 
Educational  Museum  and  its  extensive  service  to  St. 
Louis  Schools,  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Amelia  B. 
Meissner. 

(Bus  or  Taxi  to  St.  Louis  Municipal  Auditorium) 
4:45  P.M.  to  5:45   P.M.     Lecture-Presentation    (in 
hall  of  Auditorium) 

by  Arthur  C.  Pillsbury  of  Berkeley,  California,  of  some 
of  his  remarkable  motion  pictures  on  biological,  horti- 
cultural and  floral  subjects.  Mr.  Pillsbury,  formerly 
with  the  National  Parks  Service,  famous  for  his  stop- 
motion  studies  of  plant  and  flower  growth,  now  carry- 
ing   on     his     researches     in    collaboration     with     the 


Conducted  by  E.  C.  WAGGONER,  Secretary-Treasurer 


University  of  California,  has  produced  pictures  that 
are  not  only  beautiful  and  amazing  but  of  great  scien- 
tific importance.  His  work  on  potato-growing  for  ex- 
ample, is  likely  to  prove  epoch-making.  (This  is  one 
of  the  films  to  be  shown). 

TUESDAY,  FEBRUARY  25th 

7:30  A.M.  to  8:45  A.M.     Informal  Breakfast  Hour 
at  Hotel  Melbourne  (Bus  or  Taxi  to  Auditorium) 

9:00  A.M.  to  11:30  A.M.     Morning  Session  in  hall 

in  Auditorium 

"Teaching  Safety  through  Visual  Methods" 

Address  by  Herbert  J.  Stack,  of  the  staflf  of  Teachers 
College,  Columbia  University,  and  associated  with  the 
National  Bureau  of  Casualty  and  Surety  Underwriters 
and  with  the  National  Safety  Council.  (Accompanied 
with  slides  and  talking  pictures). 
"Preparing  Teachers  in  the  Use  of  Visual-Sensory 

Aids" 

Address  by  William  A.  Yeager  of  the  School  of  Edu- 
cation, University  of  Pittsburgh.  Dr.  Yeager  has  long 
been  conducting  courses  which  prepare  teachers  to 
meet  the  requirements  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
for  training  in  the  use  of  visual  aids  in  teaching. 
"The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction" 

Address  by  Arthur  O.  Baker  of  the  John  Marshall 
High  School,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  This  presentation  will 
be  accompanied  by  screen  projections  giving  in  full 
detail  the  working  of  this  outstanding  development  in 
the  field  of  visual  instruction. 
(Two  shorter  addresses  may  be  added  to  this  session) 

2:00  P.M.  to  4:30  P.M.     Afternoon  Session  in  hall 

of  Auditorium 

"Motion  Pictures  —  Not  for  Theatre" 

Address  by  Edwin  A.  Krows,  long  engaged  in  picture 
production,  both  theatrical  and  educational,  author  of 
well-known  books  on  the  picture  field,  and  recently 
Managing  Editor  of  The  New  Outlook,  New  York 
City.  This  address  will  summarize  the  author's  com- 
plete history  of  the  non-theatrical  motion  picture  field 
from  beginnings  to  date.  This  unique  work,  now  in 
manuscript  form  nearly  ready  for  publication,  will  be 
an  authoritative  record  of  the  first  decades  of  the 
visual  movement  that  would  otherwise  be  lost.  The 
book  is  planned  for  appearance  in  1936. 

"The  American  Film  Institute" 

Address  by  Edgar  Dale,  of  the  School  of  Education, 
Ohio  State  University,  whose  notable  contributions  in 
scholarship  and  research  to  the  visual  field  have  al- 
ready received  nation-wide  circulation.  Dr.  Dale  will 
give  an  authoritative  and  detailed  presentation  of 
plans,  aims,  present  activities  and  future  prospects  of 
an  undertaking  of  vital  interest  to  the  whole  field  of 
visual  instruction. 

A    Symposium    on    "Sound    and    Silent    Films    in 

Teaching" 

The  various  aspects,  characteristics  and  problems  of 
the  two  current  forms  of  motion  pictures  for  teaching 
will  be  treated  by  selected  speakers  and  by  free  dis- 
cussion from  the  floor.  Typed  questions  and  answers 
from  educators  throughout  the  country  will  be  pro- 
jected on  the  screen  inviting  further  discussion  by  the 
audience  and  two  reels  of  outstanding  educational 
sound  films  will  be  run. 

4:30  P.M.     A  very  brief  business  meeting  will  close 

the  sessions. 


Page  18 


The  Educational  Screen 


News  and  Notes 


Use  of  Sound  Films  Increasing 

The  number  of  educational  institutions  which  are 
instalHng  sound  equipment  is  increasing  rapidly. 

The  Boards  of  Education  in  the  cities  of  New 
Haven,  Conn.,  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  and  Allentown,  Pa., 
have  initiated  a  talking  picture  program  in  their  school 
systems  this  fall.  In  Newark.  N.  J.  Mr.  A.  G.  Balcom, 
Director  of  Visual  Instruction,  is  working  out  a  pro- 
gram for  the  use  of  sound  films  in  the  curriculum 
of  the  schools,  and  has  ordered  a  number  of  such 
subjects.  The  Port  Chester  Public  School  System, 
N.  Y.,  has  recently  purchased  additional  sound  film 
and  equipment. 

The  State  Teachers  College  at  Santa  Barbara,  Cal., 
and  Teachers  College  for  the  City  of  Boston  have 
started  a  library  of  Teacher  Training  films.  Among 
the  institutions  who  are  continually  adding  to  their 
sound  film  library  are  the  State  Teachers  Colleges  at 
Kutztown,  Pa.,  and  Plattsburg,  N.  Y.,  Columbia  Col- 
lege at  Dubuque,  la.,  Indiana  University,  and  the  State 
University  of  Iowa.  The  Extension  Divisions  of  the 
University  of  Wisconsin  and  the  University  of  Cali- 
fornia plan  to  distribute  educational  sound  films  to 
schools  throughout  their  states. 

Many  museums  are  also  including  educational  talking 
pictures  in  their  service  to  schools,  among  them  The 
Cleveland  Educational  Museum,  The  Franklin  Insti- 
tute in  Philadelphia,  The  St.  Paul  Institute,  The  Chil- 
dren's Museum  in  Boston,  The  Bufifalo  Museum,  and 
the  Museum  of  Science  and  Industry  in  New  York 
City. 

Resolutions  Passed  by  the  Visual  Instruction 
Section  of  the  Ohio  Education  Association 

"Resolved  that  the  Visual  Instruction  Section  of  the 
Ohio  Education  Association  make  a  practical  efi^ort 
to  see  that  producers  of  such  pictures  as  are  based  on 
the  works  of  Shakespeare  and  similar  literature,  com- 
monly read  in  school,  are  encouraged  by  remunerative 
box-office  receipts.  Such  pictures  can  only  be  pro- 
duced if  they  are  given  adequate  financial  returns.  In- 
asmuch as  these  pictures  provide  the  means  by  which 
these  classics  may  be  dramatized  and  visualized  it  is 
the  belief  of  this  group  that  theater  managers  should 
be  requested  to  secure  them,  and  when  so  secured  that 
the  children  should  be  offered  ample  opjiortunity  to 
view  them. 

"Be  it  further  resolved  that  the  chairman  of  the 
Visual  Education  Section  be  authorized  to  appoint  two 
standing  committees,  one  to  study  and  report  in  "Ohio 
Schools",  the  causes  of  damage  to  motion  picture  film. 
and  one  to  study  the  relative  merits  of  expressing  one 
sensory  experience  by  means  of  another  sense  com- 
municatory-form." 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN 


Slides  on  School  Activities 

Six  sets  of  colored  stereopticon  slides  depicting  ac- 
tivities in  the  nursery  school,  kindergarten,  primary, 
and  upper  elementary  grades  may  be  borrowed  upon 
application  to  the  United  States  Office  of  Education. 
There  are  between  54  and  65  slides  in  the  sets  and  are 
grouped  under  the  following  titles :  A  Day  in  a  Nurs- 
ery School,  Kindergarten  Activities,  Primary  Grade 
Activities,  Coordinated  Nursery  School,  Kindergarten 
and  Primary  Activities,  and  Elementary  School  Ex- 
periences. 

A  set  of  12  slides  showing  the  graphic  representa- 
tion of  enrollments,  attendance,  length  of  session,  etc., 
for  kindergarten-primary  grades  as  described  in  Office 
of  Education  Bulletin  1930,  No.  30  "Kindergarten- 
Primary  Education,  A  Statistical  and  Graphic  Study," 
is  also  available  upon  request. 

Cleveland  Library  Bookmarks 

Motion  Picture  Bookmarks,  a  service  provided  by 
the  Cleveland  Public  Library  to  Cleveland  citizens  for 
the  last  12  years,  will  now  be  made  available  to  citizens 
throughout  the  United  States  by  the  Office  of  Educa- 
tion on  its  weekly  radio  ])rogram  of  Education  in  the 
News. 

Motion-picture  bookmarks  are  short  lists  of  books 
which  promise  interesting  reading  in  connection  with 
current  films  based  on  famous  novels,  biographies,  or 
historical  episodes. 

The  first  bookmark  broadcast  dealt  with  Booth  Tark- 
ington's  Alice  Adams;  the  second  with  A  Midsummer 
Night's  Dream,  and  each  week  the  outstanding  current 
film  is  chosen  for  similar  recognition. 

A  further  service  to  librarians  recently  instituted  by 
the  Cleveland  Public  Library  is  the  monthly  publication 
of  Books  and  Films,  edited  by  Mrs.  Ina  Roberts,  ]iub- 
licity  director.  The  purpose  of  this  monthly  material 
is  to  furnish  suggestions  on  promoting  interest  in 
books  through  current  films. 

Photography  Aids  in  Safety  Work 

The  following  letter  written  to  Camera  Craft 
speaks  for  itself: 

"The  writer  is  a  member  of  the  California  High- 
way Patrol  who  has  for  the  last  three  years  been 
specially  detailed  to  Safet}-  work  in  the  school  of 
his  county.  I  conceived  the  idea  that  motion  pic- 
tures would  hold  the  interest  of  the  children  far 
more  than  speeches  and  that  instead  of  boring  them 
by  repetition,  pictures  showing  the  right  and 
wrong  actions  in  traffic  as  well  as  bad  accidents, 


January,  1936 


Page  19 


Educational  Talking  Pictures 

AT  A  PROFIT 


New  RCA  Plan 
gives  you  both  film 
service  and  perfected 

projector  on 
self-supporting   basis 

Just  a  month  ago  the  first  announce- 
ment was  made  of  the  new  plan  by 
which  RCA  makes  it  possible  for 
you  toget  talking  picture  equipment 
and  films  for  your  school  without 
drawing  on  school  board  funds. 

Already  educators  in  all  parts  of 
the  country  have  shown  great  in- 
terest. The  first  shows  sponsored  by 
this  Plan  have  begun. 

What  the  Plan  offers 

Here  is  what  you  get:  the  famous 
RCA  I6mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture 
Projector,  a  remarkable  device  that 
is  as  simple  to  operate  as  a  radio,  yet 
gives  exceptional  brilliance,  clarity 
and  steadiness  of  the  picture,  plus 
great  naturalness  of  sound. 

AND,  in  addition,  a  fine  program 
service,  supplied  by  Walter  O. 
Gutlohn,  Inc.,  35  West  45th  St., 
New  York  City,  famous  for  creating 
attractive  programs.  You  are  sup- 
plied with  ten  programs,  one  for 
each  scholastic  month. 


RCA  16nim.  Sound  Motion  Picture  ProiLctor.  a  sirnpiiliLcl  version  of  the  famous  R(-A  Photophone 
Projector  used  in  leading  theatres.   As  sitnplc  to  operate  as  a  radio. 


How  it  is  financed 

There  is  a  down  payment  of  $50, 
which  can  be  raised  locally.  And 
there  are  ten  monthly  payments  of 
$60  each,  covering  ten  scholastic 
months.  These  can  be  more  than 
covered  by  charging  a  small  admis- 
sion to  each  show.  Payments  cover 
use  of  program  for  one  day,  regard- 
less of  number  of  showings.  Addi- 
tional days,  $15  each  per  program. 

The  films 

Pictures  are  the  best  available, 
appealing  to  teachers  as  well  as 
students.  There  are  educational 
subjects;  classics  such  as  Jane  Eyre 
and  The  Last  of  the  Mohicans; 
sports;  news;  cartoons. 


Equipment  becomes  yours 

At  the  end  of  a  calendar  year  you 
own  outright  the  RCA  Projector, 
and  have  had  the  ten  monthly  pro- 
grams necessary  to  give  a  show 
during  each  of  the  school  months. 
Admissions  have  paid  for  it  all,  and 
have  left  a  margin  for  school  uses. 
In  subsequent  years  film  rental  be- 
comes the  only  expense. 

For  full  information 

There  is  a  coupon  below.  Clip  it, 
get  complete  story  about  this  wonder- 
ful plan  that  makes  sound  motion 
pictures  and  equipment  so  easy  for 
any  school  to  obtain.  Clip  the  cou- 
pon—don't go  another  month  with- 
out talking  pictures  in  vour  schooL 


MAIL    THE    COUPON    NOW! 
1 


RCA  SELF-FINANCING 
INSTITUTIONAL  MOTION  PICTURE  PLAN 

RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.,  Camden,  N.  J.,   a  subsidiary  of  the 

RADIO  CORPORATION  OF  AMERICA 


Visual  Sound  Section 

RCA  Mfg.  Co.,  Inc.,  Camden,  N.  J.,  Dept.  ES  ' 

Please  send  me  full  details  of  the  RCA  Self-  I 

Financing  Motion  Picture  Plan.  I 

I 


Name- 


School - 
St^eet_ 
City 


-State- 


Page  20 


The  Educational  Screen 


would  be  the  greatest  possible  medium  of  instruc- 
tion. Therefore  I  purchased  a  16  mm.  motion  pic- 
ture camera,  a  projector,  a  large  beaded  glass  screen 
capable  of  showing  brilliantly  enough  for  a  large 
auditorium  and  other  necessary  equipment. 

"I  then  arranged  with  the  schools  for  honor  chil- 
dren in  Safety  to  be  appointed  to  act  out  parts  on 
the  highways  and  let  the  children  act  out  parts  in 
realistic  accidents  showing  the  right  and  wrong 
actions.  These  shots  were  made  so  realistic  that 
even  the  teachers  were  fooled.  Needless  to  say  the 
children  in  the  100  odd  schools  of  the  county  can 
hardly  wait  for  the  next  visit  of  the  officer  with  the 
pictures,  and  are  so  well  versed  in  the  laws  and  rules 
that  the  county  won  first  place  among  the  58  other 
counties  of  the  state  for  its  Safety  work  as  judged 
by  the  Parent-Teachers'  Association. 

New  Study  Guides  Prepared 

The  release  of  a  number  of  new  films  of  outstand- 
ing literary  merit  has  led  the  Motion  Picture  Commit- 
tee of  the  Department  of  Secondary  Education  of  the 
National  Education  Association,  to  recommend  the 
preparation  of  additional  photoplay  guides  of  the  type 
that  has  become  increasingly  popular  with  high  school 
teachers  and  students  in  recent  months. 

On  the  basis  of  the  Department's  recommendations. 
Educational  and  Recreational  Guides,  Inc.,  of  Newark, 
New  Jersey,  have  just  released  study  guides  on  the 
three  new  pictures,  Mutiny  on  the  Bounty,  A  Tale  of 
Two  Cities  and  Scrooge.  Similar  guides  have  been 
published  for  the  following  films:  The  Last  Days  of 
Pompeii,  The  Three  Musketeers,  Les  Miserables,  A 
Midsummer  Night's  Dream,  Fang  and  Claw,  and 
Seven  Keys  to  Baldpate. 

Evaluation  of  Films  for  Use  in  Biology 

(^Concluded  from  page  9) 

tions  occurring  at  the  beginning  of  the  table  were 
well  answered  in  the  film  by  clear  and  distinct  pic- 
tures accompanied  by  suitable  sub-titles.  Question 
5,  however,,  was  the  type  of  question  not  well  an- 
swered by  the  pictures  of  the  film  and  had  no  sub- 
title as  an  explanation.  Hence  the  answers  to  this 
varied  from  "three  hours"  to  "three  weeks." 

From  the  above  discussion  it  may  be  concluded 
that  useful  information  may  be  obtained  by  high 
school  pupils  from  one  presentation  of  a  film  if  the 
pictures  are  clear  and  distinct  and  the  accompany- 
ing sub-titles  are  simple  and  direct,  that  misconcep- 
tions are  likely  to  arise  in  the  minds  of  the  pupils 
if  the  photography  is  poor  or  if  the  sub-titles  are 
involved  and  technical,  that  time  relationships  can- 
not be  clearly  shown  in  the  film  unless  the  action 
is  accompanied  by  a  suitable  explanation. 


The  Natlon-Wlde  Postal-Card  Questionnaire 

— prepared  by  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruc- 
tion of  the  N.  E.  A.  during  the  past  fall  for 
continuous  mailings  during  1936 — has  begun  go- 
ing into  the  mails  with  the  new  year.  Report  on 
first  returns  will  be  made  in  the  February  issue 
of  The  Educ.mioxal  Screen'. 


New  Jersey  Visual  Education  Activities 

By  A.  G.  BALCOM 

Assistant  Superintendent  of  Schools, 
Newark,  New  Jersey 

The  New  Jersey  Visual  Education  Association 
has  had  a  busy  season.  The  Fall  Meeting  of  the 
Association  was  held  in  the  high  school,  at  Vine- 
land,  October  8th.  The  program  had  been  ar- 
ranged by  Lawrence  R.  Winchell,  superintendent 
of  schools,  in  Vineland.  It  consisted  of  an  after- 
noon session^  a  luncheon  period,  and  an  evening 
session.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  state,  so  that  it  would  be  of  special  interest 
to  teachers  in  that  vicinity.  Teachers  and  pupils 
assisted  in  this  program  of  proving  the  value  of 
visual  aids.  In  the  evening,  the  commercial  repre- 
sentatives demonstrated  maps,  projectors  and  other 
material  available  to  teachers.  The  program  con- 
cluded with  an  auditorium  presentation  of  16mm. 
sound  films. 

The  Association,  which  met  in  Atlantic  City  on 
November  9th,  at  the  same  time  as  the  New  Jersey 
State  Teachers'  Association,  had  its  own  program, 
which  is  reproduced  here.  It  boasted  the  largest 
attendance  of  its  history.  All  the  addresses  were 
effectively  illustrated. 

Morning  Session 

Singing — With  the  Use  of  Song  Slides. 

"Administering  Visual  Aids  in  a  School" — William  B.  Har- 
grove,  Principal,   Charlton   St.   School,   Newark. 

"The  Local  History  of  New  Jersey" — John  Garth  Coleman, 
Principal,  Jos.  F.  Brandt  Jr.  High  School,  Hoboken. 

"Visual  Aids  for  Classroom  and  Shop" — George  F.  Bowne, 
Instructor  in  the  Manual  Arts,  Weequahic  H.  S.,  Newark. 

"Creative  Education  in  a  Rural  School"  (Illustrated  by  Pupils' 
Work) — Rose  D.  Gerlach,  Principal,  Joyce  Kilmer  School, 
Lodi. 

Afternoon  Session 

"Educational  Value  of  Puppets"  (Illustrated  by  a  Marionette 
Play  of  the  Summit  Schools) — Alice  Mihleis,  State  Di- 
rector, New  Jersey  Marionette  Guild. 

"Teacher  Training  in  the  Use  of  Visual  Aids" — Lawrence  R. 
Winchell,  Supt.  of  Schools,  Vineland. 

"Selection  of  Pictures  for  Schools" — Illustrated  by  Reproduc- 
tions from  the  Galleries  of  Raymond  and  Raymond,  N. 
Y.  C. — Sherman  Smith. 

"Recording  a  Circus  Activity"  (New  Color  Process — Eastman 
Kodachrome) — Jean  Fames,  Instructor,  Subnormal  Chil- 
dren, Burnet  Street  School,  Newark. 

The  first  bulletin  of  the  Association  was  dis- 
tributed to  teachers  at  the  meeting. 


January,  1936 


Page  21 


'ilii  ^nooMcfZ 


Above,  Model  B  Balopticon  for 
lantern  slide  projection. 
Below,  Model  BUT,  the  same 
as  model   B  but  with   a  con- 
venient tilting  base. 


BEGINS    WITH   PICTURES 

Give  a  child  a  picture  that  he  can  study  at  length;  tell  him  what  it  is  and 
what  it  means.  He  will  readily  understand  and  it  will  provide  an  excellent 
stimulus  to  his  imagination  and  reasoning. 

That  is  the  fundamental  basis  of  teaching  with  a  Balopticon — the  instrument 
of  still  picture  projection.  Still  pictures,  projected  onto  a  screen,  give  the 
entire  class  time  to  absorb  the  point  being  taught  because  it  is  vividly  and 
permanently  impressed  on  the  students'  minds. 

There  are  several  models  of  B  &  L  Balopticons  which  project  either  lantern 
slide  or  opaque  object  illustrations  or  both.  The  complete  Balopticon  Cata- 
log E-11  describes  all  of  them.  Write  for  your  copy.  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical 
Co.,  688  St.  Paul  Street,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Bausch  &  Lomb 


WE  MAKE  OUR  OWN  GLASS  TO 
INSURE   STANDARDIZED    PRODUCTION 


FOR  YOUR  GLASSES,  INSIST  ON  B  A  L 
OR7HOGON    LENSES    AND   B  &  L    FRAMES 


Page  22 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Department 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudfon,  N.  Y. 


Assembly   Prosrams    With    Pupil-Made   Slides 


yy/ITHOUT  doubt  two  of  the  best  and  most  in- 
^^  teresting  assembly  programs  that  we  have  had 
during  the  last  year  have  been  those   for  which  the 
pupils  made  their  own  slides. 

Our  program  on  the  life  and  inventions  of  Thomas 
A.  Edison  probably  appealed  to  the  children  more  than 
did  the  one  we  presented  on  mathematics.  However, 
for  both  programs  the  making  of  the  slides  served  as 
a  valuable  means  of  motivating  the  research  work  as 
well  as  for  self-expression.  They  also  appealed  so 
much  to  the  children's  interest  that  the  problem  of 
discipline  faded  completely  away.  Then,  too,  their 
drawings — though  rather  crude  at  times — were  h 
tremendous  help  in  conveying  the  ideas  realistically 
and  the  children  learned  the  importance  of  Ruskin's 
words :  "Learn  to  draw  —  that  you  may  set  down 
clearly  and  usefully  records  of  such  things  as  cannot 
be  described  in  words.  —  either  to  assist  your  own 
memory  or  to  convey  distinct  ideas  of  them  to  other 
people." 


It  i$&i%ere 

the  HCJ^Mp  \6mm 

^^^  ALL 
SPROCKET 
PROJECTOR 


nmmH: 


©♦■■  h^  ■ 


\ 


SILENT 

or 

SOUND 

on 

FILM 


All 
Shaft 
Driven 

Straight 

Sound 

Aperture 

Direct 
Beam  of 
Lisht  on 

Sound 
Track  and 
Photo  Cell 

Hold  Pack 
Sprocket 

Filtered 
Sound 

Sprockat 


Ask  any  professional  operator 
why  thes2  HOLMES  16  mm 
features  are  so  necessary  to  the 
finest  sound  reproduction  and 
picture   projection. 


HOLMES 

1813  N.  ORCHARD 


Write  for  full  descriptive 
literature. 


PROJECTOR 

STREET 


No  Bolts 
No  Chains 

No 

Sound 
Drum 

No 

Reflected 

Light  From 

Sound 

Track  to 

Photo  Cell 

No  Claw 
Movement 

No  High 
Speed 
Shafts 


COMPANY 

CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


The  making  of  the  slides  also,  due  to  the  intense 
interest  aroused,  created  a  greater  desire  to  know  more 
about  the  subject  involved.  More  class  responses  took 
place  and  more  research  work  was  done.  The  pupils 
gained  in  the  ability  to  organize  and  eliminate  infor- 
mation ;  they  also  gained  a  greater  appreciation  of  the 
work  of  scientists,  mathematicians,  and  authors.  Cor- 
relation resulted  in  the  motivation  of  drawing.  Eng- 
lish work,  mathematics,  science,  and  ])urposeful 
reading. 

For  our  Thomas  A.  Edison  program,  the  objec- 
tive was  to  study  the  life  of  the  great  inventor  and 
to  learn  about  his  inventions  so  as  to  report  the  find- 
ings to  others  in  such  a  way  that  they  would  develop 
an  appreciation  of  him  as  a  man  and  of  his  contribu- 
tion to  civilization. 

The  time  devoted  to  this  project — including  the  cor- 
relation with  the  home-room  guidance  work  —  was 
about  one  month.  During  that  time  the  pupils  not  only 
gathered  together  instructive  and  inspiring  facts  con- 
cerning the  life,  character,  and  working  habits  of  the 
most  outstanding  scientist  of  the  world's  history,  but 
they  also  gained  excellent  training  in  the  selection  of 
those  facts  which  would  prove  most  interesting  to  a 
group  of  listeners.  Through  this  study  a  greater  ap- 
preciation for  the  patience,  the  hard  work,  and  the 
industry  of  this  man  was  gained. 

After  assembling  all  of  our  data  on  Mr.  Edison,  we 
then  started  in  on  the  problem  of  gathering  together 
reliable  pictures  and  drawings  which  illustrated  his 
various  inventions  both  in  the  process  of  making  and 
after  being  completed.  All  sorts  of  references  in  the 
various  science  books  of  the  school,  public  library,  and 
Children's  Museum  were  consulted.  In  some  instances, 
the  pictures  were  traced  directly  on  to  the  glass.  In 
other  cases,  the  drawings  were  made  by  the  children 
on  paper  and  then  traced  on  the  glass. 

Naturally  not  all  of  the  children  were  able  to  draw 
well  —  but  others  who  were  able  were  happy  to  assist 
in  the  making  of  the  slides  or  in  some  cases  actually 
to  make  the  slides  for  their  classmates  who  were  to  give 
the  oral  reports  in  the  assembly  period.  In  this  way 
were  established  correct  mental  attitudes  of  coopera- 
tion and  helpfulness. 

The  following  topics  seemed  best  for  us  to  illus- 
trate : 

1.  Interesting  scenes  from  the  early  years  of  Thomas 
Edison 


January,  19} 6 


Page  23 


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include  such  famous  films  as: 

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with  George  Arliss 

"CHU    CHIN    CHOW" 

"PRINCESS   CHARMING" 

The     Famous     Gaumont- 
British    Production    with 
Evelyn  Laye  in  a  delightful 
musical  romance. 

"FRIDAY  THE   I3TH" 

An    unusual     plot    in    the 
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"THE  CAMELS  ARE  COMING" 
Jack  Hulbert  in  a  hilarious 
comedy   of   life   among   the 
Pyramids. 

"MARLBOROUGH" 

One  of  the   great  costume 
classics  enlivened  by  Cicely 
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"EVERGREEN" 

Jessie  Mathews  in  the  role 
of  the  opera  star  that  never 
grew  old. 

All  of  the  above  films  are  suit- 
able for  showing  to  children. 

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Page  24 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Keystone  Lantern 


Is  A  Daylight  Lantern 


No  So-called  Daylight  Screen  Is 
Necessary — No  Complete  Dark- 
ening of  the  Room. 

Only  a  Lamp  That  Isn't  Burned 
Dim  —  the  Shades  Half  Drawn 
—  and  Keystone  Slides  Made 
from  Keystone  Third -Dimension 
Negatives. 

Descriptive    Literature   Sent   on    Request. 


Keystone  View  Company 


MEADVILLE.  PENNA. 


2.  His  youthful  adventures 

3.  His  life  as  a  telegraph  operator 

4.  The  invention  of  the  phonograph 

5.  The  invention  of  the  incandescent  lamp 

6.  His  experiments  with  the  electric  railway 

7.  The  invention  of  the  apparatus  for  picture  taking 
and  the  exhibiting  of  motion  pictures. 

Throughout  the  entire  program,  the  five  traits  of 
Edison  which  young  people  should  endeavor  to  emulate 
were  stressed. 

As  a  fitting  closing  for  this  Edison  program,  one  of 
the  pupils  quoted  from  the  great  inventor's  last  public 
utterance  over  the  radio  on  June  19,  1931.  Edison 
said :  "My  message  to  you  is :  Be  courageous.  I  have 
lived  a  long  time.  I  have  seen  history  repeat  itself 
again  and  again.  I  have  seen  many  depressions.  Al- 
ways America  has  emerged  from  these  stronger  and 
more  prosperous.  Be  as  brave  as  your  fathers  were 
before  you.    Have  faith!    Go  forward." 

For  our  assembly  program  on  mathematics  the  fol- 
lowing topics  seemed  to  lend  themselves  especially  well 
to  slide  making: — 

1.  Egyptian  numbers 

2.  Babylonian  numbers 

3.  The  dawn  of  geometry 

4.  Early  shelters — based  on  geometric   forms 

5.  Geometric  designs  found  in  basketry  and  pottery 

6.  Geometry  in  nature 

7.  Symmetry  in  everyday  life 

8.  Various    types    of    graphs    and    the    presentation 
of  their  use  in  number  relation 

The  same  methods  of  research,  study,  and  elimina- 
tion were  followed  as  in  the  preceding  report.  How- 
ever, in  the  making  of  mathematical  slides  we  seemed 
to  have  a  far  simpler  problem  —  either  because  we 
had  gained  much  knowledge  through  our  first  project 
or  because  the  material  was  more  closely  associated 
with  our  lives. 

I  truly  believe  that  the  making  of  slides  —  whether 
it  be  for  an  assembly  program  or  for  a  regular  class 
room  procedure  —  is  immensely  stimulating  and  valu- 
able. The  materials  required  are  so  inexpensive  and 
easy  to  obtain,  yet  they  oflfer  many  opportunities  for 
self  expression. 

The  resourceful  instructo'r  will  find  many  other  ex- 
cellent topics  which  adapt  themselves  well  for  assembly 
programs  and  the  children  will  experience  the  real  joy 
that  comes  to  one  with  work  well  done. 

By  VIVIAN  SOWERS  RANKIN 

Public  Schools,   Indianapolis,   Ind. 


QUR  READERS  can  assist  materially  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Postal  Card  Questionnaire  being 
circulated  nationally  to  schools  by  the  Department 
of  Visual  Instruction.  A  judicious  word  to  any 
School  Principal  in  their  locality  may  keep  his 
Card  from  joining  the  limbo  of  the  lost. 


January,  1936 

Project     Pictures    from    the 

With    the    Quickly    Set'Up,    Adjustable 

DA-LITE   PROJECTOR   STAND! 

The  projector  should  be  placed  higher  than  the  heads  of  the  students 
.  .  .  not  down  on  a  desk  or  table,  (where  those  seated  in  direct  line 
with  the  screen  can  interfere  with  the  showing  of  the  picture.) 

With  the  Da-Lite  Projector  Stand  you  can  always  project  pictures 
from  the  right  height;  and  you  can  place  the  students  in  the  best 
position  for  seeing  the  picture  .  .  .  that  is  in  direct  line  with  the 
screen.  The  Da-Lite  Projector  Stand  is  easily  and  quickly  set  up. 
It  has  a  tilting  platform  with  worm  gear  control  for  silent  projectors, 
or  can  be  furnished  with  a  non-tilting  base  for  sound  and  slide 
projectors.     Both  are  inter-changeable. 

For  complete  freedom  from  delays,  visual  education  classes  need  the 
Da-Lite  Challenger  Screen  as  well  as  the  projector  stand.  The 
Challenger  has  a  tripod  attached  to  the  case  and  can  be  set  up  any- 
where. Ask  your  dealer  about  these  Da-Lite  accessories  or  write 
us  for  full  details! 

DA-LITE    SCREEN    CO.,    INC. 

2723  No.  Crawford  Ave.  Chicago,  III. 


Da-Lite  Screens 


AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 

(Concluded  from  page  15) 

viewed  in  the  May  1935  issue  of  The  Educational 
Screen. 

These  small  books  are  illustrated  with  "three-dimen- 
sional" pictures  of  habitat  groups  of  mammals  ex- 
hibited in  Field  Museum.  The  pictures  are  printed  by 
the  "Orthovis"  process  which  makes  the  illustrations 
stand  out  from  the  page  and  appear  to  be  in  three 
dimensions  like  the  groups  they  depict,  when  they  are 
viewed  through  the  "ortho-scope,"  an  optical  device 
which  accompanies  each  copy.  The  page  borders  con- 
tain sketches  of  the  footprints  of  various  animals,  and 
silhouette  drawings  showing  them  in  characteristic  ac- 
tions. The  text  of  the  books  is  by  H.  B.  Harte  of  the 
Field  Museum  staff,  and  has  been  prepared  in  a  style 
suitable  for  children  from  about  eight  to  fourteen 
years  of  age. 

The  publishers  report  that  these  books  are  being 
widely  taken  up  as  supplementary  reading  in  schools, 
and  in  a  number  of  states  have  been  placed  on  the 
official  lists  of  such  material  recommended  to  prin- 
cipals and  teachers.  In  order  to  assist  teachers  in 
making  the  best  use  of  them,  two  manuals  for  teachers, 
illustrating  various  ways  in  which  the  books  can  be 
adapted  to  schoolroom  use,  have  been  issued. 


For  Auditorium  Use: — 
For  Classroom    Use: — 

The  high  powered  750  waft  pro- 
jection lamp  and  special  Bausch 
&  Lomb  projection  lenses  assure 
clear  and  brilliant  pictures  for 
audiences  up  to  2000.  Sound  is 
of  perfect  tonal  quality  and  un- 
dlstorted  for  audiences  of  this 
size.  Simple  to  thread  and  oper- 
ate, extremely  quiet  running 
and  low  in  maintenance  expense. 
The  Ideal  projector  for  teachers' 
class  room  use.  Completely 
portable. 

Syncrofilm  Sixteen  now  available  on  a  cooperative  buying  plan 
which  enables  you  to  own  outright  the  projector.  A  complete 
schedule  of  films  Is  also  available.  The  SYNCROFILM  SIXTEEN 
sound  projector  Is  self-liquidating  when  purchased  on  our  co- 
operative film  and  projector  plan.  Many  Institutions  today  are 
using  SYNCROFILM  SIXTEEN  projectors  as  money  raising 
projects — you  too  can  now  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity. 
Write  for  complete  details  of  our  new  cooperative  plan. 

^Veber  Machine  Corp. 

Manufacturers  of  35  mm.  and  16  mm.  Sound  Projectors 

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Page  26 

The   Combination   of   Art   and   Visual    Instruction 


The  Educational  Screen 


THE  COMBINATION  of  art  and  Visual  Instruc- 
'  tion  offers  unlimited  possibilities.  Certainly  the 
visual-minded  are  more  artistic  and  appreciative.  That 
they  be  creative  is  not  necessary,  because  art  for  the 
average  person  will  consist  in  the  appreciation  of  the 
beautiful,  and  in  the  selection  of  commodities,  furni- 
ture, draperies,  rugs,  china,  glassware,  and  dress.  We 
may  add  to  appreciation  and  selection  gardening,  sew- 
ing and  kindred  crafts.  The  fact  that  the  creative  ar- 
tistic people  are  visual-minded  seems  not  to  be 
disputed. 

The  combination  of  the  two  departments  x\rt  and 
Visual  Instruction  under  one  Director  in  school  ac- 
tivities is  desirable.  The  art  classes  in  our  Bakersfield 
City  Schools  have  efficiently  made  the  following  con- 
tributions to  the  Visual  Instruction  department : 

1.  Mounted  several  thousand  pictures  taken  largely 
from  the  National  Geographic. 


TALKING    PICTURES    FOR    CLASSROOMS 

Series  "A"  for  High  Schools  Series  "B"  for  Grade  Schools 

FREE  CIRCULAR  ON  REQUEST 

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Pictures,  both  Silent  and  Sound ;  Glass  Slides,  Film  Strips,  Pro- 
jectors,   Stereopticons,    Screens,    Accessories.      Ask    for    supplement. 

IDEAL     PICTURES     CORPORATION 

30  EAST  EIGHTH  STREET  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


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CELLOSLIDE — Eliminates  the  necessity  of  writing  on 
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from  your  projector  in  Black-and- 
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variety  of  styles  includes  Folding  De  Luxe  "A"  as  illustrated, 
back  board,  metal  tube,  and  easel  models  ...  in  siies  for 
every  requirement  from  small  exceedinqly  portable  types  to 
models   adequate   for   auditorium   and    lecture   hall    purposes. 

Send  for  complete  literature  on  Screens,  Reflec- 
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BRITELITE-TRUVISION 


2.  Bound  booklets.  IMuch  of  this  material  is  from 
the  Geographic,  also. 

3.  Dressed  a  set  of  dolls  in  the  costumes  of  different 
countries. 

4.  Constructed  a  portfolio  of  block  prints  of  Cali- 
fornia wild-flowers. 

5.  Drawn  and  mounted  map  slides. 

6.  Mounted  dainaged  stillfilms  between  glass  making- 
slides  and  thus  saving  the  material. 

7.  Drawn  slide  pictures  illustrating  various  countries. 

8.  Constructed  large  books  in  activity  and  social 
science  classes,  which  have  later  been  placed  in  the 
Visual  Instruction  department.    Examples  are: 

America  Historical  alphabet  Safety 

Asia  Product  of  North  Birds 

Africa  America  Indians 

Mail  Health  Kern  County 

9.  Constructed  large  projects  in  activity  program.  At 
the  close  of  the  semester  these  were  removed  from 
the  building  to  a  room  in  a  vacant  school  building 
which  we  have  converted  into  a  museum.  Classes 
and  teachers  visit  this  museum  and  obtain  ideas. 

10.  I  have  collected  many  samples  of  children's  work 
and  placed  them  in  portfolios  under  the  following 
titles : 

Figure  drawing  Crayola  lessons     All  over  designs 
Christmas  Flower  drawings  Free  hand 

cards  drawing 

Spatter  Block  prints  Printing 

Pencil  Posters  Water  color 

Pen  and  ink       Borders 

The  following  list  contains  the  material  which  the 
Visual  Instruction  department  provides  to  assist  with 
art  work : 

1.  Set  of  glass  slides  of  famous  pictures. 

2.  Mounted  pictures  with  the   following  titles : 

Animals  Children,  Art    maps 

Babies  Attractive  Trees 

California  Wild  Design  for  Cartoons 

Flowers  Upper  Grades 

Children  by  Japanese   Prints    Costumes 

Masters 

Miniatures  by  Pictures  by  Color    Studies 

Masters  Whistler 

Craft,   Upper  Craft,  Lower        Ships 

Grades  Grades 

Interiors  Landscapes  Portraits 

3.  Portfolios  with  the  following  titles : 
Carving  Story  Illustration    Perspective 
Indian  Material  American  Printing 

samplers 


January,  1936 


Page  27 


A   NEW  SERIES   OF   UNUSUAL   LANTERN   SLIDES   ON    LITERATURE  — 
BOTH   JUVENILE  AND    HIGH   SCHOOL 

Schools  ttiat  are  accumulating  their  own  visual  education  material  will  be  interested  in  this  series  of  lantern  slide  sets.  They  are 
designed  to  Illustrate  the  books  and  stories  whose  titles  they  bear.  All  of  the  slides  are  most  beautifully  and  accurately  colored;  ihey 
constitute  a  real  contribution  to  better  teaching  In  the  various  grades  or  levels  for  which  they  are  designed. 

The  slides  are  available  for  outright  purchase,  or  can   be  rented  for  five  cents  per  slide  per  week. 

YOU  WILL  WANT  TO  USE  THEM 


JUVENILE  LITERATURE  AND  STORY  TELLING: 


Slides 

The   Circus 25 

Alice  In  Wonderland 42 

Rip    Van    Winkle 12 

The  Pied   Piper  of  Hamelin 25 

The   Blue  Bird   (Maeterlinck) ..  .16 

Uncle   Tom's   Cabin 12 

Robinson  Crusoe 18 

Chicken   Little 29 

The   Three   Bears 24 

MORE  ADVANCED  LITERATURE 

Joan    of    Arc 50 

The  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow..  14 

The   Cricket  on  the   Hearth 28 

The   Merchant  of  Venice 15 

Midsummer    Night's    Dream.... 25 


Slides 
The  Cock,  The  Mouse  and  the 

Little  Red  Hen 25 

Little    Red    Riding    Hood 25 

Three  Little  Pigs 8 

Precocious    Piggy 13 

Flower   Children 25 

Wild  Flower  Children 25 

Bird    Children 25 

Little   Orphant   Annie 10 

Little   Lame   Prince 31 

The  Merry  Wives  of  Windsor.. 40 
The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish.42 

Hiawatha 24 

The    Princess 20 

The    Lady   of   the   Lake 25 


Slides 

The  Enchanted  Peacock 12 

Children  of  all   Nations 50 

Dickens'   Christmas   Carol 12 

Aladdin    and     His    Wonderful 

Lamp    12 

Robin    Hood 24 

The    Wizard    of    Oz 20 

Raggedy  Ann 25 

Cinderella    25 


Silas    Marner 45 

Evangeline    15 

Innocents  Abroad 40 

Comus    24 

American  Letters 36 


FILM   PROJECTORS?     WE  SUPPLY  THEM  AT  NOMINAL   RENTAL  —   NO    NEED   TO    PURCHASE. 
LANTERN   SLIDES?     70,000  TO   CHOOSE    FROM    ON    ALL    SUBJECTS. 

WRITE   FOR   INFORMATION   ABOUT  OUR  YEARLY  CIRCUIT  SERVICE 
A  PLAN  WE  ORIGINATED  —  MAXIMUM  SERVICE  AT  LOWEST  PRICE 


WM.    H.    DUDLEY    VISUAL    EDUCATION    SERVICE, 

736  SO.  WABASH  AVENUE,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


INC. 


Sandtables  Murals  of  Posters 

California  — 

Colonial  Flower  Arrange-     Pottery  of 

material  ment  New  York 

Puzzled,  I  close  this  brief  outline  of  our  work. 
Which  is  art?  Which  is  Visual  Instruction?  The 
answer  is  unnecessary,  because  we  find  both  depart- 
ments strengthened  by  the  combination,  and  ideas  for 
new,  interesting  and  helpful  work  will  come  faster  than 
time  permits  their  accomplishment. 

By  LENNICE  C.  EYRAUD 

Director   of  Special    Education   in   the 
Bakersfield,  Cal.,  City  Schools 

Educational  Film  Production 

{Concluded  from  page  13) 

requisite  of  a  good  teaching  film  it  is  not  the  only 
objective  to  be  attained.  Just  as  important  are 
items  such  as  planning,  directing,  arranging  the 
proper  sequence,  building  the  scenario,  acting  and 
problems  of  this  sort  which  so  often  are  the  de- 
termining factors  in  the  success  or  failure  of  an 
otherwise  technically  acceptable  production. 

The  writer  of  this  report  has  aided  in  the  produc- 
tion of  teaching  films  at  Ohio  State  University  for 
the  past  seven  years.  He  is  desirous  of  discovering 
the  problems  faced  in  schools  and  colleges  in  such 
production.  It  is  hoped  that  this  column  will  offer 
an  opportunity  for  the  exchange  of  pertinent  ideas 
in  this  field.  He  will  welcome  technical  questions 
in  this  field. 


at  BASS 

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exclugive  features. 


Page  28 


The  Educational  Screen 


IN  SIGHT 


IN  MIND! 


•  Education  marches 
forward! 

•  Visual  instruction 
advances  on  a  vocal 
stepping-stone. 

•  UNIVERSAL  with  a 
leader's  background 
of  fifteen  years  of  non- 
theatrical  service,  leaps 
ahead  of  the  times! 

•  What  are  your 
needs? . .  .  Geographi- 
cal subjects,  musical, 
historical,  current 
events,  cartoon  come- 
dies, feature-length 
motion  pictures?  .  .  . 
Consult  UNIVERSAL! 

Write  for  further 
information  to 

NON-THEATRICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Universal  Pictures 
Corporation 


ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 


NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 


Current    Film    Releases 


Boulder  Dam  Films  Now  Available  Free 

The  Boulder  Dam  Service  Bureau  announces  a 
change  in  their  policy  of  renting  the  official  Boulder 
Dam  motion  pictures.  These  films  are  now  available 
in  35  mm  and  16  mm  to  schools,  churches  and  com- 
munity groups  without  any  rental  fee  whatever, 
through  the  courtesy  of  large  companies  to  whom  the 
various  length  films  on  Boulder  Dam  have  been  sold. 
Anyone  desiring  one  or  more  of  these  subjects  for  free 
showing  may  make  their  requests  to  the  Boulder  Dam 
Service  Bureau  at  Boulder  City,  Nevada,  who  will  in 
turn  refer  them  to  the  company  or  party  holding  the 
film  that  is  located  nearest  them.  The  enclosure  of  a 
self-addressed  envelope  is  requested  with  all  inquiries. 

Outstanding  Film  Added  to  Blue  List 

Crime  and  Punishment,  the  prize-winning  French 
talkie  has  been  added  to  the  "Blue  List  of  Exceptional 
Films,"  issued  by  the  Garrison  Film  Distributors  Inc., 
New  York  City.  This  new  film  is  now  available  for 
non-theatrical  showings  on  35mm  and  16mm  sound- 
on-film  and  has  over  600  super-imposed  English  titles. 
It  is  the  first  of  ten  new  European  film  productions 
which  will  be  aded  to  the  Blue  List. 

In  line  with  its  policy  of  acquiring  films  of  excep- 
tional merit  for  16mm  distribution  to  schools,  churches 
and  clubs  the  Garrison  Film  Company  has  also  added 
to  its  list  a  series  of  four  animated  cartoons  which  are 
in  efifect  animated  lectures  on  subjects  of  worldwide 
interest.  The  series,  titled  Three  Minutes,  include 
Three  Minutes  in  Ethiopia,  On  the  Pacific  Problem, 
Astronomy  and  Europe  Today.  Each  month  new 
subjects  in  the  series  will  be  added  to  the  Blue  List 
as  soon  as  they  come  over  from  Paris,  where  they  are 
produced  in  English  and  French  versions. 

Horse  Power  in  Action 

Horses  and  mules  play  the  leading  parts  in  a  new 
two-reel  movie  designed  for  educational  and  enter- 
tainment purposes  by  the  Horse  and  Mule  Association 
of  America,  which  offers  the  film  to  any  individual  or 
organization  in  the  United  States  willing  to  sponsor 
a   showing  of  the  film. 

Audiences  will  see  thrilling  scenes  as  ton-weight 
drafters  pit  their  rippling  muscles  against  dynamometer 
pulling  tests,  as  hunters  soar  in  perfect  form  over  bar- 
riers and  experts  point  out  excellent  types  of  Amer- 
ican-bred horse  and  mule  flesh.  Scenes  for  the  sound 
film  were  taken  on  the  race  course,  at  the  side  of 
horse-show  barriers  and  jumps,  pulling  contest  courses, 
at  field  demonstrations  of  big  team  hitches  and  in 
sales  lots  and  judging  rings.  Comfortable  and  correct 
harness  is  awarded  a  part  in  the  film.  Care  in  the 
pasture  and  at  work,  shoeing,  and  the  reason  for  pick- 


January,  1936 


Page  29 


ing  a  mule  with  long-  ears  are  other  parts  in  this  new 
type  of  visual  education. 

The  movie,  which  was  produced  by  Chicago  Film 
Laboratory,  is  available  at  nominal  cost  to  cover  the 
shipping  and  handling  expense.  Individuals,  civic 
groups  or  other  admirers  of  good  horse  flesh  can  ob- 
tain further  information  about  the  film  by  writing  to 
the  Horse  and  Mule  Association  of  America,  407 
South  Dearborn  Street,  Chicago,  Illinois. 

Two  Free  Sound  Subjects 

The  John  E.  Allen  Modern  Talking  Picture  Service 
of  Rochester,  New  York,  announces  the  availability  of 
two  new  16  mm  sound-on-film  subjects.  There's  Only 
One,  a  10  minute  film,  shows  all  principal  points  of 
interest  on  a  trip  through  Washington,  D.  C.  The 
Story  of  Monel  Metal  is  an  industrial  film  of  the  same 
length  which  shows  the  process  of  making  monel  metal, 
its  uses  and  value. 

Bookings  are  made  on  these  films  for  all  portions 
of  the  United  States,  the  user's  only  expense  being 
transportation  charges  from  his  nearest  exchange. 

New  Film-and-Projector  Service  Offered 

Films  Incorporated,  New  York  City,  has  been  or- 
ganized to  provide  the  educational  and  non-theatrical 
field  with  a  complete  motion  picture  service,  which  in- 
cludes the  free  use  of  new  16mm  sound-on-film  projec- 
tion equipment  with  a  semi-monthly  rental  service  of 
films.  ]\Iany  outstanding  English  theatrical  produc- 
tions, such  as  The  Iron  Duke,  Chu  Chin  Chow  and 
Evergreen,  are  included  in  the  programs. 

Complete  details  of  the  plan  and  a  copy  of  their 
sound-on-film  catalog  will  gladly  be  furnished  by  Films 
Incorporated  upon  request. 

Motion  Pictures  on  Better  Housing 

The  ^lotion  Picture  Section  of  the  Federal  Hous- 
ing Administration  (Washington,  D.  C),  recently  an- 
nounced that  the  first  of  their  Better  Housing  News 
Flashes,  which  have  been  running  in  motion  picture 
theatres,  is  now  available  free  for  use  by  schools 
and  clubs.  It  is  anticipated  that  other  films  in  the 
series  will  soon  be  available  for  non-theatrical  exhibi- 
tion. They  do  not  handle  the  National  Housing  Act 
in  a  perfunctory  manner,  but  are  high  in  entertainment 
value  and  show  various  phases  of  better  housing  which 
are  of  interest  to  home  owners  and  merchants. 

Winter  Sports  Film  for  Schools 

A  new  film,  showing  every  kind  of  entertainment  in 
the  snows  of  California,  is  now  ready  for  distribution. 
Gorgeous  scenery,  snow  frolics,  tobogganing,  skiing, 
ski-jumping,  dog-team  rides,  sleigh  rides,  fancy  skat- 
ing, speed-skating,  and  fun  at  night  around  the  huge 
log  fires  are  included  in  this  16  mm.,  2-reel  film.  It  is 
available  for  free  distribution  from  the  Winter  Sports 
Committee,  California  State  Chamber  of  Commerce, 
Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco. 


$60.00  MOVIE  SCREEN 

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screens,    surfaced    exactly    like    the    screen    in    your  y  I  #1    f  w 

neighborhood  theatre.    Mounted  on  spring  roller  and  I  ^^L 

back    board    with   screw   eyes   for   wall   or   ceiling   or  I  ^g      ^ 

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ceiling    brackets.      Order    this    outstanding    bargain 
today.     Satisfaction  guaranteed  or  your  money  back. 

Noiv   Ready  — 

CENTRAL'S  PHOTOGRAPHIC  ALMANAC 
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Packed  with  1001  sensational  movie  bargains. 
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WRITE    FOR    YOUR    COPY   —    IT'S    FREE! 


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At  present  we  have  ready  for  you 

Means  of   Transportation  67  cards  $3.25 

Japan  58  cards  2.75 

Coal  Mining  56  cards  2.75 

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Gladly  sent  on  5-day  approval.     Write  today! 


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MILWAUKEE.  WISCONSIN 


USED      16      MM.      SILENT      FEATURES 
FOR    SALE    $10    PER    REEL! 

IN  GOOD  CONDITION 
ROBINSON  CRUSOE,  4  reels;  THE  PONY  EXPRESS,  5  reels; 
CALIFORNIA  IN  '49,  6  reels:  WORLD'S  FAIR,  2  reels; 
LITTLE  ORPHAN  ANNIE,  5  reels:  THE  DROP  KICK,  4  reels; 
THE  SOPHOMORE,  7  reels;  THREE  MINUTES  TO  GO,  6  feels; 
Rex,  in  WILD  BEAUTY,  5  reels;  Rin-Tin-Tin,  in  THE  CLASH 
OF   THE   WOLVES,   5   reels. 

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FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS        PRINCIPLES    OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  Tisualization  of  high  Bchool  The  core  of  the  year's  work  in 
physics  on  35  mm.  film  slides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 
classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address : 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suf  fern,    N.Y. 


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* 

Page  30 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Producers 


Leica  Photography  in  New  Form 

In  December  1932,  just  as  photographers  were  be- 
ginning to  realize  that  the  miniature  camera  was  a 
serious  instrument,  the  first  number  of  Leica  Photogra- 
phy was  issued  as  an  eight  page  offset  bulletin  by  E. 
Leitz  Inc.,  New  York  City.  The  interest  in  the  little 
magazine  was  tremendous  and  in  April  1934  it  was  is- 
sued in  regular  printed  form.  To  provide  its  readers  with 
much  valuable  information  contributed  by  authorita- 
tive miniature  camera  users  it  was  increased  in  size 
from  time  to  time,  to  include  more  articles  and  illustra- 
tions. 

Leica  Photography  now  appears  in  a  completely  new 
and  interesting  dress.  Its  pages  number  twenty-four, 
including  much  more  material,  and  it  is  profusely  il- 
lustrated. The  entire  layout  is  different,  and  the  illus- 
trations beautifully  reproduced.  Readers  are  always 
invited  to  send  in  suggestions,  ideas  and  photographs 
for  publication  in  the  magazine.  In  this  manner  it 
serves  as  an  exchange  of  ideas  thereby  fostering  the 
progress  of  miniature  photography,  and  the  numerous 
photographs  that  are  reproduced  serve  to  show  the 
miniature  photographer  the  possibilities  of  his  camera. 
A  sample  copy  of  the  new  December  issue  will  be  sent 
upon  request. 

Additions  to  S.  O.  S.  Stock 

The  Trustees  of  Lyman  Howe  Studios,  Wilkes- 
barre.  Pa.,  have  disposed  of  the  entire  stock  to  S.O.S. 
Corporation,  New  York  distributors.  This  marks  the 
latest  in  a  long  series  of  stock  liquidations  handled  by 
S.O.S.  Included  in  the  transaction  were  Powers  and 
Simplex  Projection  Machines,  Lenses,  Motors,  Mazda 
and  Reflector  Arc  Lamphouses,  General  Electric 
Rectifiers,  R.C.A.  Soundheads,  Amplifiers,  Speakers, 
Duplex  Sound  Printers,  Duplex  Film  Polishing  Ma- 
chines, Griswold  Splicers,  and  other  laboratory  ap- 
paratus. 

Central  Camera  Catalogs 

Of  interest  to  Educational  Screen  readers  is  the 
new  "Photographic  Almanac  and  Inventory  Clearance 
Book"  just  prepared  by  Central  Camera  Company,  Chi- 
cago. Its  seventeen  pages  are  filled  with  bargains  in 
new  and  used  movie  projectors  and  cameras,  still  cam- 
eras, and  every  conceivable  type  of  photographic  acces- 
sory and  supplies  of  value  to  the  movie  maker.  Central 
Camera  Company  will  be  glad  to  send  a  copy  of  this 
catalog  of  bargains  to  anyone  writing  in  for  it.  An- 
other service  of  Central  Camera  Company  is  its  16  mm 
film  library,  including  16  mm  silent  features  and  short 
subjects  —  Dramas,  Comedies,  Education  subjects. 
Sports,  Cartoons  and  the  like.  Films  may  be  obtained 
at  a  stated  rental  price  per  subject,  or  vmder  a  special 


Where  the  commercial  firms — whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    readers. 


membership  plan  whereby  unlimited  film  service  may 
be  had  for  a  lump  service  fee.  Catalog  and  complete 
information  will  be  furnished  upon  request. 

New  Equipment  for  8  mm.  Filmos 

Extending  the  scope  of  the  8  mm.  Filmo  Cameras, 
Bell  &  Howell  Company  announces  as  available  for 
both  the  Straight  and  Double  8  Cameras  a  new  1-inch 
F  2.7  Taylor-Hobson  Cooke  lens  in  either  universal  or 
focusing  mount;  also  a  Taylor-Hobson  fast  1-inch  F 
1.5  lens  in  focusing  mount.  On  an  8  mm.  camera,  a 
1-inch  lens  compares  in  magnifying  power  with  a  2- 
inch  lens  on  a  16  mm.  camera. 

Announced  at  this  time,  too,  is  a  new  Taylor-Hobson 
Cooke  "semi-tele])hoto"  lens,  the  lyi-inch  F  3.5,  equi- 
valent in  magnifying  power  to  a  3-inch  lens  on  a  16 
mm.  camera  or  a  6-inch  lens  on  a  35  mm.  camera. 
This  completes  the  range  of  lens  focal  lengths  pro- 
vided for  by  the  viewfinder  masks  on  Filmo  8  mm. 
Cameras.  If  longer  lenses  are  desired,  such  as  2-inch, 
3-inch,  and  4-inch,  Taylor-Hobson  16  mm.  camera 
lenses  of  these  focal  lengths  may  be  mounted  suitably 
for  use  on  the  8  mm.  cameras.  The  12^  mm.  F  2.5 
lens  will  continue  as  standard  equipment  on  the 
Filmo  8's. 

Bass  Bargaingram 

A  new  Bargaingram,  No.  219  has  been  issued  by 
the  Bass  Camera  Company  of  Chicago,,  and  like  all 
the  preceding  numbers  of  this  series  of  catalogs,  it 
lists  some  interesting  material  at  interesting  prices. 
Further  details  on  these  photo  and  cine  bargains  will 
be  sent  by  Bass  Camera  Company  on  application. 

The  DeVry  Line 

Refer  to  ad  on  page  3.  To  the  left,  at  the  top, 
is  the  DeVry  Theatre  Sound  Projector.  Directly  un- 
der that,  the  35mm.  Sound  Recording  Camera  with 
the  three-lens  turret,  and  under  that,  the  DeVry  35mm. 
Silent  "E"  Projector.  In  the  middle  row,  from  top 
to  bottom,  is  the  DeVry  Portable  Sound  (35mm.)  unit; 
under  that  the  DeVry  35mm.  "A"  Camera  for  silent 
films,  and  below  that,  the  16mm.  Triple  Claw  Move- 
ment Sound  Unit.  In  the  last  row,  reading  from  the 
top,  is  the  latest  DeVry  Creation,  the  16mm.  Sprocket 
Intermittent  Sound  Unit ;  under  that,  the  DeVry 
16mm.  No.  60  silent  camera ;  and  the  DeVry  16mni. 
"G"  projector,  designed  mostly  for  home  and  class- 
room showings.  Circulars  on  any  item  will  be  sent 
free  on  request. 


January,  1936 


Page  31 


Some  Common  Causes  of  Damage 
to  Slides  and  Films 

( C'ii)ic/i«/i'(/  frcin  page  10) 

worse,  they  become  very  egotistical  and  like  to  strut 
their  "stuff"  before  the  eyes  of  their  less  fortunate 
schoolmates.  In  this  respect,  girls  make  better  oper- 
ators than  bovs.  One  of  the  best  operators  who  has 
ever  come  to  our  notice  is  a  woman.  The  worst 
"horned  cattle"  we  have  to  deal  with  are  ex-theatrical 
operators.  They  are  usually  very  egotistical  and  want 
to  impress  others  with  their  extensive  knowledge  of 
projection.  With  this  in  mind  few  of  them  will  ever 
willingly  admit  a  fault,  even  though  the  fault  has 
detroyed  a  $100.00  reel  of  film.  They  usually  work 
in  haste,  pay  little  heed  to  the  care  of  their  projectors, 
watch  the  picture  instead  of  the  machine  and  the  pic- 
ture, and  are  about  what  we  would  expect  an  un- 
emjiloyed  ex-picture  operator  to  be.  The  true  way  to 
operate  a  projector  (as  is  the  case  with  most  ma- 
chinery) is  by  the  sound  it  produces.  A  variation  in 
the  normal  sound  should  call  for  immediate  attention. 

Lantern  slides  should  be  repacked  in  the  manner 
they  are  packed  when  received  from  the  exchange. 
In  regular  glass  slides  this  calls  for  three  dividers 
(corrugated  board)  at  each  end  and  one  or  two  divid- 
ers between  each  five  slides.  It  is  not  necessary  to 
have  dividers  between  each  two  slides,  but  there  must 
be  plenty  of  packing  at  the  box  ends.  Featherweight 
slides  need  only  be  packed  at  the  box  ends,  the  card- 
board edges  of  these  slides  make  dividers  unnecessary 
between  slides.  Slides  should  be  allowed  to  warm  to 
the  room  temperature  before  placing  them  in  the 
projector,  otherwise  steam  may  form  between  the  plate 
and  cover  glass  and  break  one,  or  the  other,  or  both. 
Small  straight  cracks  seldom  show  on  the  screen. 

Cheating  yourself.  There  are  operators  who  think 
it  is  a  clever  trick  to  get  rid  of  bad  reels  by  putting 
them  in  the  take-up  box  and  thus  winding  the  film  on 
them.  This  is  not  clever  but  foolish  since  a  bad  reel, 
as  pointed  out  in  our  first  paragraph  is  the  worst  sort 
of  a  hazard  and  if  in  the  take-up  box  it  will  do  its 
damage  probably  unnoticed,  only  to  be  caught  by  the 
exchange  and  a  damage  charge  assessed.  Good  projec- 
tion rooms  (booths)  are  furnished  with  several  extra 
good  reels  on  some  of  which  incoming  reels  are  first 
M-ound  before  use  and  the  other  ones  used  for  take- 
up  purposes.  Don't  cheat  yourself  in  an  attempt  to 
cheat  the  other  fellow. 

Now  that  the  centralized  collections  of  visual  aids 
are  becoming  more  common  schools  are  beginning  to 
use  slides  and  films  in  an  increasing  volume,  and  it  is 
well  for  both  "experienced"  users  as  well  as  "inex- 
perienced" users  to  consider  these  possible  causes  of 
damage.  Excessive  damages  must  be  repaired  at  the 
expense  of  the  one  responsible  for  the  damage,  and  as 
films  cost  from  $24.00  to  $100.00  a  reel  and  slides  from 
75c  to  $1.25  each,  no  one  wants  to  be  responsible  for 
excessive  damage. 


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find  '"1000  and  One"  indispensable. 

Published  annually  for  eleven  successive  years, 
"1000  and  One"  is  the  recognized  standard  film  ref- 
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The  current  edition  (144  pages)  lists  over  4,000 
films,  35mm,  and  16mm.,  silent  and  sound,  for  edu- 
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Use  the  coupon  below  to  order  "1000  and  One"  with  or 
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Send  me  the  11th  edition  of  "1000  and  One."  75c  enclosed  D 
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unusual  finance  plan  which  will  enable 
every  school,  church  and  similar  insti- 
tution to  own  the  latest  16mm.  or 
35mm.  SOUND  ON  FILM  PRO- 
JECTOR on  liberal  and  convenient 
TERMS. 

WRITE  FOR  COMPLETE  DETAILS 

We  sell  BELL  &  HOWELL,  AMPRO,  VIC- 
TOR, R.C.A,,  SYNCROFILM,  as  well  as 
DE  VRY  Equipment. 

WE  ALSO  HAVE  SEVERAL  SLIGHTLY  USED  AND 
REPOSSESSED  TALKING  PICTURE  PROJECTORS 
THAT  WE  CAN  OFFER  AT  LESS  THAN  COST. 
YOU  CAN  PURCHASE  THESE  AS  WELL  ON  THE 
ABOVE  CONVENIENT  PAYMENT  PLAN.  ABSO- 
LUTELY NO  INTEREST  CHARGE. 

SUNNY   SCHICK 

NATIONAL  BROKERS 

407   W.   WASHINGTON   BLVD. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND, 


Page  32 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 

Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport,  la. 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.         (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Erpi  Picture  Consultants,  Inc.  (2, 4,  5,  6) 

250  W.  S7th  St.,  New   York  City 
Films  Incorporated  (5) 

500  Fifth  .\ve..  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  23) 

Garrison  Film  Distributors  (2,  5) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  29) 

Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 
Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

I  See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 

The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

409  McAlphin  Ave.,  Cincinnati,  O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

Pinkney   Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028   Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,   New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  28) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

William  A.  Dudley  Visual  Education 
Service  (4) 

736  S.  Wabash  Ave,,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  27) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 

MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

( See  advertisement  on  page  1 ) 

Bass  Camera  Company  (6) 

179  W.  Madison  St.,  Chicago 

( See  advertisement  on  page  27) 

Bell  &  Howell  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    III. 
(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,   N.   Y. 
(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,    New   York   City 

Erpi  Picture  Consultants,  Inc.  (2, 4, 5,  6) 
(Western   Electric   Sound    System) 
250  W.  57th  St.,  New  York  City 

Herman   A.    DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  2) 

Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  22) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  19) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,    Regina,    Sask. 
S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 
Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers  (3,  6) 

407   W.   Washington   Blvd. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  31) 

United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  4) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
Weber   Machine   Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  25) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 

681  Lexington  Ave.,  New  York  City 
The  Photoart  House 
844   N.   Plankinton   Ave.,   Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

(See  advertisement,  on  page  29) 

POST  CARD  REPRODUCTIONS 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 
681   Le.xington  Ave.,  New  York  City 

SCREENS 

Central  Camera  Co. 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  29) 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721   N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  25) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


A    Trade     Directory 
for  the   Visual    Field 


SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 
Edited    Pictures   System,   Inc. 
330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 
30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,   111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  26) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  24) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  29) 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Visual  Education  Service 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 
Visual  Sciences 

Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on  page  29) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 

1111   Center   St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  2) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  24 ) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  21) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 
Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 
Spencer  Lens  Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35    mm. 

silent. 

(2)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound   and  silent. 

(4)   indicates   firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6)    indicates    firm   supplies 

16    mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

Conftnuous  inserlions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  Issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


w^SmSi^^M&M 


PtfOtfc  LllMary 

Kansas  City.  Mo. 

Toficharf  Library 


I  -^      <y-^ 


CONVENTION   NUMBER 


Educationa 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 


Experiences  With  a  State  Cooperative 
Film  Library 

The  Opaque  Projector  Applied  to  Written 
Composition  Work 

Large-Group-Instruction  Through  the  Use  of 
Visual  Aids 

Why  a  Department  of  Visual  Education? 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a    Year  • 


FEBRUARY 


1936 


PROJECTORS 


=     _    AND 


16  MM.  MOV^IE    CA.MERA 

MADE^yTME  WORLD's    OLDEST  AND    LARGEST    MANUFACTURERS 
OF    STANDARD     PROFESSIONAL    MOTION    PICTURE    EQUIPMENT 


^i^^r^^^  DELUXE 
SOUND  PROJECTOR 


^^^SEM|-PROr[SSIONAL 
SOUND  PROJECTOR  (ARC) 


^un^^  PORTABLE 
SOUND  PROJECTOR 


,%9^SEMI-P(!Or[SSiONAl 

SOLND  PROJECTOR  (INCANDESCENT) 


A  ^^^ftOT/y/^  35  mm.  PROJECTOP  for     everv     r  e  q^u  i  r  e  a\ent 

INTERNATIONAL     PROJECTOR    CORPORATION 

88-96   GOLD    ST.,  NEW   YORK,    N.Y. 


February,  1936 


Page  3  5 


Edit 


oria 


The  St.  Louis  Meeting 

Present  jirospects  for  the  winter  meet- 
ing of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruc- 
tion at  St.  Louis.  I'^ebruary  24  to  26,  are 
excellent.  (The  full  program  appears  on 
page  51  of  this  issue).  The  opening 
luncheon  on  Monday  noon  at  the  Mel- 
Ijourne  Hotel  seems  already  assured  of 
record  attendance.  Further  reservations 
can  be  acce])ted  u])  to  the  last  minute. 
Perha])s  the  outstanding  feature  of  the 
l)rogram  is  the  Sym])osium  on  Sound  and 
Silent  Films  in  Teaching,  with  Professor 
Frank  N.  Freeman  presiding.  Sound 
films  are  in  the  limelight  today  and  a 
live  discussion  is  inevitable.  This  Sym- 
jiosium  occupies  the  entire  session 
Wednesday  afternoon.  It  should  not  be 
missed. 

The  only  item  to  be  omitted  from  the 
program  as  printed  in  our  January  issue 
is  the  lecture-presentation  by  Arthur  C. 
Pillsbury.  Despite  long  effort,  it  proved 
impossible  to  bring  St.  Louis  into  Mr. 
Pillsbury's  nation-wide  speaking  sched- 
ule. Several  other  features  have  been 
added,  however,  since  the  January  print- 
ing. As  it  now  stands  the  program  offers 
an  interesting  and  thoroughly  profitable 
two  days  for  Department  members, 
friends  and  visitors.  "Be  in  St.  Louis 
on  l<"ebruary  24  to  26"  seems  sound  ad- 
vice to  the  visual   field. 

Two  Signs  of  Progress 

L'ntil  1936  the  admonition,  "Know 
Thyself",  has  meant  little  to  the  visual 
field.  It  is  excellent  evidence  of  "grow- 
ing ])ains"  in  the  visual  instruction  move- 
ment that  the  field  as  a  whole  now  aims 
to  find  out  the  facts  about  itself.  Never 
before  January,  1936.  had  a  detailed  sur- 
vey of  visual  equi|)ment  and  activity  in 
American  schools  been  attempted  on  a 
national  scale.  In  that  month  began  two 
such  surveys  whose  combined  results 
should  spell  progress. 

The  Washington  Qusstionnaire 

The  United  States  Office  of  Education, 
and  the  American  Council  of  Education, 
have  launched  a  very  significant  effort. 
On  January  27  and  28  were  mailed  from 
Washington  some  21,000  elaborate  ques- 
tionnaires to  Superintendents  of  Schools 
throughout  the  country.  The  document  is 
exhaustive,  is  exceedingly  well  planned, 
and  the  printing  arrangement  on  both 
sides  of  a  single  sheet  makes  for  desirable 
compactness  of  record.  This  sheet  calls 
not  only  for  summary  information  on 
present  equipment  but  adds  many  perti- 
nent questions  on  technique,  sources,  ad- 
{Continucd  on  page  41) 


Educational    Screen 

Combined     with 

Visual    Instruction    News 
FEBRUARY,   1936 

VOLUME      XV  NUMBER      2 


CONTENTS 

Experiences  with  a  State  Cooperative  Film  Library. 

Russell  T.  Gregg 39 

The  Opaque  Projector  Applied  to  Written  Composition 

Work.     Donald  R.  Bosley.. 42 

Large-Group-Instruction  Through  the  Use  of  Visual 

Aids.     F.  Marshall  Worrell. 43 

Why  a  Department  of  Visual  Education? 

D.  C.  Thornton 46 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers ....47 

The  Film  Estimates 48 

The  Church  Field.    Conducted  by  Mary  Seattle  Brady 49 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

Conducted  by  E.  C.  Waggoner 51 

Film  Production  In  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis 52 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky... 54 

Current  Film  Releases. 58 

Among  the  Producers 64 

Here  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field 68 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index. 

General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  February,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published    every   month   except  July    and    August. 

$2.00  a  Year        (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Ellsworth  C.  Dent 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Josephine  Hoffman 


Stanley  R.  Greens 
R.  F.  H.  Johnson 
Marlon  F.  Lanphler 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 


Page  36 


The  Educational  Screen 


ML  25  flnimRTOPHOnE 

BRinCS  HEIll  FRIHE  TO  H  UIORLD-FfllllOUS   nfllHE 

©Price  need  no  longer  be  an  obstacle  to  the  enjoyment  of  Quality  sound  picture  reproduction. 
Model  25  Sound-on-Film  ANIMATOPHONE  (for  silent  and  sound  projection)  is  priced  at  only 
$360.00!    In  addition  to  embodying  the  ingenious  simplifications  and  mechanical  superiorities  that 

have  always  been  traditional  with  Victor  Cine  products,  Model  25  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  World's  Smallest  (A5  lbs.  total), 
Most  Compact,  and  Lowest  Priced  HIGH  QUALITY  Sound  Picture  Reproducer.  It  is  the  ONLY  l6mm  sound  projector  that 
may  be  operated  on  D.  C.  as  well  as  A.  C.  without  use  of  converter.  Ask  for  demonstration.  .  .  .  Let  your  own  eyes  and  ears 
prove  that  ANIA\ATOPHONE  25  is  without  rival, 


vicinn  nnimpinRRRPH  nnRpnRflTinn.nsKPvTJ.'r.! 


GHicnco 

npiii  vnRi^  •  inc  Dnncirc 


February,  19} 6 


Page  39 


Experiences  with  a  State  Cooperative 
Film  Library 


By      RUSSELL      T.      GREGG 

Supervisor  of  Visual  Aids  Service,  and 

Assistant   Principal   of   University   High   School, 

University  of  Illinois 


THE  cjoperative  plan,  by  means  of  which  a  li- 
brary of  educational  films  has  been  developed 
in  Illinois,  has  aroused  widespread  interest. 
This  article  has  been  prepared  in  answer  to  a  num- 
ber of  requests  for  information  about  the  plan. 
It  is  ho])ed  that  the  following  explanation  may  en- 
able other  schools  interested  in  building  film  li- 
braries to  overcome  in  some  measure  the  difficulties 
arising  from  the  lack  of  sufficient  appropriated 
funds. 

In  the  winter  of  1931-32  a  committee  of  school 
superintendents  asked  the  president  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois  if  it  were  not  desirable  and  practica- 
ble for  the  University  to  develop  a  library  of  visual 
aids  for  the  use  of  the  schools  in  the  state.  The 
superintendents  pointed  out  that  certain  other  state 
universities  were  providing  the  schools  in  their 
states  with  such  materials,  that  there  was  a  demand 
for  these  materials  among  Illinois  teachers,  and  ad- 
ministrators, and  that  there  was  no  source  in  the- 
state  which  could  satisfy  the  demand. 

As  a  result  of  this  request,  a  member  of  the  fac- 
ulty of  the  College  of  Education  was  asked  to  make 
a  survey  to  determine  what  other  universities  were 
doing  in  the  field  of  visual  education.  Sources  were 
to  be  canvassed  from  which  visual  education  ma- 
terials could  be  secured,  either  by  free  loan  or  by 
purchase.  The  findings  of  this  survey  were  re- 
ported to  the  dean  of  the  College  of  Education,  and 
during  the  summer  of  1932  the  writer  was  asked  to 
inaugurate  the  Visual  Aids  Service  for  the  schools 
of  Illinois  and  to  serve  as  the  supervisor  of  this 
service.*  Unfortunately  no  funds  were  available  for 
the  purchase  of  materials.  The  motion-picture 
films  and  glass  slides  oflfered  during  the  school  year 
1932-33  were  therefore  secured  from  many  widely 
separated  sources  on  an  indefinite  free-loan  plan.'' 

Before  securing  any  materials,  however,  the  su- 
pervisor thought  it  wise  to  make  a  preliminary 
survey  of  a  number  of  representative  schools  of  the 
state  to  determine  the  kind  of  projection  equipment 

iThe  Visual  Aids  Service  has  since  been  transferred  from  the 
College  of  Education  to  the  Division  of  University  Exten- 
sion. 


^Persons  interested  in  locating  sources  of  films  may  consult 
one  or  both  of  the  following :  1000  and  One— the  Blue  Book 
of  Non-Theatrical  Films,  Chicago,  the  Educational  Screen, 
Inc. ;  Directory  of  Film  Sources,  Davenport,  la.,  Victor  Ani- 
matograph  Corporation. 


they  weie  using.  This  survey  revealed  the  fact 
that  only  a  few  of  the  schools  were  equipped  with 
16-mm.  projectors,  while  a  large  number  of  them 
were  equipped  with  35-mm.  projectors.  Many  were 
equipped  with  lantern-slide  projectors.  In  the  light 
of  these  findings  it  was  decided  to  begin  with  a  li- 
brary made  up  largely  of  35-mm.  films  and  glass 
slides,  although  the  educational  advantages  of  the 
16-mm.  filtu  were  fully  recognized. 

Mimeographed  catalogs  listing  the  titles  and 
brief  descriptions  of  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
35-mm.  films,  thirty  16-mm.  films,  and  forty-three 
sets  of  glass  slides  in  the  Visual  Aids  Service  li- 
brary, were  sent  to  approximately  four  hundred 
schools  early  in  the  school  year  1932-33.  All  these 
materials  were  secured  on  an  indefinite  free-loan 
basis  and  were  selected  with  one  or  both  of  the  fol- 
lowing points  in  mind:  (1)  Does  an  examination 
of  the  projected  picture  indicate  that  it  is  of  instru- 
mental value?  (2)  Is  the  film  listed  as  an  educa- 
tional film  in  the  catalogs  of  films  published  by  cer- 
tain selected  universities? 

By  the  fall  of  1933  several  additional  schools  had 
been  equipped  with  16-mm.  projectors,  and  the  su- 
pervisor was  very  anxious  to  ofi'er  these  schools  a 
larger  library  o  f  16-mm.  educational  films.  He 
found  it  difficult,  however,  to  secure  16-mm.  films 
on  an  indefinite  free-loan  basis,  and  funds  with 
which  to  purchase  films  were  not  yet  forthcoming. 
As  a  matter  of  necessity,  therefore,  a  plan  for  de- 
veloping a  cooperative  film  library  was  formulated 
and  explained  by  correspondence  to  a  number  of 
selected  school  administrators. 

Some  of  the  details  have  naturally  been  altered 
in  the  last  two  years,  but  the  plan  now  in  operation 
and  described  in  the  following  paragraphs  is  es- 
sentially the  same  as  that  set  up  in  1933. 

To  become  a  member  of  the  cooperative  library 
of  16-mm.  silent  films  a  school  deposits  a  400-ft. 
reel'  of  film  in  the  Visual  Aids  Service  library  and 
pays  a  service  fee  of  $5  a  year  to  cover  the  cost  of 
inspecting,  repairing,  and  packing  the  materials. 
The  depositing  of  the  film  entitles  the  school  to  co- 
operative membership  for  a  period  of  two  years. 
At  the  end  of  this  time  the  school  must  deposit  an- 
other film  to  retain  its  membership. 

SThe   film   deposited   must  be  an   Eastman  classroom   film,  or 
some  other  film  of  equivalent  value. 


Page  40 


The  'Educational  Screen 


All  films  thus  deposited  become  the  property  ot 
the  Visual  Aids  Service.  If  the  school  wishes  to 
withdraw  from  the  cooperating  library  at  the  end 
of  the  first  year  of  its  membership,  one  half  the 
purchase  price  of  the  film  is  refunded.^  Each  in- 
dividual school  using  the  films  under  the  coopera- 
tive plan  must  deposit  a  film.  Schools  in  the  same 
system,  however,  may  combine  for  the  service  as 
long  as  the  total  of  their  enrollments  does  not  ex- 
ceed 1,000  pupils. 

A  cooperating  school  which  deposits  one  film  is 
entitled  to  the  following  service  during  each  of  the 
two  years  of  membership:  (1)  thirty-six  bookings 
of  16-mm.  silent  films  classified  as  distinctly  in- 
structional; (2)  an  unlimited  number  of  16-mm. 
silent  films  classified  as  scenic  or  industrial  ;^  and, 
(3)  an  unlimited  number  of  glass-slide  sets. 


At  Headquarters  of  the  Visual  Aids  Service 

A  school  may,  if  it  desires,  deposit  more  than  one 
film  each  two  years.  For  every  extra  film  deposited, 
the  school  pays  an  annual  service  fee  of  $5  and  is 
entitled  to  thirty-six  additional  bookings  of  the  in- 
structional films.  All  transportation  costs  on  the 
materials  are  paid  by  the  borrower.  To  reduce  the 
transportation  costs,  a  school  may  maintain  a  post- 
age deposit  with  the  Visual  Aids  Service. 

The  films  deposited  by  cooperating  schools  may 
be  selected  by  the  teachers  or  administrators  of  the 
schools,  subject  to  approval  by  the  Visual  Aids 
Service.  In  practice,  however,  most  of  the  coop- 
erating schools  have  left  the  selection  of  films  to  the 
Service.  In  such  instances  the  Service  orders  the 
films  and  bills  the  schools  for  the  amount  of  the 
purchase  price.  A  statement  that  a  film  was  de- 
posited by  a  certain  school  follows  the  description 
of  each  deposited  film  in  the  annual  catalog. 

A  16-mm.  sound-on-film  library  is  now  being  in- 
augurated on  a  cooperative  plan  similar  to  that  of 
the  16-mm.  silent-film  library  described  above.  A 
school  depositing  a  sound  film  is  entitled  to  three 

<It  may  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  to  know  that  as  yet  no 
school  has  asked  to  withdraw  from  the  cooperative  library. 

6The  titles  of  the  instructional  films  are  marked  by  asterisks 
in  the  annual  catalog  of  motion-picture  films  and  glass  slides 
while  the  titles  of  all  scenic  and  industrial  films  are  not  so 
marked. 


years'  service  from  the  sound-on-film  library  in- 
stead of  two  years'  service  as  in  the  case  of  the 
16-mm.  silent-film  library.  An  annual  service  fee 
of  $5  is  charged.  Schools,  however,  that  are  also 
cooperating  members  of  the  silent-film  library  do 
not  pay  an  additional  service  fee  for  the  sound-on- 
film  service. 

Eight  schools  became  cooperating  members  dur- 
ing the  school  year  1933-34,  depositing  a  total  of 
ten  instructional  films  in  the  Visual  Aids  Service 
Library.  During  the  next  school  year,  1934-35, 
thirty-seven  schools  were  cooperating  and  had  de- 
posited forty-two  instructional  films.  To  date  a 
total  of  seventy-two  schools  have  deposited  eighty- 
three  reels  of  film. 

As  was  to  be  expected,  the  cooperative  film  li- 
brary developed  rather  slowly  at  first,  since  the 
number  of  films  available  to  cooperating  school-: 
was  limited.  School  administrators  who  deposited 
films  during  the  first  year  or  two  were  persons  who 
were  capable  of  looking  into  the  future  and  visual- 
izing the  possibilities  of  the  cooperative  plan.  At 
the  present  time,  early  in  the  third  year  of  the  de- 
velopment of  the  cooperative  library,  it  is  very 
encouraging  to  note  that  no  longer  is  it  necessary 
to  urge  principals  and  superintendents  to  deposit 
films  in  the  cooperative  film  library ;  they  now  re- 
quest the  privilege  of  cooperating.  Since  the  mid- 
dle of  September,  when  the  1935-36  catalog  was 
distributed,  twenty-five  schools  have  each  deposited 
a  film  in  the  library. 

A  few  statistics  showing  the  amount  of  material 
available  from  the  Visual  Aids  Service  library  from 
year  to  year,  and  how  much  of  this  material  was 
distributed  to  schools,  will  probably  be  of  interest 
to  the  reader.  Table  I  shows  that  the  number  of 
reels  of  35-mm.  film  and  sets  of  glass  slides  in  the 
library  has  increased  very  little  since  the  first  year 
of  the  Service,  while  the  number  of  reels  of  16-mm. 
film   has   increased   rapidly.      The    distribution    of 

TABLE  I 

Kinds  and  Amount  of  Visual  Instruction  Material  in  the  Visual 

Aids  Service  Library  During  the  Years,  1932-33  to  1935-36 

Reels  of  films 

Kinds  of  Material  deposited 

Reels  of  Sets  of  by  coop-  Number 

Year           16mm.    16mm.     3Smm.  glass     erating  ofbor- 

silent      sound      silent  slides     schools  rowers 

1932-33              30           0           148  43             0  99 

1933-34              78           0           156  43           10  120 

1934-35             160           0           170  44           42  211 

1935-36            306           8           212  44           83  ? 

35-mm.  films  will  be  discontinued  within  the  next 
year  or  two,  but  it  is  hoped  that  the  number  of  sets 
of  glass  slides  can  be  greatly  increased.  Although 
the  university  has  appropriated  less  than  $1000  to 
the  Visual  Aids  Service  for  the  purchase  of  visual- 
instruction  materials,  the  value  of  the  film  and 
slides  now  available  from  the  library  is  conserva- 
tively estimated  at  $12,000. 


February,  1936 


Page  41 


TABLE  II 

Amount  of  Distribulion  of  Various 

Kinds  of  Visual  Inst 

ruction  Materials  by  the  Visual  Aids  Service 

by  Years 

16mm  Films 

35mm 

Films 

Sets  of  Glass  Slides 

Month 

1932- 

1933-        1934- 

1935- 

1932- 

1933- 

1934- 

1935- 

1932- 

1933- 

1934- 

1935- 

1933 

1934          1935 

1936 

1933 

1934 

1935 

1936 

1933 

1934 

1935 

1936 

September 

0 

2             29 

135 

2 

3 

5 

8 

0 

3 

5 

4 

October 

3 

10           143 

499 

14 

68 

20 

51 

0 

21 

30 

42 

November 

8 

46           253 

625 

31 

93 

35 

83 

3 

25 

31 

34 

December 

10 

33           249 

628 

41 

83 

61 

34 

5 

17 

37 

28 

January 

IS 

46           375 

662 

72 

112 

95 

63 

14 

18 

26 

46 

February 

18 

62           485 

82 

125 

100 

21 

27 

50 

. 

March 

20 

120           402 

120 

125 

101 

22 

38 

51 

April 

IS 

96           375 

100 

95 

137 

21 

30 

33 

May 

8 

71            289 

80 

67 

120 

11 

18 

23 

June 

0 

0             19 

4 

9 

2 

0 

0 

2 

Total 

97 

486          2619 

546 

780 

676 

97 

192 

288 

Table  II  shows,  by  months,  the  distribution  of 
16-mm.  films,  3S-mm.  films,  and  of  sets  of  glass 
slides  for  the  entire  period  the  Visual  Aids  Service 
has  been  functioning.  It  should  be  noted  that  the 
distribution  of  35-mm.  films  has  decreased,  while 
the  distribution  of  16-mm.  films  has  increased  tre- 
mendously. On  the  basis  of  the  distribution  of 
16-mm.  films  for  the  months  of  September  and  Oc- 
tober of  the  present  year  and  of  the  bookings  al- 
ready made  for  future  delivery,  it  is  predicted  that 
as  many  as  6,000  reels  of  16-mm.  films  will  be  dis- 
tributed during  the  current  school  year. 

In  conclusion  it  seems  appropriate  to  attempt  an 
answer  to  the  question  that  is  likely  to  come  to  the 
reader's  mind :  Why  ask  the  various  schools  to  de- 
posit films  when  it  would  involve  less  administra- 
tive routine  to  assess  them  $17^  for  the  same  annual 
service  they  receive  as  members  of  the  16-mm.  sil- 
ent-film library? 


^The  yearly  cost  to  a  cooperating  school  is  $17  plus  transpor- 
tation costs.  The  deposited  film  costs  $24  (if  a  film  costing 
less  is  deposited,  the  difiference  must  be  made  up  in  cash) 
and  the  two  service  fees  for  the  two-year  period  amount  to 
$10.  Thus  the  cost  for  the  two  years'  service  is  $34,  or  an 
average  yearly  cost  of  $17. 


When  the  Visual  Aids  Service  was  inaugurated, 
there  were  no  appropriated  funds  with  which  to 
buy  films.  It  was  not  possible  to  develop  a  library 
of  sufficient  worth  to  justify  the  payment  by  school 
administrators  of  a  sufficiently  high  annual  fee  to 
enable  the  Service  to  purchase  films.  In  other 
words,  the  cooperative  plan  was  necessary  to  es- 
tablish the  library  in  the  beginning. 

It  is  true  that  the  library  now  contains  sufficient 
material  to  allow  the  cooperative  idea  to  expire, 
but  the  cooperative  idea  seems  to  have  certain 
psychological  advantages  over  the  flat  rental  plan. 
The  idea  of  buying  only  one  film  and  of  being 
therefore  privileged  to  use  many,  is  one  that  school- 
board  members  can  readily  understand.  When, 
furthermore,  a  school  administrator  opens  the  cata- 
log of  films  and  finds  the  names  of  neighboring 
schools  listed  as  cooperating  members,  he  wants 
to  see  his  own  school  included.  Each  cooperating 
school,  finally,  knows  that  it  has  a  part  interest  in 
the  central  library,  a  feeling  that  would  not  exist 
if  the  school  secured  the  service  by  paying  a  stip- 
ulated yearly  fee. 


Editorial 

{Continued  from  page  35) 

ministrative  policies,  problems  of  organization,  and 
covers  radio,  phonograph,  and  sound-system  installa- 
tions as  well.  Complete  answers  to  this  great  question- 
naire, when  analyzed,  tabulated,  and  made  available  in 
printed  form  from  the  Office  of  Education,  will  be  an 
invaluable  asset  in  the  future  development  of  visual 
instruction.  No  superintendent  should  fail  to  supply  his 
quota  of  information  to  these  national  statistics. 
The  Questionnaire  from  the  Department  of  Visual 
Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A. 
The  D.V.I,  questionnaire  is  likewise  national  in 
scope,  but  diiTers  markedly  from  the  Washington  docu- 
ment in  several  respects.  It  goes  to  individual  schools, 
to  Principals  instead  of  Superintendents ;  it  is  limited 
solely  to  present  visual  equipment  and  its  use,  is  con- 
tained complete  on  one  side  of  a  standard  postcard,  and 
can  be  filled  out  in  five  minutes  or  less.  Return  of  the 
card  also  entitles  the  Principal  to  a  reduced  rate  for 
membership  in  the  Department. 


The  D.V.I,  questionnaire  began  mailing  on  January 
11th.  Unlike  the  Washington  mailing,  this  will  be 
gradual  and  will  extend  over  a  considerable  period. 
First  returns  have  shown  not  only  the  data  asked  in 
careful  detail,  but  a  gratifyingly  large  percentage  of 
Principals  taking  membership  in  the  Department  and 
in  the  N.E.A.  Inasmuch  as  one  important  purpose  of 
the  efTort  was  to  gain  memberships  for  the  Department, 
this  questionnaire  seems  to  open  up  interesting  pos- 
sibilities for  real  growth  and  correspondingly  greater 
service  by  the  Department  to  the  field. 

The  two  questionnaires,  going  to  different  individ- 
uals, should  serve  to  check  and  complement  each  other. 
Superintendents  and  Principals,  being  normally  en- 
dowed with  that  well-known  attribute  called  "human 
nature",  may  be  as  prone  to  neglect  as  to  fulfill.  Gaps 
in  the  returns  of  either  will  often  be  filled  by  returns 
from  the  other.  Further,  names  of  Directors  of  Visual 
Instruction  and  "Parties  most  interested",  received  on 
both  questionnaires,  may  be  combined  to  issue  a  new 
and  enlarged  "Visual  Instruction  Directory"  for  the 
entire  country.  Nelson  L.  Greene 


Page  42 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Opaque  Projector  Applied  to 
Written  Composition  Work 


THANKS  to  the  versatility  of  the  opaque  pro- 
jector, "theme  day"  has  been  made  pleasantly 
profitable  to  my  English  classes  and  genu- 
inely gratifying  to  me.  It  is  no  longer  simply  the 
day  before  I  have  to  face  the  chore  of  checking  the 
papers. 

Any  teacher  who  has  ever  dedicated  the  better 
part  of  a  week-end  to  checking  written  composi- 
tions knows  the  futility  of  the  effort.  He  will  have 
sought  other  ways  of  securing  for  his  students  the 
possible  benefits  of  written  work,  and  he  will  have 
considered  these  other  ways  effective  to  the  degree 
in  which  they  make  the  work  of  checking  the  pa- 
pers a  class-shared,  class-time  activity.  Exchang- 
ing papers  in  class,  reading  them  in  class,  and  hav- 
ing some  put  on  the  board  are  standard  practices, 
but  they  are  slow  and  relatively  ineffective. 

The  ideal  method,  it  is  easy  to  imagine,  would 
be  to  use  some  magic  device  which  could  instantly 
reproduce  all  the  themes  of  the  class  and  provide 
each  member  with  a  copy  of  the  collection.  The 
class  could  then  proceed  to  criticize,  and  they  could 
do  so  with  a  thoroughness  permitted  by  their  all 
having  written  copies  to  follow.  Such  a  device 
would  afford  the  stimulus  to  invention  and  accuracy 
that  accompanies  the  knowledge  that  one  is  writing 
for  publication.  Such  a  device  would  afford  each 
student  the  collective  benefit  of  participating  in  the 
correction  of  the  collective  errors  of  the  class.  And, 
most  happily,  it  would  relieve  the  teacher  of  the  col- 
lective burden  of  that  most  dreaded  of  chores,  theme 
correcting,  —  an  exercise  he  presumably  does  not 
need. 

Possibly  some  photostatic  process  of  duplication 
will  be  perfected  some  day  which  will  be  cheap 
enough,  quick  enough,  and  simple  enough  to  be 
used  in  the  classroom.  At  present  there  is  no  such 
apparatus,  and  it  appears  that  there  will  be  none 
for  some  time.  In  the  meantime,  however,  I  find 
an  opaque  projector  to  possess  most  of  the  desired 
magic  qualities. 

The  procedure  for  its  use  is  simple.  On  the  day 
of  assignment,  the  students  are  instructed  to  write 
carefully  in  ink  and  to  leave  a  margin  wide  enough 
so  that  the  written  area  will  be  not  more  than  six 
inches  wide.  No  limits  as  to  length  need  be  im- 
posed for  the  theme  can  be  projected  a  section  at 
a  time  as  read.  The  name  of  the  writer  may  be 
written  in  an  upper  corner  or  some  place  where  it 


By     DONALD     R.     BOSLEY 

Teacher  of   English   and   Journalism 
High  School.  Havre,  Monf. 

need  not  show  in  the  projected  image.  Discussion 
will  naturally  be  freer  if  the  themes  appear  anony- 
mously, though  the  writers  of  superior  papers 
should  be  named  and  publicly  credited. 

On  theme  day  the  room  is  darkened,  the  projec- 
tor is  brought  into  place,  and  one  by  one  the  themes 
are  thrown  upon  the  screen.  The  procedure  that 
follows  may  be  varied.  One  student  may  be  called 
upon  to  criticize  from  his  seat  or  he  may  be  asked 
to  go  to  the  screen  and  point  out  the  errors  he  can 
recognize.  This  may  be  followed  by  general  class 
discussion  and  perhaps  by  some  brief  comment  by 
the  teacher.  Again,  the  themes  may  be  exchanged 
and  checked  by  the  students  before  the  room  is 
darkened.  The  errors  may  simply  be  underlined 
and  corrected.  In  the  latter  case  both  errors  and 
corrections  can  be  discussed. 

When  the  paper  has  been  examined  as  thorough- 
ly as  need  be  the  teacher  can  place  a  grade  upon  it 
before  passing  on  to  the  next.  As  a  result,  in  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes  of  class  time,  fifteen  to 
twenty  papers  can  be  analyzed  and  graded.  At 
least  one  half  the  teacher's  work  is  done.  Each  stu- 
dent knows  exactly  why  his  paper  has  been  given 
its  particular  evaluation,  he  has  had  the  satisfaction 
of  having  his  work  publicly  presented,  and  he  has 
profited  by  the  comments  of  the  class.  The  entire 
class,  too,  has  gained  by  participating  in  the  criti- 
cism. 

In  actual  practice  it  will  be  found  that  class  in- 
terest never  lags  and  that  criticism  will  be  volun- 
teered by  the  most  reticent.  Moreover,  so  challeng- 
ing is  the  promise  of  public  scrutiny,  that  students 
are  moved  to  extreme  care  in  preparing  their 
themes.  Frequently,  during  entire  periods,  little 
or  nothing  of  a  technical  nature  deserving  censure 
will  appear.  There  remains  only  to  enjoy  the  con- 
tent and  to  congratulate  the  writer  upon  his 
achievement. 

There  is  truly  much  of  magic  in  the  practice, 
yet  some  few  faults  must  be  conceded.  Chief  of 
these  is  the  strain  put  upon  the  eyes  if  the  reading 
is  continued  for  too  long  a  time.  In  a  well  dark- 
ened room,  careful  handwriting  in  ink  can  be  made 
clearly  legible — it  shows  up  even  better  than  av- 
erage print — but  the  clearest  image  will,  against 
the  bright  light  of  the  screen,  tire  the  eyes  in  from 
twenty  to  thirty  minutes. 

Because  of  this  time  limit,  not  all  of  the  themes 


February,  1936 


Page  43 


of  an  average-size  class  can  l)e  examined.  The 
teacher  will  still  have  from  one-third  to  one-half 
the  papers  to  correct  himself  and  that  proportion 
of  the  class  will  be  denied  the  benefit  of  public  criti- 
cism. The  loss  to  this  group  is  not  total,  of  course, 
for  they  have  shared  in  the  class  activity  and  their 
papers  can  be  examined  first  at  the  next  session. 

Of  course,  the  close  work  and  the  limitations  of 
an  opaque  projector  demand  that  all  must  he  done 
in  a  thoroughly  darkened  room.  This  is  not  an  un- 
mitigated handicap,  however.  As  has  been  said, 
some  reticent  and  shy  students  are  encouraged  to 
speak  under  the  anonymity  of  darkness.  Also,  the 
enveloping  and  contrasting  darkness  tends  to  focus 
the  attention  of  all  upon  the  lighted  screen. 

As  for  means  of  darkening  the  room,  there  are 
many.  I  find  heavy,  permanent  drapes  operated 
by  pull-cords  to  Ije  most  effective  and  most  con- 
venient. 


In  addition  to  that  of  checking  themes  there  are 
many  other  obvious  and  long-practiced  uses  for  the 
opaque  projector  in  the  English  classroom.  The 
projection  of  authors'  portraits,  of  maps,  of  illus- 
trative material  for  literature  studies  is,  of  course, 
standard.  Projecting  student-made  color-posters 
advertising  books  they  have  read  or  drawings  and 
pictures  illustrating  them  is  a  good  device  to  pub- 
licize the  reading  list.  The  making  of  posters  and 
illustrations  is  for  the  student  a  welcome  variation 
from  the  conventional  book  report.  Making  illus- 
trations for  themes  can  be  encouraged  too. 

In  all,  there  is  enough  of  magic  in  the  opaque 
projector  when  applied  to  written  composition  work 
to  make  the  machine  a  boon  to  both  students  and 
teachers.  Its  magic  releases  to  the  student  all  the 
values  inherent  in  written  composition  exercise, 
and  it,  in  a  large  measure,  sets  the  teacher  free 
from  the  weariest  of  week-end  chores. 


Ldrge-Group-lnstruction  through  the  Use 
of  Visual  Aids 


By     F.     MARSHALL     WORRELL 

Director  of  Visual   Education 
Junior  High  School,  Englewood,  N.  J. 


THE  RECENT  economic  depression  brought  many 
jjuzzling  problems  to  school  administrators,  most 
of  which  were  the  direct  result  of  an  increased  en- 
rollment and  a  decided  curtailment  of  funds  with  which 
to  build,  provide  equipment  and  hire  additional 
teachers. 

In  many  cases  the  only  solution  was  to  enlarge 
classes  to  room  capacities  and  increase  the  number  of 
teaching  periods  of  the  teacher.  With  this  added 
teaching  load,  little  time  was  left  in  the  school  day  for 
club  or  study  hall  supervision,  preparation  periods  or 
the  myriad  other  activities  requiring  teacher  partici- 
pation. 

Believing  that  this  condition  might  be  alleviated 
through  the  use  of  large-group-instruction  with  visual 
material.  Dr.  William  Kuhlman,  Principal  of  the 
Englewood  Junior  High  School,  suggested  that  I  ar- 
range such  a  program  in  Ninth  Grade  Science,  to  be 
tried  out  during  the  second  term  of  the  school  year 
1934-35. 

Two  things  facilitated  the  execution  of  this  pro- 
ject: 

(1)  A  Tvcll  organized  Visual  Aid  Department 
placed  at  my  disposal :  —  catalogs  of  leading  film  li- 
braries ;  records  of  films  previously  used  in  the  school 
showing  their  contents  and  noting  their  value  as  an 
introduction,  direct  teaching  tool  or  summary  of  a 
specific  problem ;  slide  projectors ;   16mm  and  35mm 


silent  film  projectors ;  a  16mm  sound-on-film  projec- 
tor; trained  student  operators  and  an  auditorium,  cen- 
trally located,  capable  of  seating  three  hundred  people 
within  a  reasonable  distance  from  the  stage,  equipped 
with  suitable  screen,  projection  booth  and  dark  shades. 

(2)  The  teaching  method  used  in  the  ninth  grade 
science  classes,  a  modification  of  the  Dalton  Plan  in 
which  a  series  of  "contracts"  are  used  covering  four- 
teen units,  involved  two  types  of  student  activity  — 
(a)  observing  demonstrations,  films  or  other  visual  ma- 
terial used  in  illustrating  some  fact  (b)  a  supervised 
study  period  during  which  the  student  answers  the 
questions  of  the  contract  using  facts  obtained  from  the 
observation  of  visual  material  or  the  study  of  refer- 
ence text  books  of  which  there  are  three  different 
volumes  in  each  pupil's  desk. 

Based  on  the  idea  that  films,  slides  and  most  dem- 
onstrations may  be  presented  as  effectively  to  large 
groups  as  to  small  classes,  the  Principal  scheduled  all 
ninth  grade  science  classes  to  meet  in  the  auditorium 
during  the  third  period  on  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays 
at  which  time  selected  visual  material  would  be  pre- 
sented, while  each  class  was  scheduled  to  meet,  separ- 
ately, with  the  various  science  teachers,  for  discussion 
and  supervised  study,  during  the  regular  periods  on 
Mondays,  Wednesdays  and  Fridays. 

^^'ith  this  arrangement,  the  science  teachers  had 
seven  free  periods  on  Tuesdays  and  Thursdays  which 


Page  44 


The  Educational  Screen 


could  be  used  in  preparing  for  the  large  group  in- 
struction periods,  disposing  of  materials  after  this 
period,  planning  work  for  the  next  day,  making  up 
apparatus,  study  hall  or  club  supervision  or  any  other 
assigned  duties. 

Perhaps  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  preparation 
work  yet  remained,  the  planning  of  the  activities  for 
the   large   group   instruction   period. 

It  has  always  been  my  experience  that  films  or 
slides,  shown  in  conjunction  with  the  study  of  some 
specific  problem  or  as  an  introduction  to  or  summary 
of  some  unit,  must  be  closely  correlated  with  the  class 
work  of  the  pupil  to  be  most  effective.  A  film  shown 
some  time  before  or  after  its  related  problems  loses  its 
value  because  the  pupil  is  either  studying  some  entirely 
different  unit  and  lacks  the  incentive  of  the  imme- 
diate need  of  grasping  important  facts  to  be  applied 
in  the  answering  of  some  question  or,  having  studied 
the  pertinent  unit  some  time  in  the  past,  is  more  in- 
terested in  the  present  activity  and  gives  only  indiffer- 
ent attention  to  the  belated  illustration. 

Therefore,  in  the  planning,  careful  attention  had  to 
be  given  to  the  scheduling  of  the  films  and  slides 
so  that  they  might  be  used  to  the  best  advantage.  This 
was  accomplished  as  follows — 

(a)  The  titles  of  those  films  or  slides  which  de- 
partment records  or  film  catalogs  indicated  might  be 
used  in  teaching  the  various  units  were  listed  on  a  set 
of  contract  sheets  beside  the  related  problems.  Suit- 
able demonstrations  and  pupil  activities  were  similarly 
noted.  In  many  instances  films  were  scheduled  for 
use  in  conjunction  with  demonstrations  to  picture  the 
practical  application  of  the  demonstrated  fact  or  to 
enlarge  upon  it. 

(b)  The  various  problems  were  then  scheduled  in 
my  plan  book  for  completion  on  specific  dates,  the  ac- 
companying visual  aids  being  indicated  for  use  the  pre- 
ceding or  following  large-group-instruction  period,  de- 
pending on  the  nature  of  their  contents.  (The  use  of 
these  contracts  over  a  three  year  period  enabled  me 
to  anticipate,  accurately,  the  time  required  for  the 
study  of  the  individual  problems  and,  having  used  most 
of  the  films  many  times  before,  a  reference  to  the 
card  record  made  possible  the  allocation  of  materials 
where  they  might  be  used  most  advantageously,  that  is 
— as  an  introduction,  a  direct  teaching  tool  (a  film  por- 
traying clearly  and  in  detail  important  facts  being 
studied)  or  as  a  summary. 

(c)  The  various  contributing  libraries  were  then  re- 
quested to  schedule  the  films  and  slides  for  our  use 
on  the  dates  planned.  .  We  received  very  satisfactory 
co-operation  from  these  agencies  as,  in  every  instance, 
the  material  was  shipped  in  time  for  use  on  the  dates 
designated.  Scheduling  the  material  as  least  three 
months  in  advance  made  this  possible. 

The  lesson  plans,  thus  far,  were  only  a  skeleton 
framework,  briefly  outlined  to  permit  an  over-all  pic- 
ture of  the  term's  work.  Although  the  contracts,  them- 
selves, acted  as  a  lesson  guide  for  the  pupil's  activity 


during  the  supervised  study  period,  far  more  careful 
planning  was  required  for  the  visual  aid  periods  than 
had  been  done  in  the  past  as  it  was  evident  that  with 
one  teacher  in  charge  of  a  group  numbering  from  one 
hundred  and  two  hundred  pupils  the  program  must 
proceed  without  pause  or  interruption  or  the  attention 
of  the  pupils  would  be  distracted  and  problems  of 
discipline  would  result. 

Hence,  in  preparing  for  the  large-group-instruction 
period,  this  routine  was  usually  followed : — 

(1)  A  preview  of  the  visual  material  was  given  the 
preceding  afternoon  at  which  time  the  important  facts 
illustrated  were  noted. 

(2)  If  demonstrations  or  home  made  slides  were 
needed  to  supplement,  these  were  then  prepared. 

(3)  A  plan  of  presentation  was  then  worked  out 
in  detail  and  the  time  required  for  each  part  accurately 
noted  to  insure  the  full  utilization  of  the  period. 

(4)  A  lighting  schedule  was  made  out  for  the  boys 
controlling  the  house  and  stage  lights  and  a  similar 
one  for  the  boy  operating  the  projector. 

(5)  When  the  portable  blackboard  or  some  stage 
setting  was  required  the  work  was  done  in  the  morn- 
ing before  the  classes  met. 

(6)  Even  auxiliary  material  was  provided  to  be 
used  in  case  of  a  breakdown  during  the  film  projec- 
tion. 

With  the  scheduling  of  classes  and  the  ordering  of 
material  completed  and  the  tentative  lesson  plans  estab- 
lished, the  actual  work  of  the  term  was  ready  to  begin.  On 
the  first  day  of  the  second  term  the  pupils  were  notified 
as  to  the  new  program  and  their  part  in  it.  Like  all 
new  things,  it  met  with  their  instant  approval.  Seats 
were  assigned  in  class  rooms  and  auditorium,  monitors 
appointed  to  check  attendance,  stage  assistants  re- 
cruited from  among  the  mechanically  minded  pupils 
and  the  undertaking  started  with  the  enthusiastic  co- 
operation of  all. 

It  would  be  impossible,  in  this  limited  space,  to  give 
anything  like  a  complete  summary  of  the  activity  dur- 
ing each  of  the  visual  aid  periods  but  I  shall  try,  in 
the  following  illustrations  to  give  some  idea  of  the 
many  devices  included  in  the  program. 

As  an  introduction  to  the  teaching  of  a  new  unit. 

On  Wednesday  the  final  examination  of  the  imit  on 
"Industry"  was  given  to  the  various  sections  in  their 
class  periods.  At  the  completion  of  the  examination, 
the  new  contracts  on  the  subject  "Transportation"  were 
given  out.  Special  reports  on — "The  origin  and  devel- 
opment of  the  steam  engine",  "The  history  of  the  auto- 
momobile"  and  "The  history  of  air  transportation"  were 
assigned  to  three  of  the  best  students,  to  be  given  in  the 
Thursday  large-group-instruction  period. 

A  preview  of  the  sound  film — The  Development  of 
Transportation  showed  that  this  film,  because  it  traced 
the  development  of  transportation  from  the  "pole  drag" 
to  the  airplane,,  would  be  a  fitting  introduction  to  the 
new  topic. 


'ehrnary,  1936 


Page  45 


The  following  program  was  arranged  for  the  Thurs- 
day class : 

(a)  A  brief  introductory  talk  by  the  teacher  em- 
phasizing the  importance  of  transportation  in  modern 
life. 

(b)  Showing  of  the  film. 

(c)  Reports  read  by  the  three  pupils  over  the  sound 
system  (using  a  microphone  in  conjunction  with  the 
sound  projector) 

(d)  An  essay  on  the  subject  "The  Development  of 
Transportation",  based  on  the  film  and  reports,  as- 
signed for  home  work. 

(e)  Reshowing  of  the  film. 

During  the  class  period  the  following  day,  several 
of  the  better  essays  were  read  and  discussed  before  the 
group  after  which  the  first  problem — "Early  methods 
of  transportation"  was  studied  in  the  supervised  study 
period. 

As  a  direct  teaching  tool 

Having  completed  the  study  of  static  and  galvanic 
electricity  and  magnetism,  the  classes  were  ready  to 
take  up  the  problem  of  the  dynamo.  The  following 
questions  were  included  under  this  heading : — 

(1)  List  the  essential  parts  of  a  dynamo  and  ex- 
plain the  function  of  each. 

(2)  Explain  the  changes  in  the  direction  of  the  flow 
in  alternating  current. 

(3)  What  controls  the  output  of  a  dynamo? 

(4)  What  runs  the  dynamo? 

The    silent    film    Current    Electricity    was    selected 
for  use  in  answering  these  questions. 
The  following  program  was  arranged : — 

(a)  A  general  review  of  static  and  galvanic  electri- 
city, their  advantages  and  disadvantages,  was  given  by 
the  teacher. 

(b)  A  slide  having  been  made  on  the  above  ques- 
tions, it  was  then  flashed  on  the  screen  and  the  new 
method  of  current  generation,  dynamic,  was  intro- 
duced. 

(c)  On  one  side  of  the  stage  a  table  and  blackboard 
had  been  placed.  A  simple  diagram  of  a  dynamo  wir- 
ing had  been  drawn  on  the  blackboard  and  a  large  dem- 
onstration model  of  a  dynamo  was  on  the  table,  il- 
luminated by  a  powerful  table  lamp.  The  teacher, 
using  the  diagram  and  the  model,  preceded  to  explain 
the  various  questions  as  they  appeared  on  the  screen 
(teacher  performed  demonstrations,  students  formed 
conclusions). 

(d)  Having  had  the  questions  answered  in  a  series 
of  demonstrations,  the  class  was  then  ready  to  see  the 
material  included  in  the  film.  During  the  showing  of 
the  film  the  pupils'  attention  was  called  to  scenes  il- 
lustrating what  had  just  been  studied.  Notes  were 
taken  which  were  used  the  next  day  during  the  super- 
vised study  period  to  aid  in  the  study  of  the  day's 
assignment. 

Conclusions 

Based  on  a  comparison  of  test  grades  over  a  three 


year  period,  the  use  of  the  large-group-instruction  per- 
iod resulted  in  an  average  pupil  attainment  equal  to  or 
better  than  averages  of  preceding  classes.  In  addition,  it 
exerted  a  positive  influence  on  the  morale  of  the  pupils 
as  was  shown  by  their  subsequent  improvement  in  con- 
duct during  assembly  periods  or  other  group  gather- 
ings. Within  a  very  short  time  the  classroom  pictures 
ceased  to  be  looked  on  as  an  entertainment  but  were 
accepted  as  a  vital  and  necessary  tool  of  learning.  This 
attitude  carried  over  into  other  classes  where  films  were 
used. 

I  can  best  summarize  the  results  of  this  experiment 
by  quoting  the  viewpoints  expressed  by  the  pupils, 
teachers  and  administration — 

The  pupils  liked  this  type  program  because  the  more 
careful  planning  and  wider  use  of  visual  materials  re- 
sulted in  a  more  interesting  and  instructive  period. 

The  teachers  favored  the  idea  because : 

(a)  All  their  effort  might  be  centered  on  the  execut- 
ing of  one  superior  demonstration,  or  visual,  period, 
rather  than  repeating  the  same  presentation  from  five 
to  seven  times. 

(b)  The  demands  made  on  their  ingenuity  by  this 
type  program  stimulated  their  interest. 

(c)  The  scheduling  of  classes  allowed  them  more 
time  for  preparation,  etc. 

The  administration  considered  it  successful  because : 

(a)  Fewer  teachers  were  required  to  handle  the  in- 
creased enrollment. 

(b)  Although  the  actual  teaching  load  was  increased, 
teachers  had  more  periods  available  for  preparation 
work  or  non-teaching  assignments. 

(c)  New  interest  was  stimulated  in  the  teaching 
staff  and  better  teaching  methods  were  devised. 

(d)  Savings  in  the  cost  of  equipment  were  effected 
as,  in  most  cases,  only  one  set  of  apparatus  was  re- 
quired while,  heretofore,  each  teacher  must  be  provided 
with  material. 

(e)  Only  the  auditorium  required  dark  shades  and 
a  screen  while  before  several  rooms  must  be  so  equip- 
ped or  else  the  passing  of  classes  to  the  auditorium  at 
all  times  of  the  day  created  confusion  and  noise  in  the 
halls. 

(f)  The  cost  of  film  rentals  was  reduced  as  now 
only  one  day  was  required  for  showing  the  films  where 
before,  due  to  a  shortage  of  projectors,  rooms  suitably 
equipped,  etc.,  often  two  or  three  days  were  required. 

(g)  The  cost  of  maintaining  duplicate  projection 
equipment  was  reduced,  as  now  one  good  16mm  sound- 
on-film  projector  (capable  of  showing  silent  films, 
also),  a  35mm  silent  projector  and  a  slide  projector 
were  sufficient  to  care  for  all  needs. 

A  similar  program  was  subsequently  worked  out  for 
the  teaching  of  Geography  and  proved  equally  effective. 
Plans  are  being  made  at  this  time  to  incorporate  the 
idea  in  history  and  music  appreciation  classes.  Only 
the  lack  of  suitable  classroom  films  limits  the  possi- 
bilities of  a  more  wide  spread  use  of  large-group-in- 
struction with  visual  material. 


Page  46 


The  Educational  Screen 


Why  d  Department  of  Visual  Education? 


By      D.      C.      THORNTON 

Supervisor   of   Visual    Education 
Public  Schools,  York,  Neb. 


IT  HAS  recently  come  to  my  attention  that  an  "au- 
thority"' on  educational  matters  in  a  university  has 
said,  "Why  have  a  department  of  Visual  Education  ? 
Why  have  it  under  a  director?  Isn't  visual  education 
just  part  of  the  general  process  of  teaching  carried  on 
each  day  by  the  teacher  herself  in  the  classroom?" 

It  is  evident  from  these  remarks  that  the  professor 
of  higher  learning  has  failed  to  recognize  the  present 
day  meaning  of  visual  education  and  its  importance. 
Of  course  many  visual  aids  have  been  used  extensively 
for  a  long  time,  but  the  use  of  these  has  been  steadily 
growing  for  the  last  twenty  or  thirty  years.  Especially 
in  the  last  three  or  four  years  has  there  been  an  in- 
crease in  the  number  of  kinds  of  visual  aids  and  grow- 
ing appreciation  of  their  value.  No  longer  is  the 
teacher  using  only  the  pictures  in  text  books  augmented 
by  a  few  magazine  covers.  Pictures  projected  on  a 
screen,  by  slides  or  film  strips,  the  motion  picture  and 
the  "sound"  projector  have  come  into  ever  increasing 
use.  It  seems  that  this  professor  is  still  in  the  dark 
as  to  the  most  recent  developments  in  the  use  of  the 
more  modern  visual  aids  and  the  organization  necessary 
for  their  eflfective  use.  Surely,  however,  he  is  aware 
of  the  value  of  the  proper  i:se  of  visual  devices  and 
therefore  it  should  suffice  to  remind  him  that  in  this 
state  alone,  Nebraska,  there  are  over  four  hundred 
schools  using;  motion  picture  machines,  silent  and 
sound,  the  most  recent  of  visual  aids. 

Why  is  there  need  of  a  department  and  a  super- 
visor? The  purpose  in  having  a  supervisor  of  visual 
education  is  the  same  as  that  for  any  other  department. 
That  purpose  is  to  make  easier  the  learning  process 
through  improvement  of  the  teaching  procedures  and 
perhaps  in  no  department  is  a  supervisor  more  needed 
for  such  a  purpose. 

Very  few  institutions  of  higher  learning  offer 
courses  of  instruction  in  the  effective  use  of  visual 
aids.  Only  one  state  in  the  union  (Pennsylvania) 
makes  it  comj)ulsory  for  every  teacher  to  have  a  course 
in  Visual  Education,  although  the  National  Education 
Association  has  advised  that  states  require  such  train- 
ing. The  average  teacher  is  still  in  the  dark  so  far  as 
visual  aids  are  concerned  and  because  of  inertia,  and  a 
very  human  willingness  to  let  well  enough  alone,  is  con- 
tent to  remain  still  in  the  dark.  In  such  a  case  visual 
education  is  a  miserable  failure.  There  probably  is 
no  other  place  where  there  can  be  such  an  abuse  in  the 
use  of  educational  aids. 

We  can  expect  little  progress  until  teachers  have  be- 
come convinced  of  the  value  of  these  aids,  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  best  methods  for  their  use  and  have 


some  standards  by  which  to  measure  their  effectiveness. 
A  supervisor  may  do  much  to  bring  this  about.  He 
can  devote  his  time  to  studying  the  general  and  specific 
problems  of  the  department ;  carry  on  research  work- 
to  measure  effectiveness ;  organize  materials ;  try  out 
procedures  or  techniques;  keep  informed  as  to  the 
subject  matter  being  taught  and  suggest  visual  aids 
for  that  particular  unit  of  work ;  and  see  that  effec- 
tiveness is  attained  in  their  use.  Many  if  not  all 
teachers  can  be  improved  by  an  intelligent  director  of 
visual  education.  The  director  may  aid  in  planning 
special  programs  for  the  entire  school  and  work  in 
harmony  with  the  art  department  and  other  depart- 
ments throughout  the  system  with  the  use  of  visual 
aids.  He  may  also  work  with  churches  and  clubs  in 
using  films  for  teaching  character  and  health. 

The  necessity  for  a  central  department  is  very  ap- 
parent when  we  consider  the  organization  of  such  a 
department.  There  nuist  be  a  central  source  of  visual 
materials.  If  it  is  necessary  to  rent  still  films,  slides, 
and  moving  picture  films,  these  must  be  ordered  from 
a  commercial  house  or  University.  It  is  practical  that 
they  be  ordered  for  a  year  in  advance.  Teachers  must 
have  film  catalogs  from  the  library  in  which  the  order 
is  to  be  placed.  Their  orders  must  be  made  up  and 
dated  to  conform  to  the  dates  when  they  are  studying 
the  ])articular  unit  of  work.  The  director  must  meet 
with  these  teachers,  usually  meeting  in  groups  all 
teachers  of  the  same  grade  or  subject.  These  orders 
must  be  coordinated  and  integrated  so  that  there  are  no 
unnecessary  duplications.  Finally  the  orders  from  all 
the  teachers  throughout  the  system  must  be  arranged 
on  one  large  order  and  again  be  coordinated  for  the  en- 
tire system.  If  the  school  can  afford  to  buy  the  films 
and  slides  there  must  be  not  only  storage  facilities  but 
a  special  laboratory  for  filing,  mending,  and  checking. 
Orders  must  be  taken  and  records  kept.  The  visual 
aids  must  be  catalogued  as  well  as  the  syllabi  or  teach- 
ers' aids  that  accompany  them.  High  school  boys  must 
be  trained  in  the  operation  and  care  of  the  machine,  as 
better  results  will  be  obtained  if  the  teacher  is  free  to 
devote  her  attention  to  the  class  and  the  picture.  Pic- 
tures should  be  evaluated  and  these  evaluations  filed  so 
that  pictures  of  little  teaching  value  will  not  be  re- 
ordered another  term. 

The  value  derivable  from  an  intelligent  use  of  visual 
aids  warrants  the  organization  of  such  a  department 
and  the  instruction  with  such  aids  will  be  greatly  im- 
proved by  a  systematic  organization,  under  a  qualified 
supervisor  who  enlists  and  encourages  the  instructional 
staff  in  this  old  but  newest  venture. 


'ehruary,  19}  6 


Page  47 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


The  Elementary  School  Journal  (January,  '36) 
["'Pictures  in  Geograph}-  Textbooks,"  l)y  Irving  K. 
lello  and  Ivan  R.  Waterman. 

Helpful  facts  concerning  the  content  of  geog- 
raphy text  pictures  and  their  correlation  with  the 
reading  matter  is  brought  forward.  Four  extensive 
tables  are  inserted,  showing  the  findings  from  the 
•malysis  of  eight  leading  single-cycle  geography 
Series.  From  the  fourth  to  the  sixth  grades,  the 
trend  is  toward  a  decline  in  natural  pictures  and 
in  increase  in  cultural  pictures.  However,  in  the 
seventh  grade,  the  percentage  of  natural  pictures 
|s  almost  double  tliat  of  the  sixth  grade.  On  the 
idiole,  there  is  no  uniformity  of  practice  among  the 
Series  studied.  Approximately,  one-tenth  of  all  pic- 
tures depict  natural  phenomena,  and  almost  one- 
half  depict  cultural  phenomena. 

The  imj)ortance  of  authentic  records  indicating 
where  and  when  a  picture  was  taken  is  emphasized. 
"From  an  educational  point  of  view  an  out-of-date 
picture  can  misinform  the  pupils  as  well  as  old  or 
faulty  text  material."  All  of  the  books  exam- 
ined had  some  definitely  out-of-date  pictures. 
To  be  sure  some  subjects  do  not  need  to  be  re- 
placed l)y  later  photographic  material.  A  ten-year 
old  picture  of  Mt.  McKinley  or  of  a  zebra  is  prob- 
ably as  satisfactory  as  a  recent  one. 

From  one-fifth  to  one-fourth  of  all  geography  text 
material  is  pictorial.  Many  of  these  illustrations 
are  of  questionable  educational  value  in  terms  of  the 
basic  geographic  concepts  to  be  taught  in  the  grade 
where  the  pictures  were  introduced.  "Many  of  the 
pictures  in  each  book  are  concerned  with  geographic 
relationships  that  are  relatively  insignificant  phases 
of  the  total  adjustment  made  by  people  to  their 
physical  environment  in  the  region  with  which  the 
])ictures  deal."  Some  pictures  in  each  textbook  are 
illegible  and  unattractive.  Definite  standards  for  pic- 
tures in  geography  are  lacking,  hence  conclusions 
should  be  drawn  with  care.  A  number  of  research 
problems  are  suggested. 

Journal  of  the  Society  of  Motion  Picture  Engi- 
neers (January,  '36)  "The  Development  and  Use 
of  Stereo  Photography  for  Educational  Purposes," 
by  C.  Kennedy. 

A  report  is  made  of  a  study  pursued  at  the  in- 
stance of  the  Carnegie  Corporation.  Since  the  earl- 
iest days  of  jihotography,  there  has  been  an  intense 
interest  in  reproducing  the  effect  of  the  third  di- 
mension, but  little  has  been  accomplished  to  place 
it  on  a  broad  educational  foundation.  "One  of  the 
most  amazing  of  human  faculties  is  the  ability  of 
the  mind  to  unite  the  flat  images  upon  the  left  and 
the  right  retinas  into  a  three-dimensional  composite 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


that  seems  to  have  existence  in  space."  The  ini- 
social  character  of  practical  stereo  viewing  has 
seemed  to  be  one  of  the  chief  deterrents  in  its  use. 
So,  the  field  for  the  present  experiment  was  chosen 
to  apply  to  a  critical  angle  of  view  using  the  paral- 
lax stereoscope,  and  the  use  of  anaglyphs.  In  the 
latter  field,  the  method  of  using  two-color  printing 
was  ruled  out  as  not  being  feasible  with  color  pho- 
tography. The  sheet  polarizer  was  adopted,  which 
makes  possible  the  differentiation  of  the  images  for 
the  right  and  the  left  eye  by  polarized  light. 

The  author  says  that  what  has  been  learned  ap- 
plies equally  well  to  motion  pictures.  Stereo  is  not 
synonymous  with  third  dimension.  The  efl^ect  of 
depth  even  in  a  single  object  upon  the  screen  may 
be  obtained  by  overlap,  the  shape  of  contours,  the 
shape  and  position  of  reflections,  light,  shade,  at- 
mospheric effects,  depth  of  focus,  and  the  relative 
api)arent  movements  of  objects  when  they  or  the 
camera  is  in  motion.  Retinal  disparity  in  getting 
reflected  light  from  the  images  is  the  cause  of  sheen 
or  luster.  Bronze  objects  appear  so  that  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  surface  has  been  waxed.  "It  follows 
that,  even  when  we  succeed  in  obtaining  films  that 
will  truthfully  reproduce  the  colors  of  nature,  they 
will  not  seem  true  until  we  add  binocular  vision. 
.  .  .  The  future  of  stereo  in  the  educational  field  is 
clear,  then.  It  will  be  invaluable  wherever  accurate 
reproduction  of  the  visual  image  is  an  axiomatic 
need.  Furthermore,  in  this  educational  program 
the  motion  picture  will  have  an  undeniable  place." 

Intercine  (November,  '35)  "Notes  on  Pabst,"  by 
Alberto  Mondadori. 

In  his  productions,  Pabst  uses  the  environment 
to  interpret  the  characters.  All  static  things  have 
something  dynamic  within  them.  People  are  large- 
ly determined  by  their  country  and  their  environ- 
ment. In  order  to  indicate  the  essential  elements 
of  the  surroundings,  only  the  simplest  lines  of  the 
landscape  are  portrayed.  The  desert  becomes  in- 
timately humanized,  the  mine  lives  in  drama  and 
destruction,  "and  in  the  shock  of  two  humanities  in 
opposition.  The  mountain  tragically  immutable, 
lives  and  breathes  in  tempest  and  hurricane."  Eis- 
enstein  is  probabl}'  the  only  one  who  has  succeeded 
in  approaching  Pabst.  There  is  evident  in  Pabst, 
"the  torment  and  tragic  conflict  of  the  man  who  is 
in  perpetual  strife  with  his  environment,  who  is 
facing  the  eternal  problem  of  man's  struggles 
against  events  and  against  nature."  The  treatise 
is  a  most  interesting  psychological  study. 


Page  48 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


Bride  Comes  Home  (Colbert.  McMurray. 
Young)  (Para.)  Tawdry  stuff,  with  feeble  dia- 
log and  stale  humor,  about  hero  and  heroine 
that  fight  loud  and  long,  but  are  in  love,  and 
wrangling  ends  in  burlesque  marriajge  cere- 
mony. Fine  example  of  bad  taste  in  theme 
and  good  cast  wasted.  1-14-36 

(A)  Cheap  (Y)  Undesirable  (C)  No 

Captain  Blood  (Errol  Flynn,  Olivia  de  Havi- 
land)  (Warner)  Gripping  sea-melodrama  ot 
17th  century  England,  packed  with  fights,  grim 
cruelties,  and  a  thrilling  romance.  Flynn  not- 
able as  dauntless  hero  who  is  doctor,  slave, 
pirate,  and  finally  Governor.  Strong,  vibrant, 
convincing  picture.  1-14-36 

(A)  Excellent    (Y)  Fine  thriller    (C)  Too  strong 

Case  of  the  Missing  Man  (Roger  Pryor) 
(Columbia)  Unpretentious  story  of_  newspaper 
photographer  trying  to  build  a  business  of  his 
own.  His  accidental  snap  of  crook  leaving 
scene  of  robbery  brings  startling  developments. 
Entertaining  little  thriller,  not  exaggerated  or 
overdone.  1-2 1-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Good  (C)  Good  thrillei 

Dangerous  ( Bttie  Davis,  Franchot  Tone) 
(Warner)  Supposedly  supreme  actress,  pursued 
by  supposed  "jinx",  becomes  tough,  gin-soaked 
female  bawling  billingsgate,  until  restored 
from  gutter  to  stage  by  fine  wealthy  hero, 
who  nearly  falls  before  her  terrific  sex  ap- 
peal. Loud  theatrics.  1-28-36 
(A)  Dep.  on  taste       (Y)  Unwholesome       (C)  No 

Escape  from  Devil's  Island  (Victor  Jory, 
Florence  Rice)  (Columbia)  Prison-thriller,  quite 
authentic  as  picture  of  life  and  sufferings  in 
famous  penal  colony,  but  the  artificial  story 
labors  under  uneven  tempo,  clumsy  plot,  and 
obvious   absurdities    in   action    and   motivation. 

1-21-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Not  good  (C)  No 

First  a  Girl  (Jessie  Matthews)  (G-B)  Typical 
English  musical  comedy  with  sprightly  plot, 
pleasant  music,  skillful  dancing.  Girl  masquer- 
ades as  boy  impersonating  girl.  Complications 
when  she  falls  in  love  and  disguise  is  dis- 
covered. Some  unconventional  scenes  but  not 
suggestive.  2-3-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind      (Y)  Fair      (C)  Little  interest 

'Frisco  Waterfront  (Ben  Lyon,  Helen  Twelve- 
trees)  (Republic)  Artificial  hokum  with  absurd 
plot,  trying  to  make  triangle  love  affair  inter- 
esting by  fists,  waterfront  English,  a  dreary 
cutback  to  Great  War,  mediocre  acting  and 
maudlin  conclusion.  One  role  is  utterly  pain- 
ful in  its  futility.  2-3-36 
(A)  Stupid                  (Y)  No  value                  (C)  No 

Heaven  on  Earth  (Himmel  auf  Erden)  (Ger- 
man production  and  cast)  Finely  acted,  hi- 
larious German  musical  farce,  achieving  much 
fun  from  old  situation  of  married  heroine 
mistaken  by  rich  aunt  as  wife  of  another  man. 
No  English  titles.  Understanding  of  Germ"" 
essential  for  real  enjoyment.  1-21-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  No  int.  (C)  No  int. 

Hi  Gaucho  (John  Carroll,  Steffi  Duna>(RKOi 
Clumsy  telling  of  slow-moving  romance  in  th'' 
Argentine.  Fiance'  from  Spain,  gay  villain 
rival,  but  native-bom  hero  finally  wins  hero- 
ine. Acting  mediocre  though  cast  includes 
Rod  La  Roque  and  Montagu  Love.  Dull  melo- 
drama in  colorful  costumes.  1-21-36 
(A)  Mediocre     (Y)  Perhaps      (C)  Little  interest 

If  Yon  Could  Only  Cook  (Herbert  Marshall. 
Jean  Arthur)  (Columbia)  Lightsome,  pleas- 
ing remodeling  of  poor-girl-rich -man  theme, 
delightfully  combining  whimsy,  humor  and 
suspense.  Hero,  heroine  and  jovial  racketeer 
agreeably  involved  in  deftly  acted  romance, 
smoothly  directed.  1-21-36 

(A)  Pleasing  (Y)  Very  good  (C)  Good 

King  of  Burlesque  (Warner  Baxter.  Alice 
Faye)  (Fox)  Smart,  crude  producer  grows  rich 
on  cheap  burlesque,  marries  into  "400".  goes 
broke.  So  his  former  blonde  chorine  finances 
and  marries  him.  Lively,  laughable  in  spots, 
but  far-fetched  and  false.  A  sad  miscasting 
for  Warner  Baxter.  2-3-36 

(A)  Little  value  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Le  Dernier  Milliardaire  (Rene  Clair  produc- 
tion) (Gaumont-Franco)  Thoroughly  continental 
comedy  about  financial  and  romantic  problems 
of  mythical  kingdom's  government.  Amiable 
satire  of  miscellaneous  bankrupt,  scheming  hu- 
mans exnertlv  done  and  well  acted.  French 
d'alo**.  English  titT'^s.  2-3-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind   (Y)  Perhaps   (C)  Beyond  them 

La  Maternelle  (French  production)  CMetron- 
olis)   Artistic  masterpiece  portraying  chiM  life 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical   Films 

(The  Film   Estimates,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special   arrangement  with  The   Educational   Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film, 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


in  welfare  school  in  Paris  slums,  with  adult 
problems  intimately  interwoven.  Delightful 
character  comedy,  superb  acting  and  direc- 
tion. English  titles.  Motion  picture  art  as 
it  can  be.  1-28-36 

(A)  Excellent       (Y)  Mature       (C)  Beyond  them 

Magnificent  Obsession  (Irene  Dunne,  Robt. 
Taylor)  (Univ.)  Brazen,  disagreeable  wastrel 
makes  gruesome  start  for  what  develops  into  a 
powerful,  appealing  romance  and  deep  love  and 
devotion.  Splendidly  played.  Drunken  egocentric 
of  start  is  a  bit  too  crass  to  become  so  noble, 
but  finely  enough  done  to  convince.  l-14-3*> 

(A)  Notable         (Y)  Mature        (C)  Beyond  them 

Millions  in  the  Air  (Wendy  Barrie,  John 
Howard)  (Para.)  Tiresome,  slow-moving  story 
of  "amateur  hour".  Too  many  acts  clutter 
and  obscure  slender  little  romance  of  young 
ice  cream-vendor-saxophonist  and  millionaire 
sponsor's  daughter,  ambitious  to  succeed  by 
her  voice  alone.  Amusing  in  spots.  1-28-36 
(A)  Only  fair  (Y)  Perhaps  good  (C)  No  interest 

$1000  a  Minute  (Roger  Pryor,  Leila  Hyams) 

(Republic)  Meant  to  be  fast,  hilarious  farce- 
comedy  but  too  artificial  in  plot,  crude  in 
comedy,  clumsy  in  narrative,  uneven  in  in- 
terest, jerky  in  tempo,  improbable  in  situa- 
tion, and  too  feebly  acted  to  be  worth  much 
to  anybody.  1-14-36 

(A)Mediocre  (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Miss    Pacific    Fleet     ( Blondell    and    Farrell ) 

(Warner)  Fast,  rowdy  farce  about  efforts  of 
two  slangy,  stranded  chorus-girls  to  raise  fare 
back  to  Broadway.  Abounds  in  wisecracks  an'l 
uncouth  comedy  antics,  with  beauty  contest, 
preposterous  prizefight,  and  wild  speed-boat 
chase  as  features.  1-14-36 

(A)  Silly  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

Mister  Hobo  (George  Arliss)  (G-Bl  Improb- 
able but  interesting  story  of  lovable  tramp 
made  bank  president  by  scheming  swindlers. 
His  heritage  of  financial  ability  enables  him 
to  solve  crisis  and  save  heroine's  happiness, 
when  he  resumes  tramping.  Delightful  Ar- 
liss role,  free  of  mannerisms,  1-21-36 
(A)  Very  good            (Y)  Excellent            (C)  Good 

Murder  of  Dr.  Harrigan  (Ricardo  Cortez. 
Mary  Astor)  (Warner)  Rather  monotonous  and 
clumsy  mystery,  which  seems  quickly  and  none 
too  carefully  thrown  together,  with  hospitals, 
doctors  and  nurses  coming  in  for  much  unjusti- 
fied burlesquing  in  feeljle  attempt  to  draw 
humor  from  a  tragedy.  2-3-36 

(A)  Cheap  (Y)  Mediocre  (C)  No 

Navy  Wife  (Claire  Trevor,  Ralph  Bellamy) 
(Fox)  Hero,  navy  officer,  assigned  to  secret 
service  duty,  is  required  to  make  love  to  fe- 
male spy.  His  wife  suffers  near  heart-break 
and  suspicion  of  triangle  affair.  Happy  end- 
ing. Plot  too  obvious  for  much  value  but 
acting  good.  2-3-36 

(A)  Perhaps    (Y)  Little  value    fC)  Little  interest 

Nevada  (Buster  Crabbe,  Kathleen  Burke> 
(Para.)  Hero,  suspect  because  of  his  rather 
shady  record,  finally  wins  ranch-owner's  confi- 
dence, saves  them  from  cattle-rustlers  anr' 
wins  the  girl.  Usual  shooting,  hard  riding  anH 
fine  scenery.  Harmless  thriller  with  very  ordi- 
nary acting.  1-14-36 
(A)  Mediocre                  (Y)  Fair                  (C)  Fair 

Next  Time  We  Love  (Margaret  Sullavan) 
(Univ)  Wistful,  human,  at  times  poignant 
story  of  loyal  young  love  suffering  from  force 
of  circumstances.  Fine-grained,  restrained, 
convincing  portrayal  of  three  intelligent  hu- 
mans deeply  in  love.  Flaws  minor  beside 
merits.     Sullavan  notably  fine.  2-3-36 

(A)  Excellent    (Y)  Very  good    (C)  Beyond  them 

A  Night  at  the  ODera(Marx  Brothers)  (MGM) 
Crass,  crazy  slap.<5tick  built  on  ghastly  bur- 
lesque of  opera.  Vacuous  hilarity,  low  comedy 
without  wit.  more  ridiculous  than  funny.  The 
Marx  still  think  that  raucousness.  boorishnesp. 
vulgaritv  and  absurdity  make  "comedy."  AbunH- 
ant  guffaws  for  guffaw-addicts.  1-21-36 

(A)  Dep.  on  taste       (Y-C)  Decidedly  not  the  best 

The  Perfect  Gentleman  fFrankMorganUMGM) 
Whimsv  and  burlesque,  in  quita  "English"  style, 
with  Morgan  reveling  in  role  of  ne'er-do-well 
father  of  young  English  churchman,  and  com- 
mitting his  faux  pas  always  like  a  gentleman. 


Exaggerated,  improbable,  but  amiably  amusing 
character  sketch.  2-3-36 

(A)  Rather  amusing       (Y)  Amusing       (C)  Fair 

Personal  Maid's  Secret  (Ruth  Donnelley,  Anita 
Louise)  (Warner)  Deft,  breezy  character  com- 
edy, pleasantly  entertaining,  smoothly  told  and 
acted.  Old  theme— mother  surrenders  daughter 
to  wealthy  home  "for  her  good" — but  reveals 
herself  to  give  danger  signal.  Girl  is  playing 
around  casually  with  married  man.  1-14-36 

(  A )  Rather  good         (Y)  Not  the  best         (C)  No 

Riff-Raff  (Jean  Harlow,  Spencer  Tracy) 
(MGM)  Tough,  squalid  waterfront  life  cheaply 
theatricalized  with  crude  characters,  benighted 
English  and  maudlin  sentiment.  Blatant 
hero's  brazen  conceit,  and  heroine's  raucous 
commonness,  get  monotonous  and  even  pain- 
ful. Title  perfect.  1-28-36 
(A)  Cheap              (Y)  Unwholesome  (C)  No 

Seven  Keys  to  Baldpate  (Gene  Raymond,  M. 
Callahan)  (RKO)  Disappointing  screening  of  fam- 
ous old  stage-play  about  author  retiring  to  remote 
mountain  inn  to  write  play,  and  becoming  involved 
in  mysterious  and  exciting  happenings.  Undis- 
tinguished acting,  without  sparkle,  and  changed 
denouement  dull.  Lacks  original  "punch".  1-7-36 
(A)  Disappointing    (Y)  Prob.  gd.    (C)  Prob.  gd. 

Stars  Over  Broadway  (Pat  O'Brien,  James 
Melton,  Jean  Muir)  (Warner)  Musical  play,  too 
long,  about  misdirected  ambition  of  manager 
and  protege,  rising  from  Tin-Pan-Alley  to  ra- 
dio prosperity  and  shipwreck.  Eyes  opened  at 
last,  they  rise  higher.  Comedy  incessant  but 
feeble.     Melton  good.  1-28-36 

(A)  Thin  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Little  interest 

Strike  Me  Pink  (Eddie  Cantor)  (UA)  Fast, 
hilarious,  non-vulgar  farce  with  typical  Can- 
tor gag-and-pantomime,  and  crazy  nerve-wrack- 
ing "chase"  for  climax.  Labored  absurdities, 
would-be  music,  doggerel  dialog.  Excellent 
for  those  who  like  artificial  concoction  of  non- 
intelligent  comedy.  1-28-36 
(A)Dep.ontaste  (Y)Gd.ofkd.  (C)Unlesstooexc. 

Suicide  Squad  (Norman  Foster)  (Puritan* 
Well-intentioned  attempt  to  glorify  heroism  of 
a  fire-fighting  system's  Rescue  Squad,  used 
for  most  dangerous  assignments.  But  stupid 
story,  crude  direction,  mediocre  acting  and 
dull  dialog  make  the  total  result  painfully 
amateurish.  l-21-3f5 

(A)  Worthless  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

Spanish  Cape  Mystery  (Helen  Twelvetrees, 
Donald  Cook)  (Republic)  Another  wise-cracking 
:ietective  breezes  through  series  of  kidnapping.s 
and  inheritance  murders  in  lonely,  sea-girt 
mansion.  Suspicion  carefully  turned  on  every- 
one in  succession,  until  hero  solves  all  and 
wins  girl  (hence,  romantic  interest).  1-7-36 
(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Sweet  Surrender  (Frank  Parker,  Tamara) 
(Univ.)  Meaningless  conglomeration  of  radio 
broadcasting,  transatlantic  voyage  on  Norman- 
die,  mistaken  identity,  fostered  and  further  com- 
plicated by  pair  of  crooks,  peace  propaganda, 
and  Paris  wind-up.  Parker  in  usual  voice,  but 
all  the  acting  far  below  par,  1-14-36 

(A)  Waste  of  time  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

Tale  of  Two  Cities  (Ronald  Colman  and  fine 
cast)  (MGM)  Notable  filming  of  major  action  of 
Dickens  novel  against  vivid,  lurid  background. 
Temper  and  times  of  French  Revolution  made 
unforgettable,  with  human  drama  finely  em- 
phasized. Too  melodramatic  for  some,  but  ex- 
cellences make  it  outstanding.  1-28-36 
(A-Y)  Excellent    (C)  Gd.  but  exceed,  str.  in  spots 

Two  in  the  Dark  (Margot  Grahame,  Walter 
Abel)  (RKO)  Excellent  mystery  story,  intelli- 
gently written,  deftly  played,  combining  keen 
character  interest  with  suspenseful,  impenetra- 
ble plot.  Comedy  and  thrill,  fast  tempo  and 
suspense,  nicely  blended,  without  resort  to 
hokum.      Skillful   entertainment.  1-28-36 

(A-Y)Excellent     (C)  Perhaps  too  involved  to  int. 

Whipsaw  (Myrna  Loy,  Spencer  Tracy)  (MGM) 
Intensely  interesting  and  clever  story  of  crooked 
heroine  caught  between  jewel  thieves  and  a  de- 
tective. Situations  more  plausible,  direction  more 
competent,  ending  more  convincing  than  usual 
in  such  pictures.  Humor,  pathos,  well-managed 
suspense  make  real  entertainment.  1-7-36 

(A)Fineofkd.    (Y)Finethriller    (C)Not  for  them 


ebruary,  1936 


Page  49 


The  Church  Field 


Conducted  by  MARY  BEATTIE  BRADY 

Director,    Harmon    Foundation,    New   York   City 


A  Young  People's  Church  With  Motion  Pictures 


THE  VALUE  of  the  motion  picture  projector  as  the 
visual  part  of  a  church  program  has  been  ably  illus- 
trated by  the  work  of  Rev.  Robert  Y.  Johnson,  Pastor 
of  the  Elm  Street  Congregational  Church,  Southbridge, 
Massachusetts. 

During  1935,  at  his  former  charge  at  Lynn,  Massa- 
chusetts, Mr.  Johnson  organized  a  Young  People's 
church  for  children  between  the  ages  of  nine  and  six- 
teen. It  met  for  an  hour  on  Sunday  evening,  and  the 
service  was  built  around  a  motion  picture.  About 
twenty  minutes  of  the  hour  was  devoted  to  worship, 
singing  and  a  brief  talk  by  the  Pastor.  The  children 
themselves  read  the  scripture,  offered  the  prayer,  read 
the  Responsive  Readings,  and  announced  the  hymns. 
The  boys  took  turns  operating  the  projector. 

The  service  was  held  in  the  main  auditorium.  Be- 
fore the  screen  the  cross  and  an  open  Bible  were  placed. 
Special  music  was  rendered  by  a  junior  choir.  The 
theme  for  these  services  concerned  world  friendship. 
The  subject  for  the  year  was  a  Friendship  Tour  around 
the  world.  The  program  included  the  following  sub- 
jects : 

Girdling  the  Globe  in  the  Graf  Zeppelin 

Men  in  the  Making;  A  Boy  Scout  Troop  Visits  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Arizona  and  the  Grand  Canyon  of  Yellowstone. 

Cruising  to  Alaska. 

Inland  Sea  :    The  Land  and  People  of  Japan. 

China's  Home   Life  and  How  China  Makes  a  Living. 

China's  Children.     Mr.  Chang  Takes  a  Chance  (Medi- 
cal Missions) 

The  Word  of  God  in  India. 

The  Night  Before  Christmas  (Christmas  Program) 

Forest  People  of  Central  Africa. 

Medical  Missions  in  Africa. 

Through  the  Lands  of  Italy,  Hungary,  the  Danube  and 
Rumania. 

Children  of  the  Balkans. 

A  Vintager's  Festival  in  Germany. 

Peasant  Wedding  in  Hessan. 

Winter  Sports   in   Switzerland. 

Apple  Blossom  Time  in  Normandv. 

Little  Dutch  Tulip  Girl. 

A  Tour  of  Sweden. 

Wee  Scotch  Piper. 

A  Tour  Through  Brazil. 

Head  Hunters  of  Ecuador. 

A  Visit  to  Porto  Rico. 

The    Birds    of    Bonaventure    (Famous    Canadian    Bird 
Sanctuary) 

The  Land  of  Evangeline,  Nova  Scotia. 

Where  Winter  Sport  is  King  (Picturesque  Quebec) 

Leaves  from  a  Ranger's  Notebook  (Canadian  Rockies) 

Home  Again  :   A  Visit  to  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago. 


In  describing  the  details  of  his  services,  Mr.  John- 
son emphasizes  that  he  began  his  work  because  of  his 
conviction  that  Christian  Education  must  stress  more 
and  more  training  in  the  art  of  worship.     He  says : 

"It  is  also  my  belief  that  the  communication  of  re- 
ligious truth  must  be  made  vivid  and  interesting  and 
that  it  must  deal  with  life  in  all  its  aspects.  At  first 
there  was  some  doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  whether  wor- 
ship in  the  traditional  sense,  and  visual  education  in 
the  modern  sense,  would  mix.  Experience  has  shown 
me,  however,  that  my  doubt  arose  from  a  fear  of  nov- 
elty rather  than  from  psychological  actualities.  Of 
course  when  one  is  dealing  with  a  group  of  normal 
children  he  does  not  look  for  the  perfect  decorum  of 
the  trained  churchman.  For  example,  one  must  not 
allow  his  religious  sensibilities  to  be  shocked  by  an 
occasional  burst  of  laughter  during  the  picture,  and 
one  must  put  away  forever,  the  idea  that  sacredness 
is  equivalent  to  solemnity.  Our  Young  People's  church 
service  is  somewhat  more  relaxed  than  the  more  formal 
morning  service,  but  it  is  not  therefore  lacking  in  rev- 
erence and  reality.  Indeed,  I  sometimes  feel  that  these 
services  have  more  reality  because  children  have  a  way 
of  being  disarmingly  sincere." 

The  first  program  which  Mr.  Johnson  developed  in 
this  series  of  services,  serves  as  an  illustration  of  the 
method  of  conducting  the  program.  The  subject  was 
"Girdling  the  Globe  in  the  Graf  Zeppelin". 

The  service  opened  with  the  hymn,  "In  Christ  There 
Is  No  East  Nor  West."  This  was  followed  by  the 
historic  Collect,  beginning  "Almighty  God  Unto  Whom 
All  Hearts  are  Open."  As  Mr.  Johnson  expressed  it, 
"Children  love  to  repeat  this  rythmic  prayer.  Whether 
they  understand  it  or  not,  they  seem  to  get  the  feel  of 
its  mood  and  it  sets  the  tone  of  the  remaining  part 
of  the  service." 

After  this  beginning,  the  film,  "Girdling  the  Globe  in 
the  Graf  Zeppelin"  was  introduced  with  the  following 
prologue : 

"This  year  we  are  going  on  an  airplane  trip  around 
the  world.  Since  few  of  us  have  enough  money  to 
really  pack  our  suitcases  and  go,  we  are  making  the  tour 
by  means  of  a  motion  picture.  We  are  fortunate  to 
have  this  wonderful  machine  which  can  bring  the 
world  before  our  eyes  on  this  screen.  Tonight  we  are 
going  to  take  a  birdseye  view  of  the  world  from  the 
giant  aircraft,  the  Graf  Zeppelin.  It  flew,  as  you 
know,  17,000  miles  around  the  world:  from  America 
across  the  Atlantic  to  Germany;  from  there  over  the 


Page  50 


The  Educational  Screen 


wilds  of  Siberia  to  Japan  and  from  Japan  to  Califor- 
nia and  back  to  New  York." 

Following  this  the  lights  were  put  out  and  the  picture 
was  shown.  The  film  depicted  various  aspects  of  the 
flight  and  included  some  magnificent  panaramas  of 
great  landscapes  and  cities.  It  was  well  balanced  with 
incidents  of  human  interest,  such  as  the  Chef  cooking 
aboard  the  ship. 

After  the  picture  was  finished  the  104th  Psalm  was 
read: 

"O  Lord,  my  God,  Thou  art  very  great ;  Thou 
art  clothed  with  honor  and  majesty. 
Who  coverest  Thyself  with  light  as  with  a  gar- 
ment ; 

Who  stretchest  out  the  heavens  like  a  curtain : 
Who    layeth    the   beams    of   his    chamber   in    the 
waters :  Who  maketh  the  clouds  His  chariot :  Who 
walketh  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
Who  laid  the   foundations   of  the  earth,   that   it 
should  not  be  removed  forever. 
He  sendeth   the   springs   into  the  valleys,   which 
run  among  the  hills. 

"They  give  drink  to  every  beast  of  the  field ;  the 
wild  asses  quench  their  thirst. 
He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,  and 
the  herb  for  the  service  of  man :  that  he  may  bring 
forth  food  out  of  the  earth. 

He  appointed  the  moon  for  seasons  :  the  sun  know- 
eth  His  going  down. 

The  sun  ariseth ;  Man  goeth  forth  imto  his  work 
unto  his  labor  until  the  evening ;  O  Lord  how 
manifold  are  Thy  works;  in  wisdom  hast  Thou 
made  them  all : 

The  earth  is  full  of  Thy  riches." 
After  the  reading  of  the   Scripture,   the   following 
short  talk  was  given  by  the  minister : 

"Several  years  ago  Charles  Lindbergh  flew  to  Mex- 
ico and  South  America  on  what  he  called  a  Friendship 
Tour.  There  is  a  cartoonist  by  the  name  of  Nelson 
Harding  who  won  a  prize  for  drawing  this  cartoon 
which  a])peared  in  the  Brooklyn  Eagle.  The  picture 
shows  Lindbergh's  plane  flying  over  Mexico.  On  the 
landscape  below  is  the  shadow  made  by  the  plane  and 
that  shadow  is  in  the  form  of  a  Cross.  These  words 
are  printed  on  the  Cross:  Peace  on  Earth,  Good  Will 
toward  Men.  These  words  are  to  be  our  slogan  for 
the  year.  We  are  going  to  visit  many  foreign  lands 
to  carry  peace  and  good  will. 

"This  is  a  wonderful  world  in  which  you  and  I  live. 
Last  week  I  went  to  the  Library  and  borrowed  a  book 
on  Geography.  I  found  that  this  earth  on  which  we 
live  is  just  a  small  speck  of  dust  which  hangs  in  space, 
n  you  think  of  a  large  baseball  three  feet  in  diameter 
and  let  that  ball  represent  the  sun  then  this  earth  of 
ours  is  only  about  the  size  of  a  green  pea.  The  moon 
is  only  a  pin  point. 

"Do  you  know  how  many  people  live  on  the  earth? 
It  is  impossible  to  count  them  all  but  the  best  guess 
is   about   two  billion.     All   of   these   people   could   be 


packed  into  a  box  a  half  mile  square  and  if  that  box 
were  dropped  into  the  ocean  this  world  would  be  with- 
out any  human  life  whatever;  but  things  would  go  on 
just  about  the  same.  The  sun  would  rise  and  tides 
come  in,  the  rain  would  fall  and  trees  and  flowers 
would  continue  growing  as  they  always  have.  Nobody 
knows  just  how  life  on  this  earth  began,  but  the  scien- 
tists tells  us  that  millions  and  millions  of  years  ago 
there  were  no  people  on  the  earth,  only  animals.  Many 
of  these  animals  were  queer  looking.  Some  were  weird 
and  huge,  so  strong  that  they  could  pull  a  tree  up  by 
its  roots.  Some  were  very  small  and  weak.  Then 
one  day  a  new  animal  appeared  on  the  earth.  He  was 
neither  big  nor  strong  as  compared  with  many  other 
animals  but  as  time  went  on  he  came  to  be  King  of  the 
beasts.  Many  of  the  other  creatures  died  off,  but  Man 
went  on  getting  more  and  more  powerful,  not  physi- 
cally, but  mentally. 

"By  using  his  brain  he  made  the  other  animals  serve 
him.  He  used  the  horse  and  ox  to  bear  his  burdens 
and  the  cow  and  hog  for  food.  Then  he  invented 
tools  and  finally  machines.  And  now  here  we  are. 
two  billion  of  us,  all  living  together  on  this  small 
planet.  It  is  as  though  we  were  all  fellow  passengers 
on  a  steamboat  riding  together  toward  some  distant 
point.  And  since  we  are  all  one  family  we  want  to 
get  acquainted  with  one  another  and  live  together  in 
peace. 

"In  the  evenings  ahead  you  will  see  many  new  sights. 
Mountains  and  valleys,  rivers  and  ])latns,  harbors  and 
islands,  cities  and  farms ;  people  of  all  colors  with 
strange  customs  and  dress.  God  made  this  world  for 
us  to  enjoy.  It  is  His  gift  to  us.  This  is  why  the  men 
who  wrote  the  Bible  praised  God  in  words  like  these : 

"For  the  Lord  is  a  great  God  and  a  great  God 
above  all  gods.  In  His  hands  are  the  deep  places 
of  the  earth ;  the  strength  of  the  hills  is  His,  also ; 
the  sea  is  His  and  He  made  it  and  His  hands 
formed  the  dry  land.  O  come  let  us  worship  and 
bow  down.  Let  U3  kneel  before  the  Lord,  our 
Maker." 
This  talk  was  followed  by  a  prayer: 

"W'e  thank  Thee  for  the  gift  of  friendshi])  that 
makes  people  care  for  one  another,  for  the  power 
of  love  that  drives  out  that  which  is  greedy  and 
mean  in  human  hearts.  Guide  us  in  our  friend- 
ship with  people  of  every  land  and  above  all,  may 
we  make  Jesus  are  best  friend.  Amen." 

Next  on  the  program  was  the  Offertory,  during 
which  the  Junior  Choir  sang  the  well  known  children's 
hymn,  "For  the  Beauty  of  the  Earth."  The  service 
closed  with  the  hymn,  "Fling  Out  the  Banner". 

In  summing  up  the  value  of  this  type  of  program, 
Mr.  Johnson  says  that  worship  service  with  the  aid  of 
motion  pictures  has  proved  its  value  in  terms  of  grow- 
ing interest  on  the  part  of  the  children  themselves.  The 
attendance  steadily  increased,  during  the  period  in 
which  these  programs  were  given. 


February,  19  i  6 


Page  51 


Depdrtment  of  Visual  Instruction 


Conducted  by  E.  C.  WAGGONER,  Secretary-Treasurer 


PROGRAM 

for  the  \\'inter  Meeting  at  St.  Louis  of 

The  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 
of  the  National  Education  Association 

Monday  to  Wednesday 
February  24  to  26,  1936 

Meeting   concurrently    with   the 
Department  of  Superintendence 


Department  Headquarters 
Melbourne  Hotel,  Grand  and  Lindell  Blvds. 

Department  Sessions  at 
St.  Louis  lulucational  Museum,  3325  Bell  Ave. 

Monday,  February  24th 

12:00  Noon.     Opening-   Luncheon  and   Regis- 
tration at  Melbourne  Hotel. 

(Luncheon.  $1.00)  (Send  reservations  to  Amelia 
Meissner,  Educational  Museum)  (Taxi  to  Edu- 
cational Museum,  7  minutes) 

2:00  P.  M.  to  4:30  P.  M.    Afternoon  Session. 
"Controversial  Problems  in  Visual  Education" 

H.    Ambrose    Perrin,    Superintendent    of    Public 

Schools,  Joliet,   Illinois. 

Demonstration  Class  in  History 

"Renaissance  of  the  Western  Civilization" 

Naomi  Anderson,  Englewood  High  School,  Chi- 
cago. 

Demonstration  Class  in  Science 

Louise  Langenohl,  Buder  School,  St.  Louis 

Demonstration  Class  in  Language 

"Teaching  Spanish  with  Visual  Aids" 

Albert  Goodrich,  Assistant  Principal,  Amundsen 
High  School,  Chicago 

Tour  of  the  St.  Louis  Educational  Museum, 

showing  its  notable  service  to  city  schools. 
Conducted  by  Miss  Amelia  Meissner. 

Tuesday,  February  2Sth 
9:00  A.  M.  to  11:30  A.  M.     Morning  Session. 

"Teaching  Safety  through  Visual  Methods" 

Herbert  J.  Stack,  Supervisor  of  Safety  Education, 
Bureau  of  Safety,  Research  and  Education,  New 
York  City. 

"Preparing    Teachers    in    the    Use    of    Visual 
Sensory  Aids" 

William  A.  Yeager,  School  of  Education,  Uni- 
versity of  Pittsburgh. 


'Visual  Aids  in  Remedial  Reading" 

Emmett   A.    Betts,    Director    of   Teacher    Educa- 
tion, State  Normal  School,  Oswego,  New  York. 

'The  American  Film  Institute" 

Edgar    Dale,    School    of    Education,    Ohio    State 
University,  Columbus,  Ohio. 


12:00  Noon. 
Hotel. 


Informal  Luncheon  at  Melbourne 


"Motion  Pictures — Not  for  Theatre" 

Arthur  Edwin  Krows,  veteran  motion  picture 
producer,  author,  and  recently  manager  of  the 
New  Outlook,  New  York  City. 
A  brief  summary  of  the  author's  complete  history 
of  the  non-theatrical  film  field,  planned  for  pub- 
lication in  book  form  during  1936. 

2:00  P.  M.  to  4:30  P.  M.     Afternoon  Session. 

"The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction" 

Arthur  O.  Baker,  Head  of  Science  Department, 
John  Marshall  High  School,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 
Will  also  treat  "New  Trends  in  Science  and  Ex- 
perimental Work  at  John  Marshall  High  School." 

"The  Sound  Film  as  a  Teaching  Aid" 

Leonard  Power,  formerly  Assistant  Superintend- 
ent of  Schools,  Tulsa,  Oklahoma,  and  President 
of  National   Platoon  School  Organization. 

"What  Next  in  Visual  Instruction?" 

F.  Dean  McClusky,  Director  Scarborough  School, 
Scarborough-on-Hudson,  New  York. 

Wednesday,  February  26th 

(No  morning  session — to  permit  attendance  at  the  im- 
portant general  session  of  the  Department  of 
Superintendence,  at  the  Municipal  .'Auditorium) 
(Taxi  from  Educational  Museum,  13  minutes) 

2:00  P.  M.  to  4:30  P.  M.     Afternoon  Session. 

Frank    N.    Freeman,    School    of    Education, 
The  University  of  Chicago,  presiding. 

"A  Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films  in 
Teaching" 

Two  Chicago-Erpi  sound  films  will  be  shown. 
"Volcanoes  in  Action"  and  "Sound  Waves  and 
their  Sources." 

Speakers  leading  the  discussion  will  be  J.  E. 
Hansen  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin. 
Dolph  Lain  of  the  Moline  Public  Schools, 
C.  F.  Hoban  Jr.  of  the  Clarion  State  Teach- 
ers College,  L.  W.  Cochran  of  the  University 
of  Iowa.  Russell  T.  Gregg,  of  the  University 
of  Illinois,  and  others.  Free  discussion  from 
the  floor  will  be  invited. 

4:30  P.  M.    Brief  business  session. 


Page  52 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


ONE  OF  the  major  types  of  educational  film  is 
that  which  shows  a  continuous  process  of 
some  sort.  The  process  demonstrated  may  be  any 
one  of  a  wide  variety.  The  construction  and  ma- 
nipulation of  a  puppet  may  be  shown,  for  example, 
as  in  the  picture  "Marionettes,"  produced  by  the 
Fine  Arts  Department  at  Ohio  State  University. 
Or  the  film  may  illustrate  the  steps  involved  in 
getting  a  water  supply.  Such  a  study  was  made 
by  J.  Ray  Stein  of  Akron,  Ohio,  who  traced  Akron's 
water  supply  pictorially  from  the  streams  that  feed 
the  giant  reservoir  at  Lake  Rockwell  to  the  water 
tap  in  the  home.  Other  examples  of  this  type  of 
picture  focus  about -studies  of  human  and  animal 
behavior.  Clinical  diagnosis  and  treatment  and 
even  the  development  of  disease  may  be  presented 
effectively. 

No  matter  which  of  these  various  subjects  you 
are  trying  to  film,  certain  general  principles  will 
apply  in  the  selection  and  presentation  of  your  ma- 
terial. The  subject  will,  obviously,  be  one  in  which 
the  process  —  the  means  by  which  the  end  is  at- 
tained— is  of  first  importance.  And  since  the  em- 
phasis is  laid  on  the  process,  the  technique  illus- 
trated, needless  to  say,  should  be  a  model  of  its 
kind. 

Whether  a  typical  or  rare  example  should  be 
selected  is  sometimes  a  question.  There  are  ad- 
vantages in  both  types.  The  typical  case  is  useful 
when  a  large  class  is  studying  the  technique  of  a 
certain  performance.  The  rare  example  may  pre- 
sent an  exceptional  case  that  the  students  might 
not  otherwise  have  an  opportunity  to  see.  In  the 
case  of  an  institution  with  limited  resources,  such 
a  film  may  ofiier  the  class  the  advantage  of  a  trip 
to  some  other  plant  or  clinic  or  laboratory.  Or  it 
may  serve  as  a  record — of  some  clinical  phenomena 
or  of  data  gathered  in  research. 

If  the  subject  is  skillfully  presented,  the  film  will 
have  sufficient  continuity  so  that  when  it  is  run  ofif 
without  pause  the  student  will  have  a  well-rounded 
conception  of  the  entire  process  illustrated.  At  the 
same  time  it  will  be  sufficiently  episodic  so  it  can 
be  shown  in  sections  for  purposes  of  class  discus- 
sion and  analysis. 

'  The  photographic  technique  is  also  of  great  im- 
portance, as  the  purpose  of  the  film  is  defeated  if 
the  process  is  not  clearly  "shown.  This  point  will 
be  discussed  later  in  detail. 

I  can  best  illustrate  the  practical  application  of 
these  various  points  by  describing  the  experience 
of  the  College  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at  Ohio  State 
University  in  making  their  own  16-mm.  films. 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Colunnbus 

The  College  of  Veterinary  Medicine  has  in  addi- 
tion to  its  regular  classroom  and  laboratory  work 
an  animal  clinic  which  at  times  houses  approxi- 
mately three  hundred  cases  of  all  descriptions.  With 
the  size  of  the  classes  constantly  increasing,  it  is 
not  possible  for  every  student  to  see  all  the  rare 
and  unusual  cases  that  present  themselves.  Ani- 
mals are  frequently  brought  in  for  treatment  with 
ailments  that  the  doctors  themselves  have  seldom 
observed.  It  is  a  decided  advantage,  therefore,  to 
preserve  these  cases  by  visual  records,  both  for  use 
in  the  classroom  and  for  future  reference. 

A  typical  filming  might  proceed  as  follows.  Let 
us  assume,  for  instance,  that  a  race  horse  has  de- 
veloped an  unusual  form  of  lameness  that  threatens 
to  end  his  days  on  the  track.  Before  treatment  is 
begun,  motion  pictures  are  made  of  him  in  action 
from  all  angles.  He  is  shown  walking,  trotting,  and 
running.  This  initial  picture  exhibits  his  condition 
when  brought  to  the  clinic. 

The  next  sequence  shows  the  horse  under  treatment 
of  one  kind  or  another.  As  improvement  takes  place, 
the  horse  is  successively  photographed  to  record  the 
steps  in  his  recovery.  To  the  student  viewing  these 
sections  of  films,  any  change  in  the  animal's  condition 
is  readily  apparent. 

Let  us  suppose,  however,  that  the  horse  does  not 
respond  to  simple  external  treatment  and  an  operation 
is  necessary.  This  also  calls  for  filming.  The  opera- 
tion is  performed  under  powerful  artificial  ilkunination 
and  every  move  of  the  surgeon  and  his  assistants  goes 
into  the  record.  If  the  operation  is  successful  and  the 
horse  recovers,  a  final  sequence  is  made  showing  the 
horse  in  action,  perfectly  sound. 

Such  a  film  may  be  of  immense  value  to  young 
veterinary  students.  Let  us  discuss  its  use  in  the  class- 
room. After  the  picture  of  the  horse  with  its  original 
ailment  is  shown,  a  group  of  seniors  is  requested  to 
diagnose  the  case.  The  subject  is  fully  discussed.  The 
next  portions  of  the  film  then  appear  in  which  the  horse 
receives  external  treatment.  When  it  is  apparent  that 
no  improvement  has  resulted,  another  "consultation" 
is  held.  Finally  the  operation  film  is  thrown  on  the 
screen  with  the  surgeon  present  to  explain  the  tech- 
nique ;  and  last  come  the  closing  series  showing  the 
cured  animal. 

The  advantages  of  this  type  of  film  as  a  teaching 
aid  are  evident.  Each  student  is  enabled  to  see  how 
an  unusual  case  is  handled  and  to  observe  clearly,  at 
close  range,  the  operation.    This  latter  fact  is  especi- 

(Conchided  on  page  62) 


February,  1936 


Page  53 


Advice... 

agam  we  seek  it! 


TWENTY- FIVE  YEARS  AGO  we  realized  the  edu- 
cational opportunities  offered  by  the  phono- 
graph. So  we  asked  educators  the  question:  "How 
can  we  help  you?"  The  answer  was:  "Cooperate  in 
developing  music  appreciation."  Out  of  that  ques- 
tion and  answer  grew  the  famous  music  appreciation 
aids  based  on  our  Victor  Records.  These  aids  have 
been  widely  and  steadily  used  for  many  years 
throughout  the  schools  of  the  country,  to  the  en- 
richment of  the  lives  of  millions  of  our  citizens. 

Today, this  organization  again  comes  to  educators 
with  the  same  question  of  twenty-five  years  ago. 
But  now,  instead  of  one,  there  are  many  products 
on  which  we  seek  your  counsel.  These  are: 

RCA  Photophone  3  5mm.  Sound  Film  Projectors, 
for  permanent  installations,  giving  results  in  school 
auditoriums  comparable  with  the  best  theatres. 

RCA  35mm.  and  i6mm.  Portable  Sound  Film 
Projectors,  for  smaller  rooms,  and  where  portabil- 
ity and  lower  price  are  essential. 

RCA35mm.  Slide  Film  Projectors  (still  pictures 
with  sound-on-disc). 

RCA  Film  Recording  Channels  (for  profes- 
sional use). 

(For  none  ot  the  above  does  RCA  make  films;  its  activities 
are  confined  to  making  the  best  possible  apparatus  for  show- 
ing films  with  maximum  clarity  of  picture  and  sound,  and 
for  recording  sound.) 


RCA  Centralized  Radio  Systems,  by  which  the 
principal  can  supply  educational  radio  programs 
to  individual  rooms,  make  announcements,  play 
records,  all  from  a  central  control. 

RCA  Oscillographs  and  Test  Equipment,  par- 
ticularly suited  as  laboratory  apparatus  for  courses 
in  electricity. 

Victor  Records,  with  whose  educational  develop- 
ment you  have  played  such  an  essential  part. 

RCA  Victor  Radio  Receivers  and  Radio- 
Phonographs. 

The  application  of  such  aids  in  education  is  not 
yet  a  definite  science.  Best  results  in  making  it  one 
will  be  obtained  by  the  closest  cooperation  between 
educators  and  manufacturers. 

So  again  we  ask  the  advice  of  those  who  best 
know  the  practical  problems  involved.  What  are 
your  needs  in  the  Visual  Sound  Educational  field? 
How  can  we  help  you?  "Will  you  not  assist  us  in 
further  enriching  the  lives  of  growing  Americans 
—  as  you  have  helped  us  in  furthering  music  ap- 
preciation through  the  medium  of  Victor  Records? 


Bring  your  suggestions  to  our  booth  at  the  N.  E.  A. 

Convention  in  St.  Louis.  Complete  RCA  Visual 

Sound  equipment  will  be  on  display. 


Mr.  Harry  Kapit,  Vice-President  of  Walter  O.  GutIohn,Inc., 
New  York,  offering  RCA  Projectors  and  Educational  Film 
Service  on  a  self-financing  basis,  will  attend  the  Convention. 

EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  CO.,  INC. 


CAMDEN,    NEW   JERSEY 


A    SERVICE   OF   THE   RADIO    CORPORATION   OF   AMERICA 


Page  54 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Depdrtment 


Visual  Education  In  The  Kindergarten 

THE  KINDERGARTENS  of  the  country  have  been 
'  challenged.  They  have  met  the  challenge,  and 
though  budgets  have  been  cut  as  we  muddled  through 
the  depression  the  Kindergarten  has  remained  as  part 
of  the  school  system.  For  society  has  realized  that 
children  with  Kindergarten  training  are  in  possession 
of  broader  vision,  clearer  concepts  and  are  more  alert 
intellectually. 

This  contribution  could  only  have  been  attained  by 
improving  instruction  and  enriching  teaching  procedure. 
This  has  been  successfully  accomplished,  and  the  most 
important  factor  has  been  the  use  of  visual  education. 

Visual  Education  had  its  birth  in  the  Kindergarten. 
Froebel  wisely  made  sensory  experiences  one  of  the 
important  factors  in  child  training.  The  excursion 
where  the  child  is  taken  out  of  his  normal  environ- 
ment in  an  attempt  to  bring  him  to  the  realization 
that  he  is  a  link  in  the  great  life  about  him  as  well 
as  the  many  and  varied  objective  materials  brought 
by  the  Kindergartner  to  the  child  have  long  been  fa- 
miliar to  us.  This  method  of  exposing  the  child  to 
these     sensory     experiences     has     gradually     spread 


For  Auditorium  Use: — 
For  Classroom   Use: — 

The  high  powered  750  watt  pro- 
jection lamp  and  special  Bausch 
&  Lomb  projection  lenses  assure 
clear  and  brilliant  pictures  for 
audiences  up  to  2000.  Sound  is 
of  perfect  tonal  quality  and  un- 
distorted  for  audiences  of  this 
slie.  Simple  to  thread  and  oper- 
ate, extremely  quiet  running 
and  low  in  maintenance  expense. 
The  ideal  projector  for  teachers' 
class  room  use.  Completely 
portable. 

Syncrofilm  Sixteen  now  available  on  a  cooperative  buying  plan 
which  enables  you  to  own  outright  the  projector.  A  complete 
schedule  of  films  is  also  available.  The  SYNCROFILM  SIXTEEN 
sound  projector  is  self-liquidating  when  purchased  on  our  co- 
operative film  and  projector  plan.  Many  institutions  today  are 
using  SYNCROFILM  SIXTEEN  projectors  as  money  raising 
projects — you  too  can  now  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity. 
Write  for  complete  details  of  our  new  cooperative  plan. 

Weber  Machine  Corp. 

Manufacturers  of  35  mm.  and  16  mm.  Sound   Projectora 

59  RUTTER  STREET     —     ROCHESTER.  NEW   YORK 

New   York   Sales   and  Export  Department 
15  LalEht  St.,  N.  Y.  C.  -:-  Cable:  Romo».  N.  Y. 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hud«on,  N.  Y. 


throughout  the  school  sj-stem  and  to  these  have  been 
added  other  visual  aids,  particularly  the  motion  pic- 
ture and  the  lantern  slide. 

The  Kindergarten  set  the  pace.  It  is  not  going  to 
lag  behind  but  will  continue  to  keep  abreast  with  mod- 
ern practices.  To  accomplish  this,  it  makes  use  of 
the  most  economical  method  of  teaching,  economical 
in  the  sense  that  subject  matter  will  be  enriched,  re- 
tention will  be  greater  and  the  creation  of  interest 
will  be  far  beyond  our  power  to  measure. 

The  motion  picture  has  already  proved  its  value 
in  the  classroom.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  for  the 
four  and  five-year-old  levels  there  is  very  little  film 
material.  Here  is  a  field  yet  unexploited.  an  oppor- 
tunity for  educative  films.  The  stereopticon,  on  the 
other  hand,  offers  a  wealth  of  material  in  the  form 
of  glass  slides.  The  slide  is  of  great  value  in  that 
large  clear  pictures  can  be  studied  without  eyestrain. 
One  teacher  has  gathered  and  sorted  slides  so  that 
they  are  available  in  such  groups  as — 

1.  Activities  of  Childhood. 

2.  Birds. 

3.  Animals  of  the  Farm. 

4.  Animals  of  the  Zoo. 

5.  Transportation. 

6.  Children  of  other  Lands. 

The  list  readily  suggests  how  slides  could  vitalize 
a  i)rogram.  Another  Kindergartner  has  painted  slides 
in  such  a  maner  as  to  best  illustrate  her  story.  A  group 
of  nursery  rhymes  flashed  on  the  screen  is  a  never 
ending  source  of  joy.  Birds  have  been  painted  and 
the  readiness  with  which  the  children  identify  them 
after  a  few  showings  is  sufficient  proof  of  the  picture 
power.     The  possibilities  are  endless. 

As  to  method  of  presentation,  that  will  no  doubt 
vary  with  the  individual  teacher.  The  following  sug- 
gestions have  proved  most  fruitful.  For  the  Motion 
Picture,  a  familiarity  with  the  subject  matter  before 
showing  should  be  a  requisite,  for  there  should  be  no 
interruption  through  the  showing  (which  is  given 
mainly  to  clarify  the  teacher's  oral  presentation).  An- 
other procedure  may  be  used  for  the  lantern  slide. 
It  is  advisable  for  the  teacher  in  the  early  showings 
to  carry  on  the  discussion,  explaining  and  aiding  the 
children  to  look  carefully  and  thoughtfully  at  what 
is  before  them.  Later  the  child  may  take  over  the 
discussion.  Many  a  shy  child  under  the  cover  of 
darkness  will  go  up  to  the  screen  with  pointer  in  hand 
and  freely  discuss  what  he  sees.  One  cannot  question 
the  contribution  of  enrichment  and  the  o]:)portunities 
for  oral  language  that  this  experience  affords.     New 


February,  1936  Page  5  5 

FILMSLIDES--The    Perfect 
Motion    Picture   Complement 


Filinslides  save   hours  of 
Teachers'  Time 


Economy  -  Convenience  -  Availability 
Make  Filmslides  an  Ideal  Teaching  Aid 


Economy 

Filmslides  give  exacj-ly  the  same  teaching  content  as  glass  slides  at  a  fraction  of  the 
cost  —  they  are  unbreakable  and  most  inexpensive  to  ship  from  place  to  place.  They 
save  teachers'  time  because  your  entire  lesson  is  visualized  in  a  single  strip  thus 
eliminating  time  usually  spent  in  assembling  and  disassembling  single  slide  sets.  They 
save  space,  as  100  pictures  are  stored  in  approximately   I  square  inch  of  space. 

Convenience 

Filmslides  are  maintained  in  permanent  libraries  in  the  individual  schools  or  school 
systems  and  are  ready  for  immediate  use  by  the  teacher.  There  is  no  time  lost  in 
turning  from  one  picture  to  the  next — no  noise — no  confusion.  The  entire  set  of  pic- 
tures is  in  perfect  order  for  the  next  showing.  Filmslides  are  standard  for  use  on  any 
film  stereopticon. 

Availability 

Thousands  of  educational  pictures  are  available  in  Filmslide  form,  and  others  are 
being  added  at  a  rapid  rate.  Many  of  them  visualize  exactly  the  same  period  of 
History,  for  instance,  as  do  certain  motion  pictures.  The  daily  use  of  Filmslides  there- 
fore and  the  weekly  showing  of  motion  films  for  summary  or  review  purposes,  consti- 
tute a  perfect  complement  one  to  the  other.  Filmslides  of  S.V.E.  production  are  known 
by  the  Trademark  name  of  "Picturol".  In  the  new  combined  1936  FILMSLIDE- 
PICTUROL  Catalog  more  than  100  new  subjects  are  listed. 


Projectors 

Rapid  strides  have  been  made  in  the  production  of  film  stereoptlcons  for 
projecting  Filmslides.  S.V.E.  PICTUROL  PROJECTORS  are  modern  in 
design  and  efficient  in  every  respect.  Thousands  of  schools  have  used 
S.V.E.  equipments  for  years  without  the  replacement  of  a  single  part.  The 
new  1936  PICTUROL  PROJECTOR  Catalog  will  give  you  full  information. 


S.  V.  E.   (200-watt)  Picturol  Projector 
Model    F,    for    Projecting    FILMSLIDES 


Educational   Motion    Pictures 

S.V.E.  Educational  Schoolfilms  are  available  for  use  on  either  16  or  35  mm.  Motion 
Picture  Projectors.  One  and  two  reel  subjects  cover  courses  in  History,  Geography, 
Nature  Study,  Health  and  other  subjects.  Rentals  are  low  and  service  prompt.  Write 
for  full  information. 

VISIT  US  AT  BOOTH  A-9,  ST.  LOUIS  CONVENTION 


Society  For.  Visual  Education,  Inc. 

<zMfi^ULf(icturers,  c^roducers  and  Cbisiribuijors  of  ()isualo{ids 

3Z7    SOUTH    LASALLE    STREET.,  CHICAGO,    ILLINOIS. 


m 


Page  56 


The  Educational  Screen 


$60.00  MOVIE  SCREEN 

For  classroom    movies,   every  school   should   have  Bt  ^^  M  ^C 

least    one    of    these    9x9    ft.    professional    quality  V^  Jl    /  '^ 

screens,    surfaced    exactly    like    the    screen    in    your  «P  I  #1    f  w 

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back   board   with   screw   eyes   for   wall    or   ceiling   or  I  ^T    ^ 

for    hanging    on    Super-Tripods.      Choice   of   wall    or  ■  ■      w 
ceiling    brackets.      Order    this    outstandlns    bargain 
today.     Satisfaction  guaranteed  or  your  money  back. 

Now  Ready  — 

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16  MM.  SOUND-ON-FILM  for  RENT 

Lists  are  free  —  either  sound  or  silent  films. 
Our    rates    (we    honestly    believe)    are    the    lowest    in    the    U.    S.    A. 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All   postage  on   films  —  both   to   and  from  destination  —  paid   by   us. 

We  are  organized  for  service — -not  for  profit. 

May  we  save  you  money  on  your  equipment?     Try  us  ! 

THE     MANSE     LIBRARY     ""  "'5i'„'e''i';„aa'b.''""°° 


MOTION  PICTURES 
OF  THE  WORLD 

EDUCATIONAL  FILM  DIRECTORY 

1936  INNOVATIONS 


GIVES   PRICES  —  Never   before    accom- 
plished in  a  comprehensive  directory. 

GIVES  SHIPPING  POINTS— You  can  ap- 
proximate transportation  costs. 


LONG  DESCRIPTIONS 

you  are  getting. 


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NO  RED  TAPE  —  No  preliminary  corres- 
pondence necessary  before  ordering 
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ALWAYS  MOST  UP-TO-DATE— It  is  the 

only  general  directory  published  semi- 
annually. 


SUBSCRIBE  NOW 

Send  35c  stamps  (3  subscriptions  for  a  dollar). 
This  entitles  you  to  Spring  and  Fall  1936  directories 
and  to  all  our  services. 


INTERNATIONAL     EDUCATIONAL     PICTURES 
Room  A  40  Mount  Vernon  St.,  Boston 


words  creep  into  the  vocabulary,   speech   defects  are 
corrected  and  imagination  enlivened. 

A  venerable  device,  but  still  of  great  value,  is  the 
stereoscope.  It  excells  all  mediums  in  portraying  the 
feeling  of  solidity,  hence  realism.  Group  conversation 
blossoms  as  three  or  four  children  exchange  their 
thoughts  on  what  they  have  seen. 

It  is  impossible  to  leave  this  subject  without  a  few 
words  of  comment  on  the  use  of  blackboard  drawings. 
How  many  stories  would  have  gained  zest  had  the 
teacher  with  a  few  simple  line  drawings  illustrated 
the  action  of  the  story.  In  time  the  children  may  be 
encouraged  to  present  their  stories  in  similar  manner. 
A  very  interesting  result  of  this  was  seen  in  a  group 
of  three  children  covering  the  blackboard  with  the 
story  of  the  pony  engine.  This  provoked  much  dis- 
cussion on  the  part  of  the  illustrators  and  eqtially  as 
much  criticism  and  suggestion  from  their  classmates. 

The  Kintergartner  who  feels  keenly  the  great  re- 
sponsibility that  is  placed  upon  her,  will  whole- 
heartedly welcome  methods  which  vitalize  and  in  turn 
lead  to  economy  in  learning.  In  this  way  she  can 
prove  her  intense  loyalty  toward  her  profession  and 
her  country. 

By  MARGARET  M.  BRINE 

Cambridge,    Mass. 

University  Projection  Course 

An  eight-weeks'  evening  course  in  motion  picture 
projection  has  been  added  to  the  adult  education  pro- 
gram of  the  University  Extension  Division  of  the 
Massachusetts  State  Department  of  Education.  The 
course,  which  is  the  first  of  its  kind  to  be  offered  in 
New  England,  opened  February  4th  at  the  Massachu- 
setts Institute  of  Technology  under  the  direction  of 
Louis  Frey,  former  head  of  an  independent  school  for 
operators.  According  to  Extension  Director  James  A. 
Moyer,  the  course  has  been  planned  to  aid  those  who 
have  some  knowledge  of  motion  picture  work  and  who 
wish  to  secure  an  operator's  license. 

New  York  Visual  Group  Program 

Members  of  the  Metropolitan  New  York  Branch  of 
The  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A. 
attended  a  meeting  of  the  Visual  Instruction  Section  of 
the  New  York  Society  for  the  Experimental  Study  of 
Education,  held  Friday  evening,  January  10th,  at  the 
School  of  Commerce,  College  of  the  City  of  New 
York.  Mr.  Elias  Katz  of  Teachers  College,  Columbia 
University,  led  the  discussion  on  "Experiments  in 
School  Made  Movies,"  illustrated  by  films  produced 
by  Lincoln  High  School  children.  The  titles  of  the 
films  shown  are  H2O  (by  Ralph  Steiner),  The  Fall  of 
the  House  of  Usher  (by  Watson  and  Webber),  and 
Brothers  of  Altamira  (by  students  of  Tenth  Grade  In- 
tegrated Course). 


February,  1936 


Page  57 


<LAnnouncemenLj 


\<o}m 


EDUCATIONAL 


(JS-r9S^ 


Harry  A.  Kaplf,  Vice-President  of  Walter  O. 
Gutlohn,  Inc.,  will  visit  the  N.  E.  A.  Convention 
in  St.  Louis  during  the  week  of  February  24.  He 
will  discuss  with  school  superintendents  and 
directors  of  visual  education  a  budget  plan  for 
recreational,  as  well  as  classroom,  16  mm.  sound- 
on-film  subjects.  Mr.  Kapit  will  make  his  head- 
quarters at  the  RCA  booth. 


The  new  RCA  deferred  payment  plan  gives  you 
both  film  service  and  a  16  mm.  sound  projector 
on  a  self-supporting  basis. 

Educators  not  attending  the  Convention  may 
obtain  detailed  information  by  mail  upon  re- 
quest. 


Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc* 


35  WEST  45th  STREET 


NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


New  York  University  Continues  Film  Course 

The  second  term  of  the  Motion  Picture  Course  at 
New  York  University,  conducted  weekly  by  Frederic 
M.  Thrasher,  Associate  Professor  of  Education,  and 
others,  began  February  6th  with  an  illustrated  lec- 
ture on  "Motion  Pictures  in  College  Education,"  by 
Robert  A.  Kissack,  Jr.,  Director,  Visual  Instruction, 
University  of  Minnesota.  Titles  of  some  of  the  sub- 
sequent lectures  are : 

"Psychiatric  Aspects  of  Motion  Pictures,"  by  Dr. 
A.  A.  Brill,  noted  psychiatrist. 

"The  Motion  Picture  and  Social  Hygiene,"  by  Dr. 
William  Snow,  Director,  American  Social  Hygiene  As- 
sociation. 

"Motion  Picture  Appreciation  and  the  Schools,"  by 
William  Lewin,  Chairman  Motion  Picture  Committee, 
Department  of  Secondary  Education,  N.  E.  A. 

"The  Educational  Talking  Picture,"  by  V.  C.  Arn- 
spiger,  Erpi  Picture  Consultants,  Inc. 

"Industrial  Films,"  by  Arthur  L.  Gale,  Editor, 
Movie  Makers. 

"Scientific  Films  and  the  Role  of  the  Museum  in 
Visual  Education,"  by  Dr.  Raymond  Ditmars,  New 
York  Zoological  Park,  and  Grace  Fisher  Ramsey, 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History. 

"Religious  Use  of  Motion  Pictures,"  a  conference 
of  religious  agencies  to  demonstrate  actual  use  of 
pictures. 


the 


^^^  ALL 
SPROCKET 
PROJECTOR 

SILENT 

or 

SOUND 
on 

FILM 


v«^ 


All 
Shaft 
Driven 

Straight 

Sound 
Aperture 

Direct 
Beam  of 
Light  on 

Sound 
Track  and 
Photo  Cell 

Hold  Back 
Sprocket 

Filtered 

Sound 

Sprocket 


VOX 


PROFESSIONAL 
QUALITY 

Ask  any  professional  operator 
why  these  HOLMES  16  mm 
features  are  so  necessary  to 
the  finest  sound  reproduction 
and  picture  projection. 

"Write  for  full  descriptive 
literature. 


No  Bolts 
No  Chains 

No 
Sound 
Drum 

No 

Reflected 

Light  from 

Sound 

Track  to 

Photo  Cell 

No  Claw 
Movement 

No  High 
Speed 
Shafts 


HOLMES    PROJECTOR    COMPANY 

1813  N.  ORCHARD  STREET  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


Page  58 


The  Educational  Screen 


SHOW  GEORGE  ARLISS 
IN  "THE  IRON  DUKE" 
ON  A  FREE  PROJECTOR 

Now  your  school  can  see  and  hear  cultural  enter- 
tainment without  incurring  the  expense  of  buying 
a  projector.  We  will  supply  free — no  deposit  re- 
quired— a  latest  model,  16  mm.  talking  picture  pro- 
jector for  your  use.  Simply  select  two  films  a  month 
from  our  extensive  entertainment  library  and  the 
projector  is  yours  rent-free.  Write  now  for  Spe- 
cial School  Plan  B  and  our  Sound-on-Film  catalog. 


nLfns 

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NEW  YORK.  N.  T. 


EWS-WECK      PHOTO      BV     WENDELL      MACRAE 


ENLARGED    7000    TIMES 

■ — one    of    the    most    amazing     feats    of 
candid    camera    history 

The  picture  shows  Ivan  Dmitri  standing  alongside  his  mammoth  en- 
largement—10  feet  long  by  7  feet  high — shown  at  the  Second  Inter- 
national Leica  Exhibition  at  Rockefeller  Center,  New  York.  (Now  on 
tour  to  20  of  the  principal  cities.) 

The  spectacular  has  become  almost  commonplace  with  Leica.  As 
one  critic  said,  "It  has  revolutionized  picture  taking  and  placed  it 
among  the  arts". 

Are  you  familiar  with  the  Leica  ?  Would  you  like  to  lake  pictures 
that  are  different — action  pictures,  natural,  unposed  candid  pictures? 
Then  write  for  our  latest  illustrated  booklet  describing  The  Leica 
Model  G— just  out. 

Don't  miss  your  copy  of  "Leica  Manual",  a  new  500  page  book 
on  all  phases  of  Leica  photography.  There  is  one  whole  section  devoted 
to  "Leica  in  Science  and  Education"  including  chapters  on  "The  Leica  in 
Visual  Education",  "The  Leica  in  Historical  Research",  "Copying 
Books  and  Manuscripts",  "The 
Miniature  Camera  for  Miniature 
Monsters",  "Photomicrography  with 
the  Leica",  "Eye  Photography", 
"Infaa-Red  Photography",  "Astron- 
omical Photography". 


Bica 


Model  G  with 
f:i  Summar  Speed  Lens 

THE      ORIGINAL      MINtATURE       CANDID      CAMERA 

PRICES  START   AT  $99.      U.  8.    PAT.    NO    1.960,044 


E.  LEITZ,  INC.    •    DEPT.  117  •  60  EAST  lOth  ST.,  NEW  YORK  CITY 

Branch  offices  in  CHICAGO  -WASHINGTON   •  LOS  ANGELES  •  SAN  FRANCISCO 


Current  Film    Releases 


Natural  Science  Series 

A  splendid  series  of  one-reel  educational  35mni 
sovmd  motion  pictures,  titled  The  Struggle  to  Live,  is 
being  released  by  the  Van  Beuren  Corporation  through 
RKO  Radio  Pictures.  Each  of  the  three  subjects  pro- 
duced to  date  is  really  an  intense  lesson  in  natural 
history  given  in  the  greatest  detail. 

The  first  subject,  titled  Neptune's  Mysteries,  deals 
with  such  lowly  creatures  as  snails  and  octopi.  A 
microscopic  lens  is  used  to  show  the  snail  as  a  really 
beautiful  and  very  interesting  inhabitant  of  the  sea. 
Many  stories  have  been  told  of  the  terrible  octopi,  but 
here  the  octopus  is  seen  to  be  a  kindly  creature  ready 
to  defend  its  young  with  its  very  life. 

In  the  second  subject,  Hermits  of  Crab  Land,  a 
short  talk  is  given  on  the  evolution  of  the  crab  and 
then  different  types  are  studied  in  the  various  stages 
of  growth  before  reaching  the  adult  stage.  Charac- 
terestics  of  the  Mantis  Shrimp,  sand  crab  and  hermit 
crab  are  shown. 

The  third  subject,  Beach  Masters,  unfolds  one  of 
nature's  most  mystifying  phenomena,  namely,  the 
yearly  migration  of  seals  to  the  shores  of  the  Mist 
Islands  in  the  Bering  .Sea,  the  only  ])lace  in  the  world 
where  such  a  great  assemblage  of  seals  may  be  wit- 
nessed. 

Additional  subjects  are  planned  for  this  series,  the 
next  one  to  be  on  bird  life  and  after  that  a  subject 
devoted  to  soldier  ants  that  are  found  in  the  tropics. 

New  Indusfrial  Subjects 

Because  of  the  active  interest  that  has  been  shown 
in  their  "Yearly  Salary  Plan  for  Employees,"  Nunn, 
Bush  and  Weldon  Shoe  Company,  Milwaukee,  have 
had  the  story  produced  in  a  two-reel  motion  picture, 
entitled  52  Pay  Checks  Each  Year,  which  is  now 
available  to  educational  groups.  Produced  entirely 
from  an  academic  point  of  view,  the  film  will  provoke 
thoughtful  discussion  among  all  students  of  present 
day  economic  problems.  Dr.  Stewart  Scrimshaw,  Pro- 
fessor of  Economics  and  Industrial  Relations,  Mar- 
quette University,  being  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
aims  and  ideals  of  both  management  and  employees, 
appears  in  the  film  and  comments  on  what  has  been 
done. 

This  production  is  of  particular  interest  to  classes 
in  Sociology  and  Economics ;  also  to  church  audiences 
interested  in  Social  Betterment.  Prints  are  available 
in  both  35mm  and  16mm. 

*  *  * 

The  history  of  transportation  development  is  graph- 
ically portrayed  in  the  16mm  sound-on-film  1000-foot 
reel.  Farther,  Faster,  Safer,  recently  released  by  The 
Pennzoil  Company.  The  story  of  speed  is  traced 
from   the   Covered   Wagon   to  the   Coast-to-Coast  air 


February,  1936 


Page  59 


"TAKE  IT  EASY" 

The   latest   scientific   study   of   drivers'    physical 
condition  which  results  in  accidents. 

A  truly  fine  constructive  safety  motion  picture, 
silent  and  sound  —  35  mm.  and   16  mm.  —  Free. 


XXX   - 


ti 


THE   NEW   ADVENTURE 


»» 


Budgeting    the    budget    of    home    expenditures. 

A   real    picture   for    high    schools    and    colleges. 

Sound  —  35  mm.  and  16  mm.  —  Free. 

-  XXXX  - 

HUNDREDS   OF   SELECTED 

SILENT  AND  SOUND 

SUBJECTS. 
FREE  AND  RENTAL. 

Write  for  Free  copy  "Catalog  E". 

Y.M.C.A.  Motion  Picture  Bureau 

347  Madison  Ave.  19  S.  LaSalle  St. 

New  York,  N.  Y.  Chicago,  III. 


NEW  FINANCE  PLAN 


FOR  - 

SCHOOLS,  CHURCHES,  ETC. 

We  have  just  completed  a  new  and 
unusual  finance  plan  which  will  enable 
every  school,  church  and  similar  insti- 
tution to  own  the  latest  16mm.  or 
35mm.  SOUND  ON  FILM  PRO- 
JECTOR on  liberal  and  convenient 
TERMS. 

WRITE  FOR  COMPLETE  DETAILS 

We  sell  BELL  &  HOWELL,  AMPRO,  VIC- 
TOR, R.C.A.,  SYNCROFILM,  «s  well  as 
DE  VRY   Equipment. 

WE  ALSO  HAVE  SEVERAL  SLIGHTLY  USED  AND 
REPOSSESSED  TALKING  PICTURE  PROJECTORS 
THAT  WE  CAN  OFFER  AT  LESS  THAN  COST. 
YOU  CAN  PURCHASE  THESE  AS  WELL  ON  THE 
ABOVE  CONVENIENT  PAYMENT  PLAN.  ABSO- 
LUTELY NO  INTEREST  CHARGE. 

SUNNY   SCHICK 

NATIONAL  BROKERS 

407   W.   WASHINGTON   BLVD. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND. 


A  NATIONALLY  PROMINENT 
SUPERINTENDENT  OF  SCHOOLS 

(name  furnished   on   request) 

ENDORSES  THE  GREAT  VALUE  AND 
INDISPENSABLE  CHARACTER  OF 


The  Chronicles  of  America 
Photoplays 


"Our  teachers  who  have  used  them  for  a 
year  are  enthusiastic  over  what  can  be 
accomplished  through  the  regular  use  of 
these  films  in  classroom  Instruction  and 
report  that 

1.  "These  filnas   enrich   the   background   wifh    a 

wealth  of  detailed  information  that  no 
teacher  can  give. 

2.  "They  clarify  the  children's  ideas. 

3.  "They    are    inspirational    and    give    a    better 

understanding  of  the  period  being  studied. 

4.  "They  help  the  children  to  a  better  interpre- 

tation of  the  text;  the  fine  sequence  of  the 
events  in  these  films  enables  the  children  to 
carry  the  thought  through  the  story;  through 
the  portrayal  of  hero  characteristics  the 
children  sense  the  personality  of  the  historic 
person. 

5.  "Through  the  portrayal  of  manners,  customs 

and  dress  of  the  historic  periods  the  pupils, 
in  their  study,  live  the  time  of  the  episode. 

6.  "The  use  of  these  films  developed  a  clearer 

understanding  of  the  historic  events  which 
were  presented,  a  quickened  interest  in  the 
study  of  them,  a  better  retention  of  that 
which  was  learned." 

Every  course  In  American  history,  every 
program  of  visual  Instruction,  and  of 
citizenship  training,  should  include  this 
series  of  fifteen  authentic  and  dramatic 
reconstructions  of  important  milestones 
In  American  history. 

When  planning  next  year's  program,  be 
sure  to  write  for  our  illustrated  booklet 
and  full  Information. 

YALE    UNIVERSITY    PRESS 
FILM    SERVICE 

386  FOURTH  AVENUE         NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


Page  60 


The  Educational  Screen 


Teach  the  Visual  Way 

with    PHOTOART 

VISUAL    UNITS 

A  complete  and  well  organized  picture  series.  The 
(li'scriptive  material  above  each  picture  will  aid  the 
child   in  interpreting  the  picture  correctly. 

At  present  we  have  ready  for  you 

Means  of  Transportation 6"  cards 

Japan 58  cards 

Coal  Mining 56  cards 

U.   S.   Northern  Interior 74  cards 


$2.25 
1.93 
1.95 

2.25 


Actual  Size  6x91/2 

Photoart  House 


Send  for  sample  card  today. 


844  N.   PLANKINTON  AVE. 
MILWAUKEE.  WISCONSIN 


TWO  NEW  SCIENCE  AIDS 

FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS  PRINCIPLES   OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  Tbualization  of  high  school  The  core  of  the  year's   work  in 

physics  on  35  mm.  film  slides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 

classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address : 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suf  fern,    N.Y. 


For  Making  Home-Made  Slides 

GLASSIVE  —  an  abrasive  for  making  your  own 
ground  glass  slides  from  plain  cover  glass 
for    a     fraction    of    a    cent    each.       50c    a    package. 

CELLOSLIDE — Eliminates  the  necessity  of  writing  on 
glass.  Takes  ink  better  than  glass.  500  sheets  for  $1.00. 
(Dealers  Want<*d  —  Write  for  terms) 

TEACHING  AIDS  SERVICE,  Jamaica plain.mass. 


FOR  SALE — Used  16  mm.  projectors  that  have 
been  employed  in  school  work — all  in  A- 1  condition 

6  Bell  and  Howell  Modsl  57GG,  375-watt $100.00 

1  BeM  and  Howell  Model  R.  500-watt 100.00 

1   Bell  and  Howell  Round  Base,  400-watt  50.00 

1  Bell  and  Howell  Model  JL.  400-watt  (gear  driven) 120.00 

2  Victor  Model   lOFH,   500-watt 50.00 

1   Victor  Model    10,   600-watt  75.00 

1  Victor  Model  20,   750-W3tt    80.00 

2  Victor  Model  3,  300-watt,  $60  ;  1  Ampro 80.00 

1   Victor  Sound-on-film   projector,   500-watt 250.00 

1   RCA  Sound-on-film  projector,   500-watt  250.00 

Also  30  English  and  History  feature  films  (16mm.)   at 

$10.00  per  reel. 

Above  are  priced  for  quick  sale — act  early  if  interested. 

STEWART'S  SCHOOL  FILMS  ''^„"^l''jll" ^^>^: 


A  Revised  Edition 

of  this  Aveli- known  book 
just  off  the  press. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL 
•  TALKING  PICTURE 

By  Frederick  L.  Devereux 
Vice-President,  Erpi  Picture  Consultants,  Inc. 

This  new  edition  covers  the  many  im- 
provements which  have  been  made  in 
motion  picture  equipment  since  the  first 
edition  in  1931.  Up-to-date  on  data  and 
new  illustrations. 

222pages    $2.00 ;postpaid, $2.10 

The  UNIVERSITY  of  CHICAGO  PRESS 


THE  LEICA  MANUAL 
by 

Willard    D.   Morgan 
and  Henry  M.  Lester 


—  the    most   complete    and   up-to-date 
book  on  the  subject  of  LEICA  photogra- 
phy.  500   pages  crammed  with   the  most 
fascinating    photographic    lore  imaginable. 

Here  is  a   book    which    represents   the 
accumulated  experience  of  22  specialists  and 
pioneers   in    Miniature    Camera    Photography. 

There  is  one  whole  section  devoted  to  "Leica  in  Science  and 
Education"  including  chapters  on  "The  Leica  in  Visual  Education", 
"The  Leica  in  Historical  Research",  "Copying  Books  and  Manuscripts", 
"The  Miniature  Camera  for  Miniature  Monsters",  "PhotomicrographY 
vrith  the  Leica",  "Eye  Photography",  "Infra-Red  Photography",  "Astro- 
nomical Photography".  Your  Photographic  Dealer  or  your  Book  Store 
has  It!   $4.00  the  copy. 

E.     LEITZ,     INC.        •       DEPARTMENT     B-238 
60      EAST      lOth      STREET,      NEW      YORK      CITY 

liners  and  streamlined  trains  of  today,  showing  the 
changes  and  improvements  that  have  taken  place  in  the 
automobile,  locomotive,  engine-driven  boat,  and  air- 
plane. 

*     *     * 

The  construction,  operation  and  care  of  the  internal- 
combustion  engine  is  pictured  in  a  newly-revised  2-reel 
silent  film  entitled  The  Power  Within,  prepared  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Bureau  of  Mines,  Department 
of  the  Interior,  in  cooperation  with  one  of  the  coun- 
try's largest  automobile  manufacturers.  The  story 
opens  with  various  episodes  showing  the  uses  of  power 
produced  by  the  internal-combustion  engine.  Ani- 
mated drawings  explain  in  detail  the  name,  location  and 
operation  of  each  part  of  the  motor.  The  latter 
part  of  the  picture  describes  the  action  of  the  car- 
buretor in  atomizing  and  mixing  the  fuel  with  air 
before  it  enters  the  cylinders ;  improper  firing  and 
waste  of  gasoline  due  to  fouled  spark  plugs ;  knocking 
caused  by  accumulation  of  carbon ;  and  the  proper  use 
of  the  choke. 

Ethiopia  in  1 6  mm.  Film 

The  first  new  single-reel  16  mm.  motion  picture  sub- 
ject on  Ethiopia,  sound-on-film  or  silent,  is  announced 
as  available  for  sale  or  rental  by  the  Library  Division 
of  the  Bell  &  Howell  Company.  This  timely  and 
vitally  interesting  film  portrays  the  nature  of  the  coun- 
try and  the  intimate  daily  life  of  the  people.  The 
sound  narrative  provides  an  intelligent,  fair,  and  un- 
varnished presentation  of  Ethiopian  history,  popula- 
tion, form  Q?  government,  economic  pecularities,  trades, 
religions,  and  many  other  points  of  interest.  It  is 
not  a  transitory  "war"  film,  although  thousands  of 
tribesmen,  afoot  and  on  horseback,  are  caught  by  the 
camera,  and  the  problem  of  providing  food  for  a  vast 
army  are  drastically  portrayed.  The  photography  is 
by  Burton  Holmes,  world-renowned  traveler. 


February,  1936 


Page  61 


All  Ampro  silent  16  nun.  projectors  have  no-w  been 
approved  for  listing  by  the  Underwriters'  Labora- 
tories. The  Underwriters'  Laboratories  were  estab- 
lished and  are  maintained  by  the  National  Board  of 
Fire  Underwriters  for  service  and  not  for  profit.  This 
approval  of  Ampro  is  an  additional  safe-guard  for  you. 


SEAL       OF 


APPROVAL 


Remarkable  Engineerins  'n*- 
provement.  A  New  Standard  of 
Clarity  and  Brilliance  .... 
NEVER    BEFORE    POSSIBLE! 

Ampro  now^  announces  a  construction  advancement 
of  major  importance  to  you.  From  six  months  of 
laboratory  research  comes  a  method  that  almost 
doubles  Ampro's  standard  of  illumination  without 
increasing  the  wattage  of  the  lamp  used.  Available 
on  the  "J"  Series  and  the  "K"  Series.  16  mm.  New 
dual-convex  condensers  ...  a  split-phase  rotary 
shutter  .  .  .  and  other  engineering  principles  have 
been  combined  to  give  you  the  most  brilliant  motion 
pictures  you  have  ever  seen.     There  is  no  comparison! 

You  have  to  SEE  it 

to  BELIEVE  it! 

Ask  your  dealer  for  an  Ampro  demonstration  —  no 
obligation.  Operate  the  Ampro  projector  yourself — 
prove  that  w^ith  its  simplified  mechanism  you  can 
secure  flickerless,  professional  results  easily.  The 
super-illumination  added  to  the  other  basic  features 
makes  Ampro  the  outstanding  projector  value.  No 
increase  in  price.  Silent  projectors  priced  from  $13  5, 
complete    w^ith    carrying    case    and    all    accessories. 

SEE  OUR  DISPLAY.  BOOTH  A-9 
N.  E.  A.  CONVENTION,  ST.  LOUIS,  MO. 


►ILIPIRJD 

C  IDlRJPIDlE^inCCii? 

2839-5/  NORTH  WESTERN  AVENUE 


5% 


CHICAGO 


ILLINOIS 


Page  62 


The  Educational  Screen 


Lit    d^tojecticn 


Britelite-Truvision  is  more  than  a  name.    It 

describes  tne  unusual  luminosity  and  the  un- 

distorted  and  life-like  definition  that  these 

screens  afford  ...  A  wide  variety  of  styles 

includes  Folding  De  Luxe  "A"  as  illustrated, 

back-board,    metal    tube    and    ease!    models. 

DE    LUXE    "A"    CRYSTAL    BEADED 

SCREEN— 30x40"— $15.00   List.     Other 

sizes  and  models  priced  in  proportion. 

A  complete  catalog  is  at  your  disposal. 


BAIT-E-LIT-e 
TAUVISIOM 


portable  prqjediori 
screens 


Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 


528  WEST  26th  STREET 


NEW  YORK 


Burton   Holmes  Films,  Inc. 

Renders  a  complete  motion  picture  service 

•  Film  production  •  Developing  •  Printing  •  Titling 

•  RCA  "High  Fidelity"  sound  recording 

Largest,   most   modern,   most   completely   equipped 

motion  picture  laboratory  between  New  York  and 

Hollywood.    Write  for  prices. 

"Free  Loan"  ''CamivaK^  ''Free  Loan" 

A    feature    lensth    16inm.    sound-on-film    story    of 
the   World's   Fair,     You   pay   transportation  charges 
only.     Write  for  details. 

Burton  Holmes  FilmS/  Inc. 

7510  N.  Ashland  Avenue  Chicago,  Illinois 


^y      Talk  from  your 
H    screen  with  quickly 
g       TYPEWRITTEN 
g         MESSAGES 

g    50  Radio.Mats  $1.50 
^4  White,  Amber,  Green 

^^L     Atcrpt  no  substitute       a 

a: 

* 

MAKE   YOUR  OWN 

TYPEWRITER     SLIDES 

For    Screen    Projection 

USE        RADIO        MATS 

on   sale  by   Theatre  Supply   Dealers 
Write  for  Free  Sample 

RADIO-MAT  SLIDE  CO.,  Inc. 

1819  Broadway,  Dept.V.  New  York  City 

»   ISHESlAIIONERrOFTKESCIIEtll 

16-mm  TALKING  or  SILENT  PROJECTOR 
FOR  YOUR  SCHOOL 

Without  a  Cash   Payment 

Our  library  of  16mm. 

SOUND  and  SILENT  EDUCATIONAL  FILMS 

Is  One  of  the  Largest  in  the  U.  S.  A. 

CATALOGUE  FREE 
IDEAL     PICTURES     CORPORATION 

30  EAST  EIGHTH  STREET  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


BETTER  16  mm.  Sound-on-Film 

JUST  RELEASED  

JOAN  of  ARC 


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Produced  in  France — English  Talk 


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729— 7th  AVE.,  N.Y.C. 


Film  Production  in  the 
Educational  Field 

(Concluded  jrom  l>agc  52) 

ally  pertinent  when  one  considers  the  usual  crowding 
and  congestion  when  a  large  group  attempts  to  observe 
a  surgeon  at  work. 

Now  let  us  look  as  some  of  the  technical  problems 
involved  in  making  the  film.  First  the  question  of 
light.  There  exists  with  many  amateur  producers  a 
misconception  concerning  the  amount  of  light  neces- 
sary for  technically  good  pictures.  The  popular  idea 
is  that  with  large-diameter  lenses  and  fast  films  we 
need  only  a  meager  amount  of  illumination.  This  is 
not  entirely  true.  Even  with  all  our  modern  equip- 
ment, such  as  high-speed  lenses,  high-speed  film  emul- 
sions, and  modern  camera  design,  we  cannot  make 
satisfactory  motion  pictures  without  good  light  in  suf- 
ficient quantities. 

In  all  our  motion-picture  camera  lenses,  there  is  an 
aperture  control  known  as  a  diaphragm,  a  small  cir- 
cular device  for  reducing  the  effective  lens  surface 
used.  This  diaphragm  is  i)laced  between  the  front  and 
rear  elements  of  the  lens  itself.  When  the  aperture 
is  reduced,  the  lens  is,  as  we  say,  "stopped  down"  and 
becomes  smaller  in  diameter.  The  light  reaching  the 
film  is  reduced  proportionally.  Here  arises  the  popu- 
lar misconception.  The  common  notion  is  that  the 
size  of  the  lens  should  be  varied  according  to  the 
strength  of  light  —  the  more  brightly  the  subject  is 
illumined  the  more  the  lens  is  stopped  down  and  the 
weaker  the  light  the  more  the  lens  is  opened  by  way 
of  compensation. 

In  many  instances  it  is  correct  to  vary  the  lens  in 
this  way  to  accommodate  the  strength  of  light.  But 
the  diaphragm  has  another  use  just  as  important,  based 
on  the  fact  that  as  the  aperture  is  reduced  the  image 
on  the  film  becomes  more  sharply  focused.  We  have 
all  seen  images  on  the  screen  which  were  slightly 
blurred  and  indistinct.  This  fuzziness  may  be  caused 
by  several  factors,  one  of  which  is  the  use  of  too  large 
a  lens  stop  or  diaphragm  opening.  The  diaphragm 
openings  may  be  graduated  in  figures  such  as  16,  11. 
5.5, 4, 3.5,  2.8,  2, 1.9,  and  1,3,  the  larger  figures  referring 
to  the  smaller  apertures  and  vice  versa.  By  using  more 
illumination  and  a  stop  opening  of  3.5  or  4.5  rather 
than  a  stop  of  1.3,  1.5,  or  2,  with  a  w^eak  light  source, 
we  will  always  obtain  a  sharper  image  on  the  film.  In 
other  words,  we  should  alter  the  illumination  to  agree 
with  the  stop  used,  rather  than  alter  the  diaphragm  to 
suit  the  intensity  of  the  light. 

How  the  reduction  of  the  diaphragm  opening  in- 
fluences the  depth  of  focus  and  how  these  factors  all 
entered  into  the  shooting  of  the  veterinary  films  will 
be  discussed  in  the  artcle  to  follow  next  month.  The 
very  important  ])art  illumination  plays  in  the  artistic 
angle  of  motion  picture  photography  will  also  be  con- 
sidered. 


ebruary,  1936 


Page  63 


An  Integral  Part  of  Modern  Teaching 


1 


■^r  ^W* 


O 


A  -.^fi" 


aboul 


Eastman  Classroom  Films 
have  proved  their  worth 

IN  the  years  immediately  following  the  first 
announcement  of  Eastman  Classroom  Films, 
educators  in  scores  of  cities  and  towns  put  these 
dynamic  visual  aids  to  work  in  their  schools. 

Many  other  communities  were  eager  to  follow 
suit,  but  were  prevented  from  doing  so  by  eco- 
nomic conditions.  They  did  not,  however,  forget 
Eastman  Classroom  Films.  They  did  not  lose 
sight  of  the  fact  that  motion  pictures  have  a  vital 
contribution  to  make  to  education,  and  that 
Eastman  Classroom  Films  were  daily  proving 
their  worth  by  making  such  a  contribution. 

Now  the  tide  is  turning.  Many  school  systems 
long  ago  convinced  of  the  value  of  these  films, 
but  obliged  to  defer  purchases,  are  now  acquir- 
ing them.  Other  systems  are  ordering  replace- 
ment lots,  the  original  reels  having  been  com- 
pletely worn  out,  like  much-used  books,  by  years 
of  constant  showing.  Schools  bought  almost 
twice  as  many  films  in  1935  as  they  did  in  1934. 

Thus,  in  1936  .  . .  more  than  in  any  previous 


*°'       ._,naassroo 


^  ^'^"f countries-  ^.are^o' 

30  foreign  cou      ^^^^^^  svsw»*  »  ,,^^1 


*  ^'^^    "countries-  ^.are^ow 

30  foreign -°^^„oisVSte'^*^^,,^an 
SeveraUarge;.^    orig-»^„(,,eadv, 
3   repUcin^jt-o-^VVe-^ 

^"""trsthere---!    the-- 
*Cu\So.^-:;rpre.--• 
over200,'"»^         ^^^^^^^    - 


year . . .  Eastman  Classroom  Films  are  an  integral 
part  of  modern  teaching.  This  is  good  news  for 
educators,  because  a  substantial  increase  in  the 
use  of  teaching  films  is  a  significant  signal  of 
progress  achieved  in  visual  instruction,  and  a 
promise  of  further  advances  in  the  future. 

You  are  cordially  invited  to  investigate  the 
merits  of  the  more  than  200  Eastman  Classroom 
Films  now  available.  For  full  information,  address 
Eastman  Kodak  Company,  Teaching  Films  Di- 
vision, Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Page  64 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Producers 


Additions  to  SVE  Filmslide  Library 

The  Society  for  Visual  Education  is  constantly  add- 
ing new  and  interesting  material  to  its  extensive  li- 
brary of  Picturols  and  filmslides,  which  includes  not 
only  material  produced  by  the  Society  but  also  the 
product  of  other  concerns  well  known  in  the  visual 
field.  Among  the  latest  educational  film  sets  to  be 
announced  by  this  library  is  Nature  Study  Illustrated, 
a  set  of  35  rolls  on  Biology,  Botany,  Nature  Study, 
General  Science,  and  Zoology,  compiled  by  Gayle 
Pickwell,  Ph.D.,  Professor,  Editor  and  Author.  A 
most  timely  subject  is  covered  in  the  complete  set  on 
Aircraft  (30  rolls),  arranged  and  edited  by  Guy  Gar- 
rard, Science  Instructor  and  Roy  Cross,  Aviation  In- 
structor. They  are  also  offering  a  new  set  on  Funda- 
mental Chemistry  (10  rolls),  edited  by  Evans  W. 
Buskett,  Chemistry  Instructor. 

While  the  Society  has  not  undertaken  the  produc- 
tion of  religious  films,  it  has  always  sponsored  all 
those  available  and  maintains  a  full  library.  Their 
catalog  of  religious  film-slides  contains  a  wealth  of  il- 
lustrative material  including  every  great  religious 
painting,  and  thousands  of  pictures  giving  complete 
geography  of  the  Holy  Land.  Many  special  sets  have 
been  compiled  to  fit  the  particular  instructional  needs 
of  various  denominations,  parochial  and  Sunday 
schools.  New  groups  are  now  available  on  Temper- 
ance (6  rolls).  The  Crusades,  Hymns,  Christmas  and 
Easter,  Episcopal  Education  (7  rolls),  and  Catholic 
Films. 

Catalogs  of  the  SVE  educational  and  religious  film- 
slides  are  available  free  of  charge  upon  request  to  the 
Society  for  Visual  Education,  Chicago. 

DeVry  Welcomes  Visitors  at  N.E.A. 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc.,  have  retained  two  ad- 
joining booths  (A-11  and  A-12)  at  the  St.  Louis 
meeting  of  the  N.E.A.  so  that  there  will  be  ample 
room  for  inspecting  the  DeVry  Line  and  conferring 
with  DeVry  representatives  on  Visual  Education 
plans.  The  new  16mm.  Sprocket  Intermittent 
Sound  Projector  will  be  on  display  and  comparisons 
made  between  the  new  movement  and  the  prevail- 
ing claw  type  movement. 

1936  DeVry  Annual  Conference 

The  Resolutions  Committee  of  the  DeVry  Sum- 
mer School  of  Visual  Education  last  June  voted  to 
change  the  name  to  Conference,  as  being  more  in 
keeping  with  the  programs  presented.  To  this 
designation,  the  DeVry  organization  adds  the 
phrase  Film  Exhibition,  as  the  film  showings  of 
industrial  and  educational  subjects  have  become  a 
very  popular  feature  of  the  annual  gathering — par- 
ticularly to  advertising  men  and  teachers.  The 
tentative  dates  this  year  will  be  June  29  to  July  3. 


Where  the  commercial  firms — whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    readers. 


Sound  System  Offers  New  Features 

A  new  Program  Sound  System  embodying  unique 
advantages  for  sizeable  school  buildings  has  been  in- 
troduced by  the  Western  Electric  Company.  The 
system  has  been  designed  by  Bell  Telephone  Labora- 
tories for  distributing  programs  from  microphones, 
from  radio  receivers  or  from  phonograph  records  and 
is  wholly  operated  from  a  single  cabinet.  In  the  cabi- 
net are  centered  all  controls,  the  flexible  switching 
arrangements,  a  radio  receiver,  an  electric  phonograph, 
amplifying  equipment  and  a  combination  loudspeaker 
and  microphone   device. 

One  feature  of  the  system  is  that  it  provides  "talk- 
back"  facilities.  Sound  not  only  may  be  sent  out  for 
reproduction  over  distant  loudspeakers  but  the  same 
loudspeakers  may  in  turn  be  used  as  microphones  for 
picking  up  sound  which  is  transmitted  back  to  the 
central  point.     This  feature  offers  the  school  principal 


B^S 

Kf   ^^Smmm^  ^ 

ite.Kr.  • 

1 

^^fe 

The  Sound  System  in  Operation  in  a  School 

a  means  of  overhearing  in  the  central  office  what  is 
happening  in  any  class  room. 

As  an  aid  in  teaching  music  and  the  languages,  the 
sound  system  brings  special  recordings  right  to  the 
classroom,  as  well  as  providing  distribution  of  radio 
programs  throughout  the  building.  Announcements 
may  be  made  and  fire  drills  directed  from  the  prin- 
cipal's office.  Music  may  be  furnished  for  gatherings 
in  the  auditorium,  and  the  amplifying  facilities  may 
be  employed  to  reinforce  speakers'  voices. 

Two  variations  of  the  program  sound  system  are 
available,  the  first  arrangement  providing  for  a  single 
program,  and  the  second  for  the  choice  of  two  simul- 
taneous programs.  In  the  first  case,  one  amplifier  and 
in  the  second,  two  are  used. 


'earuary,  1936 


Page  65 


The       DA-LITE 
CHALLENGER 

is  made  in  several  sizes  from 
30"  X  40"  up  to  and  including 
70"  X  94".  Screen  surface  is 
beaded  unless  otherwise  specified. 


A  Versatile  Helper 
in  Visual  Education 


In  many  schools,  where  visual  aids  are  employed,  the  Da-Lite 
Challenger  Screen  puts  in  a  busy  day. 

Because  of  its  light  weight  and  compact  construction,  the 
Challenger  can  be  moved  easily  from  room  to  room  .  .  .  helping 
the  geography  teacher  with  movies  of  foreign  countries  and  then 
going  to  the  botany  class  to  illustrate  plant  life  with  slides.  Wherever 
used,  the  Challenger  Screen  provides  efficient  reflection  of  light, 
assuring  bright,  sharply  defined  movies  or  stills. 

The  Challenger  has  a  tripod  attached  to  the  case  in  which  the 
screen  is  mounted.  It  can  be  set  up  quickly  and  solves  the  problem 
of  where  to  show  pictures.  The  Da-Lite  line  includes  all  types  of 
screens  for  every  school  requirement.  Ask  your  dealer  about  Da-Lite 
Screens  or  write  for  full  details. 


DA-LITE    SCREEN    CO.,    INC. 

2723  N.  Crawford  Ave.  Chicago,  III. 

Quality    Screens    for    More    Than    a    Quarter    Century 


Da-Lite  Screens 


AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


TO  ALL  PROGRESSIVE  EDUCATORS: 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  present  to  you  and  to  invite  your  support  of  the  following  VISUAL  EDUCATION  CREED: 

1)  We  believe  educational  films  are  of  the  utmost  value  in  the  classroom,  in  the  hands  of  the  class- 
room teacher,  and  should  be  selected  in  advance  for  the  entire  school  year. 

2)  We  believe  full  knowledge  of  educational  films  thus  to  be  used  should  be  supplied  classroom  teach- 
ers by  the  time  schools  open  in  September,  making  thorough  preparation  possible. 

3)  We  believe,  in  spite  of  the  unquestioned  value  of  and  present  day  interest  in  sound  films,  silent 
16  mm.  films  are  better  adapted  to  the  teaching  process  in  the  classroom, — ^where  the  teacher  and 
pupils  do  the  talking. 

4)  We  believe  educational  films  have  a  place  in  a  school  because  of  their  own  intrinsic  values,  even  if 
they  are  not  correlated  with  a  set  teaching  program  or  text  book;  they  furnish  vicarious  experience 
of  the  highest  type. 

5)  We  believe  many  if  not  most  educational  films  have  independent  values  in  different  teaching  levels 
and  with  different  classroom  subjects. 

6)  We  believe  the  time  has  come  when  we  should  stop  talking  about  "the  great  future  of  Visual  Edu- 
cation", and  should  realize  it  is  now  a  vital  contribution  to  better  teaching  in  every  school. 

7)  We  believe  it  is  possible  to  supply  a  year's  service  in  educational  films,  including  a  projector,  at  a 
rental  charge  so  low  that  the  smallest  school  can  afford  the  service. 

Please  read  thoughtfully  these  seven  articles  of  our  creed,  then  write  us  for  sample  yestrly  circuit  schedules  to 
see  whether  the  service  we  have  been  offering  during  the  past  five  years  and  which  we  shall  continue  to  offer  in 
greater  degree  and  to  increasing  hundreds  of  schools,  is  in  direct  harmony  with  this  creed. 

Within  the  next  few  weeks  one  of  our  organizers  will  call  to  see  you  with  the  hope  ttiat  you  will  want  to  have 
your  school  also  included  in  one  of  our  circuits.  '      ^    ! 

WM.    H.    DUDLEY    VISUAL    EDUCATION    SERVICE,    INC. 

736  SO.  WABASH  AVENUE,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


Page  66 


The  Educational  Screen 


IN  SIGHT 


IN  MIND! 


•  Education  marches 
forward ! 

•  Visual  instruction 
advances  on  a  vocal 
stepping-stone. 

•  UNIVERSAL  with  a 
leader's  background 
of  fifteen  years  of  non- 
theatrical  service,  leaps 
ahead  of  the  times! 

•  What  are  your 
needs? . .  .  Geographi- 
cal subjects,  musical, 
historical,  current 
events,  cartoon  come- 
dies, feature-length 
motion  pictures?  .  .  . 
Consult  UNIVERSAL! 

Write  for  further 
information  to 

NON-THEATRICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Universal  Pictures 
Corporation 


ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 


NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 


New  Distribution  Plan  for  Gutlohn  Films 

Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc..  through  its  Sales  Manager, 
Harry  A.  Kapit,  makes  announcement  of  a  new  plan 
for  distribution  of  its  16  mm.  sound-on-film  subjects 
by  which  they  will  establish  libraries  in  school  dis- 
tricts throughout  the  country  for  the  convenience  of 
schools  in  these  districts.  The  development  of  these 
local  film  libraries,  imder  the  supervision  of  school 
authorities,  will  enable  schools  to  purchase  or  rent 
films  at  very  nominal  cost,  because  of  the  reduced 
distribution  expense,  so  that  even  schools  with  verv 
limited  funds  can  take  advantage  of  the  service. 
The  Gutlohn  library  contains  many  educational  and 
recreational  films,  and  there  is  in  preparation  a  num- 
ber of  new  subjects  on  Nature  Study,  Literature, 
Alusic  Appreciation,  Natural  Science.  Industry  and 
Travel. 

Revised  Victor  Directory 

The  Fifth  l^evised  Edition  of  the  Victor  Directory 
of  16mm  Film  Sources,  Silent  and  Sound-on-Film, 
makes  its  appearance  after  a  publication  lapse  of  ap- 
proximately two  years.  Although  designated  as  a 
revised  edition,  this  new  booklet  is,  in  fact,  a  com- 
pletely new  work.  In  addition  to  an  increased  num- 
ber of  source  listings,  it  includes  a  new  section  of  16 
pages  devoted  to  helpful  information  and  data.  The 
directory  is  distributed  free  of  charge  to  present  and 
prospective  owners  of  16mm  equipment  on  recjuest. 
Free  distribution  is  limited  to  one  copy  per  person. 
Additional  copies  will  be  supplied  at  fifty  cents  each. 

Export  Manager  Tours  Orient 

On  his  tour  through  the  Orient,  ^Ir.  A.  E.  Aleyer, 
export  manager  of  the  International  Projector  Cor- 
poration, emphasized  the  value  of  educational  films. 
An  interesting  account  of  his  visit  to  Shanghai  appears 
in  the  Shanghai  Evening  Post  and  Mercury,  together 
with  some  of  Mr.  Meyer's  remarks. 

''The  time  is  coming  when  entertainment  films  will 
run  a  very  poor  second  to  those  for  education  and 
propaganda,"  declared  Mr.  A.  E.  Meyer. 

After  visiting  India,  where  he  found  great  progress 
in  development  of  a  native  motion  picture  industry, 
Mr.  Meyer  believes  that  China  still  has  a  long  way  to 
go  in  that  field. 

In  the  United  States,  "pictures  are  being  used  for 
propagandist  and  educational  purposes.  And  the  Chi- 
nese government  should  also  make  use  of  them  that 
way,"  he  contended,  adding  that  the  Central  Govern- 
ment at  Nanking  was  alive  to  this  and  had  placed  an 
order  for  44  portable  sound  projectors. 

"The  field  of  visual  education  has  barely  been 
scratched,"  remarked  Mr.  Meyer.  "The  teaching  pro- 
fession has  not  yet  fully  realized  that  this  is  an  aux- 
iliary rather  than  a  substitute  for  their  work,  and  can 
be  used  to  make  the  lessons  easier  to  assimilate." 

The  purpose  of  Mr.  Meyer's  trip  was  to  visit  his  com- 
pany's representatives  abroad,  and  make  them  familial 
with  recently  improved  Simplex  projectors. 


y  v_t  ^'  crtov^    (/^ 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 

Papers  jrom  'Stt.  Louis  Meeting  of 
The  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 

Some  Unsolved  Problems  in  the  Development 
of  Visual  Education 

Preparing  Teachers  in  the  Use  oF 
Visual-Sensory  Aids 

The  Sound  Film  as  a  Teaching  Aid 

The  American  Film  Institute 

Teaching  Safety  Through  Visual  Education 

What  Next  in  Visual  Education? 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a    Year  • 


MARCH 


1936 


No  ^Theatre  h 


IS 


Befteirfhan  ik  Prmecfioifi 


INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATION 

88-96    GOLD     ST.  NEW     YORK,  N.Y. 


Page  71 


A  S  was  done  for  the  Denver  nieeting- 
of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruc- 
tion last  July,  The  Educational 
ScRKEN  again  undertakes  to  reprint  all 
pa])ers  jiresented  at  the  recent  St.  Louis 
iTieetint,^  This  reprinting  will  not  only 
serve  somewhat  as  printed  "Proceedings" 
but  will  multiply  the  audience  for  these 
papers  more  than  a  hundred-fold. 

In  this  issue  appear  the  addresses  by 
Anderson,  Yeager,  Power,  Dale,  Stack, 
McClusky;  in  that  order.  April  will  com- 
plete the  reprint  with  papers  by  Baker, 
Betts,  Hansen,  Hoban,  Perrin,  and  the 
Symposium.  Regrettably,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  reprint  discussions  which  arose 
and  comments  which  acc(im]Mnied  the 
showings  of  some  excellent  teaching 
films  such  as  "Sound  Waves  and  their 
Sources",  "Volcanoes  in  Action"  (Chi- 
cago-Er])i),  "London"  (Eastman  Teach- 
ing), "Reproduction  in  Plants  and  Low- 
er Animals"  (Hell  and  Howell),  and 
"Cheeka",  the  skilfully  re-edited  school 
version  of  "The  Silent  Enemy"  (Ed- 
wards). 

A  I'URTHER  word  is  in  order  regard- 
ing the  first  address  mentioned 
above.  This  conci.se,  trenchant  and 
clear-visioned  analysis  of  the  future  of 
visual  education  was  first  given  by  Dean 
C.  J.  Anderson  of  the  University  of  Wis- 
consin as  a  luncheon  talk  during  the  re- 
cent Visual  Instruction  Institute  con- 
ducted by  J.  E.  Hansen  at  Madison. 
Dean  Anderson,  desjiite  his  terrifically 
crowded  schedule  just  preceding  the  St. 
Louis  meetings,  graciously  agreed  to  get 
his  words  down  on  paper  while  the  train 
was  carrying  him  from  Madison  to  St. 
Louis.  The  valued  manuscri])!  reached 
visual  headtjuarters  in  good  time  but  to 
find  place  for  reading  it  on  the  program 
proved  impossible.  Reprinting  here, 
however,  ]nits  this  significant  utterance 
within  permanent  reference  reach  of  the 
entire  educational  field. 


F 


OR  lack  of  space  on  the  D.  V.  I.  page 
this  month,  the  writer  wishes  to  ex- 
press here  both  regret  and  gratitude  re- 
garding the  St.  Louis  meeting.  He  re- 
grets— and  every  member  present  will 
agree — that  the  crowded  jjrogram  de- 
feated several  efforts  for  a  complete  and 
systematic  tour  of  the  justly  famous  St. 
Louis  Educational  Museum  of  which 
Miss  Amelia  Meissner  is  Director.  Many 
missed  seeing  in  fvill  detail  this  splendid 
service  plant,  beautifully  organized,  effi- 
ciently administered,  and  meticulously 
kept.  The  writer  thanks  sincerely — and 
again  all  will  agree — that  same  .\melia 
Meissner  for  her  perfect  achievement 
as  Chairman  of  -Arrangements  for  the 
annual  meeting. 

Nelson  L.  Greene. 


Educational    Screen 

Combined     with 

Visual     Instruction     News 


MARCH,   1936 

VOLUME     XV  NUMBER     3 


CONTENTS 

Some  Unsolved  Problems  in  the  Development  of  Visual 

Education.     J.  C.  Anderson 73 

Preparing  Teachers  in  the  Use  of  Visual-Sensory  Aids. 

Vv'illiam   A.  Yeager - 74 

The  Sound  Film  as  a  Teaching  Aid.    Leonard  Power 77 

The  American  Film  Institute,     Edgar  Dale.—. 79 

Teaching  Safety  Through  Visual  Education. 

Herbert  J.  Stack -  82 

Vv^hat  Next  in  Visual  Education?   F.  Dean  McClusky. 84 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

Conducted  by  E.  C.  Vv'aggoner .-  85 

The   Film   Estimates .- - — -  86 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 87 

The  Church  Field.   Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Brady 88 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis.. 90 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky 92 

Current  Film  Releases 96 

Here  They  Are!  A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field !00 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index. 


General  and  Editorial  OfFices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  March,  1935  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published    every   month   except  July   and    August. 

$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L  Greene,  Editor 
Ellsworth  C.  Dent 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Josephine  Hoffman 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
R.  F.  H.  Johnson 
Marlon  F.  Lanphier 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 


Page  72 


The  Educational  Screen 


ffioM  25  nnimRTOPHonE 

BRinG9  HEUI   FRHIE   TO  fl  UIORID-FRHIOUS   nflmE 

©Price  need  no  longer  be  on  obstacle  to  the  enjoyment  of  Quality  sound  picture  reproduction. 
Model  25  Sound-on-Film  ANIMATOPHONE  (for  silent  and  sound  projection)  is  priced  at  only 
$360.00!    In  addition  to  embodying  the  ingenious  simplifications  and  mechanical  superiorities  that 

have  always  been  tradlblonal  with  Victor  Cine  products,  Model  25  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  World's  Smallest  (45  lbs.  total). 
Most  Compact,  and  Lowest  Priced  HIGH  QUALITY  Sound  Picture  Reproducer.  It  Is  the  ONLY  l6mm  sound  projector  that 
may  be  operated  on  D.  C.  as  well  as  A.  C.  without  use  of  converter.  Ask  for  demonstration.  .  .  .  Let  your  own  eyes  and  ears 
prove  that  ANIA\ATOPHONE  25  is  without  rival. 

YicTDB  flnimflTOGRflPH  CD RPD RATIO n-sr.^vr.Ts-.sffi 


March,  1936 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  73 


Some  Unsolved  Problems  in  the  Development  of 
'isudi  Education 


By    C.    J.    ANDERSON 

Dean   School   of  Education,   University  of  Wisconsin.   Madison 


THE  average  educational  generalist  is  no  more 
than  a  lay  observer  when  he  discusses  such  spec- 
ialized fields  as  that  of  Visual  Education.  It  is 
with  this  saving  clause  that  I  comment  upon  what 
seems  to  me  to  be  some  outstanding  and  unsolved 
problems  in  the  field  of  visual  education. 

How  shall  visual  instruction  be  presented  to  the 
teacher  so  that  she  may  be  able  to  use  this  technique 
efficiently?  Several  times  a  year  I  am  asked  to  include 
among  the  offerings  of  the  School  of  Education  of  the 
University  of  Wisconsin  a  course  in  visual  instruc- 
tion. Up  to  the  present  I  have  not  satisfied  this  de- 
mand. I  remember  the  period  when  experimental 
work  of  a  pioneer  type  was  being  carried  on  in  the 
field  of  diagnosis  of  learning  difficulties  and  remedial 
instruction.  The  first  inadequate  experiments  spurred 
on  a  legion  of  investigators  until  quite  a  respectable 
body  of  literature  was  available  in  this  field.  Soon 
courses  in  "Diagnosis  of  Reading  Difficulties,"  "Reme- 
dial Instruction"  and  "Diagnosis"  in  other  fields  began- 
to  appear  among  the  educational  course  offerings  of 
leading  schools  of  education.  Rarely  is  such  a  course 
found  today.  Educators  learned  that  diagnosis  of 
learning  difficulties  was  a  fundamental  and  organic 
part  of  every  course  in  techniques  of  instruction  and 
not  an  appendage  under  a  separate  label.  Today  in  all 
courses  dealing  with  special  or  general  techniques  of 
instruction,  diagnosis  of  learning  difficulties  is  an  inte- 
grated and  essential  unit.  It  occurs  to  me  that  the 
same  course  may  be  followed  in  the  development  of 
visual  instruction  techniques.  If  it  is  an  appendage 
or  merely  a  desirable  "follow-up"  feature  of  instruc- 
tional techni(|ues,  then,  perhaps,  we  should  minimize 
its  contribution  by  offering  it  as  a  "special  course." 
If  it  is  to  become  an  organic  part  of  all  educational 
procedures,  we  must  recognize  this  fact  by  making  it 
an  indispensable  part  of  the  core  courses  in  teacher 
training.  Purely  as  a  temporary  procedure,  however, 
schools  of  education  will  in  all  probability  find  it  nec- 
essary to  differentiate  between  teachers-in-service  and 
teachers-in-training  in  its  provisions  for  inducting 
them  into  this  new  field. 

Perhaps  the  problem  of  reorganization  of  curricula 
on  elementary,  secondary  and  college  levels  transcends 
all  others  in  importance.  Today,  in  large  measure,  the 
contributions  of  visual  instruction  receive  scant  notice 
in  our  curricula.  At  best  they  are  but  thriftily  foot- 
noted as  quasi-entertainment  features  of  an  otherwise 


complete  curriculum.  Considered  in  so  minor  a  way, 
visual  instruction  will  have  little  legitimate  impact 
upon  education.  The  course  of  study  in  every  subject 
of  every  grade  from  kindergarten  through  vmiversity 
must  be  re-examined  and  reconstructed  to  make  place 
for  this  child  of  our  legitimate  affections — not  by 
adding  an  "ell"  or  a  "lean-to"  but  by  an  architectural 
and  building  reconstruction  of  the  entire  edifice.  Some 
work  in  this  direction  has  been  done.  It  has  been 
done  timidly,  apologetically,  and  ineffectually.  A  real 
job  awaits  someone  in  this  field.  The  frame  of  refer- 
ence is  available.     Courageous  builders  are  needed. 

Have  you  ever  considered  how  the  development  of 
visual  instruction  will  affect  the  text-books  on  all  levels  ? 
At  this  time  probably  one  can  only  venture  to  guess  at 
what  will  happen.  Certainly  there  will  be  little  need 
for  the  inadequate  illustrations  of  the  present  day  text 
book.  Quite  as  clear  to  me  is  the  coming  elimination 
of  elaborate  word-pictures  now  necessary  when  one 
travels  in  imagination  by  means  of  a  text  book.  The 
moving  pictures  will  revolutionize  this.  And  if  sound 
accompaniment  in  the  form  of  lectures  is  available,  a 
large  part  of  the  present  day  text-book  may  well  be 
dispensed  with.  The  text-book  may  become  merely  a 
briefed  outline  or  a  pamphlet.  Incidentally,  the  thriv- 
ing industry  of  writing  and  manufacturing  textbooks 
will  not  look  upon  such  a  change  with  any  great  degree 
of  enthusiasm. 

The  final  problem  that  must  be  faced  in  acknowl- 
edging this  educational  child,  Visual  Instruction,  as 
our  own,  is  a  financial  one.  What  will  an  adequate 
and  properly  integrated  program  of  visual  instruction 
cost?  Some  myopic  educators  think  of  this  program 
in  terms  of  one  moving  picture  machine  for  a  school 
system  or  for  a  school  building  with  a  free  or  rental 
film  service  from  the  state.  That  scarcely  scratches 
the  surface.  Children  will  be  taught  to  read  in  part 
through  this  new  technique.  New  steps  of  learning  in 
arithmetic,  correct  language  usage,  literature,  geogra- 
phy, history,  health,  science,  correct  movements  of  the 
arm  in  penmanship — these  are  but  a  random  sampling 
of  the  impact  of  this  field.  A  moving  picture  machine 
in  each  building  ?  How  entirely  inadequate !  There 
must  be  one  in  every  room  from  the  kindergarten  to 
the  graduate  school.  Millions  of  dollars  must  be  spent 
in  research,  in  experimental  work  and  in  the  develop- 
ment of  this  new  curricular  material.    One  must  think 


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in  terms  of  hundreds  of  millions  of  dollars  to  compre- 
hend its  cost.  This  need  not  frighten  educators.  The 
new  contribution  will  be  worth  the  cost.  But  with 
public  schools  competing  with  highway  construction, 
unemployment  insurance,  old  age  pensions,  etc.  for 
public  funds,  and  with  cigarettes,  chewing  gum,  cos- 
metics and  automobiles  for  the  individual's  funds,  the 


cost  of  the  layette  for  this  educational  infant  may  well! 
crease  the  brow  and  whiten  the  hair  of  our  educational] 
administrators.  Along  with  research  and  experimen- 
tation on  the  problems  of  teacher  training,  curriculuml 
and  text-books  should  go  careful  study  of  fiscal  policyj 
and  financial  accounting  in  order  to  make  adequate 
provision  for  visual  education. 


Preparing  Teachers  in  The  Use  of  Visual -Sensory  Aids 

By    DR.    WILLIAM    A.    YEAGER 


JOHN  DEWEY  in  a  recent  address  before  the  National 
Education  Association  made  this  statement,  "Let  me 
say  that  it  would  be  almost  an  educational  revolution 
if  we  were  to  recognize  that  we  live  in  a  changing  social 
order  and  proceed  to  act  upon  that  recognition  in  our 
schools  .  .  .  our  educational  system  has  been  an  edu- 
cation for  a  static,  a  relatively  fixed,  social  order."*  Unfor- 
tunately, many  teachers  now  teaching  in  our  public  schools 
have  been  prepared  in  teacher  training  institutions  in  ac- 
cordance with  an  educational  philosophy  which  has  not 
recognized  this  fundamental  truth.  Classics,  languages,  pol- 
itics of  a  past  age,  even  the  social  studies  themselves  have 
been  studied  with  more  emphasis  upon  what  has  been  and 
with  little  emphasis  to  view  life  as  a  continuous  adjustment 
of  the  dynamic  convulsions  necessarily  present  in  our  im- 
mediate human  relationships.  For  the  most  part,  the  teach- 
ers of  our  secondary  schools  prepared  in  liberal  arts  colleges 
as  well  as  elementary  teachers  prepared  in  normal  schools 
have  been  immersed  in  the  influeAce  of  the  liberal  arts 
tradition. 

The  Dewey  philosophy  of  education  has  been  a  permeating 
force  in  an  unleavened  world.  Actuated  by  these  principles, 
teachers  who  have  really  caught  the  vision  of  an  educational 
process  intertwined  with  life  itself  have  more  recently  been 
guiding  and  directing  boys  and  girls,  actually  educating 
them  with  all  of  the  implications  of  the  term  education. 
Under  dynamic  leadership,  new  patterns  of  an  educational 
process  have  been  cut  along  new  lines, — Winnetka,  Dalton, 
Activity — The  New  Education.  Almost  as  soon  as  formed, 
these  new  educational  patterns  have  been  placed  on  the 
"spot"  by  a  resisting  educational  fraternity  always  looking 
backward.  It  has  been  hard  to  uproot  memorization  of  the 
Constitution,  twenty  lines  a  day  in  Virgil,  a  curriculum 
patterned  to  meet  the  tyranny  of  the  college  entrance  exam- 
ination board,  and  the  teacher  who  boasts  that  she  has  used 
the   same  plan  book,  if  she  ever  had  one,  for  twenty  years. 

But  sudden  realization  often  strikes  hard  and  leaves  an 
unkind  memory.  More  recently,  our  boys  and  girls  just 
didn't  seem  to  fit  into  an  emergency  situation.  We  had 
taught  them  to  idolize  knowledge  for  its  own  sake  and  to 
accept  the  "correct"  views  of  the  master.  The  mental  set 
had  been  formed  which,  alas,  could  not  be  broken.  Crystal- 
lization of  mind  had  taken  place.  The  result  has  been  that 
many  of  our  young  people  entered  a  dynamic  society  "with 
the  attitude  of  wanting  and  expecting  to  be  told,  rather 
than  with  the  attitude  of  realizing  that  they  must  look  into 
things,  must  inquire  and  examine."  It  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered  at   that   the   propagandist   and   the   itching   palm   pre- 


•Dewey,   John,    Education   for  a   Changing   Social   Order.   Xatiitunl  Edu 
cation  AHHiiciaiion  Prod'ttUngs,  1934.  Page   745. 


Professor   of   School    Administration,    University   of   PittsburgbJ 
Pittsburgh,   Pennsylvania 

sumed  upon  the  gullibility  of  our  educational  product  until; 
the  stock  market  broke. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  public  schools  demand  the 
time  of  our  boys  and  girls  during  their  educational  careers, 
the  responsibility,  much  more  the  opportunity,  rests  upon 
those  directing  their  educational  careers  to  meet  the  chal- 
lenge of  a  changing  social  order.  The  teacher  must  as- 
sume this  responsibility.  She  must  assume  the  task  of  as- 
sisting the  child  to  adjust  himself  each  day  more  adequately 
to  changing  life  situations.  Again  to  quote  Dr.  Dewey, 
"Education  for  a  changing  social  order  must  be  based  on  an 
understanding  of  the  facts  of  the  changes  that  are  going 
on,  and  especially  an  insight  into  the  causes  that  are  pro- 
ducing these  changes, — the  forces  that  are  at  work." 

If  we  accept,  then,  the  statement  that  the  teacher  becomes 
the  pivotal  agent  upon  whom  this  responsibility  rests,  her 
preparation  and  philosophy  of  education  must  be  directed 
toward  this  common  purpose. 

Our  problem  concerns  the  preparation  of  two  types  of 
teachers,  first,  those  who  are  now  in  our  teacher  training 
institutions  and  have  not  as  yet  begun  their  teaching  car- 
eers, young,  ambitious,  susceptible  to  new  ideas  and  ideals, 
for  the  most  part  anxious  to  make  good  by  improving  upon 
learned  educational  patterns  and  by  testing  out  new  learned 
ideas ;  and,  second,  the  in-service  teachers,  those  of  all 
ages,  philosophies,  and  habits  of  mind,  many  of  them  con- 
vinced that  there  is  only  one  way  to  teach,  the  one  the 
have  been  using  for  the  past  ten  or  twenty  years,  namely, 
verbalistic  teaching,  if  such  can  be  glorified  as  teaching. 
School  systems  are  composed  of  all  types.  All  children  are 
entitled  to  the  best  teachers  available. 

The  conception  of  education  as  adjustment  to  and  re-liv- 
ing of  life  experiences  brings  us  to  the  problem  of  the  nir 
efficient  method  by  which  this  educational  process  can  le 
accomplished.  Life  can  become  rich  and  full  only  to  the 
degree  that  the  environment  in  which  we  live  can  be  un- 
derstood and  appreciated.  Sensory  experiences  constitute 
the  basis  of  the  child's  educational  pattern.  The  eye,  the 
ear,  the  sense  of  touch,  the  emotional  reactions  to  daily 
experiences,  are  the  warp  and  woof  of  the  pattern.  Some 
one  has  said  that  "seeing  experiences"  has  always  been 
man's  simplest  and  most  natural  means  of  gaining  informa- 
tion. Visual  education  as  commonly  conceived  includes 
more  than  experiences  gained  through  the  eye;  although  it 
is  now  commonly  admitted  that  visual  experiences  account 
for  probably  three-fourths  of  our  sensory  experiences  and 
the  term  sensory  aids  as  including  those  aids  which  con- 
tribute to  this  end.  It  is  unfortunate  that  visual  education 
has  become  associated  among  many   folks  with  "seeing  ex- 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  75 


iriences"  alone,  when  in  reality  it  includes  all  sensory  ex- 
leriences.  Educators  are  waiting  for  an  individual  who 
can  coin   a  more   inclusive  and  appropriate  term  to  fit  this 

i ought  than  the  term  visual  education. 
For  several  years,  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania 
IS  recognized  these  larger  implications  of  educational  de- 
Jopment  through  sensory  experience.  In  response  to  the 
iphasis  placed  upon  visual-sensory  aids  as  invaluable  in 
e  teaching  process,  courses  in  visual  education  were  orga- 
nized in  all  state  teachers  colleges  and  in  many  colleges  and 
universities  devoted  in  part  to  teacher  education.  The  re- 
sponse to  these  courses  and  the  favorable  recognition  given 
to  the  outcome  of  this  newer  emphasis  prompted  the  State 
Council  of  Education  of  Pennsylvania  to  require  the  com- 
pletion of  a  course  in  visual  education  of  all  persons  to 
whom  shall  be  issued  a  permanent  college  certificate  after 
September,  1935.  Teachers  may  complete  this  required 
course  either  as  a  part  of  their  pre-service  education,  or 
as  a  part  of  the  six  semester  hours  required  to  be  com- 
pleted subsequent  to  the  issue  of  the  provisional  college 
certificate,  in  order  to  make  this  certificate  permanent. 

In  response,  then,  to  this  action  of  the  State  Council  of 
Education,  a  course  in  visual  education  was  organized  and 
offered  at  the  University  of  Pittsburgh  during  the  1935 
summer  session  on  an  undergraduate  basis.  Forty-five 
teachers  in  service  were  enrolled  in  this  class.  It  was 
given  in  the  Frick  Training  School  adjoining  the  University 
under  conditions  which  were  all  that  could  be  desired.  Both 
class  and  laboratory  work  were  included.  The  class  met 
on  Monday,  Tuesday,  Thursday  and  Friday  for  an  hour  each 
morning  in  a  regular  classroom,  and  on  Wednesday  after- 
noons for  two  hours  in  a  large  adjoining  art  room  with 
appropriate  tables  and  other  equipment  for  laboratory  pur- 
poses. Two  semester  hours  credit  were  given  for  the  six 
weeks  course.  During  the  first  semester  of  1935-36,  the 
course  in  visual  education  was  given  to  juniors  and  seniors 
of  the  School  of  Education  on  a  similar  basis.  Each  of 
two  sections,  approximately  thirty-five  in  each  section,  met 
for  two  one-hour  periods  weekly  for  class  purposes  and 
seven  two-hour  afternoon  periods  for  laboratory  work  for 
a  semester.  These  two  opportunities  have  enabled  the  writer 
to  study  the  problem  and  adaptation  of  this  course  both  to 
teachers  in  service  as  well   as  prospective  teachers. 

A  previously  prepared  syllabus  and  study  outline  based 
in  part  upon  the  suggested  outline  prepared  by  the  State 
Department  of  Public  Instruction  constituted  the  work  of 
the  course.  A  brief  introduction  to  the  psychological  im- 
plications of  visual  education  and  visual-sensory  aids  was 
given  by  a  member  of  the  staff  in  psychology.  The  follow- 
ing units  of  work  were  taken  up  in  turn : 

I.  Psychological   Aspects   of   Visual-Sensory   .Mds 
II.  Types   of  Visual-Sensory   Aids — (A) 

A.  The  Blackboard 

B.  Pictorial  and  Graphic  Aids 

1.  Pictorial   Materials  of  all  types 

2.  Representative  Materials  (including  drawings, 
sketches,  charts,  graphs,  diagrams,  posters,  car- 
toons, maps,  and  globes) 

3.  Photography — The  Camera 

4.  Classroom  procedures 

C.  The  Stereograph — The  Third  Dimension 

D.  Aids    for    Presenting,    Displaying,    and    Preserving 
Pictorial  Materials  and  Graphic  Aids 

1.  The  Stereoscope 

2.  The  Bulletin  Board 

3.  The    Booklet — Album 

4.  The  Opaque  Projector 

5.  Duplicating   Devices 

6.  Filing  Systems 


III.  Some  Stimulus  Response  Conditions  Which  Affect  the 

Efficiency  of  Visual-Sensory  Aids 
IV.  Types  of  Visual-Sensory  Aids — (B) 

A.  The  Object — Specimen — Model 

B.  The  Exhibit 

C.  The   Sand  Table — Projects   in   miniature 

D.  Floor   and    Room    Representations   —    Projects     of 

Larger  Scope 

E.  The  Museum 

V.  Types  of  Visual-Sensory  .'\ids — (C) 

A.  The   School  Journey — Excursion — Field  Trip 
VI.  Types    of    Visual-Sensory    .'Mds — (D) — Dramatizations 

A.  Simple   Dramatizations — Dramatic   Interpretations 

B.  The  Puppet — Marionette 

C.  The  Pageant 

VII.  Types    of    Visual-Sensory     .Mds — (E) — Still      Picture 

Projection 

A.  The  Lantern  Slide — Making  Lantern   Slides 

B.  Types  of  Projection — Mechanics  and  Application 

1.  The   Stereopticon 

2.  The  Balopticon  or  Opaque  Projector 

3.  The  Still  Film  Slide  and  Strip 

4.  Stereopticon  .Attachment   for   Projecting  Micro- 
scopic  Slides 

VIII.  Types  , of   Visual-Sensory    Aids — (F) — Motion    Picture 

Projection 

A.  Development  of  the  Motion  Picture 

B.  The  Mechanics  of  the  Motion   Picture 

C.  The  Motion  Picture  as  an  Extra-school  Education- 
al Institution 

D.  The  Motion  Picture  in  the  Public  School 

E.  Using  the  Motion  Picture  in  the  Classroom 
IX.  Radio  and  Sound  Equipment 

A.  Development  of  the  Radio 

B.  The  Radio  in  the  Clasroom — Radio  Programs 

C.  Other  Sound    Equipment    as  Victrola,    Public  Ad- 
dress  Systems,  Recording  Systems 

X.  Television 

A.  Development   and   Principles  of  Television 

B.  Television  as  a  Possible  Future  Classroom  Educa- 
tional Aid 

XI.  Research 

A.  Contributions  in  the  Field  of  Visual  Education  and 
Significance  to  Teachers 
XII.  Organization  of  a  Visual  Education  Department 

A.  Nature   of   Organization   for   Towns   and   Cities   of 
Different   Sizes 

B.  Personnel 

C.  Services 

D.  Sources  of  Materials  Available  to  Teachers 

The  principles  and  applications  of  each  of  the  several 
types  of  visual-sensory  aids  as  outlined  above  were  pre- 
sented and  discussed  in  the  morning  class  period.  The  af- 
ternoon laboratory  periods  were  given  over  to  demonstra- 
tion and  further  application  to  classroom  situations.  Com- 
mittees were  organized  to  whom  were  assigned  the  problem 
of  preparing  class  presentations  of  each  type  of  visual-sen- 
sory aid,  constructing  or  developing  the  necessary  material 
and  applying  it  to  given  classroom  situations,  both  on  the 
elementary  as  well  as  the  secondary  levels  of  instruction. 
From  two  to  four  persons  constituted  a  committee.  The 
cartoon  committee  drew  cartoons  or  collected  them  from 
newspapers  and  n-agazines  and  demonstrated  their  values 
and  use  as  teaching  aids.  The  puppet  committee  constructed 
all  types  of  puppets  and  marionettes,  wrote  a  play  or  dram- 
atized a  lesson  showing  their  possibilities  as  teaching  aids. 
The  object-specimen-model-committee  made  and  collected 
an  exhibit  of  each  of  these  types.  The  photography  com- 
mittee took  pictures  and  demonstrated  the  use  of  the  cam- 


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era  in  teaching.  A  school  journey  was  made  to  the  Carnegie 
Museum  and  Art  Exhibit.  All  types  of  home  made  slides 
were  made  and  demonstrated.  A  radio  brought  in  available 
programs  which  were  evaluated  in  terms  of  classroom  pos- 
sibilities. Every  member  of  the  class  was  required  to  learn 
to  operate  three  diflferent  makes  of  16mni.  motion  picture 
projectors.  As  a  result,  all  members  of  the  class  qualified 
for  the  state  license  for  non-theatrical  motion  picture  pro- 
jection. These  illustrate  but  a  few  of  the  laboratory  pro- 
cedures. 

The  construction  of  a  booklet  comprised  the  final  test  of 
the  course.  Each  student  was  required  to  apply  as  many  of 
the  several  visual-sensory  aids  discussed  to  a  particular 
subject  or  grade  level,  such  as  French,  Health,  Second  Grade, 
etc.  The  interest  of  the  students  in  the  construction  of 
these  booklets  was  impressive.  By  this  means  they  were 
able  to  select  the  aids  best  adapted  to  the  particular  field 
or  grade  level  which  they  expected  to  teach  and  to  evaluate 
their  possibilities  in  the  light  of  the  aims  and  content  ma- 
terial to  be  included. 

The  visual  education  exhibit  marked  the  climax  of  the 
course.  An  exhibit  committee  had  been  named  earlier  in  the 
semester.  Since  this  exhibit  was  organized  around  each  of 
the  several  types  of  visual-sensory  aids,  each  laboratory 
committee  mentioned  above  was  expected  to  prepare  all 
material  for  their  particular  section.  The  central  exhibit 
committee  then  arranged  the  aids  and  materials  as  thus  pre- 
pared. Two  large  classrooms  were  necessary  to  house  the 
exhibits.  Invitations  were  extended  to  all  students  and  the 
public  to  attend.  Local  newspaper  reporters  visited  the 
rooms,  took  several  pictures  of  the  exhibit,  and  gave  gen- 
erous space  in  their  publications.  Several  hundred  persons 
viewed  the  exhibit  during  a  three  day  period,  members  of 
the  class  acting  as  hosts  and  hostesses  and  explaining  and 
demonstrating  the  visual-sensory  aids  on  exhibition. 

In  developing  this  course,  we  have  been  ever  mindful  of 
the  philosophy  indicated  at  the  outset.  Students  learned  by 
doing.  Each  visual-sensory  aid  was  presented  with  its 
practical  applications  to  classroom  situations.  Classroom 
and  laboratory  discussions  and  demonstrations  had  to  meet 
this  acid  test. 

Mention  should  be  made  here  as  to  the  necessity  for  ade- 
quate equipment  for  the  proper  conduct  of  a  course  in  vis- 
ual education.  The  course  should  not  be  attempted  unless 
adequate  equipment  and  materials  are  either  immediately 
available  or  can  be  secured  as  needed. 

While  all  educators  may  be  said  to  be  in  agreement  con- 
cerning the  importance  of  educating  both  pre-service  and 
in-service  teachers  in  the  use  of  visual-sensory  aids  in  the 
educational  process,  there  is  by  no  means  common  agree- 
ment as  to  the  manner  in  which  these  aids  shall  be  taught. 
Many  educators  of  teachers  believe  with  strong  conviction 
that  the  philosophy  and  content  of  a  course  in  visual- 
sensory  aids  should  be  taught  in  connection  with  methods 
or  in  other  education  courses  of  the  curriculum.  These  edu- 
cators feel  that  a  separate  course  in  visual  education  merely 
duplicates  material  taught  in  these  method  courses  and 
brings  about  an  overemphasis  upon  what  good  teachers  will 
be  doing  anyway.  If  one  could  be  sure  that  this  is  really 
done  as  contended,  one  would  have  to  agree.  However,  the 
chief  argument  in  favor  of  a  required  course  in  visual  edu- 
cation is  that  every  prospective  and  in-service  teacher 
should  be  brought  in  direct  contact  through  participation 
and  application  with  visual-sensory  aids  developed  sequen- 
tially and  practically  applied.  There  is  a  conscious  effort 
to  emphasize  and  evaluate  them  as  educational  tools. 

The  bibliography   in   the   field  of  visual   education   is   rich 


especially  in  recent  material.  In  addition  to  three  excellent 
books  which  may  be  used  as  basic  texts  or  books  of  refer- 
ence, the  Education  Index  for  1932-35  lists  by  actual  count 
148  specific  references  on  the  subject,  not  including  biblio- 
graphies referred  to  and  many  other  cross  references.  The 
Educational  Screen  which  is  entirely  devoted  to  this  sub- 
ject is  rich  in  current  reference  material.  Many  other  maga- 
zines contain  articles  and  items  of  interest.  State  Depart- 
ments of  Public  Instruction  now  have  departments  or  di- 
visions organized  and  devoted  to  visual  education.  Insti- 
tutions of  higher  education  have  organized  similar  depart- 
ments and  offer  visual-sensory  aid  service  to  neighboring 
school  districts.  State  and  University  museums  are  devel- 
oping a  highly  important  service.  A  considerable  number 
of  theses  and  dissertations  have  recently  appeared  or  are 
in  progress.  In  a  number  of  places,  interesting  researches 
are  being  carried  on,  indicating  a  lively  interest  in  the  sub- 
ject. Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  vast  amount 
of  material  available  for  visual  education  purposes,  much 
of  which  teachers  can  get  free  of  charge.  School  Life,  the 
Office  of  Education  publication,  is  quite  suggestive  in  this 
connection. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  a  course  in  Visual  Education  is 
now  required  by  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania  for  all 
applicants  for  a  permanent  college  certificate,  it  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  all  of  the  fourteen  state  teachers  colleges 
and  fifteen  of  the  fifty-six  liberal  arts  colleges  and  univer- 
sities of  the  Commonwealth  have  developed  a  course  in 
visual  education  and  have  set  aside  specific  equipment  and 
laboratory  facilities  along  lines  suggested  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Public  Instruction.  In  a  letter  received  under  date 
of  February  11,  1936,  from  Mr.  Henry  Klonower,  Chief  of 
the  Teacher  Division,  he  reports  that  during  the  summer  of 
1935,  out  of  fourteen  thousand  teachers  enrolled  in  the 
Pennsylvania  summer  schools,  more  than  twelve  hundred 
were  enrolled  in  courses  in  visual  aids  and  sensory  tech- 
niques. He  estimates  that  eighteen  hundred  prospective 
teachers  were  enrolled  in  this  course  during  the  first  semes- 
ter of  1935-36.  In  view  of  the  current  interest  in  the  sub- 
ject of  visual  instruction,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  a 
number  of  the  manufacturers  of  visual-sensory  aids  and 
equipment  are  reported  as  being  far  behind  in  their  orders 
for  this  material. 

In  conclusion,  the  implications  of  the  changing  social  or- 
der offer  direct  challenges  to  teachers  in  our  public  schools 
to  evaluate  their  offerings  in  the  light  of  effective  materials 
and  methods  adapted  to  this  desired  end.  The  institutions 
devoted  to  teacher  education  are  meeting  this  challenge  in 
preparing  both  prospective  teachers,  and  in  some  places 
teachers  in  service.  However,  teachers  in  service  have  yet 
to  meet  this  challenge  en  masse.  Courses  in  visual  educa- 
tion, if  properly  organized  and  conducted,  will  assist  in 
directing  the  attention  of  teachers  to  these  larger  and  more 
vital  ends  of  society.  Perhaps  administrators  and  super- 
visors themselves  ought  to  be  awakened  to  the  possibilities 
of  such  courses,  so  that  they  may  exercise  proper  leadership. 
In  the  last  analysis,  granting  an  adequate  preparation,  the 
effective  functioning  of  these  procedures  depends  very 
largely  upon  the  personality  and  the  attitude  of  the  teacher. 
As  Dorris  points  out:  "Whole-hearted  and  enthusiastic  rec- 
ognition of  the  need  of  it  (visual  education)  in  the  schools, 
and  the  ability  to  use  it  judiciously  and  effectively,  are  in- 
dispensable."* To  the  end,  then,  that  boys  and  girls  can 
understand  and  appreciate  the  environment  in  which  they 
live  will  life  be  rich  and  full  for  them.  This,  then,  would 
appear  to  be  the  principal  aim  of  visual  education. 


•Dorris,   Anna   Verona.   Tixual  Inslrtii-lion   in   the   Public  Schools,   1928. 
Ginn  and  Company,   New  York.   Page  369. 


Ma 


arch,  195  6 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  77 


The  Sound  Film  As  A  Teaching  Aid 


I 


THE  CHIEF  function  of  the  schools  is  to  supply  chil- 
dren with  concepts  in  the  most  economical  manner. 
The  measure  of  economy  is  the  saving  of  time  for 
the  learner  and  for  society.  Not  only  must  the  learning 
be  economical  but  it  must  also  take  into  consideration  the 
many  secondary  or  concomitant  learnings.  The  number 
of  these  are  in  direct  proportion  to  the  richness  and  vivid- 
ness of  the  instructional  medium.  Richness  and  vividness 
depend  upon  the  sensory  perceptions.  Sound  films  give  to 
the  learner  the  visual  images  of  the  actual  scenes  and  the 
sounds  which  are  inherent  in  their  actions.  These  natural 
sights  and  sounds  are  also  accompanied  by  spoken  words. 

If  I  were  seeking  the  most  vivid  means  of  learning  of  "Old 
Faithful"  I  would  go  to  Yellowstone  Park.  I  have  done  so, 
and  while  I  was  awed  by  its  roar  and  inspired  by  its  beauty, 
a  park  employee  lectured  to  those  present.  Having  selected 
this  experience  for  the  children,  we  can't  take  them  all  to 
Yellowstone  Park  but  we  can  bring  Yellowstone  Park  to 
all  of  them  by  using  sound  films.  We  can  also  provide  the 
lecturer  or  a  capable   substitute. 

"Old  Faithful''  has  been  in  the  curriculum  since  I  was  a 
boy.  I  learned  of  the  geyser  through  the  medium  of  one 
picture  and  a  brief  paragraph  in  my  geography.  Later, 
while  studying  physiography  in  High  School,  I  again  learned 
of  "Old  Faithful"  through  a  full-page  picture  and  several 
paragraphs  in  the  text  which  told  me  why  it  spouts.  An 
enterprising  high  school  teacher  also  provided  us  with  U. 
S.  Government  publications  which  added  other  pictures  of 
Yellowstone  Park  wonders  and  more  verbal  descriptions  of- 
them. 

Then  I  became  a  teacher  and  for  my  pupils  added  a  stere- 
opticon.  Later  I  became  principal  and  bought  a  motion  pic- 
ture machine  for  which  I  rented  films.  Finally,  as  assistant 
superintendent.  I  saw  the  silent  projectors  provided  for  ele- 
mentary schools  and  sound  films  for  the  Junior  and  Senior 
High  Schools. 

Having  briefly  reviewed  an  evolutionary  process  in  me- 
diums of  instruction,  let  us  proceed  to  evaluate  them.  Let 
us  count  the  gain,  and  let  us  also  try  to  forecast  future 
developments. 

We  return  then  to  our  instructional  medium  which  is  rich, 
vivid  and  e-onomical,  while  retaining  the  inedium  of  verbal 
language.  Verbal  language,  when  used  as  a  medium  of  in- 
struction with  sound  films,  is  not  interposed  between  the 
child  and  the  desired  concept.  It  is  presented  as  naturally 
as  verbal  language  can  be  presented,  by  being  spoken.  Al- 
though our  common  sense  tells  us  obvious  reasons  for  using 
verbal  accompaniments,  let's  bring  up  the  big  guns  of  re- 
search by  quoting  from  some  learned  authorities. 

In  The  Scliool  Review  for  March  1933  an  experiment  was 
reported  by  E.  E.  Einbecker.  Some  of  Dr.  Einbecker's  con- 
clusions have  a  direct  bearing  on  our  present  discussion.  He 
finds  that : 

1.  Verbal  accompaniments  increase  the  comprehension  over 
that  secured  from  the  film  without  caption  or  comment. 

2.  Carefully  planned  comments  increase  the  pupil's  under- 
standing and  memory  of  the  picture. 

3.  Tlie  functions  of  verbal  accompaniments  to  filins  are  to 
furnish  the  word  symbols  which  may  be  used  to  represent  the 
more  concrete  experiences  which  the  films  portray,  and  to 
direct  the  attention  to  the  important  terms  or  features  of  the 
picture. 


By      LEONARD      POWER 

President  of  National   Platoon  School  Organization, 
New    York    City 


4.  Tlie  main  function  of  films  is  to  make  instruction  con- 
crete in  order  to  avoid  verbalism.  On  the  other  hand  since 
most  thinking  is  done  with  the  aid  of  words,  one  of  the  most 
important  functions  of  education  is  to  supply  verbal  symbols 
for  concrete  experiences.  The  ultimate  aim  of  this  goal  of 
education  is  the  development  of  the  ability  to  carry  on  abstract 
thinking.  From  this  standpoint,  either  symbolism  without  ex- 
perience or  experience  without  vocabulary  means  an  incom- 
plete education. 

A  comprehensive  experiment  in  the  sound-picture  field  was 
undertaken  by  Arnspiger.l  The  purpose  of  this  study  was  to 
determine  the  effectiveness  of  certain  educational  talking  pic- 
tures in  natural  science  and  music  when  used  as  an  integral 
part  of  the  regular  classroom  instruction. 

Sound  Pictures  and  Units  of  Instruction  Used 

The  sound  pictures  used  in  the  experiment  were  based  on 
units  of  instruction  written  by  experts  in  the  fields  of  science 
and  inusic,  taking  into  consideration  modern  educational  theo- 
ries and  practices.  The  content  of  the  films  included  those  im- 
portant elements  of  subject  matter  which  were  thought  to  be 
particularly  well  adapted  to  presentation  through  the  medium 
of  sound  pictures,  all  available  teaching  devices  and  produc- 
tion techniques  inherent  in  sound-picture  production  being  con- 
sidered. The  printed  units  of  instruction  served  as  courses  of 
study  or  guides  to  teachers  for  the  experimentation.  They 
facilitated  teaching  and  offered  numerous  suggestions  for  the 
enrichment  of  pupil  learning. 

The  third,  the  latest  (1934)  big  gun  of  research  makes  a 
bull's  eye.  It  is  a  dissertation  by  Dr.  Leon  H.  Westfall  en- 
titled, A  Study  of  Verbal  Accompaniments  to  Educational  Mo- 
tion Pictures.  I  shall  therefore  report  freely  from  Dr.  West- 
fall's  analysis  and  findings. 

Dr.  Westfall  used  three  films  which  were  prepared  for  silent 
projection  and  three  which  were  for  projection  with  an  ac- 
companying integrated  lecture.  He  varied  the  method  of  pres- 
entation of  these  six  films  in  the  following  manner : 

1.  Each  film  was  shown  once  without  any  verbal  accompani- 
ment. 

2.  Each  film  was  shown  once  with  average  length  titles. 

3.  Each  film  was  shown  once  with  long  titles  which  included 
explanatory  materials. 

4.  Each  film  was  shown  once  with  average  length  titles  plus 
teacher  comment. 

5.  Each  film  was  shown  once  with  a  teacher  lecture. 

6.  Each  of  the  talking  pictures  were  shown  once  with  a  pre- 
pared sound  projected  lecture. 

7.  Each   film   was  shown  once  with  a  teacher-prepared  ex- 
planation. 

Thus  Dr.  Westfall  presented  seven  variations  of  presentation 
of  the  films.  Following  the  presentation  he  tested  the  children 
to  determine  the  degree  to  which  they  had  formed  the  con- 
cepts which  were  presented. 

Dr.  Westfall's  conclusions,  from  the  twenty-five  fifth  grade 
classes  with  which  he  experimented,  are  significant  as  evidence 
of  the  relative  merits  of  each  of  the  several  methods  of  pres- 
entation.    He  reports  the  following  conclusions : 

1.  For  films  of  the  science  or  expository  type  originally 
constructed  with  the  usual  captions  for  silent  projection: 


1.  V.  C.  Arnspiger,  Measuring  ttie  Effectivenestt  of  Talking  Pictures 
an  Teaching  Aida.  New  York  City:  Bureau  of  Publications,  Teach- 
ers   College,    Columbia   University,    1933. 


Page  78 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


The  Educational  Screen 


a.  An  explanation  which  the  teacher  prepares  from  materials 
furnished  with  the  film,  a  lecture  furnished  with  the  film  and 
read  by  the  teacher,  and  the  usual  captions  were  about  equal 
as  an  aid  to  understanding  the  contents  of  the  film. 

b.  These  three  forms  of  verbal  accompaniment  were  superior 
to  long  captions  by  a  statistically  significant  difference  and 
superior  to  the  regular  captions  supplemented  by  teacher  ex- 
planation, by  a  difference  that  is  nearly  significant  statistically. 

c.  For  each  of  the  three  films,  when  the  regular  captions 
were  materially  lengthened  to  increase  the  amount  of  explana- 
tion, they  not  only  failed  to  increase  the  understanding  of  the 
picture,  but  actually  lowered  it. 

2.  For  films  of  the  science  or  expository  type  originally 
constructed  for  use  with  sound  accompaniment : 

a.  A  mechanically  produced  lecture  was  significantly  super- 
ior to  any  other  form  of  verbal  accompaniment  used  in  the 
experiment. 

b.  A  lecture  that  is  furnished  with  the  film  and  read  by  the 
teacher  was  significantly  superior  to  the  same  material  printed 
on  the  film  or  to  an  explanation  which  the  teacher  prepared 
from  materials  furnished  with  the  film. 

c.  An  explanation  which  the  teacher  prepared  from  ma- 
terial furnished  with  the  film  was  slightly  but  not  significantly 
superior  to  long  captions  printed  on  the  film. 

3.  Oral  forms  of  verbal  accompaniment  were  especially 
helpful  to  low  ability  pupils.  When  oral  explanations  were 
offered,  low  ability  pupils  came  nearer  to  keeping  up  with  the 
average  of  the  class  in  understanding  than  when  the  reading 
of  titles  was  required. 

4.  Pupils  expressed  a  five-to-one  preference  for  talking  pic- 
tures over  any  other  form  of  verbal  accompaniment. 

His  conclusion  that  "a  mechanically  produced  lecture  was 
significantly  superior  to  any  other  form  of  verbal  accompani- 
ment used  in  the  experiment",  should  close  all  argument.  It 
was  supported  by  another  conclusion,  that,  "a  lecture  that  is 
furnished  with  the  film  and  read  by  the  teacher  was  signifi- 
cantly superior  to  the  same  material  printed  on  the  film  or 
to  an  explanation  which  the  teacher  prepared  from  materials 
furnished  with  the  film". 

His  third  conclusion  that  "oral  forms  of  verbal  accompani- 
ment were  especially  helpful  to  low  ability  pupils"  is  the  an- 
swer to  an  educator's  prayer.  The  low  ability  pupils  find  the 
printed  verbal  accompaniment  much  more  difficult  because 
their  reading  ability  is  much  more  limited. 

If  we  are  to  have  oral  accompaniments,  we  may  either  have 
them  prepared  in  advance  and  read  by  the  teacher  or  repro- 
duced by  the  machine  which  projects  the  picture.  The  former 
would  require  the  teacher  to  experience  a  preview  of  the  film 
and  a  very  careful  reading  of  the  accompanying  materials. 
This  would  require  a  considerable  amount  of  time  and  would 
result  in  no  gain  over  the  mechanically  produced  lecture.  We 
should  also  bear  in  mind  that  there  is  a  great  saving  of  film 
when  there  is  no  need  for  showing  printed  captions,  titles,  or 
other  explanatory  matter  on  it. 

Having  reviewed  the  findings  of  Dr.  Westfall,  we  may  look 
into  some  of  the  earlier  studies.  Dr.  P.  J.  Rulon,  of  Harvard 
University,  in  Tlie  Sound  Motion  Picture  in  Science  Tcactiing 
says,  "The  best  short  summary  which  can  be  made  of  some- 
what more  than  one  hundred  separate  experiments  is  that  when 
properly  produced  and  wisely  used,  the  motion  picture  pos- 
sesses distinct  pedagogical  values  over  and  above  traditional 
teaching  methods  on  which  the  same  amounts  of  time  and 
energy  are  expended". 

Let  us  now  turn  to  the  children  as  authorities  on  the  talking- 
picture.  In  Dr.  Westfall's  experiment,  they  expressed  a  "five- 
to-one  preference  for  talking  pictures  over  any  other  form  of 
verbal   accompaniment".     When    we   consider   how   frequently 


children  attend  the  motion  picture  theatres,  in  which  all  pro- 
jections are  accompanied  by  sound,  we  can  understand  the 
reason  for  their  five-to-one  preference  for  the  talking  picture. 
It  seems  only  natural  to  them.  It  should  not  require  a  Ph.  Dj 
dissertation  to  validate  the  statement  that  children  prefer  talk^j 
ing  pictures.  The  box  office  receipts  of  any  "movie"  have  long 
since  validated  that  statement.  The  fact  that  the  silent  \)\c\ 
ture  has  completely  passed  out  of  the  commercial  field  should 
be  sufficient  evidence,  even  for  educators. 

One  of  the  largest  of  the  commercial  producers  has  on  it 
staff  several  men  whose  dissertations  were  in  the  field  of  audio 
visual  teaching  aids.  These  experts  have  made  very  carefu 
studies  in  a  number  of  cities.  I  quote  from  the  Evansvilld 
study  entitled,  ".A  Program  for  The  Utilization  of  Audio- ViS'^ 
ual  Aids",  a  plan  proposed  for  the  Evansville  Public  Schools; 
Evansville.  Indiana,  Erpi  Picture  Consultants  Incorporated 
New  York,  New  York,  1935. 

"By  means  of  the  sound  picture  it  is  possible  so  to  enlarg^ 
the  environment  of  the  individual  that  his  experience  may  in 
many  respects  take  in  the  entire  world — life  situations  whicH 
he  would  otherwise  never  contact  become  part  of  his  persona 
experience.  This  communication  device  can  overcome  the  verjj 
great  psychological  difficulty  which  schools  face  in  the  matte^ 
of  presenting  ideas  by  words,  a  difficulty  which  arises  simpW 
because  the  words  of  themselves  without  a  common  back'l 
ground  do  not  mean  the  same  thing  to  every  one." 

"The  sound  picture  enables  the  student  to  acquire  concept^ 
depending  upon  unseen  and  unheard  facts  and  relationships^ 
For  example,  a  microscopic  field  smaller  than  a  pin  point  cat) 
be  shown  and  discussed  before  an  audience  of  hundreds  o^ 
students.  By  means  of  time  lapse  and  slow  motion  photog- 
raphy, movements  in  nature  too  slow  for  the  human  eye  to 
perceive  can  be  speeded  and  those  moving  too  rapidly  for 
human  perception  can  be  slowed  down  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
become  the  actual  experience  of  all". 

"Still  another  desirable  quality  of  the  sound  picture  lies  in 
the  fact  that  it  can  present  abstract  ideas  which  heretofore 
have  been  very  difficult  because  they  could  be  acquired  only 
through  complicated  processes  of  reflective  thinking,'  beyond 
the  ability  of  a  large  number  of  the  school  population.  An 
example  of  this  may  be  found  in  a  film  recently  developed  for 
the  University  of  Chicago  entitled,  Molecular  Tlicory  of  Mat- 
ter. This  film,  which  deals  almost  entirely  in  abstract  reas- 
oning, shows  very  clearly  how  the  molecular  theory  has  grown 
in  the  minds  of  scientists  from  an  abstract  concept  to  objective 
reality." 

All  that  has  gone  before  leads  to  the  question  which  is,  in 
the  vernacular,  "So  ti'liatf"  The  evidence  in  favor  of  sound 
films  is  in  our  hands,  so  wtiat? 

Before  offering  a  reply,  we  should  examine  some  reasons 
wliy  the  films  are  not  in  the  schools. 

1.  Educators  lack  the  social  inventiveness  to  match  the  pro- 
ducers. They  are  too  wedded  to  "traditional"  school  schedules. 
They  have  failed  to  integrate  the  movies  as  they  have  inte- 
grated manual  training.  The  familiar  alibi  is  lack  of  funds, 
although  schedules  can  be  invented  which  will  use  the  new 
medium  of  instruction  for  large  groups  of  children  at  mu.ii 
less  than  the  present  cost  of  instruction.  Only  recently  in  the 
schools  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  under  controlled  condi- 
tions, it  was  demonstrated  that  one  teacher  using  the  sound 
picture  could  teach  a  group  of  more  than  ISO  students  as  well 
as  or  even  better  in  certain  areas  of  natural  science,  than  could 
individual  teachers  with  classes  ranging  from  30  to  40  stu- 
dents. This  does  not  mean  that  the  school  of  tomorrow  should, 
or  will,  reduce  the  number  of  teachers  by  using  the  sound 
picture,  but  rather  that  many  teachers  will  thereby  be  released 
from   certain   laborious   tasks   involved    in   mass   education,   to 


larch,  19}  6 


Proceedings  of  the  Deparlincnt  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


\ 

^perform   more    fundamental   services   involving   the   needs   and 
abilities  of  individuals  in  very  small  groups. 

12.  The  commercial  motion  picture  theater  managers  have 
;ld  aloof.  Our  first  feeble  after-school  "shows"  made  us 
eir  competitors.  Few  school  systems  now  permit  admission 
arges  and  the  motion-picture  industry  should  forget  we  ever 
d  so.  They  should  support  a  movement  to  use  sound  pic- 
rcs  in  the  schools.     The  big  producers  should  greatly  stiniu- 

Jhe  American  Film  Institute 


MAY  I  say  at  the  outset  that  there  is  nothing  novel 
about  the  idea  of  a  "Film  Institute."  It  has  doubtless 
been  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  leading  members  of 
the  Visual  Instruction  Department  of  the  N.  E.  A.  for  many 
years.  Indeed  approximately  ten  years  ago  The  Educational 
Screen  carried  an  article  by  George  E.  Stone  of  Carmel,  Cal- 
ifornia, in  which  he  predicted  the  development  within  ten  years 
of  an  educational  foundation  which  would  have  not  only  the 
functions  of  a  clearing  house,  but  also  Film  Library  functions 
as  well.  In  this  article  Mr.  Stone  drew  a  parallel  between  the 
suggested  Film  Museum  and  the  Chicago  Field  Museum.  The 
proposed  American  Film  Institute,  the  development  of  state 
and  national  libraries,  the  work  of  the  Film  Division  of  the 
Museum  of  Modern  Art  in  New  York  City,  establish  Mr. 
Stone's  reputation  as  a  prophet. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  recount  to  this  group  the  many 
reasons  which  lay  back  of  the  proposal  for  a  Film  Institute. 
Quite  obviously  a  clearing  house  of  information  and  tech- 
niques is  necessary  in  this  country,  but  the  obvious  difficulty 
is  one  of  getting  sponsorship  for  such  an  institution,  and  ade- 
quate financing.  The  American  Council  of  Education  at  Wash- 
ington D.  C,  a  non-governmental  agency  has  taken  the  spon- 
sorship of  this  activity.  Modest  preliminary  grants  of  funds 
have  been  made  by  the  General  Education  Board  and  the 
Payne  Fund.  Several  conferences  have  been  held  on  the 
problem. 

The  five  objectives  stated  for  this  institute  as  developed  by 
two  Conferences  are  as  follows:  (1)  To  collect  and  distribute 
significant  information  concerning  the  motion  picture  in  edu- 
cation at  home  and  abroad.  (2)  To  stimulate  the  production 
and  use  of  the  motion  picture  for  educational  purposes.  (3) 
To  promote  the  cooperation  of  the  agencies  interested  in  the 
use  and  production  of  the  motion  picture  in  education.  (4)  To 
initiate  and  promote  research  pertaining  to  the  motion  picture 
and  allied  visual  aids  in  education.  (5)  To  develop  a  na- 
tional appreciation  of  the  potential  contribution  of  the  motion 
picture  to  the  cultural  life  of  America. 

May  I  now  discuss  briefly  the  first  objective.  It  is  self-evi- 
dent to  the  members  of  this  audience  that  there  is  a  tremen- 
dous amount  of  significant  information  which  is  not  being  col- 
lected and  distributed  at  the  present  time.  What  are  some 
examples  of  this  type  of  information?  First  of  all  we  need 
data  concerning  the  extent  and  character  of  the  use  of  visual 
aids  in  the  schools.  Further,  these  data  ought  to  be  a  part  of 
the  reports  made  by  schools  each  year  to  their  state  depart- 
ments of  education.  Some  states,  e.  g.  Illinois,  do  include  this 
information  in  their  high  school  reports.  However,  data  of 
this  type  were  not  available  except  in  part  before  the  recent 
survey  of  the  U.  S.  Office  of  Education.  Data  concerning 
trends  in  this  field  and  information  concerning  better  practice 
have  been  available  through  McCluskey's  report  and  through 
the  very  excellent  year  book  of  the  Elementary  School 
Principals. 

None  of  these  studies,  however,  goes  into  the  very  funda- 
mental question  of  techniques  for  the  use  of  films  and  allied 


Page  79 


late  such  local  support  by  theater  managers. 

3.  Educators  have  waited  for  more  and  better  pictures. 
Certainly,  with  such  careful  production  as  that  of  Erpi  Pic- 
ture Consultants,  there  is  no  need  to  wait  longer. 

In  conclusion,  we  see  in  the  sound  picture  an  example,  in  so 
far  as  the  schools  are  concerned,  of  mechanical  inventiveness 
waiting  on  social  inventiveness.  We  are  the  social  inventors. 
To  us,  then,  goes  the  challenge. 


By      EDGAR      DALE 

School  of  Education,  Ohio  State  University.  Columbus,  O. 

visual  aids  in  the  schools.  I  constantly  put  this  question  to 
principals  and  superintendents :  What  teachers  are  there  in 
your  city  or  your  state  who  exemplify  excellent  teaching  prac- 
tice with  the  use  of  these  aids.  Most  educators  are  nonplussed 
by  this  question.  Superintendent  McAndrew  once  told  me  not 
to  fret  about  this,  however,  since  most  superintendents  and 
principals  didn't  even  know  their  good  teachers  in  any  field. 
Obviously  if  we  are  to  be  doing  all  the  time,  we  shall  have  to 
have  in  each  state  and  in  each  city,  a  list  of  the  key  teachers 
in  these  fields.  Now  may  I  give  you  some  interesting  exam- 
ples of  data  that  I  have  picked  up  in  my  visits  to  various 
centers. 

One  of  the  striking  things  that  one  discovers  as  he  visits  var- 
ious centers  throughout  the  country  is  the  fact  that  in  almost 
every  center,  there  will  be  persons  who  have  developed  spec- 
ialized skills  or  specialized  techniques  that  are  not  generally 
known  throughout  the  field.  For  example,  Alan  Nicol  at  Buf- 
falo through  the  reclassification  and  regrading  of  his  films  has 
greatly  stimulated  film  use.  This  new  film  catalog  is  a  mimeo- 
graphed document  but  it  defines  very  carefully  to  the  primary 
teacher,  for  example,  those  films  which  will  prove  useful  to 
her  in  teaching  various  subjects.  Previously  this  information 
remained  unknown  to  her. 

One  of  the  finest  school  activity  films  that  I  have  ever  seen 
was  screened  recently  at  the  three-day  University  of  Wiscon- 
sin Institute.  It  was  made  by  Mr.  C.  M.  Cooley  of  the  Wau- 
watosa  High  School.  Few  people  in  this  country  know,  by  the 
way,  that  the  University  of  Minnesota  has  a  News  Reel  Thea- 
tre in  which  are  shown  each  week  all  of  the  current  news  reels 
and  travel  shorts.  Students  are  charged  five  cents  each,  more 
than  2500  of  them  come  to  each  weekly  performance,  and  the 
project  is  self-supporting. 

Mr.  Hansen  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  has  this  year 
inaugurated  a  group  plan  for  the  utilization  of  visual  aids.  He 
is  probably  not  yet  ready  to  comment  on  its  effectiveness,  but 
it  is  an  illustration  that  techniques  of  a  very  important  sort 
are  being  developed  throughout  the  country. 

The  same  is  true  of  the  Cooperative  Library  developed  by 
Dr.  Russell  Gregg.  This  has  been  an  outstanding  success  and 
thanks  to  the  columns  of  The  Educational  Screen  it  is  now 
possible  to  let  groups  throughout  the  country  have  this  in- 
formation. 

When  I  was  in  Los  Angeles  two  or  three  years  ago  Miss 
Annette  Click  showed  me  an  excellent  film  on  Home  Eco- 
nomics dealing  with  serving,  which  had  been  made  by  the 
schools  there,  and  widely  used  in  that  system.  Many  schools 
throughout  the  United  States  however  would  be  very  much 
interested  in  seeing  that  film. 

The  Ohio  State  University  has  made  over  seventy-five  reels 
of  motion  pictures  during  the  last  few  years.  More  than 
twenty  reels  have  been  made  by  the  Department  of  Fine  Arts, 
twenty-three  by  the  Department  of  Psychology,  several  by  the 
Department  of  Veterinary  Medicine  and  other  scattered  depart- 
ments. Who  knows  about  these  films?  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
these  films  are  not  well  known  even  on  the  University  campus, 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


The  Educational  Screen 


and  yet  the  film,  "The  Making  of  a  Puppet",  which  was  pro- 
duced by  the  Fine  Arts  Department  of  Ohio  State  University 
is  a  superior  teaching  fihn  both  from  a  photographic  and  from 
a  teaching  standpoint. 

The  University  of  Minnesota  in  cooperation  with  the  Hen- 
nepin County  Tuberculosis  Association  made  during  this  year 
an  excellent  sound  motion  picture  dealing  with  tuberculosis. 
If  you  are  interested  in  techniques  of  this  type  I  am  certain 
that  the  film  will  interest  you  greatly.  More  than  40,000 
people  have  already  seen  it. 

The  city  of  Detroit  was  responsible  for  the  production  of  a 
number  of  clips  that  were  attached  to  news  reels  in  that  city 
in  a  campaign  to  reduce  delinquency  in  taxes.  These  have  now 
been  cut  together  to  make  several  reels.  Has  any  one  in  this 
audience  ever  heard  about  it?  This  film  is  a  significant  one 
for  political  science,  for  teachers  of  government,  and  yet  I 
have  never  found  any  university  in  the  country  that  had  heard 
of  the  film.  If  Detroit  can  secure  such  striking  results  in  col- 
lecting delinquent  ta.xes  by  means  of  films,  should  not  this  fact 
be  made  known  more  widely? 

I  have  long  believed  that  one  of  the  prime  necessities  in 
American  Education  was  to  have  scouts  going  around  to  the 
various  schools  finding  excellent  techniques  and  excellent 
teachers  and  then  spreading  the  word  of  their  teaching  so  that 
others  might  have  the  benefit  of  their  techniques.  Through 
the  work  which  I  recently  completed  in  the  field  of  motion  pic- 
ture appreciation  I  was  able  to  collect  the  names  of  approxi- 
mately 750  superior  teachers  of  English  and  Social  studies 
who  were  interested  in  carrying  out  experimental  work  in  their 
field.  Now  obviously  this  information  ought  to  have  been 
made  available  before.  Certainly  if  we  are  going  to  progress 
in  any  field  of  human  knowledge,  or  in  any  field  of  teaching, 
we  ought  to  have  on  hand  in  every  state,  in  every  city  a  list 
of  those  key  master  teachers  who  are  willing  to  cooperate  and 
are  alert  in  their  reaction  to  new  ideas. 

The  list  of  some  10,000  persons  interested  in  visual  instruc- 
tion which  is  accruing  as  a  result  of  the  National  Motion 
Picture  Survey,  will  go  far  to  giving  us  persons  to  whom  to 
go  for  information  and  guidance  in  this  field. 

A  second  objective  of  the  American  Film  Institute  was 
stated  as  follows :  "To  stimulate  the  production  and  use  of 
motion  pictures  for  educational  purposes."  Ob.iously  there 
are  a  number  of  ways  of  carrying  this  objective  to  its  com- 
pletion. One  of  the  most  important  things  which  we  must  do 
in  this  country  is  to  begin  an  adequate  teacher  training  pro- 
gram in  the  field  of  visual  aids.  We  have  a  very  unfavorable 
showing  on  that  score.  Out  of  some  thirty-five  teachers  col- 
leges to  whom  I  recently  wrote  and  these  were  the  leading 
teachers  colleges  in  the  country,  almost  none  of  them  either 
oflfered  as  a  course  or  a  part  of  a  course  any  instruction  in  the 
use  of  visual  aids. 

Many  of  these  Presidents  of  teachers  colleges  and  Deans 
of  Colleges  of  Education  argue  cleverly  against  a  separate 
course  on  visual  aids.  It  ouglit  to  be  integrated  with  the 
teaching  of  science,  with  the  teaching  of  geography,  and  so 
on,  they  say.  "Might  just  as  well  have  a  course  in  maps  said 
one  Dean  of  a  College  of  Education,"  I  then  follow  up  with 
this  question  "All  right,  then,  show  nie  the  units  on  visual 
aids  that  you  are  using  in  the  teaching  of  science,  geography". 
I  ask  the  question  but  it  isn't  answ^ered  because  the  majority 
of  these  schools  do  not  give  any  training  at  any  point  in  this 
particular  field. 

Much  of  our  teacher  training  will  have  to  be  given  to  teach- 
ers in  service  through  conferences,  institutes  and  demonstra- 
tions. A  number  of  examples  of  this  type  of  activity  are  going 
forward. 

For  example,  last  summer  at  the  University  of  Illinois,  Dr. 
Russell  Gregg  and  his  associates  put  on  a  two  day  Film  Insti- 


tute. From  100  to  ISO  persons  attended  each  session.  This 
Institute  will  be  held  again  this  next  summer  and  an  even 
larger  attendance  is  expected.  Just  two  weeks  ago  now  I  spent 
three  days  at  the  University  of  Madison,  where  Mr.  J.  E. 
Hansen,  head  of  the  Visual  Instruction  Service  of  the  Exten- 
sion Division  of  the  University  put  on  a  three  day  Institute. 
The  response  to  this  work  was  gratifying,  and  there  is  little 
doubt  that  this  type  of  thing  will  continue. 

In  the  State  of  Ohio,  we  are  laying  plans  for  a  motion  pic- 
ture Institute  this  summer  on  the  campus  of  Ohio  State  Uni- 
versity, and  also  on  the  campuses  of  several  other  of  the  state 
institutions.  It  is  likely  too  that  we  shall  have  several  Insti- 
tutes and  Conferences  in  cooperation  with  various  public 
school  systems  and  county  school  systems  throughout  the 
state.  A  great  many  school  people  have  indicated  that  they 
are  willing  to  cooperate  with  the  University  and  with  the 
State  Department  in  setting  up  such  conferences  and  Insti- 
tutes. Dr.  Umstadt  of  the  University  of  Minnesota  pointed 
out  it  would  be  relatively  easy  to  hold  a  series  of  ten  Saturday 
motion  picture  conferences  in  the  ten  supervisory  districts  in 
Minnesota.  Through  these  conferences  it  will  be  possible  to 
put  the  principals  and  superintendents  of  that  entire  state 
quickly  into  touch  with  the  latest  developments  and  the  philoso- 
phy of  this  work. 

You  may  be  interested  to  know  that  there  will  be  a  very 
sharp  increase  in  the  courses  in  visual  instruction  taught  dur- 
ing this  ne.xt  summer.  Those  who  are  at  present  offering  su;h 
courses  have  been  deluged  by  requests  from  others  asking  aid 
in  these  courses.  Obviously  there  is  a  need  for  greater  co- 
ordination. I  am  hopeful  that  a  number  of  us  who  are  going 
to  give  courses  this  summer  may  get  together  about  June  1st 
and  try  to  clarify  a  bit  better  just  what  objectives  we  are  try- 
ing to  reach  in  visual  instruction. 

So  much  for  the  second  objective.  Let  us  now  turn  to  the 
third  namely,  "to  promote  the  cooperation  of  the  agencies 
interested  in  the  use  and  production  of  motion  pictures  in  edu- 
cation". This  is  a  broad  objective  and  permits  the  exercise  of 
a  great  deal  of  leeway  in  carrying  it  out  .  There  are  a  number 
of  agencies  of  various  types  which  are  interested  in  promoting 
the  use  of  the  educational  films.  We  have  educational  agencies 
such  as  the  N.  E.  A.,  the  Visual  Instruction  Department  of 
the  N.  E.  A.,  The  American  Council  on  Education,  The  U.  S. 
Office  of  Education,  the  State  Departments  of  Education.  We 
have  the  American  Federation  of  Teachers,  Phi  Delta  Kappa, 
and  we  have  our  local  teachers  groups.  Obviously  we  need 
to  coordinate  the  activities  of  these  groups  in  order  to  make 
clear  what  it  is  each  is  trying  to  achieve. 

In  this  connection  may  I  state  that  one  of  the  major  strong 
points  in  the  whole  educational  scheme  will  come  from  specific 
educational  societies.  In  other  words,  the  growth  will  come 
through  activity  on  the  part  of  the  modern  language  teachers, 
the  teachers  of  physical  education,  the  teachers  of  English, 
working  through  their  regularly  constituted  educational  so- 
cieties. Already,  for  example,  the  American  Psychological 
Association  has  appointed  a  committee  on  films,  so  has  the 
women's  section  of  the  American  Physical  Education  Associa- 
tion. I  believe  that  the  Modern  Language  Association  has  al- 
ready done  some  work  in  this  field.  They  recently  made  a 
study  of  film  activities  on  the  University  level. 

Our  fourth  objective  is  "to  initiate  and  promote  research 
pertaining  to  motion  pictures  and  allied  visual  aids  in  educa- 
tion." Dr.  Charles  Hoban,  Jr.  has  already  carried  through 
an  evaluatory  study  dealing  with  the  49  major  research  studies 
in  this  field.  Obviously  it  is  necessary  to  set  up  additional 
research  studies.  I  should  like  very  much  to  see  these  new- 
studies  emphasize  objectives  not  hitherto  emphasized  by  in- 
vestigators. I  refer,  for  example,  to  the  possible  value  of  mo- 
tion  picture  as   a   device   for   changing   attitudes.      Indeed   one 


^Kf  the  objective 


Proceedings  of  the  Departnieiit  of  I'isna!  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  81 


the  objectives  that  is  being  much  more  commonly  stated  is 
the  development  of  a  sensitivity  to,  and  interest  in  social  prob- 
lems. It  has  been  shown  very  clearly  that  the  theatrical  motion 
picture  does  influence  attitudes.  How  powerful  is  the  typical 
classroom  film  in  developing  this  sensitivity  to  problems? 

Knowlton  and  others  have  studied  this  problem  in  part,  by 
discovering  the  effectiveness  of  the  film  in  increasing  interests 
in  reading  and  other  fields.  Studies  of  this  type  must  be 
greatly  extended.  We  ought  to  go  much  farther  in  discover- 
ing the  relationship  between  the  utilization  of  films  and  the 
development  of  good  thinking.  One  of  the  most  common  crit- 
icisms of  films  is  that  they  are  likely  to  give  concrete  infor- 
mation at  the  expense  of  abstraction  and  generalization.  In 
other  words,  that  they  are  likely  to  over  do  the  functions  for 
which  they  are  best  fitted.  Very  little  evidence  e-xists  at  this 
point.  The  Rulon  study  is  about  the  only  one  that  has  much 
significance  for  this  particular  objective.  His  data  shows  that 
the  film  group  exceeded  the  non  film  group  in  their  ability  to 
educe,  as  he  calls  it,  or  to  infer  from  pictorial  material. 

There  are  a  number  of  service  research  studies  that  need 
to  be  carried  through.  I  refer  here  particularly  to  a  much 
closer  integration  of  films  and  slide  materials  with  the  curric- 
ulum. This  has  been  satisfactorily  done  at  a  number  of  points. 
Obviously  we  cannot  let  the  use  of  films  and  slides  and  other 
devices  and  tnaterials  merely  rest  with  the  whim  and  caprice 
of  the  teacher.  If  these  materials  are  valuable,  then  they  ought 
to  be  so  stated  in  the  curriculum  and  their  u.;e  promoted  as  a 
regular  part  of  school  instruction. 

The  fifth  objective  is  "to  develop  a  national  appreciation  of 
the  potential  contribution  of  the  motion  picture  to  the  cultural 
life  of  -America."  This  is  an  objective  which  may  mean  very 
much  or  it  may  mean  very  little.  I  believe  that  during  the 
past  two  or  three  years  partly  as  the  result  of  the  Payne  Fund 
Studies,  partly  as  the  result  of  the  criticism  that  came  from 
motion  pictures,  there  has  been  developed  a  very  profound 
belief  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  this  country  of  the  influence 
of  the  motion  picture.  The  National  Congress  of  Parents  and 
Teachers  through  its  bulletins  and  through  its  publicizing  for 
visual  instruction  has  developed  a  very  favorable  attitude  on 
the  part  of  parents.  Indeed  the  weakest  link  in  the  whole  chain 
lies  with  the  principal  and  the  superintendent.  I  wouldn't  say 
that  with  too  much  force  or  conviction,  since  I  do  not  have 
adequate  data.  I  am  convinced,  however,  that  as  a  rule  prin- 
cipals and  superintendents  are  not  up  to  our  ablest  parents  in 
their  thinking  in  this  field.  Many  parents  report  to  me  that 
they  have  liad  unsuccessful  and  unsatisfactory  interviews  with 
principals  and  superintendents  with  this  problem.  One  state 
motion  picture  chairman  said  that  they  had  even  offered  a  pro- 
jector to  a  principal  of  a  school  and  he  had  refused  it.  A 
superintendent  of  schools  in  a  western  city  objected  to  one  of 
the  finest  teaching  films  that  I  have  ever  seen  because  the  chil- 
dren would  enjoy  it.  It  was  too  interesting,  he  said.  The 
reply  of  the  demonstrator  was  not  tactful  but  it  was  forceful. 
The  demonstrator  replied,  "We  have  a  difference  in  point  of 
view,  I  am  trying  to  put  some  lil'e  into  the  curriculum,  you 
are  trying  to  take  the  life  out  of  it."  .\nd  now  may  I  briefly 
report  on  six  preliminary  projects  which  we  are  now  carrying 
on. 

Project   1.     The   Establishment  and   Operation   of   One 
Committee  in  a  Selected  Field  of  Subject-Matter 

Many  suggestions  were  available  as  to  the  first  area  to  be 
covered,  but  the  time  element  had  to  be  considered  and  a  field 
selected  in  which  a  complete  cycle  of  activities  could  be  car- 
ried on  by  the  first  of  the  year.  A  motion  picture  committee 
of  the  National  Section  on  Women's  Athletics  of  the  American 
Physical  Education  Association,  of  which  Miss  Gladys  E. 
Palmer  of  Ohio  State  University  was  chairman,  had  already 
made  a  partial  survey  of  the  field  of  physical  education.     The 


American  Council  on  Education  is  augmenting  and  enlargingj, 
the  work  thus  begun.  The  committee  is  surveying  325  Ohio 
high  schools  and  385  colleges  and  universities  to  ascertain  : 

a.  The  interest  in  using  films  for  physical  education ; 

b.  The  extent  to  which  these  schools  are  equipped  to  show 
films ; 

c.  The  type  of  film  that  seems  most  valuable  as  an  instruc- 
tional aid  in  the  teaching  of  girls'  games  and  sports. 

Later  this  committee  hopes  to  view  all  films  produced  by 
various  sources  that  might  be  adapted  to  t'.iese  uses,  and  will 
be  prepared  to  oflfer  cooperation  in  the  editing  or  producing  of 
suggested  new  films.  The  work  of  this  committee  will  call 
attention  to  the  value  of  films  in  this  field  of  instruction  and 
will  serve  as  a  spearhead  or  pattern  for  communities  in  other 
subject-fields  that  may  be  subsequently  set  up  by  the  proposed 
,11m  institute  or  other  interested  groups. 

Project  2.     A  Study  of  a  Number  of  Practical  Methods 
of  Setting   Up  and   Administering   Visual   Education 
Programs 
This  study  would  result  in  a  handbook  answering  many  of 
the  practical  questions  confronting  a  school  administrator  who 
is  either  engaged  in  a  visual  education  program  or  who  con- 
templates setting  up  such  a  program.     Members  of  the  Coun- 
cil's staff  have  visited  many  of  the  leading  visual-instruction 
departments   such  as   New  York,   Chicago,   Los   Angeles,   San 
Diego,   St.   Paul,   Minneapolis,   Pittsburgh,   Rochester,   Buffalo, 
St.  Louis,  Kansas  City,  Detroit,  Boston  and  others.     Most  of 
the  basic  data  necessary  for  such  a  handbook  have  been  col- 
lected and  the  material  is  now  being  prepared  for  some  form 
of  publication  and  distribution. 

Project  3.     The   Preparation  of  a   Comprehensive 
Bibliography  of  Books  and  Articles  on  Motion 
Pictures  in  Education 
Many  centers  have  been  collecting  such  material,  but  it  was 
found  that  Dr.  Fannie  Dunn,  in  charge  of  Audio-Visual  Edu- 
cation,  Teachers   College,    Columbia   University,   had   begun   a 
comprehensive  project     of     a     similar  nature.     Therefore  the 
Council  is  cooperating  in  the  completion  of  this  work.     It  is 
not  contemplated  that  a  complete  list  of  all  the  literature  on 
visual  education  will  be  published  in  the  near  future.     Instead, 
a  digest  of  the  best  articles  pertaining  to  administration  of  a 
visual  program  and  the  teachers'  use  of  films  was  thought  to 
fill  a  more  practical  need.  Much  of  the  basic  data  as  to  sources 
have  been   collected  and  the  actual    digesting    of    articles    is 
proceeding. 

Project  4.  Preparation  of  a  Complete  Catalog  of 
Educational  Films  in  the  United  States 
By  carefully  checking  the  United  States  copyright  records 
for  a  number  of  years,  the  lists  of  commercial,  scientific, 
school,  governmental,  amateur  and  other  groups,  it  was  pos- 
sible to  locate  more  than  1800  sources  for  films  that  have  more 
or  less  educational  value.  A  film  catalog  card  was  prepared 
covering  about  100  items  and  representing  the  consensus  of 
opinion  of  many  persons  using  or  producing  films.  The  United 
States  Office  of  Education,  through  the  courtesy  of  Dr.  John 
W.  Studebaker,  Commissioner,  cooperated  with  the  Council  in 
sending  out  about  10,000  of  these  cards. 

Project  5.     A  Study  to  Discover  the  Edticational  Re- 
quirements   for    Motion    Picture    Projectors    and 
Other  Equipment 
This   will   probably   include   collecting  data     concerning    the 
amount  and  types  of  equipment  now  in  use  and  is  intended  to 
offer  a  practical  suggestion  as  to  future  requirements.     A  con- 
siderable part   of  this   study  may  be  carried  on  through  the 
cooperation  of  the  University  of  Minnesota,  as  well  as  with  the 
U.  S.  Office  of  Education. 

Project  6.     A  Study  of  the  Present  Status  of  Needs, 

Problems   Now   Faced   by   Schools   of   U.   S.— 

Cline  Koon 


Page  82 


Frocccdiiigs  of  tlie  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


The  Educational  Screen 


Teaching  Safety  Through  Visual  Education 


By      HERBERT      J.      STACK 

Teachers     College,      Columbia     University,      Director     Education 
Division,    National    Bureau   of   Casualty   and   Surety    Underwriters. 


THERE  is  no  question  but  that  today  one  of  the  most  press- 
ing problems  that  lies  before  the  American  public  is  that 
of  preventing  automobile  and  other  types  of  accidents.  The 
last  year  has  seen  a  widespread  movement  in  many  states  and 
cities  to  deal  with  the  accident  situation.  The  American  people 
have  been  convinced  that  the  loss  of  over  100,000  persons  each 
year,  the  serious  injury  of  over  500,000  and  lost-time  injuries 
to  several  millions  is  too  great  a  price  to  pay,  when  it  is 
realized  that  such  a  large  percentage  of  the  common  accidents 
are  strictly  preventable. 

Public  and  private  schools  likewise  feel  that  this  matter  of 
safety  education  is  a  real  responsibility  that  cannot  be  avoided. 
There  is  hardly  a  progressive  school  system  in  the  country 
that  does  not  offer  some  safety  instruction  to  children,  in  the 
elementary  schools.  Moreover,  instruction  in  highway  safety 
is  being  introduced  in  the  high  schools  of  many  states.  Com- 
munities realize  that  if  accidents  are  to  be  reduced,  they  must 
call  upon  the  schools  to  provide  the  educational  background 
for  accident  prevention. 

Here  is  where  visual  education — using  motion  pictures,  lan- 
tern slides,  posters,  or  other  visual  lessons — comes  into  use. 
There  is  a  feeling  on  the  part  of  educators  that  well  planned 
visual  lessons  are  perhaps  the  most  effective  methods  of  influ- 
encing children.  Let  us  illustrate  this  point.  In  safety,  we  are 
concerned  with  trying  to  teach  children  the  dangers  of  certain 
hazards — for  example,  crossing  streets  against  lights,  playing 
with  matches,  hitching  rides  or  coasting  on  unsafe  streets. 
Yet  younger  children,  even  before  attending  school,  have 
knowledge  that  doing  these  things  is  dangerous.  They  are 
already  fairly  well  informed  about  dangers.  What  is  most 
needed  is  to  develop  good  safety  attitudes  and  skills,  rather 
than  merely  to  give  information.  We  need  the  most  effective 
lessons  in  order  to  do  this.  Just  teaching  children  safety  rules 
or  slogans,  singing  safety  songs  and  giving  negative  lessons, 
will  not  be  sufficient ;  but  lantern  slides  with  story  lessons  or 
motion  pictures  followed  by  check  tests  and  discussion  will 
have  real  value. 

We  will  admit  that  perhaps  the  best  way  to  learn  about  the 
dangers  of  swimming,  too  far  without  protection,  is  to  be 
nearly  drowned.  However,  this  method  is  too  heroic  and  fraught 
with  disaster  to  be  a  good  educational  procedure.  What  we 
can  do  is  to  give  children  vicarious  experience  with  certain 
dangers,  by  using  visual  methods  combined  with  story  lessons. 
During  the  last  four  years,  and  especially  during  the  past 
year  we  have  been  engaged  in  New  York  City,  in  the  production 
and  utilization  of  visual  aids  for  classroom  use.  This  work 
has  been  encouraged,  largely  as  a  result  of  a  grant  of  funds 
from  the  C.W.A.  and  more  recently  from  the  W.P.A.  One 
hundred  and  fifty  workers,  including  teachers,  artists,  photog- 
raphers and  technicians,  are  working  on  this  safety  project 
at  present.  In  addition,  300  workers  are  employed  on  other 
visual  education  projects  in  the  city.  A  brief  description  of 
this  project  is  being  given,  because  it  would  be  quite  easy  for 
any  city,  or  even  a  State  Department  of  Education,  to  under- 
take similar  work. 

Lantern  Slide  Production 
Over  13,000  colored  lantern  slides  have  been  prepared  for 
the  use  of  schools  and  other  educational  agencies.  These 
include  sets  of  slides  on  twenty  different  subjects,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  publication  "Visual  Education  in  Safety." 
The  lantern   slides  are   not  only  used  in  the  schools  of  New 


York  City,  but  many  sets  have  been  placed  in  state  and 
local  depositories,  in  various  sections  of  the  country.  The 
project  not  only  prepares  finished  colored  slides  for 
schools,  but  also  lends  negatives  and  supplies  unfinished 
positives.  Over  700  photographic  negatives  for  slides  are 
now  on  file,  with  two  photographers  kept  constantly  at 
work  securing  new  photographs.  When  any  seasonable  haz- 
ard arises,  such  as  coasting  or  skating,  we  get  photographs 
early  and  have  lantern  slides  in  the  hands  of  special  safety 
teachers  a  few  days  later.  These  sets  of  slides  are  utilized 
in  two  ways,  a  number  are  reserved  for  filling  orders  from 
schools,  the  normal  methods  of  distribution,  but  the  larger 
part  of  the  sets  are  in  the  hands  of  the  thirty  special  safety 
teachers    assigned    to   the   project. 

Most  of  these  slides  show  safety  in  a  positive  way,  that 
is,  we  want  to  show  safe  activities.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  are  a  few  subjects,  by  their  very  nature,  that  have  to  be 
treated  in  a  negative  way.  For  example,  if  hitching  de- 
velops in  any  section  of  the  city,  we  show  hitching  slides 
and  tie  up  very  definitely  the  various  dangers.  This  of 
course  is  negative,  but  there  is  no  safe  way  in  which  to 
hitch. 

Special  Teachers  of  Safety 
These  teachers  use  visual  methods  much  of  the  time. 
They  spend  from  one  to  ten  days  in  each  school.  Occasion- 
ally they  speak  in  school  assemblies,  but  most  of  their  time 
is  spent  using  visual  methods  in  classrooms.  This  group 
of  teachers,  during  the  last  18  months,  reached  over 
1,700,000  children  in  various  schools  and  playgrounds  in 
New  York  City. 

Motion   Pictures 

The  project  also  prepares  scenarios  and  produces  16  mm. 
motion  picture  films  on  various  phases  of  safety.  One 
reason  for  doing  this  is  because  of  a  dearth  of  good 
safety  pictures,  available  for  elementary  schools.  It  is  a 
surprising  fact  that  out  of  the  fifteen  or  more  films  often 
used  by  schools,  very  few  are  suitable  to  elementary  grades. 
These  are,  too  often,  commercial  films  not  prepared  by  ed- 
ucators, generally  designed  for  the  use  of  adults,  and  trans- 
planted into  elementary  schools.  Schools  seem  to  think 
that  because  they  can  get  these  motion  pictures  without 
cost,  they  should  use  them,  rather  than  to  rent  or  pur- 
chase better  films.  The  most  successful  of  the  16  mm. 
films  which  we  have  used  in  elementary  schools  include : 

Street  Safety  (New  York  Police  Department),  IVliy  Be  a 
Goose?  (Auto.  Club  of  Southern  California),  Tlie  Bad  Master 
(Fire  Prevention  Film — Aetna  Life  Ins.  Co.),  Street  Safety — 
t'pper  Grades  (Eastman),  Street  Safety  —  Primary  Grades 
(Eastman),  Swimming  and  Water  Safety  (National  Bureau  of 
Casualty  and  Surety  Underwriters). 

There  is  a  wider  variety  of  films  available  in  the  high 
school    field,    including : 

Once  tJpon  a  Time  (Metropolitan  Life),  Remember  Jimmy 
(F"ireinen's  Fund),  Everybody's  Business  (Detroit  Police  De- 
partment), Asle  Daddy  (National  Safety  Council),  Tlie  Ver- 
dict (National  Safety  Council),  Goofs  (Auto.  Club  of  Southern 
California). 

The  Bureau  of  Mines,  liastman,  the  Chevrolet  and  Ford 
Motor  Companies  in  addition,  as  well  as  the  National  Safety 
Council,  have  other  films  which  can  be  used  to  advantage  in 
certain    high    school    classes.      The     films     produced     by     our 


March,  19}  6 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  83 


project  in  New  York  are  not  available  for  general  distribution, 
because  they  are  used  continually  in  the  schools  of  the  city. 
Use  of  Slides  and  Films  in  Schools 
In  order  to  make  the  most  effective  use  of  slides  and  films, 
|iwe  use  the  following  procedure : 

Lantern  slides  are  usually  shown  in  the  classrooms.     It  is 
timportant   that   the   use   of   slides   involves   pupil   participation. 
[Manuscripts  are   provided   with   all   sets.     These  are  not   lec- 
ftiires  to  be  given  by  teachers,  but  rather  children's  stories  to 
{accompany  slides.     It  seems  strange  that  after  all  of  the  years 
Ltliat  visual  education  people  have  been  talking  about  pupil  par- 
ticipation, unless  a  teacher  is  given  guidance,  the  visual  educa- 
ition  lesson  is  apt  to  develop  into  a  lecture  by  the  teacher.     We 
Isecure   pupil    participation   by   assigning   slides   3nd   stories   to 
children  or  by  using  the  discussion  method,  following  the  les- 
son with  an  oral  or  written  check  test. 

When  using  films  we  first  provide  the  teacher  with  a  synop- 
sis or  preview  of  the  film.  The  film  is  then  shown,  check  tests 
fcre  given,  followed  by  a  class  discussion.  This  involves  three 
'steps  in  the  educational  process — a  felt  problem,  the  consid- 
eration of  the  problem  in  the  film,  and  checking  knowledge  and 
coming  to  conclusions  through  the  check  test  and  discussion 
period.    Copies  of  check  tests  for  various  films  are  available. 

I  have  often  been  asked  by  administrators  why  we  emphasize 
so  much  the  use  of  lantern  slides,  rather  than  motion  pictures. 
One  reason  for  this  has  been  that  we  must  prepare  ammunition 
to  use  in  existing  guns.  Nearly  al!  of  our  city  elementary 
schools  are  equipped  with  lantern  slide  machines,  and  not  more 
than  twenty  per  cent  have  16  mm.  or  35  mm.  projectors.  Fur- 
thermore, the  lantern  slide  lends  itself  more  readily  to  pupil 
participation  than  the  film. 

Certain  slides  can  be  selected  and  used  over  and  over 
again  without  the  necessity  of  running  through  a  15  min- 
ute film.  Obviously,  I  have  previously  pointed  out,  it  is 
much  better  to  use  a  good  set  of  slides  than  a  poor  film. 
Not  many  satisfactory  films  have  come  into  our  hands. 
As  far  as  sound  films  are  concerned,  there  are  only  one 
or  two  in  the  field  of  safety  that  we  found  satisfactory 
for  elementary  grades.  We  use  sound  films  more  in  the 
high  schools,  but  here  again  a  problem  arises  in  the 
scarcity  of  sound  machines  and  in  the  expense  of  trans- 
porting machines  and  providing  licensed  operators  when  us- 
ing  35   mm.   projectors. 

We  have  been  trying  to  do  what  we  could  to  encourage 
the  establishing  of  a  safety  library  in  state  and  local 
depositories.  There  are  still  many  states  in  which  little 
or  nothing  is  available  for  distribution  to  schools.  Teachers 
in  some  cases  must  send  a  thousand  miles  away  to  get 
materials. 

We  have  been  able  to  convince  several  cities  to  set  up 
similar  projects  with  W.  P.  .'V.  photographers,  artists,  slide 
makers  and  teachers.  There  are  many  good  photographers 
on  relief  roles,  so  that  schools  by  securing  workers  can 
develop  a  visual  education  library  at  a  minimum  cost.  We 
will  be  glad  to  advise  with  directors  of  visual  instruction 
who   are   interested   in    similar   projects. 

One  of  the  encouraging  signs  is  the  number  of  schools 
systems  that  are  now  preparing  amateur  films.  Several 
school  systems  are  co-operating  with  local  cinema  clubs 
in  preparing  scenarios  and  producing  safety  films.  Some 
of  these  are  well  done :  at  least,  they  give  a  local  atmos- 
phere. 

Posters  and   Enlarged  Photographs 

Some  mention  should  be  made  of  the  use  of  posters  and 
enlarged  photographs  in  safety  education.  We  have  eight 
full-time  artists,  in  our  project,  working  on  safety  posters. 
The  posters  are  duplicated  by  three  methods — silk  screen, 
offset  process,  and  photogelatine.  They  are  then  placed 
in   the  hands   of  special   teachers   who   use   them   in   the   700 


schools  of  the  city.  The  silk  screen  methods  affords  an 
opportunity  for  getting  out  three  or  four  color  posters 
in  small  quantities  at  a  minimum  cost,  while  the  offset  and 
photogelatine  processes  are  used  for  larger  quantities. 

Posters  are  used  in  the  school  in  several  ways.  In  some 
cases  a  poster  exhibit  is  set  up  or  a  poster  service  maintained 
on  bulletin  boards.  In  other  cases,  the  poster  is  used  for 
special  safety  lessons.  We  find  that  these  provide  a  good 
method  of  teaching  safety,  but  are  not  usually  as  effective 
as  motion  pictures  or  lantern  slides. 

We  also  use  exhibits  of  enlarged  photographs.  At  first 
we  had  difficulty  in  that  photographs  were  soiled  so  quickly ; 
now,  these  materials  are  covered  with  celophane.  Samples 
of  our  posters  will  be  sent  upon  request  but  we  do  not 
have  photographs   for  use  outside  of  the   city. 

The  use  of  posters  is  sometimes  not  included  in  discus- 
sions about  visual  education.  Yet  we  feel  that  a  supply 
of  posters  going  into  all  school  buildings  in  the  city,  is 
one  of  the  best  ways  of  calling  the  attention  of  teachers 
and  pupils  to  hazards  that  tnay  exist.  Posters  prepared  by 
the  Education  Division,  National  Safety  Council,  by  in- 
surance companies,  and  by  other  agencies  are  often  admir- 
ably suited  to  visual  instruction.  It  is  a  striking  fact 
that  in  New  York  City  alone,  during  the  traffic  safety 
campaign  sponsored  by  the  Police  Department,  nearly 
200,000  posters  were  displayed  in  store  windows  and  other 
public  places  in  a  single  year.  Other  cities  such  as  Chi- 
cago. Detroit,  and  Kansas  City,  have  made  extensive  use 
of  posters,  not  only  in  schools,  but  also  in  public  safety  educa- 
tional campaigns. 

We  must  include  here  the  many  posters  made  in  schools. 
While  they  may  not  have  the  quality  of  commercially  pre- 
pared posters,  they  may  be  even  more  effective  in  teaching 
safety  lessons. 

Sound-Film-Slides 

During  the  last  year  a  sound  film-slide  production  called 
Tatics  No  Holiday,  was  produced  and  made  available  for  use  in 
some  250  cities  in  the  country.  This  film-slide  production, 
while  designed  for  adult  audiences,  has  been  used  very  satis- 
factorily in  high  schools  and  vocational  schools.  Death  Takes 
No  Hotiday  and  the  sound  machines,  may  be  borrowed  from 
Western  Union  offices  in  the  250  larger  cities  of  the  country. 

The  chief  difficulty  with  sound-film-slides,  as  far  as  school 
use  is  concerned,  is  the  scarcity  of  projection  machines 
equipped  with  sound.  While  film  slides  may  not  have 
some  of  the  advantages  of  glass  slides,  they  are  easier 
to  make  and  to  distribute.  A  school  system  equipped,  aj 
we  are,  with  a  35  mm.  camera  can  produce  many  of  its 
own   films. 

Standards  for  Evaluating  Safety  Materials 

In  order  to  keep  our  visual  materials  as  educationally  sound 
as  possible,  we  have  set  up  certain  standards. 
1.    Lantern  Slides  and  Film  Strip 

a.  Pictures  used  and  activities  shown  should  fit  the  grade 
level  in  which  they  are  to  be  used. 

b.  Positive  safety  activities  have  a  greater  educational  value 
than  negative — slides  should  show  the  right  way  to  do  things. 

c.  Colored  slides  in  three  colors  have  more  of  an  appeal  than 
black  and  white. 

d.  Photographs  of  children's  activities  have  more  interest 
than  poster  slides. 

e.  Pupil  participation  through  discussion  and  testing  insures 
greater  learning  than  a  slide  presentation  given  entirely  by  the 
teacher.  Story  lessons  used  with  slides  secure  more  interest 
than  purely  descriptive  lessons. 

f.  Slides  should  be  used  seasonally,  stressing  the  kind  of 
safety  most  important  during  that  month.  We  have  sets  of 
slides  for  each  month,  prepared  from  master  slides. 


Page  84 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


The  Educational  Screen 


2.     Motion  Pictures 

I  have  previously  mentioned  the  unsatisfactory  quality  of 
safety  films  now  being  used  in  many  school  systems.  Most  of 
these  lack  educational  value.  In  the  preparation  of  films,  we 
have  used  some  guiding  principles. 

a.  The  scenarios  shall  be  prepared  by  educators.  If  the 
schools  are  to  use  the  material  it  must  be  sound. 

b.  The  film  should  fit  the  age  of  children  for  which  it  is  to 
be  used. 

c.  It  should  be  treated  positively,  or  if  the  negative  approach 


is  used  in  any  part,  it  should  be  followed  by  the  positive. 

d.  Standard  quality  of  titles  should  be  used  to  fit  the  read- 
ing vocabulary  of  children. 

e.  Previews  or  descriptions  of  the  film  should  be  available 
and  also  check  tests  or  questions  for  discussion.  We  prefer 
to  use  films  in  classrooms  rather  than  with  large  groups  in 
the  assembly  hall.  One  of  the  few  examples  of  a  highly  suc- 
cessful commercial  film  is  a  fire  prevention  production  77ii: 
Bad  Master  which  meets  the  standard  that  has  been  set. 


What  Next  in  Visual  Education? 


FOR  YEARS  the  progress  of  visual  instruction  has  been 
largely  in  mechanics.  Engineers  have  built  projection 
equipment  for  slides,  motion  pictures,  etc.,  and  over 
a  period  of  years  such  equipment  has  been  perfected  so  that 
it  can  be  easily  operated  by  children  in  the  classroom. 
Advances  in  the  art  of  photography  and  in  printing  have 
also  made  possible  finer  pictures  at  lower  cost.  Therefore, 
the  first  era  of  progress  in  visual  instruction  can  be  said 
to  have  had  its  main  spring  in  engineering.  It  is  my  firm 
belief  that  the  next  era  of  progress  will  find  its  main 
spring  in  the  classroom.  In  other  words,  the  dynamics 
of   action   will   be   the   classroom   teacher. 

The  first  motion  pictures  which  were  produced  for  school 
use  were  made  either  by  arm  chair  theorists  or  individuals 
not  closely  connected  with  teaching.  However,  the  tech- 
niques in  photography  both  still  and  motion  have  be- 
come so  simplified  that  almost  anyone  can  make  successful 
pictures.  Today  it  is  becoming  increasingly  common  to  find 
films  which  have  been  made  by  teachers  themselves  for 
the  purpose  of  instructing  their  own  classes.  The  situation 
in  visual  instruction  is  parallel  to  the  development  of  text- 
books. The  best  textbooks  grow  out  of  classroom  experi- 
ence and  are  prepared  with  the  aid  of  pedagogical  experts 
in  close  co-operation  with  classroom  teachers.  The  teach- 
ers with  intelligent  ideas  on  the  visualization  of  their  teach- 
ing needs  can  make  a  satisfactory  picture  for  illustrative 
purposes.  It  is  apparent  that  soon  companies  will  take 
this  teacher-made  material  and  revamp  it,  edit  it  and 
manufacture  it  in  quantity  on  a  quality  basis  just  as  text 
materials  are  also  being  produced.  Anyone  who  is  at  all 
familiar  with  the  newer  procedures  in  instruction  such  as 
unit  instruction  and  the  activity  program,  recognizes  that 
more  and  more  concrete  materials  are  being  used  in  the  in- 
structional procedure.  However,  no  commerical  house  has 
yet  come  into  existence  which  specializes  in  what  might  be 
called  materials  for  unit  and  activity  teaching. 

The  demand  for  such  materials  is  increasing  and  at  pres- 
ent the  demand  is  not  being  met  because  of  the  scattered 
nature  of  materials  available.  This  makes  it  necessary  for 
a  genuine  clearing  house  for  visual  instruction  material  to 
be  established.  This  clearing  house  should  not  deal  solelv 
with  the  motion  picture  but  should  cover  all  tvpes  of  con- 
crete materials  which  will  be  of  assistance  to  teachers  in 
their  classwork. 

Visual  instruction  has  long  since  passed  the  bally-hoo 
stage.  The  question  that  constantly  is  being  raised  is  where 
can  we  get  material.  No  one  needs  to  be  sold  on  the  value 
of  visual  material,  rather  the  question  is  how  and  where 
can  we  get  what  we  want. 

A  thorough  study  of  the  economy  of  using  visual  aids   i 
needed.     When  materials  arc   produced  which  are  desirable 
one   hears   the   question   raised   "But   can     I     afford    them?" 
Unfortunately  visual  instruction  has  been  looked  upon  as  an 


By     F.     DEAN     McCLUSKY 

Scarborough     School,    Scarborough-on-the-Hudson,     N.    Y. 

addition  to  the  regular  school  budget  and  has  been  so 
treated.  Visual  materials  properly  used  can  be  shown  to 
save  money  in  present  school  budgets.  For  example,  the 
science  teacher  instead  of  asking  for  films  in  addition  to  his 
regular  science  budget  should  attack  the  problem  from  the 
standpoint  of  demonstrating  to  his  principal  where  these 
films  will  save  money  in  the  budget. 

I  recently  asked  my  biology  instructor  to  make  such  a 
study  of  the  teaching  of  a  thorough  year's  course  at  "Col- 
lege Board  level"  in  high  school  biology.  We  started  with 
the  assumption  that  he  had  no  equipment  whatever — just  a 
classroom.  The  teacher,  a  successful  instructor,  first  with 
the  aid  of  an  expert  lay  accountant  checked  through  every 
item  of  cost  in  teaching  a  first  class  biology  high  school 
course  with  the  standard  equipment,  much  of  it  visual. 
Prices  were  figured  on  the  basis  of  standard  catalogue  prices. 
He  then  made  a  list  of  all  the  equipment  that  would  be 
needed  to  teach  the  same  course  with  unit  organization  and 
visual  materials.  This  equipment  included  the  cost  of  pro- 
jection equipment,  films  purchased  outright,  slides  purchased 
outright  and  charts  and  other  visual  materials.  Standard 
prices  were  used  throughout  and  it  was  found  at  the  end 
that  the  visually-taught  unit-activity  course  could  be 
equipped  for  $400  less  capital  than  the  other,  and  that  a 
saving  of  $140  annually  was  to  be  made  in  its  operation.  It 
is  the  opinion  of  the  instructor  that  with  visualized  projec- 
tion materials  he  could  teach  twice  as  many  students  as  ef- 
fectively as  he  could  teach  the  class  of  25.  A  class  of  25 
was  the  unit  used  in  the  study. 

This  type  of  approach  to  visual  instruction  should  be 
pursued  vigorously  in  all  courses.  For  example,  it  has  been 
found  that  map  slides  can  be  made  commercially  for  from 
$1  to  $1.50  which  are  comparable  to  or  better  than  roll  wall 
maps  which  cost  from  $5  to  $10.  Pupil-made  map  slides 
can  be  produced  for  from  3  cents  to  5  cents  each,  which 
constitutes  considerable  saving  over  the  commercial  photo- 
graphic map  slides.  Similarly  charts  and  diagrams  which 
are  used  extensively  in  many  courses,  such  as  history,  sci- 
ence, mathematics,  and  which  range  from  50  cents  up  to  sev- 
eral dollars  in  price  can  be  reproduced  on  slides  for  a  few 
cents.  In  other  words,  $10  spent  on  a  single  roll  wall  map 
or  chart  would  buy  from  10  to  100  similar  charts  on  slides. 
These  ideas,  of  course,  are  not  new  to  anyone  who  has  made 
a  study  of  projection  equipment  and  its  advantages  but  as 
yet  there  has  been  no  efficient  analysis  of  classroom  mater- 
ials from  the  point  of  view  of  showing  how  projection 
equipment  or  visual  materials  can  save  money  and  keep 
within  our  present  budgets.  When  visual  instruction  is 
approached  from  the  standpoint  of  saving  money  and  not 
from  the  point  of  adding  expense  to  the  present  school 
course  progress  will  be  rapid.  "What  Next  in  Visual  In- 
struction ?"  Watch  the  teacher !  Watch  the  classroom 
teacher! 


trch,  1936 


Page  85 


Depdrtment  of  Visual  Instruction 


Conducted  by  E.  C.  WAGGONER,  Secretary-Treasurer 


St.  Louis  Meeting 

f'So  close  to  the  forest  we  can't  see  the  trees." 

"or  many  months  preceding,  the  work  of  the  De- 
partment of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  National  Edu- 
cation Association  so  completely  occupied  our  minds 
that  it  was  impossible  to  make  a  rational  guess  as  to 
what  the  St.  Louis  meetings  would  be  or  mean.  Now 
that  the  meeting  is  a  thing  of  the  past  and  we  have 
had  time  to  reflect  on  the  varied  elements  of  the  two- 
day  proceedings,  as  well  as  to  get  the  reactions  of 
many  of  those  who  attended,  we  are  happy  to  report 
that  the  real  signs  of  Department  life  are  beginning  to 
be  manifest.  It  was  an  occasion  of  promise,  but  what 
ultimate  results  can  follow  the  promise  is  a  question 
still  on  the  knees  of  the  gods. 

The  number  attending  and  the  spirit  shown  at  the 
"Get-together"  luncheon  on  Monday  were  an  inspira- 
tion to  all  who  had  helped  in  any  way  to  plan  the  af- 
fair. Two  score  were  expected ;  places  for  three  score 
were  hopefully  set ;  tables  had  to  be  added  to  seat  four 
score ;  and  a  half  dozen  were  turned  away.  Luncheon. 
attendance  of  eighty-six,  and  attendance  on  sessions 
ranging  from  forty  to  a  hundred-fifteen,  are  by  no 
means  discouraging. 

Throughout  the  program  generally,  participants 
handled  their  subjects  in  stimulating  style.  Keen  in- 
terest was  evident  in  all  addresses  and  demonstrations. 
It  was  difficult  to  keep  within  the  time  limit  assigned 
for  parts  of  the  program  particularly  provocative  of 
elaboration  and  discussion.  The  interesting  Sympos- 
ium of  Wednesday  afternoon,  which  concluded  the 
sessions,  definitely  suffered  because  there  are  only  two 
and  a  half  hours  in  two  and  a  half  hours. 

Obviously,  in  view  of  the  unquestioned  importance 
of  its  subject,  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 
should  be  one  of  the  most  active  and  prominent  de- 
partments of  the  National  Education  Association,  and 
the  writer  predicts  that  it  will  become  just  such  a  de- 
partment, if  the  interest  shown  at  St.  Louis  is  any 
basis  for  judgment.  Certainly  the  President  of  the 
Department  is  entitled  to  feel  real  satisfaction  over  the 
St.  Louis  meetings,  and  no  one  knows  better  than  the 
writer  the  hours  of  effort  he  spent  in  preparation. 

We  want  to  thank  officially  all  those  readers  of  The 
Educational  Screen  who  contributed  in  any  way  to 


the  success  at  St.  Louis.  We  confidently  hope  that  we 
may  count  on  the  same  enthusiastic  support  for  the 
next  meeting.  A  like  combined  and  whole-hearted  ef- 
fort can  produce  a  still  bigger  and  better  meeting  at 
Portland,  Oregon,  June  29  to  July  1  next. 


"The  D  V  I  Caravan" 

It  is  a  bit  of  a  jump  to  Portland — but  the  Depart- 
ment will  not  let  a  few  thousand  miles  interfere  with 
its  progress.  We  can  make  Portland  beat  St.  Louis. 
The  West  will  be  there  in  numbers.  For  the  East  it 
means  plane,  train,  bus,  or  something  better.  We  sug- 
gest gasoline  and  psychology,  nothing  more,  and  the 
greater  of  these  is  psychology. 

Let's  make  it  a  jaunt  instead  of  a  job.  Two  weeks 
will  do  it.  Three  or  four  weeks  would  be  still  wiser. 
The  two-day  sessions  will  be  merely  a  worthwhile  in- 
cident in  a  vacation  wholly  worthwhile.  Those  who 
have  driven  the  trip  already  will  need  no  urging  to 
repeat.  Those  who  have  not  yet  seen  the  great  North- 
west owe  it  to  themselves.  They  can  pay  the  debt  this 
June,  and  enjoy  the  paying.  For  "seeing"  country,  the 
automobile  has  no  equal  and,  incidentally,  members  of 
this  Department  may  most  appropriately  treat  them- 
selves to  a  little  visual  instruction  in  its  most  perfect 
form. 

It  is  proposed  then,  that  at  or  about  8  A.  M.,  on  or 
about  June  23rd,  "The  D  V  I  Caravan"  of  an  at-pres- 
ent-unknown  number  of  cars,  start  from  Chicago  over 
a  carefully  scheduled  route,  reach  Portland  together 
about  June  28th — Department  sessions  June  29th  to 
July  1st — and  return  fast  or  slow,  every  car  for  itself, 
over  any  one  of  the  half  dozen  different  routes,  as  the 
individual's  spirit  moves. 

This  page,  in  the  next  two  issues,  will  carry  full  de- 
tails on  route,  schedules,  and  arrangements,  together 
with  features  now  in  incubation  calculated  to  add  in- 
teresting memorabilia  to  the  trip.  But  the  important 
thing  just  now — a  prompt  word  from  every  member 
who  sees  even  a  faint  chance  of  joining  "The  D  V  I 
Caravan".  We  want  a  sampling  of  Department  opin- 
ion on  the  plan.    Write  us  a  word  now. 


Page  86 


The  Educational  Scree 


The  Film  Estimates 


Ah  Wilderness  (Lionel  Barrymore,  Wallace 
Beery)  (MGM)  Eugene  O'Neiirs  play  finely 
screened  with  rich  characterization  and  wiatful 
charm.  Barrymore  splendid  as  father  trying  to 
handle  dreamer-son's  mental  indigestion.  True- 
to-life  picture  of  village  life  of  early  1900*8. 
Beery  alone  inadequate.  2-25-36 

(A)  Notable  (Y)  Good  (C)  Little  interest 

Another  Face  (Wallace  Ford,  Brian  Donlevy) 
(RKO)  Tough  killer,  after  facial  surgery,  crude 
and  stupidly  conceited,  tries  to  crash  Holly- 
wood as  movie  star.  Breezy,  erratic  publicity 
man  works  his  undoing.  Acting  ordinary,  sup- 
posed comedy  often  quite  unfunny,  and  fast 
action  is  overdone.  2-17-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Probably  good  (C)  No 

Anything  Goes  (Bing  Crosby,  Ethel  Merman) 
(Para)  Fast,  crazy,  complex  farce-comedy  with 
real  "box-office"*  novelty.  Usual  "singing",  ab- 
surd *'lyrics",  spectacular  dancing,  ''romance", 
and  burlesque  antics.  Inoffensive  unless  chronic 
crook  masquerading  as  priest.  Typical  present- 
day  taste  in  pictures.  2-11-36 
(A)  (Y)  Very  good  of  kind         (C)  Probably  good 

Bar  20  Rides  Again  (Bill  Boyd,  Wm.  Allison) 
(Para)  Above  average  Hopalong  Cassidy  west- 
ern. Beside  usual  thrills,  traces  of  originality 
in  hero  doing  his  hard  riding  and  quick  shoot- 
ing in  frock  coat,  a  villain  suave  instead  of 
tough,  and  a  minor  character  that  is  actually 
humorous.  2-11-36 

(A)  Hardly    (Y)  Good  of  kind    (C)  Good  thriller 

Bohemian  Girl,  The  ( Laurel  and  Hardy )  ( MGM) 
Very  funny  nonsense  comedy,  with  real  story, 
elaborate  sets,  and  with  Laurel  &  Hardy  antics 
at  their  best  and  some  new  ones  added.  Fa- 
vorite melodies  of  the  opera  pleasantly  played 
and  sung.  Cheapened  by  pocket-picking  and 
burlesque  infidelity  as  laugh  sources.  2-25-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)(C)  Very  amusing 

Ceiling  Zero  (Cagney  and  O'Brien)  (Warner) 
Utterly  smart-aleck,  daredevil  aviator  tricks  his 
pals,  seduces  women,  ruins  friends,  but  finally 
dies  in  heroic  sacrifice  testing  out  new  inven- 
tion. Loud,  wisecrack  dialog  ;  cheap,  suggestive 
romance ;  but  tense,  vivid  picture  of  perilous 
mail-transport  service.  2-17-36 

(A)  Very  good  of  kind      (Y)  Better  not      (C)  No 

Charlie  Chan's  Secret  (Warner  Oland)  (Fox) 
Typical  and  good  Charlie  Chan  story,  with 
Chinese  hero  solving  unusual  murder  in  his 
original  fashion,  in  a  creepy  atmosphere  of 
spiritualistic  sceances.  The  veteran  actress, 
Henrietta  Grossman,  adds  much  to  the  quality 
of  the  production.  2-17-36 

(A)  (Y)  Good  of  kind         (C)  Unless  too  exciting 

Dangerous  Intrigue  (Ralph  Bellamy,  Gloria 
Shea)  (Columbia)  Thoroughly  unoriginal  story 
of  brilliant  surgeon  losing  position  and  snob- 
bish fiancee,  and  ending  up  in  factory  com- 
munity as  surgeon  to  the  poor  and  husband  to 
one  of  them.  Well  acted,  convincingly  told, 
and  of  genuinely  human  appeal.  2-25-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Fairly  good  (C)  Hardly 

Dangerous  Waters  (Jack  Holt)  (Univ.)  Fire  at 
sea,  mutinous  crew,  and  crooked  financiers 
fail  to  prevent  hero's  rise  to  ship-captaincy. 
Heroism  less  blatant  and  comedy  more  comic 
than  in  usual  Holt  film,  but  the  cheap  philan- 
derings  of  the  hero's  cheap  wife  make  cheap 
"romance".  3-3-36 

(A)  Waste  of  time  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Desire  (Marlene  Dietrich,  Gary  Cooper) 
(Para.)  Mostly  skillful  crook  drama,  smoothly 
played,  and  with  real  comedy  values.  Then,  a 
glamorous  seduction  and  week's  liaison  fur- 
nishes same  old  "sex-stuff**  of  a  few  years 
ago.  Dietrich,  absurdly  made  up,  acts  typi- 
cally. Cooper  good.  3-3-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind       (Y)  Unwholesome       (C)  No 

Dressed  to  Thrill  (Clive  Brook,  Tutta  Rolf) 
(Fox)  Continental  comedy,  dating  from  World 
War,  with  dual  identity  of  heroine  causing  the 
hero  considerable  distress  until  he  finally  learns 
the  truth.  Tutta  Rolf  notably  good.  Clive 
Brook  utterly  miscast,  and  some  of  his  comedy 
attempts  are  pitiful.  2-25-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Not  the  best  (C)  No 

Every  Saturday  Night  (Jed  Prouty,  Spring 
Byington)  (Fox)  One  of  series  planned  in  do- 
mestic comedies,  supposedly  treating  family 
problems.  Well-intentioned  story  of  spoiled 
children  and  futile  father,  but  dull  acting, 
confused  motivation,  stupid  ethics,  and  much 
talk   detract  somewhat.  3-3-36 

(A)  Dull  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

Fang  and  Claw  (Frank  Buck)  (RKO)  Thrill- 
ing, informative  record  of  Buck's  expedition  to 
Malayan  jungle  to  bring  back  animals  for 
American  zoos.  By  ingenious  methods,  pythons, 
monkeys,  tigers,  etc.  are  captured.  Notable  for 
absence  of  brutal  scenes.  Excellent  photography, 
good  narration,  and  occasional  humor.  2-25-36 
(A)  Interesting  (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Good 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  Notional  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  In  whole  or  In  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special   arrangement  with  The   Educational   Screen) 

Date    of   mailing    on    weeltiy    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating   Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


Follow  the  Fleet  (Fred  Astaire.  Ginger  Rog- 
ers) (RKO)  Pleasing  musical  comedy  in  best 
vein,  with  engaging  hero  as  breezy  gob  win- 
ning heroine  after  amusing  complications. 
Refreshingly  novel  dances,  solo  and  ensemble 
singing,  wholesome  romance,  genuine  comedy. 
Good  fun.  3-3-36 

(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Good 

Freshman  Love  (Frank  McHugh,  Patricia  El- 
lis) (Warner)  Easily  most  inane  and  senseless 
"college"  film  to  date.  President's  daughter 
vamps  great  rowers  away  from  other  colleges 
to  win  crucial  race  with  jazz  band  furnishing 
needed  rhythm.  Thick  with  absurdities  on 
college   life  and   administration.  3-10-36 

(A)  Ridiculous  (Y|  Useless  (C)  No 

Ghost  Goes  West  (Robert  Donat,  Jean  Parker) 
(UA)  English-made  farce-comedy  of  whimsy 
and  satire,  with  original  plot  and  Rene  Clair 
direction  (but  not  his  best),  about  old  Scotch 
ghost  doomed  to  walk  till  insult  by  rival  clan 
is  avenged.  Weakened  by  clash  of  banal  with 
the  fanciful,  but  unique.  2-11-36 

(A)  Fairly  good  (Y)  Good  (C)  Fair 

The  Invisible  Ray  (Karloflf  and  Lugosi)  (Univ) 
Just  another  lurid,  pseudo-scientific  thriller, 
gratuitously  horrible,  about  scientist  who  dis- 
covers fantastic  deadly  ray,  goes  insane,  and 
starts  killing  former  friends.  His  mother 
finally  kills  him.  KarlofT  and  Lugosi  exactly 
as  usual.  2-17-36 

(A)  Useless  (Y)  Exciting  (C)  No 

It  Had  to  Happen  (George  Raft,  Rosalind 
Russell)  (Columbia)  Immigrant  ditch-digger 
rises,  by  cheap  smartness  and  rough-neck  he- 
roics, to  brazen  supremacy  in  city  politics  and 
wins  richest  woman  in  New  York  society. 
Unplausible  and  ethics  twisted.  Usual  Raft 
"acting"  and   English.  3-3-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Better  not        C)  No 

It*s  a  Great  Life  (Joe  Morrison,  Paul  Kelly) 
( Para )  Mildly  amusing  little  picture  of  two 
CCC_  boys  in  love  with  same  girl  until  one 
heroically  gives  way  to  the  other.  Some  slight 
idea  of  CCC  camp  life  and  some  really  enjoy- 
able singing.  Elementary  but  pleasant  pro- 
gram picture.  2-11-36 
(A)  (Y)  Fairly  good                                        (C)  Fair 

Kind  Lady  (Aline  MacMahon,  Basil  Rathbone) 
(MGM )  Opens  appealingly  as  charming  play 
of  character.  Becomes  artificial  yarn  of  hu- 
morless crookedness,  with  unmitigated  distress 
for  helpless  heroine  and  audience.  Depressing 
swindle  with  slight  relief  at  the  end.  The 
antithesis  of  entertainment.  2-11-36 

(A)  Dismal  (Y)  Painful  (C)  No 

Klondike  Annie  (Mae  West)  (Para.)  Brazen 
box-oflice  bid  with  the  old  se.\  stuff.  Mae  West 
again  the  glittering,  mouthing  vulgarian.  Kills 
her  Chinese  paramour,  flees  to  Alaska,  imper- 
sonating grotesquely  a  religious  *'sister"  who 
died  on  voyage.  Affront  to  good  taste  and 
decency.  3-10-36 

(A)  Disgusting  (Y)  Unwholesome  (C)  No 

The  Lady  Consents  (Ann  Harding,  Herbert 
Marshall)  (RKO)  Thoroughly  enjoyable  problem 
play,  intelligently  done  by  author,  director  and 
actors.  Very  sophisticated  and  "modern"  but 
dignified.  The  "other  woman's"  machinations 
are  convincingly  successful,  and  the  conclusion 
just  as  convincingly  logical.  2-11-36 

(A)  Interesting  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Lady  of  Secrets  (Ruth  Chatterton.  Otto  Kru- 
ger)  (Columbia)  Slow-moving  but  intriguing 
story  of  rich  girl's  long  struggle  against  dom- 
ineering father.  Thwarted  by  death  of  her 
war-time  lover,  she  manages  t»  save  her 
daughter  from  loveless  marriage  and  wins  hap- 
piness herself  at  last.  3-3-36 
(A)  Good           (Y)  Doubtful           (C)  No  interest 

The  Leavenworth  Case  (Donald  Cook,  Norman 
Foster)  (Republic)  Feeble  murder  story  of 
slight  suspense  or  interest.  Audience  knows 
murderer  who  kills  with  aid  of  monkey.  Chief 
interest,  amusing  eccentric  spinster  who  helps 
weak  detective  trap  killer.  Crude,  overdone 
comedy  by  Warren  Hvmer.  2-17-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

The  Lone  Wolf  Returns  (Melvyn  Douglas, 
Gail  Patrick)  (Columbia)  Smoothly  acted 
Vance  story  of  jewel  thief  who  fell  in  love  with 
intended  victim,  and  outwits  gang  aiming  at 
same  victim.  Detective  forces  furnish  comedy. 
Original  angles  lift  it  above  ordinary  "button- 
button"  yarn.  2-17-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind     (Y)  Good     (C)  Little  interest 


Love  on  a  Bet  (Gene  Raymond,  Wendy  Bar- 
rie)  (RKO)  Outlandish  bet  starts  hero  from 
New  York  in  underwear  and  without  money, 
to  end  up  in  Los  Angeles  with  money,  clothes, 
and  rich  fiancee.  Artificial  and  labored  fun 
for  those  who  laugh  easily.  Acting  mostly  of 
slight  merit.  3-3-36 

(A)  Hardly     (Y)  P rob.  good     (C)  Little  interest 

Man  of  Iron  (Barton  MacLane,  Mary  Astor) 
(1st  Natl  I  Dull,  unconvincing  stuff  about  crude, 
illiterate  shop-foreman  promoted  to  manager ! 
A  misfit,  but  heroism  in  shop  accident  makes 
him  vice-president !  His  irresponsibility  and 
arrogance  toward  workers  bring  near  strike 
and  riot.     So  back  to  shop  job.  2-17-36 

(A)  Poor  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

The  Milky  Way  (Harold  Lloyd)  (Para.) 
Laughable,  crazy  farce  about  milkman  hero 
absurdly  developed  into  champion  prizefighter. 
Lloyd's  genius  for  hilarious  situations  and 
pantomime  antics  evident  throughout,  but 
hampered  by  sound  and  speech,  loud  and  fu- 
tile. Menjou  miscast.  3-10-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind          (Y)  Amusing          (C)  Good 

Modern  Times  (Charlie  Chaplin)  (U.  A.)  A 
great  film,  delightfully  amusing,  with  sound 
and  music  but  no  dialog.  Chaplin  as  same 
wistful  hero  seeking  his  niche  in  the  complex 
modern  world.  Same  costume,  antics,  and 
matchless  pantomime,  proving  Chaplin's  silence 
as  potent  as  Hollywood's  speech.  2-25-36 

(A)  Excellent        (Y)  Excellent        (C)  Excellent 

The  Music  Goes  'Round  (Harry  Richman, 
Rochelle  Hudson)  (Columbia)  Far-fetched  song- 
and-dance  hodge-podge,  ail  Richman.  Broad- 
way actor  goes  vacationing,  meets  river  show- 
boat troup  nearly  broke,  saves  enterprise  and 
wins  heroine.  Must  like  Richman  much  to 
like  picture  a  litfle.  3-10-36 

(A)  Mediocre      (Y)  Perhaps      (C)  Little  interest 

Muss  'Em  Up  (Preston  Foster,  Alan  Mowbray) 
(RKO)  Vigorous  yarn  about  hard-boiled,  un- 
scrupulous detective,  feeble  police,  smooth  vil- 
lainy, and  countless  suspects.  Hopelessly  complex 
mixture  of  mystery,  comedy,  romance  and  poor 
taste,  that  leaves  audience  wondering  what  it  is 
all  about.  Overshoots  its  mark  badly.  2-25-36 
(A)  Only  fair  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

The  New  Gulliver  (Russian  production)  (Am- 
kino)  Extraordinary  novelty  film  presenting 
Swift's  classic  with  one  living  actor  and  count- 
less remarkable  puppets.  Painstaking,  thought- 
ful, striking.  But  shuddery  puppet  motions 
tire,  and  usual  Soviet  propaganda  permeates 
and  deadens  whole.  3-3-36 

(A)  Novel  (Y)  Novel  (C)  Perhaps 

Passing  oftheThird  Floor  Back  (Conrad  Veidt) 
(Gau.-Brit. )  Excellent  filming  of  famous  alle- 
gorical d]:ama  about  mysterious  stranger  and 
his  influence  for  good  over  selfish,  unhappy 
members  of  London  boarding-house,  till  their 
awakening  is  achieved.  Some  weaknesses  but 
well  acted  and  effective  as  a  whole.  2-25-36 
(A)  Very  good    (Y)  Very  good    (C)  Beyond  them 

Professional  Soldier  (Victor  McLaglen,  Fred- 
die Bartholomew)  (Fox)  Crude,  tough  Marine, 
hired  to  kidnap  boy  king,  turns  friend,  runs 
amuck  in  slaughter,  and  saves  his  little  pal- 
Much  strong  human  appeal,  but  largely  rough- 
neck comedy  and  two-fisted  heroics.  Bad  taste 
but  good  box-office.  2-11-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste        (Y)  Doubtful        (C)  No 

Return  of  Jimmy  Valentine  (Roger  Pryor, 
Charlotte  Henry)  (Republic)  Newspaper-report- 
er hero,  not  over  blatant,  engineers  exciting 
search  for  famous  crook  now  incog  as  highly 
respected  bank  president.  Lively  complications 
when  daughter  nearly  betrays  her  father  un- 
wittingly, but  all  ends  well.  3-10-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind          (Y)  Good          (C)  Exciting 

Show  Them  No  Mercy  (C.  Romero,  R.  Hud- 
son) (Fox)  G-man  thriller,  to  outdo  all  others, 
with  absurd  spots,  but  packed  with  suspense, 
mildly  amusing  comedy,  and  makes  kidnappers 
hated  and  G-men  admired.  But  it  seriously 
overdoes  sheer  violence  and  inhuman  cruelty. 
Pushes  thrill   to  unhealthv  shock.  2-11-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Too  Tough  to  Kill  (Victor  Jory,  Sally  O'Neill) 
(Columbia)  Engineer-hero  becomes  boss  of 
huge  tunnel  project,  long  delayed  bv  trickery 
and  foul  play  of  employees  "planted"  bv  rival 
company.  Many  accidents,  but  hero  finally  con- 
quers job.  and  persistent  newspaper  heroine. 
Old-style  melodramatic  hokum.  2-17-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Harmless  (C)  Better  not 


larch,  19}  6 


Page  87 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Book: 


School  Executives  (January,  '36)  "Fundanienlals 
\'isual  Education,''  by  J.  Raymond  Hutchinson. 

'Visual  Instruction  is  that  type  of  instruction  which 
gives   actuality   to   ideas,   concrete   rather   than    verbal 
imag^ery,   and  expression   rather  than   theory. 
The  true  conce]3tion  of   the   use  and   value  of   visual 

Kd  audio-visual  aids  must  be  established  to  assist  in 
ieting  existing  educational  needs."  It  is  urged  that 
teachers  in  active  work  be  given  courses,  established 
their  own  school  system  for  credit.  Eight  fields  in 
ch  a  course  are  specified.  A  teacher's  personal 
ability  is  enhanced  by  such  preparation.  .\  "controlled 
reality''  in  film  study  is  often  necessary. 

The  necessity  for  the  organization  of  departments 
of  Visual  Education  is  stressed.  A  survey  in  one  state 
of  205  schools  indicated  79%  possessed  lanterns,  48% 
possessed  16  mm.  motion  picture  projectors,  and  .39% 
possessed  35  mm.  projectors.  Two  schools  had  sound 
equipment.  Harmonious  cooperation  with  the  whole 
school  system  is  all  im]iortant.  Suggestions  are  made 
for  obtaining  materials,  and  the  opportunity  of  visual 
departments  to  interpret  the  school  system  to  the  pub- 
lic is  clearly  indicated. 

Visual  Education  News,  (January,  '36)  "Devel- 
oj)nients  in  \'isual  Education",  by  Eugene  H.  Her- 
rington. 

Our  modern  educational  objective  of  purposeful 
liying  and  experiencing  is  partially  met  by  the  use 
of  still  i)ictures,  model  houses,  and  moving  pictures. 
Visual  learning  as  one  of  the  oldest  forms  of  learn- 
ing is  historically  treated  by  references  to  Egypt, 
Greece,  Rome,  the  parables  of  Christ,  and  the  field 
trips  of  early  tutors.  "The  activity  school  has 
placed  new  emphasis  on  visual  aids  in  the  class- 
room. The  most  modern  means  of  showing  pic- 
tures is  by  .  .  .  throwing  the  picture  on  the  screen 
.  .  .  The  modern  motion  picture  has  been  called 
the  'Modern  Goliath'.  .  .  .  Over  one  hundred  ex- 
periments have  been  carried  on  in  this  and  foreign 
countries  in  eiTorts  to  determine  the  values  of  vis- 
ual learning  as  compared  to  the  auditory  and  read- 
ing methods  alone."  A  composite  study  was  made 
of  all  these  experiments  by  a  student  at  Duke  Uni- 
versity. The  analysis  reveals  that  permanence  of 
learning  is  increased,  backward  children  are  aided, 
and  learning  is  motivated  through  greater  interest, 
attention,  self  activity,  voluntary  reading,  and  class- 
room participation.  A  succinct  but  comprehensive 
summary  of  the  Payne  Fund  Studies  is  included  in 
the  article. 

State  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  Inez 
Johnson  Lewis,  is  cjuoted  as  saying:  "The  romance 
and  realism  of  visual  instruction  when  intelligently 
and  skillfully  presented  will  undoubtedly  stimu- 
late and  make  vivid  the  teaching  in  the  modern 
school.  Visual  education  is  here  and  it  remains  for 
the   teachers   to   refine   and    utilize    the    resources 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS  I 

available.  The  motion  picture  in  the  classroom  has 
passed  the  experimental  stage,  it  has  proved  itself 
to  be  an  eflfective  teaching  aid.  The  seeing-hearing- 
doing  method  is  the  modern  technique  in  teaching. 
.  .  .  The  time  has  come  now  for  a  definite  move- 
ment by  the  teachers  themselves  to  learn  the  cor- 
rect technique  in  the  use  of  visual  aids.  Every 
teacher  who  has  pride  in  doing  the  best  possible 
job  will  make  it  part. of  this  year's  program  to  study 
the  field  and  discover  how^  the  aids  may  be  put  to 
use  in  the  particular  subjects  for  which  he  is  re- 
sponsible." 

International  Journal  of  Religious  Education 
(January,  '36)  "Increasing  Motion  Picture  Appre- 
ciation Among  Youth,"  by  Elizabeth  Watson  Pol- 
lard. 

The  theme  of  the  article  is  expressed  in  the  first 
sentence,  "That  children  and  young  people  should 
be  aided  in  analyzing  and  evaluating  the  motion 
pictures  which  they  attend  is  a  most  obvious  truth." 
To  aid  in  the  analysis,  two  columns  of  "Contrast- 
ing Elements  for  Motion  Picture  Study''  are  pre- 
sented. "Commonplace  Picture  (Clever)"  is  con- 
trasted with  "Picture  of  Unusual  Merit  (Artistic)"; 
"Bad  Taste  (Slightly  lowered  tone)"  is  contrasted 
with  "High  Moral  Tone  (High  tone  without  being 
moralistic)."  "Children  may  need  to  be  trained  to 
distinguish  clearly  between  vulgar  fun  and  clean 
fun.  We  are  especially  anxious  to  have  the  young 
people  under  our  guidance  voluntarily  shop  for 
movies  of  high  moral  tone.  .  .  .  Pictures  obviously 
in  bad  taste.  .  .  .  Mae  West  pictures  and  the  like, 
probably  have  little  effect  on  the  young  people  who 
attend  our  churches.  Where  diiTering  moral  stand- 
ards are  clearly  recognized,  the  dangers  are  at  a 
minimum."  It  appears  to  this  department  that  our 
reasoning  and  our  psychology  need  to  be  consid- 
erably clarified  in  this  field  of  film  evaluation.  Does 
it  mean  much  for  a  child  to  rate  a  picture  as  of 
"High  Moral  Tone"?  Or  to  call  another  "Artistic"? 
Of  course,  he  is  guided  through  discussions,  but  we 
wonder  if  the  subjection  of  the  sensitive  child  na- 
ture (even  when  of  High  School  age)  to  various 
kinds  of  film  production  is  the  best  means  of  setting 
a  standard  of  high  moral  tone,  or  of  what  is  ar- 
tistic !  W'hat  has  become  of  the  Law  of  Condition- 
ing? The  people  of  any  national  group  reflect  the 
culture  of  their  group;  they  are  so  conditioned.  To 
acquire  a  taste  for  music,  is  the  child  subjected  to 
primitive  rhythms  and  crooning  with  such  an  over- 
whelming confidence  in  his  judgment  that  we  trust 

(Concluded  on  page  89) 


Page  88 


The  Educational  Scree 


The  Church  Field 


Conducted  by  MARY  BEATTIE  BRADY 

Director,    Harmon    Foundation,    New    York    City 


Young  Peoples'  Group  Makes  Experlmentdl  Picture 


A  DRAMATIC  presentation  of  a  true  life  situation 
has  recently  been  done  in  motion  pictures  by  the 
Young  People's  Fellowship  of  St.  Stephen's  Church, 
Port  Washington,  Long  Island,  in  cooperation  with 
The  Religious  Motion  Picture  Foundation.  The  pro- 
duction, entitled  "Lost  and  Found",  had  its  first  pres- 
entation in  the  church  on  February  9,  and  has  called 
forth  considerable  interest,  not  only  because  of  the 
subject  matter  and  its  treatment,  but  also  because  it 
is  probably  the  first  film  of  its  kind  to  be  developed 
by  an  amateur  church  group,  with  a  craftsman-like 
approach. 

The  film  presents  an  actual  occurrence  that  takes 
place  in  a  small  community  and  afifects  the  lives  of 
several  young  people.  In  the  showings  which  have 
been  held  thus  far  it  has  fulfilled  the  purpose  intended 
in  holding  the  interest  and  stimulating  the  minds  of 
its  viewers  to  discussion  as  to  the  ethics  used  by  "Bill", 
the  local  rector  and  head  of  the  young  people's  group, 
in  handling  a  dilemma. 

Leading  parts  in  the  film  have  been  taken  by  the 
members  of  the  Young  People's  Fellowship.  They 
were  directed  bv  Mr.  Charles  T.  Carbonaro,  assisted  bv 


A  Scene  from  "Lost  and   Found" 

Miss  Helen  G.  Harmon,  Vice-President  of  the  Har- 
mon Foundation.  They  had  had  some  previous  ex- 
perience in  dramatic  work  under  the  direction  of  their 
president,  Mr.  Carl  Krautter,  and  for  this  reason,  as 
well  as  the  keen  inte'rest  in  the  purpose  of  such  a  film, 
were  felt  to  be  an  ideal  group  for  making  this  experi- 
ment in  motion  pictures. 

It  was  intended  to  begin  their  work  with  the  writing 


of  the  scenario,  but  because  they  were  nearly  all  high 
school  students  and  it  was  getting  into  the  summer 
vacation  period,  the  time  was  too  short.  A  scenario 
was  furnished  and  from  that  point  the  group  took  up 
its  work.  One  member  took  charge  of  "props"  ;  an- 
other acted  as  script  girl ;  and  all  were  generally  help- 
ful in  building  up  a  production  of  a  worthwhile  na- 
ture. An  empty  gas  station  in  Port  Washington  fur- 
nished the  locale  of  a  good  deal  of  the  action  in  the 
film.  In  the  development  of  the  story  the  police  de- 
partment and  the  police  station  had  to  be  used  for 
some  of  the  scenes,  and  the  proprietor  of  a  tavern 
gave  the  use  of  his  establishment  for  other  sequences. 
The  two  local  newspapers  ran  oflf  special  editions  for 
the  photography  of  progressive  news  on  the  robbery 
of  the  gas  station,  an  important  part  of  the  action. 
Through  the  cooperation  of  the  Reverend  W.  J. 
Woon,  St.  Stephen's  Church,  Port  Washington,  the 
Parish  House  was  used  for  many  of  the  indoor  sets. 
Cars  and  some  of  the  other  props  were  borrowed  from 
relatives  and  friends  of  the  members  of  the  young 
people's  group. 

The  photography  of  the  film  was  completed  in  a 
few  week-ends  as  most  of  the  young  people  were  not 
available  at  other  times.  They  threw  themselves  com- 
pletely into  the  production  and  readily  caught  the  spir- 
it of  furnishing  vistial  material  on  young  people's  prob- 
lems in  adjusting  themselves  to  life.  They  have  had 
the  technical  experience  of  making  a  film  and  achieved 
values  from  its  subject  matter,  yet  at  the  same  time 
they  have  given  a  permanent  and  effective  service  to  a 
large  number  of  people.         By  Evfxyn  S.  Brown. 

"Padre  Sahib"  to  Visit  United  States 

Almost  three  years  have  elapsed  since  the  Reverend 
Mott  Keisler  and  his  wife,  of  Lahore,  India,  took  time 
off  from  their  regular  duties  as  missionaries  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  play  the  leading  parts 
in  the  motion  picture  drama  cf  mission  life,  "Padre 
Sahib".  Since  that  time  the  film  has  been  shown 
to  more  than  five  hundred  church  audiences  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Methodist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
but  as  yet  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Keisler  have  not  seen  one 
performance.  Returning  for  a  year's  furlough  this 
coming  spring  they  look  forward  to  seeing  themselves 
as  others  have  been  seeing  them  for  the  last  two  and 
a  half  years.  "Padre  Sahib"  was  made  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  William  L.  Rogers  with  the  coo]ieration  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Keisler  in  the  spring  of  1933. 


March,  1956 


Page  89 


II 


National  Conference  on  Visual  Education 
and  Film  Foundation 

—   DeVRY   FOUNDATION  — 

(Formerly  DeVry  Summer  School  of  Visual  Education) 

Sixth    Session 
CHICAGO  —  JUNE  22  TO  25  —  1936 

At  The   Francis   W.    Parker   School,   330   Webster  Ave. 

(Opposite  Lincoln  Park) 

The   Week  Before  The  N.   E.   A.   at   Portland 

Use    Reduced    Railway    Fares   and   Stop-Over   Privilea:e 

Four  days  of  film  exhibition  and  discussions  by  leading  educa- 
tors, sale.^  executives  and  advertising  men  ;  viewing  and  discuss- 
ing the  latest  and  best  industrial  and  educational  films — sound 
and  silent. 

Fi'.m  producers  are  invited  to  submit  their  film  entry  for  ex- 
hibition and  study.  The  list  accepted  will  be  announced  in  ad- 
vance of   the   Conference  Session. 

MEMBERSHIP  IS  FREE  — 
ADMISSION  BY  REGISTRATION  CARDS 

Those  who  have  a  reasonable  expectation  of  attending,  are  in- 
vited to  sign  advance  Registration  Card  bslow  and  mail  to  address 
printed  on  card.  This  card  will  insure  membership  and  admis- 
sion to  all  sessions,  and  will  bring  you  detailed  program  as  soon 
as   printed.      No   obligation    involved. 


Above-  the  DeVry  Theatre  Sound  Projecttir  i  m  uAry  35  mm. 
Sound  Unit-  DeVry  16  mm.  Sprocket  Intermittent  Sound  Unit 
—DeVry  16  mm.  Triple  Claw  Sound  Unit — DeVry  35  mm.  Sound 
Recording  Camera  DeVry  "A"  News  Reel  Camera-  -The  DeVry 
No.    60,    16   mm.    Camera — DeVry    "E"   and    "G"    Siknt    Projectors. 

1 1 1 1  Center  St.. 
Chicago 


HERMAN  A.  DEVRY,  Inc. 


ADVANCE 

National    Conference    on    V 
1 1 1 1    Center    Street 

REGISTRATION 

Isual    Education    and 

CARD 

Film    Exhibition    — 
Chicago,    Ills. 

Film    Entry 

if   any 

Clip  this   ad   for  reference.      It  will   not   be   repeated. 


Among  The  Magazines  and  Books 

(Concluded  from  page  87)  ~~ 

him  to  determine  what  music  is  of  high  standard? 
To  he  sure,  there  are  classroom  discussions,  after 
which  the  pupil  often  votes  against  the  accepted 
standard.  How  long  before  hygienists  shall  advise 
that  young  people  experiment  in  the  use  of  foods, 
notwithstanding  the  slowly  accumulated  knowledge 
through  centuries  of  their  effects  upon  the  human 
body?  Is  it  not  the  part  of  wisdom  for  young  folks 
to  be  shown  that  they  are  the  heirs  of  a  rich  herit- 
age of  standards  of  taste,  conduct,  and  beauty, 
which  a  single  person  could  not  possibly  evolve 
during  his  whole  lifetime?  The  more  they  can  see 
and  appreciate  this  evolvement,  the  truer  the  taste, 
but  does  it  become  the  more  reliable  by  an  inclusion 
of  poorer  standards  for  the  sake  of  comparison? 

To  be  sure,  few  pictures  are  just  what  we  should 
like  for  children,  and  the  author  gives  a  number 
of  very  helpful  suggestions  for  counteracting  ef- 
fects that  might  be  harmful.  Suggestions  are  made 
for  class  work  in  the  study  of  the  best  film  reviews. 

Intercine  (November,  '35) 

"The  Educational  Film  in  Public  Cinemas,"  by 
Luis  Gomez  Mesa.  The  writer  holds  that  we 
should  be  subject  to  a  disillusion  if  we  should  have 
faith  in  managers  of  public  cinemas  putting  their 
screens  at   the   service   of    education    and    culture. 


Hence,  he  mentions  two  plans,  for  obtaining  this 
result.  Managers  may  be  compelled  to  produce 
a  definite  minimum  footage  of  educational  pictures. 
Optional  to  this  procedure,  competition  could  be 
encouraged  amongst  managers  by  granting  fiscal 
advantages  to  those  producing  the  best  selected  and 
most  useful  films. 

"Recent  Developments  in  Sound  Technique,"  by 
Basil  Wright.  In  an  experiment  carried  on  under 
the  direction  of  John  Grierson,  the  comedy,  "Pett 
and  Pott,"  was  produced  on  completely  asynchro- 
nistic  sound  principles.  Practically  all  the  sound 
was  recorded  before  the  shooting  of  the  visuals. 
This  enabled  the  workers  to  concentrate  for  the 
first  time  on  the  shajje  of  the  sound  score,  the 
sound  band  becoming  a  complementary  element, 
rather  than  a  supplementary  element.  In  "Weather 
Forecast  '  the  efl^ect  was  the  reverse  of  impression- 
istic ;  the  prelude  to  the  storm,  and  the  storm  itself, 
were  so  built  up  in  contrapuntal  sound  and  picture 
that  the  atmosphere  was  not  merelv  one  of  tension 
and  excitement  but  also  supremely  analytical.  This 
quality  of  analysis  is  another  example  of  the  value  of 
sound  and  picture  not  blankly  tied  up  by  synchronized 
effects.  The  chief  interest  of  sound  here  was  in 
its  use  to  determine  mood,  by  adding  extra  atmos- 
pheric qualities  to  those  already  in  the  visuals.  In 
a  word,  this  film  demands  intellectual  concentration 
from  its  audiences  as  well  as  emotional  response. 


Page  90 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


BEFORE  any  school  attempts  a  film  producing  pro- 
gram there  are  always  a  number  of  problems 
which  arise  concerning  equipment  and  technical  data 
of  one  sort  or  another.  In  this  article  I  shall  attempt 
to  list  and  answer  a  few  of  the  questions  most  fre- 
quently asked. 

Which  camera  equipment  shall  I  buy  is  probably  the 
most  common  question  and  unquestionably  the  hard- 
est to  answer.  This  is  like  asking  which  automobile 
shall  I  buy  or  which  radio  shall  I  buy.  There  are 
a  number  of  good  cameras  on  the  market  and  like 
other  commodities  it  is  generally  true  that  you  get 
only  what  you  pay  for.  One  must  bear  in  mind  one 
fact  however  in  jnirchasing  equipment  for  the  produc- 
tion of  teaching  films,  namely,  that  the  resulting  films 
will  be  judged  by  critical  eyes  so  that  cameras  which 
would  be  suitable  for  vacation  records  and  home 
amusement  will  not  in  most  cases  be  capable  of  pro- 
ducing satisfactory  teaching  films. 

The  16  mm.  field  might  be  divided  into  two  hyjxi- 
thetical  divisions  namely ;  the  above  mentioned  home 
amusement  films  and  the  serious  and  much  more 
difficult  instructional  film.  For  the  former  class 
many  of  the  low  priced,  simple  to  operate,  16  mm. 
cameras  will  suffice.  However,  for  the  teaching  films, 
produced  for  the  most  part  under  more  difficult  condi- 
tions, only  the  best  and  most  versatile  cameras  should 
be  used. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  initial  cost  of  the 
producing  equipment  is  small  compared  to  the  cost 
of  the  film  which  will  eventually  be  consumed  in  the 
Ijroduction  of  finished  films.  Nothing  is  more  exas- 
]:ierating  than  to  find  that  after  using  a  certain  camera 
for  a  while,  it  has  definite  limitations  which  pro- 
hibit it  from  being  used  at  maximum  efficiency. 

In  the  nature  of  the  case,  a  16  mm.  camera  can 
hardly  be  expected  to  match  the  results  of  a  35  mm. 
It  is  wise  therefore  to  consider  carefully  the  advisabil- 
ity of  purchasing  the  camera  in  the  size  of  maximum 
efficiency  for  the  purpose  intended.  The  compensation 
in  the  ability  to  prodvice  results  will  more  than  oflfset 
the  difiference  of  $50.00  or  $100.00  in  the  initial  cost. 

What  lens  equipment  should  I  huy?  Again  we  say 
that  inasmuch  as  the  lens  might  be  considered  as  the 
heart  of  the  motion  picture  camera  that  one  should  be 
content  with  none  but  the  best.  This  question  is  more 
easily  settled  however,  because  all  of  the  well  known 
lenses  now  on  the  market  will  give  good  results  if  used 
properly. 

In  glancing  through  a  lens  catalog  we  see  many 
focal  lengths  listed.  The  size  of  the  image  obtained 
on  a  film  is  directly  proportional  to  the  focal  length 
of  the  lens.  A  2"  lens  will  give  twice  as  large  an  image 
as  a  1"  lens,  and  a  6"  lens  will  give  twice  the  image 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 


size  of  a  3"  lens.  At  the  same  time  as  the  image  size 
increases,  our  angle  of  view  or  field  is  decreased 
proportionally.  It  is  readily  recognized  that  this  is 
one  method  of  producing  "Close-Ups." 

Another  method  would  be  to  bring  the  camera 
closer  to  the  object  photographed  using  the  same  lens, 
but  the  use  of  various  focal  lengths  is  to  be  desired 
in  some  cases,  such  as  photographing  a  distant  mountain 
or  landscape  and  bringing  it  closer  to  the  eyes  of  the 
audience.  A  good  combination  for  a  modest  outlay 
would  be  a  1"  lens  and  a  2"  lens.  A  more  desirable 
combination  would  be  a  15  mm.,  a  1",  a  2",  and  a  4". 

Anotlier  designation  of  lenses  is  by  their  "F"  value, 
or  diaphragm  number.  As  was  discussed  last  month 
the  lower  the  "F''  value  the  larger  the  efifective  area 
of  the  lens  and  the  greater  is  the  amount  of  light 
admitted.  It  so  hapi)ens  that  a  large  number  of 
teaching  films  will  be  made  indoors  by  means  of  arti- 
ficial light.  This  will  mean  that  at  times  it  is  necesary 
to  use  a  very  large  aperture  (F  1.5,  F  1.9,  etc.).  The 
1"  F  1.9  lens  is  a  very  highly  corrected  objective  and 
is  standard  equipment  on  most  cameras.  The  15  mm. 
or  wide  angle  lens  for  the  inclusion  of  large  areas 
can  be  had  in  the  F  2.5  model,  a  very  .satisfactory 
lens. 

The  longer  focal  length  lenses  will  have  a  smaller 
aperture  due  to  their  construction.  The  2"  lens  may 
be  obtained  in  F  1.5  but  the  F  3.5  model  gives  sharper 
images  if  the  speed  may  be  sacrificed.  In  the  3",  4", 
and  6"  lenses  for  outdoor  work  and  limited  indoor 
work  the  apertures  rarely  go  below  F  4  or  F  4.5. 

Should  I  buy  equipment  that  will  make  "slow  mo- 
tion" movies?  Yes,  by  all  means  purchase  a  variable 
speed  camera  so  that  this  may  be  done.  There  are 
many  times  where  motion  pictures  are  made  of  moving 
apparatus  or  processes  which  would  show  only  as  a 
blur  when  photographed  at  the  standard  silent  speed 
of  16  frames  per  second.  By  speeding  up  the  camera 
to  32  or  64  frames  per  second  these  processes  may 
be  analyzed  and  studied.  This  princij^le  is  applied  to 
laboratory  research  in  the  study  of  explosions  in  an 
internal  combustion  engine,  experiments  in  physics  and 
other  I'ugh  speed  phenomena  where  pictures  are  taken 
at  the  enormous  rate  of  five  to  ten  thousand  per  second. 

Teaching  films  in  the  field  of  sports  and  athletic 
events  must  utilize  the  .slow  motion  principle  to  its 
utmost.  In  a  recent  film  produced  at  the  Ohio  State 
Um'versity  under  direction  of  the  Women's  x^thletic 
Department  to  teach  the  correct  form  in  swimming, 
the  entire  production  was  photographed  at  64  frames 

(Concluded  on  page  ''5) 


March,  1936 


Page  91 


Look  to  RCA 

for  the  latest  developments  in  . 
modern  educational  aids 


FOR  25  YEARS  we  have  had  a  special  department  to  assist  schools  in  putting 
Victor  Records  to  educational  uses.  Progressive  educators  today  look  to 
that  same  department  for  counsel  in  the  use  of  films,  whether  slide  films 
with  sound-on-disc,  or  talking  motion  pictures. 

These  modern  teaching  aids  greatly  enhance  the  success  of  the  school 
personnel,  and  give  the  institution  employing  them  a  new  high  standing  in 
its  community  and  among  educators  generally. 

The  only  equipment  necessary  to  show  films  is  a  suitable  projector.  The 
RCA  Slide  Film  Projector  (sound-on-disc)  is  being  used  by  schools  every- 
where, because  it  is  simple  to  operate,  furnishes  clear  and  brilliant  pictures 
and  sound,  and  is  backed  by  the  most  famous  name  in  sound  recording  and 
reproduction.  There  is  also  the  RCA  i6mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture  Pro- 
jector, which  is  available  on  a  self-financing  plan  so  arranged  that  the  Pro- 
jector and  a  film  service  covering  a  scholastic  year,  are  obtainable  without 
drawing  on  school  board  funds.  Write  for  full  particulars. 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  CO.,  Inc. 

CAMDEN,  NEW  JERSEY  •  A  SERVICE  OF  RADIO  CORPORATION  OF  AMERICA 


MAIL  THIS  COUPON  NOW! 


RCA  Mfg,  Co.,  Inc.,  Visual  Sound  Section 
Camden,  N.  J. 

Please  send  me  full  details  of  the  RCA  Projectors. 


Name, 


RCA  Slide  Film 
Projector(sound- 
on-disc).  Port- 
able. Simple  to 
operate. 


Schools 
Street— 
City 


_State_ 


Page  92 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Department 


Biology  in  the  Canal  Zone 

CHILDREN  everjwhere  love  to  bring  things  to 
the  teacher,  who  is  then  faced  with  the  more  or 
less  acute  problem  of  how  to  dispose  of  their  of- 
ferings. Down  here  there  is  such  a  wealth  of  ma- 
terial constantly  available,  with  no  closed  winter 
season,  that  only  a  slight  added  stimulus  of  sug- 
gestion is  needed  to  start  the  inflow  of  curious,  in- 
teresting or  fearful  objects  collected  by  our  seventh 
grade  crowd.  Ample  space  has  been  provided  for 
most  of  the  collections,  and  various  arrangements 
made  for  the  temporary  housing  of  the  small  crea- 
tures brought  in  alive  for  study. 

Children  of  the  seventh  grade  are  a  bit  too  young 
to  be  very  reliable  on  trips ;  the  class  period  is  very 
short;  and  transportation  for  a  crowd  of  160  is  dif- 
ficult to  arrange,  so  few  field  excursions  are  sched- 
uled. For  this  reason  the  realia  are  doubly  wel- 
comed for  class  room  instruction.  The  children 
need  a  chance  to  see  for  themselves,  instead  of  read- 
ing about  things  in  a  book.  Since  the  year's  work  is 
built  around  the   studv  of  environmental   factors,  all 


NEW  FINANCE  PLAN 


FOR  - 

SCHOOLS,  CHURCHES,  ETC. 


We  have  just  completed  a  new  and 
unusual  finance  plan  which  will  enable 
every  school,  church  and  similar  insti- 
tution to  own  the  latest  16mm.  or 
35mm.  SOUND  ON  FILM  PRO- 
JECTOR on  liberal  and  convenient 
TERMS. 

WRITE  FOR  COMPLETE  DETAILS 

We  sell  BELL  &  HOWELL,  AMPRO,  VIC- 
TOR, R.C.A.,  SYNCROFILM,  as  well  as 
DE  VRY  Equipment. 

WE  ALSO  HAVE  SEVERAL  SLIGHTLY  USED  AND 
REPOSSESSED  TALKING  PICTURE  PROJECTORS 
THAT  WE  CAN  OFFER  AT  LESS  THAN  COST. 
YOU  CAN  PURCHASE  THESE  AS  WELL  ON  THE 
ABOVE  CONVENIENT  PAYMENT  PLAN.  ABSO- 
LUTELY NO  INTEREST  CHARGE. 

SUNNY   SCHICK 

NATIONAL  BROKERS 

407   W.   WASHINGTON   BLVD. 

FORT  WAYNE,  IND. 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director.  Scarborouah   School.   Scarborouah-on-Hudton,   N.  Y. 


types  of  local  specimens  are  made  to  play  their  part  in 
laying  a  broad  foundation  for  future  study.  Many  new 
terms  must  be  learned,  and  a  more  critical  attitude  de- 
veloped by  close  observation. 

Does  a  scorpion  sting  itself  to  death?  Do  the  young 
scorpions  devour  their  parent?  A  chance  is  offered 
to  study  them  in  captivity.  A  snake  doesn't  have  a 
backbone,  does  it?  The  vertebrae  have  been  collected 
and  strung  on  a  wire.  What  is  a  vertebrate  creature? 
Where  is  the  turtle's  backbone  located?  Is  a  whale  a 
fish?  Why  is  a  bat  not  a  bird?  What  are  mammals? 
How  do  moths  differ  from  butterflies?  Isn't  a  cater- 
pillar a  worm?  Is  it  safe  to  pick  up  this  caterpillar? 
Aren't  some  lizards  poisonous?  Instead  of  fearing  all 
the  creeping,  crawling  creatures,  they  learn  to  make 
friends  of  some  of  them.  The  praying  mantis  dain- 
tily eats  a  piece  of  meat  and  does  not  seem  to  mind  his 
captivity.  The  "thorn  bugs"  and  leaf  insects  illustrate 
nature's  mimicry.  Iguana  eggs  hatch  without  any  care 
and  the  young  can  feed  themselves.  In  the  plant  world 
the  children  observe  the  leaves  of  schoolroom  plants 
turn  toward  the  sun,  and  those  derived  of  light  grow 
pale  and  spindly.  A  study  of  seed  dispersal  follows 
when  the  winged  mahogany  seeds  appear  and  the  sand- 
box pods  begin  to  burst ;  seeds  with  burs  and  seeds 
with  down,  and  the  hardy  cocoanut,  the  voyageur  to 
distant  isles.  Stalactites  from  Alhajuela  mean  more 
than  those  defined  in  the  geography  book,  and  the  fos- 
sils garnered  hereabouts  give  color  to  the  story  of 
geology. 

Last  week  a  quite  fortuitous  occurrence  served  to 
illustrate  several  first  principles.  The  children  were 
the  first  to  note  that  our  handsome  jewel  fish  was  on 
a  rampage.  She  seemed  unusually  vicious,  and  closer 
observation  revealed  that  she  was  hovering  over  a 
cloudlike  swarm  of  some  two  hundred  tiny  young  ones 
she  had  spawned  over  night,  jealously  guarding  them 
from  the  other  denizens  of  the  tank.  She  was  aided 
and  abetted  in  a  somewhat  bored  fashion  by  her  mate, 
and  they  had  already  done  to  death  one  large  inoffen- 
sive-looking fellow  inhabitant,  who  was  gasping  out  his 
last  feeble  breath.  The  mother  lunged  viciously  at  any 
unwary  intruder  who  ventured  near  the  corner  of  the 
tank  pre-empted  for  a  nursery,  and  was  concentrating 
on  a  ha):)less  small  turtle  who  had  innocently  dived 
down  for  a  leisurely  prowl  on  the  sandy  bottom  and 
who  dared  not  now  put  forth  his  head  or  tiny  claws 
to  essay  regaining  the  comparative  safety  of  the  upper 
reaches. 

When  we  prepared  to  remove  the  tiny  babies  for 
closer  observation  the  mother  fearlesslv  attacked  both 


March,  19}  6 


Page  93 


net  and  the  hand  that  held  it,  yet  did  not  seem  dis- 
tressed when  most  of  the  swarm  were  fi^one.  The  tiny, 
speckled  fish  were  scarcely  visible  against  the  back- 
ground of  sand.  After  a  few  days  time  it  was  noted 
that  manv  had  died  and  many  unwary  ones,  too,  had 
been  picked  off  by  hvmgry  prowlers.  Then  the  ques- 
tion arose  as  to  what  would  happen  had  none  of  the 
young  ones  died. 

This   "blessed   event"   proved   highly    interesting  to 
the  class  and  led  to  discussions  about  parental  care, 


Courtesy  of  Everett  B.  Sackett 

Seventh   Grade   General  Science   Pupils 
Performing   an   Experiment 

protective   coloration,   the  survival   of   the  fittest,   the 
balance  of  nature,  and  so  forth. 

Naturally  this  particular  illustration  does  not  occur 
each  year.  But  each  year  does  produce  a  number  of 
absorbing  occurrences  to  keep  alive  the  interest  and 
break  the  monotony  for  classes  and  teacher  both. 

By   THEODORA    CAMPBELL 

Teacher    of     General     Science, 
Balboa    Junior    High    School 

Wisconsin  Visual  Instruction  Institute 

A  three-day  institute  for  the  training  of  teachers 
and  administrators  in  the  more  eflfective  use  of  vis- 
ual aids  was  conducted  by  the  University  of  Wis- 
consin Extension  Division  at  Madison,  February 
llth-13th.  Among  the  speakers  were:  Dr.  Edgar 
Dale,  of  Ohio  State  University  and  American  Coun- 
cil on  Education;  Mr.  Paul  Nelson,  of  Stout  Insti- 
tute; Dr.  Colin  G.  Welles,  Director  of  Visual  In- 
struction, Milwaukee  Vocational  School;  Mr.  Leo 
P.  Schleck,  Director  of  Visual  Instruction,  Madison 
Public  Schools ;  Mr.  Harold  Stamm,  of  West  Allis 
High  School ;  and  Mrs.  Helen  Thompson,  of  Emer- 
■-^on  School,  Madison.  Mr.  J.  E.  Hansen  and  Mr. 
F.  H.  Brown  represented  the  Bureau  of  Visual  In- 
struction on  the  program.  Dean  Frank  O.  Holt, 
of  the  Extension  Division,  addressed  the  group  at 
the  Tuesday  luncheon  meeting,  and  Dean  C.  J.  An- 
derson, of  the  School  of  Education,  delivered  an  ad- 
dress on  "Problems  Facing  Those  Who  Use  Motion 
Pictures  for  Instructional  Purposes"  at  the  Wed- 
nesday luncheon  meeting. 


USEES  ALL-PLAYS  ALL  I 
niversaL 

THE  PROFESSIONAL 
SOUND    PROJECTOR  16MM. 

For  Audiences  50  to  2000 


ONCE  it  may  have  been  necessary  to  pay  a  lot  of 
money  fo  get  all  the  things  you  wanted  In  a  sound 
projector.     ONCE  —  but  not  any  more. 

TODAY,  you  can  buy  a  Universal  Sound  Projector, 
and  at  a  low  price  have  all  the  advantages  of  a 
Professional  Sound  Projector.  Universal  has  set  a 
new  standard  for  Picture  and  Sound   Performance. 

Make  Your  Own 
"Side    By    Side"    Test 

See  and  hear  the  Universal  side  by  side 
with  any  other  sound  projector  at  any 
price.  Compare  the  brilliancy  of  picture 
and  quality  of  sound.  The  Result?  We 
can't  describe  it.  We  can  only  urge  you 
to  make  this  test  for  yourself-Universal 
"Side  by  Side"  with  any  other  sound 
projector. 

All  You  Want  Is  Here  — 

Think  over  the  things  you  want  most  in 
a  16  M.  M.  Sound  Projector.  In  Uni- 
versal you  enjoy  record  breaking  tone 
.^  quality  and  brilliancy  in  screen  image. 
Economy  is  the  boast  of  every  Universal 
owner.  Compare  prices  and  values. 
You  will  then  understand  why  Universal 
excels. 


Low  Cost  — 

In  Universal  you 
find  a  new  kind  of 
performance  plus 
operating  economy 
at    lowest    cost. 


WITH    500-750-1000    WATT    PROJECTOR    LAMP 
ACCOMMODATES   ALL   SIZE   REELS 


BRILLIANT  PICTIHE  —  At  vari- 
ous distances  and  ail  sizes.  Vnl- 
versai  with  its  fine  Lens  equipment 
and  high  powered  lamps  affords  un- 
excelled  definition   to   pictures. 


FOR  AUDIEN'CKS  TO  2000— T'nl- 
vcrsal  Amplifler  with  Its  Speaker  Is 
of  auditorium  type.  Ample  power 
for    large    and    small    showings. 


ALL-METAL  CASE  —  The  Sound 
Projector  is  housed  In  an  all-metal 
case  mabinK  for  rigidity  In  opera- 
tion and  flexibility  In  transporta- 
tion. Designed  for  hard,  continued 
usage. 


TllVE  TOXE  QIALITY— In  Uni- 
versal every  sound  is  produced  with 
accurate  lidelity  with  colorful  and 
pleasing  definition. 


SOUND  OR  SILENT  PICTURES— 

Projector  equipped  with  Universal 
A.  C.-D.  C.  Motor.  GOVERNOU 
CONTROL  for  regulation  of  vari- 
ous  speeds. 


COMPLETE  E  Q  U  IP- 
M  E  N  T^Sound  Projector 
—  Amplifier  ~  Speaker 
Tubes — (^onnections^Ktc. , 
arranged  In  2  Handy  ear- 
ning Cases  —  Simple  to 
erect— Easy    to    operate. 


A 


Complete   Details  On   Request 

UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 

Manufacturers  of   16  mm.  -  35  mm.  Sound   Proiecfors 


Factory  &  General  Offices 

Allegheny   Ave.   at    Ninth   St. 

Philadelphia.    Pa. 


Western    Distributor 

Ideal   Pictures  Corp. 

30    E.   8th   St..    Chicaoo,    III. 


Page  94 


The  Educational  Screen 


16-MM.  SCHOOL   FILMS 
BASED  ON  MOTION  PICTURE  CLASSICS 

"North  American  Indian  Life" 

Based   on    Burden-Chanler's 
"THE  SILENT  ENEMY" 
Three  One-Reel  Episodes  for  Primary  Grades 
Four  One-Reel  Episodes  for  Upper  Grades 

"Eskimo  Life" 

Based   on   Robert  Flaherty's 
"NANOOK  OF  THE  NORTH" 

Four   One-Reel    Episodes  for   Prinnary   Grades 
Six  Reels  for  Upper  Grades 

These  films  have  been  integrated  with  school  sub- 
jects and  fit  into  the  curricula.  Title  vocabulary 
has  been  checked  with  Thorndyke  list. 
Teacher's  Guides,  containing  helpful  explanatory 
matter  and  suggestions  for  teaching  techniques,  ac- 
company the  films. 

Catalog  and  price  list  sent  upon  request. 

Edwards  Productions 

729  SEVENTH  AVE.,  NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 
Cable  Address:    Beaconfilm. 

Write  for  free  copy  of  twenty-page  illustrated 
brochure  "How  The  Silent  Enemy  Was  Made", 


t^Hi^iM^\6 


mm 

ALL 

SPROCKET 

PROJECTOR 

SILENT 

or 

SOUND 

on 

FILM 


•x^ 


y 


All 

Shaft 
Driven 

Straight 

Sound 
Aperture 

Direct 
Beam  of 
Light  on 

Sound 
Track  and 
Photo  Cell 

Hold  Back 
Sprocket 

Filtered 
Sound 

Sprocket 


PROFESSIONAL 
QUALITY 

Ask  any  professional  operator 
why  these  HOLMES  16  mm 
features  are  so  necessary  to 
the  finest  sound  reproduction 
and  picture  projection. 

Write  for  full  descriptive 
literature. 


Belts 
No  Chains 

No 
Sound 
Drum 

No 

Reflected 

Lipht  from 

Sound 

Track  to 

Photo  Cell 

No  Claw 
Movement 

No  High 
Speed 
Shafts 


HOLMES    PROJECTOR    COMPANY 

1113  N.  ORCHARD  STREET  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


A   Report  on  Visual   Aids 

Visual  Aids  ix  the  Schools  (Bulletin  IV,  De- 
cember, '35),  Published  by  the  New  York  State  Asso- 
ciation of  Elementary  Principals.  Prepared  by  the 
Committee  on  Educational  Progress,  Visual  Aids  Di- 
vision. John  J.  Jenkins,  Chairman. 

In  160  pages,  an  exhaustive  treatment  is  given  on 
"Present  Uses  and  Suggestions  for  Improvement"  in 
the  use  of  all  kinds  of  visual  materials  in  the  state  of 
New  York.  Somewhat  over  one-third  of  the  book  is 
devoted  to  "Visual  Aids  for  the  Asking  and  Making", 
and  the  remainder  to  "Visual  Aids  Requiring  Equip- 
ment". Part  I  includes  chapters  on  "The  School 
Journey",  "Charts,  Graphs.  Diagrams",  "Pictures  and 
Picture  Collections",  and  "The  Object-Specimen- 
Model". 

Part  II  presents  the  most  complete  description  of 
novel  and  effective  uses  of  the  blackboard,  which  we 
have  seen.  There  are  suggestions  for  each  branch  of 
learning  in  the  Elementary  School,  much  of  the  pro- 
cedure being  in  the  sports  spirit.  Standards  for  lan- 
tern slides  include  those  of  A.  P.  Hollis,  of  Weber, 
and  two  added  by  the  committee.  Ten  uses  of  slides 
are  listed,  including  the  following  less  commonly 
given :  "Slides  are  of  value  when  used  in  a  deductive 
or  inductive  manner  particularly  when  studying  ma- 
terials where  it  is  desirable  to  demonstrate,  or  de- 
velop cause  and  eflfect  relationships."  The  excellent 
analysis  of  Mr.  Alfred  W.  Abrams  on  training  pupils 
to  observe  and  interpret  pictures  is  quoted.  Teachers 
will  appreciate  the  various  demonstration  lessons  that 
are  fully  outlined.  Miss  Alice  V.  Keliher  in  five 
pages  ])resents  a  most  helpful  summary  of  her  use  of 
slides  in  the  First  Grade.  A  demonstration  lesson  on 
"\\'oor'  is  fully  developed,  and  she  gives  the  unique 
advantages  of  the  use  of  slides  in  this  grade  under  11 
points.  Miss  Elda  Merton  in  seven  pages  gives  a  les- 
son in  Primary  Reading  based  on  a  single  slide,  the 
blackboard  projection  developed  by  Miss  Laura  Zirbes 
being  explained. 

The  more  recent  uses  of  maps  and  globes,  in- 
cluding the  making  of  outline  and  relief  maps,  are 
well  treated,  and  the  accompanying  use  of  sand  tables. 
Under  "Suggestions  to  Principals  and  Teachers  for 
Effective  Use  of  Motion  Pictures",  we  are  not  sur- 
prised to  find  the  following,  when  we  recall  the  long 
tutelage  of  New  York  State  in  using  projection  ma- 
terials under  Mr.  Abrams :  "The  connection  or  rela- 
tionship between  the  film  and  the  school  work  must  be 
clear  to  the  children  before,  during  and  following  the 
showing  of  a  film.  It  should  be  understood  by  all 
concerned  that  the  film  is  an  educational  medium  and 
not  a  show.  Do  not  use  films  to  excess.  Remember 
that  an  active  intellectual  attitude  is  essential  if  real 
learning  is  to  take  place." 

Sound  pictures  are  appraised  and  the  different  ex- 
periments performed,  with  their  educational  use,  are 
well  summarized.    The  difficulties  of  a  classroom  teacher 


iarcb,  193  6 


Page  95 


D  A  -  L  I  T  E 

ELEVATING 

TYPES 

Junior  Models 

For  small  classes.  Moderately 
priced  from  $3.00  up. 

New  Deal 

In  leatherette-covered  box,  with 
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30"  to  39"  X  52"   Inclusive. 

Model  A 

in  leatherette-covered  box  with 
double  collapsible  support.  The 
highest  quality  box  screen  on  the 
market.    Same  sizes  as  New  Deal. 

Model  F 

In  metal  tube  with  single  collap- 
sible support.  22"  X  30"  to 
52"  X  72"  inclusive. 

Challenger 

In  tube  with  tripod  attached. 
30"  X  40"  to  70"  X  94"  inclusive. 

Master 

In  metal  box,  with  double  collap- 
sible support  and  gear  and  crank 
lift.     6'  X  8'  to  9'  X   12'  Inclusive. 


The  Most  Complete  Line  of 
Educational     Screens 


For  schools,  Da-Lite  makes  translucent  rear- 
projection  screens,  stationary  auditorium 
screens,  and  the  elevating  and  hanging  types 
of  portable  screens  listed  here.  Unless  other- 
wise specified,  Da-Lite  Screens  have  the 
famous  Da-Lite  glass  beaded  surface  which 
reflects  the  maximum  amount  of  light  and 
assures  the  brightest,  clearest  pictures.  For 
movies  or  stills,  silent  or  sound,  there  is  a 
Da-Lite  Screen  that  will  exactly  meet  your 
need.  See  your  dealer  or  write  for  latest 
catalogue! 

DA-LITE    SCREEIV    CO.,    ITSC. 

2733  IVortli  Crawford  Ave.,  Chicago,  IIL 

DA-LITE     HANGING     SCREENS 

Model   B  Model  C 

On   spring   roller  In   metal        On  spring  roller  with  back- 
board mounting.  5'  x  8'  to 


tube    22 
X  84 


30"    to    63" 


9'  X   12'. 


The  Da  -  Lite 

Challenger 

has  a  tripod  attached 
to  the  case  in  which 
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mouniea.       ^ . 


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Da-Lite  Screens 


AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


in  projecting  with  sound  are  mentioned,  but  "with  our 
present  social  set-up,  it  is  almost  essential  that  schools 
be  provided  with  35mm.  sound  equipment  in  a  booth 
for  auditorium  entertainment  and  groitp  meetings." 
Ill  classroom  use,  the  following  deductions  have  been 
made  concerning  the  particular  type  of  films  involved 
in  experiments  by  C.  C.  Clark  of  New  York  Univer- 
sity, W.  F.  Einbecker,  John  A.  Haeseler  of  Harvard, 


and  Leon  J.  Westfall  of  Teachers  College. 

The  exjjeriment  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Stoddard  in  Provi- 
dence, R.  I.  with  large  groups  has  previously  been  re- 
ported in  the  Educational  Screen. 

This  bulletin  and  other  publications  of  the  associa- 
tion are  distributed  by  Rollin  W.  Thompson,  principal 
of  the  Roscoe  Conkling  School,  Utica.  The  price  of 
a  single  copy  is  50  cents.  S.  E.  M. 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 

(Coiicliiilcd  from  fiayc  90) 

per  second  in  order  to  study  each  arm  motion,  leg 
action  or  general  form.  When  the  inexperienced 
swimmer  views  this  film  he  may  see  where  he  is  at 
fault  and  thereby  be  in  better  position  to  improve  his 
own  form. 

The  standard  speed  of  sound  films  is  24  frames 
per  second.  If  the  16  mm.  silent  film  is  made  at  this 
speed  it  is  possible  at  a  later  date  to  have  a  sound 
track  printed  on  the  side  of  the  film,  and  then  run  as 
a  sound  film. 

It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  as  the  film 
speed  is  increased  from  16  to  64  frames  per  second, 
the  raw  stock  will  travel  through  the  camera  just 
four  times  as  fast.  Where  100  ft.  will  record  about 
4  minutes  of  action  under  normal  speed,  it  will  record 
only  about  1  minute  at  the  higher  speed. 


(16M.M.)   SOUND    PROJECTOR 
FREE  WITH   OUR  FEATURE 
FILM    PROGRAMS 


Your  school  can  now^  enjoy  up-to- 
date  movie  entertainment  including 
the  fine  acting  of  famous  stars,  ^vith- 
out  purchasing  a  projector. 
Simply  select  t'wo  pictures  monthly 
from  our  extensive  film  service  and 
a  16  M.  M.  projector  is  yours  rent- 
free.  Write  for  Special  School  Plan  B 
and    our     Sound  -  on  -  Film     Catalog. 


PROGRAMS 

Include 

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NEW  YORK.  N.  Y. 


Page  96 


The  Educational  Screen 


BAIT-E-LITe 

TAU  Vision 


portable  projection 
screens 


77i('  properties  and  pcrjormancc 
yon  look  for  ill  a  screen  arc  ciiii- 
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BRITELITE-TRUVISION 
CRYSTAL  BEADED  SCREENS 

They  come  in  all  sizes  and  all  nnodels 
— from  the  small,  portable,  classroom 
screen  to  the  more  ambitiously  sized 
models  for  auditorium  use.  They  are  built  to  exacting 
standards  of  manufacture  in  accordance  with  tested  mathe- 
matical and  illuminating  formulae.  The  exceptional  results 
which  they  afford  coupled  with  their  exceedingly  moderate 
prices — render  these   the   outstanding  screen  values  of  the  day. 

DE  LUXE  "A"  CRYSTAL  BEADED  SCREEN 

30  X  40" $15.00  list  (as  illustrated) 

Other  sizes  and  models  priced  proportionately. 
A   complete   catalog   at  your  disposal. 

FILM  STORAGE  &  PROJECTOR  CASE 

Constructed  with  the  same  degree  of  accuracy 
which  distinguishes  all  Britelite-Truvlsion  Movie 
Products.     Literature  on   Request. 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 

528  WEST  26th  STREET  NEW  YORK 


16  MM.  SOUND-ON-FILM  for  RENT 

Lists  are  free  —  either  sound  or  silent  films. 
Our    rates    (we    honestly   believe)    are   the    lowest   in    the    U.    S.    A. 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All   postage  on   films  —  both  to   and  from  destination  —  paid   by  us. 

We  are  organized  for  service — not  for  profit. 

May  we  save  you  money  on  your  eauipment?     Try  us  ! 

THE     MANSE     LIBRARY 


409   McAlphin   Ave..   Clifton 
Cincinnati,  0. 


TWO  NEW  SCIENCE  AIDS 

FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS        PRINCIPLES   OF    CHEMISTRY 

The  visualization  of  high  school     The  core  of   the   year's   work   in 

physics  on  3-.  mtii.  film  slides  for     chemistry  especially  adapted  for 

classroom    use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address: 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suffern,    N.Y. 


•  BETTER  16  mm.  Sound-on-Film 

• 

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Our  library  of  16mm. 

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Is  One  of  the  Largest  in  the  U.  S.   A. 

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■  *  IS  THE  SitiioiiERr  OF  IKE  Screen 

1 

Current   Film    Releases 

School  Films  Prepared  from  Feature  Classics 

The  well-known  motion  picture  classics,  The  Silent 
Enemy,  produced  by  William  Douglas  Burden,  trustee 
of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  and 
Nanook  of  the  North,  produced  by  Robert  Flaherty, 
have  been  made  into  a  series  of  short  16mm.  school 
subjects  and  are  presented  to  the  educational  field  by 
H.  Threlkeld-Edwards,  New  York  City. 

The  North  American  Indian  Life  series,  based  on 
The  Silent  Enemy,  includes  three  one-reel  Episodes  for 
third  and  fourth  year  primary  grades,  depicting  the 
life  of  "Cheeka,  an  Indian  Boy."  For  upper  grades 
there  are  available  four  subjects  on  "Indian  Tribal 
Customs  and  Village  Life."  The  Eskimo  Life  series, 
based  on  Nanook  of  the  North,  consist  of  four  one-reel 
Episodes  on  "Nanook,  The  Eskimo,"  prepared  for 
third  and  fourth  year  grades. 

The  feature  productions  from  which  these  classroom 
films  were  edited  are  also  available  in  16mm.,  six 
reels  each.  In  addition  to  these  subjects,  Edwards 
Productions  distribute  the  seven-reel  16mm.  sound 
film.  The  Viking,  the  story  of  Captain  Bob  Bartlett's 
sealing  voyage  oi?  the  coast  of  Labrador. 

These  school  versions  and  teachers'  guides  to  ac- 
company them  were  prepared  by  Esther  L.  Berg,  As- 
sistant to  Principal  Public  School  91,  New  York,  and 
Instructor  of  Methods  of  Visual  Education  at  Hunter 
College.  Great  care  has  been  exercised  to  correlate 
the  films  with  the  school  curricula,  the  Guides  con- 
taining helpful  explanatory  matter  and  sugestions  for 
teaching  techniques. 

Tate  Animated  Surgical  Films 

In  the  past  few  years  animated  motion  pictures 
have  been  so  universally  accepted  by  the  medical  pro- 
fession that  the  advisability  of  their  use  is  no  longer 
questioned.  The  Tate  Animated  Surgical  Films,  Chi- 
cago, announce  the  availability  of  a  library  of  ani- 
mated film  subjects  in  16mm.,  from  150  to  400  feet  in 
length,  covering  the  different  fields  in  surgery.  This 
library  aims  at  supplying  the  surgeon  or  the  classroom 
with  films  of  authoritative  surgical  technique  —  the 
matter  of  subject,  photography,  ethics,  and  teaching 
value  all  taken  into  consideration.  Important  details 
are  accentuated  and  unimportant  ones  are  omitted, 
thereby  condensing  footage  and  shortening  projection 
time,  which  allows  discussion  of  technique  within  the 
short  time  allowed  a  speaker  on  a  metropolitan  pro- 
gram. These  films  are  supervised  and  approved  by 
different  authorities  of  the  subjects  portrayed. 

The  Tate  Animated  Surgical  Films  are  now  ready 
for  distribution  and  additions  will  be  listed  as  they 
near  completion.  Any  suggestions  or  requests  from 
surgeons,  on  a  specified  subject,  will  be  given  due  con- 
sideration as  to  the  possible  production  of  the  film. 


I 


March,  193  6 


IN  SIGHT 


IN  MIND! 


•  Education  marches 
forward ! 

•  Visual  instruction 
advances  on  a  vocal 
stepping-stone. 

•  UNIVERSAL  with  a 
leader's  background 
of  fifteen  years  of  non- 
theatrical  service,  leaps 
ahead  of  the  times! 

•  What  are  your 
needs? . .  .  Geographi- 
cal subjects,  musical, 
historical,  current 
events,  cartoon  come- 
dies, feature-length 
motion  pictures?  .  .  . 
Consult  UNIVERSAL! 

Write  for  further 
information  to 

NON-THEATRICAL  DEPARTMENT 

Universal  Pictures 
Corporation 


ROCKEFELLER  CENTER 


NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


Page  97 


We've  Made  a 
NEW 

MICROSCOPE 


for  This  Boy  . . . 

He  !Js  ^ou/i  §tuc)eHt 


MeAVIER  and  more  durable — for  rough 
handling;  simple  and  precise  in  adjustments — for  an 
amateur  microscopist's  operation; — that's  the  new 
Spencer  No.  63  Microscope  for  school  laboratories. 

This  No.  63  Microscope  has  three  features 
that  recommend  it  for  student  use.  (1)  A  larger 
stage,  125mm.  square,  and  (2)  Greater  distance 
from  arm  to  the  optical  axis  105mm. —  make  it  eas- 
ier for  the  student  to  adjust  his  slide  for  observa- 
tion. (3)  The  objective  cannot  be  racked  down 
through  the  slide. 

Students  often  find  it  difficult  to  locate  a 
particular  object  when  the  working  distance  is  lim- 
ited and  the  field  observed  small.  The  objectives, 
being  parfocalized,  the 
student  can  use  the  lower 
power  objective  as  a 
finder. 


No.  63  Microscope 


For  complete  details 
on  this  No.  63  and  other 
student  microscopes,  write 
for  Folder  M-70.  Please 
address  Dept.  R-3. 


Spencer  Lens  Company 

Buffalo  ^B  New  York 


Page  98 


The  Educational  Screen 


New  Keystone  Lantern -Slide  Units  in  PItysics 

For  High-School  Classes 

and 

For   Review   Classes   in   College 


38  Units  Now  Available  —  Others  in  Preparation  —  Covering  All  the 
Fundamental  Subject  Matter  of  the  High-School  Course  in  Physics 

All  Slides  of  the  Reversed  Type  —  Beautifully  Clear  and  Impressive 

We  shall  be  glad  to  send  a  complete  title  list,  or  a  few  sample  slides  from  these  units  in  order 
that  prospective  purchasers  may  examine,  at  first  hand,  the  character  and  quality  of  the  work. 

KEYSTONE  VIEW  COMPANY 

MEADVILLE,      PENNA. 


Additions  to  Garrison  Library 

Following  the  recent  announcement  of  the  release 
of  Crime  and  Punishment  in  16nim.  sound-on-film, 
the  Garrison  Film  Distributors  Inc.,  New  York  City, 
now  announce  the  release  of  three  more  distinguished 
sound  films.  The  Passion  of  Joan  of  Arc,  directed  in 
France  by  Karl  Dreyer  and  synchronized  with  a  musi- 
cal score  and  English  talk ;  the  German  productions 
of  A  Walts  by  Straus,  and  Schubert's  Fruhlingstrauin 
(Dream  of  Spring),  are  the  three  new  additions  to 
their  Bhte  List  of  exceptional  films.  The  two  German 
films  have  super-imposed  English  titles  on  the  screen. 
The  Joan  of  Arc  film,  regarded  for  years  as  a  splendid 
film  for  high  school  and  college  use,  has  been  highly 
praised  by  all  who  have  seen  it. 

The  French  production  of  the  life  of  Pasteur,  mag- 
nificently interpreted  by  Sascha  Guitry,  will  also  be 
available  from  this  library  April  1st.  It  is  accompa- 
nied by  complete  English  dialogue  titles. 

Two  New  Industrials 

The  Otis  Elevator  Company,  which  has  been  using 
16  mm.  motion  pictures  for  several  years,  has  re- 
cently released  two  new  silent  films  entitled  Alternating 
Current  Motor  and  Riding  Skyward.  The  first  film 
shows  in  detail  the  manufacture  and  assembly  of  an 
elevator  motor  and  is  suitable  for  showings  in  col- 
leges, technical  schools  and  engineering  groups.     Rid- 


ing Skyzvard  is  an  institutional  film  which  depicts  the 
strides  made  in  transportation  during  the  past  century 
and  shows  how  vertical  transportation  has  kept  pace 
with  the  improvement  in  building  construction.  Many 
interesting  types  of  old  elevator  equipment  are  shown 
introductory  to  the  Automatic  Signal  Control  Elevator, 
which  is  so  featured  as  to  give  a  clear  conception  of 
its  operation. 

The  films  are  distributed  through  the  Company's 
offices  and  representatives  located  in  approximately  400 
cities  throughout  the  world  and  are  available  for  show- 
ings to  clubs,  colleges,  technical  schools  and  other  or- 
ganized groups.  A  complete  list  of  films,  including 
12  other  subjects,  may  be  had  from  any  branch  office 
or  from  the  Publicity  Division  at  the  New  York  City 
office. 

A  Novel  Sport  Subject 

Coleman  Clark,  world's  foremost  exponent  of  table 
tennis  which  is  enjoying  such  widespread  popularity, 
has  just  made  a  motion  picture  on  the  subject  for 
M-G-M.  The  reel  will  be  released  shortly.  For  the 
first  time  devotees  of  this  fast  and  fascinating  sport 
will  witness  the  interesting  technique  of  play  in  both 
normal  and  slow  motion.  The  mysteries  of  spin  and 
trick  shots  will  be  graphically  revealed. 

Mr.  Clark  was  an  all-round  athlete  at  the  University 
of  Chicago  where  he  was  a  member  of  the  football, 
basketball  and  baseball  teams. 


I 


March,  193  6 


Page  99 


Teach  the  Visual  Way 

with    PHOTOART 

VISUAL    UNITS 

A  complete  and  well  organized  picture  series.  The 
descriptive  material  above  each  picture  will  aid  the 
child    in  interpreting  the  picture  correctly. 

At  present  we  have  ready  for  you 

Means  of  Transportation 67  cards 

Japan 58  cards 

Coal  Mining 56  cards 

V.    S.    Northern  Interior 74  cards 


$2.25 
1.95 
r.95 
2.25 


Actual  Size  SxWa 

Photoart  House 


Send  for  sample  card  today. 


844  N.   PLANKINTON   AVE. 
MILWAUKEE.   WISCONSIN 


DeVry  Summer  School  Changes  Name 

The  j,n-owth  of  the  DeVry  Summer  School  has 
reached  such  proportions  that  the  original  name  seems 
no  longer  appropriate.  Last  year's  attendance  showed 
an  increase  of  over  2007f  •  The  Resolutions  Commit- 
tee voted  to  change  the  name  to  The  National  Con- 
ference of  Visual  Education  and  Film  Exhibition — 
as  more  in  keeping  with  the  type  of  program  offered 
and  the  national  character  of  the  attendance.  Herman 
A.  DeVry  of  Chicago  will  continue  to  sponsor  the 
Conference,  but  it  will  no  longer  bear  his  name,  and 
because,  more  and  more,  it  becomes  a  symposium  for 
the  showing  and  discussion  of  the  better  non-theatrical 
films  of  all  producers,  the  word  National  is  more  ap- 
propriate. 

As  a  National  l^^ilm  Exhibition,  the  Conference 
offers  an  unrivaled  opportunity  for  teachers  and  ad- 
vertising men  to  view  in  one  place  the  outstanding 
films  of  the  year — and  to  compare  notes  on  the  desir- 
able features  of  Industrial  and  Educational  films  con- 
sidered in  the  light  of  modern  pedagogical  and  sales 
technique. 

The  next  meeting  will  be  held  June  22nd  to  25th  at 
Chicago.  As  this  is  the  week  before  the  N.  E.  A.  at 
Portland,  teachers  will  take  advantage  of  the  reduced 
rates  and  stop  over  privileges. 


B 


R.  Burns  of  International  Projector  Dies 

Samuel  R.  Burns,  President  of  the  International 
Projector  Corporation,  Secretary  and  Vice-President 
of  General  Theatres  Equipment,  Inc.,  Executive  Vice- 
President  of  Enos  Richardson  &  Company  and  the 
Richardson  Manufacturing  Commpany  passed  away  in 
the  Post  Graduate  Hospital,  New  York  City,  Thurs- 
day morning,  March  5th. 

Mr.  Burns  was  a  Fellow  of  the  Society  of  Motion 
Picture  Engineers,  and  at  one  time  President  of  the 
Nicholas  Power  Company,  Inc.  He  was  connected 
with  the  motion  jiicture  industry  for  the  past  twenty 
years.  S.  R.  Burns  was  born  in  New  York  City  in 
1882.  He  served  with  the  107th  Regiment  on  the 
Mexican  Border  and  was  a  member  of  the  7th  Regi- 
ment Veterans'  Organization.  He  was  also  a  member 
of  the  Lodge  of  the  Temple,  No.  110,  F.  &  A.  M., 
Jersey  City,  New  Jersey,  and  the  Forest  Hill  Field 
Club,  Bloomfield,  New  Jersey. 


nApproved! 


Our  plan  for  schools  recently  presented  at 
the  N.E.A.  Convention  in  St.  Louis  has 
been  approved  by  authorities  on  Visual 
Education  from  various  sections  of  the 
country. 

The  availability  of  suitable  16  mm  sound 
films  for  recreation  and  classroom  use 
and  the  sturdy  and  dependable  RCA  pro- 
jector have  solved  a  long-standing  and 
vexing  problem. 

Both  may  now  be  secured  on  terms  well 
within  the  budget  of  any  school  system. 

Full  information  may  be  obtained 
upon  request. 


Walter  0.  Gutlohn,  Inc. 


35  W.  45th  Street 


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INTERNATIONAL     EDUCATIONAL     PICTURES 
Room  A  40  Mount  Vernen  St.,  Boston 


Page  100 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    They    Are 


riLMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 

Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport,  la. 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,   N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020    Chesnut    St.,    Philadelphia,    Pa 
606  Wood   St.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa. 

Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.         (1,  4) 
330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 

Edwards  Productions  (6) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,   New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  94) 

Films  Incorporated  (5) 

500  Fifth  Ave.,   New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  95) 

Garrison  Film  Distributors  (2,  5) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,  New   York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Walter  O.  Gutlohn  Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  4Sth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  99) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological    Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,   III 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

409  McAlphin  Ave..  Cincinnati,  O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028    Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2259  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller    Center,   New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  97) 
Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 
Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.      (3,  4) 

48  Melrose   St.,   Boston,  Mass. 
Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  70) 

Bell  &  Howell  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    III. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,    New   York  City 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  89) 

Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  94) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

International  Projector  Corp.  (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  91) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,    Regina,    Sask. 

S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 

Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers  (3,  6) 
407   W.   Washington   Blvd. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  92) 

United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.         (2,  5) 

Allegheny   Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  93) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  72) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Weber  Machine  Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 

681  Le,xington  Ave.,  New  York  City 
The  Photoart  House 
844   N.    Plankinton   Ave.,   Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  99) 

POST  CARD  REPRODUCTIONS 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 

681   Lexington  Ave.,  New  York  City 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721    N.    Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

( See  advertisement  on  page  95) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
605  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


A     Tracde     Directory 
for  the   Visual    Field 


SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 

Edited    Pictures    System,   Inc. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 
Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 

30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,   III. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,    Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  98) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New   York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  9T) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

I  See  advertisement  on  page  96) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 

1111   Center   St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  89) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  98) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Eausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  69) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
E,  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 
Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 
Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 
Spencer  Lens  Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  97) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

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sound   and   silent. 

(4)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

»ound-on-film. 

(6)    indicates    firm    supplies 

16   mm. 

sound   and    silent. 

Continuous  insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


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Educationa 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 


IP  Papers  from  St.  Louis  Meeting  of 

The  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 

Controversial  Problems  in  Visual  Education 

The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction 

Visual  Aids  in  Remedial  Reading 

A  Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films 
in  Teaching 


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APRIL 


1936 


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Sound  Projectors  will  be  sent  upon  request  As  the  only  manufacturers  of  a  complete  line  of  35  mm.  Motion 
Picture  Projectors  we  are  in  a  position  to  impartially  recommend  the  model  which  is  most  satisfactory  for 
specific  requirements.  This  is  particularly  important  in  a  field  which  includes  schools,  colleges,  universities, 
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\unm€\r  projectors  ~  distributed   by   national  theatre   supply  company 


ipril,  1956 


Page  103 


Edit 


oria 


A  FEATURE  of  the  program  at  the  Port- 
land meeting  of  the  Department  of  Visual 
Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A.  will  be  the  showing 
of  selected  films  made  by  schools  upon  their 
own  activities.  Principal  E.  H.  Herrington  of 
the  Alcott  School,  Denver,  Colorado,  is  ex- 
pected to  discuss  the  development  of  film-pro- 
duction by  schools,  and  will  take  charge  of  the 
film-showing.  Dr.  Herrington,  and  a  nation- 
wide Committee  of  Principals,  are  conducting 
an  extensive  investigation  of  such  productions. 
.\I1  schools  who  have  produced  such  films 
should  not  fail  to  send  in  full  data  at  once  for 
inclusion  in  the  complete  and  authoritative  find- 
ings to  be  compiled  by  the  investigating  com- 
mittee. 

PORTLAND  dates  for  the  D.  V.  I.  meetings 
have  been  fixed  in  the  afternoons  of  Tues- 
day to  Thursday,  June  30th  to  July  2nd,  at  the 
Congress  Hotel,  which  will  be  Department 
headquarters.  The  Congress  Ts  most  conven- 
iently located  in  relation  to  other  hotels  and  the 
Auditorium,  and  affords  an  excellent  room  for 
assembly  purposes,  with  complete  projection  fa- 
cilities available.  The  sessions  will  consist  of 
the  Opening  Luncheon  ($1.00)  and  Registration 
at  12 :30  Tuesday,  followed  by  an  afternoon 
session  in  the  same  room.  The  same  schedule 
will  be  followed  each  day,  with  luncheon  and 
afternoon  session.  The  holding  of  all  functions 
in  the  same  room  should  make  for  ma.ximum 
convenience,  comfort  and  efficiency. 

THE  D.  V.  I.  caravan  idea — Chicago  to  Port- 
land— evidently  appeals  strongly  to  many, 
but  definite  decisions  to  join  can  hardly  be  said 
to  be  "pouring  in"  as  yet.  The  "caravan"  will 
function  perfectly  whether  there  are  two  cars  or 
twenty  times  that  number.  We  need  every  posi- 
tive "yes"  in  hand  within  the  next  four  weeks 
for  accurate  preparation  of  the  trip-schedule  to 
appear  in  the  May  issue. 

I  X  OUR  May  issue  we  shall  run  our  usual  an- 
nual listing  of  courses  in  visual  instruction  to 
be  given  throughout  the  country  this  coming 
summer.  We  aim  to  make  the  1936  list  more 
nearly  complete  than  ever  before.  Every  edu- 
cator or  institution  planning  such  courses  are 
urged  to  report  at  once  title  of  course,  instruc- 
tor, time,  place  and  any  other  pertinent  data. 
Please  note  we  say  "at  once". 

THIS    issue,    with    March,    completes   the   re- 
printing of  all  papers  and  discussions  of  the 
St.  Louis  meetings. 

Nelson  L.  Greene. 


Educational    Screen 

Combined    with 

Visual    Instruction    News 
APRIL,  1936 

VOLUME    XV  NUMBER    4 


CONTENTS 

Controversial  Problems  in  Visual  Education. 

H.   Ambrose   Perrin - 1 05 

The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction.  Arthur  O.  Baker.  1 07 

Visual  Aids  in  Remedial  Reading.   Emmett  Albert  Betts....l08 

A  Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films  in  Teaching. I  I  I 

The  Silent  Film  in  Teaching.  J.  E.  Hansen I  I  1 

The  Place  and  Values  of  Sound  Pictures  in  Teaching. 

Charles  F.  hloban,  Jr. 113 

News  and  Notes.  Conducted  by  Josephine  Hoffman I  I  7 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 118 

The  Film  Estimates. .— - 1 20 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis -. 122 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  F.  Dean  McClusky.. 124 

Among  the  Producers...-: ---. I  30 

Here  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field....  I  32 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed   In   Education   Index. 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  April,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational Screen,  Inc.  Published  every  month  except  July  and  August. 
$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Ellsworth  C.  Dent 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Josephine  Hoffman 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
R.  F.  H.  Johnson 
Marlon  F.  Lanphler 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 


Page  104 


The  Educational  Screen 


-with  exclusive  Projector 
and  Sound  Features 


mm.  ANIMATOPHOXE  embodies  exclusive 
refinements    that    cannot    be    ig^nored  .  .  .  ad- 
vantaj^es   that   have   made   it   the   world's   most 
widely    used,    most    moderately    priced    Sound 
])icture   reproducer.     Onlv    in    ANIMATO- 
PHOXE,  for  instance,   will   you   find    POSI- 
TIVE Protection  against   Film   Damage    .    .    . 
PERFECT  Simplification  insuring  trouble-free  opera- 
tion and  maintenance  .  .  .  with  decidedly  superior  sound 
and  picture  reproduction!     Model  24  (A.C.)   for  class- 
room and  LARGE  Auditorium.     Model  25  (A.C. -DC.) 
.  .  .  world's  lightest  and  most  compact  .  .  .  for  classroom 
and  small  auditorium.     Write  for  literature    .    .    .    .'Ksk 
for  Demonstration. 

VICTOR  ANIMATOGRAPH  CORPORATION 

DAVENPORT,  IOWA 


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Coin'cnieiitly  housed  in 
two  compact  cases. 


April,  19}  6 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  I'isual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  105 


Controversial  Problems  In  Visual  Education 


By      H.      AMBROSE        PERRIN 

Superintendent    of    Schools,    Joiiet,    III. 


THE  FIRST  third  of  the  present  century  is  characterized 
hy  the  production  and  perfection  of  new  mechanical  de- 
vices in  the  field  of  education.  Apparatus  and  materials 
for  applying  sight  and  sound  hroui^ht  the  present  expansion 
and  refinement  movements  which  challenge  the  attention  of 
the  educational  world. 

It  was  Charters  in  1934  who  literally  tlirew  a  homb  into  the 
rcsistii  g  educational  philosophy  of  the  conservatives.  He  said; 
"When  the  history  of  Education  is  written  the  first 
decade  of  the  twentieth  century  will  be  remembered  as  a 
period  of  the  invention  of  not  one  but  two  instruments  of 
edu;:ation  in  rank  equal  to  the  invention  of  the  alphabet  and 
the  printing  press.  These  are  the  motion  picture  and  the 
radio."! 

In  the  same  year,  C,  M.  Koon  dynamically  proclaimed  that 
the  newest  visual  educational  device  had  learned  to  talk.  He 
said : 

"For  years  visual  instruction  conducted  experiments  and 
wrote  articles  to  prove  the  advantages  of  sight  over  sound 
as  a  means  of  instruction.  Just  about  the  time  they  felt 
their  case  was  won  and  went  home,  they  discovered  that 
the  most  promising  member  of  their  visual  family — the  mo- 
tion picture — had  learned  how  to  talk."2 

The  intense  interest  in  the  coming  of  the  newer  mechanical 
aids  to  education  continues  in  bursts  of  enthusiasm,  on  the  one 
liand,  and  in  cautious  measurement  of  the  contribution,  on  the 
other  hand.  From  all  the  effort  put  forth,  all  the  experimen- 
tation, all  the  controversy,  comes  a  realizatio;i  that  the  con- 
tention of  visualists,  from  Pcstalozzi's  'sense  training"  and 
Comenius'  "picture  training"  to  the  day  of  the  projected  pic- 
ture with  its  setting,  movement,  and  auditory  accompaniment, 
marks  the  trail  of  honest  endeavors  to  make  educational  ex- 
periences concrete,  meaningful,  and  life-like. 

At  the  outset,  it  is  desirable  to  distinguish  visual  from  other 
forms  of  learning.  Jenkins  discussing  "Visual  Aids  in  Social 
Science"  makes  a  careful  distinction  which  serves  our  purpose. 
He  says : 

"\'isual  instruction  emi)hasizes  concrete  imagery  in  the 
learning  process.  'Other  instruction'  stresses  the  im- 
portance of  verbal   imagery. "3 

This  distinction  by  Jenkins  leads  to  the  first  controversial 
problem  for  our  consideration,  namely :  to  what  extent  is 
education  dependent  upon  language  or  verbal  imagery,  on  the 
one  hand,  and  upon  concrete  imagery,  on  the  other  hand. 
Language  is  a  fine  art.  It  evolved  from  efforts  to  communi- 
cate concrete  situations  and  relationships.  What  has  happened 
to  its  use  in  our  educational  planning?  It  has  taken  first  place. 
Perhaps  it  should,  but  when  education  becomes  verbalism, 
when  one  word  is  defined  only  in  terms  of  other  words,  when 
the  concrete  imagery  back  of  the  verbal  imagery  is  little  more 
than  the  letters  or  word-forms  used  in  defining  or  explaining, 
when  we  are  characterized  as  being  highly  verbose  in  our 
educational  experiences,  perhaps  it  is  time  to  recognize  the 
necessity  of  providing  concrete  imagery  in  the  learning  process 
so  that  language  may  have  vital  meaning.  Just  to  what  ex- 
tent such  concrete  imagery  is  necessary  in  order  that  language 
may  function  for  the  purpose  of  communication  becomes  a 
problem  for  scientific  research.  We  know  something  about 
it,  but  we  have  very  little  scientific   evidence  to  justify  the 


1  W.    W.   Chnl-td-s,    Influence   of   Molinii    Pirluien   on   Children,   National 
F.diualiun   .\si-ociatioii   Year  Book    (1934),  p.  382. 

2  C   M.   Koon,   Kelntion  of  Films  and  the  Radio  to  Classroom  Instruc- 
tion.  Nulional   Education  Association  Year  Book   {1934),  p.   785. 

3  John  .T.   Jenkins,    Visual  Aids  in  Social  Science,   Educational   Screen 

(.Tune  1935),  p.  170. 


ordinary  conclusions  which  the  Philosophy  of  Education  and 
the  Science  of  Education  so  complacently  adopt.  Indeed,  we 
know  little  about  the  relationship  except  on  the  most  elemental 
stage  of  learning.  On  the  higher  levels  of  intellectual  language 
functions,  not  even  elemental  experimentation  furnishes  any 
basis  for  our  common  conclusions. 

A  second  problein  for  our  consideration  is  the  educational 
substitution  of  the  artificial  for  the  real.  When  available,  the 
real  experience  furnishes  the  most  satisfactory  basis  for  con- 
crete imagery.  Yet  the  instructor  in  physiography  gets  out 
the  clay  or  sand  pan  and  lets  a  little  stream  of  water  drip 
from  a  tin  pipe  in  order  to  show  erosion,  when  every  child 
in  the  class  came  into  the  building  with  muddy  feet  caused  by 
walking  tlirough  the  soils  that  covered  the  sidewalks  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  rain  that  continued  to  erode  on  all  sides  of  the  school 
plant  as  those  very  students  came  to  school.  What  heights  of 
error  creep  into  our  so  called  visual  education  when  a  little 
hole  full  of  water  in  a  sand  pan  called  a  "lake"  is  substituted 
for  the  real  lake  in  the  immediate  neighborhood!  Yet  great 
universities  set  up  these  miniature  "self  working  visual  devices 
operated  by  pressing  the  button"  when  within  a  few  blocks 
nature  has  provided  the  most  magnificent  examples.  We  may 
have  a  problem  here  both  in  teacher  training  and  in  local  cur- 
riculum construction. 

Third,  the  fundamental  visual  instruction  problem  persists : 
what  kinds  of  acts  can  best  be  taught  by  the  different  kinds 
of  visual  aids.  Some  experiinentation  has  been  done  and  is 
now  being  done  on  this  problem,  but  we  need  more  extended 
experiinentation  and  more  accurate  measurements  and  inter- 
pretations. Indeed,  our  method  of  registering  results  is  alto- 
gether too  much  influenced  by  the  very  verbalism  which  con- 
crete imagery  is  proposed  to  cure. 

A  corollary  problein  inquires  as  to  the  merit  of  the  object, 
the  picture,  plain  or  colored,  the  graph,  the  map,  the  diagram, 
the  slide,  the  still  film,  and  the  motion  picture,  silent  or  sound, 
as  a  means  of  furnishing  concrete  aid  at  all,  on  the  one  hand, 
and  as  a  means  of  accomplishing  the  purpose  intended,  on  the 
other  hand.  An  example  from  personal  experience  is  in  con- 
nection with  the  Commonwealth  health  teaching  experiment 
carried  on  in  our  local  system.  Certain  classes  were  taught 
with  usual  materials  and  aids,  others  used  motion  pictures. 
Very  little,  if  any,  fundamental  difference  in  measurable  re- 
sults was  found  between  the  two  sets  of  classes.  Yet  we  were 
not  sure  that  the  measures  revealed  all  the  results.  Further- 
more, the  experiment  failed  to  determine  the  relative  merit  of 
one  type  of  school  experience  as  against  another  where  differ- 
ent visual  aids  were  involved.  Certainly  we  have  much  to 
learn  if  purpose  and  merit  are  to  be  our  guides  in  selecting 
given  types  of  visual  aids. 

We  should  recognize  the  fact  that  the  period  of  concise  ex- 
perimentation in  the  field  of  visual  education  has  just  begun. 
Particularly  may  this  assumption  be  applied  to  the  new  me- 
chanical devices  which  have  become  available.  We  need  to 
know  more  about  what  visual  aids  to  use  for  specific  purposes, 
the  technique  of  use,  the  method  of  measurement  of  results,  and 
the  technique  of  interpretation.  The  suggestion  might  be  ap- 
propriate that  some  central  agency  should  assume  the  respons- 
ibility of  listing  and  interpreting  the  data  secured  in  all  ex- 
perimental use  of  visual  aids  to  the  end  that  the  information 
in  concise  form  shall  be  available  to  all  instructors  and  di- 
rectors. 

P'ourth,  what  about  the  motion  picture,  silent  or  sound,  in 
connection    with   the   creative   pupil   activity   program   as   now 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


emphasized  in  our  best  educational  procedure.  Must  the  teach- 
er always  be  the  contributor  of  the  motion  picture,  or  shall  the 
place  of  the  motion  picture  in  educational  experience  be  made 
so  definitely  a  part  of  student  consciousness  that  its  suggestion 
will  come  as  a  natural  result  of  student  selection  of  source 
materials  ?  Problem  upon  problem  arises  as  we  consider  the 
functional  side  of  modern  creative  pupil  activity  in  learning 
experiences  as  opposed  to  the  totalitarian  teacher-provided  and 
teacher-directed  procedure  so  characteristic  of  the  older  rou- 
tinized  type  of  training. 

While  on  this  phase  of  motion  picture  use,  we  may  ask 
where  is  the  best  place  in  the  experience  unit  to  use  it.  Is  it 
as  an  introduction  or  a  preview  of  the  whole  unit?  Is  it  as  a 
culminating  or  review  experience  weaving  the  other  types  of 
assimilation  together?  In  the  light  of  present  experimental 
results  we  probably  would  choose  the  motion  picture  as  an 
introduction  to  the  unit,  an  overview.  But  from  the  view- 
point of  purpose,  are  we  sure  that  motion  pictures  should  not 
be  used  at  different  points  in  the  assimilation  process  within 
the  unit  experience?  Again,  we  observe  how  intricate  is  the 
problem  of  z(.'heii  to  use  even  a  visual  aid  of  known  merit.  Ex- 
perimentation of  the  scientific  type  will  answer  a  part  of  these 
questions.  Objective  use  in  the  classroom  will  contribute 
much.  In  any  case,  the  results  of  such  experiments  and  ob- 
jective use  should  be  catalogued  and  made  available. 

Fifth,  the  technique  of  using  the  motion  picture  is  so  new 
and  perhaps  so  far  from  being  adequately  known  that  we  are 
immediately  confronted  with  the  problem  of  the  relationship 
of  the  motion  picture  to  individualized  instruction,  or,  indeed, 
to  small  group  instruction  within  the  class.  Has  tlie  motion 
picture  any  merit  at  all  for  this  purpose,  or  do  wc  merely 
lack  the  necessary  technique  of  use? 

Sixth,  assuming  that  we  have  the  answers  to  many  of  the 
vital  problems  of  technique,  purpose,  merit,  and  placement, 
how  are  we  to  get  the  motion  picture  desired  at  the  exact  time 
that  it  fits  the  experience  unit?  Indeed,  is  there  a  decided  loss 
if  the  picture  comes  too  remote  from  the  vital  spot  that  it  fits  ? 
These  questions  raise  the  inquiry  as  to  methods  of  servicing 
schools  with  the  newer  types  of  visual  aids  and,  for  that  mat- 
ter, the  whole  question  of  servicing  all  visual  aids.  So  far 
as  we  are  able  to  assume  the  answers  to  these  questions,  there 
seems  little  doubt  that  the  class-use-schedule  furnishes  the  in- 
telligent basis  of  organizing  such  service  whether  within  the 
building,  from  a  central  depository,  or  from  a  rental  library 
or  state  center  as  is  frequently  the  case,  particularly  with  ref- 
erence to  motion  pictures. 

What  shall  we  say  of  the  showing  of  pictures  on  system 
schedule  for  building  or  grade  or  class,  because  the  subject 
matter  is  appropriate  in  general?  Is  there  anything  to  learn- 
ing in  school  through  vicarious  experience?  Does  such  ex- 
perience function  in  life  out  of  school  and,  if  so,  how  far  will  it 
be  permissable  in  school?  Is  purposeful  showing  of  pictures 
for  vicarious  experience  in  school-time  permissible  when  there 
is  no  method  by  which  pictures  can  be  secured  other  than 
through  system  circuits?  Personally,  I  believe,  as  a  matter 
of  educational  philosophy,  that  vicarious  experience  is  a  sup- 
plement to  direct  experience  in  life  and  that  it  may  be  so  in 
school.  Furthermore,  I  believe  that  instructors  can  select 
pictures  that  furnish  desirable  experiences  outside  of  and  extra 
to  the  more  direct  use  in  connection  with  a  specific  experience 
unit  in  the  curriculum.  Little,  however,  can  be  said  for  the 
showing  of  motion  pictures  just  because  the  building  is  serv- 
iced with  them,  unless  the  purposeful  side  is  built  up  by  the 
instructors.  Recreation  as  a  purpose  is  as  permissible  as  any 
other,  but  it  is  not  included  in  the  foregoing  consideration. 

Seventh,  passive  reception  vs.  active  reception  of  motion 
pictures  is  no  different  fundamentally  than  for  any  other  visual 
aid.  The  problems  involved  are:  (1)  definite  objectives  of 
instruction,  (2)  previous  concrete  experience  of  the  learner, 
(3)  intellectual  development  of  the  learner,  and  (4)  the  merit 
of   the   material   for   the   specific   purpose   in   the   learning   ex- 


perience, the  latter  sometimes  described  in  terms  of  appro- 
priateness and  difficulty.  The  problem  of  passivity  or  ac- 
tivity in  reception  is  solved  in  tt-rms  of  good  technique  of 
instruction. 

Perhaps  this  is  an  opportunity  to  raise  tlie  corollary  problem 
of  how  a  teacher  is  to  secure  the  necessary  technique  in  the 
use  of  the  more  modern  types  of  mechanical  aids  to  visual  in- 
struction, I'ortunately  the  answer  is  pretty  well  known.  Teach- 
er training  institutions  are  increasingly  demanding  such  courses 
of  teachers  before  graduation.  Classes  for  teachers  in  service 
are  being  offered  in  school  systems  by  university  extension  or 
by  some  local  competently  trained  teacher.  It  behooves  all  who 
are  fundamentally  interested  in  the  wise  use  of  these  modern 
type  aids  to  lend  all  possible  assistance  to  the  efforts  being 
made  to  include  courses  in  technique  in  all  teacher  training 
curricula. 

Eighth,  what  about  silent  and  sound  motion  pictures?  Less 
than  two  years  ago  the  International  Congress  definitely  em- 
phasized the  importance  of  the  instructor  in  doing  the  explana- 
tion work.  Perhaps  this  was  based  upon  the  age-long  preroga- 
tive of  the  teacher,  carrying  over  from  the  days  of  direct 
oral  instruction.  Two  extracts  from  that  report  show  the 
reaction  at  that  time : 

1.  That  the  use  of  the  cinema  should  not  interfere  with 
the  educational  influence  of  the  teacher,  nor  with  the 
effect  of  his  words.  It  is  he  who  should  put  the  ques- 
tions, explain,  comment,  inspire  and  direct  the  activity 
and  response  of  pupils. 

2.  That,  consequently  the  teaching  film  should  not  be 
sound  or  talking,  but  a  silent  film  in  which  the  commen- 
tary is  made  by  the  teacher,  except  where  the  sound  or 
talking  film  may  usefully  complete  and  strengthen  the 
visual  impression.4 

The  whole  question  is  raised  as  to  the  functional  use  of  silent 
and  sound  pictures.  Again,  experimentation  alone  must  fur- 
nish the  answer.  No  amount  of  philosophy  will  suffice.  Pur- 
pose will  always  be  a  factor.  Perhaps  kind  of  sound  will 
prove  important.  If  the  sound  is  a  natural  part  of  the  picture 
environment,  goes  with  it  as  an  integral  part,  thus  adding  to 
its  living  quality,  there  can  be  little  adverse  criticism  of  the 
use  of  sound  pictures.  But  the  problem  becomes  involved  when 
an  outside  person,  in  sound,  takes  the  instruction  away  from 
the  real  class  teacher.  Yet  purpose  and  expertness  may  prove 
to  be  factors,  as  seems  to  be  the  case  in  the  University  of 
Chicago  pictures  of  Molecular  Theory,  etc.  It  is  evident  that 
the  problem  is  as  yet  unsolved  in  many  of  its  aspects.  Well 
may  we  wonder  whether  Winston  Churchill  is  right  in  his  arti- 
cle? in  last  October's  Colliers  when  he  picks  an  individual  to 
do  characterizations   in  the  silent,   "Everybody's  Language." 

Finally,  what  about  the  problem  of  teaching  motion  picture 
appreciation?  There  is  little  question  that  some  progress  has 
been  made  in  the  method  of  critical  consideration  of  films.  Sets 
of  films  for  such  teaching  purposes  are  being  selected  and  will 
be  available  to  the  schools.  Is  this  an  English  problem,  as 
some  would  have  us  believe,  or  is  it  an  extra  curricular  ac- 
tivity that  can  be  handled  cn-mass  in  assembly,  etc?  The 
answer  awaits  experimental   results. 

While  we  are  thinking  about  this  matter  of  critical  evalua- 
tion, how  shall  we  account  for  the  great  plan  to  have  clean, 
socially  pure  pictures  for  the  public  and  for  the  schools,  while 
the  Opera  goes  on  with  its  besmirched  themes,  couched  in 
music,  accompanied  in  foreign  tongue,  admitting  of  murder  in 
social  situations  far  more  revolting  than  that  found  in  the 
Wild  West  picture  or  in  the  portrayal  of  the  modern  hold-up  : 
approval,  high  in  the  one  case,  degradation  bellowed  to  the 
skies  in  the  other.  We  have  a  problem  of  standards  involved 
in  appreciation. 


C.    M.    Koon,    The    International    CongrenK    of  Educational  Cinematog- 

raiihii,    EtUuation    (October  1934). 

Winston     Churchill,     Everybody's    Language,    Collier's     (October    26, 

1935). 


April,  19}  6 


Proceedinys  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  107 


The  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction 


By     ARTHUR     O.     BAKER 

Head   of  Science   Department 
John    Marshall    High    School,    Cleveland,    Ohio 


WITH  the  development  of  the  little  red  school  house 
on  the  hill,  the  teacher  in  charge  paved  the  way  for 
many  of  the  methods  in  education  which  are  still 
in  use.  It  was  assumed  that  he  was  a  highly  talented,  ver- 
satile, individual  capable  of  teaching  the  entire  curriculum — 
cnglish,  mathematics,  history,  agriculture  and  economics. 
Consequently,  with  little  or  no  time  for  preparation  this 
teacher  found  that  he  could,  if  skillful,  conduct  question 
and  answer  discussions  most  easily  and  still  maintain  reas- 
onable discipline  and  interest.  Later  we  learned  to  depart- 
mentalize our  work  and  to  train  teachers  to  teach  certain 
subjects.  However,  the  question,  answer,  discussion  method 
is  still   in  wide  usage. 

Then  came  the  dawn  of  the  motion  picture  upon  the  edu- 
cational horizon  and  now  comes  the  addition  of  the  human 
voice  to  visual  instruction.  These  are  wonderful  educational 
tools  capable  of  meeting  in  fifteen  minutes  the  s^me  edu- 
cational objectives  in  certain  instances  that  frequently 
required  days  of  patient  instruction  or  the  spending  of  many 
periods  in  the  laboratory.  For  example  the  two  Chicago- 
Erpi  sound  films — "Sound  Waves  and  their  Sources"  and 
"Fundamentals  of  Acoustics" — are  powerful  allies  of  in- 
struction in  the  principles  of  sound. 

The  big  problem  in  visual  education  today  is  to  teach 
teachers  to  use  such  materials  effectively  and  intelligently. 
Many  teachers  are  making  some  or  all  of  the  following 
mistakes  : 

1.  .-Xdherring  strictly  to  the  question,  answer,  discussion 
method. 

2.  Not  using  visual  materials  at  all,  or  insufficiently. 

3.  Not  correlating  the  use  of  films  definitely  with  assign- 
ments. 

For  example,  the  class  may  be  studying  "Dairying  with 
Milk  Products"  and  the  film  shown  to  them  may  be  on 
"Tuberculosis".  Such  indirect  correlations  are  not  very 
valuable. 

4.  The  showing  of  iiictures   for  mere  entertainment. 

5.  Failure  to  prepare  assignments  and  tests  based  defi- 
nitely  on  visual   materials  when  used. 

6.  Emphasizing  technical  processes  and  the  development 
of  scientific  skills  in  the  laboratory.  With  the  motion 
picture  as  an  ally,  work  in  the  laboratory  should  be- 
come less  technical  and  more  exploratory. 

*"Th€  Jones  Rotary  System  of  Instruction"  is  an  experi- 
mental procedure  being  used  in  science  and  history  in  sev- 
eral schools  in  Cleveland  with  a  view  to  developing  the 
techniques  involved  in  the  visual  route  to  education.  This 
system  seems  to  work  as  satisfactorily  in  history  as  in 
science.  Mr.  A.  Y.  King  has  been  working  on  this  project 
for  about  four  years,  first  inaugurating  it  in  the  John 
Adams  High  School  and  afterwards  in  the  John  Marshall 
High  School  as  head  of  the  social  science  departtiient.  In 
his  new  work  as  Director  of  the  Social  Studies  of  the  Junior 
and  Senior  High  Schools,  Mr.  King  is  engaged  in  develop- 
ing  further  centers   upon  this   plan. 

Criticisms  of  the  Regular  Mode  of  Classroom  Instruction 

1.  When  class  enrollments  average  thirty-five  pupils,  the 
class  recitation  period  usually  resolves  itself  into  a  lecture 
upon  the  part  of  the  teacher  or  a  discussion  period  in  which 
a  small  per  cent  of  the  class  participates. 

*So  named  because  of  the  experimental  procedures  directed  by  Dr.  R.  G. 
Jones,  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Schools,  Cleveland,  and  because  of 
the  fact  that  teacher  activity  rotates  with  pupil  activity. 


2.  If  the  lecture  method  is  pursued,  the  teacher  delivers 
twenty  to  thirty  lectures  per  week,  depending  upon  the 
number  of  class  periods  to  which  he  is  assigned ;  or  if  he 
proceeds  by  discussion  he  conducts  a  similar  number  of 
discussions.  If  a  teacher  has  six  classes  per  day  in  the 
same  subject,  he  probably  conducts  good  lectures  and  dis- 
cussions during  the  first  two  classes  of  the  morning  but 
these  forms  of  teaching  become  "pumping  and  drill  exer- 
cises" in  the  third,  fourth,  fifth  and  sixth  period  classes  in 
the  afternoon. 

3.  Lectures  and  discussions  when  thus  conducted  are 
exhausting  in  energy  and  inefficient  in  outcome.  Lectures 
are  valuable  when  they  are  well  prepared,  involve  demon- 
strations, and  are  delivered  at  a  maxiinum  of  efficiency  on 
the  part  of  the  instructor.  Discussions  are  valuable  when 
held  in  groups  sufficiently  small  in  size  that  all  members 
of  a  particular  group   participate. 

4.  Much  of  the  individual  pupil  activity  which  should  be 
an  integral  part  of  the  subject  is  eliminated  because  of  the 
large  size  of  the  groups. 

New   Classroom  Instruction   Goals 

1.  Visual  demonstrations  delivered  to  large  groups  at  a 
maximum  of  efficiency  on  the  part  of  the  instructor. 

2.  The  use  in  large  groups  of  lantern  slides,  silent,  and 
sound  films,  exhibit  and  demonstration  material  and  the 
microphone.     Thus   all   pupils  see  and  hear  effectively. 

3.  The  preparation  of  clarified  assignments,  and  modern 
tests. 

4.  The  preparation  of  such  correlated  work-sheet  exer- 
cises, based  upon  the  visual  aids  used,  that  lantern  slides 
and  films  become  agents  of  instruction  demanding  the  at- 
tention of  the  student.  Too  frequently  in  the  past  visual 
aids  have  been  used  in  classes  in  such  a  manner  as  to  result 
in  pure  entertainment. 

5.  Discussions  in  groups  of  such  a  small  size  that  all 
members  participate. 

6.  The  development  of  leaders  and  leadership  by  placing 
students  in  charge  of  small  groups  for  certain  activities. 

7.  The  establishment  of  teacher-pupil  contact. 

8.  The  inclusion  of  a  reasonable  amount  of  guided  study. 

9.  The  securing  of  such  individual  pupil  activities  as  the 
performing  of  experiments  and  projects. 

How  to  Install  the  Jones  Rotary  System  of 
Instruction 
1.  The  adoption  of  this  plan  should  not  mean  an  increase 
in  daily  pupil  load ;  nor  should  it  mean  an  increase  in  the 
number  of  scheduled  periods  required  per  teacher  per  week. 
Let  us  give  the  classroom  teacher  time  to  really  prepare  for 
his  work.     The  teacher  should  spend  his  free  periods : 

a.  Preparing  clarified   assignments 

b.  Preparing  inodern  tests 

c.  Designing  lantern  slides  to  correlate  with  the   lectures 

d.  Arranging  work  sheet  exercises  as  student  guides 
when  inotion  pictures  are  shown 

e.  Preparing  follow-up  tests  to  check  on  motion  pictures 

f.  Arranging  laboratory  exercises 

g.  Preparing  the   visual  demonstrations 
h.  Checking   results 

i.  Caring  for  equipment 

j.  Preparing  adequate  bibliographies  to  accompany 
weekly  assignments.  Besides  authors  and  books 
these  bibliographies  should  include   topics  and  pages 

k.  The  above   10  items  require  an   iiniiicnsc  ainouni  of  time 
if  they  are  well  done. 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  I'isual  Instruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


2.  It  should  mean  the  setting  up  of  large  groups  (of  the 
already  existing  daily  pupil  load)  for  visual  demonstrations 
and  the  setting  up  of  small  groups  for  the  realization  of 
the   additional   goals   of  classroom   instruction. 

3.  Mechanical  equipment  needed: 

a.  A  large  room  in  which  visual  aids  can  be  used  in 
connection  with  the  demonstrations.  This  room 
should  be  equipped  with  a  microphone  and  loud- 
speaker. The  microphone  enables  all  students  to 
hear  effectively. 

b.  The  use  of  cellophane  lantern  slides  to  substitute  for 
many  of  the  diagrams  and  drawings  used  on  the 
classroom  blackboard.  These  enable  all  pupils  to 
see  effectively.  These  should  be  used  in  semi- 
darkness,   thereby  permitting  note  taking. 

c.  Apparatus,   wagon   with   ball-bearing   wheels 

d.  An  illuminated  portable  blackboard. 

The  Former  Schedule  of  a  Teacher  Teaching  Six 

Classes  per  Day  of  Tenth  Grade  Biology 

Teacher's  Daily  Load=210  pupils 

(Class  Average  of  35  x  6  Periods) 

Periods      123456789 


M      1 

35-B  1  35-B  1  35-B  | 

35-B  i  35-A    35-A  1 

T      1 

I  35-B  1  35-B  1  35-B  1 

35-B  1  35-A  1  35-A  i 

W     1 

1  35-B  1  35-B  i  35-B  ] 

35-B  1  3S-A  t  35-A  | 

Th 

i  35-B  I  35-B  i  35-B  | 

1  35-B  1  35-A  1  35-A  | 

F 

35-B  I  35-B  1  35-B 

■  35-B  '  35-A  '  3-.-A  ' 

Key- 


B=:10th  Grade  Beginners  in  Biology. 

A^lOth  Grade  .Advanced  to  Second  Semester  in  Biology. 

The  Same  Teacher's  Schedule  Under  the  Jones 
Rotary  System  of  Instruction 

Teacher's  Daily  Load^210  pupils 
1  2  3  45  6  7         8         9 

...     ,  25-A  \140-B  I  25-A  |  20-A  |  Teacher  i)repares 

T     I  ro-A  I  25-B  i  25-B  |  25-B  I  25-B  ^  20-B    20-B 


M 


W     I  25-A  \UO-B  I  25-A  |  20-A  |  Teacher  prepares 


Th    I  TO-A  I  25-B  I  25-B  |  25-B  j  25-B  |  I  20-B  I  20-B  i 

F     i  70- A  li*^^-/?  'Checking  of  tests  &  preparation  for  next  wk 


Advantages 

1.  Teaching  periods  cut  from  30  per  week  to  24 

2.  Teacher  has  time  to  prepare  his  work 

3.  Monotony'  is  avoided 

4.  Visual  instruction  used  effectively 

A  Pupil's  Schedule  Who  Reports  for  2nd  Period 
Visual  Demonstration  and  7th  Period  Conference 

1  _'  ,1  4  5  (I  7  8  9 


\is. 

M     j           ;   Dem.  |           1           j           |           !                I 

T 

1           ■                      i             Guided  \          \ 
'11'           'ReadingI          1 

i          1     Vis.              1          1          1          1               II 
W    1           1   Dem.  1           1                      1           1                II 

'              t          :                    :          1  Confer- 
Th    '          1              i          '          '          1          I   ence*   1 

1           ;Assign-!                      Ill                II 

F     1           |ment&!                                |           |                |          | 

1          1    Test    1          1                    11               II 

*Conference  period  may  l)e  spent  in  several  ways  depending  up- 
on the  judgment  of  the  teacher: 

1.  Laboratory  exercises 

2.  Discussion  period  for  the  group  of  20  to  2S  pupils 

3.  Drill  exercises 

4.  Conference  group  of  25  pupils  may  be  broken  up  into  5 
small  groups  with  5  pui)ils  each.  Group  leaders  may  be 
selected  by  the  teacher  and  one  may  be  placed  over 
each  group  to : 

a.  Review  the  assignment 

b.  Conduct  a  project  or  experiment 

c.  Hear  oral  reports 

d.  Conduct  review  drills 

e.  Conduct  a  discussion 

The  teacher  may  confer  individually  at  this  time  with  pupils 
who  are  failing  in  their  work. 

Advantages  of  the  Small  Conference  Group  of  25  Pupils 

1.  The  teacher  is  assured  that  in  the  course  of  a  week  each 
pupil  has  personally  read  a  minimum  of  one  period  in  pre- 
paring the  assignment. 

2.  Fewer  pieces  of  apparatus  required  because  of  the  small 
size  of  the  group. 

3.  Experiments  can  be  performed  more  individually. 

4.  -Ml  members  of  the  group  of  5  take  part  in  the  discussion 
because  of  the  small  size  of  the  group. 

5.  Pupils  may  examine  the  demonstration  material  closely 
which  was  used  during  the  lecture  periods. 


Visual    Aids    in    Remedidl    Reading 


READING  efficiency  is  modified  bv  both  central  and 
peripheral  factors.  Of  the  central  processes,  rate  of 
association  of  ideas  appears  to  be  one  of  the  most 
important.  Many  other  kindred  factors  such  as  background 
of  information,  ability  to  perceive  relationships,  memory 
span,  and  the  like  contribute  to  rapid  and  rhythmical  read- 
ing habits.  Indeed,  no  one  denies  the  importance  of  the 
role  played  by  the  central  process.  To  a  degree,  however, 
reading  efficiency  also  appears  to  be  related  to  certain 
peripheral  factors,  especially  those  which  contribute  to 
comfortable    vision. 

Within  the  last  five  years,  considerable  interest  has  been 
evidenced  regarding  the  study  of  anatomical  and  physiolog- 
ical aspects  of  vision  which  might  be  related  to  reading 
efficiency.  Three  problems  have  been  identified.  First,  what 
are  the  visual  requirements  for  reading  readiness?  Second, 
what  visual  disabilities  contribute  to  reading  deficiency? 
Third,  to  what  degree  does  individual  counterpoise  permit 
compensation    for   a   visual    disability? 

Attempts  to  study  the  visual  characteristics  of  retarded 
readers  have  been  through  case  studies,  comparisons  of  re- 
tarded  readers  with   unselected  groups,  and   comparisons   of 


By     EMMETT     ALBERT     BEITS 

Director    of    Teacher    Education, 
State    Normal    Schoof    Oswego,    New    York 

retarded  readers  with  "good"  readers.  Although  no  one 
questions  the  value  of  comfortable  one-  or  two-eyed  vision 
for  reading,  the  investigators  have  not  always  arrived  at 
clear  cut  findings.  The  supposed  disparity  in  the  results  may 
be    accounted    for   in   a   number   of   ways. 

First,  not  all  the  investigators  studied  cases  from  the  same 
age  levels.  At  the  primary  grade  level,  great  differences 
exist  among  children  relative  to  physical,  mental,  and 
emotional  readiness  for  reading.  For  example,  children  with 
I.  Q.'s  ranging  from  70  to  90  frequently  are  not  ready  to 
read  until  they  reach  a  chronological  age  of  eight  to  ten. 
Five  investigators  have  found  that  some  children  with 
normal  and  superior  intelligence  are  not  ready  to  read  until 
they  are  seven  to  seven  and  one-half  years  of  age.  The 
age  at  which  children  are  permitted  to  enter  first  grade 
would  be  a  significant  variable  in  studies  of  primary  chil- 
dren. It  is  at  once  apparent  that  in  such  instances  retarda- 
tion in  reading  might  not  be  caused  by  a  lack  of  matura- 
tion in  the  visual  functions  which  can  be  measured  by 
extant  techniques.  In  short,  such  cases  might  lack  readiness 
for  reading  of  a  nature  involving  other  specific  maturations. 
Intelligence  and  vision  are  not  the  only  factors  contributing 


April,  19}  6 


Pi-occcdiiigs  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  109 


to  reading  readiness  and  reading  achievement. 

Second,  investigators  who  have  compared  "poor"  readers 
with  "good"  readers  have  not  ruled  out  poor  teaching. 
In  most  cases  of  children  brought  to  the  writer's  clinic, 
the  pupils  have  not  been  given  a  means  for  independent 
recogn'tion  of  words.  In  addition  to  this  handicap,  they 
are  usually  struggling  with  reading  materials  which  are 
several  levels  of  difficulty  above  them  ;  that  is,  it  is  common 
to  find  a  fifth  grade  boy,  who  has  second  grade  reading 
ability,  confused  with  the  vocabulary  and  sentence  struc- 
ture of  fourth  or  fifth  grade  books,  ["or  these  types  of 
cases  the  correction  of  visual  defects  would  give  visual 
comfort  but  would  not  teach  the  child  to  read.  A  good 
teacher  usually  makes  use  of  chart  material  which  mini- 
mizes the  effect  that  visual  inefficiency  might  have  upon 
reading    achievement. 

In  one  situation  the  writer  found  about  90%  of  the  re- 
tarded readers  to  have  some  type  of  visual  disability  which 
might  have  contributed  to  a  lack  of  ability  to  do  sustained 
reading.  In  another  situation,  where  children  were  per- 
mitted to  enter  first  grade  at  five  years  of  age  and  other 
conditions  were  also  questionable,  the  writers  found  only 
47%  of  the  severely  retarded  readers  to  have  visual  diffi- 
culties. In  brief,  no  one  maintains  that  visual  disabilities 
are  sole  causes  of  retardation  in  reading,  hence  investi- 
gators should  make  some  attempt  to  control  other  obvious 
contribiUing   factors. 

Third,  the  definition  of  a  retarded  reader  varies  from  one 
investigation  to  another.  Some  investigators  define  retarda- 
tion as  existing  when  the  pupil's  reading  age  is  below 
the  mental  age.  Others  have  studied  a  given  percentage  of 
those  who  scored  lowest  on  a  standardized  reading  test  or 
who  ranked  in  the  lower  half  of  the  class  on  the  basis  of 
teachers'  marks.  Still  others  have  studied  only  those  re- 
tarded readers  who  were  referred  to  a  clinic.  The  writer 
contends  that  retardation  in  reading  at  the  primary  grade 
level  would  be  a  different  problem  from  retardation  at 
higher  grade  levels  because  of  speed  of  reading  and  sus- 
tained reading  eflfort  are  not  of  major  importartce  at  the 
primary  grade  level.  In  other  words,  the  definition  of  read- 
ing disability  is  one  important  factor  in  an  investigation 
where    visual    handicaps    are   being    studied. 

Fourth,  the  methods  of  teaching  beginners  would  have 
an  important  bearing  on  the  relationship  of  visual  dis- 
abilities  to   retardation   in   the   primary    grades. 

Fifth,  methods  of  measuring"  visual  efificiency  also  modify 
the  results.  The  Snellen  chart  is  a  convenient  and  reliable 
device  for  measuring  distance  visual  acuity  of  each  eye 
while  the  other  eye  is  covered.  It  is  obvious,  however,  that 
such  a  test  would  be  a  very  inadequate  measure  in  a 
scientific  study  of  the  visual  disabilities  of  retarded  read- 
ers. The  "Visual  Sensation  and  Perception"  slides  of  the 
Celts  "Ready  to  Read"  battery  (4)  were  designed  to  detect 
visual  difficulties  which  might  contribute  to  discomfiture 
during  sustained  reading.  They,  however,  should  not  be 
used  as  a  substitute  for  a  thorough  examination  which 
specialists   sometimes  make. 

Sixth,  thorough  research  workers  who  have  studied  visual 
handicaps  in  relation  to  reading  have  noted  variations  in 
individual  counterpoise  to  compensate  for  physical  handi- 
caps. Some  cases  can  tolerate  high  errors  while  others  are 
hyper-sensitive  to  relatively  small  errors.  Furthermore,  the 
study  of  certain  items  has  not  been  fruitful  for  discriminat- 
ing between  good  and  poor  readers.  Undoubtedly,  general 
body  tone  has  considerable  to  do  with  capacity  for  com- 
pensation. 

There  are  few  who  would  deny  the  statement  that  all 
children  have  the  right  to  comfortable  vision:  Also  there 
is  more  or  less  general  agreement  among  students  of  the 
problem  that  comfortable  vision  is   important   for   sustained 


readin:>:  effort.  Wagner  (15)  reported  3.5%  of  the  children 
in  the  primary  grades  and  7.5%  of  the  children  in  the 
intermediate  grades  were  wearing  glasses.  In  Shaker 
Heights,  Ohio,  5%  of  the  children  in  the  first  grade  were 
found  to  be  wearing  corrections.  There  was  also  found 
a  gradual  increase  to  the  sixth  grade  where  47%  were 
wearing  corrections.  Most  of  the  evidence  points  to  the 
need  for  extended  and  more  thorough  studies,  of  visual  re- 
quirements  of   reading   in   the  early   grades. 

Twelve  investigators  have  studied  and  reported  numerous 
types  of  visual  defects  and  ocular  anomalies.  In  general, 
these  difficulties  can  be  classified  as  clearness  of  focus 
and    eye    coordination. 

1.  Visual  acuity.  This  means  the  sharpness  or  keenness 
of  vision.  Low  visual  acuity  may  be  caused  by  disuse  of 
an  eye  or  by  errors  in  the  focusing  media.  Occasionally  an 
eye  will  have  only  10%  visual  acuity  while  both  eyes  are 
seeing,  but  when  the  good  eye  is  covered  the  "poor"  one 
can  be  forced  to  function  at  a  100%  level.  Such  items  are 
crucial  when  considered  from  the  point  of  view  of  reading 
comfort.  For  visual  comfort  in  reading,  it  is  essential  that 
the  cases  with  above  normal  vision  be  studied  as  well  as 
those  at  and  below  normal.  A  second  factor  meriting  con- 
sideration is  the  difference  in  visual  acuity  between  the 
two  eyes  because  too  great  a  disparity  handicaps  the  co- 
ordinate  action   of   the   eyes. 

Wagner  found  the  chances  to  be  92  in  100  that  the  lower 
half  in  reading  are  more  likely  to  have  visual  acuity  below 
normal  than  the  upper  half  among  elementary  school 
children.  Swanson  and  Tiffin  (13),  at  the  University  of 
Iowa,  found  no  differences  in  visual  acuity  between  "good" 
readers  and  "poor"  readers  at  the  college  level. 

2.  Muscle  itnhalance. 

a.  Lateral  imbalance.  Normal  lateral  muscle 
balance  permits  the  visual  axes  of  the  eyes  to  be 
parallel  when  they  are  relaxed  or  used  for  distance 
seeing.  Frequently  a  farsighted  individual  will  overconverge 
and  a  nearsighted  individual  will  fail  to  converge  properly. 

It  is  important  to  distinguish  between  cases  with  tenden- 
cies toward  so  called  eye-muscle-imbalances  and  strabismus 
cases  which  are  "cross-eyed"  or  "wall-eyed".  Unless  the 
strabismus  case  is  "alternating",  which  may  cause  difficulty 
in  reading,  the  visual  acuity  in  the  deviating  eye  is  usually 
lowered  through  disuse  to  a  point  where  there  can  be  no 
discomfiture  arising  from  attempts  at  eye  coordination. 
In  either  instance  a  strabismus  case  does  not  experience 
binocular  (two-eyed)  vision  which  is  essential  to  depth 
perception. 

Lateral  imbalance  as  such  should  be  investigated  further 
before  definite  conclusions  are  made.  The  writer  has  found 
many  cases  with  lateral  imbalance  but  with  good  macular 
fusion.  It  is  important  that  the  ocular  reflexes  should  be 
normal;  that  is,  when  an  object  is  brought  from  distant 
point  up  to  reading  distance  the  eyes  should  converge. 
This  is  the  chief  use  of  the  lateral  imbalance  slide  of  the 
"Ready  to   Read"   set. 

b.  Vertical  imbalance.  .'\  condition  of  vertical  imbalance 
exists  when  one  eye  deviates  upward.  This  condition  occurs 
only  infrequently,  but  when  it  does,  efforts  at  sustained 
reading  are   seriously  hampered. 

3.  Macular  Fusion.  Normal  reading  or  seeing  of  fine 
detail  is  accomplished  by  one  small  part  of  the  retina 
called  the  macula,  the  most  highly  sensitive  area  of  the 
retina.  Both  the  right  and  left  eyes  have  macular  areas.  In 
order  to  fuse  two  images  into  one,  it  is  necessary  for  them 
to  fall  upon  corresponding  points  of  the  retina  of  each  eye ; 
that  is,  both  eyes  must  be  pointed  precisely  toward  the  object 
of  regard.  This  is  achieved  by  the  subject's  desire  for  a 
single  image  and  the  subsequent  reflex  action  incident  to 
seeing.    In    the    Betts    Ready   to    Read    Tests,   two   tests    of 


Page  110 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


macular    fusion    are    included,    one    for    distance,    the    other 
for   reading  distance,   eight   slides    for   each. 

In  reading  low  fusion  produces  confusions,  mixing  letters 
and  small  words,  jumbling  of  words,  loss  of  place,  and  some 
inability  to  follow  lines  across  the  page.  Its  presence  is 
not  detected  by  the  usual  school  vision  tests  and  it  presents 
no  obvious  symptoms  or  sign  that  the  teacher  may  detect. 
Eames  (9)  found  that  35%  of  children  with  educational 
difficulties  had  fusion  disabilities  as  compared  with  18% 
of  the  general  school  population.  The  data  shows  that  there 
is  a  rapid  decrease  in  macular  fusion  ability  for  each  suc- 
ceeding age  and  grade  level.  In  view  of  the  heavy  reading 
load  imposed  on  elementary  school  children  there  is  need 
for  further  study  of  the  problem,  for  a  school  program 
designed  to  oflf-set  this  tendency,  and  for  a  further  study 
of  size  of  type  used  in  printed  reading  materials. 

4.  Peripheral  Fusion:.  Experimental  tests  are  under  way 
but  conclusions  are  not  yet  available.  Preliminary  results 
are    promising. 

5.  Sterenpsis  (Depth  Perception).  True  depth  perception 
is  possible  only  when  the  eyes  are  functioning  coordinately 
and  when  there  is  a  desire  for  visual  fusion.  Certain 
aspects  of  eye  coordination,  therefore,  can  be  measured  by 
using  a  test  of  depth  perception  graduated  in  difficulty. 
Although  depth  perception  is  not  required  for  reading  on 
the  usual  flat  surface,  the  degree  of  coordination  required  to 
pass  such  a  test  is  essential  to  efficient  and  comfortable 
reading  habits.  It  was  found  that  only  60%  of  the  first 
grade  entrants  had  sufficient  eye  coordination  and  experience 
to  pass  this  test.  However,  children  improve  with  an  increase 
in  age  in  eye  coordination  required  to  pass  this  test.  There 
is  need  for  further  study  of  the  question  of  size  of  type 
when  reading  is  taught  before  children  are  seven  or  eight 
years  of  age.  In  the  meantime  it  would  appear  that  chart 
work  and  the  use  of  interesting  stereoscopic  pictures  would 
be  of  significant  value  in  grades  one  and  two. 

6.  Agility  of  fusion..  Facility  in  convergence  and  relaxa- 
tion of  convergence  is  usually  called  agility  of  fusion. 
Eames  found  that  the  mean  agility  of  fusion  convergence 
is  below  normal  among  reading  disability  cases.  He  also 
reported  a  greater  amplitude  of  fusion  for  larger  size 
type. 

7.  Focusing  Errors   (Ametropia) 

a.  Nearsightedness.  A  nearsighted  individual  has  difficulty 
in  distance  seein;i  It  is  usual  for  nearsighted  persons  to  be 
avid  readers  and  they  seldom  have  difficulties  unless  the 
disability  is  so  pronounced  that  the  print  cannot  be  seen 
at  normal  reading  distance.  It  is  important,  however,  that 
such  conditions  receive  the  attention  of  an  eye  specialist. 
Nearsightedness  is  an  infrequent  offender  in  poor  reading, 
but  the  complications  of  nearsightedness  are  important, 
and  hence  the  defect  should  always  be  watched  carefully 
and   treated   whetlier   there   is   a    reading   trouble   present   or 

not. 

b.  Farsightedness.  Farsightedness  is  usually  caused  by  a 
short  or  immature  eyeball.  Various  studies  have  showed 
that  from  45  to  80%  of  six  year  old  children  are  normally 
farsightcd.  There  is  a  gradual  decrease  in  farsightedness 
as  the  eye  matures.  By  age  9  only  about  18  to  20%  of  the 
children  are   farsighted. 

c.  Astigmatism.  Astigmatism  usually  is  a  matter  of  far- 
sightedness or  nearsightedness  in  one  or  two  meridians  of 
the  eye.  This  difficulty  may  cause  severe  strain  because  it 
is  not  possible  to  adjust  the  refractive  mechanism  of  the 
eye  so  that  the  conditions  can  be  relieved.  Severe  cases 
interfere  with  reading  by  distorting  the  visual  images  and  by 
the   production   of   eye   strain. 

8.  Differences  in  sice  and  shape  of  ocular  images  (Anisei- 
konia). 

Dearborn    and    Comfort    have    initiated    a    study    of    such 


errors  in  reading  disability  cases.  In  a  preliminary  report 
they  indicated  that  78%  of  the  clinic  cases  had  size  differ- 
ences of  significant  amounts.  They  tentatively  concluded  that 
it  is  not  primarily  a  matter  of  degree  of  defect,  but  the 
degree  of  counterpoise  of  the  individual  in  compensating 
for   the    defect    that   counts. 

Eye  training  exercises  with  special  stereographs  are  used 
widely  for  the  correction  of  eye  coordination  difficulties. 
It  is  possible,  therefore,  that  schools  might  endeavor  to 
present  some  of  these  difficulties  by  the  daily  use  of  inter- 
esting and  appropriate  stereographs,  especially  in  the  pri- 
mary grades.  In  addition  to  the  obvious  educational  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  this  important  use  of  visual  aids,  chil- 
dren can  profit  physically  by  the  incidental  exercises  and 
eye  recreations  which  aid  in  developing  and  maintaining 
the  coordinate  functioning  of  the  eyes. 

School  people,  of  course,  should  not  go  beyond  their 
professional  province  by  endeavoring  to  give  directed  eye 
training  exercises  in  the  school,  for  such  exercises  should 
be  prescribed  and  supervised  by  a  qualified  specialist. 
Nevertheless,  it  is  quite  proper  that  teachers  make  maxi- 
mum use  of  educational  materials  which  are  hygienically 
correct.  The  use  of  stereographs  for  building  educational 
backgrounds  is  endorsed  by  thousands  of  educators.  Pri- 
mary teachers  use  them  to  bring  meanings  to  words: 
geography  teachers  use  them  to  bring  distant  lands  into  the 
classroom.  Their  hygienic  value  in  addition  to  these  educa- 
tional values  now  has  the  endorsement  of  outstanding 
doctors. 

Bibliography 

1.  Belts,  Enimett  Albert,  BibUouraphy  on  the  rroblems  Krialid  to  the 
Analyns,  Prerention,  and  Correction  of  Reading  DifficuUiee.  Mead- 
ville,  Pa.     Keystone  View  Comijany,  Revised  1936. 

2.  Betts,  Emmett  Albert,  Is  ReadiiW  Related  to  Grovlh?  Progres.sive 
Education,   (Dec.  1934)   Vol.  XI,  No.  8. 

3.  Betts,  Emmett  Albert.  A  Physiological  Approach  to  the  Aiialynis  of 
Reading  Disabilities.  Educational  Research  Bulletin,  Ohio  Etate 
University,    (Sept.  1934)   Vol.  XIII,  Nos.  6  and  7. 

4.  Betts,  Emmett  Albert,  Prevention  and  Correction  of  Reading  Diffi- 
culties.    Rowe,  Peterson  &  Company,  1936. 

5.  Betts,  Emmett  Albert,  Prevention  and  Correction  of  Reading  Dis- 
abilities. The  Elementary  English  Review,  Vol.  XII,  No.  2,  (Feb. 
1935)    pp.   25-32. 

6.  Betts,  Emmett  Albert,  Reading  Disabilities  and  Their  Correction. 
Third  Annual  Research  Bulletin  of  National  Conference  on  Re- 
search in  Elementary  School  Engli.sh.  Published  by  Elementary 
English  Review,    Detroit,    Michigan,    1935. 

7.  Farris,  L.  P.,  Visual  Defects  as  Factors  Influencing  Achievement 
ill  Reading.  Junior-Senior  High  School  Clearing  House,  Vol.  IX, 
No.  4,    (Dec.  1934)   pp.  226-228. 

8.  Fendrick,  Paul,  A  Sttldy  of  the  Visual  Characteristics  of  Poor 
Readers.  Ph.  D.  Dissertation,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  Univer- 
sity,  1935. 

9.  Eames,  Thomas  Harrison,  A  Frequency  Study  of  Physical  Handi- 
caps in  Reading  Disability  and  Vnselected  Groups.  Journal  of 
Educational  Research,  Vol.  XXIX,  No.  1,    (Sept.  1935)  pp.  1-5. 

10.  Eames,  Thomas  Harrison,  Improcement  in  School  Eye  Testing. 
Education,  Vol.  56,  No.  1,   (Sept.  1935)  pp.  14-17. 

11.  Monroe,  Marion,  Children  Who  Cannot  Read.  Chicago:  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago  Press,  1932. 

12.  Srlzer,  Charles  A.,  Lateral  Dominance  and  Visual  Fusion,  their 
Application  to  Difficulties  in  Reading,  Writing,  Spelling  and  Speech. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  Harvard  University  Press,  1933.  p.  119. 
(Harvard  Monographs  in  Education,  No.  12). 

13.  Swanson,  Donald  E.,  and  Tiffin,  Joseph,  Belts'  Physiological  Ap- 
proach to  the  Analysis  of  Reading  Disabilities  as  Applied  to  the 
College  Level.      (To  be  published.) 

14.  Terman,  Lewis  M.,  and  Almack,  John  C,  The  Ilygiene  of  the 
School  Child.     New  York   City:   Houghton   Mifflin   Company,    1929. 

15.  Wagner,  Guy  W.,  The  Saturation  of  Certain  Visual  Functions  and 
their  Relationship  to  Success  in  Reading  and  Arithmetic.  Ph.  D. 
Dissertation,  University  of  Iowa,   1935. 

16.  Wells,  David  W.,  The  Stereoscope  in  Ophlhalmology.  E.  F.  Mahady 
Company,   Boston,   1928. 

17.  Witty,  Paul  A.,  and  Kopel,  David,  Ilelerophoria  and  Reading  Dis- 
ability.    (To  be  published.) 


April,  19}  6 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  111 


A  Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films  in  Teaching 


PROFESSOR  Frank  N.  Freeman,  School  of  Education 
of  the  University  of  Chicago,  presided.  After  brief 
remarks  on  the  nature  and  purpose  of  the  session, 
Professor  Freeman  announced  the  showing  of  four  reels  of 
teaching  films  —  two  in  sound  ("Sound  Waves  and  their 
Sources",  and  "Volcanoes  in  Action".  Chicago-Erpi)  and 
two  silent  ("London",  Eastman  Teaching  Films,  and  "Re- 
production in  Plants  and  Lower  Animals",  Bell  and  Howell), 
.^ftcr  the  showing.  Mr.  J.  E.  Hansen,  Chief,  Bureau  of 
Visual  Instruction,  Extension  Division,  University  of  Wis- 
consin, was  introduced  as  first  speaker,  discussing  primarily 
the  silent  film   in  teaching. 

The    Silent   Film    in   Teaching 

By  J.  E.  HANSEN 

THE  notion  is  generally  held,  I  believe,  that  in  all  school 
work  there  should  be  a  maximum  of  child  activity,  that 
the  situations  should  not  be  prcdigested  for  the  pupils, 
that  the  teacher's  work  is  to  present  concrete  materials  or 
situations  to  the  pupils  as  materials  for  investigation  and 
examination.  Most  of  us  accept  the  notion,  I  believe,  that 
pictorial  and  other  concrete  materials  should  be  so  pre- 
sented that  they  will  cause  pupils  to  think,  to  form  habits  of 
critical  examination  and  evaluation.. 

If  this  notion  should  prevail,  then  it  would  seem  that 
there  should  be  a  minimum  of  ready-made  verbal  explana- 
tion given  with  the  film  presentation.  In  fact,  it  would  seem 
that  the  film  had  better  be  presented  without  any  verbal 
explanation  and  that  pupils  be  required  to  translate  the  pic- 
torial descriptions  into  verbal  form  and  that  generalizations 
be  arrived  at  under  the  guidance  of  the  teacher.  In  field 
work  and  in  the  school  laboratory,  it  isn't  considered  good 
practice,  I  believe,  to  have  all  specimens  labeled  and  to  have 
the  teacher  present  the  pupils  with  ready-made  explanations 
of  all  the  processes,  relationships,  or  problems  that  the  child 
meets  with.  If  this  were  done,  the  greatest  value  of  labora- 
tory and  field  work  would  probably  be  lost.  .\niX  yet,  in  the 
present  talking  films  we  find  verbal  explanations  for  every- 
thing that  takes  place.  Every  question  that  might  be  raised 
in  the  child's  mind  is  answered,  although  not  necessarily 
in  a  manner  that  suits  the  capabilities  and  the  previous 
experience  of  the  pupils. 

The  body  of  men  and  women  comprising  the  International 
Congress  of  Educational  and  Instructional  Cinematography 
held  in  Rome  in  April  1934,  recognized  this  whole  problem 
and  they  adopted  resolutions  regarding  it.  (See  quotation 
of  two  extracts  from  their  report,  page  106  of  this  issue.) 

In  addition  to  this  general  problem  of  presenting  the 
film  materials  in  a  manner  that  is  pedagogically  sound  there 
are  a  number  of  questions  which  it  seems  to  me  will  have 
to  be  answered  before  we  can  come  to  a  conclusion  as  to 
whether  the  talking  picture  should  supersede  the  silent  film 
for  educational  purposes.  I  shall  raise  several  of  these 
questions,  without  any  attempt  to  answer  them : 

1.  What  part  should  the  motion  picture  play  in  the  edu- 
cational set-up?  Should  it  be  employed  generally  to  pre- 
sent the  materials  of  instruction,  that  is,  the  content  of  the 
course  as  the  textbook  is  now  used,  or  should  it  be  used 
merely  as  a  means  of  illustrating  and  vitalizing  the  ma- 
terials of  the  written  text?  If  the  former  practice  is  to 
prevail,  then  we  are  faced  with  the  problem  of  replacing 
our  present  textbooks  with  something  in  the  nature  of  out- 
lines,  or   guides   with   reference   lists    or   bibliographies.     If 


this  practice  is  to  prevail,  then  it  is  conceivable  that  the 
talking  picture  might  play  a  large  part.  This,  however,  will 
depend  largely  upon  the  answer  to  my  next  question : 

2.  If  the  motion  picture  method  of  presentation  becomes 
basic,  will  the  tendency  be  to  present  the  pictorial  material 
to  large  groups  in  the  auditoriums  or  other  large  rooms 
suited  to  the  purpose,  or  will  it  be  presented  to  small  groups 
such  as  the  traditional  class  of  from  twenty  to  forty  or 
fifty  pupils?  If  the  presentation  is  to  be  to  large  groups, 
the  sound  picture  might  be  preferable.  If  the  present  class 
organization  is  to  prevail.  I  believe  the  silent  film  is  to 
be  preferred. 

3.  Then  there  is  the  problem  of  adapting  the  materials 
of  instruction  to  the  pupils'  capabilities  and  previous  train- 
ing. We  shall  probably  have  to  agree  that  the  silent  film 
with  a  minimum  of  verbal  accompaniment  will  lend  itself 
best  to  such  adaptation,  especially  if  in  the  hands  of  a 
skilled  teacher. 

4.  Another  important  question  is  that  of  the  length  of 
film  which  is  most  effective  for  classroom  presentation. 
Should  we  have  more  films  of  short  lengths  covering,  per- 
haps, single  operations,  or  details  of  a  larger  whole?  For 
example,  might  the  Eastman  film  on  the  gasoline  engine 
be  used  more  effectively  if  it  were  divided  into  shorter  sec- 
tions, each  showing,  for  example,  the  operation  of  parts 
such  as  the  carburetor,  the  ignition  system,  the  cooling  sys- 
tem, and  so  on.  Although  the  followers  of  Gestalt  would 
probably  say  that  we  should  present  the  whole  picture  first 
and  then  the  details.  My  question  is,  that  as  our  whole 
school  set-up  is,  at  present,  might  we  not  very  profitably  use 
many  short  film  subiects  of  25,  50  or  100  foot  lengths 
to  present  details,  and  in  presentations  such  as  these,  would 
not  the  silent  film  be  more  effective  as  well  as  more  con- 
venient to  use? 

Possibly  it  is  not  a  question,  then,  of  whether  the  fixed 
spoken  accompaniment  of  the  talking  film  is  superior  to  the 
more  flexible  and  informal  presentation  which  is  possible 
with  the  silent  film,  but  rather  that  of  finding  the  proper 
place  for  each. 

5.  There  are  one  or  two  questions  of  an  immediate  and 
very  practical  nature  which,  I  believe,  we  should  raise  at 
this  time,  and  they  are  those  of  cost  and  availability  of 
equipment  and  ease  of  operation.  The  availability  of  sound 
films,  although  it  should  receive  consideration,  would  prob- 
ably be  taken  care  of  by  producers  if  there  was  a  market 
for  their  product.  The  cost  of  sound  projection  equipment 
is,  at  present,  more  than  three  times  that  of  silent  equip- 
ment, and  the  cost  of  equipping  a  school  system  with  sound 
equipment,  if  it  is  to  be  available  for  use  in  every  classroom, 
would  be  almost  prohibitive.  The  ratio  of  sound  film  cost 
to  that  of  silent  film  cost  would  be  equally  as  great  and 
probably  greater  if  the  shorter  life  of  the  sound  film  is 
taken  into  consideration.  We  are  all  agreed.  I  am  sure, 
with  the  possible  exception  of  certain  commercial  film  dis- 
tributors, that  films  to  be  most  effective,  should  be  shown 
at  the  moment  when  needed  in  the  learning  situation. 
When  the  use  of  motion  pictures  involves  the  lugging  around 
from  room  to  room,  and  the  setting  up  and  operating  of  a 
sound  projector,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe  that  pictures 
will  be  used  sparingly  and  also  that  they  will  not  be  used 
at  the  moment  when  actually  needed. 

Before  presenting  the  results  of  a  study  which  I  made  in 
Wisconsin,  I  should  like  to  draw  a  distinction  between  what 
I  term  the  bona  fide,  or  natural  sound  picture,  and  the 
silent  picture,  accompanied  by  a  formal  lecture.  There  are 
many  situations   in  which   sound   is  an  .essential  element   in 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


the  situation  to  be  presented.  For  the  presentation  of  all 
such  situations,  the  sound  picture  has  a  distinct  advan- 
tage and  is  certainly  desirable.  But,  of  all  the  so-called 
sound  pictures  produced  to  date,  but  a  limited  few  belong 
to  this  class.  Most  are  in  the  class  of  the  talking  picture, 
that  is,  the  silent  picture  accompanied  by  an  oral  verbal 
continuity.  Regardless  of  whether  this  kind  of  presentation 
is  sound  pedat/ogically,  or  psychologically,  I  have  been  in- 
terested in  determining  whether  the  classroom  teacher  might 
not  present  this  verbal  aecompaniment  zinth  the  film  as 
effectively  as  the  machine  could  do  it.  I  have  realized  from 
the  outset  that  both  of  these  methods  might  have  certain 
advantages  as  well  as  disadvantages.  In  the  first  place,  the 
personality  of  the  teacher  might  either  add  to  or  detract 
from  the  teacher  presentation.  The  teacher's  voice,  his  pro- 
nunciation and  enunciation,  might  be  poor  compared  with 
that  coming  from  the  loud  speaker.  The  syncronization  of 
the  verbal  explanation  given  by  the  teacher  with  the  picture 
would  probably  not  be  as  perfect  as  that  of  the  sound  pro- 
jector, and,  if  presented  in  a  large  room,  the  volume  of  the 
teacher's  voice  might  not  be  sufficient  to  be  heard  distinctly 
by  all  the  pupils  in  the  room.  This  study,  the  set-up  and 
results  of  which  I  shall  now  summarize  briefly,  is  but  one 
of  several  related  studies  which  I  hope  to  complete  during 
the  next  year  or  two. 

In  this  particular  study,  I  used  four  talking  films,  namely. 
Plant  Growth,  Fungus  Plants,  Spiders,  and  The  Frog,  all 
excellent  films  produced  by  Erpi.  The  studies  were  con- 
ducted in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grade  elementary  science 
classes  of  the  Roosevelt  Junior  High  School  at  Fond  du  Lac 
and  in  the  tenth  grade  biology  class  of  the  Senior  High 
School  at  Edgerton,  Wisconsin.  At  Fond  du  Lac,  the  con- 
trol group  and  the  experimental  group  consisted  each  of 
approximately  160  pupils  equated  by  matching  in  pairs 
according  to  I.  Q.  M.  A.,  and  scores  on  a  pretest  cov- 
ering the  materials  presented  in  the  films.  Each  of  the 
four  topics  was  reallv  presented  as  a  separate  study,  and 
after  each  film  topic  had  been  presented  the  groups  were 
rotated  so  that  each  of  the  two  student  groups  had  two  of 
the  topics  presented  by  the  teacher  method  and  the  other  two 
topics  by  the  sound  projector  method.  There  happened 
to  be  four  elementary  science  teachers  in  this  school  and 
each  teacher  presented  the  verbal  continuity  for  one  of  the 
four  films,  as  against  the  talking  of  the  sound  projector. 
To  make  certain  that  the  verbal  continuity  presented  with 
the  film  by  the  teachers  was  identical  with  that  presented 
by  the  sound  projector,  I  had  previously  recorded  the  sound 
from  the  film,  in  each  case,  on  a  dictaphone  and  had  it 
transcribed.  The  typed  copies  of  these  continuities  were 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  respective  teachers  about  twenty- 
four  hours  before  they  were  to  present  them  with  the  films. 
Since  in  Fond  du  Lac  the  films  were  presented  to  these 
large  classes  of  approximately  160  pupils  it  was  necessary 
to  use  the  auditorium,  which  had  a  seating  capacity  of 
about  1200  pupils. 

I  used  the  same  test  for  the  final  test  as  I  used  for  the  pre- 
test. I  realize  that  some  of  you  might  question  this  practice, 
but  I  believe  there  is  a  distinct  advantage  in  doing  this,  inas- 
much as  it  serves  to  further  equalize  the  control  and  experi- 
mental groups.  The  test  consisted  of  twenty  separate  multiple 
choice  questions  of  five  items  each,  all,  or  none,  or  any  of 
which  might  be  correct.  So  that  the  test  really  might  be  said 
to  consist  of  100  separate  items.  The  pre-test  was  given 
twenty-four  hours  before  the  film  was  presented  in  each  case 
and  the  final  test  was  given  within  an  hour  after  the  film  had 
been  presented. 

The  reliability  of  each  of  the  four  tests  when  given  as  pre- 
tests, was  determined  by  split-test  or  half-test  correlations 
and  corrected  by  the  Spearman-Brown  formula.    These    coeffi- 


cients for  the  four  tests  were  .86,  .937.  .963.  .824.  The  reliability 
coefficients  of  these  same  tests,  when  given  as  final  tests  were 
.89,  .937,  .89,  .90.  This  would  indicate  that  the  tests  were  quite 
reliable.  As  to  the  validity  of  the  tests  about  all  that  I  can  say 
is  that  they  covered  practically  every  item  covered  in  the  verbal 
continuity  and  that  great  care  was  exercised  to  make  certain 
that  nothing  was  included  which  was  not  included  in  the  verbal 
continuity.  Since  the  pictorial  presentation  was  identical  for 
the  control  and  the  experimental  groups  I  was  interested,  of 
course,  only  in  measuring  the  effectiveness  of  the  two  methods 
of  verbal  presentation. 

(At  this  point  the  speaker  projected  slides  showing  com- 
plete tabulations  of  the  results  of  the  experiment,  and 
went  over  them  carefully  with  the  audience.  On  the  whole 
there  appeared  to  be  no  significant  difference  in  the  gains 
made  by  the  two  groups,  the  ones  hearing  the  sound  film 
and  the  ones  to  whom  the  same  verbal  continuity  was 
spoken  by  the  teacher  present.) 

My  own  interpretation  of  those  results  would  be  that  it  has 
significance,  even  though  there  was  shown  little  advantage  of 
one  method  over  the  other.  There  were  several  little  side- 
lights which  I  should  like  to  mention.  This  particular  junior 
high  school  with  an  enrollment  of  about  120J  pupils  and  a  staff 
of  about  60  teachers  had  used  silent  films  regularly  in  their 
classroom  teaching  work  over  a  period  of  years.  Some  800 
or  1000  reels  of  motion  pictures  each  year  were  used,  and  used 
as  teaching  films  ought  to  be  used.  The  sound  film  was  a 
novelty.  The  youngsters  resented  somewhat  being  put  into  the 
teacher  group.  Again,  I  noticed  that  some  of  the  pupils  seated 
far  back  had  difficulty  in  hearing  the  teacher.  They  com- 
plained about  it  to  me  afterward.  They  asked  to  have  their 
papers  thrown  out.  I  said,  "No,"  and  all  of  the  papers  were 
scored. 

Although  the  pupils  favored  the  sound  method,  I  think  be- 
cause of  its  novelty,  the  teachers  came  to  me  afterward  and 
said,  "Mr.  Hansen  we  resent  being  a.t^ked  to  present  a  set  paper 
in  this  manner  when  we  have  been  presenting  pictures  to  the 
school  here  for  years."  Every  one  agreed  that  that  was  not 
sound  educational  practice.  Said  one,  "You  can  come  back 
and  put  on  another  study  in  which  we  may  be  allowed  to  use 
these  films  in  our  classes  as  we  feel  they  ought  to  be  used." 
That  was  the  attitude  of  the  teachers. 

I  hope  that  within  the  next  year  a  further  study  may  he 
made.  We  are  interested  in  knowing  whether  in  presenting  a 
picture  of  this  type  the  teacher  who  knows  her  pupils,  and  is 
known  by  the  pupils,  will  continue  to  do  that  job  as  well  as 
the  mechanical  device  called  the  sound  projector.  Is  there 
something  magic  about  that  canned  voice,  that  mechanical  voice, 
coming  out  of  the  sound  projector,  which  would  make  it  better 
than  the  teacher  who  knows  the  pupils  and  stands  before  them 
for  questions  and  answers? 

I  don't  pretend  I  have  the  answer.  I  do  feel  that  perhaps 
after  we  have  had  a  number  of  further  studies  of  this  kind 
we  may  say  with  some  degree  of  confidence  that  we  do  know. 
On  the  other  hand,  I  for  one  am  not  satisfied  that  that  is  good 
teaching  technique,  and  I  doubt  if  you  can  get  one  educator 
out  of  ten  in  the  United  States  who  will  allow  a  teacher  to 
continue  teaching  in  the  classroom  if  she  presented  her  ma- 
terial in  the  classroom  as  it  was  presented  by  these  teachers 
with  that  film.  Do  we  want  our  problems  presented  to  the 
pupils  with  all  the  answers  given? 

We  didn't  find  any  questions  raised  later  that  weren't 
answered  by  that  verbal  continuity.  Do  we  want  that?  Is 
that  good  educational  procedure?  I  have  no  quarrel  at  all 
with  the  splendid  group  of  films  that  are  produced  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago  for  adults.  They  could  not  be  any  poorer 
than  the  average  university  lecture.  I  think  they  are  a  great 
irriprovement  over  that.     For  the  purpose  for  which  they  are 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  luslriiction  Meeting 


Page  113 


^^^C' 

V 


(iroduced,  I  think  they  are  fine.  Now  the  question  is :  Do  we 
wish  to  take  that  method  and  put  it  into  our  elementary  schools 
particularly  ?  Possibly  we  might  use  it  in  cur  upper  high 
schools. 

I  feel,  as  was  so  admirably  stated  by  Dr.  McCIusky  yester- 
day, that  the  teachers  and  school  supervisors  should  be  the 
doctors  in  this  case.  I  have  no  malice  whatever  toward  the 
manufacturers  of  sound  eeiuipment  or  the  producers.  They 
have  all  been  my  friends  up  to  now  and  I  hope  they  will  con- 
tinue to  be.  but  I  honestly  feel  that  it  is  time  we  should  raise 
the  issue  as  to  whether  the  type  of  material  we  are  going  to 
use  is  to  be  determined  by  the  teachers  or  by  the  mar.ufacturers. 
1  doi.bt  that  the  medical  profession  allows  the  manufacturers 
of  drugs  to  decide  what  should  go  into  pre.icriptians  for  their 
patients. 

I  hope  I  have  caused  enough  controversy  here  to  get  soine 

cussion.     .     .     .       (Applause) 

'hairman  Fireman  :  The  only  question,  I  am  sure.  Mr.  Han- 
«?n,  is  whether  anybody  will  get  apoplexy  trying  to  hold  back 
before  the  time  for  discussion  to  begin.  But  if  you  will  just 
hold  yourselves  in  check  for  a  few  minutes  more  we  will  have 
a  discussion  of  the  sound  picture  by  Mr.  C.  F.  Hoban,  Jr.,  of 
the  State  Tcacliers  College  at  Clarion,  Pennsylvania. 

The   Place    and   Values   of 
Sound    Pictures    in   Teaching 

By  CHARLES  F.  HOBAN,  JR. 

iEFORE  presenting  the  values  of  the  sound  motion  picture 
in  teaching,  it  is  necessary  to  state  certain  assumptions 
upon  which  these  values  rest  and  upon  which  the  issue 
:his  discussion  may  be  defined. 
Assumptions 
In  the  first  place,  we  must  assume  that  values  of  motion 
ures  in  teaching  have  been  demonstrated  both  experi- 
mentally and  experientially — otherwise,  the  vital  issue  would 
be :  why  use  motion  pictures  at  all  ?  Over  fifty  separate  ex- 
perimental studies  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  film  in  school 
instruction  have  been  reported  in  the  educational  literature  of 
England  and  the  United  States  since  1917.  Within  these  fifty 
major  studies,   some  two  hundred   separate  experiments   have 

«  conducted.  In  addition  to  the  objective  data  on  motion 
ire  values  derived  in  these  experimental  studies,  a  large 
ber  of  other  values  have  been  reported  by  the  teachers 
partaking  in  the  Consitti  investigation,  conducted  in  England 
and  the  Wood  and  Freeman2  investigation  conducted  in  this 
country.  In  both  these  studies,  the  judgments  of  teachers  using 
classroom  films  supplemented  the  data  gathered  from  objective 
measures  of  learning.  It  is  worth  noting  that  the  values  of 
films,  reported  on  the  basis  of  teachers'  judgments  in  widely 
differing  geographical  areas  and  under  widely  differing 
conditions  of  teaching,  were  in  high  agreement  and 
that  these  values  far  exceeded  those  measured  by  objective 
tests  in  the  two  experiments.  On  the  basis  of  data  reported 
in  experimental  studies  and  on  the  basis  of  judgments  of  teach- 
ers who  have  used  films  as  an  integral  part  of  the  instruc- 
tional procedure,  the  first  assumption  must  be  acknowledged 
as  valid. 

2.  In  the  second  place,  we  may  assume  that  whatever  values 
are  inherent  in  the  silent  motion  picture  as  a  medium  of  instruc- 
tion are  also  inherent  in  the  sound  picture.  To  avoid  dispute 
of  this   assumption,   and   to   define   the   sound   picture,   a    few 

1  Frances  Consitt,  The  Talue.  of  Films  in  Hiiilory  leaching,  G.  Bell 
and  Sons,   Ltd.,   London,   1931. 

2  Ben  D.  Wood  and  Frank  N".  Frefman.  Motion  Pictures  in  the 
Classroom,  Houghton  Mifflin  Company,  New  York,   1929. 


words  of  explanation  may  be  necessary.  In  both  sound  and 
silent  motion  pictures  a  series  of  still  pictures  is  projected  on 
a  screen  at  such  a  velocity  that  the  audience  experiences  these 
rapidly  projected  still  pictures  not  as  so  many  different  pictures 
but  as  the  continuous  experience  of  motion.  The  production 
of  this  phenomenon,  i.  c,  the  experience  of  motion  from  rapidly 
projected  still  pictures,  is  what  distinguishes  the  motion  pic- 
ture from  the  penny  arcade.  The  difference  between  sound  and 
silent  motion  pictures,  then,  is  either  the  addition  of  the  element 
of  relevant  sound  to  the  visual  experience  of  motion,  or  the 
addition  of  spoken  verbal  comment  to  the  visual  content  of 
the  film.  The  silent  picture  omits  all  sou;id  from  the  experi- 
ence of  the  audience,  and  supplies  verbal  accompaniment  by 
means  of  a  series  of  printed  titles.  In  both  sound  and  silent 
motion  pictures  there  is  generally  verbal  accompaniment — in 
the  case  of  the  former,  the  accompaniment  is  spoken ;  in  the 
case  of  the  latter,  it  is  printed.  To  this  verbal  accompaniment 
the  sound  film  adds  sound  where  this  additional  sensory  ex- 
perience heightens  the  realism  of  the  content  of  the  film.  The 
only  difference  between  sound  and  silent  pictures,  then,  is  the 
manner  of  verbal  accompaniment  and  the  presence  or  absence 
of  other  relevant  sotmd.  Whatever  teaching  values  reside  in 
the  silent  picture  must,  therefore,  reside  in  the  sound  picture. 

3.  In  the  third  place,  we  may  assume  that  the  place  of  sound 
pictures  in  teaching  is  strongly  determined  by  the  v;\lues  inher- 
efit  in  this  type  of  instructional  motion  picture.  If  sound  pic- 
tures are  better  than  other  visual  aids  for  pupils  of  low  mental 
ability,  then  they  should  be  used  with  these  groups.  If  they 
are  better  adapted  to  teaching  those  subjects  in  which  sound 
is  a  major  element,  then  they  should  be  used  in  such  subjects 
as  dramatic  literature,  foreign  languages,  music,  etc.  In  other 
words,  the  place  of  sound  motion  pictures  cannot  be  considered 
in  vacuo  but  must  be  considered  in  relation  to  particular  su- 
periority inhering  in  their  construction. 

4.  Finally,  if  the  first  three  assumptions  are  valid,  it  follows 
that  the  basic  question  for  discussion  is  the  respects  in  which 
the  sound  picture  is  superior  to  the  silent  picture  as  a  medium 
of  instruction.  The  remainder  of  this  paper  will  be  devoted 
to  a  statement  of  types  of  sound  pictures,  a  consideration  of 
the  validity  of  objections  to  sound  pictures  in  teaching,  an 
exposition  of  the  values  particularly  inhering  in  the  sound  pic- 
ture, and  the  statement  of  the  place  of  sound  pictures  in  teach- 
ing in  the  light  of  these  values. 

Types  of  Sound  Pictures 

There  are  three  easily  distinguishable  types  of  .sound  pic- 
tures. The  first  type  adds  oral  explanation  of  the  visual  con- 
tent of  the  film;  the  second  type  includes  only  those  sounds 
inherent  in  the  content  of  the  film,  such  as  dialogue,  the  whir 
of  a  motor,  the  roar  of  a  volcano,  etc. ;  and  the  third  type  is 
a  combination  of  the  other  two  in  which  there  are  oral  explana- 
tion and  the  addition  of  those  inherent  sound  effects  which 
enhance  meaning  of  the  visual  experience.  In  educational 
sound  pictures,  the  first  and  third  types  are  most  generally 
used. 

Validity  of  Objections  to   Sound   Pictures   in   Teaching 

To  the  use  of  sound  pictures  in  teaching,  certain  objections 
are  raised.  In  order  properly  to  evaluate  the  sound  picture  as 
a  teaching  aid,  it  is  necessary  to  examine  those  objections  and 
to  test  their  validity. 

1.  One  of  the  most  commonly  expressed  objections  to  the 
use  of  sound  pictures  is  the  initial  cost  of  sound  equipment. 
While  it  is  true  that  sound  equipment  is  more  expensive  than 
corresponding  silent  equipment,  it  is  also  true  that  this  initial 
increase  in  cost  has  its  compensation  in  the  increased  values 
and  in  the  increased  utility  of  the  sound  picture  and  projection 
apparatus.3     It  is  here  proper  to  point  out  two  compensatory 


3  For  discussion  of  values  and  utility  of  sound  equipment  see  treat- 
ment of   inherent  values   of   ^ound  film   in  teaching  infra. 


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Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


aspects  of  increased  sound  equipment  cost,  (a)  In  addition  to 
sound  projection,  the  sound  equipment  serves  all  the  purposes 
of  silent  equipment.  Silent  pictures  can  be  projected  on  most 
sound  apparatus  but  the  converse  is  not  true.  In  other  words, 
sound  equipment  serves  the  dual  purpose  of  sound  and  silent 
projection,  (b)  Sound  equipment  has  a  much  wider  range  of 
utility  in  subject-matter  areas  in  that  many  of  the  subjects  of 
the  present  day  curriculum  involve  sound  as  a  primary  element. 

2.  Another  objection  raised  to  the  use  of  the  sound  picture  is 
the  complexity  of  operation  of  projection  apparatus.  This  ob- 
jection falls  by  its  own  weight  when  we  consider  that  (a)  both 
silent  and  sound  equipment  require  special  training  on  the  part 
of  the  teacher  for  operation;  (b)  no  more  technical  knowledge 
is  required  for  projection  and  care  of  sound  than  of  silent  pic- 
ture equipment;  (c)  teachers  who  have  been  given  instruction 
in  operation  techniques  experience  no  difficulty  in  operation ; 
and  (d)  in  many  schools  where  sound  equipment  is  used,  older 
students  have  been  trained  successfully  to  take  care  of  sound 
picture  projection. 

3.  The  third  objection  occasionally  raised  to  sound  pictures 
is  their  inflexibility.  Some  critics  believe  that  the  constant 
spoken  comment  supplied  by  the  sound  film  makes  the  sound 
picture  less  adaptable  to  use  on  various  grade  levels  and  mental 
ability  levels  than  is  the  silent  picture  which  permits  of  indi- 
vidual spoken  comment  by  the  particular  teacher  in  the  par- 
ticular situation.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  there  is  no  guarantee 
within  the  silent  picture  that  the  teacher  will  make  either  oral 
comment  in  general  or  adapted  comment  in  particular.  I  re- 
member it  was  the  practice  in  Cleveland  for  the  teachers  to 
set  up  their  equipment  and  walk  out  of  the  room  while  the 
film  was  being  projected.  Furthermore,  from  another  point 
of  view,  the  sound  picture  is  actually  highly  flexible  in  that 
the  verbal  accompaniment  is  spoken,  and  thus  the  factor  of 
pupil  reading  difficulty  is  eliminated.  Finally,  if  school  ad- 
ministrators come  to  the  point  where  they  demand  real  pro- 
vision for  differences  in  abilities  of  pupils,  it  is  an  easy  matter 
to  have  producers  issue  different  editions  of  the  same  film  with 
verbal  accompaniment  adapted  to  these  levels. 

Those  are  three  objections.  The  other  objections  that  Mr. 
Hansen  stated  is  that  verbal  accompaniment  interferes 
with  observation,  and  apparently  it  was  Mr.  Hansen's 
thought  that  the  picture  itself  does  too  much  thinking  for 
the  pupil. 

I  leave  that  to  you.  You  have  observed  both  silent  and 
sound  pictures  today  and  that  is  a  matter  for  you  partic- 
ularly to  decide.  That  is  a  matter  of  judgment  to  which 
I  have  no  answer.  So  far  as  the  experiment  reported  is 
concerned,  I  want  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
only  thing  that  was  measured  on  that  experiment  was  the 
quality  of  the  voice,  the  recognition  of  verbal  responses  on 
a  test.  That  was  the  only  thing  that  was  measured,  the 
effect  of  voice  quality. 

Inherent  Values  of  Sound  Pictures  in  Teaching 
Having   disposed   of   the   objections    to   sound   pictures    in 
teaching,  we   may  now  consider  the  real   issue  of  this  dis- 
cussion, i.  e.,  what  values  in  teaching  inhere  only  in  sound 
pictures? 
There  are  si.x  such  values. 

1.  The  inclusion  of  sound  provides  the  closest  approach 
to  subjective  reality  in  the  experience  of  pupils  of  any  pic- 
torial media  of  instruction.  Many  educators  make  the  mis- 
take of  believing  that  if  scenes  are  accurately  and  authen- 
tically portrayed  in  the  objective  sense  of  accuracy  and 
authenticity,  the  experience  derived  from  the  visual  per- 
ception of  these  scenes  will  be  subjectively  real  to  the 
child.  One  of  the  great  advantages  of  the  sound  picture 
in  teaching  is  that  it  succeeds  in  making  things  seem  real 
to  the  pupils.  In  many  respects,  however,  the  silent  picture 
fails  to  achieve  this   sense  of  reality.     Consitt  reports  that 


in  a  silent  motion  picture  on  Roman  Britain,  "a  Druid  in 
long  robes  speaks  from  the  top  of  an  altar  of  so  strange  a 
shape  that  it  is  confused  with  a  tiny  hut,  and  a  girl  of  11 
writes,  'I  saw  a  straw  hut  that  they  built  and  there  was 
a  lady  on  top  of  it.'  At  least  25  per  cent  of  the  children 
who  saw  the  same  film  .  .  .  thought  that  the  British 
women  watched  the  battles  from  behind  some  kind  of 
fencing,  not  from  carts.  Such  mistakes  arise  from  avoid- 
able weaknesses  in  the  films."''  In  the  cases  of  the  Druid 
-  priest,  the  Druid  altar,  and  the  carts  of  the  Britons,  the 
scenes  were  objectively  real  in  that  they  accurately  and  au- 
thentically reproduced  the  objective  elements  of  the  real  or 
quasi-real  situation.  However,  in  the  experience  of  the 
pupils,  derived  from  the  visual  perception  of  these  scenes, 
they  were  unreal  in  the  sense  that  what  the  pupils  saw 
was  not  actually  what  was  represented  on  the  screen.  The 
addition  of  the  rumble  of  cart  wheels,  the  casual  reference 
in  dialogue  to  the  carts  or  to  the  altar,  and  the  spoken 
prayer  of  the  Druid  priest  would  have  provided  the  elements 
necessary  to  make  the  carts,  and  the  altar,  and  the  priest 
seem  real  to  the  pupils.  In  other  words,  the  addition  of 
sound  would  have  made  the  film  used  by  Consitt  a  much 
more  effective  instrument  of  instruction  both  in  provision 
of  richness  of  meaning  and  a  prevention  of  wrong  experi- 
ence. It  is  but  axiomatic  to  add  that  the  more  real  the 
learning  situation  is  to  the  child  the  more  effective  will  be 
the  learning. 

2.  Ttie  use  of  sound  in  instructional  motion  pictures  pro- 
vides the  auditory  element  absolutely  essential  in  a  number  oj 
subjects  in  the  present  day  curriculum,  to  which  the  other 
pictorial  media  of  instruction  are  not  adapted.  The  use  of 
sound  pictures  in  music  instruction  will  illustrate  this 
value.  There  are  sound  films  available  for  use  in  teaching 
the  composition  of  a  symphony  orchestra  and  the  various 
effects  achieved  by  the  instrumental  choirs.  It  is  one  thing 
to  show  a  picture  of  these  instruments  but  quite  another 
thing  to  develop  in  the  minds  of  pupils  the  appreciation  of 
tone  qualities  and  other  effects  produced  by  these  instru- 
ments, either  in  solo  rendition  or  in  ensemble.  Only  through 
the  addition  of  sound  effects  can  this  understanding  and 
appreciation  be  developed.  For  example,  in  the  wood  wind 
choir,  the  clarinet  and  the  English  horn  are  similar  in 
form,  but  the  great  difference  in  tone  qualities  and  the 
adaptability  of  these  instruments  to  the  creation  of  partic- 
ular music  meanings  can.  only  be  understood  when  the  audi- 
ence hears  the  clarinet  and  hears  the  English  horn.  Sim- 
ilarly, the  piccolo  and  the  flute  apparently  differ  only  in 
size,  but  the  music  of  the  one  is  a  piping,  virile  whistle, 
while  that  of  the  other  is  the  rich  and  mellow  coloratura 
of  the  wood  wind  choir. 

In  other  subject  matter  areas  as  well  as  in  music  is  the 
addition  of  inherent  sound  essential  to  the  attainment  of 
educational  objectives.  Nowhere  is  this  more  true  than  in 
the  field  of  dramatic  English.  In  drama,  delineation  of 
character,  interaction  of  personalities  and  events,  and  de- 
velopment of  plot  are  functions  of  dialogue.  The  speaking 
and  acting  of  the  characters  are  what  differentiate  the 
drama  from  the  novel.  The  manner  of  speaking  as  well  as 
what  is  said  is  essential  in  dramatic  production.  It  was  not 
the  words,  or  sentences,  or  paragraphs  of  Lincoln's  Gettys- 
burg address  that  hushed  the  saloon  in  Ruggles  of  Red  Gap 
so  much  as  the  manner  of  their  delivery  by  Charles  Laugh- 
ton.  So  effective  was  this  delivery  that  Laughton's  imper- 
sonation was  broadcast  to  the  English  speaking  world 
from  London  on  February  12th  of  this  year. 

In  the  field  of  current  events,  sound  is  essential  to  a 
development  of  meaning  of  the  events  portrayed.  It  is  no 
longer  sufficient  to  project  the  president  mouthing  inaudible 


4  Consitt,  op.  cit.,  p.  197. 


ipril,  1936 


Proceedings  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  Meeting 


Page  115 


souikU  on  a  screen.  Present  day  children,  nurtured  in  the 
commercial  movie  houses  which  show  sound  pictures  ex- 
clusively, expect  to  hear  the  voices  of  great  men  whose  pic- 
tures are  flashed  on  the  screen.  The  fact  of  this  expected 
sound  accompaniment  is  substantiated  in  the  data  of  a 
recent  investigation  of  verbal  accompaniment  to  motion 
pictures  in  which  Wfstfall  found  a  five  to  one  preference 
amon^  school  children   for  sound  pictures.5 

If  motion  pictures  are  to  be  used  at  all  in  the  teaching 
of  foreign  languages,  the  sound  picture  must  be  used  inas- 

fuch  as  the  spoken  language  is  a  highly  essential  element 
!  foreign  language  study. 
Finally,  in  the  field  of  teacher  training  the  sound  picture 
has  made  a  significant  contribution.  In  a  recent  experiment, 
reported  by  Eads  and  Stover,^  the  sound  picture  showing 
Professor  Buswell  illustrating  three  diagnostic  techniques 
in  arithmetic  was  reported  to  be  relatively  more  effective 
in  asi)€Cts  measured  than  a  similar  classroom  demonstration 
of  the   same  techniques   by   Professor  Goodwin  Watson,   of 

«;achers  College,  Columbia  University.  Upon  casual  con- 
leration  of  this  study,  one  might  conclude  that  Professor 
atson  was  losing  his  dynamic  personality.  More  thought- 
ful analysis  of  this  experiment  would  indicate  that  the 
subtle  influences  of  both  the  total  psychological  situation  of 
sound  picture  projection  and  the  visual  and  auditory  pres- 
ence of  and  explanation  by  a  recognized  authority  in  the 
field  accounted  for  this  difference.  The  point  is  that  Profes- 
sor Buswell  does  not  come  in  person  to  every  college 
campus  with  his  elaborate  experimental  equipment,  but  he 
is  available  vicariously  through  the  sound  picture  to  thou- 
sands of  colleges  and  teacher  groups  at  the  same  time. 

Summarizing  the  discussion  of  this  value  of  the  sound 
picture  in  teaching,  we  may  say  that  sound  is  essential  in 
a  number  of  subjects  of  the  present  day  curriculum,  and 
that  the  sound  picture  not  only  furnishes  this  essential  ele- 
ment, but  also  furnishes  leading  authorities  in  various  fields 
I    vicariously  to  any  given  student  group. 

3.  The  soutid  picture  is  particularly  adapted  to  any  grade 
level  or  tow  ability  group  in  which  readim/  difficulty  is  an  ob- 
stacle to  learning  through  the  more  generally  used  media  of 
instruction.  Any  instructional  tool  which  requires  reading  of 
the  printed  word  is  not  a  help  but  a  hindrance  to  learning 
in  such  groups.  On  the  other  hand,  any  method  of  teaching 
which  supplies  this  verbal  instruction  in  a  way  that  is 
comprehensible  to  such  groups  removes  the  obstacle  which 
not  only  hinders  learning  but,  because  it  is  a  barrier  to 
normal  achievement,  makes  children  react  away  from  the 
total   school   situation. 

Westfall"  found  that  when  oral  forms  of  accompaniment 
were  used,  low  ability  pupils  came  nearer  to  keeping  up  with 
the  average  of  the  class  in  understanding  than  when  read- 
ing of  titles  was  required.  He  also  found  that  the  interest 
and  attitudes  of  these  pupils  seemed  noticeably  to  improve 
when  sound  pictures  were  used.  Without  language  any 
visual  aid  is  relatively  ineffective  in  school  instruction. 
When  only  printed  language  accompaniment  is  provided, 
motion  picture  use  is  restricted  to  the  upper  grades  and  to 
average  and  high  mental  ability  groups.  Seldom  have  mo- 
tion pictures  been  used  below  the  fourth  grade,  yet  the 
advent  of  the  sound  picture  makes  such  primary  grade 
utilization  possible.  The  sound  picture  thus  becomes  an 
instructional  tool  available  to  primary  grade  levels  and  to 
mentally  retarded  pupils   on   all  grade   levels. 


5  I.ton  C.  Westfall,  "A  Study  of  Verbal  Aecoinpaniments  to  Educa- 
tional Motion  Pictures,"  ('(intributions  to  Education,  No.  617,  Bureau 
of  Publications,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University,  New  York,  1934, 

fl~naura  Krieger  Eads  and  Edgar  M.  Stover,  Talking  Pictures  in 
Teacher  Traininf/,  unpublislud  report  of  an  experiment  carried  on  with 
the  cooperation  of  Professor  Ralph  B.  Spence,  Professor  Goodwin  Wat- 
son, Dr.  Ina  Sartorius  and  Dr.  Margaret  Barker  of  Teachers  College, 
Columbia   University,    1932,    (ms). 

"  Westfall,  op.  cit.,  p.  .57. 


4.  The  sound  motion  picture  presents  oral  c.rplanation  with 
unvarying  accuracy  and  authenticity  of  detail  and  subject  mat- 
ter. In  sound  pictures,  the  verbal  explanation  is  composed  by 
subject  matter  specialists  in  collaboration  with  the  research 
staff  of  the  producers.  The  oral  explanation  in  all  other 
visual  aids  is  made  by  the  classroom  teachers,  who  are 
seldom  experts  in  the  subject  they  are  teaching.  With  the 
use  of  all  other  visual  aids  the  accuracy  and  authenticity 
of  oral  explanation  varies  with  the  ability  and  knowledge 
of  the  individual  teacher,  while,  with  the  use  of  the  sound 
picture,  this  very  important  factor  of  accuracy  and  authen- 
ticity is  held  constant.  This  value  is  particularly  important 
in  science  instruction  in  which  the  film  content  becomes 
hi.ghly  technical  in  character. 

5.  The  sound  picture  incorporates  careful  direction  of  pupil 
attention  and  learning  to  important  aspects  of  the  film  content 
as  it  is  being  projected.  Oral  accompaniment  to  a  sound  pic- 
ture is  not  merely  a  running  spoken  comment  tacked  on  a 
silent  film;  instead,  the  accompaniment  is  perfectly  inte- 
grated with  the  screen  presentation.  Great  care  is  given  in 
the  preparation  of  a  sound  film  to  make  the  sound  element 
a  perfect  complement  to  the  visual  material.  With  the  re- 
sponsibility of  such  direction  of  pupil  attention  and  learning 
resting  solely  on  the  teacher's  initiative,  many  of  the  im- 
portant and  significant  aspects  of  the  film  material  often 
escape  the  notice  of  pupils,  either  because  the  material 
seems  obvious  to  the  teacher  or  because  the  teacher  does 
not  recognize  its  significance. 

In  the  experiment,  they  kept  a  stenographic  record  of  all 
the  things  that  happened  in  the  classroom.  The  entire 
classroom  procedure  was  recorded  by  a  stenographer.  They 
analyzed  those  reports  and  they  found  no  evidence,  no  indi- 
cation that  they  did  notice  those  things  which  they  were 
supposed  to  learn.  Incidentally,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  they 
didn't  notice  them.     .     .     .     (Applause) 

It  is  only  too  true  that  pupils  often  see  in  an  instructional 
film  only  what  they  are  told  to  look  for.  The  direction  of 
attention  and  learning  is  the  most  important  single  function 
of  teaching.  With  the  use  of  the  sound  picture  in  teaching, 
such  direction  is  a  constituent  part  of  the  film  presentation. 

6.  The  sound  picture  demands  and  sustains  the  undivided 
attention  of  pupils.  It  may  be  remarked  parenthetically,  that 
the  values  of  the  sound  picture  enumerated  in  this  paper 
have  generally  not  been  measured  in  experimental  studies 
devoted  to  relative  values  of  various  visual  aids.  In  only 
one  experiment  was  this  factor  of  pupil  attention  isolated 
and  measured.  Clark*  compared  the  silent  picture,  the 
sound  picture,  and  the  demonstration  in  science  with  a  view 
to  determining  which  of  the  three  commanded  and  sus- 
tained attention  of  the  group  most  consistently.  He  meas- 
ured his  factor  of  sustained  attention  by  ringing  a  bell  and 
at  the  same  time  photographing  the  group  to  find  the  per- 
centage of  students  distracted.  He  found  with  the  sound 
films  81.7%,  with  the  silent  films  75.2%,  and  with  the  dem- 
onstrations 54.6%  of  the  students  maintained  attention  in 
the  presence  of  distracting  stimuli.  These  results  are  in 
agreeinent  with  a  logical  consideration  of  the  nature  of  the 
three  methods  of  presenting  material  in  the  classroom.  Ip 
this  attention-sustaining  aspect,  the  sound  picture  is  dis- 
inctly  superior  to  other  methods  of  visual   instruction. 

The  Place  of  Sound  Picures  in  Teaching' 

In  the  light  of  the  six  inherent  values  of  the  sound  pic- 
ture presented   above,   we   may    conclude    that    in     teaching 

8  Clarence  C.  Clark,  "Sound  Motion  Pictures  as  an  Aid  in  Classroom 
Teaching,"  unpublished  Ph.  D.  thesis.  School  of  Education,  New  York 
University.   1932. 

9  For  a  discussion  of  other  factors  which  condition  the  place  of 
particular  visual  aids  in  tt  aching  cf.  Charles  F.  Hoban,  .Tr.,  "Some 
Neglected  Factors  in  Visual  Instruction,"  Edi'C-Vtiox.al  Scrp:kx,  14: 
257-268,  271,    (November.   1935). 


Page  116 


Proceedings  of  flic  Depart iiieiit  of  risiial  lustruction  Meeting    The  Educational  Screen 


situations  to  which  the  us€  of  motion  pictures  is  particular!) 
adapted,  the  sound  picture  should  be  used  particularly  as 
follows  : 

1.  Where  close  approach  to  subjective  reality  in  the  learn- 
ing situation  is  essential  to  the  attainment  of  educational 
objectives ; 

2.  Where  sound  is  an  indispensable  element  of  the  subject 
of  instruction  ; 

3.  Where  pupils  experience  difiiculty  in  the  rcadnit; 
process ; 

4.  Where  teachers  are  inadequately  trained  in  subject 
matter; 

5.  Where  teachers  lack  or  fail  to  use  dynamic  directive 
ability  in  the  classroom; 

6.  Where  distractive  influences  are  prevalent,  or  where 
high  concentration  of  attention  is  essential  to  learning.  .  . 
.     (Applause) 

Chairman  Freetmin:  It  would  be  desirable  if  we  had  time 
to  ask  each  of  the  two  speakers  to  rebut  the  contentions 
of  the  other  speaker.  I  am  not  shutting  them  off  from 
discussion  but  I  think  we  shall  not  ask  them  to  take  a  defi- 
nite period  for  such  rebuttal. 

May  I,  in  just  a  moment,  seek  to  sum  up  the  agreement 
and  the  disagreement,  as  I  see  it,  between  the  two  speak- 
ers? I  understand  that  they  agree  that  there  are  certain 
types  of  problems  or  of  situations  in  which  sound  is  in- 
trinsic and  in  which  the  sound  motion  picture  is,  by  the 
very  nature  of  the  case,  superior  to  the  silent  picture. 

And  I  understand,  on  the  other  hand,  that  in  general, 
without  now  going  into  details  at  all,  they  are  not  in  entire 
agreement  as  to  whether  or  not  types  of  situations  or  prob- 
lems in  which  the  sound  is  not  intrinsic  can  best  be  pre- 
sented by  the  so-called  sound  or  lecture  motion  picture  or 
whether  they  can  be  presented  as  well  or  better  by  the 
silent  picture  with  accompaniment  of  oral  comment  by  the 
teacher. 

I  understand  that  they  differ  in  their  conception  of  the 
way  in  which  a  motion  picture  should  be  presented.  Mr. 
Hansen  believes  it  should  be  presented  in  such  a  way  as 
to  raise  questions  in  the  minds  of  pupils  and  not  answer 
them  at  the  time.  Rather,  Mr.  Hoban  believes  that  it  is 
best  to  continuously  direct  the  attention  of  the  pupils  toward 
the  film  while  it  is  being  presented  in  order  that  they  shall 
attend  to  its   most   significant   features. 

Glossing  over  many  details,  those  appear  to  me  to  be 
at  least  some  of  the  vital  points  of  difference.  May  we 
now  have  comments  or  questions  regarding  the  points  which 
I  have  mentioned,  or  any  points  which  have  been  raised,  or 
any  other  points  on  the  topic?  In  presenting  your  discus- 
sion, may  I  request  that  you  give  your  name  and  your  con- 
nection. If  you  are  in  public  school  education  or  any  type 
of  education,  say  where  you  are  and  what  your  connection 
is.  If  you  are  connected  with  a  commercial  firm,  will  you 
say  what  that  connection  is?  Our  program,  as  usual,  has 
run  somewhat  more  late  than  we  expected  and  our  time  for 
discussion  is  limited.  May  I  therefore  request  further  that 
you  make  your  comments  as  brief  and  as  pointed  as  pos- 
sible?    Is  there  any  discussion? 

Mr.  Russetl  T.  Crei/y  (University  of  Illi.iois)  Mr.  Cliair- 
man,  there  is  one  point  that  hasn't  been  mentioned  that  I 
should  like  to  make  that  seems  important  to  me  from  my 
standpoint  of  interest  in  teacher  training  and  improvement 
of  teachers  in  service.  It  seems  to  me  we  have  been  looking 
at  the  question  a  little  bit  narrowly.  We  have  been  think- 
ing in  terms  of  pupils  learning,  that  is,  in  terms  of  facts 
which  they  might  get  out  of  the  presentation  of  information 
included  in  the  spoken  lecture,  in  the  film  or  given  by  the 
teacher.  It  seems  to  me  we  ought  to  think  in  terms  of  some 
of  the  outcomes  of  education,  the  development  of  attitudes 


on  the  part  of  pupils,  their  methods  of  thinking  and  going 
at  problems. 

It  seems  to  me  also  that  when  we  think  of  these  outcomes 
the  teacher  must  necessarily  be  the  most  important  factor 
in  any  classroom  situation.  It  makes  no  difference  whether 
it  is  the  traditional  type  of  classroom  or  the  progressive 
type.  In  one  case  the  teacher  takes  a  different  role,  to  be 
sure,  but  in  either  case  it  sems  to  me  that  the  teacher  is 
the  most   important   factor. 

Therefore,  it  would  seem  very  important  to  give  the 
teacher  every  opportunity  to  improve  her  own  efficiency, 
and  that  seems  to  me  the  important  point  in  this  discussion 
of  the  relative  values  of  silent  and  sound  films.  The  sound 
film,  that  is,  where  the  lecture  merely  accompanies  what 
might  be  a  silent  film,  sort  of  puts  the  teacher  in  the  back- 
ground. The  teacher  doesn't  feel  the  responsibility  of  mak- 
ing the  same  kind  of  preparation.  He  doesn't  feel  the  same 
responsibility  in  leading  pupils  into  learning  situations  as 
he  would  feel  in  the  case  of  the  silent  film. 

.A.S  you  pointed  out,  Mr.  Chairman,  we  are  agreed  that 
there  are  certain  subjects  where  the  sound  is  essential  and 
if  it  can  be  presented  it  makes  the  situation  just  that  much 
more   real,  that   much  more  vital   to   the  pupil. 

Mr.  Dotpli  Lain  (Moline  Pul)lic  Schools,  Moline,  lil.nnis): 
We  have  had  quite  a  presentation  on  visual  education.  So 
far  I  haven't  made  up  my  mind  and  I  have  not  decided  om 
way  or  the  other,  for  sound  or  silent  pictures.  I  will  say 
that  we  went  through  all  these  changes.  We  changed  from 
slides  to  motion  pictures,  and  then  from  the  35mm.  to  16mm., 
and  now  we  seem  to  be  in  the  midst  of  a  battle  between 
sound  and  silent.  It  is  ridiculous  because  doubtless  there 
is  room  for  both  of  them.  I  will  say  that  we  are  going  to 
keep  our  department  open  for  any  progressive  move.  We 
have  been  keeping  sound  pictures  out  of  my  department  for 
at  least  five  years,  or  ever  since  I  came  out  there.  We  had 
some  difficulties. 

It  seems  to  me  what  Dr.  McClusky  said  yesterday  is  right, 
that  in  the  final  analysis  it  is  up  to  the  classroom  teacher. 
I  think  we  should  not  take  just  the  average  classroom 
teacher,  one  who  has  not  been  in  the  habit  of  using  such 
aids,  but  one  who  has  had  experience  in  using  such  aids. 
They  have  been  used,  as  I  say,  for  fifteen  years  in  our  high 
schools,  in  the  junior  high  school.  So  far  as  I  know  we 
haven't  had  any  other  e.xperience.  This  year,  beginning 
September,  we  bought  some  sound  equipment.  We  used  it 
to  a  slight  extent  the  first  semester,  and  are  using  it  quite 
a  lot  this  year  experimentally. 

So  far  as  the  reaction  of  these  teachers  is  concerned  (and 
they  are  excellent  teachers),  in  the  fields  of  biology,  physics, 
chemistry  and  history,  where  they  have  received  sound,  I 
would  say  they  have  taken  it  quite  enthusiastically.  They 
are  not  afraid  that  sound  is  going  to  usurp  their  positions, 
assume  their  prerogatives.  I  think  that  attitude  on  the  part 
of  the  teachers  is  to  be  lamented,  and  that  it  is  not  true  in 
most   cases. 

One  thing  I  never  had  brought  to  my  mind  quite  so 
forcefully  as  I  did  this  afternoon  in  witnessing  these  two 
pictures.  I  have  used  all  these  pictures  that  have  been 
shown  or  our  department  has  used  them.  I  never  had  fol- 
lowed one  right  after  the  other.  I  found  myself  resenting 
in  the  first  silent  picture  the  interruptions  of  the  titles.  I 
never  had  that  experience  before  and  I  have  sat  through 
thousands  of  films.  I  found  myself  eager  to  see  what  fol- 
lowed, and  then  my  attention  was  diverted  from  the  pic- 
turization  to  the  titles.  It  took  me  a  few  moments  to  get 
back  on  the  track  when  the  picure  reappeared  on  the  screen. 
I  think  if  that  had  been  explained  to  me  in  a  pleasant 
sounding   voice,   or   at   least   through   a   recording,   it   would 

(Concluded  on  />«(/<•  120) 


Page  117 


N 


ews  an 


d  Not 


es 


Vermont  State  Film  Library 

^ft  The  ])lan  under  which  the  Vermont  State  class- 
^■>oni  fihii  library  operates  is  similar  to  that  of  Illinois 
^pid  other  states.  A  school  can  become  a  member  of 
the  library,  which  is  maintained  by  the  Robert  Hull 
Fleming  Museum  at  the  University  of  Vermont,  by 
-the  contribution  of  a    sinele    16  mm    film    and    S5.00 

» posit.  This  entitles  the  school  to  withdraw  one  film 
week  from  the  library.   If  two  films  are  deposited, 
the  school  is  allowed  two  films  per  week.  The  films 

Kniain  the  property  of  the  school  contributing  them 
id  may  be  withdrawn  at  any  time.  When  the  initial 
deposit  of  $5.00,  which  covers  operating  expense,  car- 

tns  for  shipping  films,  labels  and  requisition  blanks, 
gone,  apjilication  for  a  similar  deposit  is  made  by 
the  library  and  an  accounting  of  previous  expenditures 
fcade  to  the  school. 

Cinema  Workshop  and  Appreciation  League 

t  During  the  past  summer  some  thirty  persons  inter- 
ted  in  the  teaching  of  motion-picture  appreciation 
id  experimentation  with  motion-picture  technics  felt 
e  need  for  an  organization  through  which  they  might 
lare  and  exchange  their  experiences  and  problems 
and  derive  source  material  for  appreciation  of  motion 
pictures.  As  a  result  of  this  need,  there  was  organized 
the  National  Cinema  Workshop  and  Appreciation 
League,  a  non-profit  and  non-partisan  organization 
under  the  auspices  of  The  American  Institute  of  Cine- 
matography,  Los  Angeles. 

The  objectives  of  this  group  are: 

1.  To  develop  appreciation  of  motion  pictures  and 
discriminating  taste  in  the  selection  of  entertainment 
pictures. 

2.  To  gain  knowledge  and  understanding  of  the 
technical  aspects  of  the  cinema  and  to  experiment  in 
this  unique  medium,  by  production  of  16mm  educa- 
tional and  entertainment  films. 

3.  To  recognize  and  utilize  constructively  the  in- 
fluence of  motion  pictures  upon  the  standards  of  liv- 
ing, interests,  ideals,  and  morals  of  children  and  adults. 

4.  To  recognize  and  utilize  the  educational  value 
of  certain  entertainment  pictures,  to  develop  the  every- 
day use  of  cinema  as  a  most  efifective  tool  in  modern 
education,  and  to  use  the  cinema  for  recording  edu' " 
tional  experiences. 

This  organization  is  the  outgrowth  of  the  worlr 
done  by  students  of  the  course,  "Social  and  Psycho- 
logical Aspects  of  Motion  Pictures,"  at  the  Universify 
of  Southern  California,  conducted  by  Dr.  Boris  V. 
Morkovin,  present  director  of  the  Cinema  Workshop. 
In  the  fall  of  1929  Dr.  Morkovin  organized  a  group 
for  experimentation  with  16mm.  camera,  which  later 
"•■>  assumed  the  name  "Cinema  Workshop." 


Conducted   by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN 


Membership  in  this  League  is  open  to  any  one  in- 
terested in  furthering  its  objectives.  Members  are 
entitled  to  the  bulletins  isued  periodically  by  the  Na- 
tional Executive  Committee.  The  first  of  these  bulle- 
tins was  issued  in  December. 

Visual  Aids  Prominent  in  Exhibit 

The  second  annual  Catholic  press  exhibit  held  in 
Detroit  from  March  8th  to  15th  was  heralded  by 
prominent  educators  as  the  most  ambitious  and  largest 
gathering  of  its  kind  in  America,  reports  Mr.  A. 
J.  Norris  of  Michigan  Film  Library.  While  primarily 
designed  as  a  display  of  the  achievements  of  that 
church  in  the  printed  word  and  an  exposition  of  its 
publications  and  news  media  its  scope  was  extended 
to  take  in  every  phase  of  activity  in  the  line  of  secular 
education.  Elaborate  displays  in  the  various  fields  of 
education,  economics,  sociology',  charity,  liturg)'  and 
dramatics  were  presented. 

One  of  the  outstanding  divisions  of  the  exhibits  was 
the  motion  picture  showings  sponsored  jointly  by  the 
Ideal  Pictures  Corporation  of  Chicago  and  the  Michigan 
Film  Library  of  Detroit.  While  essentially  a  religious 
forum,  no  attempt  was  made  to  stress  that  type  of  film 
but  a  representative  selection  of  16mm  sound-on-film 
education  and  teaching  films  were  projected.  Four  dis- 
tinct programs  were  rotated  each  lasting  45  minutes.  In 
addition  to  the  "movie"  demonstration  a  program  of 
stillfilm  subjects  was  offered  consisting  of  geographic 
and  science  subjects  as  well  as  a  representative  show- 
ing of  Catholic  Liturgical  subjects.  A  special  lecture  on 
Art  by  Eugene  Paulus,  a  noted  critic,  was  accompanied 
by  slide  film  showings  on  Chinese  art. 

The  "Ten  Best"  1935  Films 

The  results  of  the  14th  annual  poll  conducted  by 
The  Film  Daily  among  the  leading  motion  picture 
critics  of  the  country  to  select  the  "Ten  Best  Pictures" 
of  1935  are  as  follows:  David  Copperfield  (MGM), 
The  Lives  of  a  Bengal  Lancer  (Paramoimt),  The  In- 
former (RKO),  Naughty  Marietta  (MGM),  Les 
Miserables  (U.A.),  Ruggles  of  Red  Gap  (Paramount). 
Top  Hat  (RKO),  Broadway  Melody  of  1936  (MGM), 
Roberta  (RKO),  and  Anna  Karenina  (MG^I). 

(Although  Mutiny  on  the  Bounty  and  A  Midsummer 
Night's  Dream  were  not  eligible  or  included  in  The 
Film  Daily's  ballot  because  they  had  not  been  gen- 
erally released  by  Oct.  31,  1935,  a  number  of  critics 
inadvertently  voted  for  these  films.  The  two  pictures 
in  question  will  be  included  in  the  next  poll,  which  will 
cover  the  year  from  Nov.  1,  1935,  to  Oct.  31,  1936.) 


Page  1 1 8 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


The  Journal  of  Education  (Feb.  17,  '36)  "The 
How  of  Visual  Education",  by  Byron  C.  Kirby. 

Schools  desiring  help  in  inaugurating  the  use  of 
visual  aids,  here  find  valuable  suggestions  as  to  pro- 
curing materials  and  using  them.  Definite  instructions 
are  given  as  to  the  various  ways  in  which  projected 
pictures  may  be  used  by  the  teacher  in  furthering  her 
development  of  subjects.  A  successful  plan  of  co- 
operation with  the  neighborhood  theater  is  described. 
"Visual  education  .  .  .  is,  if  properly  managed 
and  controlled,  a  most  important  aid  in  teaching;  if 
poorly  managed,  a  waste  of  time." 

"Sixteen  millimeter  sound  equipment  is  being  rap- 
idly adapted  to  classroom  use.  Sound  pictures  add 
interest  and  understanding;  they  aff'ord  not  only  a 
clear  view  of  the  subject  under  discussion,  but.  what 
is  just  as  important,  a  perfect  analysis  of  it  by  an  ex- 
pert. Sound  equipment  .  .  vitalizes  and  invigor- 
ates instruction.  The  above  is  not  meant  to  minimize 
the  importance  of  the  16  mm.  silent  films.  A  superior, 
well-informed  teacher  can  secure,  perhaps,  as  good, 
results  with  silent  equipment  as  it  is  possible  to  secure 
with  sound  equipment." 

Sight  and  Sound  (Winter.  '35-'36)  "Using  the 
Film  in  a  Secondary  School,"  by  Houghton. 

An  account  of  the  use  of  films  and  slides  in  the 
Liverpool  Collegiate  School  indicates  adverse  as  well 
as  successful  experimentation.  As  to  classroom  use, 
"It  was  obvious  that  the  films  did  stimulate  interest, 
particularly  among  the  duller  boys.  Several  of(  the 
films)  we  used  could,  with  advantage,  be  cut  into  three 
or  four  five  minute  reels.  .  .  Captions  were,  on  the 
whole,  too  long  and  diffuse.  Finally,  we  felt  that  much 
was  included  in  the  films  which  could  be  better  dealt 
with  in  the  laboratory  or  on  the  demonstration  bench. 
We  are  sure  that  there  will  be  no  wide  extension  of 
the  use  of  the  cinema  in  the  school  until  there  is  a 
great  increase  in  the  number  of  good  films  available." 
The  author  then  lists  the  conditions  which  good  films 
must    satisfy. 

"What  are  the  Essential  Characteristics  of  an  Edu- 
cational Film?"  by  Mrs.  Kaufmann.  The  view  is  pre- 
sented that  "educators  complain  of  the  lack  of  good 
film  material  very  frequently  because  the  film  content 
has  not  been  sufficiently  analyzed.  Most  of  our  motion 
pictures  are  produced  to  give  general  impressions,  and 
not  a  close  analysis.  They  are  usually  good  of  their 
kind,  and  may  be  styled  "excursive  films."  Gaining 
large,  general  impressions  is  a  necessary  step  in  learn- 
ing and  may  well  be  followed  by  the  deeper  details 
of  knowledge.  Films  of  the  latter  type  have  not  been 
extensively  produced.  They  may  be  called,  "incursive 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


films."  "Excursive  and  Incursive  films  are  opposed 
in  their  particular  spheres.  The  Excursive  is  adven- 
turous and  exploratory,  and  it  is  appropriate  that  it 
should  be  largely  independent  of  the  detailed  curri- 
culum of  the  school  and  accepted  by  the  teacher  as 
an  external  contribution  to  school  work.  It  is  essential 
that  Incursives  should  interlock  closely  with  the  work 
of  the  class  and  should  be  selected  and  arranged  by 
the  teacher  at  his  will,  being  regarded  as  a  supply  of 
raw  material  which  the  teacher  assembles  with  his 
other  illustrations  and  aids  to  form  his  presentation  of 
the  subject. 

"Manchester  Educational  Experiment".  After 
months  of  experimentation  in  the  use  of  36  rental 
films,  60  free  films,  and  one  produced  by  the  Man- 
chester Education  Committee,  a  report  lias  been  made 
to  the  Manchester  Corporation.  The  concUi.'iions  as 
to  the  supply  of  films  are : 

"1.  That  there  should  be  an  adec^uate  supply  of 
films  specially  prepared  for  teaching  purposes.  2. 
That  there  should  be  a  central  library  of  films  for  each 
area.  3.  That  there  should  be  a  projection  room  so 
that  films  could  be  seen  before  being  borrowed.  .  . 
It  was  pointed  out  that  by  varying  the  method  of 
presentation  it  was  possible  to  use  most  films  for  a 
number  of  classes. 

The  general  conclusions  drawn  corroborated  the 
valuable  contribution  of  films  to  teaching. 

Journal  of  the  American  Association  of  Univer- 
sity Women  (January,  '36)  "Theater  Versus  Pic- 
tures," by  Theresa  Helburn,  Executive  Director  of 
the  Xew  York  Theatre  Guild. 

In  a  brilliant  analysis  and  most  entertaining 
article,  reporting  an  address  delivered  at  the  Bien- 
nial Convention  of  University  Women,  June  1935, 
it  is  maintained  that  it  is  becoming  more  and  more 
evident  that  the  stage  and  screen  are  two  very  dif- 
ferent arts  and  are  very  far  apart.  The  better  the 
script,  the  less  it  is  like  a  play,  the  one  being  an 
appeal  to  the  eye,  the  other  to  the  ear.  The  more 
the  script  writer  can  do  through  the  eye.  and  the 
less  he  has  to  do  through  the  ear.  the  better  the 
script  for  shooting.  The  requirements  for  an  actor 
are  also  very  different.  "Acting  in  films  is  largely  syn- 
thetic ;  in  the  theater  it  can  be  really  creative."  In 
the  theater  it  is  what  happens  between  two  people 
that  constitutes  the  art  of  acting, — that  creates  the 
mood.     Nine-tenths  of  the  art  of  acting  is  speech- 


Vpril,  1956 


I 

Hess.  The  theater  and  pictures  lend  themselves  to 
^very  different  materials.  Fantasy,  as  it  is  under- 
^■tood  in  the  theater,  is  quite  difficult  to  project  in 
pictures.  The  screen  is  forced  to  he  far  more  of  a 
jjheater  of  escape  than  the  theater,  itself.  "That  is 
teally  what  it  is  up  to  you  to  take  us  out  of."  Pho- 
lography  takes  us  into  a  very  realistic  realm,  quite 
the  contrary  to  Fantasy.  "There  is  no  arguing-  with 
photograph  of  something  which  is  a  photograph 
Jf  something.  That  sounds  absurd  and  like  Gert- 
ide  Stein,  l)ut  it  is  true."  A  shooting  script  often 
Seems  unconvincing,  yet  when  one  sees  it  on  the 
Jcreen,  jihotograpliically  correct  in  every  detail,  one 
convinced  that  it  is  true.  In  the  theater,  one  is 
joking  at  something  artificially  staged,  at  an  in- 
•rpretation. 

Again,  satire  is  something  presented  from  a  per- 
)nal  angle,  and  it  is  a  \ery  difficult  type  of  ma- 
•rial  to  use  in  pictures.     It  has  a  limited  intellec- 
lal  apijeal,  and  is  extremely  difficult  to  produce  for 
le  vast  audience.     "Pictures  are  still  and  may  al- 
rays  have  to  be  a  medium  for  story,  for  emotion, 
)r  pictorial  beauty.    They  have  not  yet  come  to  be 
medium  for  thought.    .    .    .    For  the  treatment  of 
ieas,  for  criticism  or  constructive  commentary  on 
life  in  terms  of  entertainment,  we  still  have  to  cling 
^to  the  theater." 

^H  If  we  limit  the  theater  to  what  will  make  good 
^Bictures,  or  limit  pictures  to  what  will  make  good 
^^tage  plays,  we  limit  the  art  of  each.  The  writer 
does  not  believe  that  politically  appointed  censors 
are  the  proper  ones  to  determine  the  criteria  for  ac- 
ceptable pictures.  "There  is  only  one  way  to  fight 
this  situation,  and  that  is  by  enlightened  public 
opinion  demanding  the  right  sort  of  freedom  of  ex- 
pression." The  rush  back  to  the  classics  is  an  es- 
cape. "I  believe  our  real  problem  for  our  young- 
people  in  a  medium  that  is  as  topical  and  real  as 
pictures,  is  to  be  able  to  present  today  and  present 
it  really  .  .  .  These  modern  versions  of  fairy 
stories  that  we  are  telling  our  young  people  today 
.  .  .  are  not  particularly  good  for  them.  Until  we 
can  treat  all  contemporary  themes  and  treat  them 
honestly,  we  will  never  have  a  medium  that  is  genu- 
inely educational  for  modern  young  people.  The 
producers  can  go  just  so  far,  but  the  audience  has 
to  go  further." 

National  Board  of  Revie-w  Magazine  (January, 
'36)  "The  Dance  in  the  Motion  Picture."  Reprint- 
ed at  length  from  the  article  in  New  York  Times, 
by  John  Martin,  Dance  Editor. 

The  dance  is  formed  of  the  continuous  substance 
of  movement,  as  music  is  formed  of  the  continuous 
substance  of  sound.  A  dancer  who  composes  for 
the  cinema  must  recognize  its  possibilities  and  its 
limitations.     "An   entirely  new  dance    form    must 

(Concluded  on  page  128) 


Page  119 


IHwnwn 
Projector  Bargain! 


VICTOR 

MODEL  lOFH 

Complete  wl+h   case 
Formerly  $  I  72.50 


Only 
$7500 


Projector  pracHcally  good  as  new.  Used  few  times 
only  as  dennonstrator.    Carries  factory   guarantee. 

Equipped  with  400-watt  bulb  (inter-changeable  with 
500-watt  bulb).  Will  give  excellent  service  in  class- 
roonn  or  sinnilar  work. 


ADDRESS: 


EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN 


Box  640 


64  E.  Lake  St.,  Chicago 


MOTION  PICTURES 
OF  THE  WORLD 


Motion  Pictvres  of  the  World 

AND   ITS   PhOPI.Is 


EDUCATIONAL  FILM 
DIRECTORY  "Shows  you 
just  what  pictures  are  avail- 
able on.  almost  every  conceiv- 
able subject  ...  A  verit- 
able film  library  of  the 
world's  culture  and  cus- 
toms." —  WORLD  PEACE 
FOUNDATION. 

ALL     TYPES     OF     FILMS 

2000  16mm,  35mm.  silent 
and  sound.  Films  for  rent 
and  for  free  distribution  are 

included. 

SELECTION  OF  SUBJECTS 

Films  are  selected  for  their 
valuable  educational  content. 
Our  original  judgment  is  re- 
checked  by  report  cards  from 
teachers  and  others. 

1936  INNOVATIONS 

GIVES  RENTAL  RATES  AND  SHIPPING  POINTS. 

The    only    directory    giving    available    rates    and 
shipping  points  for  each  film. 

LONGER  SYNOPSES.  Provides  the  longest  factual 
descriptions  to  be  found  in  any  general  film 
directory. 

NOW  PUBLISHED  TWICE  A  YEAR.  An  Invaluable 
feature  in  view  of  the  large  number  of  new  of- 
ferings and  withdrawals  of  old  films.  Annual 
subscription  of  35c  Includes  two  Issues  (3  sub- 
scriptions for  $  1 .00). 

INTERNATIONAL    EDUCATIONAL    PICTURES.    INC. 
40    Mount   Vernon   St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

for  subscriptions  to 


Sirs :    I  enclose 
film  directory. 

Name 


Address  , 


Page  120 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


Broadway  Hostess  ( Win  i  Shaw,  Genevieve 
Tobin)(lst  Nat'l)  Mostly  about  a  torch  singer's 
ambition  and  love  affairs.  Rather  tawdry  ro- 
mance, with  crudely  impossible  social  situa- 
tions, and  some  highly  questionable  ethics.  Poor 
story  of  little  vaiUe  even  if  bettsr  acted.  Hero- 
ine's acting  decidedly  below  par.  3-24-36 
(A)  Waste  of  time                (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Colleen  (Ruby  Keeler,  Dick  Powell)  (Warner) 
Good-humored  nonsense  about  a  wealthy  nitwit, 
a  chocolate-dipper  and  a  dress  shop.  Slight  plot 
on  which  to  hang  a  few  tunes,  a  fashion 
show  and  some  spectacular  dancing,  in  the 
usual  style  of  this  company's  elaborate  mu- 
sicals. 3-31-36 
(A)  Fair  of  kind  (Y)  Passable  (C)  Little  interest 

Country  Doctor,  The  (Jean  Hersholt,  Dionne 
Quintupkts)  (Fox)  Imaginative  dramatization 
of  Dr.  Dafoe  s  life  and  work  as  obscure  prac- 
titioner raised  to  fame  by  keeping  quintuplets 
alive.  Some  cheap  touches,  highly  emotional 
moments,  and  brief  glimpses  of  the  babies  but 
mostly  a  very  human,  absorbing  picture.  3-24-36 
(A)  Good  (Y)  Very  good  (C)  Doubtful 

Don't  Gamble  with  Love  (Ann  Sothern.  Brucs 
Cabot)  (Columbia)  Hero  and  heroine  run  a  lux- 
uriously successful  gambling  house.  Worry  over 
child's  environment  separates  them,  until  wife 
must  return  to  save  husband's  casino  from 
rivals'  guns.  So  they  nobly  quit  game  and  go 
to  Europe  on  proceeds.  4-7-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste         (Y)  (C)  Unwholesome 

Don't  Get  Persona!  (James  Dunne,  Sally 
Eilers)  (Univ.)  Another  "scrappy"  love  affair. 
Spitfire  daughter  of  Ohio  wealth,  failing  to 
make  good  in  New  York,  hires  flivver  and  serv- 
ices of  quick-tempered  co.kge-grad  hero  and 
pal  to  drive  her  "home".  Artificial  cross-coun- 
try farce,  funny  in  spots.  3-17-38 
(A)  Thin                    (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Drift  Fence  (Buster  Crabbe,  Katherine  D:? 
Mille)  tPara.)  Typical  Zane  Gray  western 
with  familiar  elements  of  wild  heroics,  very 
bad  villains,  much  shooting  and  very  casual 
killings,  fine  horsemanship,  excellent  scenery, 
and  "Crime  never  pays".  Hero  saves  ranch, 
wins  girl !  3-17-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Exclusive  Story  (FranchotTone,  MadgeEvans) 
(MGM)  Thrilling  account  of  how  young  lawyer 
and  reporter  crush  vicious  "numbers"  racket, 
with  aid  of  girl  whose  father  is  victim.  Calleia 
does  notable  villain  role.  Minimum  of  grue- 
some details  makes  this  one  of  better  /rime 
films-  3-31-36 

(A)   Exciting  (Y)   Very  exciting         (C)   No 

Garden  Murder  Case  (Edmund  Lowe)  (MGM) 
Stereotyped  murder  mystery  but  well-acted,  sus- 
penseful,  adequately  complex,  not  over-violent, 
with  pseudo- scientific  hypnotism  as  novelty. 
Philo  Vance,  infallible  as  always,  solves  three 
seemingly  accidental  deaths  as  murders,  and 
marries  heroine.  4-7-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Good  of  kind  (C)  No 

Give  Us  This  Night   (Gladys  Swarthout,  Jan 

Kiepura)  (Para)  Musical  film  suffering  from  trite 
story  and  some  undistinguished  acting,  but  no- 
table for  the  fine  voices  of  two  stars  and  one 
amusing  characterization.  Kiepura  inclines 
too  much  to  mere  show-off  effects  with  high 
notes.  3-31-36 

(A)    (Y)   Fairly  good  (C)   Doubtful  interest 

Hell-Ship  Morgan  (Geo.  Bancroft,  Victor 
Jory.  Ann  Sotharn)  (Coumbia)  Violent  sea 
thriJ'er  about  tough,  two  -fisted  fishing-boat 
captain  whose  humane  impulses  get  him  a 
wife  and  handsome  friend.  Captain's  suicide 
solves  the  obvious  triangl:.  Much  faking  and 
news-reel  footage.  3-17-36 

(A)  No  value  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Her  Master's  Voice  (E.  E.  Horton,  Laura 
Hope  Crews)  (Para.)  Very  light,  deft  farce- 
comedy  about  super  henpecked  man  who  strikes 
for  raise,  gets  fired,  works  for  trouble-making 
aunt  of  his  wife,  and  finally  arrives  as  radio 
crooner.  The  fun  isn't  spoiled  by  Horton'.s 
"singing".  3-24-36 

(A)  Laughable  (Y)  Very  good  (C)  Good 

Here  Comes  Trouble  ( Paul  Kelly,  Arlene 
Judge)  (Fox)  Rough-and-tumble  affair  about 
smart-aleck  sailor  hero  unwittingly  involved  in 
jewel  robbery,  two  gangs  of  crooks  for  good 
measure,  and  manicurist  heroine  for  "love  in- 
terest". Crude  "Grand  Hotel"  on  shipboard. 
Fists  and  wisecracks  fly  U^t  3-17-36 

(A)  Waste  of  time  (Y)  No  (C)  No 


Being  the   Combined  Judgments  of  a  National   Committee  on  Current  Theatrical   Films 

(The   Film   Estimates,  in  whole   or  in   part,   may   be   reprinted 

only   by   special    arrangement   with   The    Educational   Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


Last  of  the  Pagans  (Mala,  Lotus  Long,  Native 
cast)  (MGM)  Much  pictorial  charm  and  inter- 
est in  simple  love  story  of  South  Seas  hero  and 
heroine,  separated  when  ruthless  white  men 
force  hero  into  dread  phosphate  mines,  but 
final  reunion  is  won.  Native  dialog.  English 
titles.  3-31-36 

(A)  Good  (Y>   Good  (C)  Fairly  good 

Love  Before  Breakfast  (C.  Lombard,  P.  Fos- 
ter) (Univ)  Absurd  title,  plotless  play  of  one 
situation  endlessly  prolonged.  Glamorous,  blase 
heroine  loves  big-business  hero  but  fights  to 
conceal  it.  He  loves  her,  ignores  "fight'  and. 
when  film  is  long  enough,  marries  her. 
Smartly  done  persiflage.  4-7-36 

(A)Depends  on  taste        (Y)  Doubtful        (C)  No 

Man  Hunt  (Ricardo  Cortez,  Chic  Sales) 
(Warner,)  Old  country  sheriff  and  small-town 
newspaper  youth  outwit  government  men  and 
city  reporters  in  hunt  for  escaped  prisoner, 
who  traps  country  schoolteacher  into  aiding 
him.  Lively  action,  emphasizing  comic  side, 
with   plenty  of   "chase"   comedy.  3-24-36 

|A)  Fair  (Y)  Good  (C)  Fairly  good 

Mimi  (D.  Fairbanks  Jr.,  Gertrude  Lawrence) 
(Alliance)  Another  La  Boheme  adaptation. 
made  in  England,  elaborate  in  settings  and 
details  of  costume,  and  with  a  cast  of  high 
acting  ability.  But  some  dingy  photography. 
banal  dialogue,  poor  singing  and  a  certain 
amateurishness  defeat  it.  3-24-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

My  Marriage  (Clair?  Trevor)  (Fox)  A  young 
coup'e,  groping  for  happiness,  are  foiled  by 
husband's  cruel,  selfish,  scheming  mother, 
finely  played  by  Pauline  Frederick.  Compli- 
cati.'ns,  including  murder,  ensu3  but  all  ends 
happily,  even  to  mother's  unpbuslble  change 
of  heart.  3-10-36 

(A)  Fairly  good  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

The  Petrified  Forest  (Leslie  Howard,  Bette 
Davis)  (Warner)  Tens?,  tragic  character  drama 
laid  in  desert  fillinpr-station,  little  physical 
action,  much  mental.  Beaten  hero,  ambitious 
heroine,  outlaw  killers  make  the  conflict.  Hu- 
man, strong,  amusing.  Gabrielle  role  beyond 
Bette   Davis.  3-17-36 

(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Mature  (C)  No 

Preview  Murder  Mystery  (Gail  Patrick.  Red 
LaRoque)  (Para)  Engrossing,  suspenseful,  well- 
acted  murder  tale,  with  fast  action,  and  in- 
teresting for  authentic  movie-production  back- 
grounds. Murderer's  intent  to  wipe  out  whole 
cast  of  newly  completed  film  results  in  three 
victims    before   his   capture.  3-31-36 

(A)    (Y)   Good  of  kind  (C)   No 

Prisoner  of  Shark  Island  (Warner  Baxter) 
(Fox)  Notable  portrayal  of  Dr.  Mudd.  rewarded 
for  humanely  setting  Booth's  leg  by  life  impris- 
onment as  Lincoln  murderer.  Unrelieved  mis- 
ery, suffering,  bestial  cruelty,  gruesome  sur- 
roundings. Final  freedom  by  heroic  service. 
Grim  history,  painful  entertainment.  4-7-36 
(A)  Strong  (Y)  Possibly    ,  (C)  No 

Robin  Hood  of  El  Dorado  (Warner  Baxter, 
Margo)  (MGM)  Charming  opening  scenes  of 
Mexican  family  life  in  California  of  '49.  Then 
unrelieved  brutalities,  violence,  bloodshed.  Gold- 
crazed  Americans  kill  wife  and  brother  of  hero 
who  turns  bandit  for  revenge,  till  death  in 
finni   bloody   battle.  3-31-36 

(A)  (Y)  Strong  but  unpleasant  (C)  By  no  means 

Rose  Marie  (Jeanette  MacDonald.  Nelson  Ed- 
dy) (MGM)  Melodious  FrimI  operetta -romance 
richly  done,  with  glorious  singing  in  outdoor 
settings  of  scenic  splendor.  Grand  opera  inter- 
ludes for  background.  Temperamental  prima 
donna,  seeking  renegade  brother,  falls  in  love 
with  Canadian  "Mountie"  seeking  him.  3-17-3fi 
(A)  Exceptional  (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Good 

Story  of  Louis  P-steur  (Paul  Muni)  (Warner) 
Truly  great  picture  realizing  screen's  true 
power.  Moving,  inspiring  portrayal  of  great 
scientist  and  his  struggle  to  combat  deadly 
germs.  Dramatic,  factual,  tensely  interesting 
b'ending  of  the  biographical  and  scientific. 
Muni   practically   perfect.  3-17-36 

(A-Y)  Excellent  (C)  Unless  too  mature 

These  Three  (M.  Hopkins,  M.  Oberon.  J. 
McCrea)  (U.  A.)  Expert  production,  finely 
acted  by  all,  with  amazing  child  part  by  B-t- 
nita  Granville  as  evil,  spiteful  schoolgirl  whose 


sland-rous  lies  bring  tr  gedy  to  three  inno- 
cent people— one  man  and  two  girls.  Credible, 
poignant  drama  of  real  merit.  3-24-36 

( Ai  Fine  of  kind      (Y)  Go;)d  but  mature     (C)  Na 

Thirteen  Hours  by  Air  (F.  McMurray,  Joan 
Bennett )  ( Para )  Brtezy  ace-pilot  hero,  brave 
and  cocksure  of  it.  flies  dizzy  load  cross-con- 
tinent—blonde heiress,  deadly  gunman,  detec- 
tives, an  impossible  kid,  etc.  Fights,  shootings, 
air  perils,  but  he  wins  heiress.  "Snappy  come- 
back" dialog.  4-7-36 
(A)  Depends  on  taste        (Y)  Exciting        (C)  No 

Three  Live  Ghosts  (R.  Arlen,  C.  Allison) 
( MGM )  Rather  amusing  light  comedy,  effec- 
tively done,  abt)ut  three  returned  soldiers,  re- 
port, d  dead.  One,  shell-shocked  into  klepto- 
mania, supplies  most  of  the  fun  and  recovery 
of  his  senses  solves  a'l.  Beryl  Mercer  appears 
in   a   very   unpleasant   role.  3-17-36 

(A|  Rather  good       (Yi  Value  doubtful        (Cl  Nj 

Timothy's  Quest  (Eleanore  Whitney.  Tom 
Keene,  Dickie  Moore,  Virginia  Weidler)  (Para) 
Simple  sincere  little  play,  modifying  the  Wig- 
gins novel  somewhat  nf  little  boy  and  sister  in 
search  of  parents.  Dickie  Moore  delightful  for 
those  who  like  their  emotion  strong.  Love 
story    rather    incidental.  3-3 1-36 

(A)    Good  (Y)    Very  good  (C)   Good 

Trail  of  the  Lonesome  Pin?  ( Frad  McMur- 
ray, Sylvia  Sidney )  ( Para. )  Gorgeous  produc- 
tion of  old  tale  of  violent  feuds  in  Virginia 
mount-'ins.  in  full  and  approximatel .'  true  col- 
or. Cost'y,  eye-filMng  novelty,  but  dramatic 
value  weakened  by  dragging  scenes,  poor  make- 
up, and  heroine's  inept  acting.  3-10-36 
(A-Y)  Interesting  novelty                (C)  Too  strong 

Too  M^ny  Parents  (Juvenile  cast)  (Para) 
Military-school  story  of  boys  from  broken 
homes,  notably  acted,  with  strong  human 
appeal.  Marred  only  by  Hollywood  idea  that 
children  must  be  made  incredibly  wise,  pain- 
fully smart,  or  impossibly  rude,  to  be  amus- 
ing. Mostly  worthwhile.  4-7-36 
(A)  Fairly  good               (Y)  Good               (C)  Good 

Walking  Dead  (Boris  Karloff)  (Warner) 
Fantastic  pseudo-science,  in  bewildering  labora- 
tory, revives  electrocuted  man.  who  gruesomely 
inspires  to  suicide  those  who  framed  him. 
Just  another  horror  picture  to  chill  spines, 
but  rather  less  gory  and  violent  than 
usual.  4-7-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

We're  Onlv  Human  (Preston  Foster.  Jane 
Wyatt)  (RKO)  Thoroughly  stupid  production 
about  brave  and  pig-headed,  dumb  and  crude 
detective,  his  blunders  and  successes,  his  color- 
less romance,  and.  for  finale,  headlong  heroics 
wholly  contrary  to  what  he  is  supposed  to  have 
learned.  3-31-36 

(A)    Stupid  (Y)    Poor  (C)    No 

W\dow  from  Monte  Carlo  (Dolores  del  Rio. 
Warren  William)  (Warner)  Widow,  about  to 
re-marry,  meets  h?ro  accidentally,  then  clan- 
destinely. Love  interest  is  secondary  to  the 
high-society  struggle,  but  after  blackmail  and 
thrPTt  of  exposure  comes  the  usual  happy 
ending.  3-10-36 

(Ai  Tiresome  (Y)  Stupid  (Cl  No  interest 

Wife  vs.  Secretary  (Gab'e.  Loy.  Harlow) 
(MGM)  Sex-triangle  made  censor-proof  by 
hero's  ardent  affection  for  devoted  wife  incess- 
antly displayed  and  his  "interest"  in  super- 
valuable  secretary  kept  convincingly  decent. 
Still  jealousy,  and  dramatic  fallacy,  nearly 
ruin   all.   Sure-fire  box-office.  4-7-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 

Woman  Trap  (Gertrude  Michael.  George  Mur- 
phy) (Para.)  Mildly  interesting  story  of  iewel 
thieves  who  hold  a  Senator's  daughter  and  re- 
porter captive  in  Mf  xico  until  outwitted.  Thread- 
bare plot,  usual  tough  gang  elements,  with  one 
rather  intriguing  character  part  and  surpris- 
ing denouement  as  rede-minfr  features.  3-24-36 
(A)  Passable  (Y)  Fair  (C)  No 

You  May  Be  Next  (Ann  Sothern.  Lloyd  Nol- 
an) (Col.)  Gangster  melodrama,  mild  of  kind. 
Crooks"  racket  is  blackmailing  radio  stations 
by  ruining  programs  with  invention  of  hero, 
helpless  victim  of  their  plot.  Their  capture 
accomplished  without  gun  play.  Inoffensive 
but  lifeless  acting,  incredible  story.  3-24-36 
(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Harmless  (C)  No 


I 


April,  19}  6 


Page  121 


^'But  this  way  our  talking  picture  equipment 


YES,  indeed,  it  is  now  possible 
for  schools  to  obtain  talking 
motion  picture  equipment  without 
drawing  on  school  board  funds. 
The  purchase  of  an  RCA  l6mm. 
Sound  Motion  Picture  Projector, 
plus  a  service  often  complete  film 
programs  (covering  a  scholastic 
year)  is  very  simply  financed. 

This  is  how  it  is  done:  There  is 
a  small  down  payment,  which  can 
be  easily  raised  through  your  local 
P.  T.  A.  Subsequent  monthly  pay- 
ments, running  through  the  school 
year,  can  be  more  than  covered  by 
charging  a  small  admission  to  each 
monthly  film  program.  Admissions 
are  usually  lOi. 

At  the  end  of  the  year,  the  school 
owns  the  equipment,  and  there  are 
no  more  expenses,  except  for  film 
rental,  which  is  a  minor  item. 

Programs  furnished  under  this 


self-financing  plan  are  supplied  by 
Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc.,  35  West 
45th  Street,  New  York  City,  who 
are  well  known  in  this  field.  Films 
available  include  such  classics  as 
Jane  Eyre,  The  Last  of  the  Mohi- 
cans, and  other  famous  works; 
sports,  including  sport  instruction; 
news;  and  other  features. 


The  RCA  16mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture  Projector  is 
an  adaptation  of  the  famous  RCA  Photophone  Pro- 
jector used  in  leading  theatres.  Portable.  Can  be 
operated  by  anyone.  Provides  brilliant  pictures  and 
amazingly  realistic  sound. 


Remember  that  educational  use  of 
talking  pictures  is  increasing  stead- 
ily, as  the  country's  leading  educa- 
tional institutions  join  hands  with 
producers,  creating  new  films  of 
marked  instructional  value.  The 
new  RCA  Self-Financing  Plan  is 
offered  only  to  schools,  hospitals 
and  similar  institutions.  There  is  a 
coupon  below.  We  suggest  you  clip 
it  and  get  the  full  details  of  this 
method  that  gives  you  the  famous 
RCA  l6mm.  SoundMotion  Picture 
Projector  without  draw-  ^^S^ 
ing  on  school  board  (j>7tM) 
funds.  Clip  the  coupon! 


RCA  Mfg.  Co.,  Inc.,  Visual  Sound  Section, 
Camclen,  N.  J. 

Please  send  me  full  details  of  the 
RCA  Projectors. 

Name 


RCA  EDUCATIONAL  PRODUCTS 


School- 


Street- 
City. — 


-State- 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  Inc 

[CAMDEN,    NEW  JERSEY  •   A    SERVICE    OF   THE    RADIO    CORPORATION    OF   AMERICA 


Page  122 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


IN  THIS  article  we  shall  discuss  certain  factors 
in  the  design  of  16mm.  motion  picture  projectors. 
Upon  glancing  through  the  pages  of  certain  maga- 
zines and  periodicals  one  sees  a  host  of  models  of 
one  make  or  another  and  it  shall  be  the  purpose  of 
this  article  to  endeavor  to  clarify  certain  details 
thereof. 

Probably  the  first  factor  which  should  be  dis- 
cussed is  the  power  of  the  incandescent  bulb  used 
to  project  the  picture.  Not  many  years  ago  the  375 
watt  bulb  was  as  powerful  as  could  be  obtained, 
however  today  the  500  watt,  750  watt  and  1000  watt 
projectors  are  standard  and  one  should  never  pur- 
chase less  than  the  500  watt  size  for  school  use. 

Quite  frequently  teachers  will  say  that  inasmuch 
as  their  film  showings  will,  in  most  cases,  be  to  a 
limited  group  that  they  should  purchase  only  the 
500  watt  model  instead  of  the  750  or  1000  watt 
model.  This  is  the  wrong  conclusion  for  two  rea- 
sons. First,  it  is  always  wise  to  have  more  power 
than  one  needs  in  order  to  "push  through"  dense, 
dark  prints  or  to  accommodate  the  occasional  large 
group.  Secondly,  the  life  of  the  average  projection 
bulb  is  limited  to  approximately  25  to  50  hours 
when  burned  at  full  voltage  of  (normally)  100  volts. 
By  means  of  a  variable  resistance  and  voltmeter  in 
the  larger  models  it  is  possible  to  reduce  the  voltage 
on  the  750  or  1000  watt  bulbs,  thereby  increasing 
their  life  enormously  and  still  securing  as  much  il- 
lumination as  the  500  watt  size.  As  an  example, 
reducing  the  voltage  only  5%  on  the  1000  watt 
model  will  increase  the  life  100%  and  reducing  the 
voltage  10%  will  increase  it  200%.  One  can  readily 
see  that  inasmuch  as  projection  bulbs  cost  from  $6.25 
to  $11.00  each  that  this  is  an  economical  method 
of  operation.  Then  if  the  occasion  demands  the 
full  voltage  may  be  placed  on  the  lamp  and  normal 
screen  brilliancy  obtained. 

These  resistance  units  will  increase  the  cost  of 
the  projector  slightly  but  it  is  believed  that  it  is  a 
justifiable  cost.  Some  schools  however  have  decided 
against  the  use  of  this  item,  preferring  a  line  volt- 
age lamp  without  accessories  as  being  simpler. 
There  is  always  the  danger  of  starting  the  projector 
at  maximum  voltage  of  110  rather  than  80  and  there- 
by endangering  the  bulb.  A  large  projection  bulb 
brings  in  two  factors  which  must  be  reckoned  with. 
In  the  first  place  a  1000  watt  bulb  will  generate 
quite  a  lot  of  heat  thereby  necessitating  an  efficient 
cooling  system.  All  of  the  present  high  wattage 
machines  have  adequate  cooling  systems,  one  manu- 
facturer making  use  of  the  "Venturi  Tube"  prin- 
ciple. Then  again  the  large  bulbs  require  a  large 
current  consumption.  The  1000  watt  model  draws 
approximately    10   amperes    (15   amperes   in   sound 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 

projection)  which  is  not  above  the  limit  of  most 
circuits  if  there  are  not  too  many  other  lights  and 
electrical  devices  on  the  same  circuit. 

An  efficient  light  source  demands  an  efficient  op- 
tical system,  which  brings  us  to  the  subject  of  pro- 
jection lenses.  One  writer  claims  that  no  35mm. 
projectors  are  optically  as  efficient  as  the  16mm. 
projectors.*  It  is  true  that  16mm.  projectors  have 
very  large  aperture  lenses,  f  1.6  to  f  2.5,  which  is  on 
the  average  about  3  times  as  fast  as  the  equivalent 
35mm.  portable,  and  1>^  times  as  fast  as  the  best 
theatrical  projection  equipment.  These  lenses  come 
in  various  focal  lengths  for  use  in  different  size 
auditoriums.  For  most  school  use  the  standard  2" 
lens  is  satisfactory.  For  projection  distances  of  50 
to  100  feet  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  3"  or  4"  lens. 

There  is  one  essential  difference  between  a  very 
cheap  projector  and  one  of  good  quality.  This  dif- 
ference lies  in  the  amount  of  wear  and  tear  on  the 
film.  In  a  16  mm  machine  the  film  must  be  started 
and  stopped  in  front  of  the  lamphouse  16  times  ev- 
ery second  (24  times  in  sound  projection).  One  can 
readily  see  that  any  mechanical  device  to  do  this 
must  be  very  carefully  designed  to  keep  the  film 
from  wearing  or  flickering  on  the  screen.  A  recent 
War  Department  Air  Corps  specification  calls  for  a 
maximum  jump  of  the  picture  of  J4"  on  a  6  foot 
screen.  There  are  two  general  methods  of  accom- 
plishing this.  One  is  by  a  small  claw  mechanism 
which  enters  the  film  perforations  and  pulls  the  film 
down  frame  b\'  frame  and  the  other  method  is  by 
means  of  a  sprocket  intermittent  similar  to  those 
used  on  professional  35  mm.  projectors.  If  this 
"pull  down"  mechanism  is  not  correctly  designed 
the  claws  will  tear  the  sprocket  holes,  or  the  film 
itself,  or  so  wear  the  film  that  it  will  never  be  suit- 
able for  good  projection  again. 

In  purchasing  a  projector  one  should  demand  a 
picture  reverse  and  a  still  picture  mechanism.  The 
still  picture  feature,  allowing  the  projector  to  stop 
and  show  only  the  one  stationary  frame,  is  advan- 
tageous at  times  for  purposes  of  analysis  and  study, 
but  one  should  make  sure  that  the  projector  has  a 
safety  screen  which  falls  in  front  of  the  light  source 
thus  reducing  its  intensity,  to  prevent  burning  of 
the  film. 

A  power  rewind  saves  many  valuable  minutes  in 
rewinding  films  after  a  showing.  However  as  was 
mentioned  by  B.  A.  Aughinbaugh  in  the  January  issue 
of  the  Educational  Screen,  one  should  beware  of 


^Journal    of    The    Society    of    Motion    Picture    Enmneerx.      Vol.    XXV, 
October  1935,  p.  316. 


I 


April,  193  6 


Page  123 


SYNCROFILM  ANNOUNCES 


A  35  MM  SEMI-PORTABLE 
SOUND     PROJECTOR 

SYNCROFILM  adds  to  its  line  of  16  MM  and  35  MM 
Sound  Projectors  a  new  35  MM  Semi-Portable  Sound 
Projector,  especially  designed  to  enable  the  school 
auditoriunn  to  enjoy  the  same  professional  quality  of 
sound  and  projection  produced  in  the  large  modern 
deluxe  theatres. 

The  new  projector  has  the  advantage  of  portability. 
It  can  be  set  up  in  various  auditoriums  in  a  commun- 
ity, with  results  equal  to  those  from  permanent  in- 
stallations. 

Simplicity,  ruggedness  and  fine  workmanship  are 
but  a  few  of  the  outstanding  features  in  the  new 
SYNCROFILM  35  MM  SEMI-PORTABLE  Sound  Pro- 
jector which  make  it  the  greatest  value  for  the  money 
the  Weber  Machine  Corporation  has  ever  offered.  We 
have  never  sacrificed  quality  to  price,  but  by  our 
methods  quality  can  be  produced  at  a  price  gratify- 
ingly  low. 

Write    NOW    for    full    description    and    details. 

Weber  Machine  Corp. 

Manufacturers  of  85  mm.  and  16  mm.  Sound  Projectorfl 

59  RUTTER  STREET     —     ROCHESTER,  NEW   YORK 

New   York  Sales  and  Export  Department 

15  Laight  St.,  N.  Y.  C.  -:-  Cable:  Ramos.  N.  Y. 


the  "mile  a  minute"  practice  in  rewinding.  The 
mere  fact  that  it  is  possible  to  run  the  projector  at 
full  speed  and  save  a  few  seconds  of  time  in  rewind- 
ing does  not  mean  that  this  should  be  a  general 
practice.  Use  a  power  rewind  slowly  and  save  the 
films. 

Projectors  are  now  being  built  with  1600'  reel 
I  arms  a.s  well  as  the  400'  style.  This  enables  an 
hour's  show  to  be  run  without  changing  reels  in- 
stead of  the  15  minute  limit  previously.  For  the 
great  majority  of  school  uses  these  1600'  reel  arms 
are  superfluous  inasmuch  as  very  few  silent  films 
are  obtainable  on  these  reels.  Almost  all  teaching 
films  are  in  400'  units. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  many  projectors  will  be 
operated  by  pupils  or  inexperienced  teachers  it 
would  be  wise  to  investigate  the  ease  of  threading 
of  the  various  models.  None  of  the  existing  types 
are  difificult  to  thread  after  a  little  practice,  however 
some  seem  to  be  more  simple  for  pupils  than  others. 
A  small  pilot  light  is  a  distinct  advantage  along  this 
line.  Due  to  the  fact  that  most  projection  will  be 
in  a  darkened  room  it  is  very  difficult  to  thread  the 
projector  between  reels  without  this  auxiliary  light 
unless  the  room  lights  are  turned  on  each  time.  These 
pilot  lights  are  built  into  some  of  the  projectors  and 
are  auxiliary  equipment  in  others. 

One  other  feature  which  should  be  required  is  an 
easily  accessible  aperture  plate.  This  plate  should  be 
so  constructed  that  it  can  be  readily  cleaned.  Any 
,dirt  or  dried  emulsion  which   forms  on  this  metallic 


surface  must  be  removed,  otherwise  the  film   will  be 
scratched. 

In  conclusion  we  might  say  that  in  purchasing  a 
projector  one  should  buy  only  a  high  grade  machine 
of  sufficient  power  for  the  use  to  which  it  will  be 
placed.  Motion  picture  films  deteriorate  fast  enough 
without  contributing  to  the  wear.  So  if  not  for  the 
sake  of  one's  own  films  at  least  for  the  sake  of  films 
which  are  rented  or  borrowed,  only  the  higher 
grade  projector  should  be  purchased. 


16  MM.  SOUND-ON-FILM  for  RENT 

Lists  are  free  —  either  sound  or  silent  films. 
Our    rates    (we    honestly   believe)    are    the    lowest   in    the    U.    S.    A> 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All  postage  on   films  —  both  to   and  from  destination  — -paid  by  us. 

We  are  organized  for  service — not  for  profit. 

May  we  save  you  money  on  your  equipment?    Try  us! 

THE     MANSE     LIBRARY     ■"" '"5Kna'?riJ.'""'°" 


NOW  .  .  . 

With    These   Improvements 

DE  LUXE  "A" 
CRYSTAL  BEADED  SCREEN 


BAITf-LITt 
TAUVISION 


porfabic  projection 
screens 


utilizing  a  newly  designed  screen  cloth  which  retains  its  basic 
whits  for  a  longer  period — and  an  improved  mechanical  system 
which  enables  one  to  release  the  screen  instantly  and  automati- 
cally by  simply  pulling  it  up  from  the  box.  These  innovations 
have  been  effected  without  any  increase  in  price. 

30  X  40" $15.00   list 

Other  sizes  priced  proporti'>""teIv. 
At   all   Df'aJprn  —  Liternture   on    request 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 

^2%  WEST  26th  STREET  NEW  YORK 


Page  124 


The  Educational  Screei 


School  Depdrtment 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director.  Scarborouqh   School.   Scarborouqh-on-Hud«on,   N.  Y. 


Lesson  on  the  Canadidn  Fur  Trapper--- Geography  4B 
Using  American  Museum  Slides 


Aim:  To  teach  the  children  how  the  people  in  the 
northern  forests  or  wilderness  live  and  earn  their 
living. 

Motivation: — (World  Map) — Children  follow  on 
their  individual  maps.  At  what  port  in  China  did 
we  land  when  we  came  from  Australia?  Point  to  it. 
W'e  are  leaving  to-day  by  this  port  to  finish  our  trip 
around  the  world.  Suppose  it  is  a  very  cold  and 
chilly  night  on  board  the  ship,  what  would  you  wear? 
From  what  country  do  you  think  we  get  our  furs? 
To-day  we  are  going  to  visit  one  of  the  countries  from 
which  we  get  furs.  From  what  continent  did  we 
start  when  we  first  began  our  trip?  We  are  going  back 
to  North  America  to  visit  Canada  and  to  see  h- w  the 
people  in  the  northern  forest  and  wildernesses  of  that 
country  live  and  earn  their  living. 

Presentation:  In  what  direction  shall  we  travel 
from  China?  We  stop  at  Vancouver  Island.    Find  this 


Sound  Quality 

Quality 


See  It  —  Hear  It 


standard  Film 
35  mm. 


COMPARE 

The    New 
EDUCATOR 
with   any   equip- 
ment selling  for 
$1000     or     more. 


-V a  ji     h r     used 

irith       Oflilitlonftl 

fipi'akt'rs. 


You  buy  it 

strictly    on 

merit 

#175 

DOWN 

and  19  equal 

small    monthly 
payments. 

No  interest 

No  Carrying 
Charges 

FREE 
Demonstration 


One   Year 
Guarantee 

Write  today 

for     full 

details. 


THE  HOLMES  EDUCATOR 
HOLMES  PROJECTOR  CO. 


1813  Orchard  Street 


Chicago 


])lace  on  your  map.  We  cross  the  beautiful  Rock 
jMountains  and  travel  to  the  Hudson  Bay  region.  Car 
ada  is  the  whole  northern  jjart  of  North  America  es 
cept  for  Alaska.  In  what  zone  is  Canada?  Loca<| 
Hudson  Bay.  When  did  we  first  hear  about  this  place? 

(Map  slwcciiig  cstablisliineiifs)  How  do  you  thing 
people  earn  their  living  who  live  near  a  forest?  The 
oldest  industry  in  all  the  world  is  fur  hunting  and 
trapping.  Let  us  visit  one  of  the  fur  posts  and  learn 
something  about  the  trapper. 

(Man  Working)  In  what  season  of  the  vear  do  the 
trappers  begin  their  work?  How  can  you  tell?  What 
is  this  man  making?  (mocassins  —  snow-shoes)  W  hat 
does  he  look  like?  (For  rocky  land — short  and  broad 
snowshoes)  (For  jirairie  land — long  and  narrow  snow- 
shoes)     (Frames  made  of  ash  or  birch) 

(Hunter  and  Boy)  Who  do  you  think  this  man  is? 
Describe  his  clothing.  Why  doesn't  he  wear  bright 
colors?  (Only  scarf  or  waist  belt  mav  have  bright 
color  to  keep  hunters  for  mistaking  him  for  a  moose.) 
No  need  for  new  clothing.  What  do  you  think  the  boy 
does?  When  he  has  the  boy,  the  hunter  takes  more 
tools  and  sled.  Old  hunter  prefers  to  travel  light 
with  his  dog  as  a  companion.  What  does  the  hunter 
need?  (fire-arms,  ammunition,  hunting  knife,  steel 
traps,  canvas  for  tent  etc.)  He  travels  along  water- 
ways.    Why? 

(Chooses  the  Trapping  Ground)  What  do  you 
think  the  Indian  is  doing?  (takes  an  entire  day  to  lay 
traps  —  makes  a  circle)  Use  of  steel  traps  with  bait, 
covers  his  trail  with  bear's  grease  and  sweeps  spot  with 
snow.  This  trap  is  very  cruel  as  the  animal  sufi"ers  a 
great  deal.  Prefer  the  deadfall  or  box  trap.  In  box 
trap  animals  are  alive  and  best  ones  are  kept  for  furs. 

(Deadfall)  What  kind  of  trap  do  you  think  this 
is?  (deadfall).  Bait  in  it  —  animal  enters  to  bite  it 
and  heavy  log  at  entrance  falls  on  his  back  and  kills 
him  instantly. 

(Tent)  What  is  this  trapper  doing?  How  does  he 
make  his  tent?  \\'hat  does  he  put  on  the  sides?  Pine 
and  balsam  boughs  for  his  bed.    ^\^^at  does  his  dog  do? 

(Indians  at  Post)  Where  do  you  think  these  Indians 
are?  How  do  they  look?  W'hat  are  the  boys  wear- 
ing? Old  men?  (Sit  and  tell  stories — feast  at  Christ- 
mas— invited  by  the  governor  or  factor  of  the  post.) 

Organization:— (A/a/i  of  Canada) — In  what  con- 
tinent is  Canada?     Point.     In  what  zone?     Point.    In 

(Continued  on  page  126) 


I 


April,  1936 


How  Are  Screen 
Cartoons  Made? 


Millions  of  adults  and  children 
want  to  know.     So  .  .  , 


LOWELL  THOMAS  interviews  a  famous 
screen  cartoonist,  and  thoroughly  explains 
and  illustrates  the  tricks  and  mechanics  that 
have  amazed  and  mystified  audiences  for 
years! 

"CARTOONLAND 
MYSTERIES" 

Revealed  for  the  first  time  in  Universal's  un- 
usual "GOING  PLACES"  No.  18.  Another 
step  forward  by  Universal  in  genuine  visual 
education  and  entertainment! 

Write  to  Universal's  N on-theatrical  De- 
partment for  further  information  on  this 
behind-the-scenes  motion  picture  scoop! 

• 

Consult  us  on  geographical,  musical  or 
historical  subjects — on  current  events — on 
cartoon   comedies — or  feature   length  films! 

UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 

Rockefeller  Center  New  York.  N.  Y. 

WHAT  THE    EYE    SEES,   THE    MIND    REMEMBERS! 


Page  125 


%  The  story  of  coffee  L  the  romance  of  a  nation. 
No  more  vivid  or  interesting  method  can  be  found 
of  presenting  the  facts  about  Brazil  to  your  class 
than  by  visual  education.  The  facts  of  its  people 
and  products  leap  to  life  on  the  screen  . . .  and 
each  member  of  your  class  has  the  same  mental 
impression  ...  an  impression  that  is  not  distorted  by 
the  pupil's  own  interpretation  of  a  word  picture. 

Whether  in  geography,  biology,  history  or  any 
subject  of  the  school  curriculum,  students  learn 
faster  and  retain  their  knowledge  longer  when 
taught  by  visual  education.  There  is  a  Spencer 
projector  for  every  purpose.  Our  staff  of  projec- 
tion experts  will  be  glad  to  assist  you  in  the  selec- 
tion of  a  Delineascope  best  for  your  school  needs. 

MODEL   VA    VeLlneaicope 

Projects  both  gloss  slides  and  opaque  illustrations. 
Colored    pictures   accurately   reproduced.     Easily 
portable  from  room  to  room. 
Brilliant  illumination.  A  6-inch 
opaque  illustration  will  show 
7  feet  square  on  the 
screen  20  feet  away 
when  a   16-inch  ob- 
jective is  used. 

Wrife  for  fo/der  K-78  for 
comp/efe  descripfton  and 
prices  on  SpsnzGr  Delin- 
eascopes  for  schoo/  use. 
Please  address  Dept.   R  4^ 

Spencer  Lens  Company 


Buffalo 


IsPtNg?! 


New  York 


Page  126 


The  Educational  Screenl 


The 
LAST     WORD 

in 

MINIATURE  CAMERA 
PHOTOGRAPHY 


Thisfascinating  new  field  of  photography 
has  been  exhaustively  covered  in  the 
"Leica  Manual"  by  Morgan  and  Lester. 
500  pages  crammed  with  brass-'.cck  information  about  LEICA  Photo- 
graphy. 22  specialists  and  pioneers  in  miniature  camera  photography 
have  contributed.  There  is  one  whole  section  devoted  to  "Leica  in 
Science  and  Education"  including  chapters  on  "The  Leica  in  Visual 
Education",  "The  Ltica  in  Historical  Research",  "Copying  Books  and 
Manuscripts",  "The  Miniature  Camera  for  Miniature  Monsters",  "Photo- 
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•   IS  I«E  SUIIONtRT  OF  HE  SC«EE« 

what  hemisphere?  Point.  In  what  parts  of  Canadil 
do  we  find  the  forest?  What  ])eople  do  we  find  there n 
What  do  they  do  to  earn  a  living?  Tell  about  somel 
of  the  tra])s  that  they  set  for  the  animals.  Now  see 
your  geography  books  can  tell  you  any  more  interesting 
things. 

(Teacher  summarizes  on  material  in  text  book.) 
By  MRS.  PAULINE  A.  BASHKOWIl 

New  York  City   Schools 

Symposium  on  Sound  and  Silent  Films 

{Concluded  fiunn  page  116) 

have  been  a  lot  different.  It  wa.s  uist  an  impression  I  re- 
ceived.    I  know   I   never  had  that   feeling  before. 

We  are  using  ten  silent  pictures  to  one  sound  picture 
now.  We  will  use  probably  from  300  to  400  reels  of  motion 
pictures  in  our  schools  this  year.  .-\s  we  have  for  many 
years,  we  are  ,e;oing  to  keep  our  system  open  for  any  pro- 
gressive move,  and  we  are  not  taking  any  stand  for  or 
against  sound  films.     They  both  have  their  place. 

Mr.  Krusc  (Bell  &  Howell  Company.  Chicago,  Illinois)  : 
I  am  head  of  the  film  division  and  I  was  particularly  inter- 
ested in  Mr,  Lain's  reaction  toward  the  silent  picture  be- 
cause our  film  shown  here  was  one  of  the  new  productions 
brought  for  the  very  purpose  of  getting  your  reactions.  I 
hope  that  teachers  as  a  whole  won't  take  the  attitude  that 
these  big  bad  wolves,  the  manufacturers,  are  trying  to  force 
something  over  on  them.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  we  come  to 
these  meetings  to  find  out  essentially  what  you  want,  and 
we  have  pretty  good  data  to  the  effect  that  the  youngsters 
themselves  in.  schools  want  the  talking  pictures,  and  an 
increasing  number  of  teachers  do.  On  the  other  hand,  these 
critical  remarks  can  only  improve  the  quality  and  content 
you  may  expect  in  talking  pictures  as  production  continues. 
."Ks  to  the  psychological  interruption  of  the  printed  title  in 
the  picture,  that  is  something  that  might  well  be  the  subject 
of  serious  researcli  and  study.  The  very  raising  of  the 
question  is  a  good  thing. 

The  Chicago  visual  instruction  department  has  bought 
four  sound  machines  and  quite  a  number  of  sound  reels 
have  been  put  into  use.  We  ask  the  cooperation  of  teachers. 
We  ask  their  advice  on  what  should  be  incorporated  into 
the  reels.  A  picture  was  sent  to  John  Hollinger  at  Pitts- 
burgh for  his  reactions.  It  was  one  on  Ethiopia.  He  asked 
why  we  didn't  have  the  native  sounds  of  the  people.  That 
is  the  type  of  suggestion  that  comes  from  teachers,  the 
users  of  film,  and  I  am  sure  the  producers  of  film  welcome 
it.  It  is  that  type  of  cooperation  that  has  been  enlisted  in 
advance  by  many  of  the  producers.  We  have  expert  teachers 
and  others  on  the  staff.  And  these  meetings  where  we  have 
the  opportunity  to  thrash  out- the  kind  of  things  needed  are 
very,  very  useful   to  teacher  and  manufacturer  alike. 

Chairman  Frcoiian:  We  have  gone  s?v:;tee:i  mi:iutes  be- 
yond the  time  assigned  to  this  symposium.  Let  me  say  in 
conclusion  that  I  feel  personally  very  much  gratified  at  the 
results  of  this  conference.  It  seems  to'  me  that  we  have 
had  very  valuable  food  for  reflection  presented  to  us,  and  I 
am  gratified  at  the  fact  that  half  a  dozen  of  you  were  on 
your  feet  at  the  same  time  wanting  to  say  something.  I 
interpret  that  as  meaning  that  the  discussion  has  raised 
quesions  in  your  mind  and  started  you  to  thinking  on  these 
problems  instead  of  merely  arousing  feeling  reactions  or 
emotional  reactions.  That,  it  seems  to  me,  is  a  very  deep 
source  of  congratulation  to  those  who  organized  this  pro- 
gram. I  think  the  two  papers  that  were  presented  were  ad- 
mirable papers.  The  meeting  as  a  whole  seems  to  me  to 
have  been   a   very   valuable  one.     We  are  adjourned. 


April,  195  6 


Page  127 


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in  gaining  a  better  understanding  of  the  subject. 
The  superior  reflective  properties  of  Da-Lite 
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on  the  movements  of  life  was  at  first  accepted  merely 
as  another  uncanny  power  of  the  magical  movie,  and 
enjoyed  in  blissful  ignorance  of  how  it  was  done. 
Gradually  press  write-ups  acquainted  the  public  with 
the  general  method — thousands  of  the  separate  draw- 
ings, each  differing  slightly  from  the  preceding — but 
the  average  spectator's  understanding  of  the  exact 
process  remained  vague.  The  all-important  intro- 
duction of  the  transparent  celluloid  sheet  in  the  process 
only  added  to  the  vagueness  and  confusion  in  the  pub- 
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Universal  Pictures  has  just  produced  a  one-reel 
film,  entitled  "Cartoonland  Mysteries",  which  will  end 
this  mystery  for  millions.  It  is  "Number  18"  in  the 
series  of  "Going  Places"  with  Lowell  Thomas,  a  10- 
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The  complete  production  of  one  of  the  "Oswald  the 
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Page   128 


% 


The  Educational  Screen 


FILMSLIDES 

THE  PERFECT  COMPLEMENT 
TO  MOTION  PICTURES 


The  Economy  y  the 
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The  daily  use  of  FILMSLIDES  therefore  and  the 
weekly  showing  of  motion  films  for  summary  or 
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Among  The  Magazines  and  Books 

(Comiudcd  from  page  119) 

eventually  be  developed  for  film  purposes,  in  whicl 
motor  sequence  is  not  the  inevitable  requiremem 
hut  can  be  made  to  give  way  to  a  synthetic  process 
of  building  by  fragments.  It  involves  the  devising 
of  movement  se(|ucnces  of  the  rc(|ui.^ite  kind. 

The  Administration  of  Visual  A'ds;  .\  Summary 
of   ths   Literature    from    1923   ti)    1935.    Compiled   by 
Fannie  W' .  Dunn  and  Etta  Schneider,  Teachers  Co^ 
lege,  Columbia  University,   1936.  ™ 

-Vbout  fifty  digests  of  the  most  important  articles 
on  this  subject  are  included  in  a  publication  of  86 
pages.  The  typography  is  such  that  the  main  points  of 
a  treatise  readily  make  an  appeal  to  the  eye.  "Ad- 
ministration for  a  City  System"  is  covered  in  two  sec- 
tions, "The  Establishment  of  a  City  System"  and 
".Some  E.x])eriences  in  Administering  a  City  System." 
Digests  of  nineteen  articles  are  given  under  the  first 
section.  The  other  cha])ters  deal  with,  ".\dministration 
within  a  .School  I'uilding"  ;  "Systems  for  Filing  and 
Cataloging"  ;  ".Administration  for  a  State"  ;  and  "Na- 
tional Plans."  The  com])ilation  will  do  excellent 
service  in  saving  an  extensive  search  through  theses 
and  tomes,  and  will  also  save  a  long  perusal  of  each  ar- 
ticle when  located,  as  each  one  is  tlioroughly  analyzed. 

Film  Catalogs 

"Sources  of  Educational  I-^ilms  and  Eciuipment," 
20-i)age  mimeographed  circular  (No.  150)  compiled 
by  Cline  M.  Koon,  senior  specialist  in  radio  and  visual 
education,  U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  has  recently 
been  issued  for  free  distribution  by  the  U.  S.  Office  of 
Education  at  \\'ashington.  The  Introduction  states 
that  no  attempt  has  been  made  to  include  a  list  of  ed- 
ucational films  or  even  a  complete  list  of  film  sources. 
Instead,  the  circular  is  issued  to  meet  the  widespread 
demand  for  some  good  sources  of  educational  films 
and  information  about  motion  pictures  in  education. 
It  contains  a  compilation  of  film  and  equipment  sources, 
references  to  books,  source  lists,  magazines  and  or- 
ganizations from  which  further  information  is  avail- 
able. 

-Another  useful  reference  list  is  the  "Guide  to  Mo- 
tion Pictures,"  prepared  by  the  Community  Chests  and 
Councils  for  the  benefit  of  social  and  health  workers, 
and  others  interested  in  similar  activity.  A  glance  at 
the  table  of  contents  of  this  48-page  catalog  shows  a 
wide  range  of  subject  matter,  which  is  classified  into 
eighteen  sections.  Section  1  lists  some  theatrical  fea- 
tures which  contain  e.xcellent  material  bearing  on 
problems  in  social  work;  section  II  describes  the  Com- 
munity Chest  films  which  have  been  produced  by  var- 
ious communities.  Other  topics  covered  are  character- 
building,  health,  hygiene,  recreation,  vocational  guid- 
ance, safety,  history,  and  nature  study.  The  Guide 
is  sold  for  50c  per  copy  by  Community  Chests  and 
Councils  Inc..   135  E.  44th  Street,  New  York  City. 


Page  129 


RiGHTiN  YOUR 

CLASSROOM 


A  MCNG  Eastman  Classroom  Films — of  which 
jl\.  more  than  200  are  available — those  dealing 
with  Nature  Study  are  outstandingly  popular.  This 
living  subject  is  particularly  well  suited  to  films. 
They  clarify  it  as  no  other  method  can  .  .  .  make  it 
vitally  real,  impress  it  permanently  on  the  memory 
of  every  student. 

Look  over  the  list  of  Nature  Study  films  given  be- 
low. The  subjects  have  been  selected  with  great 
care.  You  will  recognize  their  value  to  you  and  your 
pupils.  Plan  to  acquire  those  which  are  not  already 
in  your  library. 

Eastman  Classroom  Films  cover  a  variety  of  sub- 
jects. Each  film  has  been  carefully  prepared  by 
authorities  to  insure  accuracy.  If  you  do  not  have 
the  descriptive  list  of  these  standard  instructional 
motion  pictures,  send  for  your  copy.  Eastman  Kodak 
Company,Teaching  Films  Division.Rochester,  N.  Y. 

EASTMAN  NATURE  STUDY  FILMS 


Adventures  of  Peter 
Bears 
Beavers 
Baby  Beavers 
Game  Birds 
Bird  Homes 
Birds  of  Prey 
Birds  of  the  Seacoast 
Some  Friendly  Birds 
Wading  Birds 
Luther  Burbank 
Animals  oftheCat  Tribe 
From  Flower  to  Fruit 
Frogs,  Toads,  and 
Salamanders 


Wild  Flowers 

The  Ruffed  Grouse 

Some  Water  Insects 

Three  Jungle  Giants 

Rocky  Mountain  Mammals 

Some  Larger  Mammals 

Monkeys  and  Apes 

Oysters 

The  Raccoon 

Reptiles 

Seals  and  Walruses 

Some  Seashore  Animals 

The  Ship  of  the  Desert 

Spiders 

Under-Sea  Life 


Fasiman  CLASSROOM  FILMS 


Page  130 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  P rod u c e r s 


Eastman  Presents  Magazine  Cine-Kodak 

A  new  16mm  Cine-Kodak  which  loads  with  a  maga- 
zine in  three  seconds,  has  been  introduced  by  Eastman 
Kodak  Company.  This  innovation  further  simplifies 
the  taking  of  motion  pictures  by  the  amateur  as  it  elim- 
inates the  operation  of  threading  the  film.  The  maga- 
zine is  merely  slipped  into  the  camera,  and  the  camera 
closed  as  if  it  were  a  book  without  having  to  adjust 
a  thing.  Another  advantage  is  the  ability  to  exchange 
partly  used  film  for  another  type  without  having  to 
run  the  entire  footage  to  do  so.  Thus,  to  switch  from 
Panchromatic  to  Super  Sensitive  "Pan"  for  indoor  pic- 
tures or  to  Kodachrome  for  color  movies,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  remove  the  partly  used  magazine  and  re- 
place it  with  a  magazine  loaded  with  the  film  desired. 
One  may  have  any  number  of  partly  used  magazines 
which  may  be  returned  to  the  camera  to  complete  the 
exposure.  The  magazine  protects  the  film.  A  foot- 
age meter  on  each  magazine  shows  how  much  film  has 
been  used. 

Other  features  of  the  new  camera  are  three  speeds — 
normal,  half-speed  and  slow  motion,  interchangeable 
lenses,  a  device  that  prevents  accidental  exposure  while 


Where  the  commercial  firms — whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    readers. 


the  camera  is  not  in  use.  an  automatic  shut-off  for  the 
spring  motor,  and  an  ingenious  device  described  as  a, 
"pulse"  for  timing  the  length  of  the  scenes. 

New  Winder  for  Leica  Users 

The  versatility  of  the  Leica  camera  has  been  furthen 
extended  by  the  recent  addition  of  a  new  rapid  winder, 
which  will  enable  a  series  of  rapid  shots,  such  as  sports 
events,  to  be  made.  In  the  past,  making  such  a  series 
of  photos  was  beyond  the  range  of  the  average  ama- 
teur, for  before  he  could  rewind  the  shutter  or  trans- 
port the  film  for  a  second  exposure,  the  action  was 
over.  The  rapid  winder  consists  of  a  special  baseplate 
which  is  interchanged  with  the  regular  baseplate  of 
the  Leica.  A  trigger  is  provided  on  the  rapid  winder, 
and  by  pulling  it  along  a  groove,  the  shutter  is  wound 
and  the  film  transported.  To  make  the  exposure,  it  is 
therefore,  only  necessary  to  jnill  the  trigger  of  the 
rapid  winder  and  press  the  shutter  release  button. 
The  rapidity  with  which  exposures    can    be    made    is 


DeVry  Leads  In  Sales  Because  DeVry  Leads  In  Engineering 

THE  ONLY  RADICAL  ADVANCE  IN  16  MM.  EQUIPMENT 
IN  1 935-36  WAS  MADE  BY  DE  VRY 

(1)  Replacing    the   Amateur    Claw    Movement   with    the    Professional 
Sprocket  Intermittent  Movement 

(2)  The  Silent  Chain  Drive. 

(3)  The  Double  Exciter  Lamp  Socket 


DeVry  16  mm.  Sprocket  Intermittent  Sound  Unit 


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DeVry  Theatre  Sound  Projector 


Because  DeVry  Manufactures  ALL  TYPES  of  Motion  Picture  Equipment  Silent  and  Sound  16  and  3  5  mm. 
Projectors  and  Cameras,  DeVry  representatives  give  unbiased  advice  as  to  the  type  best  suited  to  each  school. 
Send    for    free    membership    card    and     program 

FOR  THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE  ON  VISUAL  EDUCA- 
TION AND  FILM  EXHIBITION,  CHICAGO— JUNE  22nd  TO 
25th,    1936. 

ADMISSION  BY  CARD  TO  ALL  SESSIONS 

HERMAN    A.    DeVRY,    INC. 


COUPON    FOR   MEMBERSHTP   CARD 

Name     

Address 

Position 

Film    Entry,    if    any 


1 1  CENTER  ST.,  CHICAGO 


I 


pril,  1936 


Page  131 


• 

BETTER  16  mm.  Sound-on-FIlm 

• 

\VORLD'<>»     FII^EST     FILMS 

ALL  LAINGIAGES — ALL  LAI\DS 

• 

WRITE    FOR    -BLUE    LIST'   

GARRISON       •""-■*    "'ST-    '"c. 

u    H    n    n    I    o    u    n          729    7th    AVE..    N.Y.C. 

• 

limited  only  by  the  speed  with  which  the  photographer 
can  i)iill  the  trigger.  It  take.s  but  15  to  20  seconds 
to  make  36  ex|5osures.  Eqiiipjicd  with  a  Leica  camera 
and  the  new  rapid  winder,  it  is  claimed  no  action  will 
be  too  fast  for  the  photographer  to  record. 

We  are  informed  by  E.  Leitz,  Inc..  60  E.  Tenth 
.Street,  New  York  City,  that  a  slight  adjustment  will 
have  to  be  made  on  older  models  of  the  Leica  camera 
to  enable  them  to  accommodate  this  new  accessory. 
For  further  information  the  reader  is  advised  to  write 
to  E.  Eeitz.  Inc. 

Improvements  in  Bri+eli+t  Screens 

The  Motion  Picture  .Screen  cV  Accessories  Co.  of 
526  West  26th  St..  New  York  City,  announce  several 
major  im])rovements  in  their  DeLuxe  "A"  Motion 
Picture  Screen.  New  ideas  and  materials  are  con- 
stantly investigated  by  this  company  with  a  thought 
to  their  incorporation  in  P)ritelite-Truvision  Screens. 
They  have,  in  conjunction  with  one  of  the  leading 
textile  mills  of  the  country,  so  perfected  the  screen 
cloth  that  it  will  retain  its  basic  white  for  a  longer 
period  and  will  continually  project  images  with  greater 
brilliancy.  A  further  improvement  has  been  effected 
in  the  sim])Hfication  of  its  operation,  as  the  screen  is 
now  raised  automatically  and  instantly  by  simplv  lift- 
ing it  u])  from  the  box.  These  improvements  are  in- 
cluded in  the  regular  price.  The  manufacturers  will 
be  |)lease<l  to  send  information  to  interested  readers. 

New  Camera  Accessories 

Right  up  to  the  minute  in  design  are  a  new  lens 
hood  and  graduated  filter,  brought  out  by  the  firm  of 
Franke  &  Heidecke,  for  use  with  the  Rolleiflex  and 
Rolleicord  cameras.  The  hood,  shaped  for  the  square 
format  of  these  popular  cameras,  is  fitted  with  a  cam- 
actuated  contracting  grip  arrangement  which  prac- 
tically locks  it  to  the  lens  mount.  Provision  is  also 
made  for  holding  the  new  33  mm.  disc  filters  inside 
the  hood,  which  is  supplied  with  a  neatly  made  leather 
case.  Their  graduated  filter  has  been  so  constructed 
that  it  will  go  over  the  front  of  the  lens  hood,  and  is 
thereby  kept  at  the  correct  distance  from  the  lens  so 
that  it  can  be  really  eflfective.  The  filter  slides  vertic- 
ally in  a  well  made  holder  and  in  use  it  is  first  adjusted 
with  the  aid  of  the  finder  lens ;  then  it  is  transferred 
to  the  taking  lens  for  the  actual  exposure.  No  in- 
crease in  the  normal  exposure  time  is  required. 

F"or  further  information  and  prices,  we  suggest 
that  you  write  to  Burleigh  Brooks,  127  West  42nd 
Street,  New  York  City,  and  ask  for  the  new  edition 
of  "Practical  Accessories"  to  the  Rolleiflex. 


There  Is  a  Reason 

WHY  LANTERN  SLIDES  MADE 

FROM  KEYSTONE  THIRD-DIMENSION 

NEGATIVES  ARE  SUPERIOR 


Lantern  Slide  from  Keystone  Primary  Unit  on  Indians 

Stereoscopic  photography  is  the  most 
exacting  and  difficult  type  of  photography. 
Good,  clear,  third-dimension  requires  that 
there  be  two  pictures  exactly  alike  in  all  de- 
tails. If  one  picture  is  faulty  in  any  detail, 
the  fusion  is  imperfect,  and  the  negative 
more  or  less  useless.  In  securing  two  per- 
fectly matched  pictures,  therefore,  the  re- 
sult is  usually  a  negative  perfect  in  every 
detail.  There  are  no  fuzzy  corners  or  blurred 
spots  in  a  third-dimension  negative. 

In  building  up  your  visual  program,  you 
will  do  well  to  investigate  the  Keystone  Units 
in  the  Social  Studies — all  lantern  slides  made 
from    Keystone    third-dimension    negatives. 

Keystone  View  Co. 

MEADVILLE,  PENNA. 


Page    132 


The  Educational  Screeft 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 
Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport,  la. 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See    advertisement   on    page    129) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020    Chesnut    St.,    Philadelphia,    Pa 

606  Wood   St.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa. 
Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.         (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Garrison  Film  Distributors  (2,  5) 

729   Seventh   Ave.,  New   York  City 

(See    advertisement   on    page    131) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological    Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See   advertisement   on   page    126) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

409  McAlphin  Ave.,  Cincinnati,  O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  123) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028    Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller    Center,    New   York   City 

(See   advertisement   on   page    125) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,  Boston,   Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOT/ON  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See    advertisement    on   page    102) 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Bell  &  Howell  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(Se«  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N,    Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,    New   York   City 
Herman   A.    DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See   advertisement  on   page   130) 


Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,   Chicago 

(See   advertisement   on    page    124) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See    advertisement   on   page    126) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 

90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  front  cover! 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  123) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden.   N.    T. 

(See   advertisement   on    page    121) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  ttd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,    Regina,    Sask. 

S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 

Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers  (3,  6) 
407   W.   Washington   Blvd. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

(See    advertisement   on    page    128) 

United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.         (2,  5) 
Allegheny   Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See   advertisement   on    page    127) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,   Iowa 

(See   advertisement   on    page    104) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Weber  Machine  Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See   advertisement   on    page    123) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 

681  Lexington  Ave.,  New  York  City 
The  Photoart  House 

844   N.    Plankinton   Ave.,    Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

(See    advertisement   on   page    126) 

POST  CARD  REPRODUCTIONS 

J.  Greenwald,  Inc. 

681   Lexington  Ave.,   New   York  City 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721    N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See    advertisement   on    page    127) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St..  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
605  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  123) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 
Eastman  Educational  Slides 
Iowa  City,  la. 


A     Trade     Directory 
for  the   Visual    Field 


Edited    Pictures   System,   Inc. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 
Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 

30  E.   Eighth   St..   Chicago,   111. 

(See    advertisement    on   page    126) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See   advertisement   on    page    131) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 

1819  Broadway.   New   York  City 

(See    advertisement    on    page    126) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

( See   advertisement  on   page   128) 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo.  N.  Y. 

(See   advertisement   on   page    125) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See   advertisement   on    page    126) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 

STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 
1111   Center   St.,   Chicago 

(See   advertisement    on    page    130) 

Keystone  View  Co. 

Meadville,  Pa. 

(See    advertisement    on    page    131) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Eausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See   advertisement    on    page    101) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St..  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

E.  Leitz,  Inc. 
60  E.   10th  St..  New  York  City 

(See    advertisement   on    page    126) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 
Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See   advertisement    on    page    128) 

Spencer  Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See    advertisement    on    page    12.')) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1)   indicates    firm    supplies 

36    mm. 

silent. 

(2)   indicates    firm    supplies 

35    mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound  and   silent. 

(4)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(6)   indicates    firm    supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6)   indicates    firm    supplies 

16    mm. 

sound   and  silent. 

Continuous  insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


P«Mie  LNMPAfy 
KftNtat  Cfiy,  Mo. 


<C^  JLCUsX-l-v-;^        VaJM— r-c^ 


Educationa 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 


An  Experiment  in  Geography  Teaching 
The  ^^Rebel  Rangers^'  on  School  Journeys 


A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes 


Summer  Courses  in  Visual  Instruction 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a    Year  • 


MAY 


10QA 


PROJECTORS  -   DISTRIBUTED     BY    NATIONAL   THEATRE    SUPPLY   COM 


-    s^ 


PORTABLE 


A.OB       MAf\K,     RBC'O 


SOUND  PROJECTORS 

Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projector  and  the  new  Semi-Professi 
Sound  Projector  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  special  rei 
nients  of  small  theatres,  schools,  colleges,  churches,  hotels, 
pitals,  commercial  organizations,  etc.  The  characteristic  car 
accuracy  which  have  given  our  products  an  international  n 
tion  are  maintained  throughout  in  the  manufacture  and  ass< 
of  Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projectors. 

Superior  sound  and  visual  projection  can  be  secured  unde: 
conditions  with  adequate  equipment.    Therefore,  we  give  an 

lute  assurance  that  i 
field  for  which  they  ;i 
tended  the  results  oIm 
with      Simplex      Por 
Sound    Projectors  ar 
actly    the    same   as 
secured  with  Simplex 
jectors  and  Simplex  Aii 
Sound  Projectors  in  '  "' 
sands   of   leading   tli 
throughout  the  world 


PORTylBLE 


THADK        MAfXH.     RKC'o 


SOUND  PROJECTORS 

The  installation  of  motion  picture  equipment  requires 
long  and  serious  consideration  and  we  are  therefore 
pleased  to  receive  inquiries  and  supply  answers  with  a 
full  realization  that  in  many  instances  decisions  cannot  be 
quickly  made. 

Our  products  are  distributed  in  the  United  States  by  the 
National  Theatre  Supply  Company  and  elsewhere  by  rep- 
resentatives who  are  in  a  position  to  supply  full  informa- 
tion regarding  our  products  and  properly  service  Simplex, 
equipment  after  installation.  We  therefore  will  be 
pleased  to  send  you  catalog  and  prices  or  you  may  com- 
municate directly  with  our  dealers  in  your  locality. 


SIMPLEX  SEMI-PROFESSIONAL 
SOUND  PROJECTOR 
2000'  Type  with  Incandescent  Lamp 


INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATI 


lay,  1936 


Page  135 


ducational  Screen 

Combined  With 

isual    Instruction    News 


MAY,  1936 

VOLUME  XV  NUMBER  5 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,   Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary  Beatile  Brady 
F.  W.  Davis 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
Josephine   Hoffman 
F.   Dean   McClusky 
Stella   Evelyn   Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


CONTENTS 

An  Experiment  In  Geography  Teaching. 

James  H.  Halsey 137 

The  "Rebel  Rangers"  on  School  Journeys. 

Robert  Collier,  Jr __.__ 140 

A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes.    Paul  T.  Williams 1 42 

The  Church  Field.    Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Brady....  144 

The  Filmi  Estimates 1 46 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers ...147 

Summer  Courses  in  Visual  Instruction.. 148 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

Conducted  by  E.  C.  Waggoner ....149 

News  and  Notes.   Conducted  by  Josephine  hloffman 150 

Current  Film  Releases 1 52 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis 154 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  F.  Dean  McClusky 156 

Among  the  Producers... 1 62 

Here  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field....  164 


Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index, 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lalce  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  May,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published    every   month   except  July    and   August. 

$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


Page  136 


The  Educational  Screen 


-with  exclusive  Projector 
and  Sound  Features 


16 


•*"    REFINEMENii 


mm.  ANIMATOPHONE  embodies  exclusivd 
refinements    that   cannot   be    ignored  .  .  .  ad-i 
\antages   that   have   made   it   the   world's   most 
widely    used,    most    moderately    priced    Souno 
picture   reproducer.     Only    in    ANIMATO- 
PHONE,   for   instance,   will   you   find   POSI- 
TIVE Protection  against  Film  Damage    . 
PERFECT  Simplification  insuring  trouble-free  opera- 
tion and  maintenance  .  .  .  with  decidedly  superior  sound 
and  picture  reproduction!     Model  24  (A.C.)   for  class- 
room and  LARGE  Auditorium.     Model  25  (A.C.-D.C.) 
.  .  .  world's  lightest  and  most  compact  ...  for  classroom 
and  stnall  auditorium.     Write  for  literature    .    .    .    Ask 
for  Demonstration. 

VICTOR  ANIMATOGRAPH  CORPORATION 

DAVENPORT,  IOWA 
NEW  YORK  CITY  CHICAGO  LOS  ANGELES 


Conveniently  housed  in 
two  compact  cases. 


May,  1936 


An  Experiment  in  Geography  Teaching 


Page  137 


By      JAMES       H.       HALSEY 

Instructor  in  Geography,  High  School,  Hammond,  Indiana 


THE  WRITER  had  been  using  motion  pictures 
and  lantern  slides  as  supplementary  teaching  aids 
in  his  high  school  geography  classes  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  second  semester  in  February  1935. 
There  was  some  doubt  in  his  mind  regarding  the 
])roper  method  of  using  them.  In  order  to  satisfy 
his  own  curiosity  and  to  demonstrate  their  value  a 
small  scale  experiment  was  conducted. 

The  purpose  of  this  experiment  was  twofold.  First, 
to  determine  whether  the  use  of  visual  aids  in  the  con- 
ventional classroom  would  hel])  the  students  acquire 
more  knowledge ;  and  .second,  to  determine  whether 
the  use  of  visual  aids  with  a  modified  teaching  tech- 
nique and  class  plan,  would  be  better  than  using  visual 
aids  in  the  conventional  class  plan. 

"The  Insular  Possessions  of  the  United  States"  was 
selected  as  the  unit  of  instruction  for  this  experiment 
because  it  was  thought  this  subpect  offered  excellent 
opportunity  for  the  use  of  visual  aids.  In  the  course 
of  study  which  was  based  on  the  textbook,  "Geogra- 
])hv — Physical,  Economic,  Regional,"  by  James  F. 
Chamberlain,  approximately  one  week  was  given  to 
this  unit.  Thus  one  school  week  of  five  days.  May  13 
to  May  17,  1935,  was  devoted  to  the  experiment. 

The  three  classes  selected  for  the  experiment  were 
all  taught  by  the  writer  and  they  were  all  doing  the 
same  work.  The  average  age  of  the  students  in  each 
class  was  about  fifteen  and  there  was  approximately 
an  equal  number  of  boys  and  girls.  About  two-thirds 
of  all  those  participating  in  the  experiment  were  mem- 
bers of  the  9-A  class,  and  the  remainder  had  a  10-B 
classification.  In  two  of  these  classes  there  were 
twenty-nine  students,  and  in  the  third  class  twenty- 
two. 

The  first  of  these  classes,  in  which  there  were 
twenty-nine  pupils,  served  as  the  control  group.  The 
instruction  was  carried  on  in  the  usual  method  of 
daily  assignments,  class  recitation  and  dscussion,  and 
supervised  class  study.  No  motion  pictures  or  lan- 
tern slides  were  shown  to  this  group. 

The  second  of  these  classes,  which  also  had  twenty- 
nine  pupils,  served  as  Experimental  Group  I.  The 
instruction  to  this  group  was  similar  to  that  of  the 
control  group  with  the  exception  that  motion  pictures 
and  lantern  slides  were  shown.  Experimental  Group 
I  served  to  test  the  first  objective  of  the  experiment, 
namely,  whether  the  use  of  visual  aids  in  the  conven- 
tional classroom  would  help  the  students  acquire  more 
knowledge. 

The  third  class,  in  which  there  were  only  twenty- 
two  pupils,  served  as  Experimental  Group  II.  The 
instruction  of  this  group  was  radically  different  from 


the  instruction  of  the  other  two.  Experimental  Group 
II  was  given  no  outside  or  homework  assignments,  the 
class  was  conducted  entirely  in  the  informal  lecture- 
discussion  method,  and  the  motion  pictures  and  lan- 
tern slides,  instead  of  the  textbook,  were  the  basis  of 
the  instruction.  This  group  served  to  test  the  second 
objective  of  the  experiment,  namely,  whether  the  use 
of  visual  aids  with  a  modified  teaching  technique  and 
class  plan,  would  be  better  than  visual  aids  in  the 
conventional  class  plan. 

In  order  to  determine  how  closely  these  groups  were 
equated,  according  to  their  general  intelligence  and 
ability  in  geography,  three  com])arisons  were  used. 
First,  their  intelligence  scores  were  foimd ;  second,  a 
standard  test  in  United  States  geography  was  given 
to  them ;  and  third,  they  were  all  given  a  pre-test  on 
the  unit  of  instruction  on  which  the  experiment  was 
based,  "The  Insular  Possessions  of  the  United  States." 
A  comparison  of  these  three  items  is  given  in  tabu- 
lated form  below. 

A  Comparison  of  the  General  Ability 
of  the  Three  Groups 

Means  Used  to  Expert-       Experi- 

Compare   the  Control        mental        mental 

Three  Groups  Group         Group  1      Group  2 

Median   Intelligence 

Scores  106  99  97 

Median  Scores  on  Stand- 
ard Test  in  U.S.  Geog- 
raphy.   Perfect  Score  55>^  53  51>4 
would  have  been  75. 

Median  Scores  on  Pre- 

Test  of  "The  Insular 

Possessions  of  the  U.S."         31  27  23>^ 

Perfect  Score  is  79. 

From  the  foregoing  it  can  be  assumed  that  the 
Control  Group  had  the  highest  general  ability,  the 
Experimental  Group  I  the  second  highest,  and  the 
Experimental  Group  II  the  lowest  general  ability. 
Thus  it  would  naturally  be  expected  that  these  groups 
would  show  a  corresponding  gain  in  any  unit  of  in- 
struction, and  that  their  median  scores  on  the  end-test 
at  the  conclusion  of  this  experiment,  would  be  in  a 
similar  descending  order. 

To  accurately  measure  the  increase  in  knowledge 
of  these  three  classes,  the  same  test  was  used  before 
and  after  the  exjjeriment.  The  test  was  devised  very 
carefully  and  was  of  the  multiple  choice  type  with 
five  possible  answers  for  each  question.  None  of  these 
answers  was  ridiculous  or  so  wrong  that  any  person 
of   average   intelligence   might   be   able   to   choose   at 


Page  138 

once  the  right  one ;  in  fact,  in  ahnost  every  case,  any 
of  the  five  answers  could  reasonably  have  been  select- 
ed as  correct  by  a  person  who  did  not  have  some 
knowledge  of  the  subject.  The  questions  were  almost 
all  factual  instead  of  thought  provoking  as  it  was 
believed  the  former  were  a  truer  test  of  the  infor- 
mation and  knowledge  acquired. 

The  results  of  the  experiment  as  indicated  by  the 
scores  on  the  end-test  are  in  exactly  opposite  order  to 
the  results  that  might  be  expected  to  the  general  abil- 
ities of  the  three  groups.  These  results  show  an  ad- 
vantage for  the  use  of  motion  pictures  and  lantern 
slides,  as  well  as  a  decided  advantage  for  a  modified 
teaching  technique  and  class  plan  in  the  use  of  visual 
aids.  Experimental  Group  II,  having  the  modified 
teaching  technique  and  class  plan,  in  which  the  instruc- 
tion was  based  on  the  visual  aids,  made  the  highest 
scores.  Experimental  Group  I,  which  also  saw  the 
films  and  slides,  but  which  depended  mostly  on  the 
text  and  the  conventional  teaching  methods,  made 
the  second  highest  scores.  The  Control  Group  which 
saw  no  films  or  slides  made  the  lowest  scores.  A  com- 
plete comparison  of  the  pre-test  and  end-test  scores, 
together  with  the  gain  and  the  per  cent  of  gain,  is 
shown  in  the  table  below. 

Tabulated  Results  of  the  Experiment 
Prc-Test  and  Expert-      Expcr'i- 

End-Test  Control        mental        mental 

Tabulations  Group         Group  1      Group  2 

Median  Score  on 
Pre-test  31  27  235^ 


Median  Score  on 
End-Test 

59 

63 

68>4 

Gain  in  Points 
Per  cent  of  Gain 

28 

90% 

36 

133% 

45 
191% 

It  is  significant  that  the  highest  score  on  the  end- 
test,  as  well  as  the  greatest  gain,  was  made  by  Ex- 
perimental Group  II,  which  made  the  lowest  score  on 
the  pre-test  and  showed  the  lowest  general  ability.  As 
was  previously  mentioned,  this  group  had  no  outside 
work  or  daily  home  work  assignments.  Whether  or 
not  the  members  of  this  group  read  their  texts  out- 
side of  class  or  consulted  reference  books  cannot  be 
definitely  known;  at  least  they  were  not  required  to 
hand  in  paper  work  or  be  responsible  for  the  informa- 
tion on  certain  pages  of  the  text.  It  is  presumed  that 
the  information  and  knowledge  they  acquired  was  all 
learned  in  class  with  the  principal  aid  of  motion  pic- 
tures and  lantern  slides.  All  the  lecturing  and  dis- 
cussion in  this  class  was  centered  on  the  visual  aids. 
The  fact  that  this  class  had  seven  pupils  less  than 
the  other  classes  might  have  been  one  of  the  reasons 
for  their  great  gain.  However,  it  is  thought  this  really 
had  little  or  no  bearing  as  it  is  generally  conceded 
there  is  slight  difference  in  teaching  a  class  of  twenty 
or  thirty. 

The  question  naturally  arises  as  to  the  reasons  why 
Experimental  Group  I,  which  had  the  advantage  of 


The  Educational  Screen 

daily  home  work  assignments  and  the  visual  aids,  did 
not  show  the  greatest  gain  or  at  least  the  highest  end- 
test  scores.  One  reason  is  probably  because  a  certain 
amount  of  time  was  lost  in  making  and  explaining  the 
daily  assignments,  and  this  lost  time  prohibited  a  com- 
plete explanation  and  dissertation  of  the  visual  aids. 
Another  reason  Experimental  Group  I  did  not  show  as 
high  results  as  did  Experimental  Group  II,  is  possibly 
due  to  the  fact  that  the  home  work  assignments,  de^ 
signed  to  give  them  a  thorough  and  complete  knowl- 
edge of  the  subject  matter,  may  have  been  done  in  the 
usual  perfunctory  and  disinterested  manner. 

The  second  reason  advanced  for  the  inferior] 
achievements  of  Experimental  Group  I  can  also  be 
ascribed  to  the  Control  Group,  which  made  the  lowest 
scores  on  the  end-test.  In  addition,  however,  it  can 
be  assumed  that  the  greatest  contributing  factor  to  the 
poor  showing  of  the  control  group  is  the  fact  that 
this  group  saw  no  motion  pictures  or  lantern  slides. 

Every  effort  was  made  to  keep  the  three  classes 
from  sensing  that  an  experiment  was  being  conducted 
for  it  was  feared  a  spirit  of  competition  might  have 
seriously  interfered.  It  was  also  thought  the  Control 
Group  might  have  been  disappointed  in  not  being  al- 
lowed to  see  the  films  and  slides  shown  to  the  other 
groups,  so  each  of  the  experimental  classes  was  asked 
not  to  mention  to  anyone  that  they  were  being  shown 
pictures.  As  far  as  it  was  possible  to  ascertain,  none 
of  the  three  classes  was  aware  that  the  others  had  or 
had  not  visual  aids  and  there  was  no  evidence  of  a  com- 
petitive spirit.  The  writer  made  a  particular  effort  to 
see  that  all  the  subject  matter  was  carefully  covered  in 
each  class  and  that  there  was  no  motivation  of  any 
of  the  groups. 

In  addition  to  the  increase  in  knowledge  and  in- 
formation evidenced  by  the  two  experimental  groups, 
there  were  no  doubt  other  advantages  such  as  new  in- 
terests and  attitudes,  none  of  which  could  very  easily 
or  accurately  be  measured.  The  thoughtful  questions 
asked  by  the  students  in  the  two  experimental  groups, 
as  well  as  their  genuine  interest  and  enthusiasm  in  the 
class  work,  are  somewhat  indicative  of  these  advan- 
tages. \\'hether  these  two  experimental  groups  will  re- 
tain more  than  the  control  group  cannot  be  determined 
now.  Former  experimental  evidence  has  shown  that 
teaching  with  the  supplement  of  visual  aids  does  favor 
retention.  It  is  planned  to  check  this  factor  by  testing 
these  three  groups  again  at  the  beginning  of  the  school 
year  in  September.* 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  encountered  in  con- 
ducting this  experiment  was  in  securing  the  desired 
motion  pictures  and  lantern  slides.  Those  used  were 
selected  from  a  very  large  offering,  and  with  only  one 
or  two  exceptions  could  they  be  called  entirely  satis- 
factory. That  visual  aids  in  teaching  are  a  decided  ad- 
vantage is  probably  very  evident,  but  until  a  far  great- 


I 


♦Unfortunately  the  September  tests  were  never  given,  as 
Mr.  Halsev  left  Hammond  High  School  in  June  to  join 
the  faculty  of  Morgan  Park  Military  Academy   in  Chicago. 


May,  1936 


Page  139 


er  number  of  really  good  teaching* films  and  slides  are 
produced,  it  would  seem  that  great  strides  in  visual 
education  cannot  be  expected.  The  writer  has  often 
wondered  why  motion  pictures  and  slides  could  not 
be  produced  along  with  the  textbooks  and  one  set  sold 
to  each  school  system  which  adopts  the  text. 

In  summary  of  this  experiment  it  can  be  said  the 
evidence  definitely  shows  that  visual  aids  are  an  advan- 
tage in  teaching,  as  was  shown  by  the  results  with 
Experimental  Group  I.  However,  in  order  to  achieve 
the  best  results  with  visual  aids  the  ordinary  teach- 
ing methods  and  classroom  management  need  to  be 
modified  as  was  shown  by  the  results  with  Experi- 
mental Group  II. 

Just  what  this  modified  teaching  technique  and  class 
plan  is,  and  how  it  functions,  might  be  controversal. 
The  plan  used  with  Experimental  Group  II  was  to 
lecture  at  the  beginning  of  the  class  on  the  subject 
for  that  day.  Then  the  films  and  slides  were  projected 
and  the  various  scenes  carefully  explained  and  elab- 
orated. While  the  pictures  were  being  shown  many 
questions  were  asked  and  very  often  spirited  discus- 
sions occurred.  Always  at  these  moments  the  slides 
were  left  projected  and  the  films  stopped  or  rim  over. 
If  any  time  remained  after  the  pictures  were  shown 
some  of  the  more  difficult  matters  were  again  dis- 
cussed. Whether  this  method  is  the  best  in  using 
visual  aids  is  by  no  means  certain  and  it  is  quite  pos- 
sible that  some  other  plan  might  be  superior. 

The  fact  that  no  outside  or  home  work  assignments 
were  made  in  Experimental  Group  II  should  not  be 
over-emphasized.  To  say  that  a  given  class,  instructed 
with  visual  aids  and  a  modified  teaching  technique,  can 
learn  more  than  a  class  similarly  instructed  but  in 
which  outside  work  is  assigned,  is  of  course  educa- 
tionally unsound.  In  this  experiment.  Experimental 
Group  II  was  given  no  outside  work  merely  to  show- 
that  such  work  is  not  always  necessary  and  that  with 
visual  aids  it  can  be  eliminated  with  no  loss  of 
learning.  Following  are  actual  questions  used  in  test- 
ing the  groups. 

A   General   Study   Of   Our   Insular   Possessions 

1.  Which  of  our  larger  island  possessions  is  in  the  Car- 
ibbean Sea?  (1)  Hawaii  (2)  Guam  (3)  Phillipines  (4) 
Porto  Rico  (5)   Samoa 

2.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  is  approximately  in 
the  middle  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  frequently  called 
"The  crossroads  of  the  Pacific?"  (1)  Samoa  (2)  Vir- 
gin Islands  (3)   Guam   (4)   Phillipines   (5)  Hawaii 

3.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  is  closest  to  China  and 
Japan?    (1)    Hawaii    (2)    Guam   (3)    Virgin   Islands   (4) 

Phillipines    (5)    Samoa 

4.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  is  important  only  as 
a  landing  place  for  the  Pacific  cable,  a  coaling  sta- 
tion, and  a  naval  base?  (1)  Porto  Rico  (2)  Hawaii  (3) 
Guam    (4)    Phillipines    (S)    Samoa 

5.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  has  the  greatest  un- 
developed source  of  mineral  wealth?  (1)  Porto  Rico 
(2)  Hawaii  (3)  Phillipines  (4)  Samoa  (5)  Virgin 
Islands 

6.  Which  of  our  island  possessions,  formerly  called  The 
Sandwich  Islands,  and  which  were  first  a  Kingdom  and 


later  a  republic,  asked  to  be  annexed  to  our   country? 

(1)  Hawaii   (2)   Phillipines   (3)    Porto  Rico  (4)   Samoa 
(5)    Virgin    Islands 

7.  Under  what  circumstances  did  United  States  get  con- 
trol of  most  of  its  island  possessions?  (1)  Seizure  by 
force  (2)  Purchased  (3)  .Annexation  (4)  Result  of 
Spanish-American  War  (5)    Land  Trades 

8.  What  is  the  attitude  of  the  United  States  government 
to  its  island  possessions?   (1)    Encourage   independence 

(2)  Dominance    (3)    Exploitation    (4)    Carelessness    (5) 
Valuable   only   as   naval   bases 

9.  On  which  of  our  island  possessions  is  there  a  leper 
settlement?  (1)  Guam  (2)  Porto  Rico  (3)  Samoa  (4) 
Hawaii    (5)    Phillipines 

10.  What  kinds  of  men  are  frequently  chosen  as  governors 
of  our  smaller  island  possessions?  (1)  Army  officers 
(2)  \aval  officers  (3)  Marine  officers  (4)  Officers  of  the 
Counsellor  service  (5)  Political  friends  of  the  Presi- 
dent 

11.  In  which  of  our  island  possessions  are  the  houses 
raised  above  the  ground  because  of  the  extreme  damp- 
ness? (1)  Porto  Rico  (2)  Guam  (3)  Hawaii  (4)  Philli- 
pines   (S)    Samoa 

12.  Why  is  the  climate  in  most  of  our  island  possessions, 
all  of  which  are  in  the  tropical  zone,  described  as 
warm  and  equable  instead  of  hot  and  torrid?  (1)  High 
altitude  (2)  Heavy  rainfall  (3)  Extensive  forests  (4) 
Influence   of  ocean   and   winds    (5)    Low   humidity 

13.  In  which  of  the  island  groups  has  our  system  of  educa- 
tion and  scientific  training  been  most  successful?  (1) 
Phillipines    (2)    Porto   Rico    (3)    Panama    Canal    Zone 

(4)  Guam   (5)    Samoa 

14.  Which  of  the  island  possessions  of  United  States  is 
farthest  away  from  the  mainland  of  our  country?  (1) 
Panama  Canal  Zone  (2)  Samoa  (3)  Porto  Rico  (4) 
Hawaii    (5)    Phillipines 

15.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  is  nearest  to  the 
mainland  of  our  country?  (1)  Virgin  Islands  (2)  Porto 
Rico   (3)    Midway    (4)    Wake   (S)    Samoa 

16.  Which  of  our  island  possessions  is  most  frequently 
disturbed    by    typhoons,    hurricanes,    and    earthquakes? 

(1)  Phillipines    (2)    Hawaii    (3)    Porto   Rico    (4)    Pan- 
ama  Canal    (5)    Samoa 

17.  Which  of  all  our  island  possessions  is  considered  the 
best  naval   base  and   military   outpost?    (1)    Porto   Rico 

(2)  Phillipines  (3)  Hawaii  (4)  Guam  (S)  Virgin  Islands 

A   Study   of   Porto    Rico 

1.  Who  discovered  Porto  Rico?  (1)  Balboa  (2)  Drake  (3) 
Magellan  (4)  Columbus  (5)  DeSoto 

2.  What  is  Porto  Rico's  most  important  export?  (1)  Sugar 
(2)    Rice    (3)    Tobacco    (4)    Bananas    (5)    Pineapples 

3.  What  is  the  most  important  city  in  Porto  Rico?  (1) 
Ponce    (2)    Mayaguez    (3)    Rio   Piedras    (4)    San   Juan 

(5)  St.  Thomas 

4.  Which  word  best  describes  the  climate  of  Porto  Rico? 
(1)   Varied   (2)    Cool   (3)   Hot    (4)   Cold   (5)   Warm 

5.  What   does   Porto  Rico  mean   translated   into   English? 

(1)  Port    of    Rocks     (2)    Port    of    Riots    (3)     Port    of 
Riches   (4)    Port  of  Rice    (S)   Port   of  Robbers 

6.  Which  of  the  following  words  best  describes  the  topo- 
graphy of  Porto  Rico?   (1)  Mountainous  and  Hilly  (2) 

(2)  Extremely  rugged   (3)    Flat  (4)   Rolling  (5)    High 
regular  plateau 

7.  What  state  is  appro.ximately  equal  in  size  to  Porto 
Rico?  (1)  Te.xas  (2)  Connecticut  (3)  Rhode  Island  (4) 
Indiana   (S)    California 

8.  What  kinds  of  people  are  found  in  greatest  numbers 
in  Porto  Rico?  (1)  Negroes  (2)  Mulattoes  (3)  Whites 
(4)Malayans  (5)    Indians 


Page  140 


The  Educational  Screen 


9.  Approximately  what  is  the  population  of  Porto  Rico? 
(1)  100,000  (2)  750,000  (3)  1,500,000,  (4)  3,000,000  (5) 
4,500,000 

10.  What  is  the  leading  industry  in  Porto  Rico?  (1)  Cigar 
making  (2)  Rug  making  (3)  Pottery  making  (4)  Farm- 
ing   (5)    Fishing 

11.  How  has  the  United  States  government  aided  the  Porto 
Rican  industries?  (1)  Provides  free  fishing  vessels  (2) 
reduced  taxes  (3)  Established  experimental  agriculture 
stations  (4)  Sells  American  machinery  at  cost  (5)  Sends 
Porto   Ricans   to   colleges   in  United   States 

12.  In  which  sections  of  Porto  Rico  is  the  rainfall  heaviest? 
(1)  Northern  (2)  Southern  (3)  Eastern  (4)  Western 
(5)     Central 

13.  What  disease  is  most  prevalent  in  Porto  Rico?  (1) 
Cholera  (2)  Malaria  (3)  Hookworm  (4)  Beri-beri  (5) 
Pallagra 

A  Study  of  Hawaii 

1.  To  what  do  the  Hawaiian  Isands  owe  their  origin? 
(1)  Earthquakes  (2)  Coral  growth  (3)  Volcanoes  (4) 
Meteors    (5)    Diastrophism 

2.  How  many  islands  are  there  in  the  Hawaiian  group? 
(1)  One  (2)  Three  (3)  Nine  (4)  Fifteen  (5)  Twenty- 
one 

3.  What   is   the  name  of  the   highest   mountain   in  Hawaii 


which  is  an  active  volcano?  (1)  Mauna  Kea  (2)  Kilauea 
(3)   Molokai   (4)    Mauna  Loa   (5)    Kauai 

4.  Which  word  best  describes  the  climate  of  Hawaii?  (1) 
Varied    (2)    Cool   (3)   Hot    (4)   Cold    (5)   Warm 

5.  Which  part  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  receives  the  most 
rainfall?  (1)  Northeastern  (2)  Southeastern  (3)  South- 
western   (4)    Northwestern   (5)    Central 

6.  What  is  Hawaii's  leading  export?  (1)  Pineapples  (2) 
Rice    (3)    Sugar    (4)    Cofifee    (5)    Cocoanuts 

7.  What  is  the  most  important  city  in  Hawaii?  (1)  Pearl 
Harbor  (2)  Hilo   (3)  Wakiki  (4)  Honolulu  (S)  Waimea 

8.  How  does  the  area  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  compare 
with  the  area  of  Porto  Rico?  (1)  One-half  as  large  (2) 
Equal  (3)  Twice  as  large  (4)  Three  times  as  large 
(5)    Five   times    as    large 

9.  Approximately  what  is  the  population  of  Hawaii?  (1) 
100,000    (2)   200,000   (3)    300,000   (4)   400,000    (5)    500,000 

10.  What  nationality  is  most  numerously  represented  in 
Hawaii's  population?  (1)  Chinese  (2)  Japanese  (3) 
F'ilipinos    (4)    Americans    (5)     Europeans 

11.  What  is  Hawaii's  chief  industry?  (1)  Farming  (2) 
Making  flower  girdles  (3)  Mining  (4)  Tourist  trade 
(5)  Making    surf    boards 

12.  In  which  sport  are  Hawaiian  natives  most  proficient? 
(1)  Diving  (2)  Swimming  (3)  Surf  board  riding  (4) 
Rowing    (5)    Canoeing 


The  Rebel  Rangers    on  School  Journeys 


THE  WHISTLE  blows,  a  hurried  check  of  the 
roll  is  made,  and  the  big  thirty-five  passenger  bus 
starts  for  a  week-end  on  a  big  cattle  ranch,  sev- 
enty-five miles  from  Denver.  The  early  part  of  the  trip 
lies  through  the  foot  hills  near  Denver,  an  area  quite 
familiar  to  the  members  of  South  High  School's  Rebel 
Rangers.  As  we  drive  along,  songs  of  every  descrip- 
tion, games  and  the  happy  chatter  of  thirty-five  boys 
and  girls  starting  for  a  week-end  camping  trip,  fill 
the  bus. 

Arriving  at  our  destination  about  noon,  lunches 
which  have  been  prepared  at  home,  are  eaten.  Then, 
places  where  they  expect  to  sleep  at  night  are  chosen 
and  beds  are  prepared.  On  this  trip,  we  have  the 
opportunity  of  sleeping  in  real  Indian  tepees  on  beds 
of  pine  needles  gathered  from  the  nearby  forest. 
While  the  beds  are  being  made,  a  part  of  the  group 
go  for  a  horseback  ride  under  the  leadership  of  an 
old  cowboy  who  is  an  expert  teacher.  Others  of  the 
group  gather  wood,  and  still  others  engage  in  a  game 
of  football  or  baseball,  as  their  tastes  dictate.  During 
the  afternoon  everyone  obtains  a  chance  to  spend  some 
time  on  the  back  of  a  good  Western  horse. 

Supper  is  eaten  as  the  last  rays  of  the  sun  gleam 
behind  Colorado's  mighty  mountains  in  a  gorgeous 
sunset.  When  supper  is  over  and  the  dishes  washed, 
we  gather  inside  one  of  the  big  Indian  tepees  for  a 
period  of  singing  followed  by  entertaining  stories  of 
the  American  Indian  by  our  host,  one  of  America's 
foremost  Indian  authorities.     Then,  an  opportunity  to 


By      ROBERT      COLLIER,      JR. 

Sponsor,    South    High    School,    Denver,    Colorado 

square  dance  in  the  lights  of  the  truck,  softened  by  a 
waning  half-moon.  Finally,  some  more  singing 
around  the  council  fire  before  the  time  comes  to  roll 
up  in  our  blankets  and  go  to  sleep. 

Up  with  the  dawn,  everyone  is  soon  ready  for  a 
good  breakfast  of  fresh  fruit,  oatmeal,  french  toast, 
and  cocoa.  Following  breakfast,  the  bed  rolls  are 
made  and  loaded  in  the  truck,  and  by  that  time  our 
host  arrives  with  sufficient  Indian  head  bonnets  and 
Indian  equipment  to  dress  the  entire  group  in  the 
fascinating,  colorful  dress  of  the  first  inhabitants  of 
our  country.  Several  hours  are  spent  in  learning 
Indian  dances  and  songs  from  our  most  able  teacher. 
Then  for  a  hearty  dinner  of  steak,  salad,  pie  and 
fixings,  and  the  return  trip  is  started. 

Thus,  a  large  group  of  boys  and  girls  of  South 
High  School  have  sjjent  a  week-end  that  they  will 
never  forget  as  long  as  they  live. 

Organized  seven  years  ago.  the  "Rebel  Rangers" 
now  niunber  one  hundred  picked  boys  and  girls  from 
the  student  body  of  South  High  School.  During  the 
school  year,  the  group  makes  about  three  thousand 
miles  in  the  big  Ranger  bus,  going  to  many  of  the 
scenic  and  historic  spots  in  Colorado  for  days  of 
happy  enjoyment  and  the  finest  kind  of  "visual  and 
sensory  education." 

Every  year,  a  trip  is  made  to  the  famous  Carlsbad 
Caverns  located  seven  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from 
Denver  in  the  southeast  corner  of  New  Mexico.  En- 
route  to   Carlsbad,   the   Rangers  visit  such  places  of 


May,  1936 


Page  141 


interest  as  Taos,  with  its  ancient  Indian  Pueblos,  and 
Lincoln,  New  Mexico,  famous  as  the  town  of  Billy 
the  Kid. 

The  question  naturally  arises  in  the  minds  of  par- 
ents and  educators  as  to  how  it  is  possible,  in  these 
days,  to  conduct  a  group  of  boys  and  girls  on  such 
excursions  away  from  school  and  parents.  In  the  first 
place,  when  the  Rangers  were  founded,  certain  ideals 
were  adopted  by  the  boys  and  girls  as  being  essential 
to  such  an  organization.  It  was  agreed  that  there 
would  be  no  pairing  off,  that  under  no  consideration 


The  "Rebel  Rangers"  at  Carlsbad   Caverns 

would  there  be  any  smoking,  that  everyone  would 
stay  with  the  sponsor  in  charge,  and  that  the  actions 
of  every  person,  for  which  they  themselves  were  re- 
sponsible, would  be  beyond  reproach.  These  ideals 
have  been  jealously  guarded  by  the  members  of  the 
group. 

New  members  are  taken  in  annually  by  application, 
signed  by  the  parents  as  well  as  the  applicant  himself. 
These  applications  state  that  the  individual  under- 
stands what  is  expected  of  him  and  that  he  agrees 
to  abide  by  the  rules  of  the  group.  Following  this 
application,  the  applicant  must  go  on  one  over  night 
trip,  during  which  he  is  carefully  judged  as  to  his 
capabilities,  willingness  to  cooperate  and  his  general 
attitude  when  he  is  on  a  trip.  Following  the  "applicant 
trip,"  he  is  voted  upon  by  the  group  as  to  his  fitness  for 
membership.  If  he  is  acceptable,  he  is  taken  into  the 
group  as  a  junior  member,  and  is  given  the  opportun- 
ity to  further  prove  himself  worthy  of  the  right  to 
wear  the  Ranger  insignia  by  remaining  a  junior  mem- 
ber for  four  months.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  he  is 
formally  voted  a  member  of  the  Rebel  Rangers. 

The  activity  of  the  group  consists  of  a  monthly 
get-together  or  party  which  is  usually  held  in  the 
school  gymnasium.  All  sorts  of  games  are  played, 
varying  from  quiet  games  to  the  more  active  games, 
such  as  "Poison",  "Dodge  Ball",  "Swat  to  the  Right", 
and  in  fact,  any  sort  of  a  game  is  enjoyed  which  gives 
the  individual  the  opportunity  to  run  and  yell  to  his 
heart's  content. 

The  Rebel  Rangers  also  have  adopted  the  idea  of 
the  old  fashioned  dances  of  the  Western  Pioneers, 
who,   in  the  long  nights  about  the  camp  fire  after  a 


day's  struggle  towards  the  promised  land  of  gold,  used 
to  enjoy  the  old  fashioned  American  square  dances. 
The  Rangers  have  developed  a  square  dance  exhibi- 
tion grou]),  and  are  constantly  sought  by  various  clubs 
and  organizations.  To  be  chosen  for  this  is  a  signal 
honor  and  competition  is  keen.  These  square  dancers 
have  been  known  to  give  up  invitations  to  college 
farternity  formals  in  order  to  participate  in  such  a 
square  dance. 

Other  activities  that  we  enjoy  were  made  possible 
by  the  purchase  of  the  Rebel  Ranger  bus.  This  big 
thirty-five  passenger  bus  was  found  hidden  away  in  a 
garage  where  it  had  stood  for  five  years  vvithout  turn- 
ing a  wheel.  To  raise  the  necessary  cash  with  which 
to  buy  the  bus,  each  member  contributed  five  dollars. 
This  money  is  refunded  yearly  as  new  members  come 
in  and  old  ones  graduate.  By  the  use  of  the  bus,  we 
constantly  have  transportation  available  for  thirty-five 
boys  and  girls.  We  are  thus  free  from  the  necessity 
of  asking  parents  for  their  automobiles  and  of  the 
danger  involved  by  using  immature  drivers  who  are 
apt  to  have  an  accident  on  the  crowded  highways.  If 
an  individual  does  take  his  car,  he  must  always  stay 
with  the  bus  and  is  under  the  same  regulations  as 
apply  for  those  in  the  bus. 

The  expense  of  a  trip  varies  according  to  the  na- 
ture of  it.  Seldom  do  trips  run  more  than  fifty  cents 
for  a  day  trip  or  more  than  two  dollars  for  a  camping 
trip.  Food  is  provided  for  the  entire  group  and  each 
member  always  takes  his  turn  in  assisting  in  the  prep- 
aration of  meals. 

Many  interesting  activities  besides  these  mentioned, 
are  carried  on.  Our  first  interest  in  the  winter  is 
skiing,  while  skating  and  toboganning  have  their  places. 
Rock  climbing,  with  the  proper  handling  of  ropes,  is 
very  much  in  favor  with  the  boys  and  girls,  if  not 
with  their  more  sedate  parents.  Horseback  riding, 
swimming,  target  practice  on  the  high  school  range 
are  included.  Once  a  year  a  big  dinner  is  held,  at 
which  time  parents  and  friends  of  the  Rangers  are 
invited.  Motion  pictures  have  been  taken  of  the  ac- 
tivities of  the  group  and  these  always  add  consider- 
able interest  to  the  meetings  with  the  parents. 

The  question  arises  as  to  the  value  of  such  a  pro- 
gram. Believing  that  any  sort  of  a  program  which 
can  insure  clean,  wholesome  fun  for  boys  and  girls  of 
high  school  age  is  worthwhile,  and  that  if  our  high 
school  people  can  be  shown  the  fact  that  it  is  not  nec- 
essary to  spend  a  great  deal  of  money  to  have  a  good 
time,  and  that  good  times  are  possible  without  cigar- 
ettes, liquor,  and  the  many  so-called  necessities  which 
accompany  such  activities  of  today,  we  feel  that  such 
an  organization  is  worthwhile.  It  requires  careful 
supervision  on  the  part  of  those  who  are  members. 
Our  boys  and  girls  believe  that  these  good  times  may 
be  enjoyed  if  the  price  is  paid,  and  that  the  price  for 
such  activities  may  be  expressed  in  the  two  words  "Be 
decent". 

Besides  values  of  the  sort  mentioned  above  a  pro- 


Page  142 


The  Educational  Screen 


gram  of  this  sort  furnishes  the  most  wonderful  op- 
portunities to  teach  practical  observation  of  the  many 
things  in  life  to  be  learned  from  nature.  Every  rock, 
tree  and  flovv-er  along  the  trails  that  we  follow  has  a 
story  behind  it.  With  the  opportunities  that  present 
themselves  in  our  Colorado  mountains  our  boys  and 
g^rls  soon  learn  to  make  friends  with  the  small  ani- 
mals, to  recognize  many  of  the  beautiful  wild  flowers, 
to  know  the  evergreen  trees  that  they  find,  and  withal, 


develop  the  most  marvelous  love  and  appreciation  of 
nature  that  it  is  possible  to  obtain.  After  all,  many 
of  us  go  through  life  with  our  eyes  closed  to  the 
beauties  of  nature.  In  a  group  of  this  sort,  it  becomes 
a  matter  of  pride  to  learn  and  know  the  birds,  trees 
and  flowers.  Of  course,  such  training  is  bound  to 
carry  on  further  into  life's  situations  as  they  develop. 
The  activities  of  the  Rebel  Rangers,  in  short,  are 
"School  Journeys"  of  ideal  character  and  value. 


A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes 


A  Unit  of  Study  in  Economic  Geosraphy 


THIS  UNIT  has  been  prepared  as  an  aid  to  the 
high  school  teacher  in  assisting  the  pupils  to  a 
better  and  more  thorough  knowledge  of  the  New 
England  capes,  the  people  and  their  industries.  The 
subject  matter  has  been  selected  as  far  as  possible  on 
the  basis  of  its  social  usefulness  and  interest  to  the 
group.  The  objective  underlying  the  preparation  of  this 
unit  is  to  help  the  teacher  realize  the  great  service 
which  visual  aids  rightly  used  in  the  classroom  can  ren- 
der in  arousing  keen  interest  in  the  pupil  and  pro- 
moting natural  learning.  The  spirit  of  the  new  meth- 
ods in  education  is  to  make  use  of  concrete  materials 
so  that  the  learner  is  brought  face  to  face  with  actual 
life  situations.  Visual  instruction  does  not  involve, 
however,  any  drastic  change  in  good  teaching  practice, 
but  merely  the  presenting  of  material  through  the 
"seeing  experience." 

The  scarcity  of  suitable  visual  material  has  been  a 
handicap  un  to  the  present  time.  The  illustrations  in 
the  modern  textbook  are  well  selected  to  represent  ac- 
curacy- and  typical  situations.  However,  the  approach 
to  reality  is  much  more  closely  realized  by  such  visual 
aids  as  the  flat  picture,  maps,  globes,  exhibits,  slides, 
and  motion  pictures  which  are  not  difficult  to  obtain. 

The  set  of  slides,  which  the  author  refers  to  in  the 
teaching  of  this  unit,  were  made  by  him  from  nega- 
tives taken  while  on  a  visit  to  the  New  England  coast. 
These  slides  were  selected  with  a  great  deal  of  care 
and  depict  very  clearly  the  topic  to  which  they  are 
assigned. 

Teaching  Procedure 

The  teacher  should  have  in  mind  the  social  setting 
of  the  unit  and  develop  the  details  only  in  connection 
with  the  background.  The  span  of  attention  of  the 
pupil  is  short.  Each  topic  must  be  made  vital  to  him 
and  a  real  need  for  studying  it  shown.  Simplicity  of 
instruction  and  understanding  for  subject  matter 
should  be  aimed  at  throughout  this  unit  of  work.  The 
immediate  reaction  of  the  pupil  to  a  new  problem  is 
vitally  important.  Each  topic  should  follow  in  such 
a  way  as  to  relate  it  to  the  pupil's  experience,  to  arouse 


By      PAUL      T.      WILLIAMS 

Instructor,    Social    Studies,    High   School,    Ballston   Spa,    New   York 

immediate  curiosity  in  it  and  a  desire  to  learn  more 
about  it. 

In  every  case  the  problem  should  be  presented  with 
an  interesting  approach,  often  in  story  form  followed 
by  the  showing  of  one  or  two  pictures  or  slides.  These 
slides  or  pictures  should  be  selected  very  carefully 
as  to  subject  matter  and  only  a  few  should  be  used 
at  a  time.  These  visual  aids  will  not  reveal  their 
content  at  a  glance.  Each  picture  should  be  carefully 
examined  to  determine  what  questions  it  answers. 
The  title  should  be  carefully  noted.  Facts  unrelated 
to  the  subject  at  hand  should  be  discarded  at  once. 

Visual  aids  furnish  material  for  thought  as  does 
the  printed  page  but  one  great  danger  of  the  printed 
page  is  that  it  usually  does  not  lead  to  imagining. 
These  illustrative  materials  are  designed  to  provoke 
questions  rather  than  answer  them.  They  are  intended 
to  leave  the  pupils  with  much  concrete  material  so 
that  they  will  be  able  to  answer  their  own  questions. 
These  materials  should  be  used  as  a  supplement  to  the 
text  and  not  a  mere  entertainment  for  the  pupils.  The 
motion  picture  has  a  definite  part  in  the  summary  of 
this  unit  in  that  it  brings  together  the  detached 
parts  into  a  single  unit  so  that  the  pupil  gets  a  mental 
grasp  of  the  whole. 

Lesson  I 

The  New  England  coast,  the  ocean,  the  fishing,  the 
boats,  the  people  have  always  been  interesting  to 
people  of  all  ages. 

This  study  of  the  New  England  capes  was  intro- 
duced by  showing  a  picture  of  the  waterfront  at  Glou- 
cester. Massachusetts.  Each  pupil  carefully  studied 
the  content  of  this  picture  which  presented  a  regular 
waterfront  scene  with  its  fishing  wares  and  fishing 
vessels.  They  observed  fish  spread  out  on  long  frames 
in  the  sun  to  dry.  In  the  background  were  marine 
railways  where  the  ships  were  hauled  for  repair,  sea 
gulls  were  flying  out  of  the  harbor  and  in  the  distance 
nets  were  seen  drying  in  the  sun. 

The  teacher  now  showed  a  slide  of  "Half  Moon 
Beach."      He    emphasized    the    various    details    which 


May,  1936 


Page  143 


were  observed  in  this  slide.  He  pointed  out  the  charm 
of  Old  Cape  Ann,  the  natural  beauty  of  its  wooded 
hills  and  the  rugged  and  rocky  shore  line  broken  here 
and  there  with  white  sandy  beaches. 

After  a  brief  discussion  and  comparison  of  the 
physical  features  and  industries  of  this  section  with 
those  of  our  own  locality  the  teacher  gave  a  short  talk 
on  these  sturdy  people  who  for  years  have  gained  their 
living  from  the  great  water  bordering  them.  He  told 
briefly  of  the  hundreds  of  artists  who  visit  this  quaint 
section  yearly  to  paint  these  beautiful  and  indescrib- 
able scenes. 

Next  the  teacher  showed  a  slide  of  a  relief  map  of 
the  New  England  States  and  pointed  out  just  where 
the  capes  are  located.  By  this  time  keen  interest  had 
been  aroused  in  each  individual.  The  pupils  were  now 
eager  to  make  a  further  study  of  this  delightful  sec- 
tion of  the  Old  Bay  State.  With  this  background  the 
teacher  and  pupils  questioned  each  other  as  to  what 
they  should  know  about  the  New  England  capes.  This 
brought  the  teacher  and  class  to  a  discussion  of  ac- 
tivity which  both  understood.  With  this  cooperative 
working  the  following  outline  developed  and  was  writ- 
ten on  the  board. 

A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes 
I — Introduction 

A.  A  study  of  capes  in  general 

1.  Definition  of  a  cape 

2.  Location  of  capes 

3.  Importance  of  capes 

II — Industries  of  the  New  England  Capes 

A.  Fishing 

1.  Kinds  of  fish  caught 

a.  Cod      b.  Mackerel      c.  Lobster      d.  Halibut 
e.  Herring    f.  Haddock 

2.  Location  of  the  fisheries 

a.  The  banks — Cape  Cod  to  Newfoundland 

b.  Cape  Hatteras — to  the  banks 

3.  Methods   employed   in   catching 

4.  Preparation   of   the   fish  for   market 

5.  Chief  centers  of  the  fishing  industry 

6.  The   fishing   season 

7.  Importance  of  fishing 

a.  As  an  occupation 

b.  As  a  food 

c.  As  of  economic  value  to  the  country 

d.  As  a  means  of  livelihood 

B.  Shipbuilding 

1.  History 

2.  Natural  resources 

3.  Economic  value 

a.  New  England 

b.  United    States 

C.  Agriculture 

1.  Types 

2.  Lack  of — reasons 

D.  Tourist  trade 

1.  Hotel    and    cottage 

2.  Artist  colony 

E.  Miscellaneous 

III — Geographical  and   historical  points   of  interest 

A.  Bass   rocks 

B.  Dog   Town   commons 

C.  Rockport  granite  quarries 

D.  Norman's  Woe 


E.  Fisherman's  memorial 

F.  Art  galleries 

G.  Cod  fishing  plant 
H.  Sand  dunes 

I.    Essex    ship   yards 

Lesson  II-IV 

The  pupils  were  now  divided  into  groups  and  refer- 
ence materials  assigned  to  each  group.  Each  pupil 
was  assigned  a  definite  part  of  the  outline  for  report. 

Research  Period 

The  teacher  now  had  a  very  definite  part  not  only  in 
helping  the  pupil  interpret  his  problem  but  in  guiding 
him  in  the  selection  of  material  for  the  preparation  of 
his  part  of  the  assigned  outline.  Textbooks  and  illus- 
trative materials  were  used  to  supplement  each  other. 
Textbooks,  maps,  pictures,  slides,  charts,  were  studied 
very  carefully.  The  pupils  found  the  answers  to  their 
assigned  parts  of  the  problem.  The  subject  matter  was 
organized.  Suitable  maps,  pictures,  sHdes  or  charts 
were  selected  by  each  pupil  for  use  in  presenting  his 
topic  to  the  class. 

Partial  Bibliography 
Bulletin.  Come  to  Old  Cape  Ann  in  Massachusetts. 

The     Cape     Ann     Trail.     Chamber     of     Commerce, 
Gloucester.   Free. 
Bulletin.  Massachusetts  the   Sportsman's  Paradise. 
Colonial   Massachusetts. 

Massachusetts  —  Its     Industrial,    Agricultural     and 
Economic  Resources. 
Vacations  in  the  Country. 

Automobile  Route  Map.    Secretary  of  the  Common- 
wealth,  State  House,  Boston,  Massachusetts.  Free. 
Bulletin.  Rockport  Welcomes  You.  Rockport  Board  of  Trade, 

Rockport,  Massachusetts.  Free. 
Colby,   C.   C,   Foster,  Alice.    Economic   Geography   for   Sec- 
ondary Schools.    Ginn,  New  York.  1931.  1.92. 
Dorris,    Anna    Verona.     Visual    Instruction    in    the    Public 

Schools.    Ginn,  New  York.  1928.  2.64 
Eastman  Classroom  Films.    Teachers'  Guide.  No.  11  A.  East- 
man Kodak  Co.,  Rochester,  New  York. 
Films.    Cod.     Visual    Instruction    Department,    Schenectady, 
New  York. 

Mackerel.  Visual  Instruction  Department,  Schenec- 
tady, New  York. 
National  Geographic,  Dec.  1923.    North  Atlantic  Food  Fish. 

National  Geographic,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Slides.     Half  Moon   Beach,   No.   1 

Map,   New   England   States,   No.  2 
The  Harbor  from  East  Gloucester,  No.  3 
The  Shipyard,  No.  4 
Mending   the   Nets,   No.  5 
Lobster  Fishing,  No.  6 
Packing  Codfish,  No.  7 
The  Artist  at  Work.  No.  8 
The  Bay,  No.  9 
The   Artist's    Study,   No.    10 
(Slides  made  by   the   author) 
Stamp,    L.    L.    Intermediate    Commercial    Geography.    Long- 
mans, New  York  1932  5.00 
Staples,   L.   C,   York,   G.   M.   Economic   Geography.    South- 
western Publishing,  New  York.   1934  1.49 
Visual   Instruction   Bulletin.    Department  of   Education,   Co- 
lumbus, Ohio.    Free. 
Whitbeck,  R.  H.  Industrial  Geography.  American   Book  Co., 
New  York.   1931.  1.38 

(To  be  concluded  in  June) 


Page  144 


The  Church  Field 


A  Collese  Dramatic  Club  Enters  The  Movies 


The  Educational  Screen 


Conducted  by  MARY  BEAHIE  BRADY 

Director,    Harmon    Foundation,    New   York   City 


"THE  publicity  departments  of  most  colleges  have 
'  long  been  using  motion  pictures  of  football  games, 
pageants,  and  various  campus  activities  to  arouse  the 
interest  of  prospective  students,  but  few  colleges  have 
awakened  to  the  educational  and  religious  values  to 
under-graduates  which  creative  work  in  motion  pic- 
tures may  otfer.  The  Wesleyan  Players,  dramatic 
club  of  Ohio  W'esleyan  University,  under  the  direction 
of  Professor  R.  C.  Hunter  and  with  the  cooperation 
of  The  Religious  Motion  Picture  Foundation,  has 
recently  participated  in  a  motion  picture  experiment 
directed  in  part  at  the  development  of  these  values. 
The  two-reel  16mm  film  which  they  made  is  a  story 
of  college  life,  The  Education  of  Steve  Smith. 

The  experiment  was  designed  to  test  a  plan  de- 
veloped by  the  Harmon  Foundation  for  the  crafts- 
manlike production  by  an  amateur  group  of  purpose- 
ful motion  pictures  suitable  for  church  use.  In  addition 
to  this  it  was  hoped  that  light  would  be  shed  on  such 
problems  as  preparation  of  suitable  scenarios  by  mem- 
bers of  such  a  group,  the  development  of  a  technical 
staff,  the  amount  of  adjustment  required  for  stage 
actors  to  become  film  actors,  and  the  value  of  the  film 
to  other  organizations.  The  plan,  as  developed,  called 
for  the  production  of  film  versions  of  Biblical  stories 
or  dramatizations  of  young  people's  problems,  all  of 
the  work  from  scenario  writing  to  the  filming  and  edit- 
ing of  the  picture  to  be  done  by  the  young  people 
themselves. 

Obviously  the  production  of  a  film  along  these  lines 
has  good  recreational  value,  since  it  is  an  interesting 
activity  offering  to  an  almost  unlimited  number  of 
people  a  wide  variety  of  outlets  for  creative  energy, 
such  as  writing,  photography,  costuming,  acting  and 
directing.  The  plan  further  sviggests  that  the  entire 
group  carefully  study  the  subject  of  the  picture  before 
the  actual  filming  begins.  For  example,  if  a  Bible  story 
is  to  be  filmed,  a  committee  is  to  be  appointed  to  re- 
port back  to  the  group  on  how  the  best  commentaries 
and  Bible  encyclopaedias  interpret  it.  If  the  story  is  to 
concern  some  problem  common  to  young  peojjle,  they 
are  to  consult  accredited  books  on  the  subject.  The 
actors  may  be  asked  to  prepare  papers  on  the  char- 
acters they  are  to  portray,  explaining  the  motives  of 
the  characters  and  the  significance  of  these  motives 
in  the  development  of  the  story.  Papers  may  also 
be  prepared  by  other  members  covering  costumes, 
scenery,  customs,  and  anything  that  may  aid  in  making 
the  picture  authentic  or  that  will  indicate  what  should 
be  the  major  emphasis  of  the  picture.  All  this  material 


is  to  be  thoroughly  discussed  by  the  group  even  before 
the  scenario  is  completed. 

This  type  of  research  was  suggested  because  it 
was  believed  that  this  work  done  under  the  stimulus 
of  motion  picture  production  would  bring  to  members 
of  the  group  valuable  information,  points  of  view, 
and  experience  which  they  would  not  be  likely  to  gain 
in  other  ways,  and  because  it  would  make  for  au- 
thenticity and  quality  in  the  production.  This  latter 
point  is  important  because  it  is  expected  that  the  com- 
pleted pictures  will  be  made  available  to  other  groups, 
so  that  organizations  with  good  leadership  and  facilities 
for  dramatic  productions  will  be  able  to  share  these 
advantages  with  less  fortunate  groups.  These  groups 
might  be  expected  in  turn  to  add  to  the  value  of  the 
film  by  studying  the  best  ways  of  using  them  for 
educational  and  religious  purposes.  They  may  outline 


Professor   White   and   Steve,   two   characters    from   "The 
Education    of   Steve    Smith" 

subjects  for  discussion,  services  of  worship,  musical 
accompaniments,  or  projects  to  be  carried  out  in  con- 
nection with  the  showing  of  the  film. 

The  plan  was  first  tried  out  in  cooperation  with 
Berea  College  in  1934,  a  short  Biblical  film,  The 
Calling  of  Matthezv,  being  produced.  Results  were  en- 
couraging, but  the  experiment  was  handicapped  owing 
to  the  closely  integrated  academic  and  self-help  pro- 
gram which  makes  it  difficult  to  get  a  considerable 
number  of  students  together  frequently  for  intensive 
work  over  a  short  period  of  time. 

To  repeat  the  experiment  in  a  new  field,  the  Foun- 
dation began  negotiating  with  Professor  Hunter  in 
the  fall  of  1934.  Arrangements  were  made  which  cul- 
minated in  the  production  of  The  Education  of  Steve 
Smith"    in    Mav    1935.    For    various    reasons    it    was 


May,  193  6 


Page  145 


decided  to  produce  a  picture  dealing  with  a  modern 
life-situation.  Students  were  then  requested  to  submit 
stories.  From  these  one  by  Miss  Helene  Stevens  was 
selected  because  it  dealt  with  student  life  and  could 
be  filmed  on  the  campus  without  the  necessity  of  build- 
ing elaborate  sets.  Suggestions  for  scenarization  of  the 
story  were  made  by  the  staff  of  the  Foundation  and  by 
the  staff  of  the  Amateur  Cinema  League. 

The  principal  characters  in  the  picture  are  Steve,  a 
senior,  brilliant  but  self-centered;  his  room-mates,  Bill, 
a  mediocre  student  who  has  to  work  his  way  through 
school,  and  Jerry,  an  unstable  individual  in  need  of 
hel])  which  Steve  could  give  if  he  were  not  so  self- 
centered  ;  Mary,  to  whom  Steve  is  engaged ;  Betty, 
Bill's  "girl-friend" ;  and  Professor  White,  beloved 
head  of  the  Chemistry  Department  who  through  over- 
work has  almost  lost  his  sight.  During  the  course  of 
the  story  Steve  finds  that  Bill,  untalented  though  he 
is,  has  won  the  respect  and  love  of  Betty ;  while  he, 
Steve,  with  all  his  accomplishments,  is  losing  Mary's 
love.  Meanwhile.  Mary  has  been  helping  Professor 
White  by  typing  the  manuscript  of  a  book  he  is  writ- 
ing. Steve  suspects  the  professor  of  turning  Mary 
against  him  and  demands  an  explanation.  Professor 
\\'hite,  realizing  that  Steve's  selfishness  is  causing  the 
estrangement,  flatters  Steve  by  asking  him  to  do  some 
chemistry  research,  the  results  of  which  he  wishes  to  in- 
clude in  his  book.  Through  this  work  Steve  learns  the 
joy  of  'nelping  others.  His  character  changes  and  he 
and  Mary  are  reunited.  While  it  is  not  profound,  this 
story  is  interesting  because  it  was  suggested  and  ap- 
proved by  the  young  people  themselves. 

Production  on  this  jiicture  went  ahead  remarkably 
well  in  spite  of  several  handicaps :  students  were 
busy  preparing  for  examinations ;  Professor  Hunter 
was  working  under  the  strain  of  a  very  busy  schedule : 
assistance  was  hard  to  find  ;  time  allotted  to  the  pro- 
duction was  short :  and  the  entire  group  had  to  learn 
how  to  adajH  itself  to  the  technique  of  motion  pic- 
tures, which  is  quite  different  from  that  of  the  stage. 
In  the  theatre  the  audience  looked  at  them  from 
across  the  footlights,  but  in  this  production  the  cold 
eye  of  the  camera  might  watch  from  above,  below,  or 
on  either  side. 

Unfortunately  there  was  not  sufficient  time  for 
the  group  to  study  the  problems  and  situations  of  the 
story  as  thoroughly  as  called  for  by  the  plan,  but  var- 
ious students  were  asked  to  comment  on  the  charac- 
ters. They  were  unanimous  in  saying  that  they  knew 
many  students  who  corresponded  to  those  in  the  film, 
and  that  the  problems  presented  were  typical  of  col- 
lege life — a  high  compliment  to  the  author  of  the 
story. 

To  facilitate  this  first  production,  the  writer  of  this 
article  was  sent  by  the  Foundation  to  help  polish  up 
the  scenario  and  do  the  photography.  Professor  Hunter 
assigned  tasks  and  directed  the  action  with  excellent 
results.    Though    the    filming   required   approximately 


two  weeks,  a  large  part  of  the  work  was  done  evenings 
and  week-ends  so  as  not  to  interrupt  class  attendance. 
Since  the  club  wished  to  show  the  picture  at  com- 
mencement time,  a  rush  job  of  editing  is  done. 
Since  that  time  the  film  has  been  re-edited  and  reduced 
from  the  original  three  to  two  reels.  Suggestions  for 
a  musical  accompaniment  have  also  been  prepared. 

The  results  of  this  experiment  may  be  summed  up  as 
follows :  production  of  a  film  should  be  carried  on  over 
a  considerable  period  of  time — say  a  semester,  if  best 
results  are  to  be  obtained  under  the  plan  outlined 
above ;  suitable  scenarios  can  be  prepared  by  an  ama- 
teur group,  but  until  the  group  has  become  more  ex- 
perienced, it  will  probably  need  to  seek  some  outside 
assistance  especially  in  regard  to  technical  details; 
the  same  would  apply  to  technical  work  on  the  film — 
lighting,  photography,  and  editing,  if  it  is  expected 
that  the  picture  will  be  used  by  other  groups ;  the 
transition  from  stage  technique  to  motion  picture 
technique  is  not  too  difificult  if  the  problem  is  ap- 
proached intelligently.  The  biggest  danger  is  a  tendency 
to  over-act — but  this  danger  is  common  to  all  amateur 
(as  well  as  to  many  professional)   theatricals. 

It  is  hoped  that  The  Education  of  Steve  Smith  will 
prove  the  forerunner  of  other  pictures  to  be  produced 
independently  by  Wesleyan  Players  and  by  other 
college  dramatic  clubs.  The  suggestion  has  been  made 
that  future  productions  be  made  in  cooperation  with 
the  English  and  Bible  Departments,  the  one  giving 
guidance  in  scenario  preparation  and  the  other  giving 
suggestions  regarding  the  selection  and  interpretation 
of  religious  themes.  Conceivably  this  help  could  be 
given  in  courses  which  students  might  take  for  credit. 

It  is  too  early  at  the  present  time  to  judge  the 
full  value  of  these  experiments  but  the  least  that  can 
be  said  is  that  they  have  resulted  in  excellent  pictures 
in  which  ministers  find  a  helpful  approach  to  young 
people's  problems. 

By      WILLIAM      L.      ROGERS 

Missions  in  Syria  to  be  Filmed 

The  continuing  interest  in  the  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  U.S.A. 
in  the  use  of  motion  pictures  as  an  aid  in  making  real 
to  the  members  of  that  denomination  the  work  of  its 
world  missions  is  indicated  in  the  current  program  of 
Dr.  James  E.  Detwiler,  secretary  of  the  Board,  with 
offices  in  Chicago.  Dr.  Detwiler  left  this  country 
in  September  for  the  Far  and  Near  East  and  re- 
turned in  April.  While  in  Syria  he  made  a  study 
of  the  condition  of  Presbyterian  missions  in  tha^ 
country. 

An  important  part  of  his  program  includes  the  film- 
ing of  motion  pictures  as  well  as  the  making  of  still 
photographs,  which  will  be  edited  into  programs  for 
church  use  on  his  return.  Dr.  Dewiler  had  with  him  a 
35  mm.  silent  Eyemo  camera. 


Page  146 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimdtes 


Biff  Brown  'Eyes  (Gary  Grant,  Joan  Bennett) 
(Para.)  Well-knit,  intriguing  yarn  about 
smooth  gang  of  crooks  vs.  engaging  cop  and 
manicurist-heroine  who  knows  "all  the  an- 
swers". Fast,  suspenseful,  but  human  inter- 
est lessened  by  cheap  smartness  and  wholly 
wisecrack  dialog  throughout-  4-21-36 

(A)  Gd.  of  kind   (Y)  Mostly  gd.   (C)  Not  the  best 

Ex-Mrs.  Bradford  (Wm.  Powell,  Jean  Arthur) 
(RKO)  Delightfully  amusing  detective-murder- 
mystery  with  deft  comedy  dominant  over 
thrills.  Ex-wife,  an  engaging  mystery  addict, 
merrily  helps  and  hinders  her  amateur-detective 
medical  ex-husband  to  final  solution  and  happy 
remarriage.  5-5-36 

(A)  Very  good       (Y)  Excellent      (C)  Prob.  good 

Captain  January  (Shirley  Temple.  Guy  Kib- 
bee)  (Fox)  Appealing  story  of  old  light-house 
keeper  and  little  girl  he  rescued.  Comic  strug- 
gle with  truant  officer,  despair  over  separation 
and  lost  job^  but  rich  relatives  save  day. 
Shirley's  engaging  "stunts"  can  be  overdone. 
She  is  first  an  actress.  4-21-36 

(A)  Entertaining    (Y)  Very  good    (C)  Excellent 

Chatterbox  (Ann  Shirley,  Phillips  Holmes) 
(RKO)  Ultra-naive  Vermont  country  girl, 
hopelessly  stage-struck,  stows-away  to  city  in 
hero's  rumble  seat,  but  is  cruelly  disillusioned 
by  her  first  role  in  his  cheap  road  company. 
So  back  home  with  hero.  Harmless  banality 
of  no  distinction.  4-28-36 

(A)  Mediocre        (Y)  Perhaps        (C)  No  interest 

The  Country  Beyond  (Paul  Kelly,  Rochelle 
Hudson)  (Fox)  Typical  Mountie  stuff  of  the 
frozen  north — furs,  guns,  heavy  villains,  he- 
man  heroes,  heroine  in  peril,  and  St.  Bernard 
dog  all -important.  Scenery  fine,  action  tense, 
acting   adequate,   and   falsities   pass   unnoticed. 

5-5-36 
(A)  (Y)  Fairly  good  (C)  Perhaps 

The  Divine  Flame  (Marta  Eggerth,  Philips 
Holmes)  (Gaumont-British)  Historical  romance 
on  life  of  composer  Bellini,  with  much  classi- 
cal music  none  too  well  rendered.  Quite 
exotic  in  manner,  atmosphere  and  settings, 
but  hero's  role  absurdly  over-sentimentalized 
by  Holmes.  4-14-36 

(A)  Passable  (Y)  Fair  (0)  No  interest 

Everybody's  Old  Man  (Irvin  Cobb)  (Fox) 
Fairly  plausible  story  of  rival  firms,  with  Cobb 
as  sentimental  old  business  genius  who  saves 
the  heavy-drinking  younger  generation,  puts  it 
to  work,  runs  both  firms  successfully,  and  reg- 
ulates conduct  and  romance  for  all  concerned. 
Homely  realism.  4-21-36 

(A)  Rather  good     (Y)  Amusing     (C)  Little  int. 

Great  Ziegfeld  (Wm.  Powell)  (MGM)  Gorg- 
eous 3-hour  spectacle  glorifying  career  of  great 
Broadway  producer.  High  spots  of  life  finely 
dramatized,  scenes  from  his  productions  screened 
in  splendor.  His  dazzling  success,  despite  wild 
extravagance,  a  bit  disorganizing  for  many 
minds.     Extraordinary  film.  4-14-36 

(A)  Notable  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

I  Married  a  Doctor  (Pat  O'Brien)  (1st  Natl) 
Excellent  adaptation  of  "Main  Street"  with 
fine  character  values  and  intelligent  comedy 
Vain  efforts  of  city  wife  of  country  doctor  to 
bring  culture  to  his  town  make  very  human 
drama   and  lead  to  equally  human  conclusion. 

5-5-36 
(A)  Interesting       (Y)  Good       (C)  Little  interest 

King  of  the  Damned  (Conrad  Veidt,  Noah 
Beery)  (British  -  Gaumont)  England  does  a 
"Devil's  Island"  picture  to  out-Hollywood  its 
predecessors.  Grim  cruelties  and  tortures  drive 
bestial  prisoners  to  revolt  against  inhuman 
masters  with  gory  results.  Hectic,  harrowing, 
unrelieved.  4-28-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste  (Y)  (C)  Decidedly  not 

The  Leathernecks  Have  Landed  (Lew  Ayres) 
(Columbia)  More  doings  of  the  "Marines", 
well  told  and  acted,  laid  in  Shanghai.  Woman- 
chasing,  fight-loving  hero  gets  into  impossible 
situations  and  out  again  bv  impossible  he- 
roics. Villainy,  treachery,  wholesale  machine- 
gun  slaughter,  etc.  4-14-36 
(A)  Depends  on  taste        (Y)  Thrilling        (C)  No 

Little    Lord    Fauntleroy     (F.     Bartholomew) 

(UA)  Practically  perfect  screening  of  the  clas- 
sic loved  by  millions  for  half  a  century,  of  the 
little  American  who  fell  heir  to  an  English 
earldom.  Freddie  inimitable,  cast  ideal,  pre- 
senting with  compelling  sincerity  and  truth 
this  sentimental   ma-^terpiece.  4-14-36 

(A)  Charming         (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Perfect 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Rims 

(The   Fi'm   Estimates,   In  whole  or  in   part,   may  be   reprinted 

only  by  special   arrangement  with  The   Educational   Screen) 

Date    of   mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating   Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


Message  to  Garcia  (Beery,  Boles,  Stanwyck) 
( Fox )  Tense  adventure-melodrama  piling  up 
perils,  pains,  tortures,  impossible  dilemmas  and 
escapes,  killings,  burlesque  comedy  and  ro- 
mance in  Cuban  jungles.  Artificial  thrills, 
posing  as  history,  much  overdone.  Title  im- 
pertinent, dialog  banal.  4-21-36 
(A)  Depends  on  Uste             (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Moonlight  Murders  (Leo  Carrillo,  Chester 
Morris)  (MGM)  Elaborate  opera  rehearsal  in 
Hollywood  bowl,  much  II  Trovatore  music,  a 
"mercy  killing'*,  another  murder  and  a  built- 
in  romance,  make  a  confused  concoction  more 
puzzling  than  thrilling.  Another  ofTering  to 
mystery  addicts.  4-28-36 

(A)  Fair  of  kind  (Y)  Not  the  best         (C)  No 

The  Moon's  Our  Home  (Margaret  Sullavan, 
Henry  Fonda)  (Para)  Deft,  whimsical  romance 
satirizing  temperament  of  hero  and  heroine, 
mostly  delightful  fun.  Fonda  effective,  Sulla- 
van utterly  charming,  as  lovers  who  "out- 
burst" a  bit  too  often  but  still  keep  gay, 
colorful   and  convincing.  4-28-36 

(A)  Good         (Y)  Amusing         (C)  Little  interest 

Mr.  Deeds  Goes  to  Town  (Gary  Cooper,  Jean 
Arthur)  (Columbia)  Unique  young  country  hero 
inherits  wealth,  beset  by  schemers,  outwits 
them  by  native  wit  and  good  sense.  Character 
comedy  at  its  best,  human,  w^holesome,  irre- 
sistibly funny,  with  a  delightful  romance  that 
really  belongs  in  the  plot,  4-28-36 

(A)  Excellent        (Y)  Excellent        (C)  Very  good 

Murder  on  the  Bridle  Path  (J.  Gleason,  H. 
Broderick)  (RKO)  Leisurely  little  mystery  that 
rambles  comfortably  and  amusingly  to  solution 
by  Helen  Broderick  more  than  b.v  cocky  but 
dumb  inspector,  Jimmy  Gleason.  No  extrava- 
gant thrills  but  quite  sufficiently  puzzling 
throughout.  5-5-36 

(A)  (Y)  Fairly  amusing  (C)  If  it  interests 


Paddy  O'Day  (Jane  Withers)  (Fox)  Little 
Irish  immigrant,  brogue  intermittent,  with 
more  cleverness  than  charm,  after  adventures 
more  picturesque  than  plausible  becomes  ward 
of  freakish  people  who  are  mere  caricatures. 
Bizarre  rather  than  humorous.  Many  laughs 
for  the  uncritical.  4-28-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste    (Y)  (C)  Prob.  very  amus. 


Pap'c  on  the  Air  (Lew  Avres>  fCo'umbia) 
Mild  little  mystery,  of  young  radio  announcer 
stumbling  on  oddly  marked  five  doHar  bill. 
Chase  for  it  leads  him  to  solve  murder,  save 
and  win  heroine  innocently  involved-  Medi- 
ocre acting  and  direction,  but  harmless  and 
pleasantly  puzzling.  4-14-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Fair 


Petticoat  Fever  (R.  Montgomery,  Myrna  Lov) 
(MGM)  Lone'y,  isolated  radio-station  keeper  in 
ice-bound  Laborador  finds  thrilling  romance 
when  heroine's  plane  crashes  nearby.  Comedy 
complications  with  elderly  fiance  finallv  solved. 
Fairly  convincing  despite  artificiality  and 
hero's  over-acting  at  times.  4-21-36 

(A-Y)  Fairly  amusing  (CI  No  interest 


Rhodes,  the  Diamond  Master  (Walter  Huston 
and  foreign  cast)  (G-B)  Masterpiece  from 
England,  one  of  finest  historical  pictures  ever 
made.  ActinEr.  direction,  backgrounds  superb. 
Will  make  Rhodes  the  Empire  Builder  live  for 
millions.  History  as  it  should  be  screened. 
A   great  film.  4-28  36 

(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Matnrelnitgood 


Silly  Billies  (Wheeler  and  Woolsey)  (RKO) 
Usual  burlesque  nonsense  and  crude  hokum, 
with  utterly  crazy  plot  about  two  vagabond 
crooks,  o'd  stage  coach,  holdups  and  Indian 
fights,  fake  dentistry,  and  heavy  drinking. 
Ranges  from  funny  to  silly  to  downright 
stupid.     Title  perfect.  4-21-36 

(A)  Absurd  (Y)  Poor  (C(  Doubtful  value 


Singing  Kid  (Al  Jolson.  Cab  Calloway)  (1st 
Nat.  I  Much  so-called  "music"  and  "singing" 
by  Jolson  and  Calloway,  vaudeville  and  dance 
hodge-podge,  with  slight  plot  partly  pleasing. 
partly  cheap.  Includes  all  AI's  songs,  old  and 
new.  difference  imperceptible.  Lively  fun  for 
Jolson   addicts.  4-21-36 

(A)  Dep.  on  taste  (Yl  Prob.  gd.  (C)  Little  value 

Small  Town  Girl  (Janet  Gaynor.  R.  Taylor  i 
(MGM)  Breezy,  wisecrack  comedy  of  hard- 
drinking  playboy — supposedly  a  great  surgeon 
also — and  charming  small-town  girl,  their  "gin 
marriage",  and  a  novel  situation.  Amusing, 
but  of  dubious  value  and  much  dramatic 
falsity.  4-21-36 

(A)  Fair  ( Y)  Not  the  best  (C)  No 

Sutter's  Gold  (Ekiw.  Arnold.  Binnie  Barnes) 
(Univ.  I  Elaborate,  ponderous  attempt  at  his- 
torical epic  of  early  California,  too  episodic 
to  be  dramatic,  more  pretentious  than  effec- 
tive, and,  with  climax  in  the  middle,  unre- 
lievedly  depressing  to  the  end.  Waste  of  able 
acting  and  striking  sets.  4-14-36 

(A)  Dull  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Things  to  Come  (All  English  production) 
(UA)  H.  G.  Wells*  vision  of  supercivilization 
to  come  after  our  present  one  is  annihilated  by 
modern  war,  masterfully  screened  by  Alexander 
Korda.  Masterpiece  of  compelling  spectacle, 
colossal  sets  and  absorbing  action.  Unique  to 
date.  5-5-36 

(A)  Outstanding        (Y)  Thrilling        (C)  Mature 

Three  Women  (USSR  production,  ample  Eng- 
lish titles)  (Amkino)  Exceptional  Russian  film 
of  strong  human  appeal,  notably  acted,  free 
from  usual  propaganda.  Three  girls  rise  from 
slum  squalor  and  benightedness  to  war  hero- 
ism. Merits  outweigh  slow  tempo  and  over- 
done close-ups.  5-5-36 
(A)  Notable                            (Y)  (C)  Little  interest 


Till  We  Meet  Again  ( Herbert  Marshall, 
Gertrude  Michael)  (Para)  Notably  good  spy- 
story  of  Great  War,  English  hero  and  Austrian 
heroine  as  enemy  spies,  but  deeply  and  genu- 
inely in  love.  Thrilling  romance,  never  tawdry, 
finely  staged,  acted  and  directed  in  perfect 
balance.  5-.^-:^6 

(A)  (Y)  Fine  of  kind  (C)  Hardly  suitable 


Times  Square  Playboy  (Broadway  Playboy* 
(W.  William)  (Warner)  Ultra-rich  playboy's 
wedding  with  cabaret  singer  nearly  thwarted 
by  well-meaning  country  friend.  (Same  as 
Home  Towners,  first  "all-talkie",  1928).  Mostly 
lively  fun,  but  overplay  of  wealth  and  over- 
done dialog  and  action  detract.  5-5-36 
(A)  Fairly  amusing      (Y)  Perhaps      (C)  Hardly 


Tough  Guy  (Jackie  Cooper,  J.  Calleia) 
(^MGM)  Exciting  melodrama  with  much  vio- 
lence and  shootings,  and  sentimental  reform 
of  gangster  by  runaway  boy  and  dog  incredi- 
ble. But  major  content  human  and  appealing, 
and  Rin  Tin  Tin  Jr's  doings  are  utterly  en- 
gaging. Typical  Jackie  Cooper  role.  4-14-36 
(A-Y)  Good  of  kind  (C)  If  not  too  exciting 


The  Voice  of  Bugle  Ann  (Lionel  Barrymore) 
(MGM)  Intensely  appealing  story  of  some  very 
human  people  and  the  great  part  played  in 
their  lives  by  affection  for  and  from  a  dog. 
Outstanding  role  by  Barrymore.  a  sincere  ro- 
mance, an  adorable  dog,  make  fine  emotional 
entertainment.  4-14-36 

(A-Y)  Fine  of  kfnd     (C)Gd.  unless  too  emotional 


The  Witness  Chair  (Ann  Harding,  Walter 
Abel)  (RKO)  Mostly  a  long  murder  trial,  end- 
less witnesses,  flashback  narratives,  and  much 
padding,  until  heroine  declares  her  guilt  known 
to  audience  from  the  start.  Excellent  acting  by 
Ann  Harding,  plot  interest  tense  at  times,  but 
story  content   inadequate.  4-28-36 

(A)  Disappointing       (Y)  Not  the  best       (C)  No 


MrtT,  J936 


Page  147 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


The  School  Executive  (55:215-217,  Feb.  '36)  "The 
Audio-Visual  Studio,"  by  Max  R.  Brunstetter. 

Those  considering  adapting  classrooms  to  projec- 
tion purposes,  or  appropriating  a  single  room  for  this 
purpose,  should  find  this  presentation  most  helpful. 
Several  complete  diagrams  elucidate  the  descriptive 
matter.  "Very  often  the  administrator's  eiifort  to  in- 
tegrate the  use  of  slides  and  silent  films  with  the  edu- 
cational program  failed  because  classrooms  were  not 
equipped  so  that  these  devices  could  be  readily  used 
by  the  teacher.  If  educational  talking  pictures  are  to 
function  as  an  integral  part  of  a  school's  program,  it 
follows  that  their  use  must  be  made  just  as  simple  and 
easy  for  the  teacher  as  the  use  of  maps,  globes,  and 
books." 

Under  "Standards  for  the  Studio",  the  following 
topics  are  considered :  "Central  Location,"  "Maximimi 
Utilization,"  "Seating  Arrangements,"  "Darkening 
Facilities,"  "Special  Equipment,"  "Wiring  System," 
"Acoustic  Conditions,"  and  "Heating  and  Ventila- 
tion." 

Church  Management  (12:235-236.  Feb.  '36)  "Mo- 
tion Pictures  for  the  Church,"  by  Dorothy  Fritsch 
Bortz. 

This  very  full  list  of  sources  for  religious  films, 
with  rental  prices,  should  be  of  great  aid  to  church 
organizations.  Suggestions  for  using  motion  pic- 
tures, in  a  religious  visual  education  program,  as 
given  by  the  Bureau  of  Visual  Instruciion  of  Iowa 
State  College,  are  quoted.  They  pertain  to:  1.  Pre- 
viewing the  film  so  that  scholars  may  be  told  be- 
forehand what  items  should  be  stressed  in  their  ob- 
servation ;  2.  Stressing  selective  seeing,  so  that  im- 
portant things  may  be  given  an  important  place ; 
3.  Using  a  short  detailed  film  requiring  not  more 
than  fifteen  minutes. 

Intercine  (7:11-14,  Dec,  '35)  "The  Cartoon  and 
the  Tradition  of  Creative  Arts  in  Motion  Pictures", 
by  Jan  Kucera. 

The  thesis  is  maintained  that  cartoons  directly  con- 
tinue the  tradition  of  creative  arts.  Motion  is  form 
changing  in  time,  by  way  of  a  static  picture.  Pictures 
mav  be  either  centrifugal  or  centripetal  in  their  dynamic 
tendency.  All  primitive  and  primitivistic  art  is  of  the 
former  type,  "looking  for  more  and  more  space,  which 
they  tend  to  fulfil,  to  absorb  and  thereby  gain  their 
part  of  time."  Rarely.,  however,  does  one  or  the  other 
of  these  types  prevail.  "They  mix  either  halfway  or 
so  that  either  one  of  them  prevails.  .  .  In  motion  pic- 
tures we  find  both  inner  and  outer  dynamical  forces." 
During  the  Gothic  period  in  art.  the  detail  often  be- 
came the  most  important  part,  giving  the  key-note  to 
the  interpretation  of  the  work  as  a  whole. 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS  I 

Although  there  is  much  that  sounds  analytical  and 
philosophical  in  this  article,  the  reviewer  confesses  in- 
ability to  get  a  continuity  of  reasoning  from  the  pre- 
sentation. The  probability  is  that  the  author's  disser- 
tation is  discounted  through  a  poor  translation,  in 
which  English  words  are  used  without  the  spirit  of 
the  English  language.  Or,  the  author  may  be  think- 
ing in  his  native  tongue  and  then  using  English  words. 
In  either  case,  we  hold  that  for  international  purposes 
the  best  possible  expression  should  be  made  in  the 
language  in  which  the  thought  is  printed. 

Educational  Method  (15:264-269,  Feb.  '36)  "The 
Lantern  and  Slide  as  a  Teaching  Device,"  by  Ella 
M.  Probst. 

Eight  years  ago,  Calhoun  School  in  Minneapolis 
had  only  one  stereopticon  in  the  building.  Today, 
the  school  owns  nine  daylight  lanterns,  and  tw^o 
other  projectors.  Various  uses  of  slides  are  treated, 
covering  particularly  the  use  of  slides  for  tests,  and 
the  making  of  colored  ink  slides  for  correlation  with 
literary  studies. 

National  Board  of  Review  Magazine  —  Special 
Visual  Education  Number. 

(11:  13-14,  Feb.  '36)  "Educational  Audio  Film 
Production",  by  D.  V.   C.  Arnspiger. 

The  author  maintains  that  the  main  outcome  of 
the  entertainment  picture  is  of  an  emotional  and 
transitory  nature;  that  the  outcome  of  the  educa- 
tional picture  is  intellectual  experience  and  con- 
tributes significantly  to  permanent  learning  if  the 
picture  has  been  properly  produced  and  is  properly 
utilized.  The  limitations  to  learning  in  the  ordi- 
nary situation  are  re-counted  and  the  way  in  which 
the  motion  picture,  made  dynamic  with  sound, 
overcomes  these  limitations  is  pointed  out.  An  edu- 
cational talking  picture  "involves  extended  confer- 
ences between  persons  responsible  for  the  philoso- 
phy of  education,  for  methods  of  teaching,  for  cine- 
ma techniques  and,  of  course,  the  subject  matter 
specialist.  Each  film  must  be  a  part  of  a  larger  pro- 
gram or  a  unit  of  instruction."  Elements  suited  for 
reading  or  group  discussion,  lecture,  field  trip  or 
laboratory  must  be  eliminated.  The  use  of  talking 
pictures  in  Adult  Education  is  as  yet  virtually  un- 
explored. 

(11  :  7-11,  Feb.  36)  "Problems  of  Developing  Vis- 
ual Education  in  a  School  System,"  by  Claude 
Hardy.  A  school  superintendent  elucidates  five 
criteria  for  determining  upon  the  purchase  or  rental 
of  films  for  a  school  system,  among  which  are  adap- 

(Coiicludcd  on  page  160) 


Page  148 


The  Educational  Screen 


lummer   Courses   in   Visual    Instruction 


Institution 
California 

University  of  South- 
ern California, 
Los   Angeles 


Colorado 

Colorado  State 
College,    Greeley 

University  of  Colo- 
rado, Boulder 

University   of 
Denver,    Denver 

Illinois 

University   of 
Illinois,  Urbana 

Iowa 

Iowa  State  College, 
Ames 

Kansas 

State    Teachers 
College,  Pittsburg 

University   of 

Wichita,    Wichita 

Kentucky 

University  of  Ken- 
tucky,  Lexington 

Massachusetts 

Boston  Teachers 
College,  Boston 

Boston    Univer- 
sity,  Boston 

Minnesota 

State  Teachers 
College,  Moorhead 

State  Teachers 
College,    Winona 

University  of  Minne- 
sota,   Minneapolis 

New  Jersey 

State   Normal 
College,  Montclair 

State   Normal 
College,   Trenton 

Rutgers  University, 
New    Brunswick 

New  York 

State   Normal 

School,  New  Paltz 

Teachers   College, 
Columbia    Univer- 
sity,   New-  York 
City 


New    York   Univer- 
sity,   New    York 
City 


Title  of  Course 

Visual  Aids  in  Edu- 
cation 

Educational    Films 

History  of   Motion 
Pictures  as  Art 
and   Technique 

Fundamentals  of  Mo- 
tion Picture  Pro- 
duction and  Motion 
Picture  Story  and 
Continuity 

Visual   Education 

Visual    Aids 
Education   through 

Motion  Pictures 
Vitalizing  Instruction 

through  Visual 

Aids 

Visual  and  Auditory 
Instructional   Aids 

Lecture — demonstra- 
tions on  Visual  Aids 

In  connection  with 
"Biology    Methods" 
Visual-Sensory   Aids 
in   Teaching 

Visual    Instruction 


Instructor 
Fred  W.   Orth 
Fred  W.   Orth 
B.   V.  Morkovin 
W.   Cummins 


Lloyd    Aspinwall 

Lelia    Trolinger 
Lelia    Trolinger 

E.  H.  Herringtou 


Recent   Trends    in 

Education 
Visual    Education 


Russell  T.  Gregg 

H.  L.  Kooser 

J.  A.  Trent 
W.   A.    Bonwell 

Louis   Clifton 

J.  A.  Hennessey 
Howard  LeSourd 


Supervision    through     C.   P.   Archer 
Visual  Aids 


Visual  Aids   in 

Teaching 
Visual    Aids    in 

Teaching 

Visual  Course  for 

Teachers 
Visual  Course  for 

Teachers 
Visual    Instruction 


Visual  Aids  in 
Education 

Materials   and   Meth- 
ods   in   Visual    and 
Auditory  Education 
also 

Research    in    Visual 
and  Auditory 
Education 

Practical    Applica- 
tions of  Visual  Aids 


Ella  C.  Clark 
R.A.  Kissack,  Jr. 

E.  W.  Crawford 
George  W.Wright 
L.  R.  Winchell 

Gertrude  Nichols 

Fannie  W.  Dunn 
V.  C.  Arnspiger 
Cline    M.    Koon 

Fannie  W.  Dunn 
V.    C.    Arnspiger 
Cline    M.    Koon 
John    H.    Shaver 


North    Carolina 

Duke   University, 
Durham 

Ohio 

Ohio  State  Univer- 
sity,   Columbus 

Oklahoma 

A,   &   M.   College, 
Stillwater 

Texas 

University  of  Texas, 
Austin 

West   Virginia 
University  of  West 
Virginia,  Morgan- 
town 

Wisconsin 

State  Teachers  Col- 
lege,   Platteville 

State  Teachers  Col- 
lege,   Stevens 

Stout  Institute, 
Menomonie 


Visual  Instruction 


Visual  WAs 


C.  F.  Hoban,  Jr. 
Edgar  Dale 


Visual   Education  J.  C.  Muerman 


The  Use  of  Visual 
Aids   in   Education 

Visual  Aids   in 

Teaching 
Current   Practices   in 

Education 

Visual   Instruction 
Visual   Instruction 

Visual    Education 


B.   F.   Holland 

R.  W.  Cline  and 
H.    B.   Allen 
H.   B.   Allen 


V.   M.   Russell 
C.   D.  Jayne 

Paul  C.  Nelson 


Pennsylvania 

The  following  44  teacher-training  institutions  will  give 
courses  in  "Techniques  for  Visual-Sensory  Aids".  The  com- 
plete list  of  instructors  was  not  available  in  time  for  this 
issue,  hence  we  present  merely  the  list  of  colleges  where  such 
required  courses  will  be  given. 


Albright    College, 

Reading 
Allegheny  College, 

Meadville 
Beaver  College, 

Jenkintown 
Bucknell   University, 

Lewisburg 
College    Misericordia, 

Dallas 
Drexel   Institute 

Philadelphia 
Elizabethtown    College, 

Elizabethtown 
Geneva   College, 

Beaver  Falls 
Gettysburg   College, 

Gettysburg 
Grove  City  College, 

Grove  City 
Immaculata  College, 

Immaculata 
LaSalle   College, 

Philadelphia 
Lehigh  University, 

Bethlehem 
Marywood  College, 

Scranton 
Mercyhurst  College, 

Erie 
Muhlenberg  College, 

Allentown 
Penna.   College   for   Women, 

Pittsburgh 
Pennsylvania    State   College, 

State  College 
Rosemont  College, 

Rosemont 


Scton    Hill    College, 

Greensburg 
St,  Thomas   College, 

Scranton 
Susquehanna    University 

Selinsgrove 
Temple  University, 

Philadelphia 
Thiel  College, 

Greenville 
University   of    Pennsylvania, 

Philadelphia 
University  of  Pittsburgh, 

Pittsburgh 
Villa    Maria   College, 

Erie 
Villanova    College, 

Villanova 
Washington    &   Jeflferson 
College 

Washington 
Waynesburg   College, 

Waynesburg 
State    Teachers    Colleges    at 

Bloomsburg 

California 

Clarion 

East  Stroudsburg 

Edinboro 

Indiana 

Kutztown 

Lock    Haven 

Mansfield 

Millersville 

Shippensburg 

Slippery  Rock 

West  Chester 

Cheyney   Training   School 


lay,  19)6 


Page  149 


Department  of  Visual  Instruction 


Meeting  at  Portland 

'E  ARE  called  upon  to  announce,  most  regret- 
fully, that  there  will  be  no  meeting  of  the  De- 
"artment  of  Visual  Instruction  concurrently  with 
the  National  Education  Association  this  June  at 
Portland.  "Distance"  was  the  prime  compelling 
cause  for  the  decision  reached  by  the  Executive 
Committee.  Numerous  other  prominent  Depart- 
ment members  fully  concur.  Promotional  efforts 
toward  a  Portland  meeting,  begun  immediately  aft- 
er the  very  successful  one  at  St.  Louis,  have  re- 
vealed the  unfortunate  situation  (as  of  May  1st), 
which  dictates  the  decision. 


^STat( 


epartment  members  in  the  ten  westernmost 
states  (New  Mexico,  Arizona,  California,  Nevada, 
Utah,  Wyoming.  Idaho,  Montana.  Oregon,  Wash- 
ington) total  less  than  ?'/(  of  the  Department  mem- 
bership. The  other  thirty-eight  states  give  the  93%, 
in  which  percentage  are  included  all  the  leading 
members  whose  regular  attendance  has  assured  a 
substantial  and  representative  audience  at  past 
meetings.  A  canvas  has  shown  that  these  leaders, 
almost  without  exception,  will  not  be  at  Portland. 
If  the  leaders  cannot  go.  it  can  hardly  be  expected 
of  the  rank  and  file.  The  audience,  then,  must 
needs  be  almost  exclusively  from  the  7%  of  the 
total  membership.  Further,  the  business  session 
regularly  takes  ])lace  in  June,  when  new  officers 
for  the  ensuing  year  are  elected.  With  93%  absent, 
7%  can  scarcely  be  considered  a  "quorum".  The 
present  officers  have  suggested  a  vote  by  mail — a 
ballot  sent  to  every  member — on  nominations  to 
be  made  by  the  Executive  Committee.  But  the 
Committee  rules  that  present  officers  be  continued 
until  the  meeting  in  February  next,  and  the  busi- 
ness session  to  be  held  at  that  time. 

Department  finances  were  also  given  due  consid- 
eration in  this  decision.  Though  the  Portland  at- 
tendance might  shrink,  there  would  be  no  shrink- 
age in  the  costs  of  holding  the  meeting.  Such  ex- 
penditure, by  the  whole  Dej^artment  for  the  benefit 
of  so  small  a  fraction,  is  obviously  disproportionate. 
Although  the  Department  treasury  is  less  feeble 
than  is  usual  at  the  end  of  the  school  year — thanks 
to  the  exceptional  membership  growth  of  the  past 
four  months — it  seems  wise  to  use  its  contents  for 
the  maximum  good  of  the  Department  as  a  whole. 
Instead  of  expending  our  entire  balance,  and  a  large 
portion  of  revenues  still  to  come  (hoffentlich) ,  on 
the  Portland  meeting,  it  is  to  be  devoted  to  the  end 
most  devoutly  to  be  wished,  namely,  the  steady  and 
healthy  growth  in  Department  membership.  If  all 
available  funds  are  applied  judiciously  to  this  end, 
to  judge  from  the  gratifying  results  so  far  in  1936, 
the  Department  should  be  able  to  approach  next 
3'ear's  winter  meeting  with  a  membership  not  only 
surpassing  all  previous  records  but  large  enough  to 
assure  two  meetings  a  year,  each  richly  worthwhile, 
regardless  of  our  national  geographv. 

E.  C.  W. 


Conducted  by  E.  C.  WAGGONER,  Secretary-Treasurer 


New  Jersey  Visual  Association  Meets 

The  spring  meeting  of  the  N.  J.  Visual  Education 
Association  was  held  May  2nd  in  conection  with  the 
N.  J.  State  Secondary  School  Conference  at  Rutgers 
University,  New   Brunswick,  N.  J. 

The  program  consisted  of  the  following  demonstra- 
tions : 

"An  Inexpensive  Visual  Method  for  Problem  Teach- 
ing" (Illustrated  by  Slides) — Roger  B.  Saylor,  Head 
of  Science  Department,  Barringer  High  School, 
Newark. 

"Making  the  Most  of  Your  Projection  Equipment" 
— Frank  H.  Broome,  Science  Instructor,  High  School, 
Pompton  Lakes. 

The  Use  of  an  Eastman  Teaching  Film  entitled, 
"Weather  Forecasting"  (Silent) — Frances  H.  Dicker- 
son,  Science  Instructor,  East  Side  Technical  High 
School,  Newark. 

Massachusetts  Annual  Meeting 

The  Massachu.setts  Branch  of  the  Department  of 
Visual  Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A.  held  their  sixth  an- 
nual Visual  Education  meeting  Saturday,  April  11, 
1936,  at  Boston  University  School  of  Education.  The 
following  discussions  and  demonstrations  of  desirable 
methods  for  using  teaching  aids  were  given : 

Radio :  The  use  of  the  radio  and  pupil  broad- 
casting as  a  Teaching  Aid. — Mr.  Alden  Read,  Teacher 
of  Mathematics  and  Director  of  the  Radio  Broadcast- 
ing Club,  Frank  A.  Day,  Junior  High  School,  Newton. 

Puppets:  The  use  of  puppets  as  a  Teaching  Aid 
— Miss  Vivian  Dingley,  Principal,  Winthrop  L.  Chen- 
ery  School,  Belmont. 

Trips:  Making  the  most  of  excursions  and  trips — 
Miss  Madalene  B.  Sawyer,  Educational  Department, 
Children's  Museum,  Jamaica  Plain. 

Motion  Picture  Appreciation :  How  to  teach  motion 
picture  appreciation. — Miss  Martha  P.  Farwell,  High 
School,  Brockton. 

Bulletin  Boards  and  Blackboards:  How  to  make 
good  use  of  bulletin  boards  and  blackboards  as  part 
of  the  teaching  lesson. — Miss  Sue  Bishop,  Assistant 
Principal,  Wollaston  School,  Quincy. 

Pictures  and  Other  Opaque  Objects:  The  many 
possibilities  of  using  the  opaque  projector  in  teaching. 
— Miss  K.  Louise  Nangle.  Elementary  Supervisor  of 
Physical  Education  and  Director  of  the  Department 
of  Teaching  Aids.  Lynn. 

Models  and  Toys :  Their  use  in  teaching  nature 
study  and  geography. — Mr.  Horace  Taylor,  Instructor, 
Rockwood  Park  School,  Jamaica  Plain. 

(Concluded  oii  page   155) 


Paige  150 


The  Educational  Screen 


News  and  Notes 


Motion  Pictures  Promote  Peace 

"Motion  pictures  are  the  most  powerful  of  all 
means  for  moulding  mankind,"  says  Dr.  Francis  On- 
derdonk  of  the  Architectural  Faculty  of  the  University 
of  Michigan,  and  Director  of  the  Peace  Films  Cara- 
van, a  non-profit  organization  to  promote  world  peace. 
He  advocates  the  motion  picture  as  the  ideal  medium 
to  combat  war  for  it  is  the  "most  scientific,  energy- 
saving  way  to  spread  ideas"  and  makes  unenlightened 

people  see  as  noth- 
ing else  can.  Dr. 
Onderdonk  is  at 
the  present  time 
touring  the  coun- 
try, carrying  his 
16  mm.  talkie  pro- 
jector screen,  and 
films  in  the 
"  Peacemobile, " 
from  which  he  ex- 
hibits such  peace 
films  as  The  Next 
War,  Why,  The 
League  of  Nations, 
The  Shame  of  a 
Nation.  All  Quiet 
The  "Peacemobile"  at  Work  on    the    Western 

Front,  and  others  of  similar  character. 

The  photograph  shows  the  reverse  side  of  the  screen 
which  serves  as  a  billboard  to  advertise  the  meeting. 
Flags  of  fifty  nations  decorate  the  Peacemobile  when 
the  films  are  shown.  A  specially  built,  high  chest  is 
carried  in  the  trunk  and  serves  as  a  stand  for  the 
projector  which  is  placed  50  feet  from  the  screen. 

Dr.  Onderdonk  has  shown  the  peace  films  to  more 
than  36,000  people  in  churches,  schools,  clubs,  and 
parks.  Headquarters  of  the  Peace  Films  Caravan  is 
1331  Geddes  Avenue,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 


The  vital  role  films  play  in  shaping  the  thinking  of 
the  nation  is  fully  recognized  also  by  the  National 
Council  for  Prevention  of  War.  The  work  of  its  new 
Alotion  Picture  Department  has  been  carried  on  in 
the  behalf  that  the  masses  of  people  in  this  country 
who  want  to  see  world  peace  established  can  influence 
the  tone  and  content  of  motion  pictures  if  they  will 
make  their  desires  known  to  exhibitors  and  producers. 
To  encourage  such  expression  of  opinion,  a  semi- 
monthly Bulletin  on  Current  Films  is  issued  which 
evaluates  features  and  newsreels  from  the  point  of 
view  of  their  eflfect  on  war  and  peace,  with  suggestions 
that   its   readers  address   letters   of   commendation   to 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN 


the  producers  of  those  films  that  emphasize  the  impor- 
tance of  working  for  peace. 

Visual  Aids  in  New  York  Schools 

While  visual  aid  instruction  in  the  public  schools 
of  New  York  City — "the  largest  school  system  in 
the  world" — consists  largely  of  still  pictures,  the 
facilities  gradually  are  being  changed  to  motion 
picture  projection. 

Present  equipment  consists  of  200  auditorium 
and  470  classroom  projection  machines  and  1,270 
stereopticon  machines,  according  to  the  annual  re- 
port of  the  Board  of  Education.  A  total  of  1,700 
reels  of  film  are  available  for  showing  in  the  school 
system,  and  314,030  slides.  Nature  study  films  are 
the  most  popular  with  children,  says  the  report 

Museum  Film  Showings 

Numbered  among  the  most  interesting  of  recent 
film  enterprises  in  metropolitan  New  York  is  the 
film  series  entitled  "A  Short  Survey  of  the  Film  in 
America."  showing  pictures  of  the  early  days,  whicli 
have  been  initiated  by  the  Museum  of  Modern  Art 
Film  Library.  This  valuable  collection  of  films  has 
already  been  mentioned  in  these  pages.  The  series 
of  five  showings  opened  at  the  Dalton  School  on 
January  7th  and  closed  on  May  5th  with  "The 
Talkies ',  which  included  early  experiments  in 
sound-film,  a  scene  from  The  Jaz::  Singer  and  the 
Mickey  Mouse  film.  Steamboat  Willie. 

The  pictures  in  this  series  are  available  for  exhi- 
bition in  colleges  and  museums. 

Highlights  of  the  National  Conference  on 
Visual  Education  and  Film  Exhibition 

The  program  for  this  unique  Conference,  formerly 
known  as  DeVry  Summer  School  of  Visual  Educa- 
tion, is  almost  completed.  We  have  been  furnished 
a  few  advance  notes  on  some  of  its  speakers  and 

films. 

Among  educators  to  speak,  these  names  attract 
attention:  H.  L.  Kooser,  Iowa  State  College;  W.  H. 
Johnson,  Superintendent  of  Chicago  Schools ;  J.  E. 
Hansen,  University  of  Wisconsin ;  J.  A.  Hollinger, 
Director  Visual  Education,  Pittsburgh  Schools; 
Rupert  Peters,  Director  Visual  Education,  Kansas 
City  Schools ;  Edgar  Dale,  State  University  of 
Ohio;  Miss  J.  M.  Carter,  University  of  Chicago. 

Among  industrial  firms  entering  films  in  the 
exhibition  are:  American  Steel  and  Wire,  Ford 
Motor,    International    Harvester,    General    Motors, 


Tfrty,  1936 


Page  151 


But  this  way  our  talking  picture  equipment 


plu 

pro 

[  yea: 

w 


ES,  indeed,  it  is  now  possible 
for  schools  to  obtain  talking 
don  picture  equipment  without 
rawing  on  school  board  funds. 
The  purchase  of  an  RCA  l6mm. 
\\  Sound  Motion  Picture  Projector, 
plus  a  service  often  complete  film 
programs  (covering  a  scholastic 
ear)  is  very  simply  financed. 
This  is  how  it  is  done:  There  is 
small  down  payment,  which  can 
be  easily  raised  through  your  local 
P.  T.  A.  Subsequent  monthly  pay- 
ments, running  through  the  school 
year,  can  be  more  than  covered  by 
charging  a  small  admission  to  each 
monthly  film  program.  Admissions 
are  usually  10(i. 

At  the  end  of  the  year,  the  school 

owns  the  equipment,  and  there  are 

no  more  expenses,  except  for  film 

rental,  which  is  a  minor  item. 

Programs  furnished  under  this 


self-financing  plan  are  supplied  by 
Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc.,  35  West 
45  th  Street,  New  York  City,  who 
are  well  known  in  this  field.  Films 
available  include  such  classics  as 
Jane  Eyre,  The  Last  of  the  Mohi- 
cans, and  other  famous  works; 
sports,  including  sport  instruction; 
news;  and  other  features. 


The  RCA  16mm.  Sound  Motion  Piccure  Proiector  is 
an  adaptation  of  the  famous  RCA  Photophone  Pro- 
jector used  in  leading  theatres.  Portable.  Can  be 
operated  by  anyone.  Ptovides  brilliant  pictures  and 
amazingly  realistic  sound. 


Remember  that  educational  use  of 
talking  pictures  is  increasing  stead- 
ily, as  the  country's  leading  educa- 
tional institutions  join  hands  with 
producers,  creating  new  films  of 
marked  instructional  value.  The 
new  RCA  Self-Financing  Plan  is 
offered  only  to  schools,  hospitals 
and  similar  institutions.  There  is  a 
coupon  below.  We  suggest  you  clip 
it  and  get  the  full  details  of  this 
method  that  gives  you  the  famous 
RCA  16mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture 
Projector  without  draw-  ^g^^ 
ing  on  school  board  (|  ^Jfl  |j 
funds.  Clip  the  coupon! 

RCA  Mfg.  Co.,  Inc.,  Visual  Sound  Section, 
Camden,  N.  J. 

Please  send  me  full  details  of  the 
RCA  Projectors. 


RCA  EDUCATIONAL  PRODUCTS 


Name- 


SchooL 


Street- 


City- 


-State- 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  Inc. 

CAMDEN,    NEW  JERSEY  •   A    SERVICE    OF   THE    RADIO    CORPORATION    OF    AMERICA 


Page  152 

General  Electric,  Pure  Oil,  Household  Finance. 
California  Fruit  Exchange,  Standard  Oil,  Firestone 
Tire  &  Rubber,  Goodyear  and  Caterpillar  Tractor. 
We  hope  to  publish  a  more  detailed  program  in 
our  next  issue.  The  dates  are  June  22  to  25 — and 
the  place — Francis  Parker  School,  Chicago. 

Film  Catalogs 

"A  National  Encyclopedia  of  Educational  Films 
and  16  mm.  Apparatus  Available  in  Great  Britain", 
published  by  the  Central  Information  Bureau  for 
Educational  Films  (price,  one  guinea),  is  the  most 
complete  list  yet  to  be  compiled  of  all  the  educa- 
tional films  available  in  England.  The  bulk  of  the 
catalog's  288  pages  is  devoted  to  the  classification 
of  approximately  3000  films  under  four  main  sec- 
tions— 35  mm.  sound,  35  mm.  silent,  16  mm.  sound, 
16  mm.  silent.  In  these  sections  the  films  are 
grouped  under  subject  heads,  but  in  separate  lists 
for  each  distributor,  which  necessitates  looking 
through  the  product  of  several  distributors  for  a 
film  on  a  certain  topic.  In  our  opinion,  this  ar- 
rangement is  somewhat  confusing  and  time-con- 
suming and  could  be  greatly  improved.  In  addition 
to  the  film  listings,  the  catalog  includes  articles  on 
the  contribution  of  the  film  to  learning,  and  meth- 
ods of  teaching  by  film ;  a  number  of  tables  relating 
to  film  prices,  lenses  and  picture  sizes ;  a  list  of 
16  mm.  projectors  with  details  of  each ;  a  list  of 
cameras  and  other  accessories,  and  a  Ijibliography. 

In  the  production  of  this  book  the  publishers 
have  performed  a  great  service  to  educational  film 
users  as  it  is  the  only  reference  guide  of  the  kind 
in  England.  Bi-monthly  bulletins  will  also  be  is- 
sued to  supplement  and  keep  the  Encyclopedia  up 
to  date.  ♦       ♦       ♦ 

The  Spring-Summer  1936  film  catalog.  Motion  Pic- 
tures of  the  World  and  Its  Peoples,  compiled  by  In- 
ternational Educational  Pictures.  Boston,  has  recently 
come  from  the  press.  It  maintains  the  excellent  stand- 
ard of  previous  editions  in  appearance  and  contents. 
Although  the  current  issue  follows  the  same  style  of 
typography  and  film  classification  of  the  others,  it 
shows  careful  revision  and  the  inclusion  of  some  new 
features.  The  directory  contains  58  pages,  8j4  x  11 
inches  in  size,  and  is  thoroughly  indexed. 

This  publication  is  now  issued  twice  a  year — in  the 
spring  and  in  the  fall — for  the  price  of  35c  annually. 
♦         ♦         ♦ 

Bell  &  Howell  Company  has  ready  for  distribution 
a  new  edition  of  its  Medical  and  Dental  Films  Catalog 
• — a  listing  of  16nim.  films  on  medical,  surgical,  health, 
dental,  and  hygiene  subjects  which  are  available, 
from  their  respective  sources,  for  loan,  rental,  or  pur- 
chase. Physicians,  surgeons,  dentists,  nurses,  teachers, 
and  cinematographers  generally,  will  find  the  catalog 
of  interest  and  value.  Some  three  years  ago  this 
company  issued  its  first  catalog  of  medical  and  sur- 
gical  films.    It   consisted   of   some   twenty   pages.    An 


The  Educational  Scree; 


indication  of  progress  and  increased  interest  in  mc 
tion  pictures  in  this  field  is  to  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  the  new  catalog  of  58  mimeographed  pages  lists 
approximately  three  times  as  many  medical  and  sur- 
gical films  as  did  the  first  one.  Dental  films  listings 
have  increased  in  like  proportion.  Significant  also  is 
the  appearance  of  a  number  of  sound  films. 

Current   Film  Releases 

Shakespeare  Classic  Fai+hfuliy  Screened 

The  forthcoming  screen  version  of  Shakespeare's 
Romeo  and  Juliet,  co-starring  Norma  .Shearer  and 
Leslie  Howard,  gives  promise  of  a  rare  treat  in  store 
for  educational,  civic  and  social  groups,  judging  from 
a  report  on  the  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  production  by 
William  Strunk  Jr.,  Professor  of  English  at  Cornell 
University,  who  served  as  literary  and  technical  ad- 
visor on  the  film. 

Commendable  has  been  the  striving  towards  authen- 
ticity. Writers  and  great  painters  of  the  period,  mu- 
seums, and  modern  historians  have  been  consulted  for 
the  details  of  costume,  life  and  manners.  The  sets 
are  based  on  actual  buildings  in  Verona  and  elsewhere 
in  Northern  Italy.  The  production  not  only  aims  at 
presenting  the  drama  with  an  authentic  background  of 
life  and  manners  and  all  the  outward  show  of  the 
Italian  Renaissance,  but.  beyond  this,  it  aims  at  being 
faithful  to  Shakespeare's  conception  of  the  story  and 
at  revealing  the  poetry  and  beauty  of  a  great  drama. 
All  the  dialogue  is  from  the  text  of  the  play.  The 
]5icture  begins  with  Shakespeare's  beginning  and  ends 
with  his  ending. 

Sound  Films  on  House  Fly  and  Leaves 

Two  educational  pictures  have  just  been  completed 
as  the  latest  addition  to  the  Erpi  educational  film 
library.  Leaves  and  The  House  Fl\.  Owing  to  diffi- 
culties in  securing  suitable  material  these  pictures  have 
been  held  up  in  production  for  some  time.  Now, 
however,  all  demands  from  both  research  and  pro- 
duction angles  have  been  met  and  the  two  subjects 
have  just  been  made  available  to  schools. 

The  picture  on  leaves  centers  about  the  function  of 
the  leaf  as  a  good  factory.  Unusual  effects  are  secured 
through  microphotography  and  animated  drawings. 
"The  House  Fly"  combines  biological  science  and 
health  aspects  in  the  study  of  the  life  cycle  and  habits 
of  this  dangerous  pest. 

Culver  Issues  New  16  mm    Prints 

Culver  Military  .\cadeniv  now  have  ready  for  gen- 
eral distribution,  16  mm  ])rints  of  three  sound  films. 
Youth  In  Action  is  a  two  reel  film,  covering  general 
school  activities,  depicting  the  life  of  a  boy  at  Culver. 
Woodcraft  deals  with  Culver  Summer  School,  and  in- 
terestingly ])ortrays  the  activities  of  that  branch  of 
Culver  service.     Naz'al  School  shows  the  life  of  the 

{Concluded  on  paye  159) 


l„„. 


Page  153 


Do       You       Know       That 


Our  Circuit  Service  Plan 


enables  you  to  show  8  reels  of  16  mm.  films  bi-weekly  throughout  the  school  year  —  including  the  highest  grade  of 
film  projector  and  a  TEACHER'S  AIDS  manual  which  thoroughly  covers  the  subject  matter  of  each  film — all  at  a 
cost  to  your  school  of  only  Fifty  Dollars  plus  a  slight  additional  charge  to  cover  express  expense  and  the  cost  of  a 
projection  lamp  for  use  in  the  motion  picture  machine, — a  total  cost  well  under  $60.00,  for  the  entire  year? 

Here  are  two  typical  units — representative  of  the  fifteen  which  are  sent  you  during  the  school  year: 


UNIT  III,  SCHEDULE  XI 

(Adapted  to  the  Grades  &  High  School) 

PERU    (Geoeraphy)    1  reel 

An   Eastman  TeachinK  Films  Production. 
BIRDS  OF  PREY    (Nature  Study) 1  reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching  Films  Production. 
ONE  BEST   PET    (Juvenile) 1  reel 

A    Snooky.    doir,    dunkey    and    piK    story.      A    Chester 
Production. 
FIRE  PREVENTION   (Physical  Science)  1  reel 

An   Eastman   Teaching   Films   Production. 
TERMITES    (Bioloeical   Science) I   reel 

An   Eastman   Teaching   Films   Production. 
STREET   SAFETY— FOR    ADVANCED   GRADES 

(Health) 1   reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching  Films   Production. 
DAYS   WE   LOVE    (Literature) 1  reel 

One  of  .Tames   Whitcomb   Riley's   Poems. 
TABLEWARE    (Home   Economics) 1  reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching  Films   Production. 


UNIT  III,  SCHEDULE  X 

(Adapted  to  the  Grade  Schools  only) 

GRASS    (Geoeraphy)    3  reels 

One  of  the  great  pictures  of  all  time.  This  is  not  fic- 
tion  but  the   actual   struggle   for   life  of  a    Per- 
sian  tribe  in   its  search   for  grass   for  the  cattle. 
LITTLE   DUTCH  TULIP  GIRL    (Juvenile  Literature)      1   reel 
A    Madeleine    Brandeis    production  -      Katrina    shows 
Tom  her  native  land. 

THE  HISTORIC   HUDSON    (History) 1  reel 

Scenes    and    incidents    made    famous    by    Washington 
Irving. 

THE  MONARCH  BUTTERFLY   (Nature  Study) 1   reel 

A   complete   life-historv  of  the  butterfly. 

THE  DIGESTIVE  SYSTEM    (Health)     1   reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching   Films  production.    How  vari- 
ous foods  are  digested  and  assimilated. 

THE    FARM    (Juvenile) 1  reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching  Films  Production. 


WRITE    US    FOR    COMPLETE    SCHEDULES    SHOWING    HOW    THIS 
CIRCUIT    SERVICE    PLAN    ADAPTS    ITSELF    TO    YOUR    SCHOOL 

Ask  us  about  our  wonderful  collection  of  authentically  colored  Lantern  Slides 
SLIDES  &  PROJECTORS  are  for  SALE  or  RENTAL 

William  H.  Dudley  Visual  Education  Service,  Inc. 


736  SOUTH  WABASH  AVENUE 


CHICAGO,  ILL. 


We       Supply       Everything       but       the       Class       and       the       Teacher 


DeVry  Leads  In  Sales  Because  DeVry  Leads  In  Engineering 

THE  ONLY  RADICAL  ADVANCE  IN  16  \^M.  EQUIPMENT 
IN  1935-36  WAS  MADE  BY  DE  VRY 

(1)  Replacing   the   Amateur   Claw    Movement   with   the    Professional 
Sprocket  Intermittent  Movement 

(2)  The  Silent  Chain  Drive. 

(3)  The  Double  Exciter  Lamp  Socket 


DeVry  16  mm.  Sprocket  Intermittent  Sound  Unit  OeVry  35  mm.  Portable  Sound  Unit  DeVry  Theatre  Sound  Projector 

Because  DeVry  Manufactures  ALL  TYPES  of  Motion  Picture  Equipment  Silent  and  Sound  16  and  3  5  mm. 
Projectors  and  Cameras,  DeVry  representatives  give  unbiased  advice  as  to  the  type  best  suited  to  each  school. 
Sen<J    for    free    membership    card    and    program 

FOR  THE  NATIONAL  CONFERENCE  ON  VISUAL  EDUCA- 
TION AND  FILM  EXHIBITION,  CHICAGO— JUNE  22nd  TO 
25th,   1936. 

ADMISSION  BY  CARD  TO  ALL  SESSIONS 


COUPON   FOR   MEMBERSHIP  CARD 

Name     

Address 

Position    

Film    Entry,   if  any 


HERMAN    A.    DeVRY,    INC. 


nil  CENTER  ST.,  CHICAGO 


Page  1 54 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


/^~\  XE  often  hears  the  question  "How  long  should 
^-^  my  motion  picture  film  be?"  This  is  a  variable 
which  depends  entirely  on  the  type  of  subject  and 
method  of  treatment.  Many  films  lose  their  effec- 
tiveness due  to  the  fact  that  the  producer  has  tried 
to  economize  too  much  on  the  quantity  of  film  used. 
It  is  true  that  film  is  expensive  but  we  must  figure 
this  item  in  the  original  production  budget  bearing 
in  mind  that  in  the  average  film  one  takes  about 
30%  more  footage  than  is  used.  Even  with  careful 
planning  and  a  well  constructed  scenario,  allow- 
ance must  be  made  for  cutting,  editing,  retakes  and 
other  minor  items. 

A  film  always  progresses  more  smoothly  when 
plenty  of  footage  is  taken  and  edited  down  to  the 
final  copy  rather  than  filling  in  an  under-shot  pro- 
duction. Four  hundred  feet  of  silent  film  will  show 
on  a  screen  approximately  15  minutes. 

What  Type  of  Film  Should  Be  Used  is  always  a 
problem  with  the  many  good  types  now  on  the  mar- 
ket. The  raw  stock  field  may  be  divided  into  two 
general  classes ;  the  high  speed  and  slow  speed 
emulsions.  These  two  classes  may  further  be  di- 
vided into  orthochromatic  (commonly  known  as 
"ortho")  and  panchromatic  (commonly  known  as 
"pan").  The  orthochomatic  films  are  sensitive  to 
blue,  green  and  yellow  light  and  the  panchromatic 
films  are  sensitive  to  red  in  addition  to  the  above 
mentioned  colors. 

For  exterior  photography  by  sunlight  the  cheap- 
er orthochromatic  type  is  perfectly  satisfactory. 
Where  sunlight  is  used  one  may  use  a  compara- 
tively slow  film  and  still  have  plenty  of  leeway  in 
speed.  However  if  an  interior  set  is  to  be  photo- 
graphed only  the  highest  speed  panchromatic  film 
should  be  used,  thus  utilizing  the  powerful  yellow 
and  red  radiation  from  incandescent  lights.  A  safe 
rule  to  follow  is  to  have  more  speed  than  necessary 
in  a  film  rather  than  be  on  the  margin,  therebj' 
necessitating  the  use  of  a  large  diaphragm  opening. 

For  a  400  ft.  reel  one  should  figure  that  if  slow 
film  is  used  it  will  cost  between  $20.00  and  $25.00 
for  the  raw  stock.  If  the  high  speed  type  is  used  the 
cost  will  run  between  $35.00  and  $40.00. 

Exposure  Meters  Should  Be  Used  to  obtain  the 
correct  exposure  on  the  film.  This  point  cannot 
be  overemphasized.  A  great  many  amateurs  who 
have  taken  a  few  personal  motion  picture  films  by 
guessing  the  exposure  time,  feel  that  they  are  quali- 
fied to  estimate  exposures  on  difficult  interiors  by 
the  same  method.  The  writer  has  never  seen  any- 
one who  could  guess  accurately  more  than  50%  of 
the  time  and  this  is  not  good  enough  for  teaching 
films. 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Coiunnbus 

There  are  many  excellent  meters  on  the  market 
for  this  purpose.  One  type  uses  a  photo-electric 
cell  to  accurately  measure  the  intensity  of  the  light- 
ing. Another  type  uses  a  visual  device  where  the 
operator  looks  through  the  meter  and  estimates  the 
exposure  by  visual  methods.  Any  of  these  meters 
will  give  good  results  if  properly  handled.  Just  a 
word  of  warning  however.  Don't  expect  these  me- 
ters to  think  for  the  operator;  unfortunately,  they 
will  not  do  it.  You  must  become  perfecly  familiar 
with  the  particular  type  of  meter  that  is  used  before 
attempting  to  make  movies,  and  then  use  common 
sense  in  interpreting  the  results. 

Nothing  is  more  disappointing  than  to  find  after 
taking  several  reels  of  film  that  the  results  are  so 
dark  that  it  is  difificult  to  see  them  on  the  screen 
or  that  they  are  so  thin  and  washed  out  that  thev 
show  no  detail. 

Tripod  Support  is  Very  Necessary.  ^Vhoe^"er  saw 
a  professional  cameraman  making  movies  holding 
the  camera  in  his  hand?  With  the  present  type  of 
professional  35mm.  camera  it  would  take  a  super- 
man to  hold  such  an  outfit  but  even  in  the  days 
when  these  large  cameras  were  portable  the  opera- 
tors always  used  a  tripod.  Why?  The  answer  is 
to  insure  rock-steady  pictures. 

I  imagine  all  of  you  readers  have  had  the  ex- 
perience of  becoming  comfortably  seated  to  view  a 
friend's  movie  made  on  a  summer  trip.  Then  after 
an  hour's  showing  experiencing  a  violent  headache 
from  jerky,  unsteady  pictures.  A  film  obviously 
loses  the  interest  of  its  viewers  when  this  occurs. 

Just  bear  in  mind  that  the  exposure  on  the  mo- 
tion picture  film  is  of  the  same  order  of  duration  as 
the  snapshot  speed  on  ordinary  hand  cameras,  and 
you  know  from  experience  what  happens  when  the 
camera  is  moved  during  the  snapping  of  a  still  pic- 
ture. Moving  either  camera  will  result  in  blurred 
pictures. 

When  purchasing  a  tripod  insist  on  a  model 
which  is  constructed  heavily  enough  to  give  a  firm 
support  to  the  camera.  There  are  many  excellent 
wooden  and  metal  tripods  on  the  market  and  they 
may  seem  rather  expensive  on  first  thought  but  they 
are  a  very  necessary  item  in  the  amateur  camera- 
man's equipment.  They  should  possess  a  tilting 
and  panoramic  head  to  enable  the  operator  to 
quickly  change  the  angle  of  the  camera  without 
disturbing  the  tripod  itself.  The  locking  device  on 
this  head  must  really  lock  the  tilt,  otherwise  the 
camera  may  tilt  of  its  own  accord;  throw  the  set 


May,  19}  6 


Page  155 


The 


Challenger 


POPULAR — because    adaptable 
to  so  many  different  requirements 

Wherever  used,  the  Da-Lite  Challenger  Screen  will  prove  a  time-saver 
for  yonr  teachers.  The  Challenger  is  mounted  in  a  reinforced  metal  ease. 
which  is  pivotally  attached  to  a  specially  designed  tripod.  It  can  be  set 
up  in  a  jiffy  and  adjusted  in  height  to  suit  the  requirements  of  large  or 
small  groups.  Non-sag  tubular  horizontal  supports  prevent  sagging  at 
the  edges  of  the  screen  and  assure  a  smooth,  wrinkle-free  surface.  The 
Challenger  has  the  famous  Da-Lite  glass  beaded  surface  and  is  made  to 
the  same  high  standards  of  qualitj-  for  which  Da-Lite  products  have  been 
noted  for  more  than  25  years. 

See  your  dealer  or  write  us  for  the  new  Da-Lite  Screen  catalogue,  just 
off  the  press ! 

DA-LITE  SCREEI¥  CO.,  Inc. 


2723  No.  Crawford  Ave. 

Quality    Screens    for    More    Than 


Chicago,  Illinois 

Quarter    Century 


Da-Lite  Screens 


#  Folds  to  compact  slie  for  easy 
carrying. 

9  Stands     anywhere     on     its     own 
tripod. 

9  Adjusts   to    height   desired. 


AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


off  balance  and  down  goes  the  camera,  lenses,  tri- 
pod and  all. 

IVItat  Constitutes  Good  Film  Material?  Here  an 
analysis  should  be  made  before  starting  production 
as  to  whether  the  material  at  hand  could  better  be 
shown  in  motion  or  by  means  of  lantern  slides  or 
film  strips.  A  motion  picture  should  portray  mo- 
tion or  action.  Quite  frequently  movies  are  pro- 
duced of  static  objects  which  could  not  only  be 
shown  just  as  well  by  slides  but  in  most  cases  bet- 
ter. The  more  continuity  of  action  that  we  have 
in  a  film  the  more  smoothly  its  presentation  is  ac- 
cepted by  the  audience. 

A  good  method  for  determining  what  constitutes 
good  and  bad  film  material  is  to  view  various  edu- 
cational films  and  while  doing  this,  analyze  the 
treatment  from  the  above  standpoint. 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction 

(Concluded  from  page  149) 

Home-Made  Slides:  How  to  use  home-made  slides 
in  teaching. — Miss  Sybil  S.  Daniels,  Teacher,  Paul 
Revere  School,  Revere. 

Silent  Motion  Pictures :  Methods  for  using  silent 
motion  pictures. — Mr.  Frank  A.  Rhuland.  Teacher 
and  in  Charge  of  Visual  Education,  School  Depart- 
ment, Beverly. 

Sound  Motion  Pictures :  Using  sound  motion  pic- 
tures in  teaching. — Mr.  Henry  E.  Childs,  Instructor  in 
Visual  Education,  Providence,  Rhode  Island. 


Compare  BEFORE 
You  Buy! 

10MM.    UNIVERSAL    SOUND 
ID  PROJECTOR    HAS    EVERY- 
THING.    Here  at  last  is  the  all  pur- 
pose machine   .    .    .    ideal  for  a  small 
group  and  equally  efficient  for  audi- 
torium   gatherings    up    to 
2000.     Simple  in  operation 
for  amateur  use  yet  built 
with  a  precision  and  stur- 
diness     that     means     years 
of    satisfactory    service. 
It's     easy     on     films,  too. 
Universal  Sound  Projectors 
are  designed  from  the  table 
up   as   sound- on -fibn   ma- 
chines .  .  .  not  simply  the 
old  silent  type  with  sound 
equipment  added. 


Try  a  UNIVERSAL  side 
by  side  with  any  machine 
on  the  market.  You  owe 
this  test  to  yourselj  before 
making   a    de cision. 


USEES  ALL— PLAYS  ALL 
NIVERSA 


L 


Write  for  prices  and  complete  information 

UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 

Manufacturers  of  16mm.  — 35mm.  Sound  Projectors 


Factory  &  General  Offices 

Allegheny  Ave.  at  Ninth  St., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

New  York,  1610  Paramount  Bldg. 


Western  Distributor 

Ideal  Pictures,  Corp. 

30  E.  8th  St.,  Chicago,  IlL 

Ottawa,  Canada,  65  Sparks  St, 


Page  156 


The  Educational  Screi 


School  Department 


creem 

M 


A  Movie  d  Day 

\  /ISUAL  instruction  came  to  the  800  students  of 
^  the  Ponca  City  high  school  this  year,  when  the 
student  council  decided  to  purchase  a  16-millimeter 
projector  early  last  fall.  The  machine  is  not  only 
used  for  classroom  work,  but  also  for  a  program  of 
noon  movies,  one  weekly  five-reel  show,  and  teachers' 
meetings. 

The  council  sponsored  the  sale  of  concessions  at  the 
football  games  and  the  proceeds  of  these  sales  were 
applied  on  the  cost  of  the  projector,  together  with  the 
five  cent  weekly  movie  fee,  which  takes  care  of  the 
cost  of  the  films  used,  the  balance  being  applied  on  the 
cost  of  the  machine.  The  profits  from  the  student 
bookstore,  which  is  also  a  council  project,  are  applied 
on  the  projector.  The  movie  fee  which  is  charged  is 
not  compulsory.  Students  may  attend  a  study  hall 
during  the  five-reel  picture  show,  usually  given  on 
Friday  mornings  during  the  activity  period.  On 
Thursday  preceding  the  show  a  movie  census  is  taken 
on  the  following  mimeographed  blank : 

Name    Date 


Simplicity 

of  operation 


featured  in 

SYNCROFILM  16 


We  all  know  that  16  mm  sound- 
on-film  for  visual  education  is 
inevitable.  Its  value  has  been 
demonstrated  and  accepted  by 
leaders  in  education.  No  longer 
is  it  considered  as  merely  some- 
thing of  the  future,  a  truly  won- 
derful  idea,  but  extremely 
difficult  to  use,  necessitatins 
cumbersome,  complicated  equip- 
ment manned  by  an  experienced 
projectionist  and  above  all,  far 
too   expensive   to   purchase. 

Simplicity  is  a  feature  which 
makes  the  Syncrofilm  Sixteen 
Sound  Projector  outvStanding  in 
the  field  of  visual  education,  and 
the  low  cost  brings  this  sound 
projector  within  reach. 


750  watt  illumination,  40  minute  film  capacity,  silent  and 
sound  projection,  capable  of  handling  a  2000  seat  auditorium 
or      the      smallest      classroom.        Write      for      complete      details. 

WEBER  MACHINE  CORPORATION 

Manufacturers    of    35mm    and     16mm    Sound     Projectors 

59    RUTTER   STREET  ROCHESTER.    NEW    YORK 

Export   Office   15    Laight   St..   New   York   City 

Cable    Address    "Romos" 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudten,  N.  Y. 

Please  check  one  of  the  following : 

n  1.  I  am  paying  five  cents  so  that  I  may  attend 
the  movie  this  week. 

D  2.  I  should  like  to  go  but  do  not  have  the 
money. 

D  3.  I  ])refer  to  go  to  study  hall  rather  than  at- 
tend the  movie  this  week. 

Those  students  who  wish  to  see  the  movie,  but  do 
not  have  the  money  are  allowed  to  go  without  paying, 
as  long  as  this  practice  is  not  abused.  The  advantages 
of  such  a  plan  as  this  is  that  it  eliminates  ticket-taking, 
and  there  is  no  need  for  embarrassment  on  the  part  of 
the  students. 

Since  the  student  council  is  attempting  to  pay  for 
the  machine  this  year,  the  budget  for  films  is  limited 
as  yet.  This  year  a  number  of  silent  pictures  have 
been  shown  because  the  cost  of  these  is  less :  however, 
with  the  aid  of  an  electric  turn-table  and  pickup  it  is 
possible  to  use  recordings ;  either  musical,  speech,  or 
other  sound  efifects  in  conjunction  with  the  silent  films. 
A  microphone  is  also  available  for  the  use  of  instruc- 
tors who  wish  to  lecture  to  the  class  during  the  show- 
ing of  a  silent  film.  It  is  hoped  that  next  year  an 
appropriation  for  providing  films  will  be  secured  from 
the  Board  of  Education,  instead  of  using  such  a  fund 
for  other  kinds  of  instructional  supplies.  With  this 
appropriation  it  will  be  possible  to  obtain  more  sound 
films,  as  well  as  films  of  a  later  date. 

Because  of  the  limited  equipment  in  the  cafeteria, 
and  the  location  of  the  high  school  building,  it  has 
been  necessary  to  arrange  a  schedule  of  classes  which 
are  in  session  continuously  throughout  the  day,  with 
two  lunch  period  classes  which  overlap  thirty  min- 
utes. One  half  of  the  student  body  goes  to  lunch  as 
the  other  half  goes  to  a  noon-hour  class.  Students 
usually  finish  their  lunch  in  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes 
and  a  problem  of  what  to  do  with  those  students  to 
have  only  a  minimum  of  disturbance  in  the  halls,  faced 
the  administration.  The  answer  to  this  was  a  pro- 
gram of  noon  movies.  The  committee  selects  a  one- 
reel  film  on  travel,  comedy,  cartoon,  sports,  or  some 
other  short  subject ;  or  a  five-reel  picture  is  selected 
and  one  reel  of  it  is  shown  each  day  of  the  wek.  This 
program  usually  lasts  about  ten  minutes.  The  films 
for  this  program  are  chosen  more  for  the  enjoyment 
of  the  student  than  for  any  particular  educational 
value  they  have.  It  gives  the  students  a  definite  place 
to  go  when  they  have  finished  their  Ivmch  and  provides 
a  brief  period  of  relaxation  before  classes  are  resumed 
for  the  afternoon. 

Programs  on  motion  ]Mcture  appreciation  have  beeil 


May,  1936 


Page  157 


Four  New 
KEYSTONE 

Geography  Units 

Available  for 
September  Delivery 

Unit  No.  2 1 ,  Our  Mexican  Neighbors 

Unit  No.  22,   Living  in  the  Caribbean 
Lands 

Unit  No.  23,   The  East-Coast  Countries 
of  South  America 

Unit  No.  24,   The    West-Coast    Coun- 
tries of  South  America 


Whether  you  purchase  materials  for  a 
single  building  or  single  classroom  use,  or 
for  distribution  to  several  schools  from  a 
central  bureau,  you  will  find  no  material 
more  interesting  or  more  practical  than  the 
KEYSTONE  GEOGRAPHY  UNITS. 

A  superintendent  of  schools  writes:  "Your 
Geography  Units  have  given  our  teachers 
an  entirely  new  interest  in  the  use  of  visual 
aids." 


A  Teachers'  Manual  for  Examination  Will  Be 
Furnished  on  Request. 


Keystone  View  Co. 


MEADVILLE,  PENNA. 


v94 


/^toj^ctot 


YOU  CAN  USE  AT  YOUR  OWN  DESK! 

The  Spencer  Model  "B"  Delineascope  permits 
you  to  lecture  to  your  class,  illustrate  specific  points  with 
glass  slides — and  still  remain  seated  at  your  own  desk  in 
the  front  of  the  room.  No  need  to  stand  up  to  operate 
the  projector  yourself  at  the  back  of  the  room;  no  need 
to  have  It  operated  by  an  inexperienced  student.  You  sit 
facing  your  class,  all  your  lecture  notes  and  facts  at  your 
finger  tips,  the  projector  on  your  desk  ready  for  instant 
use.  It  is  the  ideal  way  to  use  visual  education  in  teaching. 

In  operating  the  projector,  you  place  the  gloss 
slide  right  side  up  on  the  slide  track.  The  image  on  the 
screen  is  shown  to  your  class  exactly  as  the  slide  appears 
to  you.  Using  a  pencil  you  can  point  out,  on  the  slide, 
the  specific  object  under  discussion — and  the  image  of 
the  pencil  appears  as  a  pointer  on  the  screen. 


MODEL  "B" 

ly£LLn£a.5co,2£: 

Projects  glass  slides  and  transparent 
biological  specimens.  500-watf  Maz- 
da bulb  and  superior  optics  assure 
brilliant,  clear  Images  on  the  screen. 
Produces  approximately  3-foot  pi«^ 
tures  when  used  on  lecture  table  only 
5H  feet  from  the  wall.  For  complete 
information  and  prices  write  for 
Folder  K-78. 

Please   address    Dept.    R-5. 


Spencer  Lens  Company 


Buffalo 


New  York 


Page  158 


The  Educational  Screen 


How  Are  Screen 
Cartoons  Made? 


Millions  of  adults  and  children 
want  to  know.     So  .  .  . 


LOWELL  THOMAS  interviews  a  famous 
screen  cartoonist,  and  thoroughly  explains 
and  illustrates  the  tricks  and  mechanics  that 
have  amazed  and  mystified  audiences  for 
years! 

"CARTOONLAND 
MYSTERIES'' 

Revealed  for  the  first  time  in  Universal's  un- 
usual "GOING  PLACES"  No.  18.  Another 
step  forward  by  Universal  in  genuine  visual 
education  and  entertainment! 

Write  to  Universal's  N on-theatrical  De- 
partment for  further  information  on  this 
behind-the-scenes  motion  picture  scoop! 


Consult  us  on  geographical,  musical  or 
historical  subjects — on  current  events — on 
cartoon  comedies — or  feature  length  films! 

UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 

Rockefeller  Center  New  York,  N.  Y. 

WHAT  THE    EYE   SEES,   THE   MIND    REMEMBERS! 


Picture  Studies 

FOR  THE  CLASSROOM 
FOR  INDIVIDUAL  STUDY 
FOR  OPAQUE  PROJECTION 

Photoan  Visual  Units  are  a  well  organized  group  of 
pictures  with  explanatory  text  together  with  thought 
(luestions  which  will  help  the  child  to  interpret  the 
pictiu-e   correctly. 

Coal   Mining..... .56  cards  $1.99 

J""an 58  cards  I.M 

Means   of   Transportation B7  cards  2.25 

U.S.    Northern    Interior 74  cards  2.23 


Actual  Size  6x9'/2 


Photoart    House 


Send  for  sample  card  today. 

844  N.   PLANKINTON   AVE. 
IHtLWAUKEE,  WISCONSIN 


conducted  in  home  room  groups  and  this  suhject  has 
also  been  stressed  in  the  EngHsh  classes.  A  number 
of  books  on  the  subject  of  motion  picture  appreciation 
were  purchased  for  the  high  school  library  this  vear, 
and  are  available  for  the  use  of  both  students  and 
teachers. 

The  projector  has  been  used  frequently  for  the 
showing  of  educational  films  for  the  various  classes. 
For  example :  films  on  Flozcers  at  Work  and  Sulphur 
have  been  shown  to  the  science  classes ;  The  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  Vincennes,  and  Alexander 
Hamilton  for  the  history  classes ;  Inland  Waterways 
for  geography  classes  ;  Correct  Shorthand  for  commer- 
cial groups  :  Modern  Basketball  Fundamentals  for  ath- 
letics ;  and  Turkey  Business  and  The  Brooding  and 
Rearing  of  Chicks  for  the  agriculture  groups.  A 
small  fee  was  charged  each  student  in  the  class  for 
these  films.  As  the  auditorium  is  equipped  with  a 
projection  booth,  and  as  the  school  already  owned  a 
first-class  6'x8'  screen,  all  pictures  have  been  shown 
in  the  auditorium,  rather  than  moving  the  equipment 
from  room  to  room.  This  has  proven  very  satisfac- 
tory, especially  when  there  are  several  classes  wishing 
to  see  the  film  the  same  period. 

Several  students  who  manifested  considerable  inter- 
est in  the  operation  of  the  machine,  were  given  the 
opportunity  to  learn  how  to  operate  it.  After  passing 
a  satisfactory  examination  these  boys  have  become 
full-fledged  operators. 

Some  of  the  Friday  features  have  been  The  Lost 
World,  The  Pony  Express.  Julius  Caesar,  The  Cov- 
ered Wagon,  The  Yankee  Clipper,  and  The  Last  of 
the  Mohicans. 

In  the  fall  at  an  open-house  sponsored  by  the  stu- 
dent-Parent-Teacher Club,  a  short  moving  picture 
program  was  used  as  one  of  the  features  of  the  eve- 
ning. A  similar  program  was  used  for  the  "Back-to- 
School  Night",  when  a  sample  of  the  regular  noon 
movie  was  given  for  the  parents  and  patrons.  The 
machine  has  been  used  twice  for  general  teachers 
meetings  in  the  system. 

Once  the  cost  of  the  projector  has  been  taken  care 
of,  the  school  administrators  and  teachers  believe  that 
the  possible  uses  of  the  machine  will  be  invaluable  to 
the  school,  as  well  as  at  present  solving  the  problem  of 
noon  hour  activities. 

By    O.    LOUISE    RANDELL 

High    School,    Ponca    City,    Olcla. 


1 


May,  1936 


Page  159 


In  addition  to  many  recreational  filnns  with  well-known  stars  and  players,  we  offer  subjects 
especially  planned  for  and  appealing  to  scHodI  audiences.  Excellent  educational  films  have 
been  selected,  and  the  subject  matter  of  these  films,  their  photography,  sound  quality  and 
intelligent  presentation  are  of  outstanding  quality  from  the  educational  standpoint. 

Types  of  Educational  16  mm.  Films  Available  for  School  Use 


MUSIC  APPRECIATION 

Vocal 

Instrumental 

Orchestral 
TRAVEL  AND  CUSTOMS 

British  Empire 

Holy   Land   and    Its   Neighbors 

China,  Japan  and  Manchukuo 

Continental  Europe 

Western  Hemisphere 
NATURAL  SCIENCE 

Animal  Study 

Botany 

Geology 


%m 


EDUCATIONAL 


LITERATURE 

Dramatiied  versions  of  "Last  of  the 
Mohicans",  "Black  Beauty",  "Little  Men" 
and   others. 

FOREIGN  LANGUAGES 

Recreational,  classical  features,  also 
short  subjects,  in  English,  French, 
Spanish   and   German. 

SPORTS 

Grantland  Rice  Sportlights 
Football  Technique 
Track  Events 


g%g%^^  tr^^^^w^^    ^Y   special   arrangement  with   the    RCA   Manufacturing    Company   of   Camden,    N.   J.,   we    have 
I    K^^JtW  I  ^^K9    the  exclusive   right  to   offer  their   projectors  to   schools   on   a   deferred    payment   plan,   together 
with   a   program   service  from   our    16  mm.  sound-on-film   library. 


Detailed  information  may  be  obtained  upon  request. 


Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc^ 


35    W.    45+h    ST. 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


Current  Film  Releases 

^Concluded  from  page  152) 

Culver  student,   insofar  as   Naval  activities  are   con- 
cerned. 

Prints  for  showings  can  be  secured  by  writing  direct 
to  Major  J.  W.  Henderson,  Culver  Military  Academy, 
Culver,  Indiana,  or  to  the  producers,  Chicago  Film 
Laboratory,  Inc.,  Chicago,  111. 

To  the  South  Seas  with  Pillsbury 

Two  new  single-reel  16mm.  sound  films  of  the 
South  Seas,  photographed  and  narrated  by  Arthur  C. 
Pillsbury,  well-known  naturalist  and  lecturer,  are  of- 
fered by  the  Bell  &  Howell  Filmosound  Library. 

Life  in  the  South  Seas  takes  us  to  the  Samoan  Is- 
lands, shows  in  detail  the  life  of  these  happy-go-lucky 
wards  of  Uncle  Sam,  and  presents  fine  time-lapse  pho- 
tography of  the  development  of  the  cocoanut  plant 
and  the  uses  to  which  it  is  put.  The  building  of  the 
South  Sea  Islands  by  two  widely  dilifering  methods, 
coral  and  volcano,  is  graphically  portrayed. 

Life  Under  the  South  Seas,  the  second  film,  shows 
undersea  diving  with  water-tight  motion  picture  equip- 
ment and  the  photographic  results — fascinating  time- 
lapse  pictures  of  starfish,  anemones,  barnacles,  hy- 
droids,  jellyfish,  sea  pens,  sea  urchins,  and  many  kinds 
of  fish.  Mr.  Pillsbury's  own  voice  accompanies  these 
pictures  as  it  has  at  thousands  of  popular  science  lec- 
tures throughout  the  country. 


>A^  ALL 
SPROCKET 
PROJECTOR. 


SILENT 

,  ^         >SOLND 

••i^            on 

r    *«         FILM 

All 
Shaft 
Driven 

StraiRht 

Sound 
Aperture 

Direct 
Beam  of 
Light  on 

Sound 
Track  and 
Photo  Cell 

Hold  Back 

Sprocket 

Filtered 

Sound 

Sprocket 


PROFESSIONAL 
QUALITY 

Ask  any  professional  operator 
why  these  HOLMES  16  mm 
features  are  so  necessary  to 
the  finest  sound  reproduction 
and  picture  projection. 

Write  for  full  descriptive 
literature. 


No  Belts 
No  Chains 

No 
Sound 
Drum 

No 

Reflected 

Lifrht  from 

Sound 

Track  to 

Photo  Cell 

No  Claw 
Movement 

No  High 
Speed 
Shafts 


HOLMES    PROJECTOR    COMPANY 

1813  N.  ORCHARD  STREET  CHICAGO,  ILLINOIS 


Page  160 


The  Educational  Screen  j 


■'^T.S^HCH  OF  tiME. 


IN  'THE 


Xn  Manchukuo,  where  chopsticks  take  the  place  of  knives  and  forks,  Leica 
catches  a  toothsome  moisel  en  route  from  bowl  to  lip.  Wherever  interesting 
action  is  to  be  caught,  Leica  qets  It — stops  it — nails  it  in  the  act. 

You  can  get  along  with  an  old  style  camera,  as  farmers  used  to  get  along 
with  ox-carts — but  today's  photography  demands  tomorrow's  camera — Leica, 
the  candid  camera  that  needs  no  coddling  on  the  hard,  swiit-as-lightning  shots. 

Write     For    FREE    Literature 

We'll  be  glad  to  send  you  a  copy  of  Leica  Photography,  (worth  10^)  FREE 
upon  request.  Leica  Manual  the  500  page  book  on  miniature  photography  is 
worth  far  more  to  you  than  the  $4  it  costs  at 
your  photographic  dealer. 


'eica 


LEICA  PHOTO  by  JuUcn  tlrvaii,  roving  cameraman  tor  "  1  tie  Marirli 
of  Time."  His  movie  shots  may  be  seen  in  recent  releases  on  Russia 
and  Manchukuoj  for  his  stills  be  relies  on  Leica. 


THE  ORIGINAL  MINIATURE  CANDID  CAMERA 


Model  G  with 
f:Z  Summar  Speed  Lens 


U.   S.    PAT.    NO.    1.960,044  PRICES  START  AT  $99. 

E.   LEITZ,  INC.    •   DEPT.  156   •   60  EAST  lOth  STREET,  NEW  YORK  CITY 

Branch    Offices   in   CHICAGO      •     WASHINGTON      •     LOS  ANGELES      .      SAN    FRANCISCO 


TWO  NEW  SCIENCE  AIDS 

FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS  PRINCIPLES   OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  visualization  of  high  school  The  core  of  the  year's   work  in 

physics  on  35  mm.  film  slides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 

classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address : 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suf  fern,    N.Y. 


MAY  SALE  of 
Movie  Bargains/ 

1 6  MM — Guaranteed  Like  New — Every  Machine  Guaranteed 
Perfect.      Sold   on    a    Ten    Day    Trial   Basis! 


DeVry   Model   G 

200  Watts.     Reg.  $105.00. 
SPECIAL  $22.50 

Eastman  Kodascope  "A" 

250   W.      Reg.    $180.00 
SPECIAL  $39.50 

Agfa    Ansco    De    Luxe 

200   W.      Reg.   $125.00. 
SPECIAL  $29.50 

16  MM   Leader  film  100  ft.. 


Eastman   Kodascope  "D 

400  W.      Reg.   $72.00. 
SPECIAL  $57.50 

Eastman   Kodascope  "K" 

250   W.      Reg.    $150.00 
SPECIAL  $74.50 

Peko — 50     Watts,     brand     new 

Reg.   $19.00 
SPECIAL  $12.95 

50  ft 


75c; 


.45c 


Central    Rewind    &    Free    Wheeling    Post,    16    MM.   for    100   foot 
reels  or  smaller,  all  metal.     Reg.  $4.00  value.     SPECIAL $2.95 

WRITE  for  Free  copy  Central's  new    1936  "U"   Book — 32   pages 
of  used    BARGAINS   in   everytliing    photographic. 


CAMERA  CO 


230  S.  WABASH,  DEPT.  7185,  CHICAGO 
PHOTOGRAPHIC  HEADQUARTERS  SINCE    1899 


Among  The  Mdsazines 

(Concluded  jrom  payc  1-17) 

tation  to  the  group,  continuity  of  film  content,  and 

the  nature  of  the  titling. 

(11  :4-7,  Feb.  '36)  "Motion  Pictures  and  the  Social 
Sciences,"  by  Dr.  Frederic  M.  Thrasher.  New 
York  University. 

The  motion  picture  is  a  powerful  device  for  im- 
parting information,  but  what  is  more  significant, 
it  stimulates  the  emotions  and  changes  social  atti- 
udes,  which  are  the  very  dynamics  of  social  action. 
Social  disorganization  has  been  a  striking  charac- 
teristic of  American  life  since  before  the  World 
\\'ar.  The  War  and  the  Depression  were  not  the 
causes  of  disorganization,  l)ut  accentuated  the  dis- 
integrating elements.  Social  inadequacy  and  lack 
of  articulation  of  social  institutions  are  the  cause 
of  a  host  of  problems  of  gra\e  importance.  Both 
adults  and  children  must  be  given  training  in  the 
social  sciences,  and  for  each  there  is  no  more  potent 
instrument  of  education  than  the  motion  picture. 
Information,  however,  is  not  sufficient;  the  will  to 
act  for  democracy  must  be  induced.  "Citizenship, 
therefore,  does  not  depend  upon  information  alone, 
but  upon  the  habits  of  feeling  and  acting  which  are 
deeply  rooted  in  our  sentiments  and  attitudes."  It 
has  been  proved  that  the  motion  picture  can  create 
sentiments  and  change  attitudes.  The  significance 
of  the  picture.  The  Story  of  Louis  Pasteur,  is  not  that 
it  presents  the  accurate  techniques  of  science,  "but 
that  is  is  deeply  touching,  that  it  moves  its  audience 
to  tears  for  social  values  that  are  truly  significant 
and  not  the  maudlin  sentimentality  of  the  'tear- 
jerker'."  The  writer  ranks  this  as  the  greatest  edu- 
cational film  yet  produced.  He  rates  The  Human 
Adventure  of  Dr.  Breasted  in  the  same  class,  but  the 
purpose  of  the  latter  is  clarity  of  explanation  pre- 
sented with  dramatic  cogency. 


I 


-May,  1936 


Page  161 


Round  Out  Your 
Classroom  Film  Library 

.  .  .  bring  your  film  material  up  to  date 
before  the  fall  semester  gets  under  way 


pheric  Pressure — Compressed  Air — Elec- 
tricity (3  reels) — ^The  Green  Plant — 
Illumination — Behavior  of  Light — Mi- 
croscopic Animal  Life — Life  History  of 
the  Yellow  Fever  Mosquito — Refining 
Crude  Oil — Optical  Instruments — Re- 
frigeration— Sand  and  Clay — Formation 
of  Soil  —  Steam  Power — Termites — 
Volcanoes — The  Water  Cycle — Water 
Power  —  Purifying  Water  —  Weather 
Forecasting. 


HEALTH 

No  classification  of  Eastman  Classroom 
Films  has  proved  more  valuable  than 
the  38  reels  on  health  topics.  Check  the 
following  titles  with  your  present  list. 
Bacteria— The  Blood — Body  Framework 
— Breathing — The  Living  Ceil — Circu- 
lation— Circulatory  Control — Cleanli- 
ness (4  reels}— Digestion — Diphtheria 
— The  Feet — First  Aid  (4  reels) — Food 
and  Growth — Good  Foods  (4  reels) — 
Home  Nursing  (3  reels) — The  House 
Fly — Mold  and  Yeast — Muscles — Pos- 
ture— Sewage  Disposal — The  Skin — 
Street  Safety  (for  primary  and  advanced 
grades) — Care  of  the  Teeth — How 
Teeth  Grow — Tuberculosis  and  How  It 
May  Be  Avoided. 


SPORT 

Under  this  heading  Eastman  offers  two 
outstandingly  successful  pictures,  each  in 
two  reels.  Modem  Football  Fundamentals 
was  prepared  under  the  direction  of 
Coach  Harry  Kipke  of  the  University  of 
Michigan.  Modern  Basketball  Fundamen- 
tals was  directed  by  Coach  F.  C.  Allen 
of  the  University  of  Kansas. 


SCIENCE 

The  following  is  a  partial  list  of  the 
widely  used  Eastman  films  on  science 
subjects.  All  of  the  42  available  reels  are 
outUnedintheDescriptive  List  of  Eastman 
Classroom  Films  (see  coupon).   Atmos- 


GEOGRAPHY 

Eastman  Classroom  Films  on  geography 
total  86.  Here  are  some  of  them :  Alaska 
— Argentina — Automobile — From  Ba- 
hamas to  Jamaica — Bolivia — Brazil  (2 
reels)  —  Cattle  —  Central  America  — 
Chesapeake  Bay  —  Chile  —  Anthracite 
Coal — Bituminous  Coal — Coffee — Corn 
— Cotton  Goods — Cotton  Growing — 
Denmark — Dutch  East  Indies — Finland 
— Flax  to  Linen — Gold — Golden  Gate 
— Haiti  to  Trinidad — Hawaiian  Islands 
— Hungary — Iron  Ore  to  Pig  Iron — 
Lead — Leather — London — Market  Gar- 
dening— Meat  Packing — Mexico — Mo- 
hawk Valley — New  England  Fisheries 
(2  reels) — New  Orleans — Producing 
Crude  Oil — Pacific  Coast  Salmon — Pan- 
ama Canal — Peru — Philippine  Islands — 
Pig  Iron  to  Steel — Pueblo  Dwellers — 
Puerto  Rico — Railroad  Safety — Salt 
—  Silk  —  Continent 
of  South  America — 
Sweden  —  Tin  — 
Virginia — Wheat — 
Wheat  to  Bread — 
Woolen  Goods. 


NATURE 

29  effective  films  on  nature-study  sub- 
jects. Among  them  are:  Adventures  of 
Peter — Bears — Beavers — Birds  (6  reels) 
— Luther  Burbank — Animals  of  the  Cat 
Tribe — Flower  to  Fruit — Wild  Flowers 
— Water  Insects — Mammals  (2  reels) — 
Monkeys  and  Apes  —  Oysters  —  The 
Raccoon — Reptiles — Seals  and  Walruses 
— Spiders — Under-Sea  Life. 


Eastman 
Classroom  Films 


(or  this  booklet  if  you  have 

not  received  your  copy 


The  Descriptive  List  of  Eastman  Classroom  Films 
will  h<lp  you  brjns  your  film  library  up  lo  dati. 
If  you  do  not  have  a  copy  in  your  files,  mail  this 
coupon  today  . . .  Eastman  Kodak  Co.,  Tcachinf 
Films  Division,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Name_ 


School  Addrtss_ 
City  and  5tdlc_ 


Page  162 


The  Educational  Scree* 


Among  the  Producers 


Two  New  Silent  Victor? 

Two  additions  have  been  made  to  the  extensive  hne 
of  silent  16  mm.  Master  Projectors.  The  new  Model 
11  is  an  attractive  and  efficient  instrument  in  the  mod- 
erate price  range.  Mechanically  and  optically,  it  is 
identical  to  the  well-known  Victor  Model  hi-power 
optical  system,  super-efficient  spira-draft  ventilation, 
the  new  swing-out  lens  mount  with  integral  mechanical 
framer,  and  numerous  other  attractive  features,  in- 
cluding, four-in-one  control,  pilot  light,  lamp  switch, 
motor  switch,  "still"  projection,  reverse  action,  power 
rewind,  etc.  Standard  lamp  equipment  of  the  Model 
11  will  be  the  500  watt,  110  volt  Mazda.  The  projec- 
tor will,  however,  accommodate  the  powerful  750 
watt  lamp,  which  will  be  supplied  on  order  at  a  slight 
additional  cost.    Standard  lens  is  2".  F  1.85. 

The  new  Model  22  Victor  is  permanently  housed  in 
a  "blimp"  type  case  which  entirely  encloses  the  pro- 
jector during  projection.  Reel  arms  accommodate 
1600  ft.  reels,  making  it  possible  to  make  a  full  one- 
hour  presentation  without  need  for  stopping  to  change 
reels.  Mechanically  and  optically  the  Model  22  is 
identical  to  Model  11,  except  that  is  has  a  faster  lens 
(F   1.65)   and  a  special   motor  with  rewind  working 


Keystone 
500  Watt 
Projector 

with 

Deluxe  Case 
Brand     New 

$55.00 

Net  Cash 

while  they  last 
until  (15)  of 
these  are  sold. 


One  of  the  best  buys  of  the  year — for  auditonum  or  class- 
room. Complete  with  500  watt  lamp — i  1.65  Auditorium  Lens 
— Forward  and  reverse — high  speed  rewind — pilot  light — 
powerful  ventilating  fan — projects  stills — framer — handle — 
complete  with  case — will  project  14  Ft.  wide  picture — with 
perfect  illumination. 

ORDER  FROM 

SUNNY  SCHICK 

Nationai  Brokers 
407  W.  WASHINGTON   BLVD.,   FORT  WAYNE,   INDIANA 


The  New   Model  11 


Where  the  commercial  firms — whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    readers. 

direct  from  the 
shaft.  The  rapid 
p  o  w  e  r  re  w i n d , 
which  functions  at 
the  t  o  u  c  li  of  a 
small  lever,  is  an 
especially  attractive 
feature.  Standard 
lamp  equipment  of 
the  22  is  the  750 
watt.  110  volt 
Mazda.  It  will,  of 
course,  accommo- 
date lamps  of  500 
watt  and  lower 
ratings. 

Filmo  8  mm.  Speed  Cameras 

The  superspeed  model  of  the  Bell  and  Howell  Filmo 
"Straight  8"  camera,  using  the  pre-split  Filmopan  8 
mm.  film,  has  proved  so  popular  that  Bell  &  Howell 
now  announce  a  superspeed  model  of  the  Filmo 
"Double  8"  camera,  which  uses  Eastman  8  mm.  film. 
The  new  superspeed  "Double  8"  will  make  available 
four  speeds — 16,  32,  48,  and  64.  Otherwise  it  is  iden- 
tical with  the  regular  speed  Filmo  "Double  8"  camera, 
which  operates  at  8,  16,  24,  and  32  speeds.  The  in- 
troduction of  this  new  "Double  8"  model  is  actuated 
by  Bell  &  Howell's  desire  to  give  the  8  mm.  user  much 
of  the  versatility  afforded  16  mm.  camera  owners. 

New  Eastman  Products 

Important  news  of  the  month  is  the  announcement 
by  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company  of  a  new  type  of 
Kodachrome  film  for  use  with  artificial  light,  and  a 
new  low  priced  16  mm.  projector,  Kodascope  E. 

Heretofore,  in  order  to  obtain  satisfactory  interior 
exposures  with  regular  Kodachrome,  the  amateur  had 
to  use  more  light  than  the  average  house  is  fused  to 
carry,  and  a  blue  filter  was  necessary  to  compensate 
for  the  redness  of  artificial  light  as  compared  with  day- 
light. With  this  new  type  of  Kodachrome,  which  is 
extremely  blue  sensitive,  no  such  filter  is  necessary. 
The  film  is  about  four  times  the  speed,  or 
two  diaphragm  openings  faster,  than  is  the 
regular  Kodachrome  with  artificial  light  and  filter. 
This  new  film,  designated  Type  "A",  is  balanced  for 
the  light  of  the  inexpensive  and  readily  available 
Photoflood  lamps  but  will  also  render  very  excellent 
results  with  new  regular  tungsten  filament  lamps.  For 
white     flame     carbon     arcs     the      regular     daylight 


I 


May,  1936 


Page  163 


16  MM 

PROJECTOR 

BARGAIN 


VICTOR    Model    lOFH 

complete  with  case 
Former   Value    $172.50 
=  Offered   for    $75^00 


:Only 


Projector  practically  good  as  new.  Used  Few  times 
only  as  demonstrator.  Carries  factory  guarantee. 
Equipped  with  400-watt  bulb  (inter-changeable  with 
500-watt  bulb).  Will  give  excellent  service  in  class- 
room or  similar  work. 

ADDRESS: 

EDUCATIONAL 

Box  640 


SCREEN 

64  E.  Lake  St.,  Chicago 


Kodachrome  film  should  be  used.  Since  the  new  film 
is  extremely  blue  sensitive,  care  must  be  exercised  to 
exclude  all  daylight  from  the  room  when  artificial  light 
pictures  are  made.  Type  "A"  is  similar  to  the  regular 
daylight  Kodachrome  in  that  exposures  must  be  judged 
fairly  accurately  to  obtain  the  best  results,  and  also  the 
subject  contrast  must  be  kept  low  by  the  use  of 
soft,  flat  lighting.  It  may  also  be  used  in  daylight 
with  an  orange  filter  to  compensate  for  its  blue  sen- 
sitivity ;  its  speed  to  daylight  with  the  filter  being  about 
the  same  as  regular  Kodachrome  without  a  filter.  This 
filter  will  be  available  in  the  near  future.  The  price  of 
Type  "A"  is  the  same  as  regular  Kodachrome  film. 

A  projector  priced  as  low  as  $54.50,  including  lens 
and  lamp,  should  be  inexpensive  enough  to  fit  anyone's 
pocketbook.  In  addition  to  its  attractive  price  the 
new  Kodascope  E  is  new  in  style,  design  and  per- 
formance. It  includes  such  standard  equipment  as  a 
400-watt  lamp,  giving  more  than  ample  illumination 
for  showing  Kodachrome,  and  a  2-inch  f.2.5  lens.  If 
maximum  illumination  is  desired,  however,  a  2-inch 
f.1.6  lens  and  750- watt  lamp  equipment  can  be  had 
at  a  small  added  cost.  By  a  simple,  ingenious  arrange- 
ment, the  base  of  Kodascope  E  fits  down  snugly  over 
the  handle  on  the  top  of  its  carrying  case,  which  is 
priced  at  $12.00,  and  eliminates  the  bother  of  setting 
up  or  clearing  off  a  table  when  movies  are  to  be  shown. 
It  uses  either  A.C.  or  D.C.,  100  to  125  volts.  Other 
features  are  proper  lubrication,  simplified  threading, 
and  motor  driven  rewind.  The  machine  accommodates 
400-foot  reels. 

Mogull  Film  Catalog 

The  sixth  edition  of  the  Mogull  film  rental  catalog 
is  ready  and  will  be  supplied  free  upon  request  to 
Mogull  Brothers,  1944  Boston  Road,  New  York  City. 
This  library  ofl^ers  an  extensive  selection  of  16mm 
silent  motion  pictures  —  dramas,  comedies,  cartoons, 
sports,  travel,  religious,  education  and  miscellaneous 
subjects. 


FREE 


If  you  w^ant  one  of  the  latest  16  mm. 
sound  -  on  -  film  projectors,  without  any 
down    payment,   and    rent   free  — 

If  you  would  like  to  show^  Dicken's  "Great 
Expectations"  and  other  selected  pictures 
featuring  famous  stars  — 

Write  for  our  School  Plan  A  and  our 
Sound-on-Film   Catalogue. 

nLois 

uiiijiiiiiUiiiiumrm 

£^«A  Homt  f  iLfn  iififtAflies.  inc. 
330    WEST   42nd   STREET.  NEW   YORK   CITY 


16-mm  TALKING  or  SILENT  PROJECTOR 
FOR  YOUR  SCHOOL 

Without  a   Cash   Payment 

Our  library  of   16mm. 

SOUND  and  SILENT  EDUCATIONAL  FILMS 

Is  One  of  the  Largest  in  the  U.  S.  A. 

CATALOGUE   FREE 

IDEAL     PICTURES     CORPORATION 

30   EAST  EIGHTH   STREET  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


16  MM.  SOUND-ON-FILM  for  RENT 

Lists  are  free  —  either  sound  or  silent  films. 
Our    rates    (we    honestly    believe)    are    the    lowest   in    the    U.    S.    A. 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All   poBtage  on   films  —  both  to   and  from  destination  —  paid  by   us. 

We  are  organized  for  service — not  for  profit. 

May  we  save  you  money  on  your  equipment  ?     Try  us ! 

THE     MANSE     LIBRARY     *»' "'cSna*"o. ''''"" 


TKe  PARTICULAR  MOVIEMAKER 

LOOKS  FOR     PERFECTION  in  PROJECTION 

He   finds    rt,    now,    In    Briteiite-Truvision    Screens   whose 
novel   improvements   include   a   screen   cloth   which   will 
retain   its   basic  white  for  a   longer  period   and,   in   the 
De   Luxe   'A'  Screen,   a   simplified   method   of 
releasing   the   screen   from   the   box  instantly. 

BRITELITE-TRUVISION 
CRYSTAL     BEADED     SCREENS 


retain   i 

D 


At   all   Dealers  — 


Literature   on    Request 


Motion   Picture  Screen   &   Accessories  Co., 


528  WEST  26th  STREET 


NEW  YORK 


MAKE   YOUR   OWN 

TYPEWRITER     SLIDES 

For    Screen    Projection 

USE        RADIO        MATS 

on    sa  e    by   Theatre   Supp'y    Dealers 
Write   for   Free  Sample 

RADIO-MAT  SLIDE  CO.,  Inc. 

IS19  Broadway  Dept.V.  New  York  City 


Page  164 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    Thev    A 


re 


FILMS 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6> 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 
Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)  Davenport,  la. 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  paKe  161) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020    Chesnut    St.,    Philadelphia,    Pa 
606  Wood   St.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa. 

Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1,  4) 
330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 

Films  Incorporated  (5) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

Walter   O.    Gutlohn,   Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  4Sth   St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  159) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological    Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 
Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 

The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  .''luburn    Ave..   Cincinnati.   O. 
(See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

Pinkney  Film  Service  Co.  (1,  4) 

1028   Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  e) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,    New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  158) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  134) 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Bell  &  Howell  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central   Camera   Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave..  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  160) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,   N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 


Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St..  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330  W.  42nd   St.,   New  York  City 

Herman   A.   DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page   153) 

Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  159) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

S  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  151) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,   Regina,    Sask. 

S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 

Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers  (3,  6) 
407   W.   Washington   Blvd. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  162) 

United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.         (2,  5) 
Allegheny   Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  155) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,   Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  136) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Weber  Machine  Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  156) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

The  Photoart  House 

844   N.   Plankinton   Ave.,   Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  158) 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721    N.    Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(Sec  advertisement  on  page  155) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisemoTit  on  page  163) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 


A    Tra(de     Directory 
for  the   Visual    Field 


Eastman  Educational  Slides 

Iowa  City,  la. 
Edited    Pictures   System,    Inc. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 
Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 

30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,   111. 

I  See  advertisement  on  page  163) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  157) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New   York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page   163) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago,  III. 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  157) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on  page  160) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 

1111   Center   St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  153) 

Keystone  View  Co. 

Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  157) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  133) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
£.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  160) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 
Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 
Spencer  Lens  Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  157) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

silent. 

(2)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates   firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound   and   silent. 

(4)   indicates   firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6)   indicates   firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

Continuous  insertions  uncJer  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


KftfiMt  Ony.  IM. 
T««eh*rf  LIbrarv 


Educationa 


COMBINED  WITH 


'"■  Li    ■ 


Visual  Instruction  News 


Rocky  Creek  Bridge 

on  the  Oregon  Coast 

Highway 


(Courtesy  of  Oregon  State 
Highway  Commission) 


:A:,,s^ii 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a     Year  • 


^l-t'i=»lia.tiHi*ii£iJil.y  2iJfi 


JUNE 


1936 


Mrn^' 


\ 

PORTABLE 
SOUND  PROJECTOR^ 


/Xf^K      RKC'O 


"4 

iset 

J 


Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projector  and  the  new  Semi-ProfcM 
Sound  Projector  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  special  reqi 
ments  of  small  theatres,  schools,  colleges,  churches,  hotels^ 
pitals,  commercial  organizations,  etc.  The  characteristic  cai 
accuracy  which  have  given  our  products  an  international  re 
tion  are  maintained  throughout  in  the  manufacture  and  asset 
of  Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projectors. 

Superior  sound  and  visual  projection  can  be  secured  unde 
conditions  with  adequate  equipment.    Therefore,  we  give  an  a 

lute  assurance  that  in 
field  for  which  they  ar 
tended  the  results  obta; 
with      Simplex      Port 
Sound    Projectors   are 
actly    the    same    as    t 
secured  with  Simplex 
jectors  and  Simplex  \r 
Sound  Projectors  in 
sands  of   leading   the;  i 
throughout  the  world 


PORTABLE 


/\  rx  K    r»  B  c  c 


SOUND  PROJECTORS 

The  installation  of  motion  picture  equipment  requires 
long  and  serious  consideration  and  we  are  therefore 
pleased  to  receive  inquiries  and  supply  answers  with  a 
full  realization  that  in  many  instances  decisions  cannot  be 
quickly  made. 

Our  products  are  distributed  in  the  United  States  by  the 
NationalTheatre  Supply  Company  and  elsewhere  by  rep- 
resentatives who  are  in  a  position  to  supply  full  informa- 
tion regarding  our  products  and  properly  service  Simplex, 
equipment  after  installation.  We  therefore  will  be 
pleased  to  send  you  catalog  and  prices  or  you  may  com- 
municate directly  with  our  dealers  in  your  locality. 


SIMPLEX  SEMI-PROFESSIO.NAL 
SOUND  PItOJECTOR 
2000'  Type  with  [ncaiidescent  Lamp 


INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATIC 


ijune,  193  6 


Page  167 


dito 


rid 


*■ 


W/E  WISH  to  ask  particular  attention 
H  from  our  readers  tf)  the  article  in 
Hhis  issue  entitled  "A  Quarter  Century 
Kf  Non-Theatrical  Films,"  by  Arthur  E. 
^TCrows.  It  was  written  for  the  St.  Louis 
program,  listed  there,  but  not  delivered. 
It  is  the  merest  skeleton  outline  of  the 
author's  elaborate  history  of  the  non- 
theatrical  field  from  the  lowliest  begin- 
nings to  date.  His  manuscript  for  an 
illustrated  book  of  over  500  pages  is 
BB)ractically  completed  and  The  Educa- 
IpiONAL  Screen  is  considering  publica- 
tion of  same.  The  book  will  cover 
completely  and  authoritatively  the  whole 
past  of  the  non-theatrical  and  education- 
1  motion  picture.  We  know  of  no  man 
America  so  qualified  to  present  this 
complex  story  in  final  form  for  perma- 
nent preservation  and  reference.  We 
shall  appreciate  the  reaction  of  our  read- 
ers on  the  desirability  and  im]iortance  of 
such  an  addition  to  the  literature  of  the 
visual  field. 

We  believe  such  a  book  is  needed  and 
that  Arthur  Edwin  Krows  has  written  it. 
His  previous  books,  "Play  Production  in 
America",  "Play  writing  for  Profit", 
"The  Talkies",  and  numerous  articles  in 
magazines  and  encyclopedias,  have  long 
since  established  him  as  a  writer.  In  his 
amazingly  wide  experience  in  the  field  of 
stage  and  screen,  he  has  been  and  done 
the  following:  associate  of  \\'inthrop 
Ames  in  the  famous  Little  Theatre ;  pub- 
licity man  with  old  Triangle  Films,  then 
Goldwyn  Pictures ;  on  original  staff  of 
"The  Film  Daily"  ;  a  director  and  Sec- 
retary of  original  Yale  Chronicles  of 
America ;  on  scenario  staff  of  Famous 
Players-Lasky  and  Vitagraph  Company ; 
production  manager  of  scores  of  non- 
theatrical  films  with  Carlyle  Ellis, 
Wythe's  Screen  Companion,  Eastern 
Films  Corporation  ;  and  many  of  Erpi's 
well  known  educational  talkies  on  Read- 
ing, Infant  Behavior,  Geometry,  Choice 
of  \'ocation  and  others  were  made  by 
him.  In  1934  Mr.  Krows  became  Man- 
aging Editor  of  "The  New  Outlook." 

Out  of  such  experience  Mr.  Krows 
has  written  his  history,  rich  in  detail, 
comprehensive  in  range,  vivid  with  first- 
hand knowledge.  He  has  called  it  "Mo- 
tion Pictures — not  for  Theatre."  Your 
opinions  are  urgently  invited. 

Nelson  L.  Greene 


Educational    Screen 

Combined     with 

Visual    Instruction    News 


JUNE,  1936 

VOLUME     XV  NUMBER     6 


CONTENTS 

A  Quarter-Cen+ury  of  Non-Theatrical  Films. 

Arthur   Edwin    Krows I  69 

A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes.     Paul  T.  Williams-...-.l  73 

Suggestions  on  the  Care  of  16  mm.  Film  and  Projectors. 

H.   L   Kooser 1 75 

Distribution — An  Aid  to  Visual  Aids.     Lorraine  Noble 176 

The  Film  Estimates I  78 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 179 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

Conducted  by  E.  C.  Waggoner.. 181 

Program  of  National  Conference  on  Visual  Education 

and   Film   Exhibition 1 82 

News  and  Notes.    Conducted  by  Josephine  Hoffman 183 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis 184 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  F.  Dean  McClusky 188 

Educational  Film  Activities 1 92' 

Among  the  Producers 1 94 

Here  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field....  196 

Contents  of  previous  Issues  listed  In  Education  Index. 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  June,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational Screen,  Inc.  Published  every  month  except  July  and  August. 
$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN.  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert   E.  Slaught,   Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary  Beattie   Brady 
F.  W.  Davis 


Stanley   R.  Greene 
jDsephine   Hoffman 
F.   Dean   McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


Page  168 


The  Educational  Screen^ 


IN    THE    NEW    'AMPROSOUND'    SERIES    O 
INEXPENSIVE  SOUND-ON-FILM  PROJECTOR: 


complete 


Quality    at    a     Low    Pric< 

"Quality  at  a  low  price"  sums  up  the  newl 
Amprosound  series.  Quality  beyond  expectation, 
quality  associated  with  expensive  equipment. 
Clear,  undistorted  sound,  with  brilliant  illumi- 
nation, makes  an  Amprosound  showing  equal  to 
that  of  a  professional  theatrical  performance. 
Superiority  of  performance  plus  the  extremely 
low  price  give  Amprosound  the  undisputed 
leadership  in  the   16mm.  field. 

Compact— Easily  Portable 

Two  small  lightweight  carrying  cases  house  the 
entire  Amprosound  unit  .  .  .  small  and  light 
enough  in  weight  so  that  both  units  may  easily 
be  carried  by  one  person.  This  feature  makes 
the  Amprosound  especially  well  adapted  for  use 
by  those  having  traveling  performances.  Just  a 
flip  of  the  latch  .  .  .  the  case  is  open  and  the 
projector  is  easily  removed  in  one  complete  unit. 
Swivel  the  reel  arms  into  operating  position, 
plug   in   the   cables   and    the   "show^   is   on." 

Simplicity    of    Operation 

The  Amprosounds  have  been  especially  designed 
so  that  anyone  can  easily  operate  them  under 
diversified  conditions.  Threading  is  simplified 
by  the  use  of  guides  so  that  the  film  finds  its 
proper  position  almost  automatically.  No  longer 
need  you  worry  about  the  type  of  current 
.  .  ,  no  converters  are  required.  If  the  current 
is  1 00-1 2  5  volts,  regardless  of  whether  it  is 
D.C.  or  A.C.  or  any  cycles,  just  plug  in. 


'•AMPROSOUND'" 
Projectors  have 
many  unusual  and 
exclusive  features. 
They  are  designed 
to  conform  with 
U  n  d  er  writers' 
Laboratories'  re- 
quirements. Li- 
censed un  der 
Western  Electric 
patents.  Let  your 
dea  ler  demon- 
strate the  new 
A  m  prosound 
without  obligation. 
Write  today  for 
free  complete  de- 
scriptive   circuliir. 


C  ClRJPClR^ICKIDiS 

2839-5/  NOHTH  WESTERN  AVENUE 
CHICAGO,       ILLINOIS 


June,  1936 


Page  169 


A  Quarter-Century  of  Non-Theatrical  Films 


IX  THE  spectacular  rise  of  the  theatrical  motion 
picture  industry  since  the  start  of  the  century,  it 
probably  is  not  surprising  that  the  dazzling  sur- 
face developments  have  made  it  difficult  to  see  the 
lesser  trends  within  —  particularly  the  continuous 
and  steady  growth  of  the  use  of  motion  pictures  in 
education.  Even  amid  origins  and  developments  so 
recent,  there  may  be  lessons  of  which  the  world  is 
not  now  fully  conscious. 

Anent  the  time,   then,   when   historians   may   make 
their  better  evaluations  in  a  longer  perspective,  it  is 
at  least  helpful  to  establish  the  original   facts  while 
they  may  be   captured.    It   is   worth   mentioning  that 
many  probably  useful  records  of  fact  in  the  history  of 
"non-theatrical  films,"  are  even  now  fading  from  our 
grasp.  Unless  some  effort  is  made  to  preserve  them, 
they  may  be  irretrievably  lost — the  witnesses  are  dying 
off.  Thomas  A.  Edison  is  gone — also,  George  Eastman, 
Charles  Urban,  George  Kleine,  Thomas  Finegan.  Just 
recently  the  names  of  George  A.  Skinner  and  Rufus 
Steele  have  been  added  to  that  same  depressing  section 
in  our  visual  statistics.  No  longer  may  we  have,  from 
their  lips,  precious  testimony  on  what  they  have  done. 
Giving  serious  attention  to  the  matter,  one  is  sur- 
prised and  somewhat  disturbed  to  discover  that  the 
history  is  possibly  not  so  recent.  Since  motion  pictures 
were  first  introduced  importantly  as  classroom  appar- 
atus in  the  United  States,  a  quarter  of  a  century  has 
elapsed !  To  be  exact,  twenty-five  years  plus  one  have 
come  and  gone  since  a  collection  of  one  thousand  films, 
grouped  under  such  headings  as  Geography,  Physics, 
Literature  and  Natural  Science,  was  made  available  to 
the  New  York  City  Board  of  Education.     That  event 
occurred  as  long  ago  as  an  evening  in  February,  1910, 
meaning  that  one  year  ago,  this  month,  might  have 
been  observed  the  silver  wedding  anniversary  of  school 
and  film.*  The  quarter  century  interval  has  been  oc- 
cupied  mainly   in   developing   the   instrument,    rather 
than  in  applying  it.  The  latter,  obviously,  is  the  great 
work  of  the  future.  It  was,  of  course,  necessary,  first 
of  all,  to  make  the  instrument  mechanically  efficient, 
practical  and  feasible  to  use ;  and  while  some  phases 
remain  still  to  be  perfected — notably  color  and  stereo- 
scopy — most  of  the  work  has  been  done  far  enough  to 
assure  smooth  operation  if    one    will    just    take    the 
trouble  to  apply  known  principles.    Consequently,  one 
may  think  of  this  first  quarter  century  of  non-theatrical 
films  as  establishing  the  great  material  basis  for  the 


Editor's  Note — The  above  was  prepared  as  an  address  to  be  given  by 
Mr.  Krows  at  the  Department  meeting  in  St.  Louis  last  February.  It 
was  one  of  two  papers  on  the  program,  writers  of  which  were  not 
present  to  deliver  them  personally,  which  had  to  be  omitted  because  of 
overcrowded  schedule. 

Further  reference  to  this  article  will  be  found  on  page  167  of  this 
issue. 


By      ARTHUR      EDWIN      KROWS 

Formerly  Managing  Editor,  The  New  Outlook,  New  York  City 

really  significant  developments  to  come. 

Historically   speaking,   the   period   of   establishment 
now   rounded  out  may  be   divided   into   seven  parts. 
The  divisions  fall  naturally,  easily  and  coincidentally 
with  chapters  of   our  national  progress  in  the   same 
period.  The  first  division  covers  the  half  dozen  years 
immediately  preceding  our  entry  into  the  World  War, 
and  is  occupied  with  the  branching  of  the  non-theatrical 
bough  from  the  main  theatrical  trunk — the  realization 
that  proper  films  for  churches,  clubs  and  schools  are 
peculiarly    different    from    the    sheerly    entertainment 
product.    Wartime    represents    the    second    phase,    in 
which  the  isolated  pictures  developed  to  serve  in  the 
first,  are  brought  together  for  emergency  showings  in 
cantonments  and  behind  the  lines,  and  so,  when  the 
War  is  over,  constitute  a  source   of   supply   for  the 
non-theatrical     users    who  have    multiplied    with    the 
years.  Third  is  the  time  of  the  first  vigorous  rise  of 
producers  making  material  exclusively  for  this  field. 
Fourth  is  the  impetus  given  to  school  pictures  by  the 
start  of  the  visual  education  movement.  Fifth  is  when 
the    specialized    users    of    non-theatrical    films    decide 
that  they  are  more  competent  than  any  uninitiated  out- 
siders to  provide  what  they  need,  and  undertake  to 
produce  their  own  pictures.  Sixth  is  the  result  of  the 
discovery  that  there  is  little  use  in  making  pictures  of 
restricted  appeal  if  there  is  no  efficient,  dependable  or- 
ganization of  places  in  which  to  show  them^ — in  other 
words,   the  preliminary  steps  toward  a  national  sys- 
tem of  distribution.  Seventh,  and  last,  is  the  revolution 
in  all  departments  wrought  by  the  coming  of  sound. 
In  each  of  these  links  with  the  present  there  is  an  un- 
suspected richness  of  romance,  human  interest,  heroic 
example  and  suggestive  experiment. 

The  retrospect  shows  a  record  in  which  the  "great 
man"  and  "social-and-economic-trend"  theories  of  his- 
tory are  about  equally  demonstrated.  Casual  attention 
naturally  goes  first  to  the  human  interest  aspect,  and 
there  are  many  glamorous  figures  to  carry  on  the  story  ; 
but  the  social  and  economic  trends  are  engrossing 
enough,  too — because,  remember,  all  of  this  occurs 
since  the  start  of  the  century  that  has  brought,  to  mold 
its  swiftly  changing  life,  the  automobile,  the  airplane, 
the  incandescent  light,  the  dynamo-motor,  the  radio, 
the  talking  picture  and  many  other  magical  inventions 
that,  while  originating  earlier,  perhaps,  did  not  come 
into  full  play  until  this  kaleidoscopic  time. 

Motion  pictures,  of  course,  date  back  to  the 
seventies  and  eighties.  They  were  being  shown  in  the 
theatres,  along  with  vaudeville  turns,  in  the  nineties. 
But  until  about  the  end  of  the  first  decade  of  the  pres- 
ent century,  there  were  no  recognizable  subdivisions ; 
thev  were  all  theatrical  subjects.  Anything  that  had  the 


Page  170 


The  Educational  Screen 


illusion  of  movement  on  the  screen,  within  the  limita- 
tions of  the  new  medium,  qualified  as  proper  enter- 
tainment— and  consequently  a  vast  amount  of  what 
would  now  be  disdained  by  the  theatrical  exhibitor  as 
"educational"  (he  uses  the  term  slightingly),  com- 
prised the  early  programs. 

Preliminary  Stage 

Reference  has  been  made  to  seven  stages  of  de- 
velopment ;  but  those  all  came  after  non-theatricals 
have  veered  away  as  a  separate  branch  of  the  tree. 
If  one  wants  to  think  of  this  very  early  period  as  an 
eighth,  preliminary  stage,  dominant  figures  later  to  be 
of  great  non-theatrical  importance  are  still  easily  to  be 
found.  The  redoubtable  Lyman  Howe,  of  Wilkes- 
Barre,  for  instance,  was  then  in  his  heydey  with  his 
travelling  motion  picture  shows,  exhibited  over  the 
lyceum  circuits.  He  presented  them  frequently  on  Sun- 
days as  refined  educational  entertainment,  not  for  an 
instant  to  be  classed  with  the  "sinful,  shameless" 
stage  plays  which  were  obliged  to  close  each  week  in 
a  burst  of  glory  on  Saturday  night. 

A  far  greater  figure  of  that  early  time,  destined  to 
wield  a  benign,  powerful  influence  over  American 
non-theatricals  almost  until  the  advent  of  the  talking 
picture,  was  Charles  Urban,  a  naturalized  Englishman. 
He  began  that  influence  on  America  long  before  com- 
ing to  it.  In  the  first  few  years  of  the  century,  as 
probably  the  foremost  motion  picture  producer  and 
exhibitor  in  Great  Britain,  Urban,  cooperating  with 
educators,  encouraged  the  production  of  those  time- 
lapse  miracles  of  flowers  that  bud,  bloom  and  wither 
in  a  few  seconds,  pictures  of  microscopic  life,  a  wealth 
of  color  films,  and  what  we  now  know  as  scientific  ani- 
mation, along  with  much  more  of  distinct  teaching 
value. 

While  Urban  was  still  in  London,  engaging  the  in- 
terest of  school  administrators  there  in  the  facilities 
and  treasures  of  his  "Urbanoria  House",  as  he  called 
his  main  enterprise,  George  Kleine,  the  most  success- 
ful American  film  distributor  of  his  time,  was  acting 
as  Urban's  representative  over  here ;  and  it  was  Kleine 
who  combined  the  Urban  output  with  used  films  of 
the  leading  New  York  and  Chicago  theatrical  pro- 
ducers, to  make  the  thousand  subjects  oflfered  in  1910 
to  the  New  York  City  Board  of  Education.  The  edu- 
cator chiefly  concerned  on  this  occasion  was  William 
H.  Maxwell,  superintendent  of  the  Board,  and  a  fav- 
orite target  for  contemporaneous  newspaper  cartoon- 
ists and  editorial  writers  for  his  so-called  "fads  and 
fancies"  in  elementary  teachng.  This  earnest  gentle- 
man and  scholar  thus  also  was  a  pioneer  in  visual  edu- 
cation. Unhappily  he  did  not  live  to  witness  the  pres- 
ent fruition ;  he  has  been  gone  from  our  midst  for 
upwards  of  twenty  years.  For  various  reasons  Max- 
well and  his  associates  were  unable  to  avail  themselves 
quickly  of  the  Kleine  proposal  to  supply  the  schools — 
no  doubt  largely  because  the  pictures  were  not  really 
pedagogically  suitable ;  but  the  circumstance  was  wide- 
ly and  favorably  reported,  and  the  Kleine  catalogue  of 


the  historic  thousand,  being  printed  for  distribution 
to  teachers,  surely  helped  to  pave  the  way  for  the  pic-j 
ture  services  that  now  flourish. 

Another  reason  for  calling  1910  the  starting  dat^ 
of  the  non-theatrical  field  in  America,  is  that  in  tha 
year  the  Motion  Picture  Patents  Company,  that  fol 
a  while  monopolized  the  essential  devices  for  photol 
graphing  and  exhibiting  films  in  this  country,  forbadd 
ths  showing  of  advertising  films  publicly  in  anj 
theatre.  The  theatres  disregarded  this  ban — but  that'J 
another   story. 

The  outp'.t,  of  what  we  now  consider  educationa 
film  material,  in  those  early  years  was  probably  mucS 
greater  than  it  is  today,  for  a  very  popular  number" 
then  on  the  theatrical  program  was  what  was  known 
as  the  "split"  reel.  One  reel,  running  about  fifteen 
minutes,  was  then  the  usual  extreme  limit  of  any  sub- 
ject ;  and  the  split  consisted  of  one-half  story  and  the 
other  half  an  "educational"  item.  Another  place  for 
documentary  material  was  the  newsreel — unknown  in 
this  coimtry  as  a  regular  release  until  1910,  when  the 
"Pathe  News"  was  brought  from  Paris.  And  1910,  of 
course,  is  the  date  when  begin  the  seven  stages  proper 
of  non-theatrical  growing  pains. 
First  Period 
George  Kleine's  interesting  pioneer  eff'ort  to  or- 
ganize the  non-theatrical  field  was  based  on  a  sincere 
but  now  outworn  conception  of  the  church  or  school 
show  as  a  form  of  salvage  for  old  theatrical  films. 
Nevertheless,  it  served  through  the  first  period  to 
stimulate  the  manufacture  of  lower-priced,  non-pro- 
fessional projection  equipment,  and  to  provide  a  boun- 
tiful supply  of  the  sort  of  pictures  that  have  been 
mentioned. 

Second  Period 

In  the  second  period,  that  of  the  AX'orld  \\'ar,  began 
the  needed  coordination.  Simultaneously  with  the  call 
for  troops,  the  Government  declared  a  sore  need  of 
entertainment  of  all  approved  shots  for  the  camps. 
Motion  pictures,  obviously,  were  in  especial  demand. 
They  were  needed  not  only  for  the  American  soliders 
but  for  those  of  the  Allies,  because  in  the  countries 
abroad  the  prosecution  of  the  war  since  two  years  be- 
fore the  United  States  came  into  it,  had  virtually  ended 
the  production  there  of  entertainment  subjects.  Amer- 
ican producers,  who  therefore  dominated  the  world 
industry  wanted  to  cooperate  with  the  United  State.'. 
Government  in  this  matter,  although,  at  the  same  time, 
it  was  neither  practicable  nor  advisable  for  them  to 
turn  over  at  once  to  Uncle  Sam  the  product  currently 
emerging  from  their  studios.  The  older  films,  that  al- 
ready had  served  the  theatrical  purpose  for  which  they 
had  been  designed,  were  another  matter ;  and  as  these 
survived  most  conveniently  in  the  unorganized  and 
rather  chaotic  non-theatrical  field,  that  was  the  supply 
garnered  in  the  main  for  this  emergency  need. 

The  dominating  figure  at  this  time  was  a  young 
Bostonian,  a  former  teacher,  Warren  D.  Foster.  He 
had  a  small  business  of  supplying  non-theatrical  films 


I 


]une,  19}6 

from  an  office  in  Boston  not  far  from  Copley  Square. 
But  he  also  had  an  idea,  and  executive  capacity  for 
carrying  it  out.  He  undertook  for  the  Government  the 
huge  work  of  assemhling-  the  needed  material  and  of 
forming  and  operating  the  vast  machine  required  to 
distribute,  exhibit  and  to  care  for  it.  Scarcely  any  film 
of  non-theatrical  value  in  existence  in  those  troubled 
years  escaped  his  collection.  Statistics  in  the  sad  spring 
of  1918  show  that  Community  Motion  Pictures  Bu- 
reau— this  being  the  general  name  of  his  division — 
was  providing  7.000  thousand- foot  reels  weekly  to  the 
U.  S.  cantonments,  and  100  reels  every  seven  days  to 
the  camps  in  France,  which  were  already  served 
through  the  same  agency  by  1,500  reels  in  constant 
circulation.  Provision  was  made  also  for  the  ships ;  and 
still  other  stocks  gave  the  Allied  armies  most  of  their 
picture  su])plies. 

Third   Period 

When  the  War  mercifully  ended,  the  overseas  pro- 
jection equipment  was  in  large  part  returned  to  Amer- 
ica. Much  of  it  was  put  on  public  sale  at  junk  prices 
in  an  abandoned  New  York  department  store.  Many 
a  church  and  many  a  school  in  America,  therefore,  that 
previously  had  been  unable  to  consider  this  most 
luxurious  factor  in  visual  education,  obtained  its 
clumsy  old  projector  cheaply  from  that  source — in  the 
shopping  rotunda  of  what  remained  of  Siegel  and 
Cooper. 

So  the  inventory  days,  w-hen  Uncle  Sam  began  tak- 
ing stock  for  a  return  to  peacetime  problems,  found 
the  Government  with  about  4,000  reels  of  usable  non- 
theatrical  material.  But,  with  the  drain  on  the  Treas- 
ury for  so  many  rehabilitation  projects,  it  became  quite 
impossible  to  secure  a  Congressional  appropriation  for 
its  care  and  active  distribution.  The  difficulty  lingered 
until  1920.  Then  a  happy  solution  was  found  when 
seventy-five  extension  departments  of  State  univer- 
sities, normal  schools  and  other  reputable  educational 
institutions,  agreed  each  to  take  a  share  of  the  store 
of  films,  and  to  make  them  available  to  the  public  in 
their  respective  areas  in  accordance  wth  the  approved 
Government  plan  of  service.  A  hundred  and  thirty-five 
reels  was  the  average  original  lot  received  by  each 
center.  The  local  bases  of  supply  thus  authoritatively 
established,  other  film  collections,  rental  and  free, 
rapidly  came  into  their  hands  for  distribution. 

Warren  Foster  tried  valiantly  to  carry  Community 
Motion  Picture  Bureau  over  into  civilian  life;  but  its 
activities  dw^indled  away.  Out  of  the  wartime  structure, 
however,  emerged  and  flourished  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Mo- 
tion Picture  Bureau  which  had  worked,  under  its 
present  indefatigable  head,  George  J.  Zehrung,  in  co- 
operation w'ith   Foster. 

The  conspicuous  development  in  the  third  period  is 
in  the  rise  of  the  small  producer  specializing  in  pro- 
ductions made  expressly  to  serve  the  non-theatrical 
market.  As  history  shows  him  then,  he  is  usually  a 
picturesque,  rough-and-ready  and  somewhat  irrespon- 
sible fellow.  There  are  cultured  exceptions ;  but  this 


Page  171 

"snapper-up  of  unconsidered  trifles"  is  the  type.  He 
is  not  so  much  aware  of  exclusive  technical  require- 
ments for  churches  and  schools  and  advertising  depart- 
ments, as  he  is  that  the  churches  and  schools  and  ad- 
vertising departments  are  willing  to  spend  small  sums 
for  making  pictures — accounts  so  trivial  that  the  reg- 
ular theatrical  producers  disdain  to  touch  them.  The 
pictures  that  he  turns  out  are  honest  if  not  inspired, 
and  really  remarkably  good  when  one  takes  into  ac- 
count the  hectic  circumstances  of  their  being. 

The  human  interest  is  so  strong  in  this  place  that 
one  is  tempted  to  linger  over  it ;  but  this  quick  sketch, 
which  merely  suggests  what  this  fascinating  zone  of 
other  people's  experience  has  to  oflfer  to  the  more  leis- 
urely investigator,  is  incomplete  in  even  casual  treat- 
ment of  several  concluding  aspects — and  the  time  al- 
lotted for  this  narrative  is  nearing  its  close. 
Fourth  Period 

Section  four,  which  is  really  just  a  small  part  of 
the  momentous  rise  of  the  visual  education  movement 
in  America,  overlaps — and  in  point  of  time  in  many 
respects  parallels — the  section  just  described.  Its 
largest  concerted  efTort  to  develop  the  school  use  of 
motion  pictures,  was  the  Society  for  Visual  Education, 
founded  at  Chicago  in  1919.  This  was  made  possible 
by  the  fine  cooperation  of  the  public  utilities  magnate, 
Harley  L.  Clarke.  Although  the  undertaking  was 
avowedly  a  commerciaF  undertaking,  intended  to  earn 
its  own  way,  Clarke  and  his  first  associates  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago,  arranged  for  a  directorate  com- 
posed of  leading  educators  throughout  the  nation,  and 
gave  the  Society  an  altruistic  character  which  it  truly 
deserved.  Incidentally,  the  monthly  magazine,  "Visual 
Education",  that  w^as  issued  briefly  as  part  of  the  en- 
terprise, was  the  direct  parent  of  "The  Educational 
Screen,"  the  service  of  which  to  the  field,  in  the  years 
since,  may  be  left  to  its  many  incorrigible  readers  to 
describe. 

Probably  the  most  iniportant  contribution  of  the 
Society  for  Visual  Education  has  been  its  insistence 
that  a  motion  picture  for  the  classroom  is  inherently 
a  diflFerent  product  from  that  made  to  be  shown  for 
purposes  of  entertainment.  From  today's  standpoint,  it 
is  difficult  to  imagine  that  so  self-evident  a  fact — that 
an  effective  school  film  is  no  more  pretentious  than  a 
school  textbook,  that  the  theatre  is  not  the  school — 
could  possibly  require  statement ;  but  away  from  the 
halls  of  education  there  are  still  plenty  of  intelligent 
persons  who  carelessly  believe  that  "a  good  picture  is 
good  anywhere."  At  the  same  time,  in  the  years  since 
Thomas  A.  Edison  honestly  but  unthinkingly  pro- 
phesied that  the  day  would  come  when  the  motion  pic- 
ture would  displace  the  teacher,  much  progress  has 
been  made  to  disprove  the  fallacy. 
Fifth  Period 

There  is  sensible  continuity  leading  from  this  into 
Phase  Number  Five,  where  the  non-professional 
users  of  non-theatrical  pictures,  dispairing  of  finding 
a  sufficient  supply  of  properly  made  film,  organize  to 


Page  172 


The  Educational  Screen 


make  their  own.  Here  again  is  a  paralleling  in  time ; 
but  the  consideration  is  clearly  a  separate  one.  It  is  the 
period  of  the  Chronicles  of  America,  produced  under 
the  auspices  of  Yale  University;  of  the  Religious  Film 
Foundation  of  William  E.  Harmon ;  of  the  University 
Film  Foundation  of  Harvard ;  of  the  remarkable  ven- 
ture called  Eastman  Teaching  Films,  under  the  fine 
supervision  of  the  lamented  Dr.  Thomas  Finegan,  and 
of  the  widespread  establishment,  in  the  realm  of  big 
business,  of  industrial  film  departments  such  as  those 
maintained  by  the  American  Telephone  and  Telegraph 
Company,  The  International  Harvester  Company,  the 
General  Electric  Company,  the  Metropolitan  Life,  and 
others.  The  period  is,  of  course,  defined  by  the  limits 
of  the  trend  as  a  whole,  the  stirring  of  the  entire  mass 
— not  by  isolated  examples  that  extend  beyond.  The 
National  Cash  Register  Company,  of  Dayton,  for  in- 
stance, had  a  motion  picture  section  so  long  ago  that 
the  date  of  its  establishment  almost  coincides  with  that 
of  the  first  educational  films  of  Charles  Urban  in  Eng- 
land, at  the  start  of  the  century. 
Sixth  Period 

The  sixth  and  penultimate  step  in  the  intriguing 
history,  reveals  what  happened  when  those  who  were 
laboring  so  earnestly  for  the  full  development  of  this 
non-theatrical  field,  realized  that  specialized  pictures, 
requiring  audiences  with  particular  bent  of  mind  and 
deficient  in  qualities  prescribed  in  the  current  enter- 
tainment formula,  were  not  the  complete  answer.  Such 
films  could  never  hope  to  pay  for  themselves  without 
an  organized  system  of  exhibition. 

The  time  is  rich  in  examples  of  the  attempt  to  meet 
this  need.  Churches  of  many  sects  and  denominations 
doubled  their  labors  to  provide  outlets  for  religious 
subjects.  The  Masons,  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the 
sporting  clubs,  the  farm  groups  and  many  more  with 
focalized  interests,  endeavored  to  set  up  exclusive 
services.  In  the  case  of  the  agriculturists,  the  American 
Farm  Bureau  Federation  went  so  far  that  in  1925  it 
had  approximately  one  thousand  projectors  in  as  many 
of  its  county  centers,  chiefly  in  the  great  Midwest. 

The  efforts  of  this  sort  best  calculated  to  survive, 
however,  were  the  broader  ones,  intended  to  serve  the 
non-theatrical  field  as  a  whole — establishing  more  or 
less  regional  libraries,  from  which  church,  school,  farm 
and  club  might  obtain  reels  for  satisfaction  for  their 
narrower  requirements,  and  that  performed  impartial- 
ly the  common  functions  of  supplying,  storing  and 
conditioning  prints,  and  otherwise  maintained  the 
physical  mechanism  of  the  so-called  film  exchange. 

The  backbone  of  this  service  need  was  already  met 
to  a  large  extent  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  by  the  regional 
centers  instituted  by  breaking  up  the  Government's 
wartime  supply,  and  by  some  scattered  commercial 
concerns  that  had  been  founded  on  the  old  idea  of 
circulating  used  theatrical  films — also  by  manufac- 
turers of  non-theatrical  cameras  and  projectors  who 
had  assembled  rental  libraries  of  miscellaneous  ma- 
terial for  promotion  purposes.  The  phase  is  more  re- 


markable, however,  for  such  large,  ambitious  and  int 
dependent  business  ventures  as  the  Pictorial  Cluba 
project,  made  possible  in  1923  by  William  Wallace 
Kincaid ;  the  Screen  Companion,  organized  by  Fred^ 
erick  S.  Wythe  and  financed  briefly  by  Alfred  Krif 
pendorf  of  Cincinnati,  and  the  American  Motion  Pic-j 
tures  Corporation,  headed  by  Paul  Smith  and  backed 
principally  by  William  Barr.  Each  of  these  undertak-^ 
ings,  now  reposing  in  the  pathetic  graveyard  of  worthy 
but  premature  endeavor,  has  a  lesser  history  fascinat-j 
ing  in  detail ;  but  to  go  into  it  here  would  be  only  to 
destroy  the  broad  view  that  is  now  sought. 
Seventh  Period 

When  talking  pictures  became  commercially  prac-j 
ticable,  the  history  that  had  been  splitting  itself  up  intfl 
parallel  phases  since  the  World  War,  suddenly  fused 
again  into  a  single  line.  The  question  then  became  nol 
whether  or  not  this  was  a  school  picture,  or  a  churcl 
picture  or  any  other  narrowly  specialized  sort ;  it  wasj 
"Has  this  picture  sound,  or  has  it  not?"  The  convuls 
ing  effect  of  the  coming  of  sound  so  sharply  defined 
the  end  of  one  phase  in  the  non-theatrical  field,  and 
the  beginning  of  the  new  order,  that  one  must  be 
sensible  at  this  point,  of  having  entered  the  seventh  and 
last  section  of  this  hasty  survey. 

Convulsing,  volcanic,  cataclysmic  —  all  these  are 
proper  epithets  for  the  change.  The  users  of  pictures 
in  all  places,  once  hearing  the  new  miracle  of  science, 
repudiated  the  silent  film.  The  recording  equipments 
were  expensive  and  utterly  unfamiliar;  for  a  time 
they  were  not  available  even  to  many  of  those  who 
had  the  means  to  pay  for  them.  The  small  non-the- 
atrical producer  of  silents,  living  his  hand-to-mouth 
existence,  had  virtually  no  hope  of  meeting  this  deluge 
by  his  old  devices.  More  often  than  not  it  carried  him 
under.  Still,  when  independent  businesses  are  sub- 
merged, the  individuals  concerned,  cut  loose  from  their 
old  obligations,  frequently  arise  to  the  surface.  Heaven 
be  praised  that  when  the  roll  was  called  after  that 
trying  time,  many  of  the  non-theatrical  pioneers  still 
thus  responded. 

Broadly  viewed,  it  was  fortunate  indeed  that  the 
organizations  that  swept  into  power  on  this  tidal  wave 
were  essentially  enlightened  and  benevolent  in  their 
attitude  toward  non-theatricals.  In  command  of  the 
patent  situation,  which  was  the  immediate  proof  of 
strength,  there  were  primarily  two,  the  American  Tele- 
phone and  Telegraph  Company  and  the  General  Elec- 
tric Company.  By  agreement  the  latter  restricted  itself 
non-theatrically  to  the  division  of  home  movies ;  so  by 
the  same  process  of  elimination  that  reduced  the  com- 
pany of  little  Indians  on  the  fence,  there  was  left,  in 
this  present  history,  just  one.  To  exploit  the  educa- 
tional and  industrial  ends,  then,  the  A.  T.  &  T., 
through  the  Western  Electric  Company  and  its  sub- 
sidiary, Electrical  Research  Products,  Inc.,  organized 
an  elaborate  department  under  the  executive  control  of 
Col.  Frederick  L.  Devereux,  a  thirty-five-year  honor 
man  in  the  Bell  System.  Possessing  in  unusual  measure 


mune,  19}  6 


the  understanding^  of  what  educators  were  striving  to 
acconipHsh,  this  gentleman  promptly  threw  his  newly 
acquired  strength  into  a  realization  of  the  great  op- 
portunity. What  he,  and  the  doctors  of  philosophy  who 
were  brought  in  to  assist  him,  have  accomplished  with 
the  generous  lot  of  educational  talking  pictures  pro- 
duced for  their  program — as  also  with  the  films  pro- 
duced there  for  the  University  of  Chicago — will  cer- 
tainly show  a  constructive  influence  in  this  field  for 
many  years  to  come. 

Another  steadying  force,  the  excellent  results  of 
which  must  appear  increasingly  as  time  goes  on,  arose 
out  of  the  circumstances  in  the  early  battles  over 
sound  patents,  giving  Fox  Films  a  temporarily  inde- 
pendent position.  Fox  Films,  vuider  the  presidency  of 
Harley  Clarke — the  same  who    so    long    before     had 

oved  his  interest  by  helping  to   found  the   Society 


Page  173 

for  Visual  Education — gave  a  further  demonstration 
of  his  practical  views  as  long  as  it  was  able  to  main- 
tain an  educational  talking  picture  department  in  that 
stormy  quarter. 

Seven  stages  of  progress,  as  a  result  of  which  there 
have  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  educator  a  visual 
aid,  extensive  and  varied,  which  moves  not  only  into 
the  realm  of  the  seen  but  of  the  unseen ;  which  talks 
and  sings  and  harmonizes ;  that  condenses,  expands 
and  rearranges  time  and  space ;  which  has  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  been  measured  and  made  to  conform 
with  mental  levels  and  attitudes 

It  has  much,  much  further  to  go;  but  as  it  stands, 
it  is  no  mean  achievement.  And  that  fact  alone  sig- 
nifies that  its  history,  instead  of  being  seen  just  idly 
in  passing,  should  be  placed  on  record  while  it  may  be. 


A  Visit  to  the  New  England  Capes 


A  Unit  of  Study  in  Economic  Geography 

(Concluded  from  May  issue) 

Lesson  V-VII — Recitation  Period 

THE  first  speaker  talked  about  capes  in  general. 
He  told  what  they  are  and  how  they  are 
formed.  He  used  a  slide  showing  a  map  of  the 
New  England  States  and  reviewed  carefully  the  lo- 
cation of  the  capes  of  Massachusetts.  He  next  used 
a  physical  map  which  showed  this  information  in 
more  detail  and  traced  on  this  map  the  route  that 
would  be  taken  in  going  from  Ballston  Spa  to  the 
New  England  capes.  He  showed  a  slide  of  "The 
Harbor  from  East  Gloucester,"  and  talked  about  the 
geography  of  this  section  and  how  it  has  influenced 
the  people  to  live  as  they  do. 

The  recitation  was  now  continued  by  a  group  of 
four  pupils  who  traced  the  development  of  the  main 
industries  of  the  New  England  capes.  The  first 
speaker  showed  how  fishing  had  become  an  impor- 
tant industry  in  America  even  before  the  permanent 
settlements  were  made.  He  told  of  how  European 
fishermen  had  journeyed  across  the  Atlantic  each 
year  for  the  fishing  season. 

He  next  showed  a  picture  of  the  early  colonists 
which  carefully  portrayed  their  simple  life.  From 
tiiis  picture  he  briefly  traced  the  history  of  agricul- 
ture from  the  early  settlers  who  had  their  own 
farms  and  raised  their  own  food  supplies. 

The  next  speaker  showed  a  picture  of  the  early 
settlers  welcoming  the  incoming  fishermen  with 
their  haul.  He  discussed  the  rich  fishing  grounds 
along  the  New  England  coast  which  naturally 
turned  the  attention  of  the  colonists  to  fishing. 

This  industry  of  fishing  naturally  brought  about 
the  need  for  fishing  boats.    The  forests  of  New  Eng- 


By      PAUL      T.      WILLIAMS 

Instructor,   Social   Studies,    High   School.    Ballston   Spa,    New  York 

land  grew  close  to  the  sea  and  out  of  the  timber 
from  these  forests  the  ships  were  built.  The  stu- 
dent showed  a  picture  which  he  had  sketched  him- 
self, of  a  sawmill  which  was  built  in  Dorchester  in 
1628.  This  was  the  first  in  America  and  was  the 
basis  of  the  large  ship  building  industry  of  today. 

The  students  having  sketched  the  basic  industries 
upon  which  the  progress  of  these  people  depended  now 
turned  their  attention  to  a  study  of  the  present 
industries  of  the  section.  The  next  speaker  showed 
a  slide  of  the  harbor  at  Gloucester.  This  slide  gave 
each  pupil  a  picture  of  a  typical  shipyard  scene 
which  we  would  see  today  at  almost  every  inlet 
from  Maine  to  Massachusetts.  He  emphasized  the 
important  influence  fishing  has  had  on  the  settle- 
ment and  history  of  our  country. 

The  student  displayed  an  exhibit  showing  the 
various  steps  taken  in  the  preparation  of  the  fish 
for  market.  He  emphasized  the  minute  care  and 
sanitary  conditions  under  which  this  food  is  so  care- 
fully prepared. 

The  slide,  "Packing  Codfish,"  gave  the  pupils  a 
definite  picture  of  the  interior  of  a  codfish  jjlant. 
It  showed  girls  at  work  sorting  and  packing  the 
codfish  in  boxes  for  final  shipment  to  the  consumer. 

As  a  final  step  in  the  discussion  of  the  present 
industries  of  the  New  England  capes  one  of  the  pu- 
pils gave  a  description  of  the  chief  historic  and 
geographic  points  of  interest  of  this  section.  These 
reflected  the  charm  and  quaint  hospitality  of  the 
Old  Cape  to  the  visitor  of  today. 

Besides  the  natural  beauty  of  the  surrounding 
country  this  cape  ofifers  a  fascination  for  the  visitor 


Page  174 


The  Educational  Scree* 


in  its  recreational  opportunities.  Among  the  many 
who  yearly  take  advantage  of  these  opportunities 
are  the  artists  who  have  established  colonies  at  both 
Gloucester  and  Rockport.  The  slide,  "The  Artist 
at  Work,"  showed  the  artist  busily  picturizing  one 
of  the  delightful  New  England  inlets.  This  slide 
is  a  typical  scene  that  the  tourist  would  see  on  any 
summer's  day  while  visiting  this  section.  The  slide, 
"An  Artist's  Study,"  has  been  sketched  by  innum- 
erable artists.  This  picturesque  entrance  to  one  of 
Gloucester's  delightful  and  interesting  homes  has 
urged  many  a  visitor  to  tarry  and  study  its  rare 
beauty. 

The  speaker  frequently  referred  to  pictures  of 
Old  Cape  Ann  during  his  discussion.  These  pic- 
tures were  carefully  studied  by  each  pupil  and 
questions  and  answers  followed. 

The  third  group  of  pupils  presented  their'  as- 
signed part  of  the  outline  by  displaying  a  large 
free-hand  drawing  of  "The  Cape  Ann  Trail."  Ou 
this  map  the  pupils  had  traced  the  route  the  tourist 
would  take  in  his  journey  around  Cape  Ann.  They 
had  located  by  free-hand  sketches  places  of  scenic 
and  historic  beauty,  the  main  industrial  factors  of 
Old  Cape  Ann,  and  the  various  recreational  activi- 
ties which  the  cape  offers. 

After  each  report  the  teacher  and  pupils  entered 
into  a  discussion.  The  pupils  were  eager  to  discuss 
ideas  brought  out  in  the  pictures  or  films  and  ques- 
tions and  answers  followed.  The  slides,  pictures, 
charts,  and  other  materials  were  re-used  whenever 
necessary  until  the  details  of  the  problem  were 
worked  out. 


fi 

r 

mjmmm 

m 

mm  \i 

"^^^WjM 

,>- 

* 

—  mm.''  ^'j'iiKJHii 

m 

i 
1- 

Baiting  the   Hooks 

(From  the  Ettytiitnn   Tftirhinf/  /ihn  on  Cod) 

The  great  interest  in  this  unit  of  work  could  not 
possibly  have  been  roused  nor  the  accurate  infor- 
mation gained  without  the  use  of  the  visual  aids 
mentioned.  This  illustrative  material  helped  each 
pupil  to  see  every  step  of  the  problem.  Each  pic- 
ture had  a  particular  interest  or  appeal.  Each  slide 
assured  correct  images  and  stimulated  new  interest. 


During  this  study  the  pupils  made  ard  brough^ 
into  class  the  following  contributions: 

1.  Hand  made    slides    showing      a.      A    fishinfi 
schooner,    b.  A  sand  dune,    c.  A  quarry. 

2.  A  pictorial  poster  of  "The  Cape  Ann  Trail. '"^^ 
The  pupils  visited  the  Automobile  Club  at  Sara- 
toga Springs  and  Schenectady,  and  brought  to  class 
bulletins  containing  pictures  of  this  problem.  They 
wrote  to  the  Chaml^er  of  Commerce,  Gloucester,  and 
to  the  Board  of  Trade.  Rockport,  and  obtained  cir- 
culars and  exhibits  for  further  studv. 


Handling  Mackerel  Aboard   Ship 

(From  the  Enntuian    Teachiuf)  film  ott  Mttckeret) 

The  teaching  of  this  unit  of  work  through  visual 
aids  gave  the  pupils  a  clear  picture  of  the  oflferings 
of  the  Old  Bay  State  and  manv  of  them  expressed  a 
desire  to  visit  these  scenic  and  historic  places.  It 
aroused  in  the  pupils  a  desire  to  read  what  otherwise 
they  would  not  have  read.  It  made  their  reading 
more  meaningful  and  developed  within  them  a 
greater  desire  to  discuss  what  they  had  read.  Sev- 
eral of  the  pupils  became  interested  in  the  making 
of  slides.  Others  expressed  an  interest  in  photog- 
raphy and  several  of  the  grou])  spent  much  of  their 
time  in  the  taking  of  amateur  pictures. 
Lesson  VIII-X — Summary 

After  this  unit  had  been  carefully  worked  out  by 
the  pupils  the  teacher  showed  two  short  films  on 
the  New  England  Fisheries.  These  films  brought 
about  a  still  better  understanding  of  the  work  which 
had  preceeded.  They  jjresented  situations  and  action 
scenes  the  pu])il  could  not  get  from  the  class  recita- 
tion. These  films  were  not  self-explanatory-  and 
great  care  was  taken  by  the  teacher  in  guiding  the 
pupil  in  discovering  the  explanations  of  the  scene:; 
presented  in  each  film. 
Film  I — Cod  (of  "The  New  England  Fisheries"  series) 

The  film  shows  the  fishermen  leaving  port  and 
gives  the  pupil  a  general  view  of  Gloucester  harbor 
and  the  New  England  coast.  The  film  shows  a 
schooner  in  the  process  of  being  constructed  and 


^%ne,  1936 

the  fishing'  boats  at  anchor  in  the  harbor  at  Glou- 
cester. It  shows  the  supplies  for  the  fishermen  be- 
ing loaded  on  the  schooner  "Columbia".  At  the 
fishing  Ijanks  the  picture  shows  how  the  fish  are 
caught,  hauled  into  dorries  and  taken  from  the 
hooks.  The  fishermen  now  bring  their  haul  to  shore 
where  it  is  unloaded  and  prepared  for  market. 

The  film  shows  the  fishermen  again  leaving  port 
on  the  "Columbia,"  this  time  never  to  return.  Fog 
and  storm  are  frequent  at  the  fishing  banks  and 
often  the  men  lose  their  lives,  as  did  the  men  on 
the  "Columbia",  before  they  can  reach  the  mother 
ship.  Each  3-ear  memorial  services  for  Gloucester 
fishermen  lost  at  sea  are  held  and  this  film  shows 
how  these  services  are  conducted. 

Film  II — Mackerel 

This  picture  opens  with  the  showing  of  mackerel 
being  loaded  into  the  hold  of  a  schooner  and  then 
carried  rapidly  on  the  sea.  Men  in  the  lookout  sig- 
nals of  the  schooner  are  constantly  watching  for 
a  school  of  mackerel  and  as  soon  as  one  is  sighted 
the  men  on  deck  locate  the  school.  The  men  now 
take  their  places  in  the  seine  boat  and  the  dory  and 
take  off  from  the  fishing  schooner. 

The  film  shows  how  the  nets  are  set  and  the 
mackerel  caught  and  loaded  in  the  ship.  This  now 
done  the  schooner  returns  to  shore.  The  fish 
are  unloaded,  cleaned,  and  then  prepared  for  mar- 
ket. The  nets  are  washed  on  board  the  schooner,  - 
hauled  to  shore  where  they  are  hung  on  frames  for 
drying  and  later  mended. 

Unit  Test 

Directions : — Fill  in  the  blank  spaces  with  the  correct  word 
or  words. 

1.  A  cape  is  an  extension  of  land 

2.  Two  important  capes  of  North  America  are 

3.  One  reason  why  capes  are  important  is 

4.  Among  the  many  kinds  of  fish  that  are  caught  off  the  New 
England    capes    are 

5.  The  chief  centers  of  New  England  fishing  are 

6.  The  following  represent  some  of  the  reasons  why  fishing  is 
important  to  these  people 

7.  List  two  other  industries  of  this  section 

8.  Some  of  the  geographical  and  historical   points  of   interest 
that  we  studied  in  this  unit  are 

9.  The  two  chief  artists  colonies  are  located  at 

Directions: — On  additional  sheets  that  are  provided  answer 

each  of  the  following  questions. 

1.  Describe  the  New  England  capes  from  a  geographical  and 
historical  point  of  view. 

2.  Explain   why   the   Grand   Banks   are  a   good   place   for  cod 
fishing, 

3.  Explain  why  the  work  of  a  cod  fisherman  is  hard  and  dan- 
gerous. 

4.  The   people   of   Old    Cape   Ann   are    a    living   part   of   the 
history  of  this   section.    Explain. 

5.  Why  would  you  care  to  visit  this  locality? 
The  above  completion  test  was  given  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  unit.  The  films  were  shown  again, 
and  false  impressions  and  misunderstandings  cor- 
rected. 


Page  175 

Suggestions  on  the  Care  of 
16  mm.  Film  and  Projectors 

By  H.  L  KOOSER 

visual  Instruction  Service,  Iowa  State  College,  Annes 

k^UCH  OF  the  damage  to  motion  picture  film 
■ ' "  may  be  eliminated  through  close  attention 
to  the  film  and  projector.  Most  16  mm.  projec- 
tors are  comparatively  simple  to  operate,  but  this 
does  not  eliminate  the  necessity  of  careful  training  in 
the  handling  of  both  projector  and  film.  Any  motion 
picture  projector  needs  attention. 

The  following  suggestions  may  be  of  value  in  this 
connection.  They  are  elementary  to  many  of  course, 
but  most  film  damage  comes  from  neglect  of  just  these 
elementary  precautions. 

1.  The  film  is  your  responsibility  while  it  is  in  your 
possession. 

2.  Do  not  use  the  projector  unless  it  is  well  cleaned, 
oiled  and  in  good  condition  for  operation. 

3.  Before  projecting  any  film  be  sure  to  clean  the 
aperture  plate  and  shoes.  As  the  film  passes  the 
aperture  plate  a  certain  amount  of  emulsion  is 
scraped  off.  Sometimes  the  friction  of  the  scale 
formed  is  so  great  that  the  sprocket  holes  of  the 
films  are  torn  by  the  intermittent  movement  try- 
ing to  feed  the  films  thus  tightly  held.  Wipe  the 
aperture  plate  and  shoes  with  a  chamois  skin 
after  the  projection  of  each  reel  and  clean  with  a 
bone  scraper  whenever  an  accumulation  of  emul- 
sion is  found  adhering  to  them.  Never  scrape 
the  metal  parts  with  metal.  This  may  cause  dam- 
aging scratches. 

4.  Thread  the  projector  carefully.  Be  sure  that  the 
loops  are  not  lost  at  any  time.  Watch  both  top 
and  bottom  loops.  Otherwise  the  perforations  in 
the  film  will  be  torn. 

5.  Never  start  the  projector  at  a  high  rate  of  speed. 
This  may  result  in  a  broken  film  or  torn  sprocket 
holes. 

6.  Go  over  the  sprockets  and  guides  once  each  week 
with  a  stiff  brush  and  carbon  tetrachloride  to  re- 
move particles  of  dirt  which  gather  between  the 
teeth. 

7.  Do  not  use  pins  to  join  the  ends  of  a  broken  film. 
Run  a  foot  or  so  through  the  projector  and  lap 
the  end  under  the  end  of  the  take-up  reel,  or 
use  a  small  paper  clip. 

8.  If  necessary  to  splice  a  film,  a  good  splicer  should 
be  provided.  Secure  information  on  how  to  make 
a  good  splice. 

9.  Do  not  rewind  the  film  after  the  final  showing 
before  returning  to  exchange. 

10.  Do  not  place  moisture  on  the  blotter  in  the  humi- 
dor can  if  using  borrowed  films.  This  will  be 
taken  care  of  by  the  exchange. 

11.  Place  the  right  band  on  the  film  after  showing. 


Page  176 


The  Educational  Scree: 


Distribution— An  Aid  to  Visual  Aids 


B 


y 


LORRAINE      NOBLE 


IN  THE  past  two  years  there  has  been  a  reawakening 
and  concentrating  of  interest  in  visual  instruction 
that  promises  to  bring  splendid  results  to  the 
schools.  Many  national  and  local  educational  organi- 
zations are  cooperating  to  solve  the  many  problems 
involved.  The  American  Council  on  Education  is  be- 
ginning another  year's  program  in  this  field  and  con- 
tinuing its  sponsorship  of  the  proposed  American 
Film  Institute. 

This  brief  article  will  not  attempt  to  review  the 
many  complicating  factors  that  deter  a  wider  use  of 
visual  aids  and  of  educational  films  in  particular.  This 
is  intended  as  a  suggestion  for  one  solution  of  a  phase 
of  the  problem,  namely,  that  of  organized  distribution. 

Educators  are  seeking  to  adapt  the  motion  picture, 
with  all  its  highly  developed  techniques,  to  the  special- 
ized uses  of  the  classroom.  It  would  be  well  to  study 
another  phase  of  the  commercial  motion  picture  in- 
dustry,— its  distribution  system.  No  film  would  be 
produced  in  Hollywood  today  if  the  producer  did  not 
know  in  advance  of  production  where  that  film  would 
be  sold  and  about  what  return  could  be  expected  from 
it.  In  the  parlance  of  the  trade,  this  is  a  release.  The 
large  producing  companies  have  created  their  own  net- 
work of  film  exchanges  for  selling  their  product.  The 
combined  volume  of  these  exchanges  runs  about  30,- 
000  miles  of  film  per  day,  with  thorough  coverage  of 
some  14,000  theatres.  This  thorough  distribution  (of 
suitable  product)  is  the  keystone  of  the  success  of 
the  theatrical  film  industry. 

Lack  of  distribution  appears  to  be  the  reason  why 
the  educational  film  market  lags  far  behind  the  de- 
mands of  educators.  It  is  still  a  hit-and-miss  market, 
with  no  less  than  500  separate  organizations  attempt- 
ing to  serve  it  through  disjointed  and  disconnected  ef- 
forts. No  educational  film  producer  can  be  certain 
of  the  sale  or  rental  of  enough  copies  of  his  picture 
to  get  back  its  production  cost,  at  least,  not  within  a 
five-year  period,  if  at  all.  There  exists  no  channel 
through  which  first-class  films  regularly  reach  large 
numbers  of  interested,  equipped  schools.  The  field 
is  strewn  with  financial  corp.ses  of  educational  film 
producers.  One  does  not  have  to  seek  far  for  the 
answer  to  the  question  continually  asked,  "Why  aren't 
films  being  produced  for  the  schools?" 

Book  publishers,  particularly  those  serving  the 
school  market,  have  a  fair  idea  of  how  many  copies 
of  a  given  publication  will  be  purchased  in  a  compara- 
tively short  time  by  the  libraries  and  schools.  Pub- 
lishers have  sales  and  distribution  channels  open  to 
these  potential  markets.  Rut  not  the  film  producers. 
He  gambles  with  his  product,  and  too  often  loses. 


Educt^tional   Film    Project  ot  the  American   Council   on   Educatioi 
Washington.   D.  C. 

In  round  numbers  there  are  about  275,000  school 
in  this  country,  with  a  daily  attendance  of  30,000,00 
pupils.  We  have  125,000  separate  public  school  dis 
tricts  with  autonomy  over  local  schools.  However, 
each  state  has  some  form  of  educational  administra- 
tion, most  often  a  state  department  of  education.  Four 
of  these  state  department.s — ^Massachusetts,  Pennsyl- 
vania, New  York  and  Ohio — have  undertaken  the  dis- 
tribution of  visual  aids  to  the  schools  in  their  states. 
In  addition,  about  25  state  university  extension  de- 
partments have  film  libraries  and  make  wide  circula- 
tion of  films,  sometimes  outside  their  state  boundaries. 
For  instance,  the  University  of  California  distributes 
films  in  Arizona.  Nevada,  Wyoming  and  other  west- 
ern states.  The  Universities  of  Colorado  and  Kansas 
have  a  reciprocal  service  in  their  states. 

The  problem  that  suggests  itself  is  that  of  strength- 
ening and  coordinating  of  all  these  various  state  and 
university  services.  This  should  be  rounded  out  by 
the  establishment  of  services  in  states  now  lacking 
them.  It  should  draw  into  the  distributing  network 
all  other  possible  service  groups  such  as  the  teacher- 
training  institutions,  the  other  state  universities,  and 
the  state  and  public  libraries,  with  an  equitable  shar- 
ing of  responsibility,  to  the  end  that  all  schools  and 
groups  using  educational  films  may  have  ready  access 
to  them. 

California  already  has  in  operation  a  visual  aids 
committee,  appointed  by  the  Superintendent  of  Public 
Instruction.  This  method  of  procedure  .seems  appro- 
priate to  initiate  and  coordinate  the  work  in  each 
state.  The  already  active  unit  in  the  state,  either  the 
department  of  public  instruction  or  the  s*-ate  univer- 
sity extension  department,  seems  to  be  the  natural 
channel  through  which  physical  distribution  would  be 
achieved.  The  state  library  service  and  other  units 
of  this  type  could  perhaps  prove  valuable  in  the  net- 
work that  needs  to  be  created. 

It  may  clarify  our  thinking  on  this  problem  to  con- 
sider that  educational  films  fall  Into  about  three 
natural  categories,  each  calling  for  a  different  type  and 
degree  of  distribution : 

Class  A  pictures — those  that  a  school  should  liavc  on 
hand  at  all  times,  for  reference  and  daily  class 
work. 
Class  B  pictures — the  less  frequently  used  "back- 
ground" films  that  might  be  obtained  from  a 
more  distant  distribution  point  or  from  a  local 
library  or  film  depository. 
Class  C  pictures — the  current  films  that  should  move 
rapidly  through  the  schools,  as  for  instance, 
films  of  special  interest,  current  events,  holiday 
films,  and  subjects  of  that  type. 


t 


line,  1936 

Once  these  films  were  obtained  by  the  state  deposi- 
tory, by  purchase,  rental  or  upon  a  cooperative  or  con- 
signment basis  (as  has  been  done  many  times  in  the 
past),  the  next  step  down  in  distribution  would  be  to 
make  them  known  to  the  various  teacher-training  in- 
stitutions within  the  state.  This  would  call  for  dem- 
onstration and  much  other  cooperative  service, 
including  the  active  participation  of  classroom  teach- 
ers. A  parallel  distribution  of  films,  supplementing 
but  not  competing  with  or  dui^licating  this  first  serv- 
ice, could  be  developed  through  the  library  facilities. 
^Bln  turn,  each  large  city  school  system  could  have 
mfnrmation,  demonstration  and  advice  regarding 
available  films.  These  systems  should  be  encouraged 
to  acquire  and  distribute  their  own  visual  aids. 

The  next  group  would  be  the  county  units.  In 
many  places  today  hard  working  directors  of  visual 
instruction  have  vmified  several  schools  within  a 
county  and  circulated  films  and  projectors. 

Evidence  of  a  growing  need  for  a  direct  educational 
distribution  such  as  this  is  found  in  the  increasing 
number  of  circulating  film  libraries  where  a  school 
deposits  a  film  as  its  membership  fee,  for  which  it 
uses  a  film  a  week — two  films  deposited  carries  the 
privilege  of   using  two   films   a   week,   and   so  on. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  advantage  to  be  derived  from 
a  network  of  educational  film  distributing  units  is  that 
the  service  would  be  of,  by  and  for  the  schools,  fa- 
miliar with  the  needs  of  the  schools  and  with  imme- 
diate entree  therein.  A  state  department  or  univer- 
sity would  also  have  financial  responsibility  through- 
out the  field,  both  for  the  safekeeping  of  the  films  and 
visual  aids  and  for  the  payment  and  accounting  there- 
for. A  film  producer  should  be  less  reluctant  to  de- 
posit his  films  with  such  a  group  on  a  percentage  basis. 

If  any  considerable  expaTision  in  the  use  of  educa- 
tional films  is  to  come  about,  all  of  these  services 
would  need  to  be  bolstered  up  by  additional  personnel, 
equipments  would  have  to  be  made  available,  and  a 
film  supply  would  have  to  be  guaranteed.  With  the 
current  activity  of  the  National  Youth  Administration 
in  furnishing  financial  aid  to  high  school  and  college 
students  in  return  for  work  performed,  it  seems  en- 
tirely appropriate  tha^  large  numbers  of  these  students 
might  be  called  upon,  for  the  first  increase  in  personnel 
necessary  to  put  into  eflfect  such  a  service. 

It  is  not  suggested  that  the  large  number  of  photo- 
graphic dealers,  equipment  agents  or  organizations 
now  selling  visual  aids  to  the  schools  be  prevented 
from  continuing  that  business.  Instead,  it  is  suggested 
that  their  business  would  be  aided  by  cooperation  with 
the  state  agency.  For  instance,  a  projector  dealer 
would  be  apt  to  make  more  sales  if  there  were  a  strong 
state  agency  to  supply  films  to  his  cutsomer,  the 
school,  than  if  the  customer  were  left  to  the  hazards 
of  the  open  market. 

Apparently  there  is  no  legal  impediment  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  school  distributing  service  of  this 
tvpe  unon  a  self-supporting  basis.  Income  could  be 
placed  in  a   revolving  fund  to  be  applied  to  the  ex- 


Page  177 

pansion  of  the  service.  Ultimate  reduced  costs  of  ma- 
terials by  volume  sales  and  increased  efficiency  of  dis- 
tribution would  reflect  in  favor  of  the  school.  Already 
there  is  precedent  for  activity  of  this  kind  in  con- 
nection with  many  of  our  large  schools,  as  exemplified 
by  the  school  book  stores  and  other  cooperative  pur- 
chasing organizations.  We  believe  this  would  place 
the  burden  for  the  distribution  and  expansion  of  the 
use  of  visual  aids  where  it  properly  belongs,  among 
the  educational  organizations  of  the  state.  It  is  not 
fair  to  expect  a  commercial  organization  to  carry  all 
of  the  burden  of  promotion  of  visual  aids,  teacher- 
training,  demonstration  of  materials,  when  such  com- 
mercial organization  has  so  slim  a  market  as  at  pres- 
ent exists  in  this  field. 

Under  such  a  network  of  distribution  as  suggested 
here,  there  would  be  almost  unlimited  facilities  and 
depositories,  which  for  the  immediate  present  might 
be  aided  by  Government-paid  student  help.  The  48 
state  central  depositories  could  be  spread  through  the 
1800  colleges,  the  10.000  public  libraries  and  eventu- 
ally serve  the  275,000  schools.  The  apparent  simpli- 
city of  organizing  these  educational  outlets  should  not 
belittle  the  need  for  a  more  extended  study  of  the  real 
values  of  all  types  of  visual-auditory  aids,  or  the  need 
for  intensive  teacher-training  in  techniques  of  use.  It  is 
believed  that  the  circulation  of  slides,  stills,  models 
and  other  materials  of  instruction  could  easily  follow 
the  lead  of  the  educational  film.  A  necessary  part  of 
the  service  would  be  the  working  out  of  standard 
forms  for  the  purchase,  rental,  distribution  and  ac- 
counting on  films,  as  well  as  other  vital  records.  It 
should  also  include  demonstration  and  up-keep  serv- 
ices on  the  materials  and  equipments. 

One  additional  suggestion  for  a  further  simplifica- 
tion of  this  system  of  educational  distribution  is  em- 
bodied in  the  possibility  of  establishing  three  or  four 
over-all  regional  depositories  to  serve  specified  terri- 
tories. Such  a  depository  already  exists  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  California,  for  service  to  western  states. 
Another  might  be  established  in  the  middle  west,  one 
in  the  south,  and  one  on  the  east  coast.  This  would 
simplify  the  contacts  of  any  national  organization  or 
group  of  organizations  supplying  this  market. 

We  believe  the  time  has  arrived  when  it  will  be 
possible  for  a  national  clearing  house,  or  a  supplv  cor- 
poration, operating  from  a  point  like  New  York  citv,  to 
locate,  produce,  collect  and  make  available  to  the  schools, 
appropriate  educational  films  and  other  visual  aids  to 
fit  the  exact  needs  of  the  classroom.  Such  an  organi- 
zation would  be  representative  of  all  of  the  national 
educational  agencies  interested  in  this  field,  as  well  as 
of  the  commercial  and  professional  film  distributors 
and  manufacturers  of  equipments  and  other  visual  aids. 

At  any  rate,  this  is  intended  as  a  pleasant  summer 
thought.  The  American  Council  on  Education  wel- 
comes the  suggestions  and  cooperation  of  all  inter- 
ested groups  to  bring  about  an  appropriate  coordina- 
tion of  efiforts  in  the  field  of  visual  instruction,  to  the 
end  that  visual  aids  will  reach  the  ultimate  classroom. 


Page  178 


The  Educational  Screen] 


The  Film  Estimates 


Boulder  Dam  (Ross  Alexander,  Patricia  ElJis) 
(Warner)  Simple,  vigorous  and  generally  im- 
pressive story  with  mighty  background  of 
Boulder  Dam.  Painfully  unpleasant  hero 
gradually  transformed  by  potent  influence  of 
great  engineering  achievement  and  love  of  a 
girl.  5-26-36 

(A)  Rather  good  (Y)  (C)  Good 

Brides  Are  Like  That  ( Ross  Alexander) 
(Warner)  Inconsequential  story  of  happy-go- 
lucky,  fluent-tongued  youth  who  loathes  work, 
Anally  wins  heroine,  and  when  uncle  refuses  to 
pay  more  bills,  turns  in  great  invention  that 
fixes  everything.  Frivolous,  noisy  farce  of 
slight  meaning.  5-12-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Fair  (C)  No  interest 

Bullets  and  Ballots  (Robinson,  Bogart,  Blon- 
dell)  (1st  Nat)  Thrilling  portrayal  of  struggle 
of  law-and-order  vs.  organized  rackets,  with 
sympathy  wholly  with  heroic  little  "copper" 
who  dies  in  victory.  Racketeer  profits  made 
glamorous,  but  total  effect  good.  Robinson 
notable.  6-2-36 

(A)  (Y)  Excellent  of  kind  (C)  Doubtful 

The  Case  Against  Mrs.  Ames  (M.  Carroll, 
Geo.  Brent)  (Para)  Murder-mystery  concoc- 
tion. Heroine  tried  twice,  for  murder  and 
possession  of  child,  villain  as  defending  lawyer 
first,  then  prosecutor.  Hero  does  some  heavy 
drinking,  solves  all  and  wins  widow.  A  strain 
on  logic.  5-26-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind       (Y)  Unwholesome       (C)  No 

Charlie  Chan  at  the  Circas  (Warner  Oland) 
(Fox)  Charlie's  holiday  with  his  children  at 
circus  suddenly  spoiled  by  murders  among  cir- 
cus folk.  Suspicion  cast  on  many,  as  usual, 
suspense,  thrills,  and  Chan's  solution  master- 
ful as  always.  Marred  by  Keye  Luke's  over- 
acting as  son.  5-12-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind           (Y)  Good           (C)  Perhaps 

Dancing  Pirate  (Charles  Collins,  Steffi  Duna) 
(Pioneer)  Light,  but  long,  musical  romance  of 
1820  London  and  California,  notable  for  Robert 
Edmond  Jones  technicolor,  charming  music, 
and  Collins*  superb  dancing.  Whimsical  mix- 
ture of  romance,  adventure,  and  costume  melo- 
drama in  merry  vein.  6-2-36 
(A)  Enjoyable            (Y)  Very  good            (C)  Good 

Federal  Agent  (Bill  Boyd,  Irene  Ware)  (Re- 
public) Elementary  G-Man  story  of  hero  and 
heroine  both  tracking  chemical  villains  making 
explosives  for  foreign  powers.  Misunderstood 
motives  keep  hero  and  heroine  at  odds  until 
final  marriage.  Usual  dark  doings  and  furtive 
looks.  5-26-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

The  First  Baby  (Johnnie  Downs,  Shirley 
Deane)  (Fox)  Wholesome,  well-intentioned  little 
picture  of  young  couple  trying  to  live  with 
"her  mother".  When  baby  comes,  father  re- 
volts from  mother-in-law  control.  Film  suffers 
from  banal  dialog,  inadequate  acting,  and 
stilted  comedy.  5-19-36 

(A)  Amateurish    (Y)  Harml^s     (C)  No  interest 

Florida  Special  (Sally  Eilers,  Kent  Taylor) 
(Para)  Romantic  mystery  melodrama.  Cross 
Country  train  is  setting  for  fast-moving,  at 
times  confusing  murder  mystery,  with  plots 
and  counterplots  by  assorted  travelers  aboard. 
Jack    Oakie's    clowning    an    added    "feature". 

6-2-36 
(A)  Hardly     (Y)  Perhaps     (C)  Doubtful  interest 

For  the  Service  (Buck  Jones)  (Univ)  Western 
"Scouts"  (a  la  Canadian  Mounties),  battling 
Indians  and  renegades,  are  joined  by  Com- 
mander's soft  son.  Buck  Jones,  of  the  pained 
her-ic  look,  undertakes  to  train  him.  Boy  fails 
and  dies  but  Buck's  "heroic"  lie  makes  boy 
father's  hero.     Cloudy  ethics.  6-12-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Doubtful 

Forgotten  Faces  (Marshall,  Michael)  (Para) 
Tense,  grim  drama,  convincing  by  fine  acting 
and  direction.  Rich  gambling -house  owner, 
devoted  husband  and  father,  kills  wanton  wife's 
lover,  places  baby  w^ith  foster-parents,  and  to 
prison.  Later  dies  to  save  daughter  from 
mother's  blackmailing.  6-2-36 

(A)  Fine  of  kind  (Y)  Too  strong  (C)  No 

Frasquita  (German  production  with  adequate 
English  titles  I  Merry,  realistic  marriage-comedy 
laid  in  picturesque  Vienna,  with  Franz  T^ehar's 
music  sprinkled  thickly  throughout.  Two  but- 
lers have  notable  roles  in  the  fun.  Readily 
understood  without  knowledge  of  German. 
Lehar  himself  appears.  5-19-36 

(A)  ( Y)  Good  of  kind  (C)  No  interest 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical   Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special   arrangement  with  The   Educational  Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


The  Golden  Arrow  i  Bette  Davis,  Geo.  Brent) 
(Warner)  Thin,  highly  improbable  comedy. 
Humble  heroine,  exploited  as  face-cream  heiress 
for  publicity  purposes,  gives  ample  chance  for 
hero's  misunderstandings,  needed  to  keep  story 
going.  Much  "wealth"  and  absurd  amusements 
of  ultra-rich.  5  26-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 


House  of  a  Thousand  Candles  (Holmes,  Pichel, 
Mae  Clarke)  (Republic)  Old  Nicholson  inter- 
national-espionage yarn  modernized  with  micro- 
phones and  motors,  but  over-complicated  plot, 
labored  dialog,  stilted  acting  and  uninspired 
direction  make  it  mediocre  thriller.  Confused 
or  obvious.  6-2-36 

(A)  Weak  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 


The  King  Steps  Out  (Grace  Moore,  Franchot 
Tone)  (Columbia)  Light,  pleasing  romance, 
charming  in  Viennese  settings  and  simple  melo- 
dies, Grace  Moore  surprisingly  vivacious  as 
capricious  princess  masquerading  as  seamstress, 
winning  love  of  young  emperor.  A  bit  loud  at 
times  with  too  much  Herman  Bing.  6-2-36 

(A)  Pleasant  (Y)  Good  (C)  If  it  interests 


The  Last  Journey  (British  film)  (Atlantic) 
Hectic  thriller  of  slight  merit.  Express  train 
filled  with  motley  collection  of  scheming  pas- 
sengers is  driven  wild  by  engineer  crazed  over 
supposed  infidelity  of  his  wife.  Panic  and  im- 
possible  rescue.      Crudely   done  throughout. 

5-19-36 
(A)  Poor  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

The  Law  in  Her  Hands  (Margaret  Lindsay) 
(1st  Nat)  Incredible,  sensational  stuff  about 
girl-attorney  as  trickster  counsel  for  racketeer 
till  he  commits  murder.  Then  tricky  convic- 
tion for  him,  and  she  has  herself  disbarred  and 
marries  D.   A. — which  makes  everything  right. 

5-12-36 
(A)  Unpleasant  (Y)  Not  good  (C)  No 


One  Rainy  Afternoon  (Lederer,  Lupino,  Rol- 
and Young)  (UA)  Light  farce-comedy  of  en- 
gaging young  actor  who  mistakenly  kisses 
the  wrong  girl  in  darkened  movie  and  becomes 
great  stage  idol  in  consequence.  Spots  are 
merely  silly,  but  it  is  mostly  amusing  as  a 
complete  whimsy.  5-19-36 

(A)  (Y)  Fairly  good  (C)  Little  interest 


The  Princess  Comes  Across  (Lombard,  Mac- 
Murray  ( Para)  Multiple  murder  mystery  on 
Atlantic  liner,  involving  pseudo-princess,  breezy 
band-leader,  five  famous  detectives,  with  wise- 
crack comedy  largely  dominant.  Deliberate 
false  trails.  Merrily  played  and  fairly  con- 
vincing. 5-26-36 
(A)  Good  of  kind        (Y)  Amusing        (C)  Hardly 


Private  Number  (L.  Young,  R.  Taylor)  (Fox) 
Sensitive  heroine,  in  need,  becomes  servant 
in  wealthy  home.  Sincere  love  aflfair  with  son 
ends  in  secret  marriage.  Lascivious  butler 
causes  misunderstandings,  artificially  prolonged 
to   happy  ending   for   hero,    heroine   and    baby, 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 


The  Reckless  Way  (Marion  Nixon)  (Puritan) 
Third-rate  stuff  about  stenographer  -  heroine 
wanting  career  and  wealth  instead  of  marriage 
to  poor  but  worthy  hero.  Various  artificial 
complications,  she  changes  her  mind,  etc.  Crude 
and   elementary   in    action,    acting   and    dialog. 

5-26-36 
(A)  Poor  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 


Road    Gang    (Donald    Woods,    Kay    Linaker) 

(Warner)  Worthy  hero,  framed  for  his  fear- 
less expose'  of  flagrant  abuses  of  political  dic- 
tator, suffers  unspeakably  in  southern  prison 
camp.  Well-done,  harrowing  stuff  to  make  one 
cringe  over  grisly  suffering  — -  and  possiblv 
think.  5-12-36 

(A)  Grim  (Y)  (C)  By  no  means 


Roaming  Lady  (Ralph  Bellamy,  Fay  Wray)| 
(Columbia)  Artificial  adventure  romance.! 
Wealthy  heroine,  in  love  with  resisting  aviator,] 
pursues  him  tirelessly,  even  across  Pacific,  aa  | 
stowaway,  into  hotbed  of  Chinese  rebellion. 
Lively,  unobjectionable  little  thriller,  but 
strains  credulity,  5-12-36 

(A)  Elementary         (Y)  Harmless         (C)  Hardly 


Showboat  (Irene  Dunne,  Allen  Jones.  Robe- 
son, Winninger)  (Univ)  Outstanding  produc- 
tion of  famous  Ferber  opus  with  excellent 
direction,  glorious  singing,  lavish  sets,  and  able 
cast  that  makes  the  most  of  every  role.  Musi- 
cal comedy  can  hardly  be  better  done.  De- 
serves its  great  success.  5-19-36 
(A)  (Y)  Excellent                                (C)  Very  good 


Slalom  (German  film,  made  in  Switzerland) 
Feature  length  picture  of  winter  sports  in 
Alps,  with  almost  no  dialog,  a  thin  and  con- 
fused story,  and  some  naive  comedy.  Merits 
are  thrilling  mountain  photography,  and  su- 
perb   exhibition    of   consummate   skill    on    skis. 

5-26-36 
(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Fair 


Snowed  Under  (Brent,  Tobin,  Farrel )  ( 1st 
Nat)  Highly  artificial  imitation  of  Seven  Keys 
to  Baldpate,  Assorted  characters  in  Connecti- 
cut farmhouse,  snowed  in,  wrangle  incessantly, 
scream  wisecracks  at  each  other,  until  sort  of 
conclusion  is  reached.  Hilarious,  funny,  tawdry 
and  absurd  by  turns.  5-19-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  No  <C)  No 


Song  and  Dance  Man  (Paul  Kelly,  Claire 
Trevor)  (Fox)  Backstage  story  adapted  from 
Cohan  stage  play.  Tells  rise  of  small-time 
dance  team  from  sticks  to  Broadway,  the  ap- 
pealing hero  devotedly  stepping  aside  to  let 
his  partner  go  ahead.  Dialog  distinctly  above 
average,  5-19-36 

(A»  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Good  (C)  Perhaps 


Sons  o*  Guns  (Joe.  E  Brown,  Eric  Blore) 
(Warner).  Goodnatured,  guileless  hero  "dislikes 
no  one",  sees  no  sense  in  war,  but  crazy  mis- 
adventures get  him  in,  lead  to  endless  troubles, 
and  finally  to  his  friendly  capture  of  machine- 
gun  nest.  Diverting  absurdity  and  wholesome 
laugh  at  war.  6-2-36 

(A)  Amusing         (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Amusing 


Three  Godfathers  (Morris,  Stone,  Brennan) 
(MGMl  Grim  melodrama  of  three  western 
desperadoes  made  protectors,  by  chance,  of 
orphan  baby  in  waterless  desert.  Infant  softens 
them  and  rouses  devotion  even  unto  death. 
Strong  in  spots,  thickly  sentimental  in  others. 

6-26-36 
(A)  Fair  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Hardly 


Under  Two  Flags  (Colman,  Colbert,  McLag- 
lenl  (Fox)  Stirring,  colorful  Ouida  romance 
of  French  Foreign  Legion  and  Arab  revolt. 
Skilled  direction,  beautiful  desert  photography, 
some  grim  fighting.  Commendably  restrained 
film  of  humor,  suspense  and  tragedy  by  out- 
standing cast,  5-12-36 
(A)  (Y)  Very  good                           (C)  Too  exciting 


Unguarded  Hour  (Franchot 
R.  Young)  (MGM)  Excellent 
tinguished  cast  of  involved, 
cal  English  murder  mystery, 
performance  notable.  Dialog 
moving,  interest  and  suspense 
denouement  very  surprising. 
(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Good 


Tone,   L.   Young, 
handling  by  dis- 
not   always    logi- 
Roland   Young's 
fresh  and  swift- 
well  maintained. 
5-19-36 
(C)  No  interest 


Yellow  Dust  (Richard  Dix)  (RKO)  Old  style 
Western,  fairly  well  done  but  story  clumsy  and 
confused  at  times.  Villain  tries  jumping  hero's 
claim  to  new  gold  mine  and  stealing  heroine, 
but  she  foils  him.  Some  character  interest, 
and   violent  action   kept  within   bounds. 

5-12-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Harmless  (C)  Perhaps 


June,  193  6 


Page  179 


AmonB  the  Magazines  and  Books 


Sierra  Educational  News  (32:29-30,  Mar.  '36)  "A 
^ttiiversal  Educator"  by  Anna  V.  Dorris. 
^BTHc  years  of  1936  and  1937  are  conceded  by  all 
to  become  critical  years  in  our  history.  To  meet 
this  crisis,  it  is  imperative  that  the  thinking  of  peo- 
ple be  changed.  There  must  be  instilled  into  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  boys  and  girls,  men  and  women, 
new  ideals  and  new  attitudes.  "Surely  we  cannot 
afford  to  waste  time,  money  nor  energy  on  slow,  in- 
efficient, antiquated  methods  of  procedure.  .  .  . 
We  must  use  only  the  most  up-to-date  direct  meth- 
ods that  insure  the  greatest  efficiency,  with  the  leas' 
waste  of  time  and  energy.  .  .  .  When  such  modern 
devices  (as  the  slide,  motion  picture,  and  radio)  are 
common  and  necessary  in  home,  church  and  busi- 
ness world,  and  have  actually  become  a  part  of  life 
itself,  surely  every  educational  endeavor  must  make 
proper  and  sane  use  of  such  twentieth  century  tools 
if  any  satisfactory  degree  of  efficiency  is  to  be  at- 
tained." 

Mrs.  Dorris  elaborates  four  fields  in  which  the 
talking  picture  should  be  functioning  for  social 
education  and  conduct  betterment,  and  makes  a  ring- 
ing appeal  to  every  citizen  to  consider  forwarding 
the  use  of  the  greatest  educational  tool  of  modern 
times  as  his  personal  responsiljility,  since  civiliza- 
tion can  rise  no  higher  than  its  educational  system. 

Nebraska  Educational  Journal  (16:87,  Mar.  '36) 
"The  Motion  Picture  as  a  New  Tool  for  a  New  Edu- 
cation," by  Fred  W.  Orth. 

The  world  has  used  the  written  word  for  6,000 
years,  and  the  motion  picture  for  only  40  years. 
"The  written  word  has  prolDably  reached  the  peak 
of  its  efficiency  in  literature  and  education.  It  is 
almost  certain  that  the  motion  picture  will  prove 
to  be  a  superseding  agency.'  By  this  means  in  a 
few  days  a  student  may  acquire  what  it  would 
o.herwise  take  a  whole  life  time  to  learn.  Impres- 
sions thus  gained  deepen  with  time,  and  attitudes 
are  changed  powerfully.  A  like  appeal  is  made 
both  to  young  and  old.  "To  the  educator  it  should 
be  worth  going  to  as  much  trouble  to  learn  the 
camera  and  the  screen  as  "it  takes  to  learn  to  read 
and  write." 

Education  (56:421-424,  Mar.  '36)  "Why  Visual 
Materials  Appeal  in  Science,"  by  J.  M.  Stackhouse. 

Since  Visual  Aids  cost  far  less  p&r  pupil  than  ex- 
pensive laboratory  equipment,  it  is  to  be  expected  that 
ihey  would  be  used  in  inverse  ratio.  However,  it  is 
only  in  schools  with  the  better  equipment,  as  a  rule, 
where  visual  aids  are  to  be  found.  A  single  definite 
slide,  costing  50  cents,  is  mentioned  as  containing 
tj-.e  equivalent  of  $8.50  worth  of  microscopic  slides. 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 

The  High  Schools  of  North  Carolina  are  now  per- 
mitted to  meet  certain  minimum  equipment  require- 
ments by  the  use  of  a  lantern  and  slide  science 
units.  Handmade  etched  slides  are  highly  recom- 
mended for  science  classes.  While  visual  aids  are 
apparently  introduced  more  into  college  work  than 
secondary  work,  college  teachers  are  almost  unani- 
mous in  the  opinion  that  they  should  be  employed 
more  extensively  in  the  High  School. 

The  School  Executive  (55:290-292,  Apr.  '36) 
"Planning  the  Mathematics  Classroom",  by  Fred 
L.  Bedford. 

In  this  excellent  presentation  of  plans  for  furnish- 
ing a  mathematics  classroom,  one  section  is  devoted 
to,  "Auditory  and  Visual  Teaching  Aids".  The  screen 
for  projection  from  a  motion  picture  machine,  lantern, 
and  reflectoscope  is  placed  above  the  front  blackboard. 
By  using  the  reflectoscope,  scores  of  graphs  can  be 
seen,  interpreted  and  discussed  by  the  class  in  one 
period. 

The  Illinois  Teacher  (24:284-285,  May  '36)  "The 
Program  of  Visual  Education  in  the  Elgin  Public 
Schools",  by  E.  C.  Waggoner. 

Visual  aids  are  becoming  more  and  more  important 
as  the  school  assumes  its  obligation  to  meet  the  needs 
and  requirements  of  modern  life.  The  schools  of 
Elgin,  Illinois,  have  been  developing  a  program  along 
this  line  for  the  past  six  years.  The  writer  gives  in- 
formation that  should  be  most  helpful  for  schools 
seeking  definite  data  as  to  equipment  and  the  best  use 
of  materials.  Planning  the  program  ahead  of  time, 
the  correlation  of  aids  with  the  curricula,  and  what 
to  do  by  way  of  preparation  for  a  film  when  no  printed 
guide  is  furnished,  are  among  the  helpful  hints.  A 
Science  Club  has  raised  over  six  hundred  dollars  for 
equipment.  Student  help  is  ably  managed,  and  one 
visual  lesson  is  run  in  each  building  every  week  of 
the  year,  but  the  number  is  to  be  increased  to  two  pro- 
grams per  week  for  each  building. 

The  School  Review  (44:283-287.  April  '36)  "Pro- 
jected Visual  y\ids  in  Vocational  Agriculture  in  Iowa", 
by  A.  H.  Hausrath. 

A  study  has  been  made  of  the  use  of  visual  aids 
by  109  departments  of  vocational  agriculture  in  the 
High  Schools  of  Iowa  during  the  year  1934-35.  The 
results  obtained  are  well  elucidated  with  three  tables 
included.  No  budget  allowance  and  no  equipment 
available  were  the  chief  deterrents  in  the  use  of  pro- 
jected materials.  The  greatest  use  occurred  in  the 
regular  classrooms,  the  next  greatest  use  in  a  special 
room,  and  the  least  use  was  in  the  auditorium. 


Page  180 


The  Edticational  Screen 


The  Nation's  Schools  (17:68,  May  '36)  "Effective 
Use  of  Motion  Pictures'',  by  J.  A.  Hollinger. 

The  author,  who  is  of  long  and  extended  repute  in 
the  use  of  visual  aids,  says,  "The  printed  page  is 
rather  drab,  inartistic  and  frequently  verbose.  The 
motion  picture  on  the  other  hand,  is  usually  interest- 
ing, artistic  and  comprehensive."  The  Pittsburgh 
school  district  has  at  least  twenty  reels  of  16  mm. 
motion  picture  films  in  every  school  building.  Four 
main  uses  of  motion  pictures  are  described,  and  four 
others  are  enumerated.  A  Visual  Instruction  Com- 
mittee meets  as  a  discussion  group  once  every  two 
months. 

Science  Education  (20:65-67,  Apr.  '36)  "Some 
Techniques  in  Microprojection",  by  Frederick  L. 
Fitzpatrick,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 

Important  topics  treated  are :  the  use  of  "cooling 
cells",  and  other  cooling  fluids  where  observation  of 
specimens  is  desired  over  fairly  long  periods  of  time  ; 
preparation  of  microprojection  slides ;  and  preparation 
of  cultures.  This  clearly  developed  article  promises 
to  fill  a  real  need  of  teachers  of  science  who  are  using 
the  latest  projection  discoveries. 

Church  Management  (12:293-294,  Mar.  '36)  "Suc- 
cessful Visualization,"  by  Austin  J.  Hollingsworth. 

The  author,  who  is  pastor  of  a  church  in  a  district 
of  200,000  population,  has  added  scores  to  his 
church  attendance,  and  has  been  able  to  meet  ad- 
ditional expense  through  augmented  contributions 
by  the  use  of  visual  materials,  although  the  type  of 
service  has  been  strictly  religious.  Detailed  de- 
scription for  projection  is  given  so  clearly  that  any 
one  following  the  directions  could  scarcely  make  a 
mistake  in  the  selection  of  a  screen,  arrangement  of 
slides,  or  in  failing  to  have  the  address  character- 
ized by  the  dynamics  of  movement,  even  in  the 
use  of  still  pictures. 

Educational  Abstracts  (Jan.-Feb.  '36)  This  is  the 
first  issue  of  a  new  publication  that  promises  to  fill 
a  great  need  of  educators.  Over  forty  well-known 
professional  people  are  co-operating  on  giving  an 
array  of  the  gist  of  all  significant  educational  ar- 
ticles published  in  America  and  abroad.  The  pur- 
pose of  each  article,  a  description  of  the  data 
analyzed,  the  method  of  investigation  or  discussion, 
and  the  final  evaluations  will  be  treated  in  each 
abstract.  A  comprehensive  and  systematic  account 
of  contributions  to  fact  and  theory  in  education  will 
be  made  available  in  this  manner.  Thirty-one  classi- 
fications of  content  are  made,  including  some  of  the 
newer  fields,  such  as,  Adult  Education,  Character 
Education  and  Behavior  Problems,  Curriculum, 
Education  of  Exceptional  Children,  Mental  Hy- 
giene, and  Pre-School  Education.  The  first  copy 
contains  eighty  pages,  the  publication  promising  a 
selective  function  in  the  whole  field  of  education  for 
those  doing  research,  or  wishing  to  know  what  is 
available  in  any  special  department  of  educational 
method. 


Book  Review 

M.\TERiALs  OF  INSTRUCTION,  The  Eighth  Yearbook 
of  the  Department  of  Supervisors  and  Directors  of 
Instruction  of  the  National  Education  Association,  by 
a  Committee  of  the  Department,  Fannie  W.  Dunn, 
Chairman,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University, 
1935. 

Every  up-to-date  teacher  will  wish  to  own  or  have 
access  to  this  excellent  presentation  of  point  of  view 
and  scope  of  the  field  of  materials  of  instruction; 
materials  afforded  by  the  environment,  such  as  the 
book  and  the  museum,  and  materials  for  the  fine  and 
practical  arts;  concluding  with  organization  and  ad- 
mistration  of  materials.  An  appendix  includes  biblio- 
graphies. 

Particularly  pertinent  in  the  field  of  visual  method, 
we  observe  the  "hierarchy  of  symbolism"  from  Hol- 
lingsworth, in  which  experiencing  descends  from 
seeing  actual  events  or  handling  concrete  materials 
through  dramatization,  motion  picturing,  static  pic- 
turing, graphic  representations,  verbal  account  and 
description,  symbolic  description.  "Of  superior  con- 
creteness  .  .  "  as  Hollingsworth  indicates,  "is  the  mo- 
tion picture  representation,  and  photographs,  slides, 
and  stereographs  follow  close  as  means  of  clear  per- 
ception." Nine  criteria  for  selection  and  use  of  visual 
materials  are  quoted  from,  "Social  Studies  in  the 
Public  Schools  of  Ann  Arbor,  Grades  Three  to  Six." 
"The  Environment  as  a  Primary  Source  of  Materials 
of  Instruction,"  by  Fannie  W.  Dunn,  is  most  sug- 
gestive for  both  rural  and  urban  education.  The  ac- 
count of  the  Ann  Arbor  Educational  Experiment  Sta- 
tion makes  one  believe  that  wise  educational  leadership 
may  yet  salvage  civilization. 

Under  "Modern  Aids  for  Experiences  in  Learning," 
by  W.  M.  Gregory,  the  entire  field  of  visual  method 
is  pointedly  treated  in  a  survey  of  23  pages.  The  abil- 
ity or  desire  to  use  the  environment  varies  with  the 
cultural  stage  of  a  people.  "As  civilization  advanced, 
the  book  became  the  important  tool  of  learning,  re- 
placing the  trial  and  error  method  to  such  a  degree  as 
frequently  to  obscure  the  fundamental  relation  that 
method  bears  to  progress.  For,  even  in  this  complex 
mechanical  age,  learning  from  experience  is  still 
fvmdamental  to  living.  Mere  word  learning  without 
experiences  is  useless  verbalism.  The  words  of  the 
printed  text  are  not  ideas  until  they  have  been  trans- 
formed into  concepts  through  real  or  vicarious  exper- 
iences, which  are  consequently  of  primary  importance." 
First-hand  experience  is  often  too  expensive  and  too 
time-consuming.  "The  motion  picture  is  the  greatest 
tool  for  conveying  human  experience  that  has  yet  been 
invented.  It  gives  everyone  a  front  seat  as  an  eye 
witness  to  an  event.  It  is  destined  to  influence  civiliza- 
tion far  more  than  did  the  printing  press."  Schools 
are  lacking  in  these  modern  learning  tools,  quite  fre- 
quently because  of  lack  of  imagination  and  ingenuity 

(Concluded  on  page  187) 


we,  1936 


Page  181 


Department  of  Visual  Instruction 


Conducted  by  E.  C.  WAGGONER,  Secretary-Treasurer 


^ 


ore  About  "No  Meeting  in  Portland" 


IT  WAS  to  be  expected  that  omission  of  the  Depart- 
ment meeting  in  Portland  at  the  summer  session  of 
the  N.  E.  A.  would  meet  hearty  disapproval  in  some 
quarters.  It  has.  While  the  eastern  three-fourths  of 
the  country  has  approved  the  action  with  practical 
unanimity,  some  opinions  from  the  far  West  credit 
the  Officers  and  Executive  Committee  of  the  Depart- 
ment with  assorted  weaknesses  and  distorted  motives, 
such  as  sheer  arrogance,  selfish  desire  for  control, 
abysmal  ignorance  of  western  achievements,  and  total 
lack  of  vision.  In  this  limited  space  specific  refutations 
are  impossible,  and  doubtless  also  useless.  We  will 
merely  state  that  our  critical  friends  in  the  West  can- 
not possibly  be  as  keenly  disappointed  as  ourselves. 
There  were  no  dark  motives  behind  the  decision.  It 
was  primarily,  and  regrettably,  a  matter  of  cost.  The 
Department  treasury  could  not  meet  it,  and  certainly 
the  officials  cannot  reasonably  be  expected  to  pay  the 
deficit  personally.  In  fairness,  indeed,  the  critics 
should  bear  in  mind  that  all  the  present  officials  have 
furnished  their  own  time,  effort  and  expenses  to  pre- 
pare and  attend  many  meetings  of  the  Department, 
and  of  similar  organizations  preceding  it,  over  a  pe- 
riod of  five  to  twenty  years  past.  This  hardly  indi- 
cates lack  of  devotion  to  the  visual  cause. 

Strangely  enough,  the  decision  seems  evidence  of 
courage  rather  than  weakness,  of  sound  policy  rather 
than  lack  of  vision.  The  Department,  to  be  sure,  has 
enjoyed  more  growth  in  the  past  six  months  than  in 
any  like  period  previously.  W^ell  toward  300  members 
have  been  enrolled,  which  has  meant  revenues  greater 
than  have  often  been  received  through  an  entire  year. 
Why,  then,  no  Portland  meeting?  Because  funds  have 
been  devoted  to  the  specific  end  of  growth,  without 
which  there  is  no  significant  future  for  such  a  De- 
partment. Much  work  and  expense  went  into  the  St. 
Louis  meeting,  considered  by  the  many  attending  not 
only  "successful"  but  distinctly  encouraging  for  the  fu- 
ture. Far  greater  cost  was  involved  in  the  long  and 
careful  preparation,  through  the  summer  and  fall  of 
1935,  of  the  unique  Questionnaire,  carrying  special 
offers  of  membership  in  the  Department,  for  circula- 
tion to  individual  schools  over  an  extended  period  of 
time.  This  Questionnaire  has  the  double  purpose  of 
gathering  definite  data  on  the  visual  instruction  field 
which  the  Department  should  have  been  collecting  for 
years  past,  and  of  increasing  steadily  each  year  the 
Department's  membership. 


Visual  Instruction,  as  a  recognized  factor  in  Amer- 
ican education,  may  be  said  to  be  about  20  years  old. 
The  first  attempt  at  a  national  organization  was  in 
1917.  For  a  systematic  effort  to  amass  national  sta- 
tistics on  the  field  we  have  had  to  wait  until  1936. 
Then,  two  such  efforts  were  launched — excellent  proof 
of  growing  interest.  Both  began  in  January.  They  are 
the  Questionnaire  sent  out  from  Washington  under 
auspices  of  the  U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  and 
the  Questionnaire  sent  out  from  Chicago  by  the  De- 
partment of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A.  The 
two  differ  so  fundamentally  that  they  complement,  not 
duplicate  each  other.  Both  are  needed  for  ultimate, 
complete  knowledge  of  the  field. 

The  Washington  questionnaire  was  exhaustive,  a 
document  of  several  pages ;  besides  visual  data,  it  in- 
cluded also  radio  and  much  of  an  executive,  adminis- 
trative and  economic  nature ;  it  went  to  School  Su- 
perintendents;  the  full  mailing  of  20,000  was  done 
practically  at  one  time ;  returns  are  in,  and  completed 
results  are  expected  in  printed  form  by  July,  1936. 

The  Department  questionnaire  is  concerned  solely 
with  visual  instruction ;  it  is  carried  wholly  on  a  gov- 
ernment postal  card,  membership  offers  included ;  it 
goes  solelv  to  individual  School  Principals  ;  full  mail- 
ing of  100.000  to  200,000  will  be  done  gradually; 
])artial  results  will  appear  at  intervals  in  The  Educa- 
tional Screen  in  the  space  officially  reserved  for  the 
Department ;  comiilete  results  can  be  ready  only  at 
some  future  date  necessarily  unknown  at  present.  Only 
experimental  mailings  of  this  Questionnaire  have  been 
made  so  far,  chiefly  with  a  view  to  determining  the 
possibilities  for  its  self-support  from  memberships 
taken  by  Principals  and  Teachers  replying.  With  im- 
mense satisfaction  we  report  here  the  evidence  of  this 
point., 

Partial  mailings  have  been  made  to  schools  in  seven 
states  only — Wisconsin,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  Kan- 
sas, Pennsylvania,  California  —  a  total  mailing  of 
something  over  5,000.  Returns,  at  this  writing,  number 
over  900,  or  about  one-sixth  of  the  total  sent  out.  As 
the  mailings  included  many  small  rural,  even  cross- 
roads schools,  and  as  they  were  made  in  the  less  favor- 
able half  of  the  school  year,  the  proportion  of  returns 
may  be  called  fairly  satisfactory.  But  the  startling 
fact  is  that  over  13%  of  all  cards  returned  ordered 
membership  in  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 
If  the  seven-state  experiment  is  anything  like  average 
for  the  country,  deductions  are  most  gratifying.  It 
will  mean  over  100  Department  members  from  each 
5000  mailing.  Should  the  national  results  hold  up  to 
even  half  this  ])roportion.  Department  membership 
will  pass  all  ])revious  records  very  soon.  Growth  is 
more  important  than  any  single  meeting  for  the  future 
of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction. 

N.   L  G. 
E.  C.  W. 


Page  182 


The  Educational  Screen 


Program  of  National  Conference  on  Visual  Education  and  Film  Exhibition 

(Formerly  known  as  DeVry  Summer  School  of  Visual  Education) 
June  22  to  25  Inclusive,  at  Francis  W.  Parker 
School,  Chicago 
Monday,  June  22 


9  to  12  A.  M.—Film  Slwu'infjs— "Our  Debt  to  Mother  Earth" 
(American  Steel  &  Wire  Co.),  "V-8  Honey  Moon" 
(Ford  Motor  Company),  "Teaching  Penmanship"  (Alma 
B.  Rogers,  Director  Visual  Education,  St.  Louis  County 
Schools). 
1  to  3  P.  M. — Developments  in  Visual  Education 

"Visual   Education   In  the   St.   Louis   Public  Schools" — 
Amelia  Meissner,  Curator,  Educational  Museum  of  the 
St.  Louis  Public  Schools. 
"One  Film  Serving  8  Years  in  the  St.  Louis  Schools" — 
Elizabeth  Golterman,  Ass't  Curator^  Educational  Mu- 
seum. 
"Visual  Education  in  a  Small  High  School"   (with  dem- 
onstration) —  A.    B.    Roberts,    Principal    Haw    Creek 
Twp.  High  School,  Gilson,  Illinois. 
"Visual  Instruction  Service  at  Iowa  State  College" — H. 
L.  Kooser  in  Charge,  Visual  Instruction  Service. 
3:15  to  5  P.  M. — Fihn  Exhibitions — "Movies  Stimulate  Trav- 
el"    (Parkhill    Tours),    "The    International    Harvester 
Diesel"  and  "Boulder  Dam"    (International   Harvester), 
"Golden    Hands"    (Fruit    Dispatch    Co.)^    "News    Reel" 
(Jose  R.  Nin,  San  Juan,  Porto  Rico),  "Forward"  (Made 
by  DeFrenes  for  Atlantic  Refining  Co.). 
7 :30 — Report  on  the  "National  Visual   Instruction   Survey" — ■ 
Hon.  C.  M.  Koon,  U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

8  to   10  P.   M. — Fihn  Exhibitions  —  "Solvenized   Motor  Fuel" 

(Pure  Oil  Co.),  "Take  Me  Out  to  the  Ball  Game"  (The 
official    American    League    Film^    sponsored    by    Fisher 
Body,   Detroit   Division,   General    Motors    Corporation), 
"Glass  Containers"  (Whitall  Tatum  Co.). 
Tuesday,  June  23 

9  to  12  A.  U.—Film  Exhibitions— "Cotton  from  Seed  to  Cloth" 

and  "Drinking  Health"   (Don  Carlos  Ellis  for  Films  of 
Commerce),  "Sunkist   Speaks"    (California  Fruit  Grow- 
ers  Exchange),    "Northern   Wisconsin"    (The   C.   &   N. 
W.   Ry.),   "Pan   American   Film"    (Pan   American   Air- 
ways), and  Socony- Vacuum  Oil  Co.  film. 
"Visual  Education  in  The  Skokie  Valley  CCC  Camp" — W. 
L.  Handle,  District  Educational  Adviser,  Glenview,  Il- 
linois. 
"How  the  Motion  Picture  Saves  Time" — E.  S.  Inglis,  Man- 
ager Manufacturers  News,  Chicago. 
1  :00  to  3  P.  M. — Developments  in  Visual  Education 

"The    Department   of   Visual    Education,    Public    Schools, 

Kansas  City,  Mo." — Mr.  Rupert  Peters,  Director. 
"The  Department  of  Visual   Instruction  at  the  University 

of  Wisconsin" — Mr.  J.  E.  Hansen,  Director. 
"Administrative   Problems   in   Visual    Education"  —  W.   J. 
Hamilton,  Sup't  Oak  Park  Schools. 
3:1S  to  5  P.  M. — Film  Exhibitions — Effective  Use  of  Motion 
Pictures — "U.   S.  Coast  Guard  Series — J.  A.  HoUinger, 
Director,    Department    of    Science,    Pittsburgh    Schools, 
Pittsburgh,  Pa.     "Overcoming  the  Limitations  to  Learn- 
ing"   (Sound    film) — Miss   J.    M.    Carter,   University   of 
Chicago   Press.     "Three   Women" — sound   film   in   tech- 
nicolor—  (General   Electric   Co.),  and   "The   Sponge   In- 
dustry"  (James  H.  Rhodes  &  Co.^  Chicago). 
Wednesday,  June  24 
9  to  12  A.  M. — Fihn  Exhibitions — "A  New  Adventure"  (House- 
hold  Finance   Corporation),   "As   We  Forgive"    (Relig- 
ious Motion  Picture  Foundation),  "Filming  School  Ac- 
tivities"   (Robert  E.   Hughes,  Evanston   Township  High 


School),  "W.  P.  A.  Work"   (Don  Arthur  Maust,  Direc-| 
tor  Visual  Education  W.  P.  A.,  Uniontown,  Pa.) 

"Educational  Lantern  Slides  in  the  Chicago  Public  Library"! 
—J.  R.  Patterson,  Chief  Visual  Materials  Department,! 
Chicago  Public  Library. 
1  to  5  P.  M. — Developments  in  Visual  Education 

"Visual  Education  as  an  Integral  Part  of  the  Elementaryl 
School  Curriculum" — Prof.  E.  T.  McSwain,  North- J 
western  University,  Evanston. 

"Films  for  Character  Building" — Dr.  I.  E.  Deer.  Motion  I 
Picture   Producers  &  Distributors  of  America. 

"The  Operators  Club" — M.  O.  Hawbaker,  James  Whit- 
comb  Riley  High  School,  South  Bend,  Ind. 

"Visual  Education  at  The  Francis  Parker  School" — W.  F.  ] 
Worthley. 

"The  Yale  'Chronicles  of  America'  in  the  Gary  Schools"- 
H.  S.  Jones  and  A.  H.  Jones,  Gary,  Ind. 

"Making    Motion    Pictures    As   a    Unit   of   Instruction"- 
David    U.    Russell,    National    College    of    Education, 
Evanston. 

"The   Teachers'   Opportunity   in   Visual    Education" — John 
Y.    Beaty,    Editor    Rand    McNally    Bankers'    Monthly, 
Chicago. 
7  :30  to  10  :00 — Film  Exhibitions  and  Addresses 

"Visual  Aids  a  Basic  Technique  in  .A.dult  Education" — 
Professor  J.  G.  Freeman,  Northwestern  University, 
Evanston. 

"Women's  Clubs  and  Motion  Pictures" — Mrs.  F.  J.  Wain- 
del.  Better  Films  Council,  Oak  Park,  111. 

Sound  Film  (3  r)  "Saving  Seconds"  —  Geo.  Staunton, 
Principal,  Maywood,  111. 

"Teaching  Science  with  Films" — E.  B.  Thornton,  Twp. 
High  School,  Arlington  Heights,  111. 

Silent  Film  (1  r)  "Behind  Hospital  Doors"  (in  color) 
A  Community  Chest  Film,  made  by  Louis  J.  Mathias, 
Director  of  Activities,  DeVilbiss  High  School,  To- 
ledo, Ohio. 

Thursday,  June  25 
9  to  12  A.  U.—Film  Exhibitions  —  "Nature's  Gangsters"  and 
"Michigan  Beaver"  (Department  of  Conservation,  Lans- 
ing, Mich.),  "Power  &  Progress"  (Caterpillar  Tractor 
Co.),  "Remember  Jimmy"  (Keep  Chicago  Safe  Commit- 
tee), "The  World  Rolls  On"  (Shell  Petroleum  Co.). 
"Home,  School  and  Hollywood" — Miss   Emma  Abplanalp. 

Film  Board  of  Trade,  Chicago. 
"The    Child    Conservation    League" — Mrs.    Grant    Smith, 
Child  Conservation  League,  Chicago. 
1  to  3  P.  M. — Dei'elopments  in  Visual  Education 

"The  Evolution  of  Sound" — W.  N.  Littlewood,  Education- 
al Director  of  DeForest  Training  School,  Chicago. 
"A  New  Educational  Film  Catalog" — Miss  Dorothy  Cook, 

H.  W.  Wilson  Co.,  New  York  City. 
"Giving   'Talkie   Efi'ect'   to   Silent   Films" — Mr.   .Albert   H. 
Goodrich,  Assistant  Principal,  Amundsen  High  School, 
Chicago. 

3  to  S  P.  U.—Film  E.vhibilions—"The  ABC  Washer"  (Herbert 
Georg    Studio,    Springfield),    "Digging    into    the    Past" 
(Metropolitan    Museum   of   Art,    New   York   City),  and 
"Selling  Standard"   (Standard  Oil  Co.  of  California). 
"Work  of  the  Congress  of  Parents  and  Teachers  on  Visual 
Education" — Mrs.  W.  H.  Ross,  Motion  Picture  Chair- 
man, 111.  P.  T.  A.,  Chicago. 
"Motion    Picture   Values" — Mrs.     Chas.     Holton,     Illinois 

Federation  Women's  Clubs,  Chicago. 
"Visual  Education  in  the  Griffith,  Ind.,   Public  Schools" — 
Superintendent  Donald  L.  Simon. 


I 


une,  1936 


Page  183 


News  and  Notes 


New  Sound  Slide  Film  Series 

The  Ford  ^lotor  Company  has  just  released  the 
first  of  a  series  of  non-advertising  educational  sound 
slide  films,  entitled  The  Story  of  Wool  and  Mohair, 
which  is  available  to  educational  societies,  schools, 
clubs  and  other  organizations  for  as  many  showings 
as  are  desired.  The  film  presents  a  tabloid  history  of 
the  textile  industry,  covering  ranching,  spinning,  weav- 
ing, dying,  testing  and  other  principal  steps  in  the 
making  of  wool  and  mohair  for  upholstery  cloth.  The 
subject  matter  is  treated  entirely  in  an  informative 
manner  with  a  musical  background  and  recorded  con- 
versation. 

Distribution  of  these  sound  slide  films  is  to  be  made 
through  Ford  dealers,  who  will  supply  complete  pro- 
jection equipment  if  desired. 

Showing  of  Teacher-Made  Educational  Films 

The  most  recent  showing  of  films  by  the  Audio- 
Visual  Education  Group  of  Teachers  College,  Colum- 
bia University,  on  May  12th.  featured  the  following 
motion  pictures  produced  by  teachers  to  fit  their  own 
needs : 

Creative  Design  in  Painting,  by  Professor  Charles 
J.  Martin ;  Performance  Testing,  by  Dr.  Gertrude 
Hildreth;  The  Heart,  by  Charles  A.  Gramet,  for  use 
in  high  school  biology  classes ;  and  Typical  Activities 
in  the  Five-Year  Group  at  Horace  Mann  School  of 
Teachers  College,  by  the  Nursery-Kindergarten-First 
Grade  Department,  Teachers  College.  Dr.  Elias  Katz 
collaborated  on  the  first  two  films. 

Convention  of  Cinema  Appreciation  Group 

The  Cinema  Appreciation  League  was  founded  un- 
der the  auspices  of  the  American  Institute  of  Cinema- 
tography by  teachers  of  twenty  different  states  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  1935  Summer  Session  of  the  De- 
partment of  Cinematography  at  the  University  of 
Southern  California,  Los  Angeles.  It  was  decided  at 
that  time  to  have  the  second  annual  convention  on  July 
24-28th.  1936.  The  program  will  feature  Dr.  Robert 
Kissack.  University  of  Minnesota ;  Dr.  C.  M.  Koon, 
U.  S.  Office  of  Education ;  Dr.  Edgar  Dale.  Ohio  State 
University ;  Dr.  Frederick  Thrasher,  New  York  Uni- 
versity and  others. 

Ohio  Motion  Picture  Institute 

For  the  purpose  of  spreading  information  in  an 
effort  to  attain  the  greatest  benefit,  educational  and 
recreational,  from  an  intelligent  use  of  motion  pic- 
tures, Cincinnati  Council  of  the  Parent  Teachers 
Association  sponsored  the  Motion  Picture  Institute 
held  at  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  April  22. 

Some  of  the  subjects  discussed  include  "Parental 
Responsibility",  "Children,  Movies  and  the  Court", 
"Visual  Education",  demonstration  of  "The  Use  of 
Visual  Aids  to  Education"  by  B.  A.  Aughinbaugh, 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN  I 

and  "Why  Teach  Motion  Picture  Appreciation", 
followed  by  a  panel  discussion  on  the  same  subject. 
Students  from  two  of  the  junior  high  schools  of  the 
city  also  participated  in  the  program. 

A  Report  from  Geneva 

At  the  meeting  of  the  League  of  Nation's  Child 
Welfare  Committee  in  Geneva  last  month,  Dr.  Edgar 
Dale  of  Ohio  State  University  was  among  the  speak- 
ers. At  a  session  devoted  to  motion  pictures  he  told 
the  League  committee  that  there  would  be  tax-sup- 
ported motion  pictures,  just  as  "our  public  libraries 
are  based  on  the  principle  of  public  taxation  for  child 
welfare."  He  urged  development  of  special  films  for 
children  similar  to  special  children's  books,  and  sub- 
mitted a  study  of  this  subject  in  which  he  suggested 
that  several  nations  work  together  through  the  League 
to  subsidize  the  making  of  such  films.  He  further 
recommended  the  teaching  of  motion  picture  appre- 
ciation in  the  secondary  school   curriculum. 

Dr.  Dale  went  to  Geneva  as  spokesman  for  the  Na- 
tional Congress  of  Parents  and  Teachers  in  his  capa- 
city of  motion  picture  chairman.  He  also  represented 
the  National  Council  of  Teachers  of  English,  and  the 
American  Council  of  Education. 

Alan  Cameron  of  the  British  Film  Institute  pre- 
sented a  report  analyzing  2500  school  children's  essays. 
The  children  wanted  their  historical  films  accurate,  he 
said,  and  they  liked  broad  comedy  and  action.  Miss 
Charlotte  Whitton,  representing  child  welfare  groups 
in  Canada,  proposed  an  international  exchange  of  ju- 
venile films. 

Film-Art  Programs 

The  Art  Institute  of  Chicago  is  to  be  congratulated 
upon  a  new  venture  in  the  art  of  the  film.  A  series 
of  three  programs  have  been  given  this  spring,  and  a 
longer  course  of  eight  programs  is  announced  for  next 
year,  tracing  the  development  of  the  art  and  experi- 
mental film  from  early  beginnings  in  France  up  to  the 
present. 

Novel  productions  have  been.  Prince  Achmed,  pho- 
tographed from  silhouettes  in  motion,  and  Jean  Coc- 
teau's  The  Blood  of  a  Poet.  The  producer  of  the  la.st 
film  has  written  poems  extensively,  and  has  three 
novels  translated  into  English.  He  has  also  produced 
drawings  and  composed  music.  The  filmic  poem  gave 
latitude  to  all  of  these  arts.  It  blends  fantasy  and 
fact,  dream  and  reality  into  a  poetic  pattern,  after  the 
manner  of  Sur-Realiste  artists.  Images  and  the  sym- 
bol of  Romanticism  produce  the  required  dislocation. 
The  theme  is  that  "a  poet  writes  with  his  life  blood", 
and  that  the  work  of  his  creation  exercises  a  tyrannical, 
menacing,  and  possibly  a  fatal  influence  upon  the  cre- 

(Concluded  on  page  195) 


Page  184 


The  Educational  Screen\ 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


i 


IN  order  to  determine  the  most  common  errors  com- 
■  mitted  in  the  production  of  teaching  fihns  a  large 
number  of  such  films  were  viewed  and  their  faults 
tabulated.  The  results  of  this  experiment  were  suffi- 
ciently interesting  to  warrant  a  discussion  at  this  time. 

The  tendency  to  underexpose  the  film  was  the  most 
common  fault.  Many  reversible  films  were  so  dark 
in  certain  scenes  that  they  could  barely  be  seen  on  a 
large  screen  with  an  average  power  projector.  Some 
of  these  could  only  be  clearly  seen  when  they  were 
projected  a  distance  of  about  ten  (10)  feet  on  a  small 
li'^aded  screen.  A  film  for  teaching  purposes  should 
be  capable  of  being  shown  to  a  group  of  at  least  sev- 
eral hundred  and  be  clearly  visible  on  a  screen  about 
8'  X  10'.  This  was  not  surprising  however,  as  it  is 
realized  that  this  matter  of  exposure  is  one  of  the  most 
difficult  barriers  for  the  average  amateur  to  overcome. 
Many  of  the  producers  had  used  exposure  meters 
but  as  was  stated  in  a  previous  issue  the  possession  of 
a  meter  is  not  infallible  insurance  against  faulty  ex- 
posures. One  must  know  the  meter,  practice  with  it 
on  many  short  strips  of  film  under  various  conditions 
of  lighting  or  in  other  words  become  as  familiar  with 
the  meter  as  with  the  camera  itself. 

The  next  common  fault  was  that  of  "Out  of  Focus", 
or  slightly  blurred  pictures.  This  is  a  condition  that 
may  be  passed  by  lightly  by  some  audiences  but  it  is 
vital  to  the  success  of  the  film.  We  have  noticed  that 
in  many  cases  a  person  viewing  a  film  slightly  out  of 
focus  will  not  be  conscious  of  the  condition  as  such 
but  immediately  will  grade  a  sharply  focused  picture 
as  superior,  not  knowing  exactly  why.  It  seems  to  be 
a  very  elusive  fault.  To  one  accustomed  to  viewing 
motion    pictures    it    is    readily   apparent. 

With  modern  lenses  and  emulsions  with  their  high 
resolving  power  it  is  possible  on  16  mm.  film  to  show 
very  fine  detail  such  as  lettering  or  printed  matter  on 
cards.  All  of  this  means  nothing  if  the  camera  is  not 
properly  focused.  The  cameras  equipped  with  auxiliary 
focusing  attachments  seem  to  give  a  higher  percentage 
of  sharp  pictures  than  those  without  it.  However,  if 
the  distance  from  camera  to  subject  is  measured  ac- 
curately and  the  lens  scale  set  accordingly,  very  sharply 
focused  pictures  will  result. 

Next  in  the  fault  line  we  find  the  companion  of 
underexposure,  namely,  overexposure.  With  reversible 
film  (which  most  producers  use,  although  the  nega- 
tive-positive process  is  generally  much  better)  the  re- 
sults will  be  thin  and  washed  out  with  very  little  de- 
tail. This  must  be  watched  especially  in  the  photo- 
graphing of  very  light  subjects  such  as  white  cards 
with  printed  matter  on  them. 

The  next  error  is  one  of  omission  rather  than  com- 
mission and  has  to  do  with  the  method  of  production 
rather  than  any  technical  qualities.  We  find  many  films 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 


are  made  with  no  close-ups  or  enlarged  sections.  Tha 
theatrical  producer  has  long  been  conscious  of  tha 
dramatic  effect  of  close-ups  and  uses  them  quite  regul 
larly.  We  can  use  them  for  the  same  effect  in  teaching 
films  as  well  as  to  secure  maximum  detail  or  claritTi 
in  a  small  object  or  process.  A  set  photographed 
the  same  distance  with  the  same  lens  throughout  be-j 
comes  monotonous  and  loses  its  interest.  If  this  sam^ 
film  is  broken  up  with  close-up  shots  spaced  at  inter- 
vals it  will  hold  the  interest  much  easier.  A  picture 
at  close  range  omitting  all  extraneous  subject  matter, 
will  localize  the  interest  where  it  should  be. 

Probably  the  next  item  that  we  should  list  is  that 
of  "Unsteady  Pictures."  Some  films  are  made  holding 
the  camera  in  the  hand  which,  of  course,  is  very  ooor 
technique,  as  a  tripod  should  always  be  used.  Then  too, 
old  or  inefficient  cameras  are  responsible  for  a  lot  of 
jerky    frames. 

Weak  titles  are  the  ruination  of  many  otherwise 
excellent  films.  Some  producers  feel  that  upon  the 
satisfactory  completion  of  the  subject  matter  photo- 
graphy the  film  is  practically  done.  This  is  not  the 
case  however,  for  titling  is  fully  as  important.  One 
must  remember  that  although  the  person  producing  the 
film  may  be  perfectly  familiar  with  the  processes  or 
subjects  photographed,  a  person  viewing  the  results 
for  the  first  time  must  have  it  explained  to  him  clearly 
by  means  of  titles.  The  titles  must  be  short,  concise 
and  packed  full  of  valuable  data,  as  long  tedious  titles 
are  not  only  expensive  but  tend  to  make  the  film  lose 
the   interest   of   the   observers. 

Faulty  lighting  comes  next  in  line.  It  is  rather  hard 
to  draw  a  definite  dividing  line  between  good  and  bad 
lighting  so  that  this  factor  was  not  graded  too  severe- 
ly. However  some  scenes  of  certain  films  were  so  poor- 
ly lighted  as  to  be  hardly  visible.  The  general  tendency 
is  to  get  along  with  the  least  amount  of  lighting  units 
possible,  with  the  resulting  spotty  illumination.  The 
better  films  all  were  lighted  very  brilliantly  and  the 
lens  "stopped  down"  to  compensate  for  the  intensity. 

Unsatisfactory  subject  matter  for  motion  pictures 
and  improper  length  of  film  are  the  concluding  errors. 
Some  films  would  have  been  better  if  they  had  been 
shortened,  cutting  out  uninteresting  irrelevant  scenes 
while  other  films  would  have  been  improved  if  more 
film  had  been  used.  More  footage  ]jer  scene  and  more 
explanatory  scenes  inserted  throughout  the  film  would 
clarify  certain  subjects  and  on  the  whole  make  a  nuich 
smoother  presentation. 

Many  minor  points  were  graded  along  with  the 
above  but  this  resume  will  give  the  prospective  pro- 


June,  1936 


Page  185 


^'But  this  way  our  talking  picture  equipment 


"ES,  indeed,  it  is  now  possible 

for  schools  to  obtain  talking 

lotion  picture  equipment  without 

racing  on   school  board  funds. 

The  purchase  of  an  RCA  l6mm. 

Sound  Motion  Picture  Projector, 

jlus  a  service  of  ten  complete  film 

'iprograms   (covering   a  scholastic 

year)  is  very  simply  financed. 

This  is  how  it  is  done:  There  is 
a  small  down  payment,  which  can 
be  easily  raised  through  your  local 
P.  T.  A.  Subsequent  monthly  pay- 
ments, running  through  the  school 
year,  can  be  more  than  covered  by 
charging  a  small  admission  to  each 
monthly  film  program.  Admissions 
are  usually  10^. 

At  the  end  of  the  year,  the  school 
owns  the  equipment,  and  there  are 
no  more  expenses,  except  for  film 
rental,  which  is  a  minor  item. 

Programs  furnished  under  this 


self-financing  plan  are  supplied  by 
Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc.,  35  West 
45th  Street,  New  York  City,  who 
are  well  known  in  this  field.  Films 
available  include  such  classics  as 
Jane  Eyre,  The  Last  of  the  Mohi- 
cans, and  other  famous  works; 
sports,  including  sport  instruction; 
news;  and  other  features. 


The  RCA  16mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture  Projector  is 
an  adaptation  of  the  famous  RCA  Photophone  Pro- 
jector used  in  leading  theatres.  Portable.  Can  be 
opetated  by  anyone.  Provides  brilliant  pictures  and 
amazingly  realistic  sound. 


Remember  that  educational  use  of 
talking  pictures  is  increasing  stead- 
ily, as  the  country's  leading  educa- 
tional institutions  join  hands  with 
producers,  creating  new  films  of 
marked  instructional  value.  The 
new  RCA  Self-Financing  Plan  is 
offered  only  to  schools,  hospitals 
and  similar  institutions.  There  is  a 
coupon  below.  We  suggest  you  clip 
it  and  get  the  full  details  of  this 
method  that  gives  you  the  famous 
RCA  l6mm.  Sound  Motion  Picture 
Projector  without  draw-  /^^^ 
ing  on  school  board  iy\%^\\ 
funds.  Clip  the  coupon! 


RCA  Mfg.  Co.,  Inc.,  Visual  Sound  St  ction, 
Camden,  N.  J. 

Please  send  me  full  details  of  the 
RCA  Projectors. 

Name ,  


RCA  EDUCATIONAL  PRODUCTS 


School- 
Street — 
City 


-State- 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY  Inc. 

CAMDEN,    NEW  JERSEY  •   A    SERVICE    OF   THE    RADIO    CORPORATION    OF   AMERICA 


Page  186 


The  Educational  Screen 


TWO  NEW  SCIENCE  AIDS 

FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS       PRINCIPLES  OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  visualization  of  high  school  The  core  of  the  year's  work  in 
physics  on  '60  mm.  riim  elides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 
classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address : 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suf  fern,    N.Y. 


MAKE   YOUR  OWN 

TYPEWRITER     SLIDES 

For    Screen    Projection 

USE        RADIO        MATS 

on   sale   by  Theatre  Supply   Dealers 
Write  for  Free  Sample 

RADIO-MAT  SLIDE  CO..  Inc. 

1819  Broadway  Dept.  V.  New  York  City 


McW  Imported 

igpiscop^ 


Postage 


•  The    new    Episcope    projects    any    paper    prints    or    pictures,    from 
postage  stamp  to  postal  size  .    .    .   and  }iftij--rts  them  tu  a  3  x  4  foot  nize ! 

•  Continuous   projection !      Episcope's   special    holder   accommodates 
2  prints  so  that  while  one  is  being:  projected,  another  is  always  ready. 

•  Equipped  with  the  high  grade  13i^>  cm.  DOPPEL  F:3.5  Objective 
Projection  Lens. 

•  Micrometer   focusing  adjustment  with  conveniently  located  knob. 

•  Illumination  100  watt-110  volt  bulb.    Splendid  ventilation.    Asbes- 
tos-lined inside.     Stronp  construction.     All  metal  with  crackle  finish. 

•  Small,   compact.      Measures   approximately   iV-i   x  4   x  9Vj   inches. 
Also  projects  opaque  objects  such  as  coins,  fountain  pens,  etc. 

Tdeal  for  projecting  your  35  mm.  prints.  t  1  O  50 


COMPLETE,  onlv 


Write  for  free  bargain  book! 


QjEAYkrukL 


CAMERA  CO 


230    S.    WABASH,    DEPT.    ES-6,    CHICAGO 


ducer  an  idea  of  what  faults  have  been  committed  by  , 
others  so  that  he  may    guard    against    them    in    the 
future. 

What  to  Look  for  in  Choosing 
Projection  Screens  for  your  School 

Vy/HERE   to   project   the   picture   is   one   of  the; 
'^     first  problems  confronting  a  new  user  of  vis- 
ual teaching  aids. 

Whether  the  teaching  material  is  film  slides,  glass! 
slides  or  motion  pictures,  it  must  have  a  screen  ofj 
some  kind  upon  which  it  can  be  projected. 

Because  a  powerfully  illuminated  picture  can  be] 
seen  when  projected  on  a  light  colored  wall  or  onj 
the  back  of  a  wall  map,  some  schools  mistakenlyl 
believe  that  such  make-shifts  serve  the  purpose^ 
well  enough.  Although  pictures  projected  on  such , 
screens  can  be  seen,  they  are  dull  and  are  often 
blurred  and  indistinct.  Besides  being  a  strain  on  \ 
the  students'  eye-sight,  make-shift  screens  fail  to  j 
clarify  important  details  with  the  result  that  much  j 
time  is  lost  answering  questions  and  making  ex- 
planations, which  should  be  unnecessary. 

Make-shift  screens,  furthermore,  do  not  do  justice! 
to  the  beautiful  and  carefully  prepared  teaching  ma-  ] 
terial,  which  the  school  has  rented  or  purchased. 
For  complete  satisfaction  the  screen  must  be  as  | 
up-to-date  and  efficient  as  the  teaching  material] 
and  the  projector. 

Progressive  schools  realize  this  and  are  careful  j 
to  choose  screens  of  the  right  type  for  their  various  j 
projection  requirements.  Some  of  the  most  impor-| 
tant  factors  which  the}'  consider  in  making  their 
selection  are  the  light  reflective  quality  of  the 
screen,  its  method  of  operation,  portability  and  ] 
ability  to  withstand  wear. 

The    leading    screen    manufacturers    have    been  | 
working  on  the  problem  of  the  light  reflective  cjual- 
ity  of  screen  materials  for  many  years.     They  have  j 
studied  many  different  types  of  screen  materials  and 
have  developed  screens  with  a  variety  of  surfaces  to] 
meet  every  projection  requirement. 

The  three  principal  types  of  screen  surfaces  suit- 
able for  school  requirements  are  white  painted,  sil- 
ver, and  glass  beaded. 

The  white  screen  is  used  in  large  auditoriums 
where  many  of  the  seats  are  located  at  wide  angles 
from  the  center  of  the  screen.  The  white  screen 
gives  the  best  distribution  of  light  to  all  parts  of 
the  auditorium,  including  the  side  seats.  For  seats 
immediately  in  front  of  the  screen  however,  the 
white  surface  does  not  reflect  the  light  as  brightly 
as  either  the  silver  or  glass  beaded  surface. 

The  glass  beaded  screen  is  a  white  canvas  ma- 
terial, the  surface  of  which  is  covered  with  millions 
of  tiny  beads  of  glass.     This  surface  when  viewed 


tne,  1956 


Page  187 


Do       Y  o  ti       K  n  o  tv       That 


Our  Circuit  Service  Flan 


enables  you  to  show  8  reels  of  16  mm.  films  bi-weekly  throughout  the  school  year  —  including  the  highest  grade  of 
film  projector  and  a  TEACHER'S  AIDS  manual  which  thoroughly  covers  the  subject  matter  of  each  film — all  at  a 
cost  to  your  school  of  only  Fifty  Dollars  plus  a  slight  additional  charge  to  cover  express  expense  and  the  cost  of  a 
projection  lamp  for  use  in  the  motion  picture  machine, — a  total  cost  well  under  $60.00,  for  the  entire  year? 

Here  are  two  typical  units — representative  of  the  fifteen  which  are  sent  you  during  the  school  year: 


UNIT  III,  SCHEDULE  XI 

(Adapted  to  the  Grades  &  High  School) 

PERU    (Geography)    1  reel 

An   Eastman  TeachinK  Films   Production. 
BIRDS  OF  PREY   (Nature  Study) 1  reel 

An   Eastman  Teaching  Films   Production. 
ONE  BEST  PET   (Juvenile) 1  reel 

A    Snooky.    dog,   donkey   and   pig   story.     A   Chester 
Production. 
FIRE  PREVENTION   (Physical  Science) 1  reel 

An   Eastman   Teaching  Films   Production. 
TERMITES    (Biological  Science) 1  reel 

An   Eastman   Teaching  Films   Production. 
STREET   SAFETY— FOR   ADVANCED   GRADES 

(Health) I  reel 

An  Eastman  Teaching  Films  Production. 
DAYS  WE   LOVE    (Literature)  1  reel 

One  of  James  Whitcomb  Riley's  Poems. 
TABLEWARE    (Home   Economics)  I  reel 

An   Eastman   Teaching  Films   Production. 


UNIT  III,  SCHEDULE  X 

(Adapted  to  the  Grade  Schools  only) 

GRASS    (Geography)    3  reels 

One  of  the  great  pictures  of  all  time.  This  is  not  fic- 
tion  but  the  actual   struggle   for  life  of  a   Per- 
sian tribe  in  its  search  for  grass  for  the  cattle. 
LITTLE  DUTCH  TULIP  GIRL   (Juvenile  LiUrature)   .  1  reel 
A    Madeleine    Brandeis    production  —  Katrina    shows 
Tom  her  native  land. 

THE  HISTORIC  HUDSON   (History) 1  reel 

Scenes   and    incidents   made   famous  by   Washington 
Irving. 

THE  MONARCH  BUTTERFLY  (Nature  Study) I  reel 

A   complete   life-history  of  the  butterfly. 

THE  DIGESTIVE  SYSTEM    (Health) 1  reel 

An  Eastman  Teaching  Films  production.    How  vari- 
ous foods  are  digested  and  assimilated. 

THE   FARM    (Juvenile) 1  reel 

An  Eastman  Teaching  Films  Production. 


WRITE   US    FOR    COMPLETE    SCHEDULES    SHOWING    HOW   THIS 
CIRCUIT    SERVICE    PLAN    ADAPTS    ITSELF    TO    YOUR    SCHOOL 

Ask  us  about  our  wonderful  collection  of  authentically  colored  Lantern  Slides 
SLIDES  &  PROJECTORS  are  for  SALE  or  RENTAL 

William  H.  Dudley  Visual  Education  Service,  Inc. 


736  SOUTH  WABASH  AVENUE 


CHICAGO,  ILL. 


We       Supply       Everything       but       the       Class       and       the       Teacher 


from  locations  in  front  of  the  screen  gives  a  picture 
three  times  as  bright  as  that  obtained  with  a  white 
painted  screen,  using  the  same  illumination.  The 
glass  beaded  screen  is  the  popular  choice  for  use 
in  class  rooms  with  observation  angles  of  20  de- 
grees or  less. 

Utility  features  should  also  receive  careful  con- 
sideration in  choosing  a  portable  screen.  The  school 
which  is  contemplating  the  purchase  of  a  portable 
screen  should  paj'  careful  attention  to  the  type  of 
mounting  and  the  method  of  operation.  If  the 
screen  is  to  be  carried  from  one  class  room  to  an- 
other, it  should  be  compactly  built,  comparatively 
light  in  weight,  and  so  simplified  in  construction 
that  it  will  require  only  a  few  minutes'  time  to  set 
up  or  take  down. 

Several  of  the  box  screens  on  the  market  meet 
these  requirements  very  effectively.  The  screen  is 
mounted  on  a  spring  roller  in  a  sturdily  built  box, 
covered  with  leather,  or  imitation  leather.  The 
screen  is  lifted  into  position  and  held  rigid  by  a 
collapsible  support  at  the  rear  of  the  screen. 

In  another  type  the  screen  is  mounted  in  a  dur- 
able metal  case  with  pivoted  rubber  tipped  feet 
which  rest  on  a  desk  or  tal)le.  One  available  model 
is  mounted  in  a  metal  case,  which  is  pivotally  at- 
tached to  a  specially  designed  tripod.  This  type 
does  not  have  to  be  set  on  a  desk  but  stands  on  its 
own  legs. 


Where  the  screen  is  to  remain  permanently  in 
one  room  the  school  would  perhaps  select  a  hang- 
ing type  of  mounting  with  the  screen  on  a  roller  and 
moimted  on  the  wall.  It  is  operated  on  the  same 
principle  as  a  window  shade. 

If  scholastic  standards  are  to  be  raised,  teachers 
must  be  given  an  opportunity  to  use  the  most  ad- 
vanced methods  which  have  proved  sound.  The  tre- 
mendous growth  in  the  use  of  visual  aids,  which 
has  taken  place  in  the  last  ten  years,  is  proof  of  the 
value  of  motion  pictures,  film  slides,  glass  slides 
and  similar  material  which  simplifies  the  teachers' 
task.  To  get  the  utmost  benefit  from  visual  train- 
ing methods,  the  teacher  must  have  correct  equip- 
ment ...  an  efficient  up-to-date  screen  as  well  as 
a  modern  projector. 

Among  The  Magazines  and  Books 

{Concluded  jrom  page  180) 

on  the  part  of  school  officials.  High  Schools,  in  spite 
of  laboratories  and  shops,  make  less  use  of  objective 
methods  than  do  the  Elementary  Schools.  Field  trips, 
exhibits,  and  picture  collections  are  discussed  with  edu- 
cational suggestions.  The  use  of  visual  aids  in  geo- 
graphy is  extensively  treated  with  sample  lessons 
given.  The  use  of  slides  and  motion  picture  technique 
are  followed  by  a  list  of  films  that  are  widely  used. 
The  sound  motion  picture  "adds  more  reality  to  the 
material  and,  as  a  tool  for  giving  experiences,  equals 
or  perhaps  far  exceeds  the  printed  page  in  importance." 


Page  188 


The  Educational  Screen\ 


School  Department 


Film  Comprehension  Test 

(On  The  Chronicles  of  America   Photoplay,  "Daniel  Boone") 

THE  following  "film  test"  was  developed  for 
use  in  testing  approximately  two  thousand  pu- 
pils of  different  age,  grade  and  intelligence  levels 
for  the  purpose  of  comparing  these  different  groups 
regarding  their  comprehension  of  educational  films. 
The  experiment  forms  the  basis  of  the  writer's  Ph. 
D.  Thesis  which  is  titled,  "The  Relationship  Be- 
tween Acquired  Information  or  Knowledge  Ob- 
tained from  Educational  Motion  Picture  Film  to  the 
Intelligence,  Age,  Grade  and  Type  of  Pupil." 

The  film  test  is  the  result  of  presenting  the 
film  to  several  groups  of  teachers  who  submitted 
as  many  questions  as  possible.  These  questions 
were  analyzed  and  a  preliminary  test  of  60  questions 
made  up  and  given  to  some  two  hundred  pupils  in 
grades  2  through  8.  The  results  of  this  test  were 
again  carefully  analyzed  and  from  the  data  secured 
these  two  tests  were  prepared. 

The  questions  for  the  most  part  require  only  a 
careful  observation  of  the  film  with  no  reading  abil- 
ity of  the  titles  to  be  answered.     However,  ques- 


BUY  ON  MERIT 


and   compare   with   any 

Sound 
Quality 

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Quality 

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Precision 


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HOLMES 

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Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School.  Scarborough-on-Hudson,  N.  Y. 


tions  31  to  35  are  given  in  the  titles  and  36  to  40  re- 
quire some  reasoning  or  comprehension  of  the  film 
subject.  In  this  way  it  is  hoped  to  compare  not 
only  film  comprehension  with  different  groups  but 
also  of  different  types  of  film  questions. 

The  questions  are  in  4-page  printed  form,  the 
first  page  for  Title,  Name,  Grade,  etc.,  and  with  the 
following  instructions. 

INSTRUCTIONS:  Draw  a  line  under  the  right  word  or  group  of 
words  in  each  question  and  place  its  number  in  the  parentheses  at  the 
end  of  the  dotted  line.  There  is  only  one  right  answer  to  each  question 
so  do  not  underline  more  than  one  answer. 

SAMPLE;     Much  of  Diniel  Boone's  trip  was  through? 

1  swamps       2  plains        3  forests       4  meadows (  3  ) 

line  is  drawn  under  this 


The  right  answer  or  word  is  "forests"  so  a 
word  and  the  number  3  is  placed  in  the  parentheses  at  the  end  of  the 
dotted  line.  This  is  the  way  all  questions  should  be  answered.  When 
the  teacher  tells  you  to  start,  turn  over  the  page  and  mark  your 
answers. 

1.  Daniel  Boone  went  through  country  that  was? 

1   Swampy     2  hilly  or  mountainous     3  grassy 

4  flat  and  open   

2.  The  gun  Daniel  Boone  carried  was? 

1  tiny    2  short     3  long  4  little 

3.  The  houses  were  protected  by  a  wall  of  ? 

1  logs     2  stone     3  earth     4  brick 

4.  Daniel  Boone  on  his  trip  had  to  look  out  for? 

1  storms    2  falling  trees    3  traps    4  Indians 

5.  The  houses  were  built  of? 

1  stone    2  smooth  boards  or  lumber    3  logs 

4  brick 

6.  The  windows  in  the  houses  were  ? 

1  many    2  few     3  one    4  none 

7.  The  trees  of  the  forests  were? 

1  large    2  few    3  small    4  short 

8.  The  number  of  people  was  about? 

1   (10)     2  (1000)     3  (S)    4  (50) 

9.  Daniel  Boone  made  his  trip  by? 

1  horseback    2  foot    3  boat    4  wagon 

10.  The  number  of  men  and  women  was? 

1  the  same    2  more  women    3  more  men 

4  no  women  

11.  The  Indians  met  Daniel  Boone  by? 

1  walking  up  to  him    2  creeping  up  to  him 

3  shooting  him    4  jumping  on  him 

12.  Clothes  were  washed  in? 

1  metal  tubs    2  the  river    3  hollow  logs    4  pails.. 

13.  The  number  of  children  was  about? 

1   (100)    2  (2)    3  (25)    4  (5) 

14.  A  tame  or  domestic  animal  in  the  settlement  was? 

1  goat     2  pig     3  cat     4  dog 

15.  Another  tame  animal  was  a? 

1  sheep     2  donkey     3  cow     4  rabbit 

16.  The  number  of  stories  high  the  houses  were? 

1   (4)     2  (1  and  2)     3  (1)     4  (3) 

17.  The  people  got  some  food  from? 

1  hunting    2  the  forests     3  fishing    4  the  Indians. 

18.  Daniel  Boone  wore  a  hat  made  of? 

1  wool     2  silk     3  fur     4  straw 

19.  The  Indians  fought? 

1  in  the  open    2  from  behind  trees 

3  in  large  groups    4  on  horses 


me,  1936 


Page  189 


How  Are  Screen 
Cartoons  Made? 


Millions  of  adults  and  children 
want  to  know.     So  •  .  . 


LOWELL  THOMAS  interviews  a  famous 
screen  cartoonist,  and  thoroughly  explains 
and  illustrates  the  tricks  and  mechanics  that 
have  amazed  and  mystified  audiences  for 
years! 

"CARTOONLAND 
MYSTERIES'' 

Revealed  for  the  first  time  in  Universal's  un- 
usual "GOING  PLACES"  No.  18.  Another 
step  forward  by  Universal  in  genuine  visual 
education  and  entertainment! 

Write  to  Universal's  Non-theatrical  De- 
partment for  further  information  on  this 
behind-the-scenes  motion  picture  scoop! 

• 

Consult  us  on  geographical,  musical  or 
historical  subjects — on  current  events — on 
cartoon   comedies — or  feature   length  filmsl 

UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
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WHAT  THE   EYE   SEES,   THE   MIND    REMEMBERS! 


IHE  romance  of  coal  and  its  part 
in  the  nation's  economic  history  leaps  to  life  on  the 
screen  .  . .  when  you  teach  visually  with  a  Spencer  Delinea- 
scope.  It  increases  the  student's  interest  .  .  .  gives  him  a 
correct  mental  impression  undistorted  by  his  own  inter- 
pretation of  a  word  picture. 

Today,  the  modern  teacher  is  raising  her  class 
average — reducing  the  number  of  failures — with  visual 
education.  Students  learn  faster,  retain  their  knowledge 
longer  when  a  teacher  supplements  her  teaching  with  a 
vivid  picturiiation  of  the  subject.  Glass  slides  are  avail- 
able for  teaching  history,  geography,  biology  and  other 
subjects  of  the  school  curriculum.  Our  staff  of  projection 
experts  will  gladly  assist  you  in  the  selection  of  the  De- 
iineascope  best  suited  to  your  needs. 


MODEL 


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•  Projects  glass 
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up  to  50  feet  from  the 
screen.  DOUBLE  tilting 
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method  of  leveling  pic- 
ture on  the  screen  either 
vertically  or  horizon- 
tally. Light  in  weight,  is 
easily  portable. 

Write  for  Folder  K-78  For  complete  Information    and    prices  on 
Spencer  Delineascopes  and  Accessories.  Please  address  Dept.  R6. 

Spencer  Lens  Company 

Buffalo  Si  New  York 


Page  190 


The  Educational  Screent 


The  PARTICULAR  MOVIEMAKER 

LOOKS  FOR     PERFECTION  in  PROJECTION 

He  finds  it,  now,  m  Brifellte-Truvlslon  Screens  whose 
novel  improvements  include  a  screen  cloth  which  will 
retain  its  basic  white  for  a  longer  period  and,  in  the 
De  Luxe  'A'  Screen,  a  simplified  method  of 
releasing   the   screen   from   the   box  instantly. 

BRITELITE-TRUVISION 
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Oar   rates    (we    honestly    believe)    are   the   lowest   in    the   U.    S.    A. 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All  postage  on  films  —  both  to   and  from  destination  —  paid  by  us. 

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407  W.  WASHINGTON   BLVD.,   FORT  WAYNE,   INDIANA 


20.  Before  Daniel  Boone  left  he  looked  at  a? 

1  newspaper     2  map     3  picture     4  book 

21.  Daniel  Boone  wore  clothes  made  of? 

1  wool     2  furs     3  silk    4  leather  or  buckskin 

22.  The  west  in  those  days  was? 

1  thickly  settled    2  many  white  people 

3  same  as  today     4  wild 

23.  The  news  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was 
brought  by? 

1  a  man  on  foot    2  a  man  on  horse 

3  telegraph    4  man  and  wagon 

24.  Daniel  Boone  left  a  family  that  was  ? 

1  large    2  no  family    3  small    4  only  his  wife.... 

25.  Hiding  in  the  forest  were? 

1  soldiers     2  snakes     3  Indians     4  wild  animals.. 

26.  The  animal  killed  for  food  was  a? 

1  bear     2  deer     3  wolf     4  pig 

27.  Logs  were  brought  into  the  settlement  by? 

1  wagons    2  horses  dragging  them 

3  rolling  them    4  wheelbarrows 

28.  Daniel   Boone  carried  or  wore  a? 

1  gun     2  sword     3  a.\e     4  club 

29.  He  also  had  a? 

1  hatchet     2  pistol     3  shovel     4  stick 

30.  When  Daniel  Boone  first  went  away,  how  many  went 
-     with  him? 

1  two     2  none     3  all  the  people     4  one 

31.  The  arrival  of  the  news  meant  that  the  people 
belonged  to  the? 

1   French     2  English     3  part  of  a  new  nation 

4  Indians  

32.  The  man  who  longed  to  explore  this  land  was? 

1  Judge  Henderson    2  Daniel  Boone 

3  Flanders  Calloway    4  Jemima  Boone 

33.  A  river  shown  on  the  map  was  the? 

1  Delaware     2  Hudson     3  Mississippi     4  Detroit. 

34.  The  Indians  did  not  kill  Daniel  Boone  because  they? 

1  were  afraid  of  him     2  thought  he  was  a  medicine 
man    3  could  not    4  did  not  get  a  chance 

35.  The  name  of  the  company  that  was  to  settle 
the  wilderness  was? 

1  Transylvania     2  Pennsylvania     3  Boonesboro 

4  Ohio   

36.  Daniel  Boone  was  selected  because  he? 

1  was  tall    2  wore  buckskin  clothes    3  could  swal 
low  a  knife    4  knew  the  ways  of  the  Indians 

37.  The  biggest  danger  on  the  trip  was  from? 

1  wild  animals     2  the  forest     3  Indians 

4  rough  rivers    

38.  The  respect  shown  to  Daniel  Boone  by  the  Indians  was  ? 

1  a  great  deal    2  very  little     3  none    4  some 

39.  The  reason  for  building  the  houses  inside  a  wall  was  ? 

1  to  have  them  near  each  other     2  for  protection 
from  Indians    3  they  look  nicer    4  because  land 
was  scarce   

40.  The  purpose  of  the  Transylvania  Company  was  to? 

1  fight  Indians     2  find  gold     3  settle  people 

in  the  west    4  hunt  animals 


BY  ARNOLD  W.  REITZE,  M.A. 

Public  School    II,  Jersey  City,   New  Jersei^ 


Editor's  Note — 

We  have  on   hand  a  similar  Pilnt    Comprehension 
Test,  by  Mr.  Reitae.   on   the  Eastman   Teaching  fihfA 
"Wheat",  which  wc  hope  to  publish  in  the  September^ 
issue. 


L„„ 


Page  191 


In  addition  to  many  recreational  films  with  well-known  stars  and  players,  we  offer  subjects 
especially  planned  for  and  appealing  to  school  audiences.  Excellent  educational  films  have 
been  selected,  and  the  subject  matter  of  these  films,  their  photography,  sound  quality  and 
intelligent  presentation  are  of  outstanding  quality  from  the  educational  standpoint. 

Types  of  Educational  16  mm.  Films  Available  for  School  Use 


MUSIC  APPRECIATION 

Vocal 

Instrumental 

Orchestral 
TRAVEL  AND  CUSTOMS 

British  Empire 

Holy   Land   and   Its   Neighbors 

China,  Japan  and  Manchukuo 

Continental  Europe 

Western  Hemisphere 
NATURAL  SCIENCE 

Animal  Study 

Botany 

Geology 


16M:1 


EDUCATIONAL 


LITERATURE 

Dramatixed  versions  of  "Last  of  the 
Mohicans", "Black  Beauty", "Little  Men" 
and   others. 

FOREIGN  LANGUAGES 

Recreational,  classical  features,  also 
short  subjects,  in  English,  French, 
Spanish  and   German. 

SPORTS 

Grantland  Rice  Sportlights 
Football  Technique 
Track  Events 


QQ^^  IC^T^Nn^    ^^   special   arrangement  with   the    RCA   Manufacturing    Company   of   Camden,    N.   J.,   we   have 
r  K^^Jk^  I  ^^Kd    the  exclusive   right  to  offer  their  projectors  to  schools  on   a   deferred   payment   plan,   together 
with   a   program   service  from  our   16  mm.  sound-on-film   library. 


'Detailed  information  may  be  obtained  upon  request. 


Walter  O.  Gutlohn,  Inc» 


35    W.    45th    ST. 
NEW  YORK,  N.Y. 


TrI- Purpose  Projector 

--  Model  BB  -- 

Especially  designed  for  the  convenience  of  those 
who  use  miniature  cameras  with  35  mm.  film. 
Improved  optical  system  produces  superb  projec- 
tion for  natural  color  and  manuscript  photog- 
raphy. Swivel  head  permits  instant  change  from 
horizontal  to  vertical  double-frame  pictures. 


Designed    to    Project 
Both  Single-frame  and 
Double-frame : 

$25.00 


for  2" 

glass    slide 

in  dividual 

frame  mountings 

Complete:  $30.00 


•^.-^^^ 


Page  192 


The  Educational  Screen 


Now  She  Sees 


A  Triumph  in  Visual  Instruction 


A  New  Set  of  Fifty  Third-Dimensional 

Drawings  for  Classes  in  Solid  Geometry 

by 

JOHN  T.  RULE 

Taylor  School  for  Boys 
Clayton,  Mo. 


One  feacher  says  that  it  saves  him  at  least  ten 
days'  time  in  transferring  his  classes  from  seeing 
figures  in  one  plane  to  seeing  figures  in  three 
dimensions.  It  also  saves  some  of  those  pupils 
who  otherwise  might  never  learn  to  see  in  true 
perspective. 

Bringing  this  interesting  material  to  the  attention 
of  teachers  of  Solid  Geometry  is  an  opportunity 
to  render  a  real  service  in  the  field  of  Visual  In- 
struction, which  directors  of  Visual  Instruction  and 
teachers  of  classes  in  Visual  Instruction  should  not 
overlook. 

If  you  are  interested,  complete  information  will 
be  sent  on  request. 


Keystone  View  Co. 


MEADVILLE.  PENNA. 


Educdtiondl  Film  Activities 

Juvenile  Film  Programs 

Columbia  Pictures  has  evolved  a  plan  for  unit 
shows  specifically  designed  for  children  of  10  years  or 
under,  to  be  shown  apart  from  regular  programs.  The 
series,  called  "Happy  Hour",  consists  of  specially 
assembled  and  approved  short  subjects,  for  commun- 
ity-supported juvenile  matinees.  The  plan  has  been 
tested  in  various  key  cities  and  trn  such  units,  each  of 
six  reels  and  running  approximately  an  hour,  have 
been  annoimced  as  ready.  Forty  such  programs  will 
be  offered  for  forty  weeks  of  service. 

Culled  from  shorts  released  by  Columbia  in  the  last 
three  years,  the  films  undergo  inspection  by  socially- 
minded  cooperating  groups  to  meet  all  possible  par- 
ental objection  and  undergo  further  revision  if  nec- 
essary. The  ten  units  now  available  bear  the  en- 
dorsements and  unit  designations  of  the  Better  Films 
Council  of  Buffalo,  .A.lbany  Council  of  Women's 
Clubs,  Philadelphia  General  Federation  of  Women's 
Clubs,  Cleveland  Cinema  Club,  and  the  state  federations 
of  women's  clubs  of  New  York.  Massachusetts  and 
Maryland. 

The  plan  "marks  the  motion  picture  industry's  first 
effort  to  select  from  virtually  hundreds  of  available 
subjects  those  of  primary  appeal  to  the  young  mind," 
according  to  Columbia.  They  cover  a  wide  range  of 
material,  including  comedies,  cartoons,  sports,  fanta- 
sies, travelogues  and  color  subjects. 

Syracuse  University  Plans  Film  Production 

Under  the  direction  of  Sawyer  Falk,  Professor  of 
Drama,  Syracuse  University  will  produce  a  full-length 
35  mm  talking  picture  this  summer  as  a  laboratory  pro- 
ject, utilizing  students  enrolled  in  a  special  summer 
cinema  appreciation  course  for  both  players  and  tech- 
nicians. The  camera  work  will  be  supervised  by  Wil- 
liam Stanmyre,  Syracuse  alumnus  and  formerly  with 
Paramount  as  cinematographer.  Selected  for  the  ex- 
periment is  Big  Lake,  Lynn  Riggs'  study  of  adolescent 
youth  in  Oklahoma.  Every  effort  will  be  made  to 
meet  professional  standards  in  this  production. 

Professor  Falk  also  announces  the  continuation  of 
the  University  Theatre  activities  for  another  year. 
This  non-profit-making  theatre,  fully  equipped  for 
talking  pictures,  furnishes  a  laboratory  for  the  study 
of  a  very  definite  social  institution,  the  motion  picture. 
Every  film  chosen  for  showing  to  the  community  must 
possess  distinct  artistic  merit  as  "it  is  the  function  of  a 
university,"  states  Professor  Falk,  "to  stress  cultural 
values."  Along  with  this  stress  on  the  cultural  and 
an  avoidance  of  the  didactic,  the  University  Theatre 
encourages  a  "free  screen"  and  the  evaluation  intellec- 
tually and  emotionally  of  moods  and  points  of  view 
which  are  different  from  ours.  The  group  also  seeks 
to  change  some  current  trade  practices  of  the  motion 
picture  industry. 


tune,  19}6 


Page  193 


REASONS  WHY 


to  looh  tor  the  natne. 


it  will  pay  you^  also^ 


agTi 


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REG.  U.  S.  PAT.  OFF. 


1.  SUPERB  PICTURE  QUALITY 

The  glass  beaded  surface  which  assures  such  clear,  sharply  de- 
fined pictures  on  Da-Lite  Screens  is  the  result  of  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century  of  experience  in  making  quality  screens. 

2.  UNEQUALLED  COBfVENIEXCE 

Special  patented  features  .  .  .  found  only  in  Da-Lite  Screens 
make  these  products  the  simplest  and  easiest  to  use. 

3.  WIDER  SELECTION 

The  most  complete  line  of  screens  on  the  market;  includes  a  type 
and  size  for  every  school  requirement. 

4.  LONGER  SERVICE 

Durably  built  of  quality  materials,  Da-Lite  Screens  withstand 
hard  usage  longer. 

DA-LITE    SCREEN 

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AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


Noted  Naturalist  Prepares  Two  New  Films 

Plants  Without  Soil  is  a  fascinating  presentation 
of  a  radically  new  scientific  method  of  agriculture, 
whereby  a  single  "soil-less  acre"  produces  a  ton  of 
tomatoes,  or  2400  bushels  of  fine  potatoes.  Time  lapse 
photography  shows  plants  growing  and  blooming. 
Scientific  experimentation  has  been  employed  to  work 
out  the  exact  chemical  diet  to  feed  most  efifectivelv 
each  type  of  plant.  A  copy  of  the  formula  is  fur- 
nished with  each  reel.  Silent  version  is  ready,  sound 
version  in  preparation. 

Reproduction  of  Plants  and  Lozver  Animals  is  a 
scientific  biology  film  showing,  with  breath-taking  mi- 
croscopic details,  the  processes  of  fertilization,  conju- 
gation, and  cell  devision  (mitosis),  as  well  as  repro- 
duction by  pulling  apart   (budding). 

Films  for  Summer  Sessions 

In  order  that  schools  and  colleges  may  be  able  to 
use  16  mm  or  35  mm  sound  films  during  summer  ses- 
sions the  Garrison  Film  Distributors,  Inc.,  New  York 
City,  are  arranging  to  supply  both  16  mm  sound  pro- 
jectors and  35  mm  sound  projectors  for  institutions 
which  rent  films.  The  firm  will  loan  out  equipment 
for  the  summer  providing  that  a  program  of  films 
are  rented  at  least  once  a  week.  This  plan  is  offered 
to  summer  resorts  and  camps  as  well  as  to  educational 
institutions. 


Compare  BEFORE 
You  Buy! 


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by  side  with  any  machine 
on  the  market.  You  owe 
this  test  to  yourself  before 
making   a    de cision. 


IP  MM.    UNIVERSAL    SOUND 
ID  PROJECTOR    HAS    EVERY- 
THING.    Here  at  last  is  the  all  pur- 
pose machine   .    .    .   ideal  for  a  small 
group  and  equally  efficient  for  audi- 
torium   gatherings    up    to 
2000.     Simple  in  operation 
for  amateur  use  yet  built 
w^ith  a  precision  and  stur- 
diness     that     means     years 
of   satisfactory   service. 
It's     easy     on     films,   too. 
Universal  Sound  Projectors 
are  designed  from  the  table 
up   as   sound -on -film  ma- 
chines .  .  .  not  simply  the 
old  silent  type  with  sound 
equipment  added. 


USEES  ALL— PLAYS  ALL  TT 
niversaJL 

Write  for  prices  and  complete  information 
UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 

Manufacturers  of  16mm.  — 35mm.  Sound  Projectors 


Factory  &  General  Offices 

Allegheny  Ave.  at  Ninth  St., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

New  York,  16 10  Paramount  Bids. 


Western  Distributor 

Ideal  Pictures.  Corp. 

30  E.  8th  St..  Chicago,  111. 

Ottawa,  Canada.  65  Sparks  St, 


Page  194 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Producers 


S.V.E.  Introduces  Tri-Purpose  Projector 

The  rapid  increase  in  the  use  of  "candid"  cameras, 
of  which  there  are  a  number  of  makes  using  35  mm. 
picture  negative,  has  created  a  growing  demand  for  a 
filmslide  stereopticon  which  will  successfully  meet  the 
various  needs  which  have  arisen  in  that  connection. 
Such  a  projector  must  handle  both  single-frame  and 
double-frame  pictures,  whether  vertical  or  horizontal 
in  the  frame ;  it  must  put  on  the  screen  in  good  detail 
the  results  of  manuscript  photography ;  it  must  give 
sufficient  illumination  to  satisfy  the  eye  in  the  pro- 
jection of  natural  color  pictures ;  and  it  must  possess 
the  mechanism  to  enable  the  possessor  of  separate 
or  individual  filmslides  to  show  them  on  the  screen 
also,  after  they  have  been  suitably  mounted. 

The  Society  for  Visual  Education,  Inc.  is  just  now 
introducing  to  the  market  a  new  Tri-Purpose  Pro- 
jector, Model  BB,  especially  designed  to  do  all  these 
things.  An  improved  optical  system  produces  excep- 
tional illumination.  The  condensers  are  a  combina- 
tion of  two  biconvex  lenses  and  a  meniscus  heat  ab- 
sorbing lens ;  and  the  objective  lens  is  the  SVE  Series 
"OA"  4-inch  focal  length.  Three  or  5-inch  lenses  are 
available  for  special  requirements.  Among  the  new 
features  embodied  in  this  projector  is  the  swiveled  head, 
which  works  in  either  direction,  making  it  just  as 
convenient  to  project  on  a  translucent  as  on  an  opaque 
screen.  This  Tri-Purpose  Projector  weighs  33/2 
pounds,  and  its  carrying  case  1^  pounds.  It  is  priced 
for  popular  purchase.  Illustrations  appear  in  the 
S.V.E.  advertisement  on  another  page. 

New  Filmosound  on  Market 

A  one-case,  moderately  priced,  16  mm.  sound-on- 
film  reproducer,  Filmosound  138,  is  announced  by 
Bell  &  Howell  Company,  Chicago.  Light  (weighing 
57  pounds  complete),  compact,  and  readily  adjustable, 
it  is  particularly  suitable  for  educational  use  in  school 
classrooms,  and  for  home  entertainment.  The  sound 
head  is  entirely  new,  embracing  a  rotating  sound  drum 
and  a  film  shrinkage  compensating  "floating  idler".  A 
balanced  flywheel,  rotating  as  an  integral  part  of  the 
sound  drum  assembly,  assures  constant  speed  and 
hence  freedom  from  soimd  "flutter".  Voltages  on 
exciter  lamp  and  photo  cell  are  automatically  balanced 
as  the  volume  control  is  changed,  thus  providing  an 
automatic  "photohiss"  eliminator. 

The  entire  machine  packs  into  a  single  case  which 
also  accommodates  a  1600-foot  reel  of  film  in  humi- 
dor can.  For  use,  the  projector  and  amplifier  are 
removed  from  the  case.  The  case  then  serves  as  a 
baffle  for  the  built-in  speaker.  This  machine  uses  a 
750-watt  lamp  and  may  be  operated  at  either  sound 
or  silent  film  projection  speed  (24  or  16  frames  per 
second).  A  fast  2-inch  projection  lens  is  standard 
equipment.  Other  sizes  to  meet  all  projection  conditions 


Where  the  commercial  firms — whose  activities  ht  /:j  an 
Important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  fisld — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  lec- 
essary  space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    rei    ers. 

are  available  as  optional  equipment.  The  ^ame  photo 
cell  and  exciter  lamps  are  used  as  in  previous  Filmo- 
sound models  but  all  other  amplifier  tubes  are  of  the 
new  metal  type.  A  new  type  of  convenient  one-hand 
tilt  rod,  a  motor  re-wind,  and  a  reel  arm  which  can 
be  quickly  attached,  are  also  features  of  this  sound 
reproducer. 

The  Episcope — New  Opaque  Projector 

For  years  past,  the  mention  of  "opaque  projec- 
tion" has  instantly  suggested  "bulkiness  '  to  the 
minds  of  teachers.  It  has  always  been  necessary, 
seemingly,  that  an  opaque  projector  should  be  large 
and  more  or  less  cumbersome  to  handle. 

The  new  Episcope — handled  by  the  Central  Cam- 
era Company,  Chicago — ends  all  that.  It  is  a  mar- 
vel of  compactness.  The  same  projection  princi- 
ples are  involved,  but  all  essential  elements  have 
been  concentrated,  through  expert  refinement  of  de- 
sign, within  a  crackle-finish  metal  case  of  startling 
dimensions  —  9^  inches  long,  4  inches  wide,  7j/^ 
inches  high,  and  with  a  total  weight  of  but  43-^ 
pounds.  Such  compactness  suggests  a  toy.  But 
within  this  small,  asbestos  lined  case,  efficiently 
ventilated,  are  contained  a  quality  Objective  Pro- 
jection Lens  (13^/2  cm  Doppel  F  3.5),  a  focusing 
adjustment  of  utmost  accuracy  and  convenience,  a 
100-watt  bulb,  and  a  double  slide  holder  permitting 
continuous  projection  without  interruption  from  one 
picture  to  the  next.  The  price  is  as  startling  as  its 
size,  $19.50. 

Thus  equipped,  screen  pictures  may  be  projected 
up  to  3  feet  by  4  feet,  in  the  exact  colors  of  the  orig- 
inal. The  holder  accommodates  pictures,  by  means 
of  extra  masks  supplied  as  desired,  of  any  size  from 
a  single  frame  of  35  mm.  film  up  to  3^  inches 
square.  A  3^^  inch  square  portion  of  any  print, 
photograph  or  book  page  may  be  projected.  Opaque 
objects  can  be  screened  in  their  natural  colors  and 
markings.  The  Episcope  is  also  furnished  with  an 
F  3.2  Anastigmat  Lens  (at  $31.50)  which  assures 
still  finer  projection  quality. 

Victor  P.  A.  System 

Victor  Animatograph  Corporation.  Davenport, 
manufacturers  of  quality  16  mm  motion  picture  equip- 
ment, announce  that  24B  Sound-on-Film  Projector 
can  now  be  equipped  with  a  small  pre-amplifier  which, 
when  used  with  a  velocity  ribbon  microphone,  pro- 
vides an  excellent  public  address  system.  The  pre- 
amplifier   which    is    a    separate    unit    measuring    only 


June,  19}6' 


Page  195 


43/2  X  7y2  V  11"  and  weighing  only  6  lbs.,  plugs  into  a 
socket  in  i  e  base  of  the  Animatophone  amplifier.  This 
socket  is  b^ing  incorporated  as  a  standard  feature  in 
current  m  del  24B  equipments.  On  24B  Animate- 
phones  alrs'ady  in  use,  the  pre-amplifier  socket  will  be 
built  into  fne  base  of  the  Animatophone  amplifier  free 
of  charge,  when  pre-amplifier  and  velocity  ribbon  mi- 
crophone isrre  ordered.  Animatophone  users  who  have 
added  the  pre-amplifier  and  velocity  ribbon  micro- 
phone to  their  equipment,  are  highly  enthusiastic  in 
^heir  praise  of  the  unit's  performance. 

^^lews  and  Notes 

{Concluded  jrnin  page  183) 

ator  as  he  experiences  "The  Romantic  agony".  Film- 
Art,  which  has  served  the  Art  Institute  in  the  present 
repertoire,  is  doing  a  valuable  service  in  supplying 
materials  that  indicate  subtle  possibilities  for  the  mo- 
tion picture  in  presenting  elusive  and  abstract  thought 
to  those   of   intellectual   keenness. 

SMPE  Spring  Convention 

An  interesting  innovation  on  the  program  of  the 
Society  of  Motion  Picture  Engineers,  meeting  at 
the  Edgewater  Beach  Hotel  in  Chicago,  April 
27-30,  was  the  Slide-Film  Symposium.  This  ses- 
sion opened  with  a  paper  by  Miss  Marie  Witham,  of 
the  Society  for  Visual  Education,  on  "The  De- 
velopment of  Slide-Film  Stereopticons".  Mr.  C.  H. 
Hanson.   Extension   Service,   U.   S.   Department  of 


Agriculture,  and  J.  B.  MacHarg,  Lawrence  College, 
Appleton,  Wisconsin,  gave  demonstrations  of  some 
uses  of  slide-films.  "The  Advantages  of  the  Talk- 
ing Slide-Film  as  a  Machine  for  Selling"  were  dis- 
cussed by  L.  M.  Francisco  of  Wilding  Pictures 
Productions,  followed  by  a  demonstration  of  a 
sound  slide-film  projector  by  F.  Freimann  of  Elec- 
tro-Acoustic Products  Co.,  Fort  Wayne. 

The  other  sessions  were  devoted  for  the  most 
part  to  the  development  and  improvement  of  spe- 
cialized equipment,  and  the  refinement  of  production 
technique. 

Photographers'  Convention 

The  1936  Convention  of  the  Photographers'  Asso- 
ciation of  America  will  be  held  at  the  Hotel  Stevens, 
Chicago,  from  August  24  to  28,  inclusive.  Plans  are 
being  laid  for  one  of  the  largest  exhibits  of  pictures 
ever  shown,  eclipsing  if  possible  the  enormous  show- 
ing at  the  Cedar  Point  Convention  of  1932.  The  ex- 
hibit is  open  to  the  world,  without  entrance  fee  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  expected  that  there  will  be  a  con- 
siderable number  of  entries  from  foreign  countries  as 
well.  The  program  will  be  held  in  the  afternoons 
only,  from  the  25th  to  the  28th,  inclusive,  with  three 
portrait  features  and  three  commercial  features  each 
afternoon,  the  two  divisions  meeting  in  separate  halls. 
The  mornings  will  be  left  entirely  free  for  the  manu- 
facturers' and  dealers'  exhibit. 


devry  foreign  sales  rapidly  catching  up  with  domestic 


The    "DeVry    Theaire"   —    Lima,    Peru 


DeVry  Motion  Picture  Equip- 
ment   now    in    52    countries. 


Not    tlie     Cheapest,     but 
the  BEST  —  our  Ideal. 


Theatres  and  large  school  audi- 
toriums now  find  they  can  have 
sound  equipment,  the  peer  of 
any  in  the  world,  at  a  reason- 
able price. 

The  DeVry  16  mm.  Sprocket 
Intermittent  Sound  Projector  (at 
the  right)  the  ultimate  in  sound 
engineering. 


See   the   whole   DeVry    Line   in    opera- 
tion   at  the 


'^^^^ 


The  DeVry  16  mm.  Sprocket 
Intermittent  Sound  Unit. 


THE     NATIONAL    CONFERENCE     ON     VISUAL     EDUCATION 
AND    FILM    EXHIBITION  _  JUNE    22nd    to    25th 

At  the  Francis  W.  Parker  School,  330  Webster  Ave.,  Chicago 

For  Free  Membership  Card  and  ProKram,  si^n 
coupon    below    and    send    to    address    below  — 


I    NAME. 


One  of  the  finest  theatres   in  all   South   America,  seating  2.000- 
eiiuippcd    with    DeVry   Sound    Projectors — modern   in   every   detail.        )_ 


I    ADDRESS  . 
POSITION 


HERMAN    A.    DeVRY,    INC. 


II II  CENTER  ST.,  CHICAGO 


Page  196 


The  Educational  Scree 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 
W.  H.  Dudley  Visual  Education  Service 

736  S.  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago,  III 

(See  advertisement  on  page  187) 

Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport,  la. 
Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020    Chesnut    St.,    Philadelphia,    Pa 

606  Wood   St.,   Pittsburgh,   Pa. 
Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.        (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Walter   O.    Gutlohn,   Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  4Sth   St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  191) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological   Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  Auburn   Ave.,   Cincinnati,   O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028   Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,   Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
XTniversal  Pictures  Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,    New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  189) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,   Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 

MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  168) 

R.  B.  Annis  Company  (6) 

1505  E.  Michigan  St.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Bell  &  HoweU  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central  Camera  Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisenient  on  page  186) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  covert 


Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330  W.   42nd   St.,   New   York   City 
Herman   A.   DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  195) 

Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  188) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on -page  185) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,    Regina,    Sask. 

S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 

Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers  (3,  6) 
407   W.   Washington   Blvd. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.        (2,  5) 

Allegheny  Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  193) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  166) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Weber  Machine  Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

The  Photoart  House 
844   N.   Plankinton   Ave.,   Milwaukee, 
Wis. 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721   N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  193) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
605  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 
510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 


A    Tra<de     Directory 
■for  the   Visual    Field 


Eastman  Educational  Slides 

Iowa  City,  la. 
Edited   Pictures   System,  Inc. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 
Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 

30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  190) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  192) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  186) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago.  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  191) 

Spencer  Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  189) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on  page  186) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 

STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 
1111   Center   St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  195) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  192) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  165) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 
1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 
Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 
Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  III. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  191) 

Spencer  Lens  Co. 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  1S9) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

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sound. 

(3)   indicates    firm   supplies 

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sound   and  silent. 

(4)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates    firm   supplies 

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16   mm. 

sound   and  silent. 

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■  ■■■■■■■••  ^t%ff  <Taw> 

Tiaehtri  Library 


Educationa 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 


What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film? 
Increasing  the  Use  of  Film  Slides 
Administrative  Problems  in  Visual  Education 
Foreisn  Films  (or  Educational  Institutions 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  $2.00    a    Year  • 


SEPTEMBER 


1936 


KANSAS  CITY  MUNICIPAL  AUDITORIUK 

^    PROJECTOR 


AOE      MARK     RKO  D 


"ITS  EQUIPMENT  IS  THE  MOST  UP-TO-DATE 
AND  THE  FINEST  THAT  MONEY  CAN  BUY" 


CHAMBER   OF  COMMBRCe,  KANSAS   CITY,    MISSOURI 


KANSAS 


KANSAS  CITY,    MO, 


ClU  NATIONAL  THEATRE  SUPPLY  CO. 

HAS  INSTALLED  SUPER  SIMPLEX 
PROJECTORS  WITH  HALL  AND 
CONNOLLY  LAMPS  IN  THE  ARENA 
AND  SUPER  SIMPLEX  PROJECTORS 
WITH  MAGNARC  LAMPS  IN  THE 
MUSIC    HALL   OF  THIS    MAGNIFI 


CENT  BUILDING.  ^         ^ 

r^ihu^  DE  LUXE  -&unUp^  ^2^SIPER  MAONAR( 

^^^^^JECTOR  ,,  ,^^^  ,  PROJECTOR 

Thelnternattonal  rroieetor 

Selected  when  outstanding  superiority  is  tJie  first  consideration. 

INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATION 

68-96    SOLD     ST.  NEW    YORK,  N.Y 


ept  ember,  1936 


Page  199 


ditorid 


)R  SC^ME  sixteen  years  past  in  the 
visual  instruction  field — to  the  writer's 
trsonal  knowledge — contident  assertions 
live  blossomed  yearly  on  i)rinted  ]jages 
i  to  "the  unmistakable  growth  and  prog- 
6ss"  of  the  visual  idea  in  education, 
^hole-hearted  predictions  have  been 
ide  by  many  a  ])en  on  many  a  ])age  that 
Ibis  vear"  will  see  greater  strides  than  any 
preceding  in  the  use  of  visual  aids  in 
teaching.  We  ourselves  have  contributed 
at  least  our  full  share  to  this  fond  ojiti- 
niisni.  founded,  as  some  cynics  will  still 
sav.  more  on  hope  than  evidence.  The 
saving  fact,  however,  is  that  the  claims 
have  been  fundamentally  true.  There  has 
been  progress  everv  year.  The  only  ele- 
ment of  doubt  is  the  exact  length  of  the 
annual  stride. 

In  this  first  month  of  a  new  school 
vear.  the  temptation  is  irresistible  to  do 
it  again  and,  as  I^adv  Windermere  ex- 
pres.sed  it  so  perfectlv,  we  '"can  resist 
everything  except  temptation".  The  school 
year  1936-37  n'ill  see  marked  progress. 
\\'e  need  not  believe  in  "signs",  there  is 
evidence.  Things  are  moving,  not  merelv 
going  to  move.  The  American  Coimcil 
on  Education  in  Washington  is  expand- 
ing its  program  beyond  its  fine  accom- 
l^lishment  of  last  year.  Equipment  instal- 
lations in  school  and  college  are  increasing. 
Commercial  firms  are  enlarging  steadily 
their  production  plans  and  facilities.  More 
institutions  are  producing  practical  teach- 
ing materials  themselves,  and  on  a  wider 
scale.  Even  the  great  theatrical  producers 
are  making  more  features  of  genuine  edu- 
cational worth  as  well  as  high  theatrical 
value  than  ever  before.  Finally,  research 
is  healthilv  broadening  its  scope,  discus- 
sion is  becoming  more  trenchant  and 
meaningful,  the  whole  utterance  of  the  vis- 
ual field,  in  short,  is  passing  from  platitude 
to  constructive  thinking.  We  are  going 
somewhere,  and  the  pace  is  steadily  faster. 

J  HE  REGULAR  section  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  Na- 
tional Education  Association  is  omitted  in 
this  issue,  partly  because  of  crowded 
space,  but  still  more  because  mere  notice 
of  activity  to  come  is  less  satisfying,  both 
in  the  writing  and  the  reading,  than  an- 
nouncement that  it  has  actually  started. 
Such  announcement  will  a])pear  in  the 
October  issue,  with  the  campaign  already 
under  way.  Nelson  L.  Greene 


Educational    Screen 

Combined     with 

Visual    Instruction     News 


SEPTEMBER,  1936 

VOLUMEXV  NUMBER7 


CONTENTS 

What  Makes  a  Good  Educafional  Film? 

Donald  C.  Doane 203 

Increasing  the  Use  of  Film  Slides. 

H.   O.    Burdick 205 

Administrative  Problems  in  Visual  Education. 

W,  J.  Hamilton _ 208 

Foreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions. 

Wesley  Greene 2  I  I 

The  Film  Estimates, ._ 2  I  3 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 218 

News  and  Notes. 

Conducted  by  Josephine  Hoffmart 220 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McC'usky _  222 

Among  the  Producers .._. _228 

Here  They  Are!  A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field 232 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in   Education   Index. 

General  end  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  September,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published    every   month   except  July    and    August. 

$2,00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2,75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,   Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary   Beattie   Brady 
F.  W,  Davis 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
Josephine   Hoffman 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


Page  200  yhe  Educational  Screen 

AN  UP-TO-THE-MINUTE  SERVICE  AT  DOWN-TO-EARTH  PRICES 


A  Complete  16mtn. 
Sound' on- Film  Program  .  ♦  . 
$goo         $900         ^lO^^o 


.  .  .  .  eight,  nine  and  ten  reels,  respectively,  for  one  day's  use 
anywhere  in  the  United  States,  providing  films  are  shown  on  Victor 
Animatophone  or  RCA  sound  projector,  and  user  has  agreed  to  rent 
at  least  100  reels  of  sound  films  on  this  dollar-a-reel  basis  during  the 
1936-1937  school  year. 


Your  Noon 
Hour  Movies! 

We  are  in  an 
excellent  position 
to  supply  you 
with  short  sub- 
jects  — ■  either 
sound  or  silent  — 
for  your  noon 
hour  school  show- 
ings. 

Write  us  your 
exact  require- 
ments  so  we  may 
submit  a  special 
quotation. 


OTHER  USERS  will  find  our  regular  booking  rates  as  liberal 
— $10.00  pays  for  a  complete  nine  reel  program  for  one  day's  use  on 
'most  any  first  line  sound  projector.  Longer  and  shorter  programs 
are  proportionately  low  in  price. 

FULL  WEEK  RENTALS  (7  consecutive  days)  run  at  only  $20.00 
for  a  complete  nine  reel  program.  Additional  consecutive  weeks  for 
the  same  program  only  $15.00  each. 

Our  library  contains  the  newest,  worth-while  releases  of  feature  pic- 
tures, travel,  scenic,  sport  and  novelty  films,  cartoons,  comedies  and 
musicals.  Our  prints  are  maintained  in  first  class  condition  always. 
Our  service  is  dependable  and  our  shipping  containers  convenient 
for  your  return  of  each  program. 

WRITE  TODAY  for  our  complete  film  list.     It's  free  for  the  asking. 


SILENT      FILMS,      TOO! 

For  schools  requiring  silent  films,  we  have  a  fine  selection  of  pictures  available  at 
extremely  low  rates.  Features,  comedies,  cartoons,  travel  and  scenic  films.  Complete 
silent  programs  run  as  low  as  $3.00  for  a  feature  and  short  subject.  Many  famous  silent 
feature  classics  are  included  in  our  library. 


Fny  -vniw  fTmf^r*fin*i  '^^'  °'^'^  library  films  are  insured  against  such  hazards  as  fire, 
rUl  yUUT  jJTUmaiUTl  theft,  transportation,  etc.  (This  insurance,  of  course,  does  not 
cover  damage  in  projection,  rewinding  and  from  other  similar  mechanical  causes.)  What  other 
libraries  give  you  this  extra  service? 

Start  the  school  year  right  with 

EASTIN   16mm.    PICTURES 

Davenport,       Iowa 


tptember,  1936 


Page   203 


'hdt  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film?  * 


By      DONALD      C.      DOANE 

Stanford   University,   California 


Introduction 

HE   FX)LLO\\'ING   series   of   articles   represent 

three  phases  of  an  investigation  to  determine  the 

desirable   characteristics  of   motion  pictures   for 

in  classrooms.     Each  phase  will  be  treated  as  a 

arate  article  with  the  final  presentation  of  a  check 

;t  which  may  be  used  for  analyzing  and  criticizing 

existing  or   proposed   film   as   compared    with   the 

ults  of  this  investigation. 

The  problem   has  been  attacked   from   three  stand- 
ints : 
1.  What   has   been   determined   in    i)revious   exjieri- 

I  mental  investigations  ? 
2.  What  criticisms  have  been  directed  against  edu- 
cational motion  i)ictures? 
3.  What  types  of  films  do  teachers  choose? 
It  is  not  claimed  that  the  results  of  this  study  are 
itirely  conclusive.  There  aijpears  to  have  been  a 
>od  of  investigations  measuring  the  relative  value  of 
e  motion  picture,  while  the  question  of  what  con- 
stitutes a  good  picture  has  been  relatively  untouched. 
It  is  the  hope  of  the  writer  that  this  preliminary  sur- 
vey of  the  problem  will  arouse  interest  in  further  in- 
vestigations. As  the  material  presented  is  largely  a 
series  of  more  or  less  isolated  facts,  it  has  been  deemed 
])referable  to  use  in  general  a  rough  outline  form  in 
order  that  as  many  points  may  be  covered  as  possible 
within  the  necessary  space  limitations. 

Summary  of  Results  of  Experimental  Studies 

of  Educational  Motion  Pictures 

AS  A  FIRST  stej)  in  determining  what  consti- 
tutes a  good  educational  film  it  has  been  deemed 
desirable  to  summarize  the  results  of  previous 
investigations  concerning  them.  While  few,  if  any, 
bear  primarily  on  this  subject,  these  studies  may  shed 
some  light  on  our  jiroblem,  either  directlv  or  by  infer- 
ence. 

This  article  i)resent  a  summary  of  conclusions 
reached  by  an  analysis  of  63  experimental  investiga- 
tions concerning  educational  motion  jMCtures.  Of  these 
63,  the  original  rejiorts  of  41  were  examined  in  full 
and  detailed  summaries  of  another  5  were  examined. 
Of  the  remaining  17  only  the  conclusions  were  avail- 
able. Reference  by  number  is  made  after  each  state- 
ment to  a  corresponding  study  or  studies  listed  at  the 
end  of  this  article,  in  which  this  point  was  best 
established.  Due  to  s])ace  limitations  the  bibliography 
has  been  limited  to  those  studies  to  which  reference 


is  made.     The  findings  of  these  investigations  may  be 
summarized  as  follows : 

1.  The  proper  film  properly  used  at  the  right  time 
and  j)lace — when  the  need  arises — can  be  of  invaluable 
assistance  to  the  teacher  and  to  the  educational  pro- 
gram as  a  whole. 

2.  Under  the  conditions  of  No.  1,  the  film  can  teach 
the  material  within  its  province  in  less  time  than  usual 
methods  (19,  20,  29). 

3.  Increased  interest  in  the  lesson  presented  by  mo- 
tion picture,  and  increased  interest  in  classes  in  which 
films  are  much  used  has  been  generally  noted.  Fol- 
low-up reading  is  generally  stimulated  to  a  greater  de- 
gree (9,  19,  28,  31).  One  study  (10)  demonstrates 
rather  convincingly,  however,  that  there  is  nothing  in- 
trinsic in  the  film  itself  to  cause  heightened  interest 
and  attention  in  a  class  accustomed  to  viewing  films ; 
that  an  identical  personal  presentation  is  more  effec- 
tive in  this  respect  than  a  motion  picture.  Increased 
interest  may,  then,  be  attributed  in  most  cases  to  either 
(a)  the  novelty  of  the  film,  or  (b)  the  superiority  of 
that  particular  film  as  a  method  of  presentation  for 
that  subject  for  which  it  is  used,  under  the  conditions 
for  which  it  is  used,  rather  than  to  any  inherent  inter- 
est-stimulating quality  of  the  motion  picture  as  a  device. 
Stated  more  simply,  "just  any  old  film"  will  not  create 
this  interest. 

4.  That  the  film  is  superior  to  other  methods  of  pre- 
sentation, under  limitations  of  No.  1,  for  the  teaching 
of  facts,  but  is  inferior  to  oral  presentation  for  the  pre- 
sentation of  general  ideas  and  creating  attitudes,  is  the 
general  conclusion  from  the  experiments  (9,  22.  31). 
Only  one  study  (1)  differs,  wherein  films  are  found 
effective  in  teaching  man's  motives  and  general  ideas, 
though  relatively  less  elTective  than  in  teaching  facts. 
However,  the  amount  of  agitation  for  "better  movies" 
in  the  theater  indicates  the  potentialities  of  the  film  in 
the  field.* 

5.  That  the  moving  picture  is  at  its  best  in  presen- 
tation of  items  dealing  with  action  or  activity  (5,  22) 
might  appear  to  be  a  truism.  However,  a  large  pecent- 
age  of  the  films  now'  available  (about  50%  in  1924 — 
certainly  somewhat  less  now,  although  most  of  those 
then  made  are  still   in  use)   consist  of  only  one  half 


*CoiKlense(l  from  "Desirable  Characteristics  of  Educational 
Motion  Pictures".  Master's  Thesis,  Stanford  University,  by 
the  same  author. 


♦E.xperimental  evidence  (Payne  Fund  studies  and  others)  in- 
dicates a  strong  influence  of  theatrical  films  on  attitudes 
and  conduct.  One  is  inevitably  led  to  the  conclusion  that 
available  educational  films  are  absurdly  inferior  in  this  re- 
spect as  compared  with  their  potentialities.  The  strength 
of  evidence  derived  from  the  effect  of  theatrical  pictures 
would  indicate  that  available  educational  motion  pictures 
are  weakest  in  that  field  in  which  they  miijht  render  the 
greatest  service  to  education. 


Page  204 


The  Educational  Screet 


action,  the  other  half  consisting  of  still  pictures  and 
sub-titles.  The  proportion  is  far  higher  in  some  in- 
stances. One  film  which  is  now  advertised  for  rent  or 
sale  consists  of  40.18%  sub-titles,  52.85%  still  pictures, 
and  only  6.9%  action  pictures  (13). 

Using  the  categories,  "action",  "living  things."  "in- 
animate objects",  and  "locality",  for  the  types  of  infor- 
mation in  films,  one  experiment  reports  the  film  to  be 
highest  in  its  ability  to  present  action,  and  next  in  its 
ability  to  present  inanimate  objects  (machinery,  fishing 
nets,  etc.).  The  superiority  of  the  film  over  other 
methods  in  this  case  is  attributed  to  the  ability  of  the 
pupils  to  see  these  objects  in  use  (22).  Another  found 
the  film  inferior  in  dealing  with  objects,  as  compared 
with  other  types  of  instruction  (5).  Perhaps  in  the 
latter  case,  the  using  of  the  objects  was  not  stressed. 

6.  The  film  is  inferior  to  an  actual  demonstration 
in  teaching  how  to  perform  an  activity  (e.  g.,  labora- 
tory work,  making  paper  boxes,  mats,  etc.)  This  ap- 
pears to  be  substantially  proven  (7,  15,  17).  The  only 
exception  is  in  the  case  of  teaching  handwriting  (16). 
At  the  same  time,  however,  the  film  was  found  to  be 
better  than  oral  presentation.  The  inference  would 
follow,  then,  that  the  only  place  for  this  tvpe  of  film 
would  be  instances  where  actual  demonstration  is  im- 
possible or  uneconomical.  One  experiment  found  si- 
lent films  less  efTective  than  identical  lecture-demon- 
strations for  presentation  of  specific  knowledges  (elec- 
tromagnetism.  X-rays,  wireless).  Films  presenting 
specific  knowledges  by  means  of  demonstrations  which 
could  not  be  well  presented  otherwise,  and  which  at 
the  same  time  are  more  convincing  demonstrations, 
would  be  justified,  however. 

The  film  is  shown  to  be  desirable  in  a  drill  lesson 
only  when  it  sets  a  model  better  than  the  teacher, 
or  is  able  to  present  the  lesson  better  than  the  teacher 
(1.2). 

7.  There  is  little  or  no  advantage  in  presenting  fa- 
miliar material — material  that  falls  within  the  experi- 
ence of  the  learner — in  a  motion  picture.  It  can  equally 
as  satisfactorily  be  referred  to  in  oral  instruction,  and 
previous  experiences  and  observations  orally  rear- 
ranged. Conversely,  however,  the  film,  under  condi- 
tions described  in  No.  1,  shows  a  considerable  gain 
over  the  lecture  in  presentation  of  unfamiliar  material 
(9).  (In  dealing  with  irrigation  before  some  western 
classes,  one  need  only  refer  to  the  familiar  dams  and 
irrigation  ditches.  A  film  would  then  be  superflous. 
Eastern  classes,  however,  might  not  have  the  back- 
ground of  experience  to  form  concrete  conceptions  of 
what  was  being  referred  to.  In  this  case,  the  film 
could  supply  the  concrete  experience.) 

8.  The  film  is  inferior  in  presenting  collections  of 
facts  such  as  are  usually  exhibited  in  maps,  tables  and 
non-moving  diagrams  to  a  reproduction  of  the  same 
data  in  static  form  coupled  with  explanations  by  the 
teacher  (17).  Obviously  the  film  presents  these  in 
too  hurried  a  fashion. 

9.  To  be  effective  the  film  should  provide  for  further 


pupil  activity ;  should  present  a  challenging  probler 
(2,  and  by  inference  in  others). 

10.  The  lack  of  stimulus  mentioned  in  No.  9  could 
be  justified  when  the  film  is  used  to  fulfill  a  felt  need 
of  concrete  experience  (2).  (e.g.,  an  animated  diagrar 
of  the  heart  valves  in  action  or  a  presentation  of  th^ 
life  history  of  the  mosquito.) 

(Note:  Does  not  No.  9  imply  an  aim  to  effec^ 
changes  in  conduct  and  No.  10  an  aim  to  present  factd 
only?  Cf.  No.  4.) 

11.  The  optimum  length  of  a  film  under  different 
conditions  has  not  been  determined,  but  the  genera 
tone  of  the  remarks  indicates  a  prevailing  feeling  thati 
the  usual  length  (10-13  minutes)  is  too  long  (4,  28J 
and  in  summarv  of  conclusions  from  experiment  ren 
ported  in  Freeman,  F.  N.,  Visual  Education). 

12.  Students  of  lower  I.Q.  gain  proportionately  mor^ 
from  the  film  as  compared  with  other  methods  than  do 
students  of  higher  I.Q.  This  has  been  repeatedlv 
tested  (4,  23,  24,  27,  28,  30),  and  a  high  degree  of  ir 
verse  correlation  has  been  found  between  I.Q.  and' 
advantage  gained  from  the  film.  This  has  been  proved 
probably  more  significantly  than  any  other  conclusion 
reached  regarding  educational  films.  One  investigator 
(24)  reports  that  other  instruction  is  as  good  as  the 
film  for  pupils  of  high  I.Q.,  and  that  the  film  is  super- 
ior for  pupils  of  lower  I.Q.  This  might  account  for 
the  superiority  of  the  film  in  a  class  consisting  of  an 
approximately  normal  I.Q.  distribution. 

13.  The  mechanical  details  of  the  film  have  been 
investigated  only  to  a  small  degree  and  objectively  de- 
termined data  reported  in  but  one  instance  (1).  The 
following  conclusions  were  reached : 

a.  Good  lighting  is  a  highly  important  element. 

b.  Repetition  of  important  scenes  improves  learning. 

c.  Within  the  limits  of  general  practice,  the  longer 
scene  is  better. 

d.  The  "close-up"  is  more  eflfective  than  medium 
distance  or  long  shots. 

e.  The  section  of  film  in  which  an  item  of  informa- 
tion occurs  has  little  efTect  on  the  effectiveness 
with  which  it  is  learned. 

The  many  unsolved  questions  involved  concerning 
the  details  of  the  mechanical  make-up  are  so  vital  as 
to  present  a  field  for  extensive  and  minute  research. 

14.  The  relative  efficiency  of  sound  films  as  com- 
pared with  silent  films  is  not  well  established.  Most 
researches  are  concerned  with  the  problem  "Is  the 
sound  film  a  better  method  of  presentation  than  tradi- 
tional classroom  procedures?"  rather  than  with  a  com- 
parison of  sound  versus  silent  films. 

One  experiment  (3)  finds  that  sound  films,  when  the 
sound  is  an  integral  part  of  the  picture  (not  a  lecture 
synchonized  with  an  otherwise  silent  film)  is  about 
equal  to  an  identical  lecture,  and  that  lecture  type 
sound  films  are  less  effective  than  silent  films. 
Arnspiger  (1),  however,  in  examining  scenes  within  a 
sound  film  finds  those  scenes  which  involve  speech  and 
picture  only  to  be  superior  to  those  which  involve  other 


September,  1936 

sound  in  addition  to  speech,  and  far  superior  to  tliose 

involving  other  sound  without  speech.     Incidentally, 

his  data   further  support  the   conclusion  that   a  film 

^^ithout  accompanying  explanation    is    less    effective 

^Ban  when  accompanied  by  explanations.    This  is  dem- 

"t)nstrated  by  the  fact  that  the  items  shown  by  picture 

I  done,  without  speech  or  other  sound,  fall  far  below 
fcose  involving  such  speech  or  sound. 
I  15.  As  to  the  method  of  use,  the  evidence  is  over- 
hielniing  in  favor  of  use  of  the  film  in  correlation 
pth  the  other  class  work  rather  than  shown  as  an 
solated  or  separate  lesson  not  related  to  subjects  under 
■discussion  in  the  classroom  (1,  4,  10,  12,  14,  27,  31). 
^Bot  only  is  the  film  more  effective  when  used  this  way, 
t5Ut  there  is  evidence  to  show  the  film  to  be  less  effec- 
tive than  oral  presentation  if  not  used  in  conjuction 
with  the  other  class  work  (4).  Furthermore,  running 
oral  comment  as  the  film  is  presented  greatly  increases 
the  effectiveness  of  presentation,  as  compared  with 
showing  the  film  without  comment  (1,  10,  12,  14,  21, 
27).  Only  one  minor  experiment,  made  in  1918  (26), 
found  that  a  film  without  running  comment  was  more 
effective  than  one  with  running  comment.  Weber  (28) 
attributes  to  this  study  the  correct  opinion  held  by 
many  tliat  teachers  should  not  talk  during  the  presenta- 
tion. The  great  weight  of  contradictory  evidence, 
however,  may  be  accepted  as  nullifying  this  eighteen 
year  old  conclusion. 

The  significance  of  the  evidence  in  favor  of  showing 
films  in  correlation  with  other  class  work  for  the  ques- 
tion of  desirable  content  of  films  is  this:  Films  should 
not  be  haphazardly  planned  or  subjects  to  be  filmed 
chosen  by  chance.  Rather  they  should  be  chosen  and 
planned  in  careful  correlation  with  school  curricula. 

16.  Other  experiments  concerning  methods  of  use 
show  the  following  conclusions : 

a.  The  teacher  should  see  the  film  before  showing  it 
to  the  class  (4). 

b.  A  second  showing  aids  learning  materially  over 
the  first  showing. 

c.  One  experiment  with  one  film  shows  the  film  to 
be  better  as  an  introduction  than  as  a  summary 
(6). 

Summary 
The  findings  of  these  investigations   may,    for  the 
purposes  of  this  study,  be  summarized  as  desirable  or 
undesirable  characteristics  of  educational  motion  pic- 
tures. 
Desirable  cliaract eristics : 

1.  Correlation  with  and  integration  into  the  usual 
course  of  study  for  the  subject  and  grade  in- 
tended. This  is  at  once  the  most  important  and 
most  commonly  ignored. 

2.  Limitation  to  presentation  of  facts.* 

3.  Provision  for  future  activity;  challenging  future 
thought. 

4.  The  best  possible  degree  of  technical  perfection. 

5.  In  general,  limiting  the  length  to  one  reel  at  most. 
Undesirable  Characteristics : 

1.  Presentation  of  material  which  can  be  presented 


Page  205 

Otherwise,  either  by  an  identical  demonstration, 
or  equally  effectively  in  another  way.  Motion 
pictures  are  expensive,  and  there  is  apparently  no 
intrinsic  value  in  the  moving  picture  itself. 

2.  Material  familiar  to  the  pupils  for  which  the  film 
is  intended.    Let  the  teacher  refer  to  it  instead. 

3.  Aims  to  create  attitudes  or  to  influence  behavior, 
or  presentation  of  general  ideas.* 

4.  An  excess  of  titles  or  pictures  not  involving  mo- 
tion. 

5.  An  excess  of  maps,  tables  and  non-moving  dia- 
grams. 

6.  Teaching  how  to  perform  an  activity  (e.g.  a  lab- 
oratory experiment) 

7.  Sound  accompaniment  consisting  of  a  lecture 
only. 

Important  questions  not  established: 

1.  Relative  effectiveness  of  otherwise  identical 
.sound  and  silent  films. 

2.  The  grades  in  which  the  film  is  most  effective. 
Tentatively,  however,  the  best  opening  for  the 
film  appears  to  be  the  secondary  schools. 

Bibliography  of  Article  I 

1.  Arnspiger,  V.  C.  Measuring  the  Effectivoiess  of  Sound 
Pictures  as  Teaching  Aids.  Teachers  College  Contribu- 
tions to  Education,  No.  565.  New  York :  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University,  1933.    156  pp. 

2.  Bliss,  Walton  B.  Determination  of  Principles  and  Effec- 
tive Procedures  in  the  Use  of  Visual  Aids  in  Secondary 
Education.  Master's  Thesis,  Ohio  State  University,  1929. 
Ms.  129  pp. 

3.  Clark,  C.  C.  Sound  Motion  Pictures  as  an  Aid  in  Class- 
room Teaching.     Dissertation,  New  York  University,  1932. 

4.  Consitt,  Frances.  The  Value  of  Films  in  History  Teaching. 
London :  G.  Bell  &  Sons  Ltd.,  1931.    431  pp. 

5.  Davis,   Helen   C.     Specific    Values   of  Educational  Films. 
Dissertation,  University  of  Chicago,  1932.     171  pp.  ms. 
(Freeman,  F.  N.     Visual  Education.    Chicago:  University 
of  Chicago  Press,  1924.     391  pp.     The  following  studies 
— 6  to  17 —  are  reported  in  full  in  this  book:) 

6.  Hollis,  A.  P.  The  Effectiveness  of  the  Motion  Picture 
Used  as  an  Introduction  or  Summary,    (pp.  275-81.) 

7.  Hollis,  A.  P.  The  Effectiveness  of  the  Film  and  Demon- 
stration in  Teaching  Cooking,    (pp.  339-41.) 

8.  Hoefer,  Carolyn,  and  Keith,  Edna.  Oral  and  Film  Instruc- 
tion in  Health  Education,    (pp.  346-76.) 

9.  James,  H.  W.  The  Relative  Effectiveness  of  Six  Forms 
of  Lesson  Presentation,     (pp.  190-228.) 

10.  McClusky,  F.  D.  Comparison  of  Different  Methods  of 
Visual  Instruction,     (pp.  83-116.) 

11.  McClusky,  F.  D.  and  McClusky,  H.  Y.  Comparison  of 
Motion  Pictures,  Slides,  Stereographs  and  Demotustration 
in  Teaching  Handwork,     (pp.  310-334.) 

12.  McClusky,  F.  D.  and  McClusky,  H.  Y.  Comparison  of 
Six  Modes  of  Presentation  of  Subject  Matter,  (pp.  229-59.) 

13.  McClusky,  H.  Y.  Study  of  the  Content  of  Educational 
Films,     (pp.  377-88.) 

14.  Reeder,  E.  H.,  and  Freeman,  F.  N.  A  Comparison  of 
Film  and  Oral  Instruction,     (pp.  167-189.) 

15.  Rolfe,  E.  C.  The  Effectiveness  of  the  Film  and  Demon- 
stration in  Teaching  Physics,     (pp.  335-38.) 


♦The  author  cannot  agree  with  this  criterion  as  a  general 
statement,  but  feels  that  it  is  valid  unless  better  facilities  are 
available  to  the  producer  than  has  ever  before  been  the  case 
with  a  producer  of  educational  films. 


Page  206 


The  Educational  Screen 


16.  Shaw,  Lena  A.  and  Walker,  D.  E.  and  Freeman,  F.  N. 
The  Use  of  a  Motion  Picture  Film  to  Teach  Position  and 
Pcnholding  in  Handzm-iting.     (pp.  282-309.) 

17.  Thomas,  Jean  A.  and  Reeder,  E,  H.  The  Effectiveness  of 
a  Motion  Picture  Film  Consisting  Largely  of  Maps.  Tables 
and  Charts,     (pp.  258-74.) 

18.  Garman,  — .  — .  Visual  Education  Apparatus  and  Other 
Aids  I'scd  in  Teaching.  Master's  Thesis,  Temple  Univer- 
sity, 1931. 

19.  Knowlton,  Daniel  C.  Improving  the  Quality  of  Instruction 
in  History  by  the  Aid  of  the  Photoplay.  New  Haven :  Yale 
University,  1928.    200  pp.  ms. 

20.  Knowlton,  D.  C.  and  Tilton,  J.  W.  Improving  the  Qual- 
ity of  Instruction  in  History  zcith  the  Aid  of  the  Photoplay. 
Historical  Outlook,  XX,  167-79,  229-39.  (April-May,  1929.) 

21.  Lacy,  John  W.  The  Relative  Value  of  the  Motion  Picture 
as  an  Education  Agency.  Teacher's  College  Record,  XX, 
451-65.    (Nov.,  1919.) 

22.  Philpotts,  S.  J.  F.  The  Cinema  in  Education.  London : 
George  Allen  and  Unwin,  Ltd.,  1926.     160  pp. 

23.  Rogers,  Rowland.  Cutting  the  Time  of  Learning.  Educa- 
tional Screen,  IV,  13-14.    (January,  1925.) 

24.  Secor,  Carl  T.     A_  Comparative  Study  of  the  Effectiveness 


of  the  Motion  Picture  Follozivd  by  Oral  Discussion  and  a 
Combination  of  the  Lecture,  Laboratory  and  Recitation 
Methods  of  Teaching  Certain  Units  in  Biology.  Master's 
Thesis,  New  York  University,  1931.     57  pp.  ms. 

25.  Skinner,  C.  R.  and  Rich.  S.  G.  Comparison  of  Textbooks, 
Motion  Pictures,  and  Other  Visual  .-lids.  Visual  Review, 
1925. 

26.  Sumstine,  David  R.  .A  Comparative  Study  of  Visual  In- 
struction in  the  High  School.  School  and  Society.  VII, 
pp.  235-38.     (Feb.  23,  1918.) 

27.  Weber,  J.  J.  Picture  Values  in  Education.  Chicago:  Edu- 
cational Screen,  1928.     156  pp. 

28.  Weber,  J.  J.  Visual  .lids  in  Education.  Chicago:  Edu- 
cational Screen,  1933.     (Mimeographed.)     220  pp. 

29.  Wilson.  J.  H.  An  experiment  reported  in  Ellis,  D.  C.  and 
Thornborough.  Motion  Pictures  in  Education.  New 
York:  Thomas  Y.  Crowell  Company,  1923.     284  pp. 

30.  Wolfe,  Harold  G.  The  Motion  Picture  as  an  Aid  in  Class- 
room- Teaching.  Master's  Thesis,  University  of  Rochester, 
1930.     140  pp.  ms. 

31.  Wood,  Ben  D.  and  Freeman,  Frank  N.  Motion  Pictures 
in  the  Classroom.  New  York :  Houghton  Mifflin  Com- 
pany, 1929.    392  pp. 


ncredsing  the  Use  of  Film  Slides 


F'OR  some  reason  film  slides  have  not  increased 
in  popularity  as  rapidly  as  many  thought  they 
would  several  years  ago.  However,  on  account 
of  the  higher  costs  of  production  and  replacement 
of  lantern  slides  and  also  the  cost  of  shipment  to 
the  consignee,  some  of  the  larger  visual  education 
agencies,  such  as  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture,  have  extended  their  film  slide  service. 
Our  schools  quite  generally  recognize  the  values  of 
motion  pictures  and  lantern  slides  but  many  do  not 
have  film  slide  projectors.  Possibly  many  educa- 
tors are  not  yet  acquainted  with  the  advantages 
of  film  slides. 

It  is  not  the  writer's  intention  to  urge  the  re- 
placement of  lantern  slides  by  film  slides  but, 
rather,  to  show  how  the  latter  may  have  a  wider 
use.  One  of  the  arguments  sometimes  heard  against 
the  film  slide  is  that  the  details  in  the  pictures  can- 
not be  brought  out  as  clearly  as  with  lantern  slides. 
Anyone  familiar  with  the  fine-grained  films  so  pop- 
ular now  with  candid  photography  will  know  that 
this  argument  need  not  be  true  today. 

Another  statement  more  often  heard  is  that  a 
series  of  lantern  slides  is  flexible  but,  if  an  instructor 
wants  to  show  only  one  frame  on  a  film  slide  roll, 
he  then  has  to  put  on  the  whole  show  or  else  spend 
precious  time  trying  to  find  and  frame  a  particular 
picture.  It  is  true  that  the  exposures  on  many  films 
are  frequently  of  a  variety  of  subjects  only  a  few 
of  which  are  suitable  for  classroom  jirojection.  This 
difficulty  can  be  eliminated  in  the  following  ways. 
Cementing  each  frame  onto  a  plain  microscope  slide 
works  fairly  well  so  long  as  a  good  grade  of  film 


By      H.      O.      BURDICK 

Deparfment  of  Biology,  Alfred  University,  Alfred,  New  York 

cement  is  applied  to  the  non-emulsion  surface  of  the 
film  and  heavy  pressure  is  applied  until  the  cement 
is  thoroughly  dried.  Cut  film  strips  will  curl  in  the 
heat  of  the  projector  when  used  alone  but  these  can 
easily  be  cemented  between  two  glass  plates. 

One  of  the  chief  objections  to  some  of  the  film 
slide  machines  adapted  to  project  slides  is  the  fact 
that  the  slots  are  not  arranged  for  rapid  and  con- 
tinuous projection  of  a  series.  Each  slide  must  be 
])ulled  out  before  another  can  be  inserted.  The 
bright  light  between  slide  insertions  is  hard  on  the 
eyes  and  should  be  avoided.  If  passe-partout  or 
Scotch  tape  is 
pasted  on  the 
bottom  of 
microscope 
slides  with  a 
hole  cut  over 
the  area  to  be 
p  r  o  j  e  c  t  e  d 
there  will  be 
a  further 
saving  on  the 
eyes.  Instead 
of  running 
the  whole  roll 
through    to 

show  one  or  two  frames.  sei)arateposititives  of  desirable 
frames  can  be  made  and  stapled  between  two  stiff 
pieces  of  pressboard  as  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing diagram  (Figure  1).  When  these  miniature 
slides  are  numbered,  appropriately  titled  and  filed,  it 
will  be  found  that  three  of  these  occupy  less  space 


I 


ept  ember,  19}  6 

than   one   lantorn   slide  and   are   lighter  and   much 
less  fragile.     The   film  slide  service  thus  becomes 

flexible. 


^/S- 


c 

J ' 

1 

1 

1 

It    ^ 

\ 

r-HI 

_ 

K- 

A- 



^ 

i\ 

Figure  2. 


There  are  several  methods  of  mounting  the  posi- 
tives between  the  pressljoard  holders.  Where  the 
top  and  bottom  margin  of  each  positive  is  very 
narrow,  the  windows  in  the  cards  should  be  small 
enough  to  hold  these  edges  in  place  and  yet  not 
mask  too  much  of  the  picture.  Figure  1  shows 
dimensions  for  such  holders,  but  a  21/32"  x  28/32" 
window  is  better  because  less  of  the  picture  is 
masked.  Such  holders  with  larger  windows  will 
serve  for  those  films  with  wider  frames.  A  superior 
procedure  which  increases  the  cost  but  slightly,  is 
to  expose  the  frames  in  such  a  way  that  the  posi- 
tives will  each  have  half  a  frame  of  blank  film  at 
top  and  bottom  for  clipping  between  the  press- 
boards.  One  clip  will  hold  the  film  and  pressboard 
holders  in  place  until  glue  can  be  spread  for  per- 
manently holding  the  cards  together  or  clips  alone 
may  be  used. 

Another  feature  which  will  appeal  to  many  is  the 
substitution  of  glass  plates  for  the  thin  positives 
between  the  cardboard  holders  just  mentioned. 
These  plates  should  be  the  size  of  microscope  slides 
and  can  be  prepared  from  regular  positive  plates. 
An  ordinary  3j4"  x  4"  lantern  slide  plate  will  fur- 
nish four  such  miniature  plates.  The  positive  pic- 
tures on  these  may  be  masked  or  framed  with  quick 
drying  enamel,  passe-partout  or  black  Scotch  tape, 
when  a  series  of  slides  is  shown.  Furthermore,  the 
microscopic  object  will  show  to  better  advantage 
with  much  of  the  superfluous  light  blocked  out. 


Page  207 

A  change  in  the  position  of  the  arm  supporting 
the  projection  lens  can  be  effected  in  the  Spencer 
machine.  This  change  is  shown  in  Figure  2.  The 
short  dotted  lines  show  the  old  lens  support  (A) 
which  blocks  one  end  of  the  passageway  (B,B)  for 
glass  slides.  With  the  support  (A')  in  this  new 
position,  the  slides  can  be  pushed  along  the  slide 
track  in  a  continuous  series  from  either  the  left  or 
right  side.  The  pin  C  supports  the  arm  in  projec- 
tion position  and  the  curved  spot-welded  plate  (D) 
is  for  added  support.  Another  way  to  gain  this 
same  end  would  be  to  split  the  foot  of  arm  A  so 
that  the  whole  arm  would  look  like  an  inverted  Y. 
This  would  then  arch  over  the  slideway. 

Another  advantage  in  having  the  lens  su])port  in 
this  new  position  is  that  the  lens  barrel  may  be 
swung  back  beside  the  main  box  for  convenient 
packing  or  while  using  the  box  as  a  film  slide 
printer  as  in  Figure  3.  All  that  is  needed  to  convert 
this  projector  into  a  printer  is  a  black  mask  of  prop- 
er size  pasted  or  painted  on  a  thin  piece  of  glass 
which  is  fastened  in  place  in  the  film  track  over  the 
hole  where  the  light  comes  through  the  film  for 
projection.  When  the  glass  door  is  in  place  the 
negative  (N)  and  positive  (P)  strips  will  then  be 
held  in  close  contact.  The  Spencer  Lens  Company 
will    insert    this    second    glass    at    a    nominal    cost. 


Some  machines,  such  as  the  Bausch  and  Lomb  pro- 
jectors, are  already  provided  with  two  glass  plates 
so  that  only  a  mask  need  be  added  for  printing. 
The  lens  barrel  of  the  new  Bausch  and  Lomb  model 
is  somewhat  in  the  way  for  printing  purposes  but 
if  the  lens  is  removed,  framing  the  negative  is  pos- 
sible by  looking  down  the  empty  lens  barrel.  Of 
course  the  heat  absorbing  glass  should  be  removed 
while  using  the  projector  as  a  printer.  The  ma- 
chine must  be  centered  over  the  light  source  and 
especial  care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  fogging  of 
the  positive  film  from  light  leaks.  The  ends  of  the 
film  can  be  protected  by  special  boxes  or  pieces  of 
black  cloth.  This  outfit  can  also  be  used  as  an  en- 
larger  for  photography. 

But  more  important  to  the  prospective  buyer  of 

{Concluded  on  pafic  219) 


Page  208 


The  Educational  Screen 


Administrative  Problems  In  Visual  Education 


•3f 


By      W.      J.      HAMILTON 

Superintendent  of  Schools,  Oak  Park,  Illinois 


IN  ORDER  to  learn  something  of  the  extent  and 
common  practice  in  the  use  of  visual  aids,  a  ques- 
tionnaire survey  was  made  covering  the  most  rep- 
resentative public  school  systems  of  the  North 
Central  States.  It  was  found  that  in  common  prac- 
tice, visual  education  and  the  more  common  visual 
aids  were  in  use  in  practically  all  of  the  better 
school  systems  of  this  region. 

The  use  of  the  term  visual  education  was  more  or 
less  definitely  confined  to  motion  pictures.  Other 
more  common  visual  aids  were  widely  used  but 
were  not  always  recognized  and  designated  as  visual 
aids.  This  we  believe  to  be  a  common  practice 
throughout  the  country. 

In  listing  the  visual  aids  commonly  employed  in 
instructional  work,  this  being  the  purpose  of  the 
study,  it  was  found  that  lantern  slides,  stereographs, 
and  in  a  few  instances  film  strips  and  opaque  pro- 
jectors were  used.  For  the  most  part  the  most  fre- 
quently available  and  used  equipment  —  maps, 
globes,  charts,  and  collections  of  mounted  pictures — 
were  not  recognized  as  visual  aids.  Illustrations 
so  abundantly  found  in  the  modern  textbooks  were 
not  visual  education  materials  in  the  commonly 
accepted  sense. 

It  was  found  that  classroom  use  of  visual  ma- 
terials was  more  frequently  organized  on  a  sched- 
uled basis  in  the  senior  High  School  work,  and  that 
the  use  of  visual  materials  in  the  Elementary 
Schools  was  introduced  largely  from  the  stand- 
point of  entertainment  or  extra-curricular  activities, 
the  work  being  largely  incidental. 

In  some  of  the  schools,  museum  materials  were 
available  from  a  school  museum  and  in  others  the 
material  was  supplied  through  a  central  municipal 
or  privately  supported  museum.  For  the  most  part 
the  materials  to  be  found  in  the  museum  were  not 
considered  in  the  light  of  visual  aids. 

This  brief  statement  is  made  by  the  way  of  intro- 
ducing the  subject  of  administrative  problems  in  the 
organization  of  a  program  for  the  use  of  visual  aids 
in  the  public  school  curriculum.  For  the  most  part 
visual  education  is  an  incidental  form  of  instruction 
in  the  schools  of  the  United  States  despite  the  fact 
that  visualization  is  by  far  the  most  important  gate- 
way to  the  acquisition  of  knowledge. 

The  representatives  of  the  firms  interested  in  the 
manufacture  and  sale  of  visual  aids,  have  been  alert 


*Address  given  at  the  National  Conference  on  Visual  Edu- 
cation, Chicago,  June  23,  1936. 


and  for  the  most  part  successful  in  introducing  their 
respective  devices  into  school  systems.  We  as 
school  administrators  have  not  been  as  successful  in 
selling  the  use  of  these  devices  and  equipment  to  the 
classroom  teachers.  This  statement  is  supported 
when  a  check  is  made  upon  the  amount  of  visual 
education  equipment  available  in  the  elementary 
and  secondary  schools  that  is  seldom  used.  This  in- 
cludes the  use  of  maps  and  charts  as  well  as  various 
forms  of  projection  apparatus.  No  attempt  was 
made  to  estimate  the  money  value  of  visual  ma- 
terials available  but  not  in  use,  but  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  the  total  would  represent  a  sub- 
stantial amount  of  money. 

It  would  appear  that  the  correction  of  this  situa- 
tion remains  definitely  within  the  province  of  the 
school  administrators.  While  the  actual  classroom 
use  of  instructional  materials  is  the  responsibility 
of  the  class  teacher,  the  general  teaching  proced- 
ures and  the  courses  of  the  curriculum  are  within 
the  control  and  direction  of  the  principals  and  the 
superintendents  who  fix  and  determine  the  nature 
and  the  scope  of  the  work. 

The  first  step  in  an  administrative  procedure  for 
the  systematic  use  of  visual  aids  in  any  school  sys- 
tem, whether  it  be  large  or  small,  is  a  careful  in- 
ventory of  the  visual  aids  available.  It  is  surpris- 
ing what  materials  will  be  found  hidden  away  in 
supply  rooms,  attics,  and  laboratories  when  a  search- 
ing investigation  as  to  maps,  globes,  charts,  lan- 
tern slides,  and  other  materials  of  visual  education 
are  listed.  These  inventories  should  be  continuous 
and  the   materials   listed  and   relisted  each  year. 

The  second  step  in  an  administrative  program 
centering  about  the  use  of  visual  aids,  is  an  evalua- 
tion of  the  equipment  and  the  materials.  Some  of 
it  will  be  found  to  be  obsolete  and  worn  out.  This 
will  account  for  its  disuse.  Visual  materials,  like 
text  books,  must  give  accurate  information.  Wrong 
impressions  and  inaccurate  statements  may  do  harm 
and  should  be  carefully  checked  by  the  supervis- 
ory as  well  as  the  teaching  staff.  Worn  out  pro- 
jectors are  often  a  menace  and  produce  eyestrain. 

With  the  complete  inventor)'  of  the  equipment 
and  the  aids  availaljle  an  attempt  should  be  made 
to  adapt  them  to  the  courses  of  study  in  the  sec- 
ondary and  the  elementary  schools.  The  practice 
of  providing  a  motion  picture  projector  or  a  stere- 
opticon  only  for  the  use  of  the  teacher  of  science 
in  the  High  School  is  not  wise  administrative  pol- 


^fipi 


t  ember,  19}  6 


icy.  The  instruments  should  be  made  available  for 
the  widest  possible  use  throughout  the  entire  school 
system.  In  some  instances  we  find  a  projector,  a 
set  of  maps,  or  of  stereographs  which  have  been 
purchased  for  a  special  class  or  grade  in  a  school 
system.  This  is  often  done  through  the  initiative 
of  a  teacher  or  the  generosity  of  a  Parent  Teacher 
Association.  Even  in  this  situation  the  equipment 
should  be  considered  the  property  of  the  entire 
school  system  and  made  available  for  the  widest 
jHjge  possible. 

^^The  adaptation  to  courses  and  the  curriculum  in 
general  may  be  most  profitably  made  by  appointing 
committees  of  teachers  who  are  interested  in  visual 
education.  The  best  work  in  curriculum  revision 
now  being  made  is  accomplished  through  the  so- 
called  curriculum  committees.  This  again  is  a  plan 
that  may  be  used  in  the  small  as  well  as  in  the 
larger  systems.  In  the  development  of  the  program 
of  visual  education  to  be  employed  in  any  given 
field,  as  this  field  may  be  defined  in  the  curriculum, 
teachers  and  administrators  are  to  give  considera- 
tion to  what  is  desirable  for  the  establishment  of 
the  most  satisfactory  learning  situations.  Not  only 
should  the  materials  available  be  adapted  to  the 
work  to  be  presented,  but  a  listing  of  the  new  and 
additional  visual  aids  should  be  made.  No  method 
will  insure  more  intelligent  or  continuous  use  of 
visual  aids  than  that  of  finding  a  definite  place  and 
time  in  the  curriculum  program  as  this  is  developed 
in  the  courses  that  comprise  the  curriculum  of  the 
school  system.  This  leads  to  systematic  use  of 
visual  aids.  It  makes  the  entire  program  of  visual 
education  purposeful  and  profitable  both  from  the 
standpoint  of  the  jjupils  and  from  that  of  good  edu- 
cational administration.  It  will  reduce  and  may 
eliminate  the  overhead  costs  incident  to  valuable 
equipment  that  is  standing  idle. 

The  practice  of  appointing  teachers  to  serve  on 
committees  for  the  evaluation  and  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  methods  to  be  employed  for  the  use  of  visual 
aids,  will  result  in  an  intelligent  interest  in  carrying 
out  the  recommendations  made.  There  will  be  the 
challenge  always  found  in  experimentation  to  see  if 
their  theories  actually  will  work.  This  personal  in- 
terest is  the  first  step  in  a  program  of  in-service 
training  looking  toward  the  intelligent  and  profit- 
able use  of  visual  aids  in  education.  With  a  knowl- 
edge of  what  is  available,  of  what  is  desirable, 
will  come  the  desire  to  determine  and  improve  the 
technics  to  be  employed.  By  this  means  there  will 
be  created  the  right  subjective  attitude  upon  the 
part  of  the  teacher. 

The  next  logical  step  in  the  administration  pro- 
cedure will  be  that  of  making  convenient  the  use 
of  visual  aids.  Maps,  charts,  pictures,  and  stereo- 
graphs may  be  used  in  the  regular  classrooms  as 
supplementary  study  materials.    These  are  quite  as 


Page  209 

important  as  textbooks  during  the  assimilation  or 
study  periods  and  should  be  used  as  such.  While 
it  is  recommended  that  the  modern  stereopticon 
and  motion  picture  projectors  may  be  used  in  the 
ordinary  classroom,  in  practical  administrative  situ- 
ations it  does  not  work  out  in  the  most  satisfactory 
manner.  The  first  reason  is  that  of  inducing  the 
average  classroom  teacher  to  take  the  extra  time 
required  to  secure  the  equipment  and  make  it  ready 
for  operation.  In  too  many  instances  the  classroom 
is  not  equipped  for  the  use  of  electrically  operated 
projectors  and  this  requires  additional  attention  in- 
volving the  introduction  of  the  janitor  or  custodian 
into  the  program.  Another  reason  is  the  influence 
of  a  hazard  to  be  found  in  all  school  systems,  that 
of  chronic  inertia,  which  makes  it  difficuh  for  some 
teachers  to  see  the  value  of  making  the  effort  nec- 
essary to  use  visual  aids. 

If  a  central  projection  room  can  be  provided  in 
the  school  building,  it  may  prove  a  desirable  plan. 
This  may  often  be  done  by  fitting  up  a  regular 
classroom  and  the  schedule  of  classes  be  so  ar- 
ranged as  to  make  it  possible  to  use  the  room  for 
projection  purposes  at  stated  intervals.  By  this 
plan  it  will  be  possible  to  house  projectors  in  cab- 
inets with  all  connections  made  and  with  screen, 
sound  equipment,  and  other  details  carefully  tested 
and  ready  for  immediate  use.  The  removal  of  the 
pupils  to  a  classroom  for  this  purpose  will  serve 
as  relaxation  and  gives  the  use  of  visual  aids  a 
rank  among  the  various  school  activities  in  a  def- 
inite  activity   program. 

Efficient  administration  in  the  use  of  visual  aids 
demands  that  some  attention  should  be  given  to 
instructing  teachers  in  the  proper  care  and  the 
operation  of  projection  instruments.  The  modern 
projectors  are  marvels  of  perfection  as  precision 
instruments.  Like  the  modern  motor  car,  they  can 
be  operated  by  fools  as  well  as  skilled  mechanics. 
It  is  regreUable  to  see  how  frequently  the  efficiency 
of  an  excellent  instrument  is  destroyed  by  the  op- 
erator who  does  not  know  how  to  retain  sharp  focus, 
to  clean  the  lens,  to  properly  thread  a  film,  insert 
a  lantern  slide,  or  even  handle  a  lantern  slide  so 
as  to  keep  it  clean.  These  technics  should  be  mas- 
tered by  the  teacher  and  in  many  instances  can  be 
mastered  by  the  pupils  of  Junior  High  School  age. 
This  factor  in  administrative  practice  will  obviate 
much  of  the  poor  projection  work  in  the  schools. 

Nothing  has  been  said  concerning  the  sequence 
in  the  use  of  visual  aids.  It  has  been  suggested 
that  the  maps,  charts,  pictures,  and  stereographs 
may  be  profitably  employed  in  the  study  procedures. 
Lantern  slides  with  the  advantage  of  long  periods 
of  projection  and  study,  are  of  special  value  for 
class  discussion  and  review  work  in  which  the  pu- 
pils take  the  lead.  The  motion  picture  may  be 
used  to  good  purpose  in  the  presentation  period  as 


Page  210 


The  Educational  Screen 


an  introduction  to  a  unit  of  work  and  it  may  also 
be  used  in  the  organization  period  as  a  summary 
and  review  of  the  subject  under  examination.  This 
is  particularly  true  since  the  introduction  of  the 
sound  projection  apparatus.  There  will  be  varia- 
tion from  this  suggested  procedure  in  accordance 
with  the  instructional  technics  employed  as  well  as 
the  nature  of  the  subject  matter  to  be  presented. 
The  trend  at  the  present  time  seems  to  be  away 
from  the  old  method  of  individual  experimentation 
in  the  laboratory,  to  the  demonstration  method  in 
which  the  demonstration  is  made  by  the  instructor 
or  students  acting  as  individuals  or  as  a  demon- 
strating group  responsible  for  investigations  and 
experimentation  in  a  definite  field.  The  new  16mm. 
sound  film  has  made  available  not  only  the  best 
means  of  observing  experiments  but  the  lectures 
which  explain  the  steps  and  processes  under  ob- 
servation are  delivered  by  the  foremost  authorities 
in  the  given  fields.  Educational  administrators  sel- 
dom stop  to  realize  what  has  been  accomplished  in 
this  respect  in  an  unbelievably  short  period  of  time. 

Another  administrative  problem  of  major  impor- 
tance in  the  use  of  visual  aids  centers  about  ways 
and  means  for  obtaining  suitable  instructional  ma- 
terials and  provisions  for  the  economical  and  effi- 
cient distribution  for  classroom  use.  For  the  in- 
dividual school  it  is  advisable  to  have  a  room  in 
which  visual  aids  may  be  stored,  loaned  for  the  use 
of  individual  teachers,  and  returned  to  the  store 
room.  By  this  means  it  will  be  possible  to  have 
materials  at  hand  when  wanted  and  a  perpetual  in- 
ventory can  be  maintained.  Another  administrative 
feature  of  importance  is  the  convenience  to  be  found 
in  making  repairs  and  in  keeping  all  materials  in 
usable   condition. 

In  larger  systems  it  is  advisable  to  have  a  divi- 
sion of  visual  education  in  charge  of  a  director  who 
devotes  his  entire  time  to  the  promotion  and  direc- 
tion of  the  use  of  visual  aids.  With  a  central  de- 
pository and  with  competent  persons  in  charge  to 
care  for  and  deliver  the  visual  material  as  called 
for  by  the  class  teachers,  it  is  possible  to  insure  the 
most  satisfactory  service. 

In  some  sections  of  the  north  central  states, 
county  and  state  units  of  distribution  have  been  de- 
veloped and  are  working  to  a  good  advantage  in  the 
distribution  of  motion  picture  films,  lantern  slides, 
etc.  For  the  most  part  the  small,  local  unit  of  dis- 
tribution is  most  satisfactory.  Frequently  visual 
aids  are  needed  on  short  notice.  To  wait  for  de- 
livery from  a  central  depository  on  call  or  on 
schedule,  is  not  always  the  most  satisfactory  method 
and  frequently  discourages  teachers  from  using 
visual  materials. 

Another  aspect  of  administrating  the  use  of  visual 
materials  is  concerned  with  the  aims  and  purpose 
in  the  work.     There  are  some  communities  where 


visual  aids  are  used  for  entertainment  rather  than 
for  instruction.  We  are  inclined  to  the  view  that 
visual  materials  for  school  room  use  should  pri- 
marily be  for  instructional  use.  There  are  few 
school  systems  equipped  with  projection  machines 
that  will  equal  the  professional  motion  picture  the- 
aters. The  entertainment  field  can  be  left  with  the 
local  motion  picture  exhibitors.  The  materials  used 
in  the  schools  should  be  primarily  for  school  use. 

In  some  instances  motion  pictures  are  booked 
through  private  organizations  which  send  out  list- 
ings in  unit  programs  designed  to  provide  instruc- 
tion and  entertainment.  These  materials  are  graded 
to  cover  a  range  of  interest  extending  from  the  pri- 
mary grades  through  the  High  School.  It  is  found 
in  some  schools  these  films  are  shown  without  dis- 
crimination to  all  the  pupils  in  the  school  in  an 
auditorium  period.  A  better  administrative  policy 
would  be  to  select  only  those  films  that  are  of  in- 
terest to  pupils  at  certain  grade  levels  and  if  pos- 
sible correlate  them  with  the  regular  work  of  the  class. 
This  will  require  previous  planning,  outlining,  and 
class  discussion  but  is  sure  to  result  in  greater 
values  to  the  pupils. 

Nothing  has  been  said  concerning  the  financial 
aspects  of  administering  a  program  in  the  use  of 
visual  aids.  In  many  school  systems  reporting  on 
this  question,  no  regular  provision  has  been  made 
for  ex])enditures  for  purchasing  visual  equipment. 
W'here  a  budget  is  prepared  annualh',  the  policy  of 
allowing  a  definite  sum  of  money  each  year  to  be 
expended  in  the  purchase  of  visual  aids  is  highly 
desirable  and  a  good  administrative  policy.  It  is 
not  wise  to  make  available  a  large  amount  of  money 
for  once  in  several  years  to  be  expended  in  buying 
equipment.  The  money  is  not  always  wisely  spent 
when  this  means  is  employed  and  there  are  needs 
which  arise  from  year  to  year  that  can  be  best  met 
by  adding  equipment  according  to  needs.  The  rapid 
improvement  of  projection  apparatus  during  the  re- 
cent years  makes  it  advisable  for  annual  purchase 
as  over  against  periodic  buying. 

By  the  exercise  of  judgment  and  administrative 
planning  covering  an  extended  period,  it  will  be 
possible  to  bring  the  use  of  visual  aids  into  the 
regular  work  of  the  curriculum.  It  will  insure  the 
advantages  of  visual  education  to  all  the  pupils  up- 
on a  purposeful,  uniform  basis.  It  will  remove  the 
element  of  chance  so  often  found  in  school  situa- 
tions in  which  visual  instruction  is  left  to  the  inter- 
est and  initiative  of  individual  teachers.  It  will 
insure  a  program  of  visual  education  which  is  an 
integral  part  of  the  school  system. 

These  results  cannot  be  secured  without  admini- 
strative planning  and  the  direction  which  is  rightly 
to  be  expected  from  the  Superintendent  and  the 
Principal  who  are  in  fact  supervisors  and  admini- 
strators. 


■ 

September,  19}  6 


Page  2 1 1 


oreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions 


■()l).\^'  there  are  400  foreign  language  feature 
pictures  in  the  United  States.  Abcjut  one-third  of 
these  arc  German  and  Austrian.  The  remaining 
two-thirds  are  chiefly  Czech.  Frencli,  Hungarian, 
Itahan.  PoHsh.  Russian,  Slovakian,  Spanish,  and 
Swedish.  A  few  are  Chinese,  Armenian,  Egyptian, 
Greek,  Japanese,  YidcHsh,  and  Norwegian.  There  are 
Yiddish  films  made  in  New  York,  French  films  made 
in  Germany,  Cierman  films  made  in  Czechoslovakia, 
and  Spanish  films  made  in  Hollywood. 

Though  feature  films  are  rarely  brought  to  the 
United  States  specifically  for  the  school  market,  about 
five  ])ercent  of  the  pictures  imported  to  date  have 
proved  of  some  value  to  educational  institutions,  either 
as  a  part  of  the  general  cultural  jjrogram  of  the  campus 
or  in  reference  to  classroom  instruction  in  languages, 
literatures,  and  social  sciences. 

The  fact  that  the  school  films  are  scattered  among 
hundreds  of  theatrical  oflferings  and  the  fact  that  dis- 
tributors of  foreign  films  know  little  of  school  needs 
make  the  choosing  of  such  pictures  no  easy  task.  The 
problem  is  further  complicated  by  the  non-existence 
in  the  United  States  of  a  reviewing  body  such  as  the 
British  Film  Institute  in  England,  by  the  variety  of 
purjjoses  for  educational  showings,  and  by  the  dif- 
ficulty of  securing  jirints  of  films  for  preview  in  ad- 
vance of  making  contracts. 

How,  then,  are  schools  to  choose  foreign  films? 
Unfortunately  the  ]irograms  of  the  large  universities 
are  misleading  to  the  smaller  colleges  and  secondary 
schools,  since  the  large  institutions  are  able  to  muster 
audiences  for  films  which  the  latter  would  find  next 
to  useless.  For  example,  Rene  Clair's  A  Nous  La 
Liberie  was  much  liked  at  the  University  of  Chicago, 
but  despised  by  the  majority  of  those  who  saw  it  at 


We  take  great  pleasure  in  announcing  a  new  depart- 
ment on  "Foreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions"  to 
be  conducted  by  the  author  of  this  article,  appearing  con- 
tinuously in  The  Educational  Screen. 

Ks  will  be  evident  from  references  in  the  article  itself, 
it  will  serve  as  introduction  and  initial  installment  of  the 
department.  Mr.  Wesley  Greene  is  particularly  qualified 
for  the  editorship.  For  four  years  he  was  Manager  of 
foreign  film  programs  at  International  House  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago,  leaving  that  work  only  recently  for 
closer  contact  with  and  more  intensive  study  of  the  grow- 
ing field  of  foreign  film  production,  but  still  remaining 
Director  of  the  University  Film  Society.  Mr.  Greene's 
monthly  discussion  and  suggestions  on  new  productions 
and  varied  activities  in  this  field  will  have  marked  value 
and  interest  for  many  schools  and  colleges. 

Editor's  Note 


By      WESLEY      GREENE 

Director,  University  Film  Society, 
The  University  of  Chicago 

Alfred  University  in  western  New  York  State  and  at 
a  high  school  in  Atlanta.  Length  of  runs  at  theatres  in 
New  York  is  an  inadequate  measure  for  the  schools.  A 
French  surrealist  film,  Blood  of  a  Poet,  was  much  re- 
peated in  New  York  theatres,  but  not  shown  with  suc- 
cess in  schools.  The  reviews  in  the  Neiv  York  Times, 
though  truthful  and  useful,  are  not  sufficient,  since 
the  writers  for  this  publication  usually  sketch  foreign 
films  briefly  for  the  nationals  and  "arties",  which  con- 
stitute the  large  majority  of  the  New  York  audiences 
for  such  pictures.  The  motion  picture  trade  papers, 
with  the  exception  of  Variety,  are  so  full  of  ballyhoo 
and  misstatement  that  they  are  useless.  The  reviewers 
for  the  weekly  issues  of  Variety  call  a  bad  film  a  bad 
film  in  no  uncertain  language,  and  hence  their  criti- 
cisms are  useful  in  determining  what  not  to  rent.  The 
reviewers  for  the  other  trade  papers  write  as  if  their 
daily  bread  and  butter  depended  upon  the  box  office 
receipts  for  the  films  they  cover. 

Opinions  of  acquaintances  are  usually  very  bad 
criteria  for  judging  foreign  films  unless  the  tastes, 
prejudices,  and  experiences  of  such  acquaintances  are 
well  known.  Gradually  foreign  film  exhibitors  dis- 
cover a  few  persons  whose  opinions  represent  the 
views  of  large  blocks  of  their  prospective  audiences, 
but  always  allowance  must  be  made  for  changes  in 
popular  makes  and  dislikes  occasioned  by  the  passage 
of  time  since  these  informers  viewed  the  pictures  upon 
which  they  report.  For  example,  French  teachers  are 
still  recommending  Sous  Lcs  Toits  de  Paris,  which 
they  saw  in  Paris  in  1931,  not  realizing  that  the  prints 
of  this  picture  now  on  the  Aiuerican  market  are  ter- 
rible enough  to  ruin  a  college  film  series  for  the  year. 

But  taken  all  together,  the  experiences  of  other  col- 
lege film  exhibitors,  commercial  runs,  reviews  in  news- 
papers and  national  periodicals,  reviews  in  Variety, 
and  opinions  of  friends  provide  a  fund  of  information 
quite  valuable  in  making  up  school  film  programs.  In 
addition  the  reviews  in  the  Monthly  Film  Bulletin  of 
the  British  Film  Institute  and  those  by  Professor  Otto 
F.  Bond  of  the  University  of  Chicago  in  the  quarterly 
issues  of  Books  Abroad  are  useful.  But  after  all  these 
sources  have  been  consulted,  the  final  decision  as  to 
what  should  be  shown  must  be  made  by  the  local  film 
manager  or  committee.  Obviously  it  is  the  local  com- 
mittee which  knows  local  needs  and  interests,  and 
which  must  take  the  responsibility  for  the  films  to  be 
shown.* 


*A  successful  plan  of  organization  for  selecting  films,  evolved 
from  experience  and  now  in  operation  at  the  University  of 
Chicago,  is  described  under  the  caption  "Foreign  Films  at  In- 
ternational House,  Chicago,"  in  Educational  Screen,  Sep- 
tember, 1935. 


Page  212 


The  Educational  Screen 


In  the  space  allowed  for  this  column  complete  cov- 
erage of  foreign  films  will  not  be  possible,  but  it  is 
hoped  that  the  suggestions,  hints,  and  factual  informa- 
tion presented  will  be  of  value  in  selecting  pictures  for 
schools,  in  renting  the  pictures  chosen,  and  in  manag- 
ing school  film  programs.  If  this  column  is  to  be 
worth  its  cost  it  must  be  frank  at  the  risk  of  being  dog- 
matic, brief  at  the  risk  of  being  incomplete,  and  bold 
at  the  risk  of  disagreement.  It  must  be  our  purpose  to 
write  between  the  lines,  set  forth  hearsay  of  the  trade 
which  does  not  reach  the  public  prints,  and  above  all 
approach  every  subject  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
educator. 

If  the  foreign  film  program  of  an  educational  insti- 
tution is  to  be  financially  as  well  as  artistically  success- 
ful it  must  not  only  be  chosen  to  meet  needs  that  are 
local,  it  must  be  varied  enough  to  receive  support  from 
as  many  different  campus  groups  as  possible.  The 
most  successful  college  film  programs  have  been  those 
which  covered  several  languages  and  academic  fields. 

Since  few  of  the  foreign  films  to  be  offered  for  the 
first  time  in  1936-'37  are  now  on  hand  and  since  very 
few  of  these  in  any  Case  will  be  available  to  educational 
institutions  before  1937,  we  had  best  confine  our  at- 
tention in  this  issue  to  several  films  of  past  seasons 
which  will  be  readily  available  to  schools  this  autumn. 

Last  year  three  French  films  stood  out — La  Ma- 
ternelle,  Maria  Chapdelaine,  and  Crime  et  Chatiment 
— and  a  fourth,  Lc  Dernier  Milliardaire,  was  included 
with  these  three  on  the  National  Board  of  Review's 
list  of  the  ten  best  foreign  films  of  1935-'36.  These 
four  pictures  have  English  titles,  and,  with  the  excep- 
•■'on  of  Crime  ct  Chatiment,  are  available  only  in  35mm 
non-safety  stock.  La  Maternelle  is  a  good  school  film 
if  handled  properly  and  if  allowance  is  made  for  the 
fact  that  all  the  prints  of  the  picture  are  bad.  It 
should  be  explained  to  young  students  before  they  see 
the  picture  that  the  characters  are  not  supposed  to  bf 
beautiful,  that  the  print  of  the  picture  will  appear  bad. 
that  the  film  was  produced  about  1932  and  hence  will 
not  stand  judgment  by  the  technical  standards  of  1936, 
that  it  is  worthwhile  as  a  treatment  of  the  effect  of 
environment  on  children,  and  that  it  is  not  to  be  com- 
pared to  "Broadway  Melody  of  1937."  Unless  such 
explanations  will  be  made  the  film  will  go  flat  with  the 
majority  of  students  on  the  lower  college  levels  and 
in  high  schools. 

The  same  is  true  of  Maria  Chapdelaine,  the  1935 
prize  French  film,  which  was  generally  disliked  by 
high  school  students.  Young  students  pointed  out 
that  in  their  opinion  the  heroine  is  not  beautiful  and 
that  she  should  be,  that  the  story  is  without  the  "right" 
ending,  the  action  slow,  and  the  whole  thing  a  very 
low  form  of  entertainment.  But  even  high  school  stu- 
dents might  enjoy  this  picture,  if  it  were  explained  to 
them  in  advance  that  the  leading  ladv  couldn't  very 
well  be  a  real  person  in  the  Canadian  backwoods  with 
a  figure  of  a  Fifth  Avenue  model  and  the  latest  Pari- 
sian permanent  wave,  that  the  picture    is    a    realistic 


treatment  of  manners  and  traditions  in  a  Catholic, 
French-Canadian  rural  community  in  the  Lake  St. 
John  region  of  Canada,  that  the  exteriors  were  actually 
photographed  in  Canada,  with  a  group  of  quality 
actors  from  the  Comedie  Francaise. 

Le  Dernier  Milliardaire  is  a  Rene  Clair  film,  which 
fact  is  enough  to  cause  some  to  want  it  and  others  not 
to  want  it.  The  picture  is  a  satire  on  dictatorship  and 
will  be  a  treat  to  believers  in  democracy  who  have  re- 
cently been  in  Germany  or  Italy  and  to  many  such  be- 
lievers who  have  acquired  their  knowledge  of  fascism 
from  books  and  magazines.  But,  obviously  satire 
can  not  often  be  enjoyed  by  those  who  do  not  know 
what  is  being  satirized.  This  fact  together  with  bad 
prints,  accounts  for  the  unpopularity  of  Rene  Clair's 
lectures  in  many  American  schools.  However,  Le 
Dernier  Milliardaire  has  a  value  for  language  instruc- 
tion which  has  generally  been  overlooked :  several  of 
its  speeches  delivered  in  deliberate,  bombastic  manner 
are  extremely  clear  and  will  undoubtedly  encourage- 
first  year  French  students  able  to  catch  a  phrase  or 
two. 

Crime  et  Chatiment,  on  the  other  hand,  may  be 
scheduled  in  all  colleges  (not  high  schools)  not 
squeamish  about  the  theme,  and  be  enjoyed  as  any 
American  or  British  drama  of  the  screen  without  the 
necessity  of  advance  explanation  to  the  student  audi- 
ence. It  is,  therefore,  a  sure-fire  picture  for  college 
audiences,  and  a  good  one  to  start  a  series. 

Value  and  variety  may  be  added  to  the  foreign  film 
program  by  the  inclusion  of  two  pictures  in  English 
which  have  already  proved  their  worth  to  high  school 
and  college  history  students.  The  Human  Adventure 
and  The  Plough  that  Broke  the  Plains. 

The  Human  Adventure  is  being  made  available  this 
year  at  prices  proportionate  to  the  size  of  cities  in 
which  schools  are  located  and  at  a  price  range  easily 
within  the  reach  of  every  institution.  Though  a  docu- 
mentary of  the  work  of  the  Oriental  Institute  of  the 
University  of  Chicago  in  the  Near  East,  this  feature- 
length  picture  should  be  of  great  interest  to  all  who 
have  any  curiosity  as  to  how  history  is  written.  Shown 
in  reference  to  classroom  work  in  ancient  history,  the 
Near  East,  and  historiography,  it  should  be  on  every 
school  film  series  in  the  country  both  as  laboratory 
material  for  the  social  sciences  and  as  a  part  of  the 
cultural  program  of  the  educational  community. 

Another  film  that  will  be  of  interest  to  the  historian 
is  Tlie  Plough  that  Broke  the  Plains,  a  thirty-minute 
subject  made  and  released  by  the  Federal  Resettlement 
Administration.  This  is  a  vivid  and  artistic  portrayal 
of  the  consequences  of  the  mismanagement  of  agricul- 
tural resources  on  the  great  western  plains.  This  is  the 
best  cinematic  effort  of  the  U.  S.  Government  to  date, 
and  in  spite  of  the  decision  of  the  big  distributors  of 
the  country  not  to  touch  it  for  theatrical  pin-pos?s,  it 
is  good  entertainment. 

(This  article  will  be  concluded  in  the  October  issue  in  the 
Department  of  Foreign  Films  to  be  conducted  by  the  author.) 


September,  1936 


Page  213 


The  Film  Estimates 


Absolute  Quiet  (Wallace  Ford,  Lionel  Atwill) 
(MGM)  Plane  crash  lands  assorted  group  of 
travelers  under  roof  with  menacing  gunman 
and  moll  who  dominate  situation,  prevent  com- 
munication, until  crazed  movie-actor  whose  face 
has  been  scarred,  kills  them.  Rather  incoherent 
hodge-podge  with  overdrawn  characters.  6-16-36 
(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

And  So  They  Were  Married  (Mary  Astor.  Mtl- 
vyn  Douglas)  (Columbia)  Another  attempt  to 
make  impossible  children  funny.  Two  spoiled 
ten-year-olds  manipulate  their  respective  father 
and  mother,  first  preventing,  then  promoting  a 
romance.  Mere  situation  without  drama.  Rath- 
er dreary  absurdity.  6-9-36 
(A)  Stupid              (Y)  Hardly              (C)  No  value 

And  Sudden  Death  (Randolph  Scott,  Frances 
Drake)  (Para.)  Earnest,  vivid  lesson  in  safety 
with  tragic  results  of  reckless  driving  illus- 
trated by  unpleasant  story.  Heroine  assumes 
blame  and  is  imprisoned  for  brother's  crime  of 
manslaughter  but  cleared.  Commended  for  time- 
ly theme  and  restrained  treatment.  8-18-36 
(A-Y)  Thought-provoking  (C)  Too  strong 

Big  Noise,  The  (Guy  Kibbee.  Warren  Hull) 
(Warner)  Artificial  concoction  about  wealthy 
oldster,  squeezed  out  of  the  bank  by  younger 
partners,  entering  new  line  of  business  that  in- 
volves him  with  racketeers.  Situation  solved 
by  highly  unconvincing  shooting  affray  for 
climax.     Lively  but  of  slight  merit.  J'-^-",^ 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Border  Flight  (John  Howard.  Frances  Farm- 
er) (Para)  Crudelv  portrays  Coast  Guards 
heroic  airplane  fights  against  smugglers. 
Much  thri  1.  mediocre  acting,  absurd  character 
va'ues.  Villain,  completely  obnoxi  us  through- 
out, becomes  heroic  suicida  and  wins  what 
sympathy  is  left.  ,^,  „ 

(A)  Crude  (Y)  Poor  (C)  Poor 

Border  Patrolman  (George  O'Brien)  (Para) 
Harmless  western  of  usual  ingredients,  but 
more  fists  than  guns.  Amiab.e,  hard-hitting 
hero,  upholding  the  law  on  the  Mexican  bor- 
der thwarts  jewel-smuggling  villain  who  has 
the  self-willed  daughter  of  ultra-wealth  almost 
in  his  power. 
(A)   Hardly 


8-U-36 
(Y)    (C)   Harmless  thriller 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special  arrangement  with  The  Educational  Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth (C)  Children 


Complete   list   of  the    112    Film   Estimates   made  since   our   June   issue 


The  Bride  Walks  Out  (Barbara  Stanwyck, 
Gene  Raymond)  (RKO)  Rather  unappealin,' 
hero  wrangles  till  heroine  drops  her  hlty-a 
week  job,  and  they  marry  on  his  thirty-five. 
To  so.ve  ensuing  mess  she  resumes  work.  Un 
convincing  action,  banel  dia.og.  (ResurrectJ 
kisses  that  end  arguments.  I  ?;,,  xi 

(A)  Poor  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

Bunker  Bean  (Owen  Davis,  Jr.,  Louise  Lati- 
mer) (RKO)  Lively  farce,  fairly  amusing  for 
skilfully  done  hero  role  of  timid  clerk,  who  be- 
comes self-confident  and  aggressive  when  told 
that  he  is  reincarnation  of  Egyptian  King. 
Outwits  schemers  seeking  to  rob  him  of  valu_ 
able  patent  and  marries  boss'  daughter.  7-7-36 
(A)  Perhaps        (Y)  Amusing        (C)  No  interest 

Canzone  del  Sole  (Song  of  the  Soul)  (Italian) 
(English  tit.es)  Mus.cal  comedy  unskilfully 
done  in  most  respects.  Built  merely  to  frame 
singing  of  Lauri  Volpi.  Comic  impresario 
gets  blonde  heroine  to  help  him  sign  Volpi 
for  Metropolitan.  Mistaken  identity  does  th-> 
rest.  7-14-36 

(A)  Poor  (Y-C)  No  interest 

Case  of  the  Velvet  Claws  (Warren  William) 
(1st  Nat)  Another  attempt  to  make  mystery 
thrills  humorous  at  same  time.  Complex  plot, 
fast  action,  and  sensational  moments  hardly 
compensate  for  unconvincing  and  rather  un- 
intelligent story.  A  poor  use  of  Warren 
William.  .'^^'-i, 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Charlie  Chan  at  the  Racetrack  (Warner 
Oland.  Keye  Luke)  (Fox)  Another  of  justly 
popular  series  on  shrewd,  suave  doings  of 
unique  Chinese  detective.  He  catches  well- 
concealed  arch-crook  and  gang  who  commit 
murder  to  achieve  betting  swindles  at  the 
track.      Suspense    well    maintained.  8-2B-36 

(A-Y)  Good  of  kind  (C)  Probably  good 

Champagne  Charlie  (Paul  Cavanaugh)  (Fox) 
Mixture  of  melodrama,  murder-mystery  and 
romance  on  the  high  seas  and  elsewhere,  none 
too  well  managed  in  the  telling.  The  engag- 
ing, drink-loving  hero  and  his  quaintly  philo- 
sophic valet  are  the  only  notable  features. 
Dubious  ethics.  7-7-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 


China  Clipper  (Pat  O'Brien,  Beverly  Rob- 
erts) (1st  Nat.)  Notably  well-acted  human-in- 
terest thriller.  Warace  flyer,  married,  ob- 
sessed over  aviation's  future,  kills  love  and 
peace  of  mind  until  his  Clipper's  first  trans- 
Pacific  flight  solves  all.  History  theatricalized 
into  good  entertainment.  8-25-36 

(AY)  Fine  of  kind  (C)  Exciting  but  good 

Collusion  (Edward  Arnold)  (Majestic)  The 
divorce  racket  made  as  nastily  amusing  as  pos- 
sible. Worthy  lawyer-hero  turns  shyster  when 
tricked  into  divorce  by  his  cheap  wife.  Spe- 
cializing in  adultery  divorce  cases,  he  frames 
the  victims,  inc;uding  his  wife,  and  finally  his 
own  daughter!  ?''*;. 

(A-Y)  Trash  (C)  No 

Counterfeit  (C.  Morris,  Marian  Marsh)  (Col) 
Sensational  G-Man-gangster  thriller.  Gang  kid- 
naps head  engraver  in  U.  S.  Treasury,  forces 
production  of  counterfeit  bills.  Maximum  cf 
violence,  cold-blooded  murders  and  suspense 
'til  thrilling  G-Men  capture.  Extraneous  comedy, 
and  one  amusing  characterization.  7-7-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste  (Y)  Strong  (C)  No 

Crash  Donovan  (Jack  Holt,  Nan  Gray)  (Univ.) 
Melodramatic  glorification  of  highway  motor- 
cycle police,  picturing  dangers  they  encounter 
—hold-ups,  exciting  chases  and  shootings.  Chief- 
ly interesting  for  scenes  showing  training  of 
recruits  and  motorcycle  drills.  Slight  plot  with 
the  usual  love  interest  present.  8-18-J6 

(A)  Mediocre    (Y)  Harmless  thriller    (C)  Excit. 

Crime  of  Dr.  Forbes  (Gloria  Stuart,  Robert 
Kent)  (20th  Cent.)  Starts  as  serious  drama 
about  mercy-killing.  Sudden  reversal  of  situa- 
tion creates  anti-climax.  Triangle  element  saved 
from  sensationalism  by  genuinely  fine  charac- 
ters of  hero  and  heroine,  but  intrusion  of  com- 
edy and  inconsistency  weaken  whole.  7:21-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Old- 

and 

hidden 


Desert  Gold  (Tom  Kecne)  (Para.) 
fashioned  Western  with  violent  action 
brutal  villainy  over  attempts  to  find 
gold  mine.  Uninspired  comedy,  much  hard 
riding,  gun  battles  and  final  exciting  fist 
fight  with  hero  on  edge  of  cliff  tD  dispose  of 
vi'lain. 
(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Not  good 


7-21-36 

(No) 


Devil  Doll,  The  (L.  Barrymore.  M.  O'Sulh- 
van)  (MGM)  Innocent  hero  escapes  from 
Devil's  Island,  plots  vengeance  on  betrayers 
through  weird  formula  reducing  humans  t^ 
tiny  mites  which  do  his  bidding.  Tense,  grim 
drama  but  fantastic  human  do'.l  as  less  spine- 
chilling  than  fascinating.  V}}'},^ 
(A)  Good  of  kind           (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Devil's  Squadron,  The  (Richard  Dix,  Karen 
Morley)  (Columbia)  Harmless  thriller,  with  air- 
port setting,  about  heroic  flyers  who  take  new 
ships  up  on  first  tests-Ex  Ships.  Some  "crashes' 
evidently  clipped  from  elsewhere.  Three  men 
in  love  with  three  girls  presumably  triples 
the   romantic   interest.  6-16-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Fairly  good  (C)  Perhaps 

Dr-^cula's  Daughter  (Otto  Kruger,  M.  Church- 
ill.GloriaHelden)  (Univ)  More  spine-chilling  stuff 
nbout  vampires.  Dead  for  300  years.  "Dracula's 
Daughter"  emerges  from  grave  at  night,  a  beau- 
tiful woman  seeking  victims.  Kills  three,  heroine 
next,  but  hero  and  police  arrive  in  time.  Act- 
ing, settings,  photography  excellent.  6-16-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

E'rly  to  Bed  (Mary  Bo^and,  Charles  Rug- 
gles)  (Para.)  Delightful  fares-comedy  with 
rare  ro>s  for  Mary  and  Charlie.  She  marries 
old  love  at  last,  but  he  is  a  sle:p-walker ! 
Start'ing  complications,  further  complicated 
by  Mary's  well-meant  help.  But  finally  honey- 
moon can  begin.  6  9-3  j 
I  A)  Amusing             (Y)Verygood             (C)  Good 

Earthworm  Tractors  (Joe  E.  Brown)  (1st 
Nat)  Hilarious,  crazy  comedy,  none  too  well 
act-d,  written  or  directed,  with  hectic  antics  of 
tractor  for  chief  humor  and  thrill.  Character 
interest  low.  story  preposterous.  Brown  can 
c'o  really  human  comedy,  but  they  use  him  for 
this !  7-28-36 

(A)  Feeble  (Y)  (C)  Harmless  fun 


Farmer  in  the  Dell  (Fred  Stone,  Jean 
Parker)  (RKO)  Iowa  farmer,  transplanted  to 
Hollywood,  refuses  to  let  social  ambition  ruin 
happiness  for  the  young  people.  Unpretentious, 
engaging,  human  stuff  with  Stone  excellent  in 
leading  role.  Interesting  backstage  glimpses 
of  studio   life.  6-23-36 

(A)   Pleasing       (Y)  Good       (C)  Interest  slight 

Fatal  Lady  (Mary  Ellis,  Walter  Pidgcon) 
(Para)  Musical  -  mystery  -  melodrama  with 
sparkle,  finely  acted,  sung  and  photographed, 
episodic  in  plot  but  dramatic  suspense  well 
maintained.  Heroine's  operatic  career  con- 
stantly blighted  by  false  suspicions  of  murder. 
Romantic  ending  satisfying  and  happy.  6-23-36 
(A)  (Y)  Very  good  of  kind     (C)  Not  for  them 

The  Final  Hour  (Ralph  Bellamy)  (Columbia) 
Routine  melodrama  with  underworld  back- 
ground. Attorney-hero,  divorced  by  faithless 
wife,  turns  sodden  drunkard.  Rescued  by  her- 
oine, who  later  is  innocently  involved  in  mur- 
der, he  saves  her  by  highly  original  method  of 
trapping  vicious  killer.  8-25-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Unsuitable  (0)  No 

Frankie  and  Johnnie  (Helen  Morgan,  Chester 
Morris)  (Republic)  Supposed  picture  of  seamy 
side  of  life  in  St.  Louis'  riverfront  cafes  in 
1870.  Gambler-hero  proves  insufferable  cad 
after  marrying  "heart  of  gold"  heroine.  Helen 
Morgan  does  rather  convincing  sentimental 
role.  7-28-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Frontier  (Russian  Cast)  (Amkino)  Peasants 
of  old  order  fight  Sovietism.  latter  successful 
of  course.  Set  in  beautiful  Taigo  forest.  Cold- 
blooded killings  in  line  of  duty.  Confused  plot, 
but  characters  and  peasant  life  interesting. 
Airplane  thrills  and  parachute  jumping  as 
climax.  6-23-36 

(A)    Perhaps  (Y)    Better  not  (C)    No 

Fury  (Spencer  Tracy,  Sylvia  Sidney)  (MGM) 
Tense,  grim  film  fails  as  strong  indictment  of 
lynching  by  weakness  of  cause  for  mob  violence. 
Innocent,  tortured  hero  miraculously  escapes 
death  at  frenzied  mob's  hands ;  embittered, 
plans  vengeance  on  all  participants,  but  relents 
and  forgives  in  time.  6-16-36 

(A)  Strong  (Y)  Too  strong  (C)  No 

General  Died  at  Dawn,  The  (Gary  Cooper,  M. 
Carroll)  (Para.)  American  hero  in  China  is  be- 
trayed by  heroine  into  hands  of  the  cruel 
bandit  general  he  opposes.  Tense  suspense, 
grim  killings  and  violence,  as  he  escapes,  is  re- 
captured with  repentant  heroine,  finally  freed 
in    harrowing,    unconvincing  climax,  9-8-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind     (Y)  Prob.  too  strong     (C)  No 

Gentle  Julia  (Jane  Withers,  Tom  Brown) 
(Fox)  The  Tarkington  story  of  small-town  life 
and  romance  engagingly  done,  with  Jane  With- 
ers, in  excessively  precocious  ten-year-old  role, 
in  the  limelight  throughout.  Her  impossibly 
mature  but  amusing  machinations  save  the 
situation  most  agreeablv.  7-7-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Good  (C)  Good 

Gentleman  from  Louisiana  (Eddie  Quillan) 
(Republic)  Rather  entertaining  little  horse- 
race picture  supposed  to  show  life  of  famous 
jockey.  Tod  Sloane,  from  horse-loving  boyhood 
on  farm  to  track  fame  by  his  new  riding  style. 
Unlucky  disqualification  finally  rectified.  Much 
race-track  glamor.  8-25-36 

(A)  Mildly  amusing  (Y  C)  Good  of  kind 

Girls*  Dormitory  (Simone  Simon,  Herbert 
Marshall)  (Fox).  Finely  done,  interesting  lit- 
tle study  of  school-girl  life  and  susceptibility, 
of  faculty  understanding  and  intolerance,  of 
love-blindness  in  intellectual  adults — and  un- 
fortunately an  unlikely  and  disappointing  end- 
ing. Simon  wonderful.  8-11-36 
(A)  Excellent     (Y)  (C)  Doubtful  valueandeflect. 

Gorgeous  Hussy,  The  (Joan  Crawford,  L.  Bar- 
rymore) (MGM)  Some  fine  characterizations, 
but  mere  fiction  than  history  in  story  of  An- 
drew Jackson's  rise  to  Presidency.  Oi>scure  mo- 
tivation weakens  dramatic  values.  Thoroly  re- 
spectable heroine  loyal  to  Jackson  to  point  of 
sacrifice.  Photog.  &  settings  excellent.  9-8-36 
(A)  Fine  of  kind       (Y)  Good      (C)  Doubtful  int. 


THE  WORLD'S  MOST  WIDELY  USED  161:  SOUND  PICTURE  PROJECTO 


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In  CCC  Camps  and  U.  S.  Forestry  Ser- 
vice, where  sound  pictures  are  widely 
used,  sturdy,  "foolproof",  easy-to-use 
l6mm  Animatophone  has  almost  entirely 
excluded  other  projection  equipment. 

INDUSTRY  demands  equipment  that  is 
light,  compact,  rugged  and  efficient.  An- 
imatophone's  many  superiorities  .  .  .  Pos- 
itive Film  Protection,  etc.  .  .  .  have  won 
decidedly  the  largest  prominent-user  fol- 
lowing in  this  field! 

Among  SCHOOLS,  UNIVERSITIES 
and  CHURCHES  practical  many-purpose 
Animatophone  is  the  dominant  leader  .  .  . 
outnumbering  (according  to  official  rec- 
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LEADING  RAILROADS  that  now  en- 
tertain passengers  with  sound  pictures 
have  used  Reliable  l6mm  Animatophone 
exclusively  for  all  permanent  train  instal- 
lations. 


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On  SHIPS  sailing  the  Seven  Seas  l6mm 
Animatophone  knows  no  competition,  for 
it  alone  provides  Quality  Reproduction, 
Trouble-free  Performance  and  Absolute 
Safety  along  with  Positive  Film  Protec- 
tion! 


In  FOREIGN  A\ARKETS,  too,  Animato- 
phone's  superiority  has  won  first  place  in 
popularity.  Even  in  far-flung  South  Africa 
l6mm  Animatophone  predominates  in 
Schools  and  among  all  other  non-theatric- 
al users. 


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Page  216 


The  Educational  Screen 


Grand  Jury  (Fred  Stone)  (RKO)  Grand  jury, 
controlled  by  gang-leader,  fails  to  indict  co  d- 
blooded  killer.  A  blundering  old  man  fumbles 
around  until  he  forces  indictment  —  but  Fred 
Stone  cannot  make  the  stupid  role  very  funny. 
Overdone  newspaper  stuff  and  sinister  gun- 
men can't  give  it  life.  9-1-36 
(A)  Amateurish     (Y)  Harmless      (C)  Little  int. 

Green  Pastures,  The  (Rex  Ingram)  (War- 
ner) Impressive  screening  of  famous  play  vis- 
ualizing Heaven  and  activities  of  "De  Lawd" 
as  imagined  by  simple  negro  folk.  Sincere, 
dignified  acting,  beautiful  settings,  lovely 
singing,  simple  humor  and  genuine  underlying 
spiritual  values.  7-21-36 

(A)Notable    (Y)Very  gd.    (C)Prob.  beyond  them 

Half  Angel  (Frances  Dee,  Bryan  Donlevy) 
(Fox)  Highly  artificial,  improbable  mystery 
rbout  two  murders,  a  heroine  always  terrifiei 
and  suspected,  a  bellowing  star-reporter  h?ro. 
some  outrageous  court  procedures,  and  much 
c  medy  relief  that  is  greatly  needed.  One 
choice  b:t  of  bad  taste.  6-9-3G 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Not  the  best  (C)  No 

Hard  Luck  Dame  (Bette  Davis,  Warren  Wil- 
liam) (Warner)  Improbable  stuff  about  two 
detectives,  three  thieves,  and  devious  adven- 
tures that  lead  to  solution  of  murder-mystery. 
Exciting  in  spots,  but  decidedly  silly  in  others. 
Rather  stupid  use  of  Bette  Davis  and  Warren 
William.  7-7-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Hearts  Divided  (Marion  Davies,  Dick  Powell) 
(Warner)  Idyllic  romance  of  Jerome  Bonaparte 
and  Betsy  Patterson  of  Baltimore  depicted  against 
charming  settings.  Interesting  mostly  for  histori- 
cal background  and  Claude  Rains' Napoleon  role. 
Lugged-in  comedy  and  miscasting,  especially 
Powell,  detract  from  enjoyment.  6-16-36 

(A)  Fair      (Y)  Rather  good      (C)  Little  interest 

High  Tension  (Brian  Donlevy,  Glenda  Far- 
rell )  ( Fox )  Fast-moving,  breezy  comedy  w ith 
lots  of  action  supplied  by  the  tough  hard- 
drinking  hero's  fists.  Sent  to  Honolulu  on 
hazardous  cable-'aying  job,  hero  saves  his  pal's 
life,  then  settles  down  and  marries  girl  short 
story  writer.  9-8-36 

(A)  Po.r  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

His  Brother*s  Wife  (R.  Taylor,  B.  Stanwyck) 
(MGM)  Cheap  cabaret  heroine,  supposedly  ir- 
resistible to  cultured  hero  and  his  brother, 
loses  him,  marries  brother  for  spite,  and  gets 
hero  back  after  hectic  medical  struggles  in 
hottest  Africa.  Stanwyck's  own  English  fits 
role,    but   nothing   else   fits.  8-11-36 

(A)   Mediocre         (Y)   Unwholesome         (C)   No 

Human  Cargo  (Claire  Trevor,  Brian  Don- 
levy)  (Fox)  Sensational  stuff  about  alien- 
smuggling  ring  and  their  defeat  by  ace-re- 
porter and  rich  society  heroine  with  yen  for 
mixing  into  newspaper  detective  game.  Sus- 
f-^nse  high,  thrills  incessant,  probability 
low.  8-11-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste    (Y)Thriller    (C)Betternot 

I  Give  My  Life  (Tom  Brown,  Frances  Drake) 
(Para.)  Tense,  grim,  unpleasant  melodrama. 
("The  Noose"  of  1928.)  Young  hero  kilis  vici- 
ous racketeer  father  about  to  harm  his  happi.y 
remarried  mother.  Death  sentence  and  surprise 
rescue.  Character  values  largely  obscured  by 
harrowing  action  and  suspense.  8-25  36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Better  not       (C)  No 

I  Stand  Condemned  (Lawrence  Olivier,  Henry 

Bauer)  (U.A.)  British-made  film  of  Russian 
war  days.  Spy  activities  and  rivalry  over 
heroine  between  paunchy  war  profiteer  and 
army-captain  hero,  provide  fair  drama  and 
suspense,  but  choppy  action,  colorless  heroine, 
and  uneven  acting  lessen  full  values.  7-7-36 
(A)  Fairly  good      (Y)  Perhaps      (C)  No  interest 

It's  Love  Again  (Jessie  Matthews.  Robt.  Young) 
(Gaumont-British)  Gay  musical  film  with  amus- 
ing satire  and  humor.  Talented  heroine  needs 
"name"  to  get  stage  part,  invents,  impersonates 
and  with  much  newspaper  publicity,  is  accepted 
as  exotic  personality.  Makes  good  as  herself. 
Charming  song  and  dance  numbers.  6-16-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind      (Y)  Good      (C)  Doubtful  int. 

Jailbreak  (Barton  MacLane,  June  Travis, 
Craig  Reynolds)  (Warn.)  Murder  is  committed 
behind  prison  walls  this  time.  Convict  who  is 
to  be  paroled  found  dead  in  cell  and  young  re- 
porter nearly  murdered  before  he  solves  mys- 
tery. Confused,  tedious  story,  faulty  character- 
ization and  unconvincing  solution.  8-18-36 
(A)  Poor               (Y)  No               (C)  Certainly  not 

Kiss  Me  Goodbye  (Magda  Schneider)  (Ger 
man)  Continental  musical  film  marred  by  in- 
ferior sound  and  engaging  heroine's  faulty 
English.  Friendly  rivalry  over  heroine  by  two 
English  pals  on  holiday  in  Vienna  chief  amus 
ing  element,  with  elaborate  song  and  dance 
as  special  feature.  7-14-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y-C)  Doubtful  interest 


Lady,  Be  Careful  (Mary  Carlisle,  Lew  Ayres) 
(Para.)  Original  bawdy  "Sailor  Beware"  much 
toned  down,  but  remains  rowdy,  raucous,  wise- 
cracking comedy.  Shy  sailor-hero's  shipmates 
wager  on  his  ability  or  not  to  interest  virtuous 
cabaret-dancer  heroine.  Result,  of  course, 
genuine  romance  for  the  two.  9-8-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Last  of  the  Mohicans  (Randolph  Scott)  (Re- 
liance) Fine  picturization  of  classic,  notable 
for  accuracy  in  story,  settings,  and  convincing 
characters.  True  to  times,  it  is  appealing, 
thrilling  and  terrifying  by  turns.  Good  ex- 
ample of  how  much  more  a  picture  can  do 
than   even   Cooper's   words.  9-1-36 

(A)  Fine  of  kind    ( Y)  Very  good    (C)  Too  strong 

Last  Outlaw  ( Harry  Carey,  Hoot  Gibson ) 
(RKO)  Above  average  western  distinguished 
by  more  human  interest  in  its  characters,  much 
amusing  comedy,  and  less  brutality  in  its 
thrills.  Concerns  an  ex-convict's  struggles  to 
go  straight  after  his  return  to  his  home  town. 

7-28-36 
(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Good       (C)  Perhaps 

Laughing  Irish  Eyes  (Phil  Regan.  Walter 
Kelly)  (Republic)  Trite,  sentimental  story  poorly 
produced.  New  York  fight  promoter  and  daugh- 
ter go  to  Ireland,  after  champion  fighter  but 
bring  back  a  crooner  instead  who  wins  the 
prolonged  fight  and  girl.  Frequent  song  num- 
bers. Some  capable  acting  wasted.  6-30-36 
(A)  Poor               (Y)  Inferior               (C)  No  value 

Legong  (Native  Baiinese  cast)  (DuWorld) 
Elaborate,  grotesque,  often  repellant  Bali  cere- 
monial dances,  simple  love  story  of  native  girl 
who  drowns  herself  when  chosen  husband  pre- 
fers h:r  sister  instead.  Cremation  rites  with 
huge  funeral  pyre  and  the  casting  of  heroine's 
Eshes  on  ocean  waters.  8-18-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Let's  Sing  Again  (Bobby  Breen,  Henry  Ar- 
metta)  (RKO)  Old  sentimental  theme,  with 
much  hokum,  of  lost  child,  devoted  foster-fath- 
er, dark  villain,  and  true  parents  discovered 
for  happy  ending.  Built  around  Bobby's  voice 
which  is  remarkable  but  untrained  and  ade- 
noidal. Armetta's  role  notable.  7-14-36 
(A)  Perhaps                  (Y)  Good                  (C)  Good 

Little  Miss  Nobody  (Jane  Withers)  (Fox) 
Irrepressible  heroine's  pranks  at  orphanage  start 
her  undeservedly  to  reform  school.  Escapes,  be- 
comes involved  witlvgang  element,  then  restored 
to  father.  Partly  human  and  appealing  but 
marred  by  exaggerations  and  sensationalism. 
Heroine  more  mature  than  childlike.  6-16-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Doubtful 

Lf»ve  Begins  at  Twenty  (Hugo  Herbert)  (Ist 
Nat'l)  Elementary  farce-comedy  about  spineless, 
hen-pecked  husband,  drink-befuddled,  floundering 
into  accidental  capture  of  robber  gang.  Original 
touch  of  children  urging  liquor  on  theirfather ! 
Largely  foolish,  ordinary  cast,  but  Herbert  de- 
cidedly laugh-provoking.  8-4-36 
(A)    Hardly           (Y)    Not  the  best           (C)    No 

Making  of  a  King,  The  (Emil  Jannings)  (Ger- 
man Prod.)  (Full  Eng.  titles)  Masterful  per- 
formance by  Jannings  as  Frederick  William  T 
of  Prussia  in  his  struggle  to  train  for  kingship 
his  antagonistic  son  who  was  to  become  Fred- 
erick th?  Great.  Splendidly  dramatic,  vividly 
historical,    technically    satisfying.  9-8-36 

(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Good  (C)  Mature 

Mary  of  Scotland  (Katharine  Hepburn. 
Fredric  March)  (RKO)  Powerful  picture  of 
tragic  life  and  love  of  Mary  Stuart,  done  with 
dignity  and  truth,  acting  and  direction  excel- 
lent, costumes  and  backgrounds  notable.  Meet- 
ing of  Mary  and  Elizabeth  unhistorical  but 
tensely  dramatic.   Outstanding  film.  8-11-36 

(A)    Excellent        (Y)    Very  good        (C)   Mature 

Meet  Nero  Wolfe  (Edw.  Arnold)  (Columbia) 
Rather  original  master  detective  never  leaves 
his  home,  interested  only  in  orchids,  beer,  and 
crimo  detection.  Solves  intricate  murders  by 
sending  out  dumb  assistant  to  get  facts.  Arn- 
old excellent  but  comedy  weak  and  idea  too 
bizarre   to  be  impressive.  8-4-36 

(A)    Fair  (Y)    Perhaps  (C)    Hardly 

Mine  with  the  Iron  Door  (Richard  Arlen. 
Cecelia  Parker)  (RKO)  Leisurely  film  about 
buried  treasure.  Hero's  only  clue  is  mystericut- 
symbol  to  which  half -mad  scientist  holds  the 
key.  Mild  suspense  in  final  reels.  Henry 
Walthall's  role  and  outdoor  photography,  chief 
values.  6  23-36 

(A)   Mediocre      (Y)    Fair      (C)    Doubtful  value 

M'Liss   (Ann  Shirley.  John  Beal)    (RKO)  Old 

style  melodrama.  Proud  little  "Bpitfire"  works 
as  barmaid  to  keep  self  and  drunken  father.  In 
conflict  with  town's  "elite",  protected  by  crude, 
kindly  characters,  til  romance  with  school- 
teacher hero  brings  happiness.  Some  lovely 
outdoor    settings.  8-4  36 

(A)  Hardly       (Y)  Perhaps       (C)  Doubtful  value 


Moscow  Laughs  (Russian  with  English  ti- 
tles) ( Amkino)  Russia  tries  rollicking,  jazz, 
musical  comedy.  Manages  to  be  fast,  hilari- 
ous and  loud,  but  primitive  comic  ideas,  crude 
action,  naive  and  childish  humor,  make  an 
incredibly  stupid  whole.  May  amuse  Russia, 
but   why   export   it?  7-21-36 

(A)  Absurd  (Y)  Ridiculous  (C)  No 

Murder  by  an  Aristocrat  (Lyle  Talbot,  M. 
Churchill)  (1st  Nat)  Mystery  melodrama  skill- 
fully done,  but  complex  plot  and  multiplicity 
of  suspects  get  story  so  involved  that  clear 
solution  needs  verbal  explanation.  Heroine  a 
super-Sherlock.  Title  lessens  mystery,  but  en- 
tertaining of  kind.  6-23-36 
(A)    Perhaps                   (Y)    Fair                  (C)    No 

My  American  Wife  (Francis  Lederer,  Ann 
Sothern)  (Para.)  Light,  amusing  comedy.  Hero 
engaging  as  penniless  Austrian  count,  truly  in 
love  with  wealthy  American  bride.  Many  laughs 
as  he  balks  parents'  efforts  to  make  him  mere 
show-piece.  He  wants  to  be  a  real,  working 
American.  Saloon  episodes  harmless.  8-25-36 
(A)  Amusing      (Y)  Amusing     (C)  Doubtful  int. 

My  Man  Godfrey  (Wm.  Powell,  Carole  Lom- 
bard) I  Univ.)  Hilarious  satire,  gayly  absurd, 
with  Powell  in  deft  role  of  Harvard  man  who 
becomes  butler  to  slightly  mad.  spoiled-with- 
wealth  family,  teaches  them  some  values  be- 
fore leaving.  Lombard's  romance-struck  hero- 
ine somewhat  overdone.  9-8-36 
(A)  Amusing     (Y)  Amusing     (C)  Doubtful  int. 

Mystic  Mountain  (French-Swiss  production, 
English  titles)  Artistically  done,  finely  photo- 
graphed picure  of  humble  life  in  Alpine  hin- 
terlands, central  theme  a  gripping,  tragic  ro- 
mance. Strong  picture,  but  slow  tempo,  weird 
camera  angles  and  much  symbolism  prevent 
general  popularity.  8-25-36 

(A)  Notable  (Y)  Little  interest  (C)  No 

Navy  Born  (Claire  Dodd,  William  Gargan) 
(Republic)  Dying  naval  lieutenant  leaves  moth- 
erless babe  to  pal  to  keep  it  from  "in-laws". 
Plotting  to  get  it  back,  sister-in-law  falls  for 
hero.  Then  attempted  kidnapping  brings  ex- 
citing chase  by  naval  airplanes  as  climax. 
Elementary  triviality  of  little  worth.  8-4-36 
(A)    Mediocre        (Y)    Perhaps        (C)    No  value 

Nobody's  Fool  (E.  E.  Horton.  Glenda  Farrell) 
(Univ.  I  Farcical  absurdity,  sole  worth  is  Hor- 
ton's  deft  comedy  as  artless  idealist  seeking 
better  housing  conditions  for  poor.  In  New 
York  his  guileless  honesty  outwits  and  reforms 
gang  of  racketeers  and  wins  him  wise-cracking 
heroine  for  good  measure.  6-30-36 

(A)  Hardly        (Y)  Probably  amusing         (C)  No 

Palm  Springs  (Frances  Langford,  Guy  Stand- 
ing) (Para)  College  heroine's  gambling  in- 
stincts get  her  expelled.  Learns  then  that 
father  is  gambler.  Gets  engaged  to  millionaire, 
but  finds  true  love  with  singing  cowboy. 
Waste    of    talent    in    trifle    of    little    worth. 

6-30-36 
(A)  Waste  of  time  (Y)  Worthless  (C)  No 

Parole  (Ann  Preston,  Henry  Hunter) 
(Univ. )  Vivid,  sensational  indictment  of 
parole  abuses  — -  easy  release  of  hardened 
ki'lers  for  more  murders,  sincerely  reformed 
first  offenders  made  prey  of  racketeers  and 
crooked  politicians.  Sordid,  grim,  violent, 
thought-provoking.  8-11-36 

(A)  Strong  and  unpleasant     (Y)  (C)Bynomeans 

Pepper  (Jane  Withers,  Irvin  Cobb)  (Fox) 
Jane  more  rowdy,  impudent  and  unrestrained 
than  ever.  Sets  poor  example  in  "gang"  meth- 
ods to  collect  money  for  poor  widow.  After 
hilarious  trip  to  Coney,  leads  her  "mob"  in 
riotous  slapstick  finish  against  phony  count 
about  to  marry  heroine.  9-8-36 

(A)  Hard  y  (Y)  Prob.    amus. 

(C)  Amus.,  doubt,  value 

Piccadilly  Jim  (Robt.  Montgomery,  Madge 
Evans)  (MGM)  Hilarious,  well-act2d  farce.  Ir- 
responsible cartoonist  hero  on  drunken  spree. 
meets  and  thereafter  pursues  unknown  hero- 
ine. Wi  d  complications  on  discovery  of  her  re- 
lationship to  irate  family,  caricatured  in  his 
com.c  strip.  Wins  her  from  worthy  rival.  8-18-36 
(A)  Depends  on  Uste       (Y)  Better  not      (C)  No 

Plow  that  Broke  the  Plains  (by  Resettlement 
Administration,  Washington)  One  of  finest 
educationals  ever  made.  Full,  dynamic  presen- 
tation of  big,  vitally  important  subjects— dust- 
storm  tragedy  of  the  West.  Notable  handling 
of  background  music,  narrative  voice,  and 
tenselv  dramatic.  6-23-36 

(A)   Notable    (Y)   Excellent     (C)   Beyond  them 

Poor  Little  Rich  Girl  (Shirley  Temple)  (Fox) 
Pampered  child  of  wealth  runs  away  for  com- 
panionship and  adventure.  Some  genuine  hu- 
man values,  Shirley  charming  as  usual  though 
in  over-mature  surroundings.  Continues  to 
play  up  her  song  and  dance  stunts  to  neglect 
oi'  her  real  acting  ability.  7-28-36 

(A)  Good  (Y)  Mostly  good  (C)  Perhaps 


September  y  193  6 


Page  217 


poppy  (W.  C.  Fie'ds.  Rochelle  Hudson)  (Para) 

jjuinely     diverting     version     of     famous     old 

Sids   stage-play   attractively   set   against   slow 

bving    background    of    several     decades     ago. 

Pightful    Fields'    comedy    for    those    who    like 

,   with   pleasing   romance   between    youthful 

and  heroine.  6-30  36 

|)  Amusing  (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Amusing 

|*ride  of  the  Marines  (Cha-s.  Bickford,  Billy 
rrud)  (Columbia)  Wholesome  little  story  of 
I  boiled  marine  sergeant  and  orphan  boy  he 
has  adopted,  but  too  sentimental  and  artificial. 
Chief  merit  is  drill  scenes  of  U.  S.  marines  at 
San  Diego  base,  who  cooperated  in  the  produc- 
tion. Good  child  acting.  6-16-36 
(A)  Ordinary     (Y)  Passable     (C)  Probably  good 

Private  Life  of  Louis  XIV  (German  produc- 
tion with  good  English  titles)  Convincing  por- 
trayal of  the  great  Louis'  court,  its  ceremony, 
politics,  intrigues  and  amours,  with  historical 
accuracy  in  sets,  costumes  and  episodes,  finely 
acted,  with  sound  and  background  music  excel- 
lent. Right  tempo,  much  charm.  8-11-36 
(A)    Interesting                 (Y)    (C)    Little   interest 

Public  Enemy's  Wife(M.  Lindsay,  PatO'Britn  ) 
(Warner)  Thrill. ng  G-Man  opus.  Vicious  k.d 
napper  escapes  prison  to  s^ek  revenge  on  inno- 
cent ex  wife  about  to  re-marry.  Battle  of  wits 
with  dUective-hero.  Tense,  suspenseful,  absurd 
in  spots  but  amusing.  Commendable  .ack  o." 
gunplay  till   end.  7-14-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Thri.ling  (C)  No 

Queen  of  Love  (German  production)  (Ufa) 
Wandering  troup  of  players  gets  involved  in 
adventures  of  philandering  operatic  tenor  who 
at  last  finds  the  "right"  girl.  Much  elementary 
and  uneven  comedy,  but  some  very  human 
moments  and  fine  singing.  English  titling 
often  absurdly  poor.  7-28-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  (C)  Little  interest 

Re  Burlune  (Jester  King)  (Italian)  (Nuovo 
Mondo)  Leisurely  court  comedy  of  1844,  with 
engaging  king,  more  sybarite  than  statesman, 
who  sighs  with  relief  when  conspirators  es- 
cape prison  and  quit  country.  Fine  voices 
beautifully  reproduced.  Ultimate  national 
union    foreshadowed.  6-23-36 

(A)   Good  of  kind   (Y)   (C)   Little  or  no  interest 

Return  of  Saphie  Ling  (Gertrude  Michael) 
(Warner)  Rather  diverting  crook  film.  Heroine, 
sincerely  reformed  jewel-thief  respectably  cm- 
ployed,  is  involved  by  former  accomplice  in 
theft  of  famous  diamond.  Fast.  8uspenseful, 
until  she  outwits  him,  restores  diamond,  and 
vindicates   herself.  7-28-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind    (Y)  Good  of  kind    (C)  Doubtful 

Rhythm  on  the  Range  (Bing  Crosby)  (Para) 
Bing  sings  grotesquely  and  acts — one  might 
say-  a  simple  cowboy  boxcarring  his  bull  back 
West.  Rich  heroine  leaves  all  and  goes  along, 
chasing  hero  to  happy  ending.  Acting  and 
direction  poor,  even  the  faking  obvious,  and 
story    naively    absurd.  8-4-36 

(A)   Inane  (Y)    Poor  (C)   No  value 

Road  to  Glory  (Baxter,  March,  L.  Barrymore) 
(Fox)  Impressive,  forceful  .n;_ictmcnc  of  futil 
ity  of  war,  notably  acted.  Grim,  realistic  bat- 
tle scenes  and  effective  dramatic  episodes.  Cen- 
tral figures  are  two  contrasting  French  officers 
in  love  with  same  girl  but  romance  minor  to 
moving  drama  of  the  regiment.  8-18-36 

(A)  Fine  of  kind  (Y)  Strong  (C)  No 

Romeo  and  Juliet  (Brilliant  cast)  (MGM) 
Splendid  screening  of  Shakespeare,  w.th  beau- 
ty, fidelity  and  power,  the  diaog  exclusively 
his.  Sets  and  costumes  nearly  flawless.  Acting 
of  finest,  except  Barry  more.  Norma  Shearer 
wjnderful.  Further  cutting  desirable,  but  mas- 
terpiece now.  Merits  great  success.  9-1-36 
(A)  Excellent          (Y)  Excellent          (C)  Mature 

Royal  Waltz,  The  (German  production)  (Ufa) 
Costume  musical  comedy  laid  in  Austrian  court 
cf  1850.  Mistaken  identity  main  element,  with 
lively  confusion  about  whose  fiance  is  whose. 
Comedy  effort  overdone,  and  English  titles  ab- 
surd by  stupid  use  in  incongruous  modern 
slang.     Some  good   music.  7-7-36 

(A)  Perhaps       (Y)  No  interest       (C)  No  interest 

San  Francisco  (Clark  Gable,  J.  MacDonald) 
(MGM)  Strong,  vivid,  well-acted  film  notable 
for  glorious  singing.  Fair  restraint  in  scenes 
of  Barbary  Coast.  Romantic  conflict  fairly 
convincing:  grim  earthquake  scenes  as  climax 
in  which  gamb'.er-hero  learns  that  power  and 
money  are  not  all.  6-30-36 

(AiFineof  kind     (Y)Prob.good     CjNot  for  them 

Satan  Met  a  Lady  (W.  William,  B.  Davis) 
(Warner)  Theft  and  murder  made  breezy  and 
smart-aleck  to  point  of  absurdity.  Crooked 
detective-hero  hires  out  to  various  crooks  and 
dauble-crossing  makes  the  action.  Sex  and 
money  sole  motivations  and  not  a  decent  char- 
acter in  story.  9-1  36 
(A)  Depends  on  taste    (Y)  Unwholesome   (C)  No 


Secret  Agent  (Madeleine  Carroll,  Robt.  Young, 
John  Gielgud)  (Brit-Gaumont)  Sensational,  sus- 
penseful spy  story.  Grim  murders  and  tragic 
climax.  Lorre  repellant  as  ruthless  killer,  aide 
to  British  hero  pursuing  German  spy.  Uncon- 
ventional situation  of  heroine  posing  as  hero's 
wife    avoids    real    oflFensiveness.  8-4-36 

(A)    Good  of  kind        (Y)    Doubtful        (C)    No 

Shakedown  (Lew  Ayres)  (Columbia)  Murder- 
thriller  by  formula  and  hokum.  Romance  of 
hero  and  his  wealthy  employer's  daughter. 
Her  fake  kidnapping  stunt,  to  gain  father's 
approval  of  match,  results  in  gangster  com- 
plications. Auto  chases  longer,  and  tires 
equeak   louder,  than  ever.  8-25  36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

Sing,  Baby,  Sing  (Alice  Faye,  A.  Menjou) 
(Fox)  Supposedly  satirical  farce-comedy,  main- 
ly slapstick  and  burlesque,  that  tries  desper- 
ately to  be  funny,  with  Menjou  doing  absurd 
role  absurdly.  Eked  out  by  raucous  dialog, 
vaudeville  stunts,  and  Alice  Faye's  "singing". 
Unintelligent  production.  9-1-36 

(A)  Stupid  (Y)  Not  good  (C)  No 

Sins  of  Man  (Jean  Hersholt)  (20th  Cent.  Fox) 
Fine  serious  drama,  notable  for  Hersholt's 
characterization  of  modern  "Job",  Successive 
tragedies  through  the  years  rob  hero  of  entire 
family,  but  not  faith.  In  old  age  happy  end- 
ing is  achieved.  Depressing  entertainment  but 
fine  drama.  6-30-36 

(A)Fineof  kind      (Y)Very  sad     C)Not  for  them 

Sky  Parade  (Wm.  Gargan,  Jimmie  Allen) 
(Para)  Interesting  history  of  commercial  avia- 
tion interwoven  with  story  of  three  ex-war 
aces  and  Jimmie  Allen  (young  radio  star)  as 
the  orphaned  son  of  one.  Villainy,  melodrama 
and  thrills  but  mcstly  engaging  human  stuff, 
of  some  educational  value.  6-30-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)Good  (C)  G-od  but  exciting 

Soecial  Tnve!:tigator  (Dix,  M.  Callahan) 
(RKO)  G-Man-Western  concoction.  City-law- 
yer hero  stops  defending  gangsters  when  his 
brother  is  killed,  goes  as  incognito  G-man  to 
mining  country,  destroys  the  rats,  and  wins 
drad  gang-leader's  sister  as  his  bride.  Just 
a  thr:i  er.  6-9-3S 

(A)  Fair  of  kind  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Speed  (Wendy  Barrie,  Jas.  Stewart)  (MGM) 
Mostly  very  dull  film  save  possibly  scenes  of 
auto-assembly  and  thrill  shots  of  Speedway 
races.  Mechanic-inventor  hero  snarls  and 
sulks  througho-.it,  hardly  d  serving  ts  win 
miM,  patient  little  heroine  from  sportsman- 
like rival.  6  9-35 
(A)  Pcor          (Y)  Perhaps          (C)  If  it  interests 

Spendthrift  (Henry  Fonda,  Pat  Paterson) 
( Para. )  Romance,  riches,  race-horses.  Young 
millionaire  spends  himself  penniless  (  !),  mar- 
ries a  gold-digger,  but  crotchety  uncle,  a  horss 
and  the  heroine  save  ail.  Incredible  in  spots, 
but  vivid  human  touches  and  real  character 
interest  compensate  considerably.  7-21-36 

(A)  Fairly    good  (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Fair 

Star  for  a  Night  (Jane  Darwell)  (Fox)  Ap- 
pealing, unpretentious,  realistic  comedy  of  an 
adorable,  blind  German  mother  whose  three 
children  come  to  America  and  lie  to  her  about 
success.  She  comes  over,  regains  sight,  and 
restores  sanity  to  a  I.  Jane  Darwell  makes 
the  picture.  9-1-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Good  (C)  Fair 

Suzy  (Harlow,  Tone.  Grant)  (MGM)  Good 
"box-office",  combining  war-spy  thrill  and  Bexy 
romance  deftly  avoiding  the  risque  and  of- 
fensive. Innocently  bigamous  heroine  leaves 
°*>cond  husband,  a  crass  philanderer,  for  first 
found  still  alive.  Finely  subdued  background 
music,   at  last!  7-28-36 

(A)  Good  cf  kind  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Swing  Time  (Ginger  Rogers,  Fred  Astaire) 
(RKO)  Lively,  frothy,  musical  comedy  lavishly 
produced,  with  striding  settings  and  dance  ef- 
fects. Nonsensical,  weak  story,  featuring  whole- 
tome  romance  of  d  ince  team,  but  Astaire's 
personality  and  dancing  more  than  compen- 
sate. Delightful  cjmedy  roles.  9-8-36 
(A)  Very  good            (Y)  Very  good            (C)  Good 

Texas  Rangers  (MacMurray,  Oakie,  Nolan) 
( Para. )  Skilfully  glorified  western  offered  as 
"epic  of  1883".  Large  scale  thrills.  Indian  bat- 
tles, and  much  about  noble  service  of  Rangers. 
Hero,  one  of  three  bandit  pals,  joins  Rangers 
t")  get  pal  tips  on  robberies — but  reforms  in 
time  for  moral   ending.  9-1-36 

(A)Dep.  on  taste     (Y)Gd.  of  kind     (C)Very  exc. 

Three  Cheers  for  Love  (Eleanor  Whitney. 
Robt.  Cummings )  ( Para. )  Preposterous  stuff. 
conc?ct3d  to  display  Miss  Whitney's  excellent 
tap  dancing.  Stranded  show  troupe  invades 
private  school,  pose  as  faculty  and  students  in 
scheme  to  sell  musical  play  to  film  producer. 
Inane  comedy  int3rludes.  8-18-36 

(A)  Poor  (Y)  Prob.  harmless  (C)  No 


Three  Wise  Guys  (Robert  Young,  Betty  Fur- 
ness)  (MGM)  Lively  hodge-podge  about  great 
wealth  and  no  sense.  Engaging,  money-fling- 
ing hero  is  target  for  three  crooks  including 
heroine.  Swindle  works,  but  she  spoils  it  by 
marrying  hero.  Father  cuts  him  off,  then  long 
poverty    struggle   to    happy    ending.  8-4-36 

(A)  Dep.  on  taste         (Y)  Not  the  best         (C)  No 

To  Mary  —  with  Love  (Baxter,  Loy,  Ian 
Hunter)  (Fox)  Well  acted,  human  and  ap- 
pealing story  of  real  married  love,  seriously 
threatened  by  husband's  weakness  under  mis- 
fortune, saved  by  wife's  devotion,  and  finally 
adjusted  by  loyal  friend  (notably  played  by 
Hunter).  Regrettable  but  minor  naws.  B-il-oo 
(A)    Very  good        (Y)    Very  mature        (C)   No 

Trapped  by  Television  (Mary  Astor,  Lyle 
Talbot)  (Col.)  Harmless  little  thriller,  none 
too  skilfully  done  and  rather  (fraggy  at 
times,  about  struggles  of  hero  and  heroine 
to  put  over  his  really  good  television  inven- 
tion. Crook-climax  exciting  and  a  bit  rough, 
but  satisfying,  7-21-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Possibly 

Treachery  Rides  th  ?  Range  ( Dick  Foran, 
Monte  Blue)  (Warner)  Typical  western,  but 
Indian  life  background  has  some  historical 
value.  Indians  starving,  seeing  their  buffaloes 
destroyed  and  treaty  disregarded  by  whites, 
break  out  savagely.  Rather  sympathetic  treat- 
ment of  the  Indians.  7-14-36 
(A)  Hardly      (Y)  Prob.  good      (C)  Very  exciting 

Trouble  for  Tw3  (R.  Montgomery,  R.  Rus- 
sell) (MGM)  Retains  much  of  earie  mystery 
and  thrill  of  Stevenson's  "Suicide  C  ub".  In- 
cognito prince,  pursued  to  London  by  his 
scorned  fiancee,  is  tested  by  weird  perils  till 
she  knows  his  courage.  Finely  act.d,  spoken 
and  directed,  6-9-36 

(A)  Good  (Y>  Good  (C)  Little  interest 

Two  Against  the  World  (Humphrey  Bogart, 
Helen  MacKellar)  (Warner)  Strong  indictment 
of  supposed  radio  broadcasting  company,  ruth- 
less from  greed,  bringing  heartache  and  trag- 
edy by  inhuman  publicity  of  the  buried  past. 
Grim,  tense,  depressing,  but  largely  appeal- 
ing. 8-4-36 
(A)    Strong         (Y)    Doubtful   value         (C)    No 

Two  in  Revolt  (John  Arledge,  Louise  Lati- 
mer) (RKO)  Very  appealing  film  with  amaz- 
ing acting  by  horse  and  dog,  warm  friends 
from  birth.  Fine  life  on  ranch  until  dra- 
matically separated.  Thrilling  reunion,  delight- 
ful climax.  Genuine  human  values,  with  boy 
and  girl  romance  wholesome  and  logical.  6-23-36 
(A)    Pleasing       (Y)    Excellent       (C)    Excellent 

Walking  on  Air  (Gene  Raymond.  Ann  Soth- 
ern)  (RKO)  Well  acted,  hilarious  stuff  about 
self-willed  heroine  subdued  by  understanding 
parents  and  engaging,  radio-singing  hero, 
first  hired  by  heroine  to  force  parents  to  let 
her  marry  another.  Amusing,  but  why  hav«» 
Ann   "sing"?  9-1-36 

(A)  Good  (Y)  Very  good  (C)  Perhaps 

We  Are  from  Krcnstadt  (Russian,  English 
titles)  (Amkir.o)  War  story  without  propa- 
ganda, free  of  slow  tempo  and  endless  close- 
ups.  Has  swe:p  and  vigor,  some  grim  cruel- 
ties, and  striking  photography.  But  the  "war- 
fare" is  ridicubus  with  naive  absurdities  and 
unintentional  comedy.  6-9-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

We  Went  to  College  (Hugh  Herbert,  Una 
Merkel.  C.  Butterworth)  (MGM)  Silly  concoc- 
tion satirizing  return  of  old  grads  for  college 
homecoming.  Burlesqued  characters,  much 
drinking,  hilarity  and  main  "plot"  the  amorous 
but  futile  efforts  of  bored  wife  of  dean  to  re- 
interest  happily -married  old  flame.  7-21-36 
(A)  Hardly                      (Y)  Poor  (C)  No 

White  Angel,  The  (Kay  Francis,  Ian  Hunter) 
(Warner)  Florence  Nightingale's  heroic  service 
to  nursing  well  filmed,  but  inferior  to  "Louis 
Pasteur"  in  variety,  humor,  range  of  human 
interest.  Kay  Francis  falls  short  of  Muni's 
power.  Misses  high  values  by  omitting  fore- 
shadowng  scenes  from  her  early  life.  6-30-36 
(A)  Good  (Y)  Good  (C)  Beyond  them 

White  Fang  (Michael  Whalen.  Jean  Muir) 
(Fox)  Alaskan  thriller,  with  dark  doings  over 
a  gold  mine,  heavy  villainy,  hero  narrowly  es- 
capes hanging,  et-.  Neither  hero  nor  heroin? 
impressive,  but  W  nninger  and  Summerville 
have  really  funny  roles.  The  dog.  White  Fang, 
dots   his  job   we  1.  7  14-36 

(Ai  Dep.  on  taste    (Y)  Fairly  good    (C)  Perhaps 

Yours  for  the  Asking  (Geo.  Raft,  Dolores  Cos- 
tcllo)  (Para.)  Penniless,  cultured  heroine  and 
crud?,  square-shooting  gambler-hero  become 
partners  in  Casino.  Tough-mug  henchmen  resent 
hero's  desire  to  be  "high-class",  plot  vainly  to 
break  alliance,  ending  indicating  true  romance. 
Far-fetched  and  farcical.  8-18-36 

(A)  Perhapj  (Yj  Very  doubtful  (C)  No 


Page  218 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


Wilson  Bulletin  for  Librarians  ( 10 :637-9,  June  '36) 
"Puppets  in  the   Library",  by  Silowa  H.  Andrew. 

Those  wishing  a  concise  account  of  the  educational 
advantages  of  puppetry  since  its  origin  in  the  shadow- 
plays  of  China,  will  do  well  to  consult  this  presentation. 
The  Lackawanna  Public  Library  has  a  girls'  club  to 
further  the  purposes  of  young  people's  reading  by  vital- 
izing the  books  of  the  library  through  miniature  actors. 
The  club  looks  forward  to  having  a  room  for  the  exclu- 
sive use  of  youngsters  in  their  teens.  The  Hamburg  Pup- 
pet Guild,  Hamburg,  N.  Y.,  has  a  stage  which  may  be 
set  on  a  large  table  and  pup])ets,  all  of  which  it  will 
loan  to  libraries.  The  exhibit  may  be  kept  for  two 
weeks  with  a  charge  of  transportation  only  and  a 
"wear  and  tear"  charge  of  $2.00. 

Minnesota  Journal  of  Education  (16:306  et  al. 
May  '36)  "Building  a  Visual  Education  Program", 
by  Harold  C.  Bauer. 

Successful  ex]ierience  with  a  visual  program  in  a 
school  system  of  less  than  five  hundred  pupils  will  be 
of  interest  to  many  who  may  have  thought  that  they 
were  without  the  charmed  circle.  Expenditures  for 
equipment  need  not  exceed  $250.  "An  additional  ex- 
penditure of  $75.  per  annum  for  rental  and  carriage 
charges  should  prove  sufficient  for  schools  with  en- 
rollment up  to  750  pupils." 

The  author  holds  that  the  most  efTective  presentation 
of  a  film  is  a  Continuous  run  first,  then  a  second  run 
with  frequent  stops  for  stills  and  discussion.  The 
results  of  tests  administered  to  control  groups  revealed 
an  average  improvement  of  14  percent  in  general 
science. 

Sight  and  Sound  (5:6-9,  Spring  '36)  "The  New 
Visual  Culture"  by  Lancelot  Hogben. 

A  review  is  presented  of  two  books  "The  Docu- 
mentary Film"  and  "The  Cinema  Today",  by  Paul 
Rotha  and  John  Greirson,  respectively.  Rotha 
holds  that  no  civilization  that  can  devise  new 
instruments  for  the  enlargement  of  human  under- 
standing can  perish.  Radio  and  the  cinema,  jointly 
or  separately,  represent  the  greatest  innovations  in 
instructional  methods  since  the  printing  press.  The 
cinema  will  be  the  university  of  the  future  in  case 
civilization  survives.  Both  authors  are  primarily  con- 
cerned in  bringing  "the  new  world  of  our  citizenship 
into  imagination".  We  may  save  the  day  if  social 
imagination  may  be  quickened. 

"Scissors  Make  Films",  by  Lotte  Reiniger.  This  is 
the  story  of  the  production  of  "Prince  Achmed"  and 
similar  silhouette  films,  which  seem  to  show  a  rare 
sense  of  movement.  The  figures  are  cut  out  of  black- 
cardboard  and  thin  lead,  the  backgrovmds  are  cut 
from  layers  of  thin  transparent  paper.  The  synchro- 
nization between   sight  and   sound   is   well   explained. 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


The  School  Executive  (55:  330-31,  May  '36) 
"Equipment  for  Teaching  Geography ',  by  Vera  E. 
Rigdon  and  Frank  E.  Sorenson. 

In  analyzing  the  factors  to  be  considered  in  se- 
lecting equipment  for  geography,  the  textbook, 
globe,  maps,  atlas,  visual  aids,  instruments  and  dis- 
play cabinets  are  treated.  Every  person  having 
anything  to  do  with  the  ])urchase  of  textbooks 
should  be  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  criteria  for 
selection  here  given.  "The  globe  is  the  only  map  of 
the  world  which  is  true  in  every  respect."  For 
practical  purj^oses,  a  sixteen  inch  globe  is  recom- 
mended, but  the  article  is  illuminated  by  a  print 
of  a  30-foot  relief  globe  set  up  in  a  school  play- 
ground in  Paris.  A  spiral  ramp  with  very  gradual 
elevation  affords  proximity  to  every  country  of  the 
world.  A  list  is  included  of  recommended  wall 
maps.  .  .  .  Pictures  occupy  approximately  20%  of 
the  space  in  some  of  the  modern  elementary  text- 
books. Is  it  not  advisable  that  pictures  outside  of 
textbooks  also  be  used  wherein  they  can  supple- 
ment textual  materials?  These  mav  be  in  the  form 
of  lantern  slides,  motion  picture  films,  or  mere 
prints.  Only  pictures  with  high  geographic  qual- 
ity should  be  chosen. 

The  Journal  of  Geography  (35 :  194-99,  May  '36) 
"Devices  to  Create  Interest  in  Geography",  by 
Lucy  M.  Smith. 

Very  excellent  ideas  on  project  maps,  which 
have  been  used  successfully,  are  described.  A 
sixth  grade  travel  tour  with  places  located  and  also 
pictorially  presented  on  charts  by  the  pupils  has 
the  rather  unique  advantage,  which  projected  pic- 
tures have,  of  limiting  the  attention  to  the  objects 
of  immediate  interest. 

School  Arts  (35:527-31,  Apr.  '36)  "Cartooning 
Finds  a  Place  in  the  Sun",  by  Harriet  Weaver. 

The  requisite  qualities  of  a  cartoonist  are  analyzed 
and  the  application  of  the  art  to  over-energetic  boys  is 
described. 

"Visual  Education  is  Great — What  is  Next?",  an 
editorial  by  Pedro  J.  Lemos.  After  a  caution  as  to 
temperance  in  the  use  of  any  new  phase  of  work  in 
the  classroom,  the  advantages  of  travel  are  stressed 
for  the  art  teacher.  The  mental  enrichment  thereby 
does  not  depreciate  through  depressions.  "The  next 
thing  is  to  set  all  this  information  received  by  applying 
it  to  some  project,  personally  integrating  it  to  our  own 
lives  so  that  our  contact  will  be  practically  beneficial." 


ept  ember,  1936 


Page  219 


jok  Review: 

A  Motion  Picturk  Edition  of  Komeo  and  Juliet. 
published  by  Random  House,  Inc.,  New  York  City, 
pp.  $2.00. 

;HE  EDUCATIONAL  field  should,  and  does,  extend 
'  its  sincerest  praise  and  congratulations  to  Metro- 
^oldwyn-Mayer  on  their  splendid  production  of  Romeo 
id  Juliet,  with  purely  Shakespearian  dialog  and  beau- 
tful  musical  accomjianiment,  for  the  screens  of  the 
forld.  Of  almost  equal  significance,  in  certain  respects, 
the  appearance  of  the  above  book,  published  ex- 
ressly  to  accom]5any  the  film.  Quite  apart  from  its 
robably  intended  value  as  a  "publicity"  move  to  boost 
still  further  the  ])icture's  boxoffice  returns,  this  book 
deserves  and  will  receive  respectful  and  interested  con- 
■deration  from  the  educational  field.  It  will  repay 
luch  study  and  analysis,  not  only  for  its  revelation  of 
how  the  screen  has  at  last  done  justice  to  Shakespeare, 
but  as  notable  documentary  ])roof  of  the  progress  of 
moviedom  toward  high  artistic  levels. 

It  is  a  handsome  piece  of  book-making  in  layout, 
ty])ography  and  binding,  done  by  Random  Hou,se  in 
collaboration  with  Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.  It  presents 
the  complete  original  text  of  the  play  from  the  First 
Folio  Edition,  printed  in  verse  form  on  the  right-hand 
column  of  page,  the  left-hand  column  reserved  for 
headings  and  stage  directions  only.  Then  follows, 
printed  in  like  style,  the  text  of  dialog  actually  spoken 
in  tile  picture  but  set  in  prose  form,  suggesting  the 
"natural  speech"  which  is  the  aim  and  charm  of  the 
speaking  screen ;  the  left-hand  column  gives  the  full 
continuity,  scene  by  scene,  details  of  pageantry,  sets, 
and  "business",  together  with  notations  on  the  few 
changes  and  variations  made  from  the  original,  with 
reasons  for  same.  The  book  contains  also  brief  articles 
by  various  persons  concerned  in  the  production,  some 
of  po])ular  interest  but  much  of  authoritative,  critical 
and  historical  value.  Included  likewise  is  the  complete 
"Preliminary  Guide"  which  is  furnished  in  pamphlet 
form  to  schools,  at  nominal  cost,  for  use  in  the  study 
and  appreciation  of  the  picture. 

However  numerous  the  occasions  given  by  the  in- 
dustry in  the  past  to  doubt  its  honesty  of  artistic  pur- 
pose, this  book  will  go  far  to  dispel  such  doubt.  Here 
is  the  whole  story  of  what  has  been  done  with  an  out- 
standing classic  of  dramatic  literature.  Here  is  the 
evidence — ])rinted  frankly  and  completely  for  every 
critical  and  scholarly  eye  that  cares  to  see  it — that  a 
Shakespeare  play  has  been  treated  reverently,  sincerely, 
artistically,  and  with  superb  eflfectiveness  for  the  mod- 
ern audience.  Every  word  spoken  in  the  picture  is 
Shakespeare's  own.  Re-spelling  of  archaisms,  omission 
of  dialog,  transposition  of  scenes,  picturizations  of 
narratives  and  of  15th  Century  Italian  life  which 
Shakespeare  visioned  but  could  not  stage — all  these  are 
not  only  justified  but  enhance  the  great  original  for 
presentation  through  a  new  and  utterly  diiiferent  me- 
dium to  the  eyes  and  ears  of  our  day. 

Perhaps  the  highest  significance  of  the  book  lies 
here.  It  is  practically  a  concrete  epitome  of  the  ele- 
ments that  distinguished  the  techniques  of  the  16th 
Century  stage  and  the  20th  Century  screen.  The  pic- 
ture's dialog  comprises  about  46%  of  the  original  text. 
The  54%  omitted  will  be  found  upon  analysis  to  con- 
sist chiefly  of  material  beloved  by  the  Elizabethan 
audience  but  more  or  less  foreign  to  modern  taste  in 
theatre  and  to  the  modern  concept  of  true  dramatic 
content.  Omissions  are  largely  of  elements  that  hamper 


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the  dramatic  flow,  such  as  (1)  much  of  the  low  com- 
edy prevalent  in  all  Elizabethan  drama,  (2)  frequent 
poetic  passages  not  furthering  the  action,  written  and 
enjoyed  for  their  sheer  poetic  value,  and  (3)  long  nar- 
ratives of  off-stage  or  inter-act  events  that  could  not 
be  shown  because  of  limitations  of  the  stage  (which 
are  picturized  in  the  film,  making  the  narrative  needless) . 
Shakespeare's  five  acts,  twenty-four  scenes,  and  two 
prologues,  have  become  262  consecutive  scenes  beauti- 
fully designed  to  transfer  the  cumbrous  stage  sequences 
into  the  smooth  continuity  of  the  new  technique  with- 
out loss  or  deformation  of  the  great  original.  Every 
modification,  however  slight,  has  been  made  with  schol- 
arly caution,  in  strict  harmony  with  the  proven  prin- 
ciples of  technique  in  a  mightier  medium,  making 
Romeo  and  Juliet  of  still  wMder  general  appeal  in  this 
day  and  age  and  to  the  vaster  audiences  that  the  screen 
commands.  The  picture  and  the  book  deserve  unlimited 
success.  The  educational  field  should  do  its  utmost  to 
give  them  that  success.  N.  L.  G. 

Increasing  The  Use  of  Film  Slides 

(Concluded  from  page  207) 

a  film  slide  projector  is  the  question,  "Can  good 
rolls  of  films  be  obtained?"  Certainly  there  are  far 
too  many  poor  series  in  the  field  of  the  biological 
sciences!  Some  of  the  series  are  antiquated  while 
others  with  good  subjects  are  too  poor  in  density 
for  projection  purposes  so  that  students  wonder 
whether  there  really  is  supposed  to  be  something 
in  the  fog  on  the  screen.  It  is  quite  possible  that 
these  old  poor  films  which  are  still  obtainable  have 
been  directly  responsible  for  the  general  neglect 
of  still  films.  Expansion  of  the  automobile  indus- 
try came  as  a  result  of  more  and  better  roads.  Simi- 
larly, the  increased  use  of  film  slide  projectors  is 
dependent  upon  excellence  in  film  slide  material. 
At  present,  the  largest  single  source  of  film  slide 
material  on  all  subjects  is  the  Society  for  Visual 
Education,  Chicago,  which  handles  not  only  the 
film-slide  projector  known  as  the  Picturol,  but  also 
rolls  from  nearly  all  producers  of  film-strip  material 
in  the  country. 

The  author  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Irwin  F.  Weiss,  a 
student   in   this   department,    for   the   drawings    used,. 


Page  220 


The  Educational  Screen 


News  and  Notes 


Summer  Conferences  on  Visual  Education 

A  Second  Annual  Conference  on  "X'isual  and 
Auditory  Instruction"  at  the  University  of  Illinois 
was  held  this  summer  in  Urbana  on  June  24  and  25. 
Many  speakers  prominent  in  the  visual  field  ap- 
peared on  the  program.  Among  them  were  Edgar 
Dale,  J.  E.  Hansen,  L.  W.  Cochran,  E.  C.  Wag- 
goner, R.  E.  Stutz,  Louis  A.  Astell,  Alvin  R.  Rob- 
erts, Cline  M.  Koon,  and  Russell  T.  Gregg.  All 
phases  of  visual  instruction  were  covered — lantern 
slides,  motion  pictures,  selection  and  care  of  equip- 
ment, administration  of  visual  aids,  and  other  prob- 
lems. Mr.  Koon  reported  on  The  National  Visual 
Instruction  Survey  and  Mr.  Dale  on  the  American 

Film  Institute. 

+         *         * 

Kent  State  University  conducted  its  first  summer 
conference  on  "Radio  and  Visual  Aids  in  Educa- 
tion" at  Kent,  Ohio,  July  8  and  9,  1936  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  Payne  Fund.  Subjects  discussed  at 
the  four  sessions  were :  Radio  and  Education,  Using 
the  Motion  Picture  in  Teaching,  Using  Visual  Aids 
in  Teaching  (included  maps,  graphs,  slides  and 
stereographs),  and  Sources  of  Visual  Materials.  At 
this  last  session  Mr.  B.  A.  Aughinbaugh  described 
the    service    of    the    State    Department    of    Visual 

Education. 

*         *         * 

Another  stimulating  two-day  discussion  of  "Radio 
and  Visual  Education"  was  held  July  22  and  23  at 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus.  The  conference 
opened  with  a  panel  discussion  by  students  from 
University  School  on  "Youth  Looks  at  Radio  and 
Motion  Pictures,"  which  was  followed  by  Dr.  Dale's 
address,  "Teaching  Discrimination  in  Radio  and 
Motion  Pictures."  Members  of  the  University 
faculty  projected  educational  motion  pictures,  dis- 
cussing their  use  in  progressive  teaching  and  the 
technical  problems  involved.  Russell  T.  Gregg, 
University  of  Illinois,  and  W.  M.  Gregory,  Cleve- 
land Educational  Museum,  were  also  on  the  ]iro- 
gram. 

Visual  Education  as  Commencement  Theme 

A  unique  departure  from  the  usual  type  of  gradu- 
ation exercises  was  the  commencement  program  last 
June  of  the  Cochran  Junior  High  School,  Johns- 
town, Pennsylvania.  In  these  exercises  motion  pic- 
tures played  a  leading  part,  in  recognition  of  the 
importance  of  the  sound  motion  picture  and  radio 
in  the  education  picture  of  today.  Several  student  talks 
were  given  on  the  theme  of  the  program,  "A  New- 
Technique  in  Education  through  Sound  and  I'ilin." 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN 

and  four  different  types  of  motion  pictures  were 
shown  after  each  talk  to  illustrate  the  value  of  each 
type  in  modern  education. 

A  Visual  Aids  Bibliography 

A  valuable  little  12-page  biliography  (No.  34), 
Good  References  on  Pictures,  Maps,  Charts,  Etc.,  as 
Classroom  Aids  has  just  reached  us  from  the  U.  S. 
Office  of  Education.  Compiled  by  Ellsworth  C.  Dent, 
Chief  of  the  Division  of  Motion  Pictures,  Department 
of  the  Interior,  and  Martha  R.  McCabe,  Assistant 
Librarian,  Office  of  Education,  the  pamphlet  supplies 
information  regarding  visual  aids  in  education  —  the 
particular  types  concerned  being  pictures,  maps,  charts, 
globes,  and  blackboards  —  and  suggests  a  few  sources 
where  supplies  may  be  secured  free  or  at  small  cost. 

The  Bibliography  Series  includes  a  similar  collec- 
tion of  "Good  References"  on  lantern  slides  and  film 
strips,  also  compiled  by  Mr.  Dent  and  Miss  McCabe. 
These  publications  may  be  had  free  of  charge  upon 
application  to  the  United  States  Commissioner  of 
Education. 

Critical  Discussion  of  Photoplays 
at  NEA  Convention 

One  of  the  highlights  of  the  annual  convention 
of  the  Department  of  Secondary  Education  of  the 
National  Education  Association  at  Portland,  Ore- 
gon, on  July  1,  was  the  demonstration  of  critical 
discussion  of  current  photoplays  by  a  class  of  pro- 
gressive high-school  students.  For  such  purposes 
of  discussion  the  Department  presented  an  educa- 
tional preview  of  a  new  screen  biography  of 
Shakespeare,  including  the  balcony  scene  from 
"Romeo  and  Juliet".  The  program  also  included 
an  issue  of  "The  March  of  Time"  presenting  both 
sides  of  a  current  controversial  problem,  as  well  as 
a  film  that  is  considered  an  outstanding  example 
of  the  new  British  "documentary"  type  of  photo- 
play, "The  Face  of  Britain',  made  by  Paul  Rotha 
for  the  Gaumont-British  company. 

A  representative  group  of  forty  high-school  boys 
and  girls  of  Portland  discussed  these  three  films  as 
cultural  and  social  instruments.  The  students  were 
led  in  their  discussions  by  Miss  Fannie  L.  Barber, 
teacher  of  photoplay  appreciation  in  the  Washing- 
ton High  School  at  Portland,  and  by  Dr.  William: 
Lewin,  chairman  of  the  motion  picture  committee 
of  the  Department  of  Secondary  Education.  Dr. 
Lewin,  who  is  a  member  of  the  Weequahic  High 
School  faculty  at  Newark,  New  Jersey,  supervised 
the  project  for  the  Department. 


September,  19}  6 


m  md^/U!^^  7^^^ 


FROM  DENVER 


lOO^ 


A  control  board  similar  to  that  shown 
below  was  installed  and  utilized  to  reach 
75  classrooms  in  the  West  High  School. 


Excerpts  shown  above  are  from  one  of  many  letters  in  our  files  pay- 
ing tribute  to  RCA's  School  Sound  Systems.  This  excellent  equip- 
ment meets  with  instant  approval  wherever  it  is  installed,  and  every 
day  it  becomes  more  valuable,  more  useful,  to  principals,  teachers 
and  students  throughout  the  nation.  Write  for  free  information. 


Page  222 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Department 


Film  Comprehension  Test 

(On  The  Eastman  Teaching  Film  "Wheat") 
(Concluded  from  June  issue  School  Department) 

AS  STATED  in  the  June  article,  these  "film  tests" 
were  developed  for  use  in  testing  approximately 
2000  pupils  of  dififerent  age,  grade  and  intelligence 
levels,  for  the  purpose  of  comparing  these  different 
groups  regarding  their  comprehension  of  educational 
films.  The  experiments  were  the  basis  of  the  writer's 
Ph.D.  thesis  entitled,  "The  Relationship  between  Ac- 
quired Information  or  Knowledge  obtained  from  Edu- 
cational Motion  Picture  Film  to  the  Intelligence,  Age, 
Grade  and  Type  of  Pupil". 

The  tests  were  composed  after  presenting  the  film  to 
several  groups  of  teachers,  each  of  whom  submitted  as 
many  questions  as  possible.  These  questions  were 
analyzed,  a  preliminary  test  of  60  questions  made,  and 
given  to  some  200  pupils  in  grades  2  to  8.  Results 
were  again  analyzed  and  from  the  data  the  present 
tests  were  finally  prepared. 

Instructions;  Draw  a  line  under  the  right  word  or  group  of  words 
after  each  question  and  place  its  number  in  parentheses  at  end  of 
dotted  line.  There  is  only  one  right  answer  to  each  question,  so  d3 
not  underline  more  than  one  answer. 


Bass  says: 


"Here's  a 
SOUND  Cam- 
era at  the  price 
of  a  silent 
camera." 

This  $3  50 

RCA 

16mni 

SOUND 

Camera 


210 


SOUND 
Projector 

Bass   handles  them   all. 

•  RCA    VICTOR 

•  BELL    &    HOWELL 

•  VICTOR    ANIMATO 
PHONE 

•  AMPRO. 

Write  for  quotaftons. 


This  News  Model  —  ready  to  use. 
Turret  Front  with  built  in  Microphone 
and  3  dry  cells.  Studio  attachment  and 
microscope  extra  $150. 
Bass  as  sole  distributor  for  sales  and 
service  offers  SCHOOLS  a  40%  savings 
from  former  price  .  .  .  now  .  .  .  take 
and  project  SOUND  pictures.  Write 
for  free  descriptive  literature. 


Dept.  E,   179  W.  Madison  Street 

Chicago,   III. 

Camera  Headquarters  for 

Tourists 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudson.  N.  Y. 


1.  Wheat  is  grown   in  the  United  States  in? 

1  certain  small  parts      2  a  few  states 

3  a  large  part      4  only  the  south 

2.  The  hand  cutting  of  wheat  was  done  by? 

1  men      2  women  and  men      3  women 

4  women  and  children 

3.  The  spring  wheat  belt  is  located  in  the? 

1  south      2  north       3  east       4  west 

4.  Plowing  was  at  first  done  by? 

1  gasoline  engines      2  men  with  shovels 

3  tractors      4  horses  and  hand  plows 

5.  The  winter  wheat  belt  is  located  in  the? 

1  southern  states      2  central  states 

3  eastern  states       4  northern  states 

6.  The  wheat  grain  was  at  first  taken  from  the  wheat  by? 

1  picking  it  off  by  hand      2  walking  on  it 

3  beating  with  a  stick    4  cutting  it  off  with  a  knife. 

7.  The  seeds  were  at  first  planted  by? 

1  horse  and  machines        2  hand  scattering  the  seed 

3  digging  holes  by  hand      4  using  a  hoe 

8.  The  dirt  or  chaflf  was  taken  from  the  wheat  by? 

1  picking  out  the  wheat  grain  by  hand  2  putting 
it  through  a  sieve  3  dumping  it  from  a  pail  held 
up  about  3  feet      4  putting  it  in  water 

9.  Wheat  is  shipped  from  the  elevators  by  ? 

1  horse  back      2  wagon      3  box  cars       4  auto 

10.  Wheat  is  placed  or  stored  in? 

1  large  boxes      2  tank      3  bags 

4  tall  buildings  called  elevators 

11.  The  wheat  grain  is  put  in  the  boats? 

1  loose      2  in  boxes      3  in  bags      4  in  tanks 

12.  On  the  old  farms  those  who  did  the  work  were? 

1  only  women      2  only  men      3  men  and  women 
4    only    children 

13.  The  hand  cut  wheat  was  tied  into  bundles  by? 

1  men      2  women      3  men  and  women      4  boys 

14.  The  bundles  were  tied  with? 

1  cord      2  wire      3  paper  strips 

4  strands   of  wheat   straw 

15.  On  the  old  farms  the  wheat  bundles  were  carried 
away  by  ? 

1  men  and  boys    2  w-agons    3  horse  back    4  autos. 

16.  The  wagon  following  the  large  combine  reaper  and 
thresher  is  to  get  the? 

1  wheat  grain      2  straw      3  chaflf  or  dirt      4  grass. 

17.  In  threshing  the  bundles  of  wheat  are  fed  to  the 
machine? 

1  by  the  truck  load      2  opening  each  bundle 

3  one  bundle  at  a  time      4  part  of  a  bundle 

18.  In  planting  wheat  on  the  old  farms  the  ground  was  ? 

1  dug  with  a  shovel      2  plowed  with  a  horse  and 
hand  plow    3  plowed  by  tractor      4  not  prepared. 

19.  The  paddles  on  the  large  harvester  are  to? 

1  cool  the  machine      2  keep  flies  off      3  to  balance 
the  machine      4  push  the  wheat  against  the 
knives   of  the   machine 

20.  The  large  storage  elevators  are  located? 

1  far  from  the  roads      2  near  the  water 

3  in  the  wheat  field       4  by  the  farm  house 


i 


'fptetnber,  I9S6 


Page  223 


USEES  ALL-PLAYS  ALLI 
niversaL 

THE  PROFESSIONAL 
SOUND   PROJECTOR   16MM 

I  For  Audiences  50  to  2000 


ONCE  It  may  have  been  necessary  to  pay  a  lot  of 
money  to  get  all  the  things  you  wanted  in  a  sound 
projector.    ONCE  —  but  not  any  more. 

TODAY,  you  can  buy  a  Universal  Sound  Projector, 
and  at  a  low  price  have  all  the  advantages  of  a 
Professional  Sound  Projector.  Universal  has  set  a 
new  standard  for  picture  and  Sound  Performance. 


Make  Your  Own 
"Side    By    Side"    Test 

See  and  hear  the  Universal  side  by  side 
with  any  other  sound  projector  at  any 
price.  Compare  the  brilliancy  of  picture 
and  quality  of  sound.  The  Result?  We 
can't  describe  it.  We  can  only  urge  you 
to  make  thij  test  for  yourself^ — Universal 
"Side  by  Side"  with  any  other  sound 
projector. 

All  You  Want  Is  Here  — 

Think  over  the  things  you  want  most  in 
ji  16  M.  M.  Sound  Projector.  In  Uni- 
versal you  enjoy  record  breaking  tone 
t(uality  and  brilliancy  in  screen  image. 
P^conomy  is  the  boast  of  every  Universal 
(»wner.  Compare  prices  and  values. 
You  will  then  understand  why  Universal 
excels. 


Low  Cost  — 

In  Universal  you 
find  a  new  kind  of 
performance  plus 
operating  economy 
at    lowest    cost. 


WITH    500-750-1000    WATT    PROJECTOR    LAMP 
ACCOMMODATES    ALL    SIZE     REELS 


liHlLLlAXT  PICTURE  — At  vari- 
ons  (listatu'cs  and  all  sizes.  Uni- 
versal with  its  fine  Lens  eauipment 
and  hiKh  powtred  lamps  aftords  lUi- 
■■xcellcd  (letliiition  to  iiictures. 


IX)1{  AUIUKXCKR  TO  2000  —  Uni- 
viMsal  AniDlifler  wllh  its  Speaker  is 
of  auditoiitnn  t,vi>e.  .\m|)Ie  power 
Tor  larye  and  small  showings. 


ALL-METAL  CASK  —  The  Sound 
Projector  is  housed  in  an  all-metal 
case  niakinjr  for  rifiidity  in  opera- 
lion  and  flexibility  in  transporta- 
tion. I)esij;tied  for  liard,  inntinued 
usage. 


TRUE  TONE  QUALITY  —  In  Uni- 
versal every  sound  is  produeed  with 
accurate  fidelity  with  colorful  and 
pleasinK  definition. 


SOUND  OH  SILENT   PICTUUES— 

Projector  equipped  with  I'niversal 
A.  U.  -  D.  0.  Motor.  GOVERNOR 
CONTROL  for  regulation  of  vari- 
ous   speeds. 


COMPLETE    EQUir 

irENT  — Sound  Projector 
—  Amplifier  —  Speaker  — 
Tuhts —Connect  ions^Ktr. 
irranged  In  2  Handj-  Car- 
rying Cases  —  Simple  to 
erect  —  Eaay    to    operate. 


A 


Complcfe  Details  On  Request 

UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 


Manufacturers  of   16  mm.  -  35  mm.  Sound   Projectors 

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foro. 


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OF  all  the  microscope  feotures  which  moke 
it  easier  for  the  student  to  study  gross 
subjects  under  the  microscope,  probably  the 
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image  of  the  ob;ect  exactly  as  the  object  lies  on 
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A  reversed  or  inverted  image 
causes  confusion  in  the  stu- 
dent's mind — an  erect  image 
eliminates  this  confusion  so 
that  his  or  her  mind  may  be 
entirely  devoted  to  the  study 
of  the  subject  under  exami- 
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time,  a  microscope  giving  an 
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prices  on  the  new  Spencer  No. 
61  and  other  student  micro- 
scopes, write  for  Folder  M-70. 
Please  address  Dept.  R-B 


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Page  224 


The  Educational  Screen 


What  the  Eye  Sees, 
the  Mind  Remembers  I 

Learning  Is  a  process  of  fact  retention. 

Things    seen    are    remembered 

long   after  things  heard 

are  forgotten. 


In  teaching  Geography,  Music,  History, 
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Write   to   Universalis   Non-Theatrical  Dz- 
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21.  Farming  on  the  old  farms  was  done  mainly  by? 

1  men  and  simple  machines      2  horse  drawn 
machines      3  gasoline  engines      4  no  machines 
or   horses    

22.  Hand  planting  was  done  by? 

1  digging  a  hole  and  dropping  in  a  seed  2  scat- 
terring  with  a  shovel  3  dropping  one  seed  at  a 
time      4  scattering  or  throwing  by  the  handful .... 

23.  Hand  cutting  of  the  wheat  was  done  with? 

1  a  scissors       2  a  knife      3  an  axe 

4   a   tool   called   a   scythe   or   cradle 

24.  The  work  done  by  the  women  on  the  old  farms  was? 

1  piling  the  wheat       2  tying  it  into  bundles 

3  cutting  the  wheat      4  putting  the  wheat  on 

the    wagons    

25.  After  doing  work  by  hand  came  the  use  of? 

1  horses      2  tractors      3  motor  driven  machines 

4  electricity    

26.  Horses  are  used  on  large  farms? 

1  only  a  small  number      2  a  great  deal 

3  by  the  hundreds       4  none 

27.  After  using  horses  for  the  work  came  the  use  of? 

1  more  hand  work  again    2  motor  driven  machines 

3  more  women  workers      4  electrical  machines.... 

28.  The  wheat  grain  is  put  in  the  boats  and  box  cars  by? 

1  shoveling      2  pails      3  dumping  from  bags 

4  through   large   pipes   or   tubes 

29.  In  stacking  the  wheat  bundles  they  are  piled  in 
stacks  ? 

1   of  5  to  10      2  of  about  25  or  more 

3  of  one  bundle  alone      4  of  one  large  pile 

30.  The  number  of  horses  needed  to  pull  the  new 
machines  are? 

1  fewer      2  the  same      3  more 

4  twenty  times   as   many 

31.  One  kind  of  wheat  grown  is? 

1   spring      2  summer      3  autumn      4  fall 

32.  Another  kind  of  wheat  grown  is  ? 

1  fall     2  winter      3  summer      4  autumn 

ii.  The  use  of  machines  means? 

1   smaller  farms       2  need  for  more  men 

3  larger  farms       4  use  of  more  women 

34.  Motor  driven  machines? 

1  speed  up  the  work  2  are  slower  than  horses 
3  make  wheat  cost  more      4  require  more  men.... 

35.  After  tlie  wheat  is  separated  from  the  straw  it  is? 

1   put   in  bags       2  ground   into  flour 

3  put  in  boxes      4  put  in  storage  elevator 

36.  The  wheat  is  beaten  to? 

1  make  it  soft      2  cut  the  straw      3  separate 

the  grain  from  the  straw       4  kill   insects 

37.  There  are  two  kinds  of  wheat  because? 

1  we  must  eat  different  kinds  in  summer  and 
winter  2  different  weather  in  different  parts 
of  the  U.  S.      3  one  is  better      4  one  is  cheaper.  . . . 

38.  The  new  way  of  farming  is  better  than  the  old 
because  ? 

1  it  saves  hand  work      2  it  costs  more 

3  it  is   slower       4  it  wastes  more 

39.  Large  machines  are  used  only  on  large  farms 
because? 

1  they  need  many  men      2  they  are  cheap 

3  they  need  a  large  barn  to  place  them 

4  of  the   high   cost 

40.  The  use  of  machines  means? 

1  more  men  needed      2  fewer  men  needed 

3   smaller   farms       4  more   women   workers 


By  ARNOLD  W.  REITZE,  M.A. 

Public  School    II,  Jersey  City,   New  Jersey 


September,  19}  6 


Page  225 


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The  Educational  Screen 


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with  the  infinitely  humorous  Sancho  Panza  as  squire, 
bodyguard  and  retinue  all  in  one.  The  famous  episodes 
follow  fast :  "knighted"  by  traveling  players,  a  tav- 
ern wench  for  his  idealized  "lady",  to  fearsome  en- 
counters with  the  shee]:),  with  the  convicts,  with  the 
incognito  adversary  in  the  duel,  with  the  windmills; 
on  through  heartbreaking  humiliation  to  bitter  failure, 
to  death,  and  immortality. 

Obviously,  for  full  understanding  and  appreciation 
of  such  a  film,  a  teacher's  manual  is  particularly  needed. 
It  is  ready,  available  from  the  Bell  and  Howell  Com- 
j^any,  Chicago,  who  handle  exclusively  the  16nim  dis- 
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N.  L.  G. 

The  Largest  and  Best  DeVry  Conference 

\\"ith  a  total  registration  of  523  and  a  checked 
tendance  of  307  the  National  Conference  on  Visi: 
Education  and  l-'ilm  Exhibition,  held  in  Chicago 
last  week  in  June,  in  jjoint  of  numbers  registered  a 
new  high  for  Visual  Education  gatherings  and  the  pro- 
gram itself  was  a  visual  demonstration  of  the  notable 
progress  made  in  recent  years  in  supplying  audio-  vis- 
ual methods  to  the  teaching  and  advertising  arts. 

Many  of  the  talks  were  accompanied  by  slides  or 
films.  One  of  the  finest  of  these  was  the  slide  lecture 
by  Miss  Amelia  Meissner,  Curator  of  the  St.  Louis 
Educational  Museum,  describing  the  exceptional  work 
of  that  institution.  Supt.  A.  B.  Roberts  of  Gilson,  111.. 
H.  J.  Jones  of  the  Gary  Public  Schools,  and  Dr.  J.  A. 
Hollinger,  Director  of  Visual  Education  in  the  Pitts- 
burgh schools,  used  films  to  illustrate  their  contribution 
to  effective  teaching.  A  unique  demonstration,  giving 
"talkie"  eflfect  to  silent  films,  was  put  on  by  Mr.  -Al- 
bert H.  Goodrich,  Assistant  Principal  of  the  Amund- 
son  High  School,  Chicago. 

Dr.  C.  M.  Koon,  Senior  U.  S.  Government  Specialist 
in  Radio  and  Visual  Education,  used  a  series  of  slides 
to  show  the  new  data  collected  by  his  office  in  a  Na- 
tional Visual  Education  Survey. 

The  services  rendered  to  schools  bv  their  visual  de- 
])artments  were  described  by  H.  L.  Kooser  of  Iowa 
State  College,  Rujiert  Peters,  Director  of  Visual  Edu- 
cation in  the  Kansas  City  schools,  J.  E.  Hansen  of  the 
University  of  Wisconsin,  'and  J.  R.  Patterson,  in 
charge  of  the  slide-film  library  in  the  Chicago  Public 
Library.  R.  \\".  Damron,  Superintendent  of  Schools 
of  Franklin  Park,  111.,  told  of  the  countrv-wide  film 
and  projector  .service  he  has  organized  in  his  county. 
The  administrative  problems  in  visual  education  were 
presented  bv  \\".  J.  Hamilton,  .Suoerintendent  of 
Schools  in  Oak  Park.  III.  Prof.  E.  T.  McSwain  of 
Northwestern  University  discussed  the  integral  part 
visual  aids  have  in  the  elementarv  school  curriculum, 
while  Prof.  Hazelhurst.  also  of  Northwestern,  in  his 
address  showed  that  visual  education  methods  were 
even  more  desirable  in  adult  education  than  in  the 
ordinary  class  room  with  children  of  school  age. 

The  work  of  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 

{Coiicluicd  oil  page  230) 


I 


ept  ember,  19}  6 


Page  227 


I  a 


Modern  Football  Fundamentals" 


Over  200  Classroom  Films 
from  Which  to  Choose 

Geography  History 

Science  Agriculture 

Health  Applied  Art 

Nature  Study  English 

Brief  synopses  of  the  more  than 
200  films  now  available  are  given 
in  the  Descriptive  List  of  Eastman 
Classroom  Films.  This  booklet  is 
a  compendium  of  the  world's 
most  widely  used  instructional 
films.  If  you  do  not  have  a  copy 
in  your  files,  write  for  one  today. 


Directed  by  Coach  Harry  G.  Kipke 

University  of  Michigan 


THOROUGHLY  modern,  produced  to 
help  athletic  departments  teach  a 
better,  safer  brand  of  football,  this  mo- 
tion picture  is  being  used  enthusiasti- 
cally in  scores  of  schools  and  colleges 
throughout  the  country. 

"Modern  Football  Fundamentals," 
directed  by  Harry  G.  Kipke,  Head 
Coach  of  Football  at  the  University  of 
Michigan,  helps  drill  every  man  in  the 
two  big  lessons  he  must  learn .  .  .  indi- 
vidual play  and  team  play. 

Reel  I  deals  with  individual  players 
and  small  groups.  Drills  them  thor- 
oughly in  the  elements  of  defense  and 
offense.  Teaches  them  to  play  their  po- 
sitions with  the  complete  eflfectiveness 


that  transforms  eleven  men  into  a 
smooth,  well-oiled  scoring  unit. 

Reel  II  drills  the  squad  e.\haustively 
in  modern  football  teamwork.  Plan's 
and  formations  are  demonstrated  in  full 
detail  .  in  slow  motion,  stop  motion, 
and  at  normal  speed.  .  .after  which  the 
same  plays  and  formations  are  shown 
in  use,  in  scenes  from  actual  games. 

The  purchase  price... S48  for  the 
two  16  mm.  silent  reels. .  .includes  a 
guide  prepared  under  Coach  Kipke's 
direction,  for  use  with  the  pictures. 
(The  films  are  not  ofifered  on  a  rental 
basis.)  For  detailed  information,  write 
Eastman  Kodak  Company,  Teaching 
Films  Division,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Eastman  Classroom  Films 


Page  228 


The  Educational  Scree 


Among  the  Producers 


RCA  Expands  Educational  Department 

Appointment  of  Ellsworth  C.  Dent,  former  Chief  of 
the  Motion  Picture  Division,  U.  S.  Department  of 
Interior,  as  Director  of  the  RCA  Victor  Educational 
Division,  was  announced  by  Thomas  F.  Jojxe,  Adver- 
tising and  Sales  Promotion  Manager,  under  whose 
supervision  the  educational  department  activities  will 
be  carried  on. 

In  recognition  of  more  than  forty  years  of  distin- 
guished service  in  music  appreciation  work,  twenty- 
five  of  them  with  Victor  and  RCA,  Dr.  Frances  E. 
Clark,  who  pioneered  and  developed  the  idea  of  using 
phonograph  records  for  teaching  music  apprecia- 
tion in  the  schools,  has  been  appointed  Director  Emer- 
itus of  the  RCA  Victor  Educational  Department. 

At  the  same  time  Mr.  Joyce  announced  that  the 
Educational  Department  will  expand  the  scope  of  its 
activities  under  Mr.  Dent,  to  promote  a  more  wide- 
spread application  of  recent  developments  in  the  radio 
and  sound  arts  to  the  problems  of  education.  These 
supplementary  teaching  aids  now  include,  besides 
phonograph  records  for  several  branches  of  teaching, 
sound  motion  picture  projection  equipment ;  slide  film 
projectors ;  centralized  sound  distribution  and  com- 
munications systems,  school  radio  systems  and  special 
books  and  publications  on  music  appreciation. 

Mr.  Dent  brings  to  his  new  duties  a  wealth  of 
specialized  and  general  experience  in  the  educational 
field.  As  Chief  of  the  Division  of  Motion  Pictures,  for 
the  U.  S.  Department  of  Interior,  he  planned,  coordi- 
nated and  directed  the  extensive  motion  picture  and 
other  related  photographic  activities  of  the  Depart- 
ment. Mr.  Dent  was  also  Supervisor  of  the  motion  pic- 
ture activities  of  the  National  Park  Service.  Prior  to 
that  Mr.  Dent  spent  many  years  in  organizing  visual 
instruction  service  for  the  schools  of  the  State  of  Kan- 
sas and  conducting  visual  instruction  courses  and  lec- 
tures at  the  Universities  of  Kansas.  New  Mexico  Nor- 
mal, Brigham  Young  and  Colorado  Agricultural  Col- 
lege and  other  teacher-training  institutions. 

More  Keystone  Geography  Units 

Keystone  View  Company,  Meadville,  announces  the 
addition  of  many  new  units  to  their  Geography  series 
which  are  being  produced  under  the  editorship  of  Zoe 
A.  Thralls,  of  the  University  of  Pittsburgh.  Among 
the  latest  units  are  Mexico,  Central  America  and  the 
West  Indies,  Western  South  America,  and  Eastern 
South  America.  Each  unit  consists  of  25  stereos- 
graphs,  25  lantern  slides,  and  a  teacher's  manual. 

One  of  the  best  aspects  of  the  units  is  the  splendid 
material  provided  by  Miss  Thralls  in  these  manuals, 
which  contain  not  only  excellent  presentation  and  dis- 
cussion material  for  the  use  of  the  stereographs  and 
slides,  individually  and  in  groups,  but  also  splendid 
suggestions  for  suppplementary  activities,  check  tests. 


Where  the  commercial  firms  —  whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field  — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  In  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    Informational     and     news    value     to    our    readers. 

ful  Fall  season  in  the  thirty-seven  years  Central  has 
and  a  complete  bibliography  for  the  subject  matter  of 
the  unit  imder  discussion.  A  sample  copy  manual  will 
be  sent  free  upon  request. 


I 


New  Gutlohn  Division 

A  new  division  has  been  created  by  Walter  O.  Gut- 
lohn, Inc.,  New  York  City,  under  the  direction  of 
Harry  A.  Kapit,  for  the  distribution  of  a  specially 
designed  16mm  sound-on-film  projector  under  their 
own  trade  mark.  It  is  the  plan  of  this  new  division 
to  make  available  projectors  and  film  programs  on  a 
weekly  or  monthly  rental  basis  with  the  privilege  of 
applying  the  rental  against  the  purchase  price  of  the 
projector.  Direct  sales  will  be  handled  through  them, 
and  the  rentals  through  their  distributors. 

New  films  are  being  added  constantly  to  the  Gutlohn 
16mm  sound  library,  which  now  contains  more  than 
100  educational  and  instructional  subjects  available  for 
school  use.  The  latest  acquisitions  include  many  fine 
nature  study  films  on  animal,  bird,  insect  and  marine 
life  such  as  Brock  the  Badger,  The  Bittern.  The  Great- 
Crested  Grebe,  The  Nightingale.  Friendly  Flies.  The 
Glow-Worm.  Romance  in  a  Pond,  The  Frog,  Water 
Folk.  In  the  botany  group  are  Dream  Flowers,  Gath- 
ering Moss.  The  Iris  Family,  Magic  Myxies. 

New  Material  Produced  by  Stillfiinn 

Two  additional  lines  of  projection  material  for  the 
classroom  are  being  added  to  the  extensive  library  of 
Stillfilms,  produced  by  Stillfilm.  Inc.  of  Los  Angeles. 

This  company,  who  for  the  past  fifteen  years  has 
been  engaged  in  producing  and  distributing  Stillfilms 
among  schools  throughout  the  nation,  is  now  complet- 
ing its  first  ten  16mm  educational  motion  pictures. 
These  will  be  released  immediately. 

Another  item,  of  no  less  interest  to  all  educators,  is 
the  announcement  that  the  companv  will  shortly  re- 
lease a  number  of  35mm.  double  frame,  horizontal, 
strip-films  for  screen  projection.  It  is  stated  that  with 
the  new  ideas  incorporated  in  projection,  a  remarkably 
sharp  and  brilliant  picture  can  be  thrown  on  the  screen 
with  these  small  film  pictures. 

Central's  Fall  Sale  Book 

The  Central  Camera  Company,  Chicago,  is  usher- 
ing in  the  Fall  picture  season  with  issuance  of  their 
new  Fall  Sale  Book  which  is  now  ready  for  distribu- 
tion. Any  reader  of  The  Educational  Screen  is  en- 
titled to  receive  a  free  copy  upon  request. 

According  to  Mr.  Harold  R.  Flesch,  Director  of 
Merchandising,  this  is  expected  to  be  the  most  success- 


I 


September,  1936 


Page  229 


What  the 

KEYSTONE 

Handmade 

iantern  Slides 

Provide  for 

the  Teacher 

at 

Very  Low 

Cost 


1 .  Lantern  slides 
supplementary  to 
regular  sets  of 
standard  -  made 
lantern  slides. 

2.  Sets  of  lantern 
slideswhere  stand- 
ard lantern  -  slide 
materials  are  not 
available. 

3.  Means  of  present- 
ing to  large  audi- 
ences original 
material  that  does 
not  seem  to  war- 
rant the  expense 
of  being  made  up 
in  regular  lantern- 
slide  form. 


Made  with   Keystone   Lantern   Slide  Crayon 
on  Keystone  Etched  Glass 


JUST  KEEP  SMILING 

Just  keep  sail-ing  when  you're 

feel-ing  blue; 
Smil-ing  is  so  oheer-y  and  a- 

dorn-ing, 
Nev-er  trou-ble  trou-ble  un-til 

trou-ble  trou-bles  you. 
Skies  will  all  be  brlght-er  in 

the  morn- in g. 


Made  wiih  Typewriter  and  Keystone  Carbon  Paper 
on   Keystone  Cellophane 


Subjects 

in  Which 

Handmade 

Lantern  Slides 

Made  by 

Pupils 

or  Teachers 

Are 

Valuable 


1.  Primary  Reading 

2.  English 

3.  Nature  Study  and 
Elementary 
Science 

4.  Geography 

5.  hiistory 

6.  Art 

7.  Backgrounds  for 
Domestic  Settings 

8.  Music  and  Allied 
Auditorium  Ac- 
tivities 

9.  Mathematics  and 
Mechanical  Sub- 
jects 

10.   Health 

I  I .   Science 


Made  with   Keystone   Lantern  Slide   Ink 
on  Keystone  Etched  Glass 

Send  for  a  complimentary  copy  of  our  netv  booklet  just  off  the  press,  entitled 
"Hoiv  to  Make  Keystone  Handm^ade  Lantern  Slides." 


Keystone  View  Company 


MEAD  VIL  L  E 
PENNSYLVANIA 


Page  230 


The  Educational  Screen 


See  our  complete  line  of 
screens.  floodlig:hts,  projector 
cases  and  film  storage  cases 
at  your  dealer's.  If  you  pre- 
fer, write  us  for  complete 
literature    and    prices. 


NOW  the  practical 

TRIPOD  SCREEN 


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mechanically  perfect,  rigid  auto 
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Headed  Screen  to  boot !  No  more 
thumb -screws  —  automatic  spring 
release  catches  hold  the  screen  just 
where  you  want  it,  up  to  7Mi  feet 
high.  It's  sturdy.  It's  practical. 
Place  it  anywhere  —  in  classrooms, 
auditoriums  and  homes.  It's  ideal 
for  commercial  purposes  too!  Closed, 
it's  both  good-looking  and  conveni- 
ent. Available  in  three  popular 
?izes  — 30"  X  40",  36"  x  48"  and 
42"  X  56". 


MOTION  PICTURE  SCREEN  &  ACCESSORIES  CO.,  Inc. 

524  West  26ih  Street  New  York,  N.  Y. 


MOTION  PICTURES  OF  THE  WORLD 


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One  of  the  mosi  useful  publica- 
tions in  the  world — World  Peace 
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/  wish  to  congratulate  you  on  its 
arrani/ement  and  completeness — 
R.  S.  Hawkins  —  Metropolitan 
Musenm  of  Art,  N.  Y. 


Of  great  help  to  educational  in- 
stitutions—  Ann  Webb  —  Boston 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 


The  Educational  Film 
Directory 

Fall   issue  ready   Oct.   1 


WIDE  SCOPE 

Includes  filniB  on  almost  ev- 
ery conceivable  subject  and 
en   all   parts   of  the  world. 


CAREFUL  SELECTION 

The  consensus  of  hundreds 
of  teachers'  opinions  as  de- 
termined from  film  report 
cards  helps  make  possible 
the  recog:nized  high  standard 
of  the  subjects  chosen  for 
listing. 


WELL   PLANNED 


It  is  the  one  directory  which 
supplies  long  factual  de- 
scriptions, which  is  revised 
twice  a  year,  and  which 
states  the  rentals  of  each 
film    individually. 


Every   Teacher   Usingr  Visual   Aids  Should   Have  a   Copy 

64  pp,  8M!"xn",  111.,  Annual  Subscription    (2  issues)   50c 


INTERNATIONAL   EDUCATIONAL    PICTURES,   INC. 
Mt.  Vernon  and  Walnut  Sts.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Sirs — I  enclose  50c  in  stamps  or  coin  as  subscription  to  MO- 
TION PICTURES  OF  THE  WORLD  AND  ITS  PEOPLES  for 
one  year    (2   issues). 


NAME 

ADDRESS 


been  servinj^  the  pliot(igra])liic  ]:)rofession.  and  the  Fall 
Sale  l-)Ook  i.s  literall}'  crammed  with  new  and  ii.sed  bar- 
gains in  quahty  ]5li(itogra])hic  eciuipment  and  .supplies 
Special  efforts  have  been  made  to  include  the  latest 
newest  develi)])nients  in  cameras,  lenses,  films  and  ])ho- 
togra])hic  supplies.  Low  bargain  prices  and  the  Cen- 
tral Guarantee  of  satisfaction  or  money  back,  makes 
'"buy"  combination  that  should  appeal  to  every  usei 
of  movie  equipment. 

Bell  and  Howell  Accessories  Catalog 

A  valuable  and  interesting  catalog  of  accessories  fol 
16  mm.  and  8  mm.  Filmo  motion  jjicture  cameras  anc 
])rojectors  has  just  been  issued  by  Bell  &  Howell  Com- 
pany, Chicago,  for  free  distribution.  Profusely  illus- 
trated, with  a  beautiful  three-color  cover,  its  sixty 
pages  are  filled  with  worthwhile  information.  It  is 
helpful  handbook  as  well  as  a  catalog,  for  it  does  not 
stop  with  picturing  and  describing  the  equipment  which 
it  offers  for  .sale ;  it  goes  on  to  tell  what  the  various 
classes  of  equipment  contribute  to  the  movie  user's  art, 
and  how  they  should  be  used  to  best  effect. 

Best  and  Largest  DeVry  Conference 

{Concluded  from  page  22b) 

of  the  National  Education  Association  was  discussec 

by  Nelson  L.  Greene,  President  of  the  Department 
and  Editor  of  The  Educational  Screen,  The  future 
potentialities  of  the  national  department  were  empha- 
sized. The  work  of  the  National  Congress  of  Parents 
and  Teachers  in  visual  education  was  summarized  by 
the  chairman  of  that  committee,  Mrs.  W,  H.  Ross,  anc 
Mrs.  Charles  Holton  reported  on  the  activities  of  the 
Illinois  Federation  of  Women's  Clubs.  An  interesting 
account  of  the  use  of  visual  aids  in  a  CCC  camp  was 
furnished  by  W.  L.  Randle,  District  Educational  Ad- 
viser, Glenview,  111. 

Other  addresses  on  the  workings  and  values  of  vis- 
ual education  were  given  by  Sup't  Donald  L.  Simon  of 
Griffith,  Ind..  \V.  F.  Worthley  of  Francis  W.  Parker 
School,  M.  O.  Hawbaker  of  the  James  Whitcomb 
Riley  School,  South  Bend,  E.  S.  Ingles,  advertising 
manager  of  The  Manufacturers  News,  and  John  Y. 
Beatty,  editor  of  The  Rand-McNally  Bankers  Monthly. 

The  almost  continuous  showings  of  outstanding  edu- 
cational and  industrial  films  gave  the  conference  mem- 
bers an  o])portunity  to  examine  many  subjects  for 
possible  use  in  their  school  programs,  .\mateur  films 
were  not  neglected  either.  A  particularly  fine  one  was 
a  16mm  Kodachrome  film  on  birds,  taken  by  William 
L.  Zcller  of  Peoria.  Other  interesting  amateur  produc- 
tions included  a  16mm  film  on  teaching  penmanship,  a' 
])icture  of  student  activities  at  the  Evanston  Township 
High  School,  a  color  film  depicting  the  service  of  a 
modern  hosjiital,  another  on  tuberculosis,  and  the 
Michigan  De]iartment  of  Conservation  film  on  the 
beaver. 

President  H.  .A,  DeVry,  founder  of  the  Conference, 
and  -A.  P,  HoUis,  the  director,  are  to  be  congratulaled 
on  the  achievement  of  such  a  successful,  convincing 
four-day  demonstration  of  Visual  Education  ]irogress. 


ept  ember,  1956 


Page  231 


BUT  THE  COMPETITION  WAS  STIFF 

Because  the  class  averages  are  higher  when  subjects  are  taught 
with  the  aid  of  a  Balopticon,  the  individual  standing  of  every 
student  in  the  class  is  higher.  Even  the  apparently  backward 
student  puts  forth  greater  effort  when  his  imagination  is  stimu- 
lated and  his  latent  reasoning  powers  are  aroused  by  interesting 
Balopticon  pictures. 

The  accurate  and  definite  impressions  created  by  still  pictures 
result  in  permanent  understanding. 

There  are  B  &  L  Balopticons  for  lantern  slides,  opaque  projec- 
tion, strip  film  and  in  desirable  combinations.  Catalog  Eii 
describes  all  of  them. 

Write  for  it.  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical  Co.,  688  St.  Paul  Street, 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Bausch  &  Lomb 


Above,  Model  B  Balopticon  for 
lantern  slide  proiection. 
Below,  Model  BDT,  the  same 
as  model  B  but  with  a  conven- 
ient tilting  base. 


WE  MAKE  OUR  OWN  GLASS  TO 
INSURE    STANDARDIZED    PRODUCTION 


FOR  YOUR  GLASSES,  INSIST  ON  B  *  L 
ORTHOGON    LENSES    AND   B  &  L    FRAMES 


Page  232 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New   York  City 
Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport.  la. 
(See   advertisement  on   page  200) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  bacli  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  227) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.        (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Walter    O.    Gutlohn,    Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  45th  St.,  New  York  Citv 

(See  advertisement  on  page  225) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological   Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  226) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 

The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  Auburn   Ave.,   Cincinnati.   O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  226) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028   Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,   Pa. 

Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Universal  Pictures  Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,    New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  224) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St..    Boston.    Mass. 
(See  advertisement   on   page  226) 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.      (3,  4) 

48  Melrose   St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See   advertisement   on    page   202) 

Bell  &  Howell  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central  Camera  Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave..  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  226) 

Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St..  Philadelphia.  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 


Edited   Pictures   System,  Inc.  (1) 

330  W.  42nd   St.,   New  York  City 

Herman   A.    DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on   page   198) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  226) 

International  Projector  Corp.  (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   inside   front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

( See  advertisement  on   page  230 ) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden.   N.  .1. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  221) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,   Regina,    Sask. 
S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 
United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.        (2,  5) 

Allegheny  Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  223) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,   Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  pages  214-15) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston.  Mass. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  226) 

Weber  Machine  Corp.  (2,  5) 

59  Rutter  St.,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

PICTURES 

The  Photoart  House 
844   N.   Plankinton   Ave.,   Milwaukee, 
Wis. 


SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721    N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on   page    197) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
605  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St..  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  230) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 

Eastman  Educational  Slides 

Iowa  City,  la. 

Edited    Pictures    System,   Inc. 
330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 


A    Trade     Directory 
for   the   Visual    Field 


Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 
30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,  III. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  226) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See   advertisement   on    page   229) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New   York  Citv 

(See  advertisement   on  page  226) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago.  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  201) 

Spencer    Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

i.See   advertisement   on    page   223) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St..  Boston.  Mass 

(See  advertisement  on   page  226) 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See   advertisement   on    page   22(*) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 

STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 
1111   Center   St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on   page   198) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  229) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  231) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia.  Pa 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  225) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 

Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  201) 

Spencer  Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  223) 

Williams,  Brown  vid  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1(   indicates    firm    supplies 

35    mm. 

silent. 

(2)    indicates    firm   supplies 

35    mm. 

sound. 

(3l   indicates   firm    supplies 

35    mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

{4l   indicates    firm   supplies 

16    mm. 

silent. 

i5)   indicates   firm    supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

I6l    indicates    firm    supplies 

16    mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

Continuous  insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


KsnsAS  CHy,  Uo* 
TMch«ri  Library 


Educationa 


ym. 


■;3 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 

What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film? 

Visual  Instruction  »   Iowa  State  College 

Student  Choice  of  Methods^of  Instruction  in  Biology 

The  Sacred  Eye 

Foreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  .       $2.00    a    Year  • 


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ECTOR 


^e  realize  that  th    • 


"'^t'^"  picture 


^^quipment 


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requires 


therefore  oJe...^  a    1/^  H 

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\  October,  195  6 


Page   235 


[Educdtiondl  Screen 

Combined  With 

[Visual   Instruction   News 
OCTOBER,  1936 

VOLUME  XV  NUMBER  8 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary  Seattle  Brady 
F.  W.  Davis 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
Josephine  Hoffman 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella   Evelyn   Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


CONTENTS 

What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film? 

Donald  C.  Doane _ 239 

Visual  Instruction  —  Iowa  State  College. 

H.  L  Kooser 241 

Student  Choice  of  Methods  of  Instruction  in  Biology. 

Arthur  H.  Bryan ......243 

The  Sacred  Eye.    G.  Carl  Weller... 244 

Foreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions. 

Vv'esley  Greene 246 

The  Church  Field. 

Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Brady..... 247 

Film  Estimates 248 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction 249 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 250 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis ....252 

News  and  Notes. 

Conducted  by  Josephine  hloffman 254 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky. 256 

New  Film  Releases .....260 

Among  the  Producers 262 

hiere  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field. ...264 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  In  Education  Index. 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lalte  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  October,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational Screen,  Inc.  Published  every  nnonth  except  July  and  August. 
$2.00  a  Year        (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


Page   23  6 


The  Educational  Screen 


What  the 

KEYSTONE 

Handmade 

Lantern  Slides 

Provide  for 

the  Teacher 

at 

Very  Low 

Cost 


1.  Lantern  slides 
supplementary  to 
regular  sets  of 
standard -made 
lantern  slides. 

2.  Sets  of  lantern 
slideswhere  stand- 
ard lantern -slide 
materials  are  not 
available. 

3.  Means  of  present- 
ing to  large  audi- 
ences original 
material  that  does 
not  seem  to  war- 
rant the  expense 
of  being  made  up 
in  regular  lantern- 
slide  form. 


Made  with   Keystone   Lantern   Slide   Crayon 
on  Keystone  Etched  Glass 


JUST  KEKP  aMILING 

Just  keep  sail-ing  when  you're 

feel-ing  blue; 
Smil-lng  is  so  oheer-y  and  a- 

dorn-ing, 
Nev-er  trou-ble  trou-ble  un-tll 

trou-ble  trou-bles  you. 
Skies  will  oil  be  brigbt-er  in 

the  morn- in g. 


Subjects 

in  Which 

Handmade 

Lantern  Slides 

Made  by 

Pupils 

or  Teachers 

Are 

Valuable 


1 .  Primary  Reading 

2.  English 

3.  Nature  Study  and 
Elementary 
Science 

4.  Geography 

5.  hiistory 

6.  Art 

7.  Backgrounds  for 
Domestic  Settings 

8.  Music  and  Allied 
Auditorium  Ac- 
tivities 

9.  Mathematics  and 
Mechanical  Sub- 
jects 

10.   Health 

I  I .  Science 


Made  with   Keystone   Lantern   Slide   Ink 
on  Keystone  Etched  Glass 

Send  for  a  complimentary  copy  of  our  new  booklet  just  off  the  press,  entitled 
"Hoiv  to  Make  Keystone  Handmade  Lantern  Slides." 


Keystone  View  Company 


MEAD VILLE 
PENNSYLVANIA 


October,  195  6 


Page  239 


'bdt  Makes  A  Good  Educational  Film?  -  (II) 

.riticisms  of  Educational  Films-- Summarized  From  Literature  on  the  Subject 

By 


ot 

i 


S  a  second  step  in  determining  what  constitutes 
a  good  educational  film,  the  literature  on  edu- 
cational films  was  searched  extensively  to  find 
lat  characteristics  were  classed  as  desirable  and  un- 
desirable. Of  the  many  examined,  at  the  time  the 
study  was  made,  only  eight  sources  were  found  which 
gave  any  considerable  degree  of  attention  to  this  ques- 
tion, and  which  at  the  same  time  showed  evidence  of 
sufficient  thought  or  experience.  The  items  brought 
out  in  these  eight  sources  were  collected,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  form,  those  mentioned  as  desirable  or  nec- 
essary characteristics  were  translated  from  positive  to 
negative  statements,  all  items  being  presented  as  faults 
which  may  be  found  in  educational  films  in  general, 
or  which  were  present  in  a  specific  film.  For  the  sake 
pi  simplicity  these  are  given  in  outline  form. 

In  general,  these  are  not  backed  by  experimental 
■oof.  They  represent,  instead,  the  subjective  opinion 
of  individuals  who  have  given  much  study  and 
thought  to  the  subject  backed  by  practical  experience 
and  observation.  A  few  were  oiTered  as  tentative 
criticisms  —  raising  the  questions. 

I       Criticisms  of  Specific  Educational  Films 
Film  too  long.  (3)* 
A.  Details  cannot  be  remembered.  (3) 
1.  Details  will  be  confused  or  overlooked.  (3) 
II.  Topic  too  large  or  broad.  (1,  3,  5) 

A.  Attempt  to  cover  too  much  subject  matter  in  a 
short  time.  (1,  3,  5) 

1.  Lack  of  opportunity  for  discussion  and 
analysis.  (1) 

2.  Superficial  treatment.    (1,  3) 

3.  Too  much  variety  results  in  confusion. (1,  5) 

4.  Early  and  middle  parts  of  film  seem  con- 
fused when  showing  is  over,  (3) 

B.  Sequence  and  mode  of  attack  pre-determined. 
(1,  4,  5,  6,  8) 

1.  Cannot  be  correlated  with  a  certain  curric- 
ulum. (1,  4,  5,  8) 

2.  Film  thus  made  the  basis  of  work,  instead 

of  the  class  situation.  (6) 

3.  Not  flexible  enough  to  fit  any  course  of 
study.  (Some  long  films  may  be.)   (5,  6) 

4.  Made  without  reference  to  class  instruction, 
to  any  typical  course  of  study  or  specific  in- 
struction.   (Industrial  films  especially.)    (6) 

C.  Attempt  to  be  self-sufficient.  (1,  6,  8) 

1.  Attempt  to  replace  teacher,  books,  demon- 
strations, etc.     Attempt  to  teach  all,  rather 

*Nunibers  refer  to  corresponding  number  in  bibliography. 


DONALD      C.      DOANE 

Stanford   University,  California 


than  being  supplementary  to  the  teacher.  The 
complete  teaching  unit  rather  than  the  raw 
material  for  the  teacher.  (1,  6,  8) 
2.  Explanation  completed  in  titles,  rather  than 
by  teacher.  (6) 

III.  Not  adapted  to  pupils  psychologically. 

A.  Not  suitable  for  age  level  intended.  Not 
aimed  at  one  particular  grade  level.  Try  to  catch 
all  grades  and  so  contain  material  useless  and  per- 
haps detrimental  to  each.  (1,  6) 

B.  The  child's  interpretation  is  not  considered. 
What  may  be  clear  from  an  adult  point  of  view 
would  be  given  a  wrong  interpretation  from  the 
child's  point  of  view  due  to  his  incomplete  knowl- 
edge. (3) 

IV.  Subject  of  film  poor.  (Over-all) 

A.  Could  be  better  presented  otherwise.  (1,3,4,8) 

1.  Abstractions  better  presented  by  book  or 
lecture.  (Unless  the  abstractions  are  made 
concrete  by  film.)   (4,  8) 

2.  Teacher  or  book  could  explain  better.  (8) 

3.  Laboratory  work  would  be  better,  actual 
handhng  of  object.  (1,  3,  4,  8) 

4.  Other  visual  devices  would  be  better ;  e.  g., 
still  picture,  charts,  maps,  etc.,  with  which 
the  teacher  can  work  as  long  as  wanted  and 
take  time  to  analyze  and  discuss.  (1,  3,  4,  8) 

B.  School  not  interested  in  subject ;  not  worthy  of 
place  in  curriculum.  (1,  2) 

C.  Pupils  not  interested  in  subject,  over  their 
heads  or  too  childish  for  them.  (1) 

D.  Not  conscious  appeal  to  a  specific  learning ;  e. 
g.,  skills,  ideas,  attitudes,  facts,  insights.  (2,  6) 

V.  Unity  of  subject  matter  lacking.  (2,  3,  4) 

A.  Remotely  related  material  added  to  complete 
reel. 

B.  No  continuity. 

1.  Definite  sequence  lacking,  resulting  in  con- 
fusion. (3) 

2.  In  social  science  films,  lack  of  a  central  char- 
acter, to  which  matter  is  attached.  Lack  of 
definite  argument  in  place  of  character.   (3) 

3.  Mere  collection  of  disconnected  scenes 
(especially  geography  and  other  social  sci- 
ences). Inferior  to  film  with  definite  unity 
and  continuity,  given  by  a  central  character 
or  argument.  The  scenes  poorly  integrated 
to  the  central  theme — even  though  present. 
(2,3) 

C.  Absence  of  main  problem  about  which  all 
scenes  or  minor  problems  revolve.  (2,  3) 


Page  240 


The  Educational  Screen 


D.  Minor  points  not  subordinated  to  main  point. 
(2,  3) 

1.  All  episodes  given  equal  value.  (3) 

2.  Minor  points  spectacular  enough  to  obscure 
main  point.  Main  point  not  spectacular 
enough  to  place  minor  points  in  subordinate 
position.   (3) 

E.  Main  problem  not  vital,  gripping,  interesting 
or  appealing  to  curiosity.  (2,  3) 

VI.  Not  challenging  to  further  thought.  (1,  3,  4,  6) 
A.  Pouring  instruction,  not  pulling  ideas  out.  (1) 

1.  Encourages  passive,  not  active,  interest.  (1,6) 

2.  Encourages  superficial  thinking.   (1) 

3.  Entertains  more  than  teaches.  (1) 

4.  Does  not  permit  or  encourage  pupil  activity. 
(3,  4,  6) 

5.  Does  not  leave  pupil  in  an  inquiring  state  of 
mind ;  no  incentive  for  further  study ;  does 
not  lead  the  mind  on.  (3,  4) 

6.  Absence  of  thought-provoking  sequences.  (4) 

7.  Interest  is  confined  to  the  picture;  not  so 
much  to  the  subject  matter.  (6) 

8.  Passive  interest  increases  after  novelty 
wears  off.  (6) 

9.  Most  social  science  and  propaganda  films  are 
boring.     Too  artificial.  (3) 

VII.  Poor  subject  matter.  (Details)  (1,  3,  4,  6) 

A.  Inaccurate.   (3) 

B.  Unusual  matters  presented  as  typical.  (3) 

C.  Figures  on  films  are  seldom  remembered.  (3) 

D.  Too  many  pictures  not  involving  motion. 
(Why  use  motion  pictures?)   (3,  5,  8) 

E.  Presence  of  details  much  better  presented  oth- 
erwise; e.  g.,  teacher  or  book.  (1,  3,  4,  8) 

F.  Visual  experience  familiar  to  pupils,  and  need 
only  be  referred  to  by  teacher.  (May  be  good  for 
emphasis  and  correlation,  however.)    (8) 

G.  Motion  pictures  of  moving  objects  when  a  still 
picture  would  be  just  as  good  and  could  be  used  to 
a  greater  advantage. 

VIII.  Mechanical  details  of  film  poor. 

A.  Scenes  are  too  short  and  fugitive.  (1,2,3,5,6,7) 

1.  Details  cannot  be  noticed  and  no  time  to  rea- 
lize what  is  taking  place.  (5) 

2.  Scenes  change  too  fast  for  mental  assimila- 
tion. (5) 

3.  Sudden  change  from  one  part  to  another,  no 
transitional  sequences.  (Largely  the  result  of 
attempting  to  cover  too  large  a  subject.) 

B.  Poor  proportioning  of  parts  of  picture. 

1.  More  maps  or  diagrams  than  can  be  remem- 
bered. Maps  and  diagrams  crowded  to- 
gether instead  of  interspersed  with  pictorial 
sequence.     Not  remembered.  (3) 

2.  Too  many  subtitles.  Film  may  have  at- 
tempted subject  unsuited  for  pictorial  pres- 
entation, and  relies  on  titles  to  carry  thought 
rather  than  the  pictures.   (2,  3,  5,  8) 

C.  Technically  poor. 
1.  Poor  acting.  (3) 


2.  Poor  photography.  Focus  poor ;  scratches 
on  film.   (2) 

3.  Poor  lighting.  Figures  not  sharp  and  dis- 
tinct, especially  important  ones.  (7) 

4.  Sound  (if  present)  not  pertinent.  (4) 

5.  Weak  imitations.  Amateurish  sets  and 
equipment.   (3) 

6.  Generally  poor  equipment ;  apparatus,  stag- 
ing and  dramatic  skill.  (3) 

7.  Presence  of  advertising  at  expense  of  edu- 
cational feature.  (Unduly  large  amount  in 
some  free  industrial  films.)   (1) 

8.  Scenes  crowded.  Details  in  picture  obscure 
the  main  element.  Absence  of  close-ups, 
when  needed,  to  concentrate  on  central  ob- 
ject and  eliminate  other  elements.  (4,  7) 

9.  Subtitles  too  long ;  not  clever  or  interesting. 
(1,2) 

10.  Action  in  the  film  is  not  significant,  not  re- 
lated to  understanding  of  topic.  (4) 

D.  Mechanical  mode  of  presentation  poor. 

1.  Appears  padded. 

2.  Similarity  of  scenes  confuses  action  in  these 
scenes.  (3) 

3.  Titles  used  alone  when  actual  scene  could  be 
substituted  or  added ;  e.  g.,  picture  of  Paris 
following  title.  (3) 

4.  No  repetition  of  important  subjects.  (7) 

5.  Concrete  explanations  missing  when  needed. 
(3) 

6.  No  correlation  of  subject  matter  with  local 
or  personal  experiences ;  content  not  chosen 
with  this  in  view.  ( 1 ) 

7.  No  familiar  object  for  comparison ;  e.  g., 
microscopic  size.  (2) 

8.  Numerous  scenes  much  alike  are  monoto- 
nous. (Similar  scenes,  not  different  scenes 
of  same  object.)   (2,  3) 

9.  Obscure  on  important  matters.  (3) 

10.  Continuity  not  well  arranged  for  emphasis. 
(2) 

E.  Poor  directing  (theatrical  sense). 

1.  Too  stagey,  unconvincing.   (3) 

2.  Not  enough  realism.  (Especially  social  sci- 
ence war  films).  Harsh  facts  of  life,  better 
shown  by  film  than  any  other  means,  are 
sugar  coated.  (3) 

3.  Not  enough  variety  of  incident,  scene  and 
action  to  sustain  interest.   (3) 

4.  Not  dramatic  enough  to  hold  interest.  (So- 
cial science  films).   (3) 

5.  Lack  of  thrill  or  interest  when  needed.  (So- 
cial science  films,  especially  history).  (3) 

6.  Too  light  and  entertaining  for  classroom 
use,  although  it  is  challenging  and  informa- 
tive. (1) 

7.  No  appeal  to  intrinsic  interests;  e.  g.,  per- 
sonification, familiar  objects,  mystery,  sen- 
sational behavior,  other  elements  appealing 
to  native  interests.  (2,  3) 


October,  1936 


Page  241 


[.  No  supplementary  material  supplied ;  e.  g.,  teach- 
rs'  guides,  etc.  (3,  4,  5) 

BiblioKraphy  for  Article  II 

Hollis,  A.  P.  Motion  Pictures  for  Instruction.  New  York: 
Century  Company,  1926.     Pp.  450. 

McClusky,  F.  D.  Visual  Instruction :  Its  Values  and 
Needs.  New  York:  Mancall  Publishing  Company,  1932. 
Pp.  61. 

Consitt,  Frances.     The  Vaitu;  of  Films  in  History  Teach- 
ing.    London:    G.  Bell  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  1931.     Pp.431. 
Gray,  H.  A.     "Social  Science  and  the  Educational  Sound 


Picture."     The  Historical  Outlook  XXIII,  7.  (May,  1932). 

5.  Way,  E.  I.  Motion  Pictures  in  the  Elementary  and  Sec- 
ondary Schools.  Office  of  Education,  Circular  No.  46. 
Washington,  January,  1932. 

6.  Wood,  Ben  D.  and  Freeman,  F.  N.  Motion  Pictures  in 
the  Classroom.  New  York :  Houghton  Mifflin  Company, 
1929.     Pp.  392. 

7.  Arnspiger,  V.  C.  Measuring  the  Effectiveness  of  Sound 
Pictures  as  Teaching  Aids.  Teachers  College  Contribu- 
tions to  Education,  No.  565.  New  York,  Teachers  Col- 
lege, Columbia  University,  1933.     Pp.  156. 

8.  Freeman,  F.  N.  Visual  Education.  Chicago :  University 
of  Chicago  Press,  1924.    Pp.  391. 


isudi  Instruction  -  Iowa  State  College 


■jf 


H 


L.      KOOS  ER 


Iowa  State  College,  Ames,  Iowa 
Visual  Instruction  Service 


UR  department  is  conducted  jointly  by  the 
Agricultural  and  Engineering  Extension 
Services.  It  was  organized  in  1914  and 
shortly  after  that  time  the  late  Charles  Roach  was 
placed  in  charge.  Mr.  Roach,  one  of  the  real  pio- 
neers in  the  visual  field,  gave  the  department  a 
sound  foundation.  He  continued  in  charge  until  a 
few  years  ago  when  he  went  to  Los  Angeles  as  Di- 
rector of  Visual  Instruction  in  the  Los  Angeles 
Public  Schools.  There  he  passed  away,  just  at  the 
height  of  his  career. 

As  one  of  the  extensive  systems  of  university 
and  college  departments  of  visual  instruction  we 
.ire  aided  in  our  state  by  a  similar  department  in 
the  Extension  Division  at  the  University  of  Iowa, 
at  Iowa  City.  I  believe  that  Mr.  Cochran  will  agree 
that  we  work  harmoniously  together  in  our  respec- 
tive fields,  for  the  common  good  of  the  people  of 
our  state. 

A  department  such  as  ours  has  several  well-de- 
fined objectives  which  may  be  listed  as  follows. 

(1)  Selection  and  preparation  of  visual  aids. 

(2)  Distribution  of  visual  aids. 

(3)  Maintenance. 

(4)  Aid  ill  developing  the  proper  procedure 
in  using  visual  aids. 

(5)  Preparation  of  materials  incident  to  the 
established  program  of  visual  aids  and  in- 
formation on  projection  equipment. 

I  list  "selection  and  preparation  of  visual  aids" 
first  because  herein  lies  the  basis  for  the  service 
which  we  render.  May  I  state  here  that  I  am  a 
firm  believer  in  the  fact  that  there  are  places  for  all 
types  of  materials  which  may  be  included  in  the 
classification  of  visual  aids.  If  we  use  the  defini- 
tion of  visual-sensor)-  aids  as  "all  materials  used 
in  the  classroom  to  facilitate  the  understanding  of 

*From  an  address  delivered  at  the  DeVry  National  Confer- 
ence on  Visual  Education,  June,  1936. 


the  written  and  spoken  word",  I  believe  that  I  need 
not  mention  further  the  many  items  which  might 
be  included  as  visual  materials.  Therefore,  those 
visual  aids  such  as  sound  and  silent  motion  pic- 
tures, glass  slides,  and  similar  materials  which  lend 
themselves  to  physical  distribution  through  a  cen- 
tral agency,  are  included  in  our  library. 

A  great  change  has  taken  place  in  the  last  few 
years  in  the  types  of  materials  demanded.  It  was 
approximately  eleven  years  ago  that  in  our  own 
state  we  had  about  75  or  80  schools  using  regular 
weekly  programs  of  35  mm.  films.  Each  program 
contained  at  least  three  reels  and  not  more  than 
four.  These  would  include  a  comedy  film,  a  scenic 
or  geographical  subject,  and  an  industrial  film. 
Many  of  these  films  were  produced  for  theatrical 
consumption ;  many  were  of  doubtful  educational 
value.  One  of  the  great  disadvantages  of  this  type 
of  service  in  both  glass  slides  and  motion  pictures 
was  the  fact  that  the  exhibitor  had  no  choice  of  the 
subjects  included  in  the  programs  nor  when  he 
would  receive  them.  Nevertheless  this  service  was 
laying  a  foundation  for  the  more  effective  use  later. 

The  splendid  quality  of  16  mm.  educational  mo- 
tion pictures  now  available  has  greatly  aided  in 
the  process  of  selecting  films  which  may  be  coordi- 
nated with  courses  of  study.  We  have  of  course 
developed  large  collections  of  glass  slides  definitely 
related  to  the  curriculum.  In  our  state,  particularly 
because  of  our  association  with  the  county  agents 
and  vocational  agriculture  teachers,  we  are  doing 
considerable  work  in  the  building  of  film  slide  or 
film  strip  subjects.  Through  our  association  with 
the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  it  is 
possible  to  secure  excellent  prices  on  the  produc- 
tion of  this  type  of  material. 

Distribution  of  Visual  Aids 

I  have  previously  mentioned  the  advance  of  dis- 
tribution from  the  circuit  plan.  Now,  all  material 
is  circulated  by  what  we  call  "special  date".     This 


Page  242 


The  Educational  Screen 


plan  provides  that  all  requests  come  from  the  ex- 
hibitor for  material  to  be  used  at  a  particular  time. 
Nearly  all  orders  are  sent  direct  to  the  borrower 
from  headquarters.  Occasionally  a  subject  will 
be  sent  from  one  person  to  another.  This  plan, 
though  a  time  saver,  in  cases  of  excessive  demand, 
does  not  give  us  an  opportunity  to  check  the  film 
carefully  and  determine  its  physical  condition.  We 
try  to  arrange  the  schedules  so  that  subjects  arrive 
in  advance  of  the  date  on  which  they  are  to  be  used 
so  that  there  will  be  opportunity  to  arrange  their 
use  in  the  most  effective  manner.  Whenever  possi- 
ble we  try  to  leave  material  for  a  sufficient  length 
of  time  so  that  the  school  can  use  it  most  efficiently. 
This  extension  of  the  booking  period  will,  we  be- 
lieve, contribute  to  more  effective  use. 

All  notifications  of  subjects,  booking  dates,  ship- 
ping dates,  etc.,  are  sent  on  a  double,  stamped  U.  S. 
post  card.  This  information  is  included  on  one-half 
of  the  card.  The  other  contains  the  form  of  a  re- 
port which  the  exhibitor  is  to  fill  out  and  return 
to  our  office.  This  report  is  our  record  of  how  the 
material  is  being  used. 

Many  of  our  better  educational  motion  pictures 
have  carefully  prepared  guides  to  accompany  them. 
In  every  case,  where  orders  are  received  a  sufficient 
time  in  advance,  these  guides  are  sent  to  the  ex- 
hibitor, so  that  there  will  be  an  opportunity  to  study 
them  carefully.  In  cases  where  guides  have  not 
been  prepared  for  classroom  films  we  have  made 
up  some  material  which  will  at  least  give  the  ex- 
hibitor an  idea  in  advance  what  the  films  contain. 
In  many  cases  our  regular  users  of  films  have  used 
the  same  subjects  over  and  over  again  so  that  they 
do  not  need  the  guides.  I  might  say  that  two  very 
encouraging  aspects  of  the  entire  program  are  the 
demand  from  teachers  for  certain  specific  subjects 
at  certain  times.  These  bookings  are  often  times 
made  months  in  advance. 

In  addition  to  the  distribution  of  visual  aids  to 
schools  we  supply  service  to  other  groups  includ- 
ing garden  clubs,  individuals,  P.  T.  A.  groups, 
luncheon  clubs,  etc.  Then  we  have  our  service  to 
county  agents  and  other  rural  groups.  Most  of  the 
material  supplied  to  these  users  is  of  course  differ- 
ent than  that  to  schools.  Our  Extension  people, 
including  the  county  agents,  use  many  special  sub- 
jects not  always  applicable  to  any  of  the  courses 
offered  in  the  schools.  Many  comedy  or  entertain- 
ment subjects  are  incorporated  into  their  programs. 

A  printed  catalog  describing  the  visual  aids  in 
our  library  is  prepared  every  two  years.  A  mimeo- 
graphed supplement  is  issued  in  each  intervening 
year. 

At  the  present  time  our  library  includes  about 
500  reels  of  35  mm.  motion  pictures,  nearly  375 
reels  of  16  mm.  motion  pictures,  325  sets  of  lantern 
slides,  a  large  number  of  film  slides  and  a  few  ex- 


hibits, mounted  prints,  and  miscellaneous  materials. 
Our  entire  library  of  motion  pictures  was  orig- 
inally built  on  35  mm.  films.  This  explains  the 
large  number  of  this  type  of  film  in  comparison  to 
16  mm.  Most  of  the  35  mm.  films  are  on  non- 
inflammable  stock.  We  are,  of  course,  increasing 
our  16mm.  library  whenever  possible.  A  few  35 
mm.  films  are  being  purchased  for  use  by  our 
county  agents.  Most  of  these  men  have  35  mm. 
projectors. 

Our  sound  film  library  is  not  yet  large,  although 
we  are  adding  films  to  it  gradually  as  the  demand 
increases.  In  the  establishing  of  this  section  of  our 
library  we  are  co-operating  with  the  University  of  • 
Iowa  in  not  duplicating  sound  films  in  the  two  li- 
braries until  such  time  as  the  demand  for  films 
warrants  it.  Thus  far,  I  believe,  there  is  only  one 
duplication,  and  this  is  a  subject  for  which  there 
is  considerable  use. 

Maintenance 
This  problem  of  maintenance  is  one  which  I  be- 
lieve is  very,  very  important  to  all  of  us  whether 
we  are  producer,  distributor,   or  user  of  material, 
particularly  in  the  case  of  the  motion  picture. 

Some  years  ago  Mr.  Hollis  prepared  a  very  in- 
teresting Film  prayer.  I  want  to  read  you  parts  of 
this. 

"I  am  celluloid,  not  steel;  God  of  the  machine, 
have  mercy.  I  front  four  great  dangers  whenever 
I  travel  the  whirling  wheels  of  the  mechanism. 

"Over  the  procket  wheels,  held  tight  by  the  id- 
lers, I  am  forced  by  the  motor's  might.  If  a  care- 
less hand  misthreads  me,  I  have  no  alternative  but 
to  go  to  my  death.  If  the  springs  at  the  aperture 
plate  are  too  strong,  all  my  splices  pull  apart.  If 
the  pull  on  the  take-up  reel  is  too  violent,  I  am  torn 
to  shreds.  If  dirt  collects  in  the  aperture,  my  film 
of  beauty  is  streaked  and  marred,  and  I  must  face 
my  beholders — a  thing  ashamed  and  bespoiled. 

"I  am  a  delicate  ribbon  of  celluloid — misuse  me 
and  I  disappoint  thousands;  cherish  me  and  I  de- 
light and  instruct  the  world." 

I  believe  sincerely  that  a  great  deal  of  film  dam- 
age may  be  eliminated  by  properly  educating  those 
who  use  films  to  take  the  proper  care  of  them.  We 
have  been  carrying  on  a  campaign  to  develop  more 
careful  handling  of  films.  It  is  only  through  the 
co-operation  of  everyone  that  we  can  go  ahead  with 
a  worthwhile  program  of  film  distribution.  The 
care  of  glass  lantern  slides  is  not  a  difficult  prob- 
lem with  the  exception  of  breakage,  which  can  be 
solved  by  the  right  containers.  J 

Aid  in  Developing  the  Proper  Procedure  ■ 

In  Using  Visual  Aids 
Until  such  time  as  our  teachers  are  required  to 
take  a  course  in  visual-sensory  aids,  I  feel  that  such 
assistance  as  we  may  be  able  to  give  in  the  proper 

{Concluded  on  page  255) 


October,  19}  6 


Page  243 


Student  Choice  of  Methods  of 
Instruction  In  Biology 


By      ARTHUR      H.      BRYAN 

Science   Department,    Baltimore   City   College 


VISUAL  methods  are  apt  to  play  a  dominant 
part  in  modern  instruction  in  the  high  school 
I  sciences.     Several  attempts  have  been  made  to 

[evaluate  the  importance  of  visual,  laboratory  and 
Ididactic  methods  of  instruction,  but  the  research  work 

so  far  undertaken  has  given  little  consideration  to  stu- 
[dent  interest.  Assuming  that  when  a  student  is 
[vitally  interested  in  any  topic  or  method  of  presenta- 
Ition,  he  tends  to  successfully  accomplish  that  unit,  the 
[students'   viewpoint   is   worthy   of   consideration.     In 

the  course  of  several  years  experience  in  teaching  bi- 
[ology  and  the  sciences,  the  writer  has  been  impressed 
[with  the  value  of  varying  the  teaching  and  presentation 
i  methods  from  day  to  day.  The  pedagogical  methods 
'most  successfully  and  frequently  utilized  in  the  biol- 
:  ogy  classroom  and  laboratory,  might  be  tabulated  un- 
;  der  eight  instructional  devices. 

1.  The  straight  didactic  or  lecture  presentation  with 
the  use  of  blackboard  diagrams  and  charts. 

2.  The  formal  recitation  in  which  thought  provok- 
ing or  directive  questioning  with  a  specific  aim. 
constitutes  the  mode  of  presentation. 

3.  The  socialized  recitation  in  which  the  teacher  in 
the  background  merely  observes  student  leader- 
ship, the  class  conducting  the  lesson  without  the 
aid  of  the  teacher.  This  method  is  feasible  where 
such  topics  as  forestry,  conservation  of  natural 
resources,  economic  importance  of  plant  and 
animal  life,  etc.,  come  up  for  discussion,  as  re- 
lated topics  in  the  course  of  the  year's  work. 

4.  Laboratory  work  in  which  the  student  makes 
practical  use  of  microscopes,  hand  lenses,  to- 
gether with  dissections  and  gross  observations  of 
plant  and  animal  forms.  In  this  type  of  lesson, 
of  course,  the  student  does  the  work  under  guid- 
ance. 

5.  Teacher  demonstrations  in  which  the  teacher 
performs  experiments  before  the  whole  class,  de- 
signed to  bring  out  some  important  practical 
facts  as  a  result  of  successful  experimental  re- 
sults interpreted  before  the  class. 

6.  Illustrated  lectures  making  use  of  stereopticon 
and  opaque  projectors,  or  still  films  as  the  spe- 
cific means  of  visual  demonstration. 

7.  Educational  biological  movies  where  worthwhile 
silent  or  talking  biological  films,  such  as,  "Science 
of  Life"  series,  prepared  by  the  United  States 
Public  Health  Service ;  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture :  State  and  City  health  and 
forestry    department,    films,    are    screened    be- 


fore the  class.  Oral  class  discussions  of  each 
film  shown  follow. 
8.  Field-trips  in  which  the  students  under  guidance, 
collect  plant  and  animal  specimens,  label  trees, 
and  make  nature  study  observations  directly  in 
the  field. 

In  addition,  the  project  and  problem  methods  are 
occasionally  resorted  to  with  problem  solution  or  puz- 
zle diagrams  worked  out  on  the  blackboards  by  stu- 
dents. Occasional,  bilogical  debates,  such  as  "heredity 
versus  environment,"  make  interesting  student-parti- 
cipation lessons. 

After  students  have  had  a  full  year  of  work  with  all 
these  methods  of  instruction,  the  student  himself  is  able 
to  form  an  unprejudiced  opinion  of  the  interest,  in- 
structional value,  or  pleasure  derived  from  the  various 
methods  of  instruction  used  throughout  the  year. 

In  order  to  find  out  just  how  high  school  academic, 
scientific,  technical,  and  blind  students  reacted  to  vari- 
ous methods  of  instruction,  the  eight  methods  just 
enumerated  were  put  on  the  blackboard  and  explained. 
The  teacher  turned  his  back  on  the  class  and  asked  for 
a  show  of  hands  on  the  choice  of  the  various  methods 
of  instruction  used,  which  were  charted,  counted  and 
tabulated  by  a  disinterested  observer.  Within  the  last 
three  years,  between  four  and  five  hundred  students 
have  participated  in  the  questionnaire.  The  graphs 
show  that  student  interests  most  certainly  lean  toward 


Chart  I.    Choice  of  Method  by  420  Academic 
Students 

1% 

Formal  Recitation 

2% 

Social  Recitation 

3% 

Illustrated  Lecture 

4% 

Teacher  Demonstration 

12% 

Laboratory  Work 

35% 

Movies 

42% 

Field  Trips 

visual  methods.  Educational  biological  movies  to- 
gether with  field-trips  vied  for  the  honors  of  first 
students'  choice.  Laboratory  work  and  stereopticon 
lectures  took  third  and  fourth  place  respectively.  The 
purely  non-visual  methods  of  instruction  were  un- 
popular, hardly  any  students  chose  them.  In  order 
to  check  further  these  results,  the  least  popular  meth- 


Page  244 


The  Educational  Screen 


0% 

0% 

1% 

2% 
12% 
19% 
27% 
40% 


Chart  II.    Choice  of  Method  by  164 
Technical  Students 


Lecture 

Social  Recitation 
Formal  Recitation 
Teacher  Demonstration 
Laboratory  Work 
Field  Trip 


Chart  III.     Choice  of  Method  by  Blind 
Academic  Students 


Illustrated  Lecture 


Movies 


0% 

Formal  Recitation 

0% 

Social  Recitation 

4%    " 

Illustrated  Lecture 

4% 

Teacher  Demonstration 

4% 

Laboratory  Work 

4% 

Movies 

36% 

Field  Trips 

46% 

Talkies 

ods  of  instruction  were  next  called  for,  and  again  the 
teacher's  back  turned  on  the  class  while  the  students 
were  voting.  In  every  instance  the  non-visual  methods 
were  the  last  choice  with  the  students. 

The  final  tabulation  then  shows  an  overwhelming 
majority  in  favor  of  the  visual  methods  of  education 
as  presented  in  high  school  classes  in  biology. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  blind  students  also  fa- 
vored visual  methods.  Movies  when  presented  to 
seeing  classes  were  described  and  the  titles  read  to 
the  blind  boys  by  a  seeing  student  reader  while  the 


movies  were  being  shown.  Talking  pictures  ranked 
first  with  blind  students,  with  field-trips  a  close  sec- 
ond. Even  stereopticon  lectures  were  interesting  to 
the  blind  students,  provided  the  instructor  described 
the  pictures  adequately  and  pleasinglj'  to  them. 

Variety  is  the  spice  of  life,  and  variety  in  teaching 
methods  is  the  pedagogical  spice  most  appreciated  by 
students.  The  sugar  coated  pill  of  instructional  wis- 
dom becomes  most  palatable  when  visual  methods  are 
resorted  to  periodically  as  a  means  of  maintaining 
student  interest  throughout  the  entire  year's  work. 


The  Sacred  Eye 


By      G.      CARL      WELLER 

Principal  South  San  Francisco  Junior-Senior  High  School.  California 


IF  THE  Bible  is  any  criterion,  then  the  eye  is  the 
most  important  organ  of  the  five  senses.  An  ex- 
amination of  an  exhaustive  Bible  concordance 
shows  that  the  word  "nose"  occurs  twelve  times ; 
"skin"  about  one  hundred  times ;  "tongue"  (or 
tongues)  about  two  hundred ;  "ear"  (or  ears)  ap- 
proximately 250  times;  and  "eye"  (or  eyes)  about 
550  times.  The  precious  eye — the  sacred  eye!  The 
window  of  the  soul !  The  organ  that  is  greatly 
abused  and  misused;  the  organ  to  which  the  aver- 
age person  pays  little  attention;  the  organ  that  all 
human  and  animal  life  can  least  do  without! 

Except  by  paralysis  or  ossification,  it  is  difficult 
to  destroy  the  sense  of  touch.  The  sense  of  taste 
may  be  dulled  by  illness  or  by  habitual  use  of  sub- 
stances placed  into  the  mouth,  some  of  which  may 
even  descend  to  the  stomach.  Smelling,  as  a  sense, 
may  become  less  sharp  by  illness,  by  growths  in  the 
nose,  and  by  sniffing  of  foreign  objects.  As  for  the 
sense  of  hearing  and  seeing,  one  needs  only  to  go 
to  a  novelty  store  or  a  notion  counter  to  see  that 
-  glasses  of  all  kinds,  shapes,  and  degrees  of  correc- 


tiveness  are  displayed  for  sale  to  the  uninformed 
public,  while  practically  none  are  to  be  found  open- 
ly for  the  ears.  To  the  most  important  organ  of 
sense,  therefore,  is  given  the  greatest  opportunity 
for  further  abuse  by  letting  the  public  choose  the 
wrong  glasses  because  the  prices  are  low. 

One  often  sees  a  group  of  children  daring  each 
other  to  look  into  the  face  of  the  bright  sun.  Even 
groups  of  adults  will  stand  on  a  street  corner  and 
watch  the  electric  welder  at  work,  perhaps  not 
knowing  that  the  glare  is  injuring  their  eyes  while 
the  welder  wears  protective  goggles.  How  many 
times  have  we  all  sat  down  in  the  afternoon  to  read 
a  printed  page,  become  absorbed  in  its  contents, 
and  continue  reading  at  twilight,  rather  than  lay 
the  print  aside  or  turn  on  a  light?  How  many 
homes  in  America  or  in  the  world  are  properly 
lighted  for  night  reading  or  study  ?  Poor  lighting 
can  eft'ect  onlj-  one  sense  organ — the  eje. 

As  one  passes  through  the  streets  of  a  large  city, 
or  looks  through  a  directory,  both  opticians  and  op- 
tometrists are  noticeably  present  in  large  numbers 


October,  1936 


Page  245 


in  comparison  with  the  nunilier  of  professions  deal- 
ing Avith  the  other  sense  orj^ans. 

The  driver  of  a  motor  car  or  truck  (h-ives  during 
daylight  hours  and  far  into  the  night  in  order  to 
make  a  record  run,  resulting  in  more  strain  upon 
the  eyes  perhaps  than  any  other  part  of  the  body, 
unless  it  be  the  nerves.  How  often  do  dirty  hands 
in  all  walks  of  life  reach  up  to  rub  the  eyes?  The 
eyes,  situated  as  they  are  in  the  head,  are  subject 
to  the  onslaught  of  air,  dust,  liquid,  and  other  ob- 
jects— in  a  more  direct  and  open  manner  than  the 
other  parts  of  the  face  or  head. 

One  might  go  on  indefinitely  along  this  line. 
Suffice  it  then  to  say  that  the  eyes  are  doing  an  ex- 
cellent piece  of  work  considering  the  task  that  is 
set  for  them,  inherently  by  nature  and  carelessly 
by  their  owners. 

There  are  societies  for  the  hard  of  hearing  and 
deaf;  there  are  organizations  that  are  interested  in 
better  care  of  the  heart ;  there  are  societies  for  the 
prevention  of  blindness.  Among  the  latter,  the  Na- 
tional Society  is  waging  a  war  for  the  conservation 
of  vision.  It  has  established  approximately  four 
hundred  sight  saving  classes  in  the  schools  of  the 
United  States,  and  will  not  be  satisfied  until  at  least 
five  thousand  such  classes  are  organized  and  main- 
tained. Special  books  with  very  large  type,  ad- 
justable seats  and  desks,  proper  lighting  in  the 
classroom,  and  extensive  use  of  the  blackboard  are 
only  a  few  of  the  means  stressed  in  the  Society's 
drive  for  better  eyesight. 

After  an  interesting  survey,  a  recent  issue  of  the 
American  ]\Iedical  Association  Journal  announces 
the  importance  of  much  spinach  and  carrots  in  the 
daily  diet  to  supply  vitamin  A,  thus  preventing 
night  blindness,  a  condition  in  which  the  sutTerer 
can  see  scarcely  anything  in  the  dark,  even  though 
the  vision  may  be  perfectly  normal  during  daylight 
hours. 

A  national  society  of  illumination  engineers  have 
not  only  prduced  a  scientifically  correct  reading 
lamp,  but  manufacturers  have  placed  that  lamp  up- 
on the  market  within  the  easy  and  inexpensive 
reach  of  the  average  family's  pocketbook.  Science 
has  given  us  delicate  and  powerful  instruments 
whereby  optical  specialists  may  delve  more  deeply 
into  the  defects  of  the  eye,  and  recommend  correc- 
tive measures,  either  by  medicine  or  by  surgery, 
or  more  commonly  of  course  by  proper  glasses  and 
frames.  Hospitals  and  other  charitable  institutions 
in  many,  many  communities  throughout  the  nation 
are  making  it  possible  for  everyone,  with  limited 
means  or  without  any  means,  to  receive  the  best 
examination  and  attention,  with  the  view  to  sav- 
ing and  strengthening  the  organs  of  sight.  No  one 
really  need  take  a  chance  or  suffer. 

During  very  recent  years  too  science  has  per- 
fected a  number  of  appliances,  both  fixed  and  port- 


able, for  educational,  scientific,  and  entertaining 
use.  The  movie  screen  of  1936  has  improved  im- 
measurably since  1906,  until  todaj-  one  hears  prac- 
tically no  complaint  of  eye  strain  from  even  the 
hal)itual  theater-goers.  Inasmuch  as  the  children's 
eyes  are  the  most  important,  and  since  those  eyes 
are  busy  from  the  Kindergarten  age  to  and  through 
high  school,  and  sometimes  college  or  university, 
science  again  is  to  be  recommended  for  its  develop- 
ment for  school  room  use.  One  needs  only  to  read 
accompanying  articles  in  the  monthly  issue  of  this 
magazine  and  to  glance  at  the  array  of  advertise- 
ments by  reputable  scientific  houses  in  order  to 
learn  of  the  modern  devices  and  appliances  designed 
to  conserve  eyesight.  Lenses,  projection  machines 
Tstill  and  moving),  screens  (for  day  or  night  use), 
charts,  posters,  pictures,  photographs,  improved  pa- 
er  and  ink — these  and  others  must  not  escape  the 
attention  of  the  teacher.  Most  of  all  they  must  not 
escape  the  attention  of  the  administrators,  the  school 
board  members  and  the  budgeteers  of  the  school 
svstems.  Frequently  the  business  heads  of  the 
school  are  unfamiliar  with  these  devices.  Class- 
room teachers,  knowing  the  need  of  such,  should 
spare  no  effort  in  bringing  such  items  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  proper  financial  authority  in  the  school 
department. 

Those  in  authority,  realizing  the  need  of  scien- 
tifically correct  visual  aids,  should  set  up  a  five  or 
ten  year  program  of  buying.  Make  a  small  start 
this  year,  and  plan  systematically  to  add  some  piece 
of  visual-aid  equipment  each  year.  Where  there's 
a  will,  there's  a  way — -without  increasing  the  bud- 
get too.  One  school  recently  made  savings  in  a 
number  of  ways  :  (1)  By  calling  for  bids  during  the 
summer  on  coal  for  delivery  in  lots  during  the  win- 
ter as  needed;  (2)  by  studying  its  pupil  transpor- 
tation lines,  and  eliminating  a  slight  duplication 
without  discharging  any  employee,  but  with  a  dis- 
tinct saving;  (3)  by  estimating  janitorial  and  pupil 
supplies  a  year  in  advance,  calling  for  bids  on  va- 
rious groups  of  items,  and  awarding  to  the  lowest 
bidder — quality,  of  course,  being  equal ;  (4)  by 
charging  a  small  rental  fee  for  the  use  of  its  audi- 
torium by  outside  clubs  and  organizations.  These 
are  only  a  few  that  one  school  did  in  a  few  months' 
time.  Such  savings  alone  could  be  invested  in  the 
kind  of  equipment  which  this  article  advocates. 

It  has  been  said  that  every  person  is  handicapped 
in  some  way.  Education  is  engaged  in  averaging 
of?  such  handicaps,  by  strengthening  known  weak- 
nesses, by  overcoming  limitations,  and  by  striving 
consistently  for  greater  realizations.  If  the  handi- 
cap be  impaired  eyesight,  science  must  receive  the 
praise  for  presenting  its  finest  products  to  the  fields 
of  education,  in  order  that  children  may  have  their 
most  precious  sense  preserved  to  assist  them  in 
their  upward  struggle. 


Page  246 


The  Educational  Screen 


Foreign  Films  for  Educational  Institutions 


(Concluded  from  September  Issue) 

ANOTHER  film  which  is  generally  liked  by  college 
students  is  the  Russian  picture,  Road  to  Life.  It 
is  perhaps  the  one  Russian  talking  picture  which  will 
not  be  criticized  by  American  audiences  as  propaganda. 
Opening  with  a  spoken  introduction  by  John  Dewey, 
Road  to  Life  is  a  forceful  and  entertaining  account  of 
the  intelligent  and  effective  handling  of  a  gang  of 
young  homeless  hoodlums  by  social  workers  in  post- 
war Russia.  Though  first  released  in  the  United 
States  about  1932,  in  our  opinion  this  is  still  the  best 
Russian  talking  feature  picture  that  may  be  rented. 
The  35mm  prints  of  this  picture  are  good,  the  16mm 
prints  only  fair. 

Also  of  interest  to  history,  as  well  as  to  German 
students,  is  The  Making  of  a  King,  a  German  film  with 
English  titles,  starring  Emil  Jannings  in  the  role  of 
William  I  of  Prussia.  This  film  is  strong  drama, 
should  be  entertaining  to  the  majority  of  college  stu- 
dents, and  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  use  of  his- 
torical materials  as  propaganda  for  the  theory  of  dis- 
cipline in  the  modern  fascist  state.  Other  German 
films  that  merit  consideration  are  Emil  und  Die  Detek- 
tive,  Der  Schimmelreiter,  and  Liebelei.  The  first  is 
excellent  for  high  schools  as  well  as  colleges,  the 
second  for  college  students  who  understand  German  or 
who  have  studied  Storm's  book  of  the  same  name  upon 
which  the  film  is  based,  and  the  third  is  satisfactory 
for  more  sophisticated  college  students  and  for  those 
who  wish  to  compare  a  good  filming  of  Arthur 
Schnitzler's  play  with  the  play  itself.  However,  it 
must  be  pointed  out  that  the  film  version  of  Liebelei  is 
about  four  years  old  and  that  the  prints  are  barely 
satisfactory.  Emil  und  Die  Detektive  will  be  available 
this  year  in  new  16mm  and  35mm  safety  prints.  The 
print  of  Der  Schimmelreiter  is  so  worn  that  it  can  not 
be  used,  hence  this  picture  will  be  virtually  off  the 
market  until  a  new  print  is  imported. 

In  addition  to  the  three  chief  groups  of  foreign 
films  that  schools  have  been  drawing  upon — French, 
German,  and  Russian — it  now  appears  that  there  will 
be  at  least  one  Czechoslovakian  and  one  Japanese  pic- 
ture, with  English  titles,  meriting  school  consideration. 
Schools  with  Slavonic  clubs  and  departments  of  Sla- 
vonic literature  may  wish  to  consider  Reka  or  Janosik, 
and  schools  with  special  interest  groups  in  oriental  cul- 
tures may  wish  to  use  a  Japanese  feature  picture  which 
has  just  been  approved  for  showing  in  the  United 
States  by  a  group  of  students  attending  the  Japan- 
America  Student  Conference  in  Tokyo.  It  is  hoped 
that  there  will  soon  be  information  at  hand  on  an 
Italian  and  a  Spanish  picture  which  we  can  commend 
to  the  attention  of  the  schools.  However,  at  the 
present  time  if  there  is  a  film  among  the  thirty  or  more 
Italian    features   in   the   United    States   or   among   an 


By     WESLEY      GREENE 

Director.   University  Film  Society,  The   University  of  Chicago 

even  greater  number  of  Spanish  language  features,  we 
have  not  been  able  to  discover  it  by  preview  or  from 
reviews.  During  past  seasons  Spanish  language  groups 
have  eventually  become  so  desperate  for  a  picture  that 
they  have  on  three  or  four  occasions  been  willing  to 
overlook  many  technical  defects  and  even  the  Holly- 
wood version  of  Spanish  life,  in  order  to  be  able  to  M 
show  something  at  their  meetings.  Let's  hope  that  " 
somewhere  and  before  long  a  really  good  Spanish  film 
will  be  discovered. 

If  we  add  to  the  above  an  occasional  American  or 
British  picture  selected  to  illustrate  class  or  club  work 
in  motion  picture  appreciation  or  to  be  shown  in  con- 
nection with  literature  courses,  we  shall  have  raw  ma- 
terial from  which  a  varied  and  interesting  series  of 
feature  films  may  be  set  up.  If  something  is  put  on 
the  film  program  for  each  quarter  or  semester  to  at- 
tract the  attention  of  every  student  on  campus  at  least 
once,  then  the  program  should  be  both  worthwhile  and 
self-supporting.  The  well-balanced  school  film  program 
should  contain  something  for  the  language  and  litera- 
ture departments,  something  for  the  chief  national  and 
international  groups  on  campus,  something  for  the  stu- 
dents of  public  opinion  and  propaganda,  history  and 
government,  sociology  and  social  service,  and  some- 
thing of  significance  for  those  interested  in  film  and 
drama  techniques.  Such  a  program,  properly  consti- 
tuted and  managed,  cannot  fail,  even  at  the  smallest 
college  or  high  school  in  the  country. 

♦  ♦         ♦ 

The  International  Film  Bureau  has  acquired  the 
American  rights  to  the  German  film  Emil  und  die  De- 
tektive, and  has  brought  the  original  negative  of  the 
picture  from  Germany  for  the  purpose  of  making  new 
16  mm.  and  35  mm.  safety  prints.  The  story  which  is 
unfolded  in  detail  in  the  film  was  written  by  Erich 
Kastner,  and  has  been  published  by  Holt  and  Com- 
pany as  a  language  reader  for  first  year  students  of 
German. 

♦  ♦         ♦ 

The  International  Film  Bureau  has  also  concluded 
an  agreement  to  handle  the  college  and  university  dis- 
tribution of  La  Kermesse  Heroiqiic,  winner  of  the 
Grand  Prix  du  Cinema  Francais  and  the  world  prize 
for  direction  at  the  Venice  Exhibition  in  1936.  This 
outstanding  picture  is  being  made  available  to  the  col- 
leges and  universities  of  the  country  during  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  American  first  run  in  New  York  City, 
contrary  to  the  usual  practice  of  letting  the  educational 
institutions  wait  until  after  theatrical  runs  have  been 
set  in  the  leading  cities.  The  commercial  distribution 
of  the  picture  is  being  handled  by  the  American  Tobias 
Corporation,  which  organization  has  granted  the  col- 
lege rights  to  the  International  Film  Bureau. 


October,  1936 


Page  247 


The  Church  Field 


Conducted  by  MARY  BEATTIE  BRADY 

Director,    Harmon    Foundation,     New    York    City 


How  The  Alert  Minister  Can  Use  A  Life  Situation  Picture 


THE  value  of  the  Biblical  type  of  short  picture  as 
'  an  integral  part  of  a  worshipful  or  inspirational 
service  has  been  demonstrated  so  frequently  as  to 
be  comparatively  obvious.  But  let's  suppose  that 
the  subject  of  the  film  to  be  used  is  a  day  life  situa- 
tion, such  as  is  depicted  in  Unto  the  Hills,  a  little 
dramatic  study  of  mountain  people  against  the 
background  of  their  environment,  the  Southern  Ap- 
palachian Mountains,  is  based  upon  actual  hap- 
penings. It  depicts  the  experiences  of  the  young 
son  of  a  moonshiner  who,  with  his  brothers,  helps 
tend  his  father's  still.  When  his  mother  suddenly 
becomes  ill,  he  runs  miles  over  the  mountains  to 
a  mission  hospital  to  "fetch"  the  doctor.  Already 
a  day  behind  in  his  calls,  the  good  doctor  has  other 
serious  cases  to  visit  first  and  finally  arriv^es  at  the 
moonshiner's  cabin  too  late  to  save  the  mother. 
The  boy  is  heartbroken.  Some  good  neighbors, 
noting  the  lad's  intelligence,  persuade  his  father  to 
send  him  to  the  mission  school  run  in  conjunction 
with  the  hospital. 

The  boy  responds  quickly  to  his  new  environ- 
ment and  enters  wholeheartedly  into  the  various 
',  activities  of  the  school.  But  his  chief  interest  lies 
in  the  hospital  that  might  have  saved  his  mother. 
No  one  knew  better  than  he  the  need  for  more  doc- 
tors in  the  isolated  sections  of  the  mountains.  One 
day  he  goes  to  his  mother's  grave  and  there  prays 
that  he  may  grow  up  to  be  a  doctor.  (It  is  interest- 
ing to  know  that  the  boy  whose  experiences  these 
are  is  now  in  college  preparing  for  medical  school. 
He  plans  to  go  back  to  the  mountains  and  practice 
after  getting  his  degree.) 

After  studying  this  picture  the  minister  would 
probably  include  in  his  estimate  of  what  it  does, 
the  presentation  of  the  colorful  background  of 
mountain  life  with  its  isolation,  its  beauty  and 
hardships;  and  the  various  types  of  people  to  be 
found  in  the  mountains ;  some  of  the  tasks  and 
achievements  of  the  mission  schools  and  hospitals ; 
and  most  important  of  all,  a  real  hero  who  has  con- 
secrated his  life  to  the  service  of  his  people.  He 
would  also  note  that  besides  presenting  the  factual 
material,  the  picture,  through  the  sincere  acting  of 
the  mountain  people  who  play  the  parts,  is  capable 
of  arousing  a  deep  and  sympathetic  interest  in  the  fate 
of  the  boy.  With  these  things  in  mind,  the  minis- 
ter will  proceed  to  plan  his  use  of  the  picture. 

Some    ministers    who    merely    want    to    "show 


something  on  home  missions"  would  no  doubt  be 
content  to  show  the  picture  and  hope  that  some- 
how it  will  interest  the  congregation  in  home  mis- 
sions. This,  the  film  might  very  well  do,  since  it 
gives  a  living  example  of  what  home  missions  can 
accomplish.  Since  people  are  most  easily  moulded 
when  their  emotions  are  aroused,  and  since  this 
picture  does  arouse  the  emotions,  the  minister  who 
shows  this  visual  study  and  fails  to  take  advantage 
of  these  facts  by  moulding  his  people  to  a  definite 
point  of  view,  is  wasting  a  valuable  opportunity. 
Capitalize  Emotional  Response 

One  way  of  using  the  film  would  be  to  speak  on 
the  subject  of  what  happened  to  the  brothers  who 
continued  to  run  the  still.  He  might  then  go  on  to 
identify  the  home  mission  work  of  his  own  church 
with  that  in  the  picture.  He  would  make  the  point 
that  the  hero  of  the  story  was  prepared  by  the  mis- 
sion schools  to  make  a  valuable  contribution  to 
humanity,  but  that  his  brothers  symbolize  a  vast 
group  of  people  very  much  in  need  of  the  same  sort 
of  aid  and  that  the  people  in  the  congregation  could 
supply  that  aid  by  supporting  their  own  missions. 
If  the  minister  fails  to  do  this,  the  audience  may 
easily  miss  the  point  that  of  the  entire  moonshiner's 
family,  only  the  one  boy  was  brought  into  a  more 
abundant  life.  But  if  this  point  is  made,  a  spur 
has  been  provided  to  urge  the  audience  to  action. 

But  suppose  that  for  one  reason  or  another  the 
minister  does  not  care  to  use  the  subject  of  home 
missions.  One  might  say  at  first  glance  that  since 
this  is  a  simple  little  story  with  no  particular  phi- 
losophy or  theology  in  it,  there  could  be  no  other 
use  for  it.  But  one  must  remember  that  the  mo- 
tion picture  is  a  tool.  The  minister  with  the  homi- 
letical  point  of  view  will  be  able  to  use  the  picture 
to  emphasize  a  number  of  different  themes  he  may 
wish  to  get  over  to  his  congregation. 

For  example,  the  minister  may  wish  to  discuss 
the  problem  of  evil.  He  may  present  the  fact  that 
some  people  deny  the  existence  of  a  good  God  be- 
cause of  the  existence  of  evil  in  the  world.  He  may 
then  point  out  the  fact  that  without  a  good  God  it 
would  be  just  as  difficult  to  explain  the  existence 
of  good  in  the  world.  He  may  show  this  picture 
either  before  or  after  a  brief  discussion  of  these 
points  and  then  use  the  hero  of  the  story  as  a  vivid 
living  example  of  how  a  boy  reared  in  an  evil  en- 

{Concluded  on  page  261) 


Page  248 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


Adventure  in  Manhattan  (Joel  McCrea,  Jean 
Arthur)  (Columbia)  Painfully  conceited  news- 
paper man  pursues  particularly  sinister  vil- 
lain. Heroine  first  defeats  hero,  then  saves 
him.  Rather  different  and  weirdly  thrilling, 
far-fetched,  and  hero  fails  to  suggest  power 
supposedly  in  him.  9-29-36 

(A)  Only  fair  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Hardly 

Anthony  Adverse  (Fredric  March)  (Warner) 
■  Very  skillful  adaptation  of  famous  novel, 
notable  acting  and  direction,  period  back- 
grounds expertly  done,  colorful  characters, 
pleasantly  intricate  plot,  fast  narrative,  ma- 
ture romance — make  tensely  appeaLng  picture 
for  the  intelligent  public.  9-15-36 

(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Mature  (C)  No 

Arizona  Raiders  (Larry  Crabbe,  Marsha  Hunt) 
(Para.)  Just  another  Western  with  the  usual 
ingredients — old  time  melodrama,  much  shoot- 
ing, skilled  riding  and  fine  photography,  inter- 
spersed with  some  slapstick  comedy  by  Ray- 
mond Hatton.  Hero  pursues  and  finally  cap- 
tures gang  of  horse  thieves  and  girl.  9-22-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Harmless  (C)  Exciting 

Blackmailer  (William  Gargan.  Florence  Rice) 

(Columbia)  Stupid  murder  story,  dismally  un- 
successful in  effort  to  combine  suspense  and 
humor.  Two-reel  comedy  type  detective  pain- 
fully unamusing  and  hero's  attempt  at  light- 
comedy  touch  probably  most  painful  of  all. 
H.  B.  Warner  in  poor  company.  9-22-36 

(A)  Stupid  (Y)  Stupid  (C)  No 

Craig's  Wife  (Rosalind  Russell,  John  Boles) 
(Columbia)  Egocentric  wife,  seeking  security, 
not  love,  relentlessly  keeps  her  possessions  for 
herself,  estranges  friends,  kin,  husband,  and 
earns  heart-breaking  solitude  at  end.  Unsym- 
pathetic role  finely  done  with  elegance  and  re- 
traint — save  absurd  eyelashes.  10-6-36 

(A)  Very  good       (Y)  Mature  but  good       (C)  No 

Down  the  Stretch  (Mickey  Rooney,  Patricia 
Ellis)  (1st.  Nat.)  Human,  entertaining  little 
racetrack  film  seriously  marred  by  absurdly  dis- 
torted ethics.  Able  little  jockey,  after  dead 
father's  bad  reputation,  gamely  fights  distrust 
and  suspicion  to  final  reel,  then  deliberately 
throws  race  for  sake  of  benefactress.  9-29-36 
(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  Better  not 

Down  to  the  Sea  (Ben  Lyon,  Russell  Hardie) 
(Republic)  Interesting  under-water  photog- 
raphy of  deep-sea  sponge  divers  and  shallow 
water  "hookers"  give  vivid  idea  of  sponge 
industry.  But  clumsy  melodrama  about  two 
rival  sponge-gatherers  and  a  girl  thoroughly 
bury  educational  value.  10-6-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Perhaps 

Educating  Father  (Jed  Prouty,  Spring  By- 
ington)(Fox)  A  humorous,  realistic  little  com- 
edy-drama relating  prosaic  adventures  of  the 
Jones  family,  an  average  small-town  American 
family.  Unimportant  plot  but  homey  touches, 
some  suspense,  and  good  cast  make  it  whole- 
some family  entertainment.  9-22-36 
(A)  Fairly  amus.    (Y)  Entertain'g    (C)  Prob.  gd 

End  of  the  Trail  (Jack  Holt,  Louise  Henry) 
(Columbia)  Just  another  western  on  present 
formula  of  having  hero  a  "badman"  who 
simply  cannot  be  happy  without  a  racket. 
Holt  keeps  cast  falling  around  him  with  jolts 
to  the  jaw,  and  a  gruesome  finish  by  gallows 
is  achieved.  10-6-36 

(A)  Trash  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Girl  of  the  Ozarks  (Virginia  Weidler,  H. 
Grossman)  (Para.)  Well  done  but  depressing 
story  of  a  little  mountain  waif  in  an  unsympa- 
thetic backwoods  atmosphere.  After  many  ad- 
versities, she  wins  happiness.  Distinguished  by 
performance  of  child  star,  natural  dialog,  pic- 
turesque settings,  good  character  roles.  9-22-3G 
(A)  Rather  good         (Y)  Perhaps         (C)  Too  sad 

Give  Me  Your  Heart  (Kay  Francis,  Roland 
Young)  (Warner)  Dignified  problem  play 
about  unwed  mother  who,  to  assure  child's 
good  name,  gives  him  up  to  married  father's 
family.  Resultant  heart-aches  end  fairly  con- 
vincingly in  three  happy  marriages.  Roland 
Young's   role   outstanding   comedy.  10-6-36 

(A)  Very  good  (Y)  Overmature  (C)  No 

Gypsies  (Russian  Soviet)  (Amkino)  Above  av- 
erage Russian  picture,  with  notable  music 
nicely  balanced  with  dialog,  adequate  English 
titles,  showing  Soviet  inducing  Gypsies  to  set- 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  In  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special  arrangement  with  The  Educational  Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


tie  on  collective  farms.  Usual  faults  of  Rus- 
sian technique  less  glaring,  and  human  inter- 
est outweighs  propaganda.  9-29-36 
(A)  Fairly  good       (Y-C)  Hardly  recommendable 

Heart  of  the  West  (Bill  Boyd,  Jimmie  Alli- 
son) (Para.)  Another  in  Hopalong  Cassidy 
series  with  the  engaging  hero  and  his  singing 
pal  thwarting  cleverly  the  dark  doings  of 
cattle  rustlers.  Plenty  of  thrill  without  resort 
to  undue  violence,  brutality  or  gore.  Good 
western.  9-15-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y-C)  Good  of  kind 

Hot  Money  (Ross  Alexander)  (Warners)  Ab- 
surd, fast-moving  comedy  concerning  the  inven- 
tion and  development  of  a  gasoline  substitute 
which  hero,  an  ex-convict,  energetically  pro- 
motes. Far-fetched  situations  and  implausible 
story  but  original  treatment  and  Joseph  Caw- 
thorn's  deft  comedy  provide  amusement.  9-22-36 
(A)  Fair  (Y)  Prob.  amusing  (C)  No 

Joan  of  Arc  (German,  good  English  titling) 
(Ufa)  Vivid,  authentic,  relentless  story  of 
grim  deeds  and  times  of  Maid  of  Orleans,  done 
with  utter  realism  and  conviction  by  able 
cast.  Crudity,  inhumanity  and  despair  of 
civilization  500  years  ago.  (But  Jeanne  d'Arc 
in  German!!)  9-15-36 

(A)  Very  good  of  kind         (Y)  Strong         (C)  No 

Mister  Cinderella  (Jack  Haley,  Betty  Fur- 
ness)  (Hal  Roach)  Headlong  slapstick,  about 
a  barber  idiotically  impersonating  a  million- 
aire. Fast,  hilarious,  raucous  series  of  crazy 
situations,  full  of  hokum  and  sure-fire  devices 
for  laughs.  Rowdy  fun  for  all  whose  taste 
runs  this  way.  10-6-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Perhaps 

Nine  Days  a  Queen  (Nova  Pilbean)  (G-B) 
England's  own  fine  portrayal  of  brief  period  in 
its  history  when  succession  to  Henr^  VIII  was 
fought  out  with  heartless  intrigue,  and  tragic 
cruelty.  Perfect  costumes,  background,  man- 
ners, atmosphere,  and  superb  cast  make  this 
a  historical  masterpiece.  9-15-36 

(A)  Excellent       (Y)  Excellent       (C)  Too  strong 

Postal  Inspector  (Ricardo  Cortez,  Patricia  El- 
lis) (Univ.)  Elementary,  mildly  interesting  film, 
glorifying  work  of  U.  S.  Postoffice — especially 
efforts  in  behalf  of  persons  swindled  through 
the  mails.  Romantic  interludes,  newsreel  flood 
shots,  hectic  speedboat  chase  mere  "props"  for 
the  main  purpose.  9-22-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Fair  (C)    Doubtful  int. 

Ramona  (Loretta  Young,  Don  Ameche')  (Fox) 
Well-known  melodrama  of  California  in  the 
'70's  finely  done  in  excellent  Technicolor,  some 
scenes  of  unusual  beauty  and  charm.  Idyllic 
Indian  romance,  until  persecution  by  greedy 
whites  brings  tragic  suffering  and  grim  death 
for  hero.  9-29-36 

(A)  Fine  of  kind    (Y)  Very  good    (C)  Too  strong 

Second  Wife  (Gertrude  Michael,  Walter  Abel) 
(RKO)  Well  acted  story  of  second-marriage 
complications  caused  by  rival  parental  affec- 
tions for  children  of  the  two  marriages.  Fairly 
convincing  development  eliminates  colorless 
"villain"  and  brings  pair  to  their  senses.  Good 
moments  but  uneven.  9-29-36 

(A)  Fairly  good     (Y)  Hardly     (C)  Beyond  them 

Seven  Brave  Men  (Russian,  fair  English 
titling)  (Amkino)  Grueling  struggles  against 
endless  disasters  by  seven  in  supposedly  scien- 
tific "winter  camp"  in  Arctic.  Glorifies  Sov- 
iet heroism  under  ponderous  sufferings.  Marred 
by  improbabilities,  heavy  acting,  slow  tempo 
and  incredible  naivete'.  9-15-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Sitting  on  the  Moon  (Roger  Pryor,  Grace 
Bradley)  (Republic)  Rambling  stuff  about  tin- 
pan-alley  composer  desperately  devoted  to 
making  his  beloved  heroine  a  success  as  a 
radio  star.  Wife  he  married  on  drunken  spree 
complicates  things  a  bit.  Few  wisecracks  but 
quite   enough   "singing".  10-6-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  No  (C)  No 


Son  Comes  Home  (Mary  Boland,  Donald 
Woods )  ( Para. )  Improbable,  sentimental  moth- 
er-love story.  Boland  fine  as  beloved,  hard- 
working waterfront  mother.  Aids  hero,  inno- 
cent of  murder  charge,  to  find  killer,  who  is  her 
own  missing  son.  He  dies  defying  police,  and 
she  takes  hero  in  his  place.  9-29-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Stage  Struck  (Dick  Powell,  Jeanne  Madden) 
(1st  Nat.)  Wildly  improbable,  hilarious  farce 
of  endless  mishaps  to  stage  production 
caused  by  would-be  "star"  whose  money  is 
vital  but  presence  fatal.  Laughable  dialog, 
amusing  action,  not  too  much  singing,  arriving 
crazily  at  comfortable  happy  ending.  9-15-36 

(A-Y)  Inane  but  amusing  (C)  Probably  good 

Sworn  Enemy(Robt.  Young,  Lewis  Stone,  Jos. 
Calleia)  (MGM)  Well-acted  gangster  melodrama. 
Fast,  exciting  action  with  usual  grim  brutali- 
ties and  murders,  and  hectic  climax.  His  broth- 
er killed,  himself  victimized  by  racketeers,  hero 
as  incognito  G-man,  uncovers  evidence  against 
vicious,  secret  mob  leader.  9-22-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Tempest  (Emil  Jannings,  Ana  Sten)  (Eng- 
lish titles)  (Ufa)  Seamy  side  of  life  ably  played. 
Hero,  his  latest  jail  term  over,  joyously  re- 
joins mistress  who  has  been  cheating  merrily. 
Stormy  action  follows,  until  hero  kills  his 
chief  rival  and  returns  gladly  to  jail  leav- 
ing her  to  still  another.  10-6-36 
(A)  Perhaps                      (Y)  No  (C)  No 

They  Met  in  a  Taxi  (Fay  Wray.  Chester  Mor- 
ris) (Columbia)Lively,  improbable  fairly  amus- 
ing mystery-romance.  Unconventional  but  whol- 
ly unobjectionable  situation  when  taxi-driver 
hero  aids  innocent  heroine  in  trouble.  Some 
homely,  human  episodes,  but  hard-boiled  hero 
decidedly  overdoes  gruff,  caveman  stuff.  9-22-36 
(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Good  (C)  Perhaps 

Thirty-Six  Hours  to  Kill  (Brian  Donlevy, 
Gloria  Stuart)  (Fox)  More  sensational  gangster 
stuff  aboard  transcontinental  train.  Newspa- 
per heroine  aids  G-man  hero  and  furnishes  ob- 
vious romance.  Usual  gun  thrills,  but  law 
triumphs  feebly,  for  gangster  is  killed  by  his 
own  jealous   "moll".  9-15-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Three  Married  Men  (Lynn  Overman.  Roscoe 
Karns)(Para.)  Elementary,  artificial  little  do- 
mestic comedy  built  on  timid  hero's  coming 
marriage  to  heroine,  which  is  derided  and  op- 
posed by  all.  Sure-fire  hokum  in  mildly  sexy 
situations  on  wedding  night  and  in  Pullman 
car,   with   many  laughable  lines.  9-29-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  Not  the  best  (C)  No 

Two  Fisted  Gentleman  (James  Dunn)  (Co- 
lumbia) Heroine  is  prize-fighter  manager  (  !) 
and  wife  of  dumb,  third-rate  prize-fighting 
hero.  Addled  over  society  girl,  he  sinks  lower 
and  lower,  but  loyal  wife  saves  all.  Low  tone 
of  whole  depressing,  fighting  tiresome.  Stu- 
pid use  of  good  cast.  9-15-36 
(A)  Stupid                     (Y)  Trash  (C)  No 

Two  in  a  Crowd  (Joel  McCrea.  Joan  Bennett) 
(Univ.)  Penniless,  light-hearted  hero,  his  one 
possession  a  racehorse,  meets  equally  penni- 
less heroine.  Aided  by  pals  they  overcome 
various  complications  till  horse  inevitably 
wins  big  race.  Rambling  little  comedy,  partly 
amusing,  often  dull. 
(A)  Hardly      (Y)  Prob.  amusing      (C)  Doubtful 

Yellowstone  (Henry  Hunter,  Ralph  Morgan) 
(Univ.)  Some  charming  photography  of  Yel- 
lowstone features,  thoroughly  cluttered  by  dark 
doings  of  old  crooks  returning  to  seek  hidden 
treasure  buried  under  the  famous  falls.  La- 
bored melodrama  of  artificial  thrill  and  glar- 
ing absurdity.  10-6-36 
(A)  Hardly                                     (Y-C)  Little  value 


I 


October,  1936 


^      OFFICERS 

NELSON    L.    GREENE 
President 

Editor  of  Educational  Screen 

Chicago,  Illinois 

WILBER    EMMERT 

First  Vice-President 

State  Teachers  College 
Indiana,  Pennsylvania 

ANNETTE    GLICK 

Second  Vice-President 

Visual  Education  Division 
Los  Angeles,  California 

E.    C.    WAGGONER 

Secretary-Treasurer 

Elgin  Public  Schools 
Elgin,  Illinois 


The  Department  of 
Visual  Instruction 


of 


The  National  Education  Association 

Headquarters  Address,  64  East  Lake  Street,  Chicago 


Page  249 


EXECUTIVE  COMMIHEE 

ROBERT  COLLIER,  JR. 

South  High  School 

Denver,  Colorado 
WILLIAM    H.    DUDLEY 

736  Wabash  Avenue 

Chicago,  lllinots 
JOHN   A.    HOLLINGER 

Pittsburgh  City  Schools 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 
DANIEL  C.    KNOWLTON 

New  York  University 

New  York  City 

CLINE   M.    KOON 

Office  of  Education 
Washington,  D.  C. 

GRACE    FISHER   RAMSEY 
American  Museum  of 
Natural  History 
New  York  City 


MEMBERSHIP  in  the  Department  of  Visual  In- 
struction has  been  in  past  years  a  rather  nebu- 
lous affair.  While  many  have  kept  their  membership 
meticulously  "paid  up"  from  year  to  year,  many  others 
have  not.  The  leisurely,  not  to  say  slovenly,  practice 
of  retaining  names  on  the  Department  records  for  a 
year  or  even  more  after  expiration  of  their  last-paid 
dues  not  only  does  not  increase  respect  for  and  con- 
fidence in  the  organization,  but  is  definitely  unfair  to 
the  bona  fide  members.  Names  so  kept  on  the  records 
have  automatically  continued  to  receive  The  Educa- 
tional Screen,  As  the  magazine  was  practically  the 
only  tangible  return  to  members,  and  as  it  came  with- 
out renewed  payment  of  yearly  dues,  there  was  no  ap- 
parent necessity  for  financial  formalities.  For  the  .sake 
of  departmental  self-respect  and  effectiveness  some 
change  is  obviously  desirable. 

The  campaign  begun  last  January  is  planned  to  be 
continuous  from  year  to  year  and  aims  at  "member- 
ship growth"  as  the  primary  essential  for  any  signifi- 
cant success  of  the  Department,  Mere  numbers  will 
tend  to  promote  respect  for  the  D,  V,  I,  but,  far  more 
importantly,  will  supply  modest  revenues  for  activities 
at  headquarters  for  further  growth,  for  more  frequent 
communication  with  members,  for  promoting  closer 
contact  between  members,  thus  gradually  developing 
an  integrated  national  organization  really  working  to- 
gether to  get  somewhere. 

We  propose  first,  then,  to  crystallize  our  vague  "rec- 
ords" into  an  accurate  and  actual  membership  as  of 
November  first.  On  September  30th  individual  letters 
were  sent  to  all  who  have  been  receiving  the  magazine 
beyond  expiration  date,  A  most  gratifying  renewal 
response  is  already  in.  The  letter  offered  a  "30  day 
period"  for  renewal.  We  are  ready  to  announce  there- 
fore, that 

This  iinll  be  the.  last  issue  of  The  Educational 
Screen  mailed  to  anyone  whose  current  dues  re- 
main unpaid  on  November  1st  next. 

By  the  next  issue  we  shall  know  exactly  where  the 
Department  stands  in  present  membership  and  shall 
have  a  definite  basis  on  which  to  build  the  continuing 
campaign.  This,  then,  is  the  last  call  to  lost  members, 
issued  reluctantly  but  of  necessity.  We  hope  none  of 
those  once  with  us  will  be  left  behind.  There  was  never 
a  time  when  it  was  so  richly  worthwhile  to  keep  up 
with  the  visual  procession. 

PLANS  for  the  New  Orleans  meeting  of  the  Depart- 
'  ment  are  in  preparation  with  such  speed  as  is  per- 
mitted by  Washington.     On  July  1st  last  we  formally 


applied  for  permission  to  meet  concurrently  with  the 
Department  of  Superintendence,  and  asked  for  assign- 
ment of  space  for  holding  our  sessions.  About  two 
and  one  half  months  later  came  an  answer  to  our  letter 
— stating  that  there  were  no  possible  accommodations 
for  our  Department  meeting  in  New  Orleans,  suggest- 
ing that  we  meet  in  some  oi:tlying  city  or  on  days  pre- 
ceding or  following  the  week  of  the  major  sessions. 
We  are  now  corresponding  extensively  in  various  di- 
rections to  find  a  satisfactory  solution.  Results  of  our 
efforts  will  probably  be  submitted  to  all  members  by 
individual  letter  from  headquarters  in  the  near  future. 

AS  FAR  and  as  fast  as  revenues  permit,  we  mean  to 
establish  the  practice  of  direct  communication 
with  members  by  mail,  as  well  as  through  the  official 
"department"  in  this  magazine.  We  suspect  that  mem- 
bers will  be  surprised,  and  even  pleased,  at  receiving  a 
communication  from  headquarters  asking  for  sugges- 
tion and  information,  instead  of  "money".  Real  prog- 
ress for  the  Department  will  never  come  from  the  lim- 
ited efforts  of  its  officers  alone.  Combined  effort,  how- 
ever, from  the  whole  membership  can  produce  results 
to  a  degree  and  at  a  rate  never  enjoyed  before.  Mem- 
ber opinions  on  policies,  information  from  members 
on  their  local  activities,  equipment  and  problems,  an- 
swers by  members  to  various  specific  questions  on  pro- 
cedure hitherto  left  to  the  unaided  decision  of  the  of- 
ficers— such  participation  by  the  national  membership 
in  our  national  ta.sk  will  not  only  distribute  the  load, 
but  ensure  saner  policies,  sounder  decisions  and  more 
fruitful  efforts  through  the  sympathetic  cooperation 
of  many  minds. 

A  MAJOR  activity  of  the  Department  for  the  com- 
ing year  may  prove  to  be  the  energetic  continu- 
ance and  even  expansion  of  the  "Questionnaire  to  the 
Visual  Field."  partial  mailings  of  which  were  made 
last  spring  with  most  satisfactory  results.  The  recent 
publication  in  Washington  of  the  "National  Visual 
Education  Directory" — presenting  the  results  of  the 
great  questionnaire  campaign  carried  through  bv  the 
American  Council  on  Education  under  the  direction  of 
Cline  M.  Koon — far  from  lessening  the  need  for  the 
Department's  questionnaire,  merelv  proves  the  advisa- 
bility of  continued  and  continuous  effort  to  determine 
the  facts  of  this  enormous  and  exceedingly  complex 
field.  A  comparison  of  results  from  the  two  question- 
naires indicates  that  the  Department  questionnaire 
should  certainly  go  on. 

N.  L.  G. 

E.  C.  W. 


Page  250 


The  Educational  Screet 


Among  the  Mdgazines  and  Book: 


Education  (57:27-30:  Sept.  '36)  "Amateur  Photo- 
play Composition"  by  William  Lewin. 

The  natural  interest  of  children  in  movies  may 
not  only  lead  to  a  genuine  interest  in  the  arts,  but 
may  also  provide  a  basis  for  motivating  imaginative 
writing.  "My  Idea  of  a  Screen  Version  of  Little  Boy 
Blue",  is  reproduced  as  the  output  of  a  High  School 
boy  in  Newark,  N.  J.,  after  a  class  discussion.  It 
appears  to  the  reviewer  that  there  is  vastly  more 
vitality  and  appreciation  of  delicate  sentiment  in 
this  writing  than  is  apt  to  be  found  in  a  simple  re- 
telling of  the  classic.  Similarly,  a  number  of  in- 
teresting details  are  suggested  by  pupils  for  the 
filming  of  Julius  Caesar.  "The  fact  that  high- 
school  texts,  often  in  the  past  considered  dry-as- 
dust,  are  now  being  visualized  on  the  screen,  means 
only  one  thing  to  students  —  these  texts  are  vital 
pieces  of  composition,  to  be  read,  visualized,  and  en- 
joyed." The  committee  on  the  re-organization  of 
the  English  curriculum  has  a  sub-committee  to  con- 
sider the  subject  of  visual  and  auditory  aids  to  the 
study  of  literature  and  composition.  The  plan  of 
Miss  Alice  P.  Sterner  for  aligning  creative  writing 
in  the  form  of  scenarios  with  the  study  of  litera- 
ture will  be  of  great  interest  to  teachers  of  High 
School  English.  Reference  is  also  made  to  visual- 
izing literary  lessons  in  terms  of  camera  action  and 
brief  dialogue. 

The  Education  Outlook,  London  (13:1,  Spring 
'36)  "Films  in  the  Classroom",  by  Eric  Clayton 
Jones. 

"The  time  has  come  when  the  claims  of  the  screen 
as  a  teaching  aid  can  no  longer  be  ignored."  Teachers, 
wishing  comprehensive  information  as  to  launching 
forth  in  the  field  of  projection,  may  here  find  valuable 
directions  in  a  nutshell.  Allusion  is  made  to  the  use 
of  materials  in  geography,  science,  history  and  sports. 
Regret  is  expressed  that  printed  commentaries  are  not 
available  with  instructional  silent  films.  In  America, 
we  are  more  fortunate  in  this  respect. 

School  Executives  (55  :332-34,  May  "36)  "Efficient 
Use  of  Visual  Aids  and  Radio",  by  Walter  C.  Mar- 
tin, Architect  of  Board  of  Education,  New  York 
city. 

Here  is  what  the  superintendent  and  board  mem- 
bers have  been  wanting  to  know  in  regard  to 
equipment  for  sound  in  the  schools.  The  little  red 
schoolhouse  condition  of  freedom  from  intruding 
noises  must  be  met  in  the  city.  The  article  con- 
tains much  that  will  be  appealing  to  those  inter- 
ested in  verbal  transmission,  although  considerable 
in  the  way  of  late  developments  in  physics  is  in- 
volved.    Reverberation   and    resonance    are    fully 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


treated  from  the  point  of  view  of  those  installing 
sound  equipment.  A  limited  amount  of  reverbera 
tion  is  desirable.  It  is  quite  possible  to  get  tc 
much  sound  aljsorptive  material  on  either  walls 
or  ceiling,  or  to  place  the  absorptive  material  in  an 
improper  location.  Decibels  of  acoustic  power  are 
classified  in  two  tables.  Excellent  data  are  given 
in  regard  to  the  relation  of  length  of  projection 
and  size  of  picture,  how  far  l)ack  the  first  row  of 
seats  should  be  for  each  condition,  and  also  the 
rear  row  of  seats. 

6ool<    Reviews 

Teacher  Preparation  in  Visual  Education-— A 
Summary  of  Literature  in  the  Field,  compiled  by 
Fannie  W.  Dunn  and  Etta  Schneider,  Teachers  Col- 
lege, Columbia  University,  1936. 

This  docvmient  of  101  pages  is  a  companion  edition 
to  "The  Administration  of  Visual  Aids"  by  the  same 
authors,  and  is  published  by  the  American  Council  on 
Education.  Not  only  is  the  reader  referred  to  seem- 
ingly all  articles  published  on  this  suliject,  but  a  clear 
analysis  and  digest  is  given  of  each.  The  work  should 
provide  the  needed  assistance  for  administrators  and 
others  desiring  that  this  much  discussed  subject  be 
fully  analyzed  and  presented.  The  treatment  comes 
under  the  following  heads:  "The  Need  for  Teacher 
Preparation",  "Trends  in  Teacher  Preparation", 
"How  Can  Teachers  in  Service  be  Trained  or  Guided 
in  the  Use  of  Visual  Aids?",  "What  is  the  Scope  of 
Instruction  in  the  Use  of  Visual  Aids?",  "Preparation 
for  the  Teaching  of  Motion-Picture  Appreciation", 
"Should  Courses  in  Visual  Instruction  be  Separate  or 
Should  Guidance  be  Offered  in  Special  Methods 
Courses?",  "Present  Offerings  in  Visual  Education". 
*         *         * 

Bibliography  on  Visual  Education,  by  Com- 
mittee on  Visual  Education  of  the  Middlesex  County 
Supervising  Principals'  Association,  New  Jersey. 

We  believe  this  edition  of  80  pages  to  be  the  most 
comprehensive  bibliography  yet  issued  in  the  visual 
field.  The  references  cover  the  period  from  January, 
1928  through  March,  1936.  References  to  state  pub- 
lications and  to  unusual  periodicals  are  listed  to  the 
joy  of  those  desiring  to  make  comprehensive  studies. 
The  field  is  covered  in  four  divisions.  "Administration 
and  Related  Phases",  "Activitv  Phases  of  Visual  Edu- 
cation", "Mechanical  Aids",  and  "Survev  of  Visual 
Education".  The  history  of  visual  education  is  in- 
cluded in  division  one,  also  teacher  traim'ng,  along  with 
other  sub-divisions.     Under  division  two,  the  black- 


fctober,  193  6 


Page  251 


pard  has  a  most  interestinj^f  treatment,  and  it  is  up-to- 
ate  to  the  point  of  crayon  fixative.     Excursions  are 
here  treated,  and  seven  pages  of  references  on  pup- 
Btr'y  are  given. 


FHow  to  Judge  Motion  Pictures  and  How  to  Or- 
^NizE  A  Photoplay  Club,  by  Sarah  McLean  Mul- 
Revised    Edition    1936.    Published    by    Scholastic 
iblications,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

[In  a  50  page  pamphlet  is  presented  the  foundation 

Ir   enabHng    students,    particularly    of    High    School 

to   judge  and  appreciate   motion   pictures.     The 

^thor,  who  is  head  of  the  English  Department  in  the 

braham   Lincoln   High    School   of    Los    Angeles,    is 

nply  able  to  treat  the  subject  from  the  view-point 

an  educator,  and  is  also  thoroughly  conversant  with 

producer's    technique.      Many    helpful    hints    are 

^en  to  aid  appreciation   from  this  angle.     Much  is 

Side  of  learning  with  a  joyous  heart,  and  the   fact 

It  we  enjoy  most  what  wll  help  us  to  do  what  we 

going  to  do. 

There  must  be  a  good  story,  but  it  takes  problems 
fmake  a  good  story.  There  must  be  opposing  forces, 
pd  not  all  clear  sailing.  We  learn  in  detail  what  con- 
Ititutes  an  acceptable  story.  The  main  thing  the  story 
says,  the  theme  ot  the  story,  must  be  universal 
in  that  it  touches  the  lives  of  most  people.  The  story 
"must  be  rich  with  details  from  the  lives  of  people 
who  feel  deeply  and  act  wth  vitality,  who  makes  us 
wish  to  think  farther  and  to  act  with  greater  force. 
It  must  deal  with  the  worthwhile  and  decent  phases 
of  life,  so  that  it  will  appeal  to  the  largest  part  of  the 
audience ;  not  with  the  sordid  and  abnormal  phases 
whose  appeal  is  to  the  abnormal  mind."  Talking 
slows  up  the  story,  so  it  must  be  used  with  care.  It 
should  either  have  a  bearing  on  the  plot,  or  be  enter- 
taining for  its  own  sake.  "A  picture  that  establishes 
decent  attitudes,  creates  happiness,  arouses  a  spirit  of 
general  goodwill,  encourages  the  onlookers  to  worthy 
efforts,  and  gives  due  praise  to  high  ideals — such  a 
picture  is,  socially  and  ethically  speaking,  a  very 
worthwhile  production." 

Since  the  word  "entertainment"  is  commonly  ap- 
plied to  the  cinema,  it  is  most  acceptable  to  have  the 
following  definition  submitted.  "We  must  remember 
that  entertainment  can  be  correctly  applied  to  every- 
thing within  the  picture  that  grips  our  attention  and 
holds  our  inteiest.  It  does  not  have  to  be  something 
funny.  It  may  range  from  that  which  makes  us  laugh 
to  that  which  makes  us  cry."  Among  the  special 
treatises,  aside  from  those  mentioned,  are  "Dramatic 
Structure",  "Characterization",  Costume  and  Grease 
Paint",  "The  Stage  Set",  "Photography",  "Sound", 
and  "Directors".  A  Score  Card,  covering  eleven 
phases  of  analysis  of  a  motion  picture,  is  reproduced, 
and  a  section  is  included  on  "How  to  Organize  a  Pho- 
toplay Club". 


HOW  the  practical 

TRIPOD  SCREEN 


HERE'S  NEWS  for  you  —  A 
mechanically  ttertect,  rigid  auto- 
matic type  tripod  screen  that 
sets  up  instantly  —  and  it's  a 
BRITELITE  -  TRUVISION  Crystal 
Beaded  Screen  to  boot !  No  more 
thumb -screws  —  automatic  spring 
release  catches  hold  the  screen  just 
where  you  want  it,  up  to  7V^  feet 
high.  It's  sturdy.  It's  practical. 
Place  it  anywhere  —  in  classrooms, 
auditoriums  and  homes.  It's  ideal 
for  commercial  purposes  tool  Closed, 
it's  both  good -looking*  and  conveni- 
ent. Available  in  three  popular 
sizes— 30"  X  40",  36"  x  48"  and 
42"  X  56". 


See  our  complete  line  of 
screens,  floodlights,  projector 
cases  and  film  storage  cases 
at  your  dealer's.  If  you  pre- 
fer, write  Qs  for  complete 
literature   and    prices. 


MOTION  PICTURE  SCREEN  &  ACCESSORIES  CO.,  Ino. 

524  West  26th  Street  New  York,  N.  Y. 


MOTION  PICTURES 
of  the  WORLD 


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Winter    Issue    Ready 


0 

F.II-W.O.C    i$)6-)7                                       ll 

Motion  PicriRbs  of  the  World        m 

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In  Motion  Pictures  of 
the  World  good  films  are 
sifted  out  from  bad.  the 
reliable  distributors  from 
the    irresponsible  ones. 


This  is  made  possible  by 
a  unique  clearing  house 
method  of  film  distribu- 
tion described  in  detail  in 
a  folder  supplied  gratis  on 
request. 


9    Outstanding    Features 

1.  FILMS  OF  RELIABLE  DISTRIBUTORS  ONLY 

2.  ONLY  EDUCATIONAL  FILMS 

3.  VAST  VARIETY  OF  SUBJECTS 

4.  ADEQUATE  FACTUAL  DESCRIPTIONS 

5.  RENTALS  INDICATED  FOR  EACH  FILM 

6.  HIGH  DEGREE  OF  ACCURACY 

7.  EASILY   ASCERTAINED   SPECIFICATIONS 

8.  FINELY  DETAILED  FILM  INDEX 

9.  400  FREE  FILMS  INCLUDED 


Published  twice  a  year.  Send  50c  for  one  year's 
subscription  (2  issues)  or  write  for  free  litera- 
ture to : 

INTERNATIONAL  EDUCATIONAL  PICTURES,  INC. 
40  Mount  Vernon  &  Walnut  St.      —      Boston,  Mass. 


Page  252 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


Student  Activities  With  the  Camera 

WE  ARE  going  to  deviate  slightly  this  month  from 
a  technical  discussion  on  film  production  and 
investigate  an  educational  program  in  general  pho- 
tography. The  question  has  arisen  "How  can  teachers 
be  more  effectively  trained  in  the  production  and  use 
of  visual  aids?"  There  are  many  answers  to  this 
question,  one  of  which  is  an  educational  program  start- 
ing in  the  high  schools  or  even  in  the  junior  high 
schools. 

Upon  asking  a  class  of  college  juniors  and  seniors, 
studying  photography,  when  they  first  became  inter- 
ested in  this  subject  72%  of  them  replied,  "In  high 
school".  It  seems  logical  therefore  that  here  is  the 
place  to  start  a  pupil  thinking  in  visual  aids,  not  only 
in  their  use  but  in  the  production  of  the  various  de- 
vices. Many  progressive  school  systems  have  already 
made  provision  to  stimulate  this  very  desirable  activity 
in  the  form  of  camera  clubs,  science  classes,  or  in  a 
few  instances  as  regular  classes  in  photography. 

Let  us  see  now  why  the  secondary  school  is  the 
logical  place  to  start  such  training.  In  the  first  place 
it  is  about  this  period  in  a  pupil's  life  that  he  first  be- 
gins to  take  an  active  interest  in  "taking  pictures". 
He  may  own  a  very  simple,  inexpensive  box  type  cam- 
era but  he  takes  it  on  hikes,  picnics,  and  other  gather- 
ings of  young  folks,  mainly  to  get  pictures  of  people. 
However,  this  is  the  beginning  of  a  very  useful  activity 
if  the  teacher  can  direct  it  in  the  proper  channels  and 
make  it  a  real  live  hobby  or  avocation. 

Not  only  as  a  means  of  personal  pleasure  but  as  an 
aid  in  their  other  studies  may  photography  be  used. 
As  an  example,  if  a  student  were  equipped  to  take 
sharp  distinct  photographs  he  could  use  his  skill  in 
illustrating  reports,  papers  on  botany,  entomology-, 
chemistry,  and  many  others  and  by  doing  this  in  return 
would  secure  much  more  satisfaction  and  knowledge 
of  the  subject  studied.  When  the  pupil  enters  the  uni- 
versity his  illustrative  ability  again  would  be  invalu- 
able. 

When  a  student  does  very  much  photographic  work 
his  free  evenings  are  all  occupied'  in  the  basement  in 
the  corner  dark  room,  which  means  very  little  time  to 
run  around  on  the  streets  with  the  "gang".  Surely 
any  hobby  which  can  do  this  must  be  commendable. 

We  have  seen  where  the  pupil  benefits  from  such  in- 
struction but  let  us  see  how  the  school  may  benefit  to 
an  even  greater  extent.  We  shall  suppose  that  the 
pupils  are  required  to  take  a  certain  number  of  nega- 
tives of  various  subjects  pertaining  to  classroom  pro- 
cedure and  as  a  further  portion  of  their  training  they 
are  required  to  make  a  number  of  lantern  slides.  It 
is  readily  seen  that  before  long  the  teacher  by  proper 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 

selection  of  these  lantern  slides  would  have  a  valuable 
set  of  visual  aids  which,  as  time  went  on  and  this  ac- 
tivity were  enlarged,  would  become  quite  complete.  It 
is  surprising  the  number  of  unusual  pictures  one  gets 
from  a  group  of  interested  pupils  assigned  to  a  topic, 
such  as  "trees".  Inasmuch  as  more  and  more  teachers 
are  making  use  of  visual  aids  in  teaching,  this  factor  is 
quite  important.  One  will  find,  incidentally,  that  a 
study  of  photography  and  the  production  of  visual  aids 
will  better  equip  the  student  to  understand  and  appre- 
ciate the  various  visual  devices  used  in  teaching. 

Almost  all  schools  publish  each  year  an  annual  or 
year  book  of  school  life  and  activities.  A  major  por- 
tion of  this  publication  is  always  devoted  to  photo- 
graphs of  athletics,  clubs,  societies,  individuals  or  pic- 
tures of  the  personal  snap  shot  variety.  There  is  no 
good  reason  why  the  students  themselves  could  not 
handle  all  or  at  least  a  major  portion  of  this  photog- 
raphy. Not  only  would  this  be  a  very  economical 
method  of  operation  but  would  stimulate  enthusiasm 
and  competition  from  qualified  individuals  in  this 
field. 

Some  work  in  the  motion  picture  could  well  be  in- 
cluded in  this  activity.  Study  could  be  directed  toward 
the  production  end  with  its  many  accompanying  tech- 
nical problems  as  well  as  the  appreciation  angle.  With 
the  prominent  place  which  the  motion  picture  holds  in 
our  every  day  life  it  behooves  the  high  school  student 
to  find  out  more  about  this  field. 

In  this  connection  it  is  not  impossible  to  visualize 
a  motion  picture  film  on  school  activities,  produced 
by  the  students  under  adequate  supervision,  in  each 
major  high  school.  This  could  be  in  the  form  of  an 
extra-curricular  activity.  These  films  could  be  cata- 
logued and  an  exchange  service  established  in  order 
to  let  each  school  see  what  the  others  are  doing.  It  is 
felt  that  this  would  eventually  work  into  a  very  valu- 
able school  function. 

The  question  has  arisen  as  to  the  possible  prohibi- 
tive cost  of  a  laboratory  equipped  to  carry  on  this  ac- 
tivity. This  would  not  necessarily  have  to  be  expen- 
sive for  high  school  or  elementary  school  purposes.  If 
the  equipment  is  carefully  selected  by  a  competent 
person  it  could  be  one  of  the  least  expensive  of  school 
activities. 

An  interesting  account  of  what  is  being  done  in  one 
school  in  the  seventh  grade  is  described  in  two  articles 
appearing  in  The  Camera  of  August  and  September, 
1936.  Another  venture  in  amateur  movie  making  is 
reported  in  Dr.  Dale's  column  in  the  September  issue 
of  Parent  Teacher. 


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QUALITY    SOUND    PROJECTORS 


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Page  254 


The  Educational  Screen 


News  and  Notes 


Ohio  Visual  Group  Meets 

The  Visual  Education  Section  of  the  Central 
Ohio  State  Teachers  Association  will  meet  Friday, 
October  30  at  Columbus,  with  W.  C.  Dyer,  Prin- 
cipal, McKinley  Junior  High  School,  Columbus, 
Ohio,  as  Chairman.  An  interesting  afternoon  of 
practical  audience  demonstrations  is  promised,  as 
evidenced  by  the  following  program. 

Crystallization  and  Electrolysis.  Actual  experi- 
mental conditions  in  process  thrown  on  screen  by 
means  of  daylight  lantern. — Homer  R.  Fisher,  Prin- 
cipal Sunbury  High  School. 

Film  correlating  History  and  Character  Educa- 
tion.— J.  H.  Detrick,  DeGraflf,  Ohio. 

Film  showing  the  making  of  Puppets  and  their 
operation.  A  short  Puppet  Show  correlating  Fine 
Arts,  Household  Arts,  History  and  English  pro- 
jects will  be  shown. — Courtesy  Fine  Arts  Depart- 
ment, Ohio  State  University. 

Films  and  slides  illustrating  Nature  Study,  Gen- 
eral Science  and  Biology. — W.  F.  Gauggel,  Colum- 
bus, Ohio. 

Sound  film,  "Development  of  Familiar  Ballads." 
— C.  A.  Vance,  Columbus,  Ohio. 

Round  table  discussion  of  ten  minutes  led  by  E. 
F.  Carlisle,  Delaware,  Ohio,  on  "Visual  Aids  in  the 
Modern  School." 

This  program  will  consist  in  practical  classroom 
audience  demonstrations. 

A  Report  from  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Bureau 

Travel  and  health  films  lead  the  educational  field 
in  popularity,  according  to  Alfred  L.  Fredrick,  di- 
rector of  distribution  for  the  Motion  Picture  Bureau 
of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  which  distributes  yearly  over 
100,000  educational  films,  on  more  than  1,000  differ- 
ent subjects,  averaging  2,000  films  per  week. 

"Considering  the  country  as  a  whole,  travel  and 
health  pictures  are  most  popular,  comprising  about 
85  per  cent  of  the  total,"  Mr.  Fredrick  said.  "These 
pictures  range  in  subject  from  exploring  the  Ant- 
arctic to  slow  motion  pictures  teaching  the  tech- 
nique of  different  sports.  Second  in  popularity  are 
films  dealing  with  the  basic  industries  of  steel,  cot- 
ton, rubber,  lumber,  etc.  Such  films  comprise  about 
25  per  cent  of  our  list.  Pictures  dealing  with  the 
home  and  home-making  are  third  in  general  popu- 
larity,  comprising  about    10  per  cent   of  our  list." 

According  to  Mr.  George  J.  Zehrung,  Director 
of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Motion  Picture  Bureau,  there  are 
between  70,000  and  80,000  non-theatrical  projection 
machines  in  the  United  States.  Because  of  the 
great  demand  for  films  experienced  by  the  Bureau, 
he   predicts   the   establishment   of  a   vast   traveling 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN 

university  within  the  next  few  years,  with  courses 
taught  entirely  or  supplemented  by  educational 
films,  going  regularly  to  an  enrolled  student  body 
of  more  than  twenty  million.  "Several  corres- 
pondence schools  are  now  experimenting  with 
courses  supplemented  by  films,"  he  said.  "And 
there  are  20  state  universities  which  have  extension 
divisions,  through  which  film  courses  could  be  dis- 
tributed. It  is  estimated  that  these  units  serve  now 
about  30,000  organizations,  largely  schools  and 
clubs." 

New  York  University  Continues  Film  Lectures 

The  course  on  "The  Motion  Picture :  Its  Artistic, 
Educational  and  Social  Aspects,"  conducted  by  Asso- 
ciate Professor  Frederic  M.  Thrasher  and  others  at 
New  York  University,  will  be  given  again  this  year. 
The  first  term  will  be  devoted  largely  to  the  evolution 
of  the  motion  picture  in  its  technical  and  artistic  prob- 
lems. Titles  of  some  of  the  lectures  are :  New  Trends 
in  the  History  of  the  Movies,  Making  Motion  Pictures 
Authentic,  Music  in  Motion  Pictures,  The  New  Jour- 
nalism in  Motion  Pictures,  The  Experimental  Film, 
The  Documentary  Film,  Personal  Motion  Pictures, 
The  Animated  Cartoon,  The  Art  of  the  Motion 
Picture. 

Bird  Songs  Recorded 

The  development  of  sound  motion  pictures  has 
enabled  ornithologists  to  compile  virtually  an 
audible  cyclopedia  of  bird  life.  Many  facts  that  had 
been  guessed  at  previously,  are  now  positively  dis- 
closed by  means  of  the  latest  sound  recording  ap- 
paratus. Mr.  Albert  R.  Brand,  of  the  American 
Museum  of  Natural  History,  has  been  experiment- 
ing for  the  past  five  years  with  this  medium  and 
has  obtained  records  of  the  voices  of  more  than  200 
species  of  wild  birds.  By  means  of  a  device  called 
the  sound  concentrator,  developed  at  Cornell  Uni- 
versity, it  is  possible  to  record  a  bird  song  satis- 
factorily anywhere  from  250  feet  to  700  or  800  feet 
from  the  recording  truck.  After  the  sound  has 
been  recorded,  the  film  is  developed  in  the  usual 
photographic  manner. 

This  material  can  be  utilized  in  several  ways. 
Phonograph  records  of  bird  songs  are  proving  valu- 
able for  educational  work.  It  has  been  possible  also 
to  build  up  a  library  of  sound  motion  pictures  of 
bird  life.  A  large  collection  of  instructive  motion 
pictures  on  birds  has  been  amassed  also  by  Dr.  I 
Arthur  A.  Allen,  professor  of  ornithology  at  Cor- 
nell University.  Further,  sound  photography  in- 
sures the  preservation  of  aural  and  visual  records 
of  bird  species  that  are  fast  approaching  extinction. 


I 


ctober,  1936 


Page  25  5 


A  Sound  Comhinationl 

GLOBE  PROJECTORS  and  GUTLOHN  FILMS 


A  Complete,  Professional 

16   mm.    Sound   Projector. 

Sturdily   Built   to   Withstand 

Hard  Usage. 

Equipped  with  a  750  watt  projection 
lamp.  Will  run  sound  and  silent  film. 
Has  central  oiling,  only  four  oil  cups, 
and  automatic  rewind.  Includes  12" 
electro  dynamic  auditorium  speaker, 
10  watt  undistorted  output  from  a 
Bonded  amplifier.  All  wires  and  leads 
are  polarized,  making  wrong  connec- 
tions Impossible.  Both  cases  in  hand- 
some black  fabrlkold  and  steel  re- 
inforced. 


A   Complete   List  of   Our 

Latest    Releases    Is    Now 

Available. 

EDUCATIONAL— 

Natural  Science,  Physical  Science,  Travels, 

Music  Appreciation,  Sports  and  Literature. 

ENTERTAINMENT — 

Musicals,    cartoons,    novelties,    adventure 

pictures     and     more     than      150     feature 

productions. 


Write  for  our  new  catalogue, 
and  for  our  special  plan  by 
which  you  may  rent  or  pur- 
chase a  Globe  Sound  Projector 
and  Films. 

Distributors  in  Key  Cities 


VISUAL  SOUND  PRODUCTS  DIVISION 

of 

WALTER  O.  GUTLOHN,  Inc.,  35  w.  45th  ST.,  new  york,  n.  y. 


Visual  Instruction --Iowa  State 

(Concluded  from  page  242) 

use  of  visual  aids  is  very  important.  We  have 
hoped  for  a  long  time  to  have  a  specialist  in  the 
field  but  finances  have  thus  far  not  permitted.  It 
has  been  possible  to  do  a  little  missionary  work  in 
this  respect  at  the  state  and  district  teachers  meet- 
ings when  we  are  able  to  attend.  We  also  do  con- 
siderable correspondence  and  have  prepared  some 
material  which  we  believe  is  of  value.  We  have 
not  thus  far  been  able  to  institute  courses  in  visual 
aids  at  Iowa  State  College,  but  we  are  working 
toward  this  gradually. 

Information  on  Projection  Equipment 

We  have  found  that  there  are  certain  demands 
for  information  on  various  subjects  pertaining  to 
visual  aids.  Some  of  these  may  be  answered  by 
form  materials  but  we  find  that  the  requests  are  so 
varied  that  it  is  necessary  to  write  letters  giving 
necessary  information.  This  is  a  very  interesting 
part  of  our  work. 

As  you  may  well  imagine  one  of  the  most  fre- 
quent questions  reaching  us  pertains  to  projection 
equipment.  Invariably,  the  question  is,  "What  is 
the  best  type  of  a  particular  kind  of  equipment," 
We  do  not  sell  equipment.  It  is  necessary,  of 
course,  that  we  be  entirely  neutral  in  our  analysis 
of  the  requests.     We  always  go  into  this  problem 


very  carefully,  pointing  out  details  of  each  pro- 
jector, and  suggesting  that  demonstrations  be  se- 
cured. In  this  way,  I  believe  that  we  are  able  to 
be  fair  to  all  concerned,  and  still  help  the  prospective 
purchaser. 

The  titles  of  the  mimeographed  circulars  avail- 
able on  various  aspects  of  visual  aids  are  as  follows : 

Booth;    Specifications    for    Portable    Motion    Picture 

Machines 
Choosing    the     Proper    Motion     Picture     Projection 

Equipment 
Choosing  Still  Picture  Projection  Equipment 
Dealers  and  Manufacturers  of  Projection  Equipment 

and  Visual  Aids 
Exhibits  Available  from  Commercial  Concerns 
Feature  Films 
Making  Lantern  Slides 
Making  Interior  Photographs 
Notes  on  the  Taking  of  Pictures 
Oil  on  Film  and  Oiling  of  Projectors 
Preparing  a  Translucent  Screen 
Projection  Screens 
School  Journey 
Suggestions  on  the  Care  of   16mm.   Motion   Picture 

Film  and  Projectors 
Suggestions  on  a  School  Visual  Aids  Program 
Use  and  Care  of  Motion  Picture  Film 
Visual  Aids  for  Garden  Clubs 
Visual  Instruction  Literature 

In  addition  to  the  activities  throughout  the  state, 
the  visual  instruction  work  within  Iowa  State  Col- 
lege centers  in  our  office. 


Page  256 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Department 


The  Use  of  Lantern  Slides 
in  Teaching  Biology 

"THIS  experiment  was  carried  out  in  the  George 
'  Washington  High  School  of  IndianapoHs  where  the 
author  was  teaching  two  classes  in  biology.  The  same 
subject  matter  was  presented  in  the  same  manner,  and 
the  same  reference  books,  wall  charts  and  other  teach- 
ing devices  were  used  in  both  classes.  Lantern  slides 
were  used  in  one  class  and  not  in  the  other.  The  same 
length  of  time  was  used  in  covering  the  subject  mat- 
ter in  both  classes.  However,  one  class  met  shortly 
before  lunch  and  the  other  met  the  last  periods  in  the 
day,  both  classes  meeting  for  double  periods.  No  al- 
lowance has  been  made  for  the  different  parts  of  the 
day  in  which  the  classes  met. 

The  Classes 

The  pupils  of  the  two  classes  were  not  chosen 
especially  for  this  experiment,  but  represent  a  cross 
section  of  the  personnel  of  a  typical  high  school,  and 
were  taken  just  as  they  were  assigned  to  the  two 
classes.     Hereafter,  the  class  in  which  lantern  slides 


#  SOU]\D  QUALITY 
PICTURE  QUALITY 

See  It  "Hear  It 


35  mm.  Standard  Film 


You  buy  it 
strictly  on 
merit. 

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DOWN 

and  19  equal 
small  month- 
ly   payments. 


No  interest 


No  carrying 
charges 


FREE 
Demonstration 


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Guarantee 


Write  today  for 
full  details. 


The  HOLMES  EDUCATOR 
HOLMES    PROJECTOR    CO. 

1813  Orchard  Street  Chicago 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudson,   N.  Y. 

were  used  will  be  designated  as  Class    A,    while    the 
other  class  will  be  designated  as  Class  B. 

All  pupils  of  these  classes  were  as  far  advanced  as 
the  10th  grade  in  high  school.  Some  few  of  each  class 
were  of  grades  11  and  12.  The  majority  of  the  pupils 
had  not  had  any  previous  work  in  science.  A  few  of 
each  class  had  had  General  Science  in  the  9th  grade. 

Class  A  consisted  of  twenty-three  pupils,  twelve 
boys  and  eleven  girls  whose  chronological  ages  aver- 
aged 15.826  years.  Class  B  consisted  of  twenty-eight 
pupils  of  which  eleven  were  boys  and  seventeen  were' 
girls,  having  an  average  age  of  15.785  years.  The  I. 
Q's,  grouped  in  ranges  of  five,  are  shown  for  each 
class. 

I.  Q.  Number  of  Pupils 

Groups  Class  A         Class  B 

66-   70  1  0 

71-   75  1  1 

76-  80  1  1 

81-   85  0  1 

86-   90  1  2 

91-   95  7  3 

96-100  4  6 

101  - 105 3  5 

106-110  1  5 

111-115  2  2 

116-120 1  1 

121-125  1  0 

126-130  0  1 

Total    Pupils    23  28 

Average  I.  Q 96.7  99.3 

Use  of  The  Slides 

All  of  the  slides  used  in  class  A  were  made  by  the 
class  or  the  instructor.  They  were  made  during  the 
regular  period.  The  slides  were  made  on  ground  glass 
by  using  a  4H  Venus  pencil.  Some  of  the  slides  were 
colored  by  the  use  of  Keystone  crayons. 

Never  more  than  three  slides  were  used  at  one  class 
period.  The  slides  were  projected  either  on  a  daylight 
screen  or  on  the  blackboard.  When  the  projection  was 
made  on  the  screen,  the  pupils  made  drawings  from 
the  image  on  the  screen.  Quite  frequently  the  pro- 
jection was  made  on  the  blackboard,  questions  were 
asked  about  the  parts  shown  and  pupils  were  sent  to 
the  board  to  label  the  parts.  The  slide  used  one  day 
was  frequently  shown  again  on  the  following  day.  Fre- 
quently, this  was  done  as  questions  were  raised  the 
day  before  and  pupils  were  sent  to  the  proper  sources 
for  the  information.  The  information  was  given  to 
the  class  when  the  slide  was  projected  the  second  time. 

{Concluded  on  page  258) 


I 


October,  1936 


Page  257 


USEES  ALL-PLAYS  ALL  I 
niveflsaL 

16MM.   SOUND   PROJECTOR 

FOR  AUDIENCES  50  to  2000 

The  new  UNIVERSAL  SOUND  PROJECTOR 
excels  in  quality,  performance  and  dura- 
bility. Never  before  have  so  many  features 
been  offered  in  sound  on  film  equipment 
at  such  a  low  cost. 

ALL  YOU  WANT  IS  HERE 

Quickly  focused  to  a  brilliant, 

steady    image    and    easy    on 

films,  a  Universal  gives  ail  that 

you  want  in  a   16  mm.  sound 

projector.     The    touch     of    a 

finger  speedily  adapts  volume 

to    any    size    audience. 

Compactly  portable  in  two 

carrying  cases.    Complete, 

ready    to    plug    in.    No 

extras  to  buy. 

COMPARE 

Try  a  UNIVERSAL 
side  by  side  with 
any  machine  on  the 
market.  You  owe 
this    test    to    your- 

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a  decision. 


TRUE  TONE  QUALITY— Re- 
sults obtained  with  Universal 
Portable  16  mm.  Sound  Pro- 
jector are  the  same  for  fidel- 
ity of  sound  as  in  the  pro- 
fessional theatre.  Every  sound 
is  rich  and  round  with  a  fine 
definition. 

EASY     OPERATION— Anyone 

can  quickly  learn  to  operate. 
Trained  operator  not  neces- 
sary. PROJECTOR  AND  AM- 
PLIFIER arranged  and 
marked,  making  operation  er- 
ror  unlikely. 

PRICED  LOW  —  Considering 
the  Professional  Construction 
— Rugged  Design — Superb  Pic- 
ture —  True  Tone  Quality  — 
Universal's  Low  Price  eon- 
tributes  to  a  wider  use  of 
Talking  Pictures.  The  upkeep 
is   economical. 


BRILLIANT  PICTURE— Pro- 
jector equipped  with  finest  Op- 
tical Units  obtainable.  500  or 
750  Watt  Projector  Lamp 
gives  brilliant,  sharp  image 
in  sizes  up  to  9'  x  12'  and 
over  and  at  distances  up  to 
100'  or  more. 

LESS    WORKING    PARTS    — 

Simplicity  of  Universal  con- 
struction means  less  wear  on 
film.  Ample  spacing  is  pro- 
vided for  easy  threading.  Film 
runs  in  one  direction  through- 
out entire  mechanism  with 
minimum    tension. 

PROFESSIONAL   DESIGN  — 

Universal  16  mm.  Sound  Pro- 
jector follows  construction  as 
used  in  professional  theatre 
equipment.  The  entire  mech- 
anism differs  from  the  usual 
16  mm.  Projector.  Built  for 
continuous,  uninterrupted 
service. 


Complete  Details  On  Request 

UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 

Manufacturers  of  16  mm.  -  35  mm.  Sound  Projectors 
Factory  &  General  Offices  Paramount  Building 

Allegheny   Ave.  at   Ninth  St.,  New  York  City 

Philadelphia,  Pa.  New  York 


MODEL  DK 
PROTECTS  VALUABLE  COLOR  PLATES 

The  beauty  of  Mother  Nature's  birds,  insects,  land- 
scapes cannot  be  described  —  it  must  be  seen  to  be 
appreciated.  Now — with  the  Spencer  Model  DK  Color 
Plate  Projector,  you  can  bring  the  beauty  of  foreign 
countries — Japan,  Hawaii,  romantic  Italy,  colorful  Spain 
— right  into  your  own  school  room.  The  many-hued 
colors  of  tropical  and  domestic  birds  and  insects  can  be 
shown  so  that  everyone  has  a  distinct,  vivid  impression 
of  their  actual  colors. 

And  you  can  do  this  with  the  assurance  that  your 
natural  color  plates  such  as  Agfa  and  Autochrome,  will 
be  absolutely  protected  from  harmful  heat.  The  Model 
DK,  designed  by  our  projection  experts,  is  the  ideal  in- 
strument for  the  projection  and  protection  of  natural 
color  plates. 


MODEL       DK       DELINEASCOPE 

Special  cooling  fan  prevents  heat  from  lamp  reaching  slide.  A 
16-Inch  focus  objective  produces  a  9.1  Foot  picture  at  50  Feet. 
Objectives  oF  other  Foci  may  be  substituted.  Accommodates  slides 
4.5  X  6  cm.  to  3'4  "x  4'^  ". 

For  more  complete  InFormatlon  and  prices  write  For  Folder  K-78. 
Please  address  Dept.    R-10. 

Spencer  Lens  Company 

Buffalo  Q  New  York 


Page  258 


The  Educational  Screen 


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All   postage  on   films  —  both   to   and  from   destination  —  paid  by  us. 

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FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS  PRINCIPLES   OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  visualization  of  high  school  The  core  of  the   year's   work   in 

physics  on  35  mm.  film  slides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 

classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address: 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suf  fern,    N.Y. 


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Results 

This  method  of  instruction  was  used  for  a  period  of 
nine  weeks,  and  at  the  end  of  each  period  of  subject 
matter,  tests  were  given  to  both  of  the  classes.  The 
Blaisdell  Instructional  Tests  in  Biologj'  were  used.  It 
was  found  that  the  pupils  in  Class  A  always  scored 
higher  than  those  in  Class  B.  Never  did  any  pupil  in 
Class  B  score  as  high  grade  as  the  highest  grade  scored 
in  Class  A.  After  all  grades  had  been  tabulated  and 
all  comparisons  made,  it  was  found  that  Class  A  had 
averaged  9.l67'/r  better  than  Class  B. 

Conclusion 

From  the  results  obtained  and  the  interest  shown  i 
by  the  members  of  the  class  in  which  lantern  slides  I 
were  used,  I  am  convinced  that  the  use  of  slides  is 
a  great  help  in  teaching  Biology.     In  the  use  of  slides 
the  lantern  is  the  big  object,  as  the  slides  can  be  ' 
easily  made.    In  fact,  I  found  it  better  to  make  our 
own  slides  than  to  use  those  that  had  been  com- 
mercially prepared,  as  it  adds  to  the  interest  of  the 
class    and    makes    the    pupils    more    proficient    in 
knowlege  of  the  material  studied.    The  class  using 
the    slides    covered    the    subject    matter    with    less 
effort  and  time  as  they  had  ample  time  to  work  on 
slides  during  the  laboratory  periods. 

By  J.  C.  NELSON 

Biology  Teacher,   George  Washington 
High  School,  Indianapolis 

Technical  High  School  Film  in  Color 

Among  the  school-produced  films  screened  at  the 
National  Conference  for  Visual  Education,  Chicago, 
in  June,  a  notable  effort  in  Kodachrome  came  from 
Boys'  Technical  High  School,  Milwaukee.  Unique  in 
its  point  of  view,  the  film  did  not  propose  to  teach  its 
audience  the  details  of  what  it  portrayed.  Rather,  it 
served  as  a  vehicle  to  bring  before  the  parents  as- 
sembled for  graduation  exercises,  the  operations  From 
Drawing  to  DrilUng,  as  they  were  carried  on  by  their 
sons  in  the  various  shops  of  the  machinists'  division 
of  this  school.  In  the  actual  presentation,  short  ex- 
planation by  graduating  students  preceded  various 
portions  of  the  film,  (with  the  screen  blank).  In 
keeping  with  the  spirit  of  glorious  accomplishment 
which  pervades  the  high  school  commencement,  the 
color  no  doubt  added  glamour  to  the  scenes  presented ; 
the  slight  sacrifice  of  detail  due  to  the  necessity  for 
using  large  stops  for  color  was  unimportant  under 
the  circumstances.  For  the  reviewers  unfamiliar  with 
machine-shop  and  pattern-shop  practice,  remarks  in- 
dicated that  some  very  real  lessons  of  a  general  nature 
were  very  ably  presented  in  a  pleasing  manner.  John 
K.  Tacobson,  an  electric-shop  instructor  at  the  school, 
filmed  the  picture  with  a  camera  presented  by  the  grad- 
uates to  the  institution  as  a  parting  gift. 

By  H.  M.  KUCKUK 

King   High   School,    Milwaukee,  Wis. 


October,  1936 


Page  259 


Your  athletic 
department 
needs  this  film  aid 


"Modern  Basketball  Fundamentals 


ff 


Directed  by  Forrest  C.  C'Phog")  Allen 

University  of  Kansas  Coach 


VISUAL  athletic  instruction  in  its 
most  modern  and  advanced  form, 
this  motion  picture  is  being  used  suc- 
cessfully by  many  representative  schools 
and  colleges. 

Directed  by  "Phog"  Allen,  famous 
University  of  Kansas  coach,   it   thor- 
oughly demonstrates  fundamental  tech- 
Iniques,    plus    Coach    Allen's    favorite 
tplays.  Utilizes  slow  motion,  stop  mo- 
ition,  normal-speed  photography.  Drills 
{'the  player  in  the  defensive  and  offensive 
duties  of  his  position.  And,  above  all, 
drives  home  the  lesson  that  it  takes  five 
linen  to  win  a  basketball  game.  Synopses 
'of  two  of  the  four  sections: 

Individual  Offense:  Using  the  back- 
kboard,  ball  handling,  push  shot,  free 
[throw,  hook  shot,  underarm  pass,  floor 


bounce,  "pepper  passing,"  overhead 
shot,  catcher's  peg,  use  of  long-exten- 
sion baskets,  ambidextrous  rebound, 
"English"  shot,  lay-in,  dribbling,  pivot- 
ing, recovery  off  backboard. 
Team  Offense:  Dribble-pivot-pass  play, 
anterior-posterior  and  lateral  screens, 
out-of-bounds  plays  against  man-for- 
man  and  zone  defenses,  set-screen  and 
fast-break  plays. 

The  purchase  price — S48  for  the  two 
16  mm.  silent  reels — includes  transpor- 
tation, and  a  complete  guide  book  pre- 
pared under  Coach  Allen's  direction. 
The  films  are  not  offered  on  a  rental 
basis.  They  may  be  shown  with  the  aid 
of  any  16  mm.  projector.  Eastman 
Kodak  Company,  Teaching  Films 
Division,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 


Over  200 

Classroom  Films 

from  which  to  choose 

Geography  History 

Science  Agriculture 

Health  Applied  Art 

Nature  Study  English 

Brief  synopses  of  the  more  than 
200  films  now  available  are  given 
in  the  Descriptive  List  of  Eastman 
Classroom  Films.  This  booklet  is 
a  compendium  of  the  world's 
most  widely  used  instructional 
films.  If  you  do  not  have  a  copy 
in  your  files,  write  for  one  today. 


Eastman  Classroom  Films 


Page  260 


The  Educational  Screen 


Whether  You  Teach 
Whether  You  Study 

YouMI  be  fascinated 
by  the  new  issue  of . . 


#/ 


Going 

Places" 


New  Film  Releases 


#  Because  Issues  No.  24  of  Universal's 
"Going  Places"  dramatically  brings  to 
you  the  BIRTHPLACE  OF  A  NATION! 

#  It  depicts  historic  William  and  Mary 
College,  boasting  the  famous  Christo- 
pher Wren  building,  the  oldest  collegiate 
structure  in  America! 

#  It  shows  you  Bruton  Church,  "noblest 
monument  to  religion  in  America!" 

#  It  takes  you  to  the  Virginia  Legislature 
where  colonists  debated  Independence 
with  the  King's  men! 

#  It  visits  ancient  meeting  places  of 
Williamsburg,  Virginia,  where  history 
was  written! 

%  All  these  colorful  and  romantic  remnants 
of  a  glorious  past  are  thrillingly  and  en- 
tertainingly described  by  the  stirring 
voice  of  LOWELL  THOMAS! 

Write  to  Universal's 

Non-Theatrical  Department  for 

further  information  regarding  short 

and  feature  length  pictures,  travelogues, 

cartoons  and  other  educational  motion  pictures! 

UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 


Rockefeller  Center 


New  York,  N.  Y. 


16mm  Sound  Film  on  Football 

The  new  4-reel  16mm  sound  motion  picture,  Foot- 
ball, produced  by  Victor  Animatograph  and  Films 
Inc..  is  an  excellent  coaching  film  which  should  be  an 
effective  aid  particularly  welcome  to  coaches  at  this 
time  of  year.  Planned  and  produced  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dana  X.  Bible,  Head  Coach  at  the  University 
of  Nebraska,  Football  graphically  illustrates  the  latest 
developments  in  offensive  and  defensive  tactics  by 
slow  motion,  animated  diagrams,  posed  plays,  and  ac- 
tion shots  from  important  college  games  in  which 
many  outstanding  players  participated.  The  film  shows 
both  the  execution  of  individual  play  and  team  action 
for  all  types  of  modern  plays.  Clear,  concise  descrip- 
tions of  important  factors  in  the  action  are  given  in 
an  informal  running  comment  by  Coach  Bible. 

To    meet    specific    coaching    problems    Football    is 
divided  into  4  Parts  covering  each  of  the  major  de-  J 
partments  of  the  game :   Kicking.  Running,  Defense  * 
against  Running  Att-acks,   The  Passing   Game.     The 
reels  may  be   rented  singly  or  complete   from   Films 
Inc.  of  New  York  City. 

Historical  Subject 

Paramount  Pictures  announces  the  availability  to 
non-theatrical  audiences  of  Headlines  of  the  Century, 
a  five-reel  subject,  on  35  mm  film,  covering  the  high- 
lights of  American  historv  from  the  start  of  the  cen- 
tury to  date.  This  motion  picture  with  adequate  musi- 
cal accompaniment  and  commentary,  will  supplement 
such  courses  of  instruction  as  Current  Affairs.  For- 
mation of  Public  Opinion,  Journalism,  Political 
Science.  Economics,  etc.  The  subject  was  prepared 
for  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  American  Historical 
Association. 

China  Series  Timely 

James  B.  Leong  of  Los  Angeles,  author-producer 
of  oriental  subjects,  has  produced  a  series  of  one-reel 
films,  entitled  Cavalcade  of  China,  depicting  the  growth 
of  major  oriental  capitals.  They  are  available  in  both 
16mm  and  35mm  with  English  narration  by  Wilfred 
Lucas.  Besides  being  good  educational  travelogs,  with 
the  exception  of  the  final  reel,  these  subjects  should 
be  particularly  interesting  at  this  time  to  the  student 
of  the  Far  East  because  of  the  current  Mongolian 
question. 

New  Film  Catalog 

Garrison  Film  Distributors  Inc.  announce  the  avail- 
ability of  three  new  catalogs  sent  free  upon  request. 
To  those  interested  in  renting  instructional,,  enter- 
tainment, and  foreign  language  films  in  16mm  sound, 
the  Blue  List  of  Exceptional  Subjects  is  sent.  To 
those  who  wish  to  purchase  sound  films,  the  new 
Dealers'  Directory  is  sent.    And  to  those  who  wish  to 


ctober,  1936 


Page  261 


HERE  IS  A 


SCREEN 


FOR  EVERY   NEED 

At  a  Price  to  Fit  Every  Budget 

Da-Lite  .  .  .  the  world's  most  complete  line  of  portable  screens  .  .  . 
includes  a  type  and  size  to  fit  every  school  requirement.  There  are  station- 
ary theatre  type  screens,  and  portable  styles  in  ^vide  variety  .  ,  .  table 
models,  tripod  models,  wall  screens  and  rear  projection  screens,  all  w^ith 
patented  features,  assuring  maximuni  convenience  of  operation. 

All  Da-Lite  portable  screens  are  sturdily  built,  compact  and  easily  carried. 
A  choice  of  surface  treatments  is  offered,  including  the  famous  Da-Lite 
glass  beaded  surface,  w^hich  reflects  the  maximum  amount  of  light  and  pro- 
duces the  brightest,  clearest  pictures. 

Ask  to  see  the  Da-Lite  line  at  your  dealer's  or  write  for  latest  catalog! 

DA-LITE   SCREEN    CO.,  INC. 


2723  No.  Crawford  Ave. 


Chicago, 


The  Da-L!ts 
Challenger 


—  One   of   many 

types   for   school 

requirements 


Quality   Screens    for    More    Than   a    Quarter   Century 


The  DA-LITE  CHALLENGER 

The  most  popular  portable  on  the  market.  Has 
Its  own  tripod  and  can  be  set  up  quickly  any- 
where Seven  sizes  from  30"x40"  to  7D"x94" 
inclusive.    The    larger    sizes    have    crank    lift. 

The   DA-LITE  JUNIOR   MODEL 

For  small  classes.  To  hang  on  wall  or  set  up 
on  deik  or  table.  Four  sizes  from  I3"xl8"  to 
30"x40"    inclusive.    Priced  from   $3.00. 


Da-Lite  Screens 


AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


rent  or  purchase  16mm  silent  subjects,  the  catalog 
New  Silent  Releases  is  sent. 

Latest  additions  to  the  Blue  List  are :  High  School 
of  Skiing,  featuring  the  former  world's  champion 
Hannes  Schneider,  and  the  new  Football  Series  of  6 
reels  on  Kicking,  Deception,  Forward  Pass,  Wedge 
Play.  Fortvard  Pass  and  Spring  Training. 

The  Church  Field 

(Concluded  from  page  247) 

vironment  can  be  trained  so  that  the  fundamental 
good  in  him  becomes  predominant.  He  then  points 
to  this  good  as  an  example  of  that  which  cannot  be 
explained  exept  through  the  existence  of  a  good 
God.  In  this  way,  the  emotional  interest  centered 
in  the  boy  is  transferred  to  the  idea.  In  the  par- 
lance of  psychology,  the  audience  accepts  the  boy. 
The  minister  identifies  the  idea  he  is  expressing 
with  the  boy's  demonstrated  goodness.  Because  it 
has  accepted  the  boy,  the  audience  is  then  much 
more  likely  to  accept  the  idea  identified  with  him. 
The  emotional  stimuli  of  the  picture  thus  reinforce 
the  arguments  of  the  minister  and  the  film  has  had 
its  proper  use  as  a  tool  in  his  hands. 

By  using  motion  picture  magic  to  bring  the  living 
reality  of  the  subject  matter  immediately  into  the  pres- 
ence of  his  group,  and  by  using  this  modern  mediuin  of 
communication  with  all  its  concreteness,  the  minister 
gives  depth  and  added  meaning  to  his  spoken  word. 


SOUND 
Projector 

Bass   handles   them   all . 

•  RCA    VICTOR 

•  BELL    &    HOWELL 

•  VICTOR    ANIMATO 
PHONE 

•  AMPRO. 

Write  for  quofaflons. 


Boss  says: 

''Here's  a 
SOUND  Cam- 
era at  the  price 
of  a  silent 
camera." 

This  $3  50 

RCA 

1 6mm 

SOUND 

Camera 

'210 

This  News  Model  —  ready  to  use. 
Turret  Front  with  built  in  Microphone 
and  3  dry  cells.  Studio  attachment  and 
microscope  extra  $150. 
Bass  as  sole  distributor  for  sales  and 
service  offers  SCHOOLS  a  407o  savings 
from  former  price  .  .  ,  now  .  .  .  tale 
and  project  SOUND  pictures.  Write 
for  free  descriptive  literature. 


Dept.  E,   179  W.  Madison  Street 

Chicago,   III. 

Camera  Headquarters  for 

Tourists 


Page  262 


The  Educational  Scree 


Among  the  Producers 


The  New  DeVry  1 6mm.  Challenger 

"In  accordance  with  the  DeV'ry  poHcy  of  furnishing 
its  customers  with  a  high  quality  unit  in  every  price 
range,"  says  a  new  DeVry  letter,  "we  are  glad  to  an- 
nounce to  the  school  field,  a  new  DeVry  sound  unit, 
lower  in  price  than  our  top  unit,  the  DeVry  16mm. 
Sprocket  Intermittent  Sound  Projector.  The  new 
unit  is  denominated  the  'Challenger'  because,  while 
incorporating  the  claw  movement,  it  has  so  improved 
the  design  and  action  of  the  mechanism,  at  a  new  low 
price,  as  to  constitute  a  direct  challenge  to  all  its  com- 
petitors." 

Features  incorporated  in  the  new  projector  include: 
dual  shuttle  Intermittent,  projector  and  amplifier  in 
separate  cases,  aperture  instantly  removable  for  clean- 
ing or  renewal,  lamphouse  instantly  removable,  easy 
access  to  all  working  parts,  roller-bearing  type  sprock- 
et idlers,  centralized  oiling,  double  fans  for  cooling 
lamp  and  aperture,  sufficient  room  between  idlers  and 
sprockets  for  easy  threading,  runs  silent  as  well  as 
sound  films,  compensating  sound  filter  wheel,  instan- 
taneous exciter  lamp  replacement,  illuminated  central- 
ized control  panel,  sockets  for  phonograph  and  micro- 
phone plug-ins,  folding  reel  arms  for  reels  up  to  1600 
feet,  public  address  amplifier  ample  for  supplying  sound 


The  New  DeVry  Sound  Projector 
to  all  rooms  in  building,  minimum  number  of  gears 
and  working  parts,  two  3-ply  veneer  cases. 

The  DeVry  Company  invites  request  for  a  copy  of 
the  folder — "DeVry — The  Modern  Tool  for  Learning 
— for  Business." 

SOS  Equipment  Catalog 

Said  to  be  more  than  two  years  in  the  making,  is  the 
attractively  bound  ninety  page  S.O.S.  19.36-37  catalog 
of  Cinema  Equipment  and  Supplies,  issued  by  Sales- 
On-Sound  Corporation,  New  York  City.    This  catalog 


Where  the  commercial  firms  —  whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  in  the  visual  field  — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    informational    and    news    value    to    our    readers. 


brings  to  film  users  one  source  of  supply  for  practically 
every  conceivable  type  of  sound  equipment,  supplies 
and  accessories.  The  preface  lists  such  classifications 
as ;  Amplifiers,  Soundheads,  Projectors,  Sound  Sys- 
tems, Portables,  Lamphouses,  16mm  Equipment,  Booth 
Equipment,  Public  Address,  Studio  and  Laboratory 
Equipment,  Sound  Screens,  Lenses  and  Reflectors, 
Stage  and  Auditorium,  and  Current  Supply  Devices. 

In  addition  to  merchandise,  the  book  is  full  of  handy 
data,  charts,  and  helpful  hints  for  projectionists,  treat- 
ing such  vital  subjects  as  lens  sizes.  16mm  and  35mm. 
carbon  loading,  exciter  lamps,  mazda  lamps,  care  of 
screens,  studio  technique,  charts  and  all  types  of  di- 
mensions of  photocells.  The  subject  of  Replacement 
Parts  is  treated  on  a  separate  page  supplemented  by  an 
additional,  completely  illustrated  catalog. 

Eastman  Announces  Miniature  Camera 

With  the  announcement  of  the  new  still  camera, 
Kodak  Bantam  Special,  the  Eastman  Kodak  Com- 
pany adds  further  to  its  line  of  high-precision  cam- 
eras designed  for  the  advanced  camera  enthusiast. 
Its  smartly-styled,  die-cast  and  machined  alumi- 
num case  is  carefully  shaped  for  maximum  conven- 
ience in  the  hand,  and  finished  in  a  new-type  baked 
enamel  that  possesses  unusual  toughness.  When 
closed,  the  case  provides  complete  protection  for 
the  lens,  shutter,  and  front  elements  of  the  view- 
finder  and  the  range-finder. 

In  this  model  Eastman  presents  for  the  first  time 
a  built-in,  synchronized  range  finder  of  the  split- 
field,  military  type.  Great  accuracy  in  focusing  re- 
sults. Coupled  and  synchronized  with  the  focus- 
ing mount,  the  range  is  found  by  moving  the  focus-- 
lever  which  operates  from  a  handy  position  directly 
above  the  shutter.  W'hen  the  split  image  is  brought 
into  a  coincidence,  the  lens  is  in  focus.  All  this 
is  accomplished  in  one  operation.  To  the  right  of 
the  ringer  finder  is  a  built-in  optical  view  finder. 
Automatic  film  measuring  and  centering  prevents 
overlapping  of  exposures,  and  to  make  film  wind- 
ing doubly  convenient,  the  winding  knob  may  be 
pulled  out  to  extend  it  beyond  the  range-finder  hous- 
ing. A  specially  designed  film  pressure  plate  in- 
sures uniform  film  register. 

Kodak  Bantam  Special  is  a  true  Bantam  in  size 
— length  4%",  width  3/8",  thickness  1  13/16"  and 
weighs  16  ounces. 


Page  263 


DeVRY 


AT  THE  DOOR  OF  LEARNING 


"WHAT  HO,  WITHIN!" 
"Who's  There}" 

"THE  STUDENT'S  INSPIRATION 
and  THE  TEACHER'S  FRIEND." 

"What  Name  Do  You  Bear?" 

"AN  HONORED  NAME  IN  EDU- 
CATION— 

DeVRY 

"Enter,  DeVry — tve  knotv  you.  You 
were  the  FIRST  to  bring  the  Marvel 
of  the  Movie  into  the  School-Rooms 
of  America.  We  give  A  Hearty 
Welcome  to  The  New  DeVry  Sound 
Projector." 

FOR  CORROBORATION,  ADDRESS 

HERMAN  A.  DEVRY  INC. 

1 1 1 1  CENTER  ST.  CHICAGO 


Announcement  of  the  Bantam  Special  marks  the 
I  appearance,  also,  of  the  first  of  the  Ektar  lenses, 
a  new  series  of  high-precision  Kodak  Anastigmats. 

The  45  mm.  f.  2  Ektar  lens  is  a  six-element  ana- 
stigmat.  Alade  according  to  a  newly  computed 
Eastman  formula,  it  is  said  to  give  outstanding  per- 
formance even  at  the  full  f.  2  opening. 

The  Kodak  Bantam  Special  loads  with  eight  ex- 
posture  roll  film.  Two  different  types  of  film  are 
available,  Panatomic  F828  or  Super  X,  X828,  which 
makes  possible  good  negatives  much  earlier  and 
later  in  the  day,  and  is  ideal  when  very  high  shut- 
ter speeds  are  necessary  to  catch  rapid  action. 

Central  Camera's  New  Department 

Due  to  the  continually  growing  interest  in  mov- 
ing pictures  and  visual  education,  the  Central  cam- 
era Company  has  installed  a  special  mail  order 
moving  picture  department  under  the  head  of  Mr. 
G.  C.  Anderson.  This  department  is  stamped  with 
experienced  men  who  are  informed  on  all  the  lat- 
est developments  and  techniques  of  moving  picture 
projection  and  all  other  phases. 

Readers  are  invited  to  write  Mr.  Glen  C.  Ander- 
son, Central  Camera  Company,  Aloving  Picture 
Department,  Chicago,  for  any  questions  they  wish 
answered  with  respect  to  movie  making  and  movie 
making  equipment. 


HAVE  YOU 

sent  for  these  useful,  inexpensive  publications? 
They  supply  an  invaluable  service  to  users  of  films 
and  other  teaching  aids. 

Every  school,  church,  or  individual  using  films  for  edu- 
cation or  entertainment  should  have  a  copy  of  the  new 
12th   Edition   of 

"1000  and  One  Blue  Book  of  Films" 

The  largest  and  most  complete  edition  to  date  of  this  widely 
used  standard  film  reference  work,  with  152  pp.,  over  4500  films, 
classified  and  listed  in  144  subject  groups.  Includes  several  hun- 
dred  more  films  than   the  11th  edition  —  viosi  of  them,  new  16 

iittn.  ftound-on-fHtn  subjects. 

PRICE  only  75c  (a  mere  25c  +o  subscribers 
of  EducaHonal  Screen) 

ALSO:      "SIMPLE  DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  VISUAL  AIDS" 

by  Lillian  Heathershaw,  Drake  University,  Des  Moines,  Iowa 
with  directions  for  making:  Etched  Glass  Slides,  using  Colored 
Penci's  ;  Etched  Glass  Slides,  using  Colored  Inks  ;  Paper  Cut-out 
Lantern  Slides ;  Ceramic  Lantern  Slides ;  India  Ink  Lantern 
Slides  ;  Stillfilms  ;  Cellophane  Lantern  Slides  ;  Photographic  Lan- 
tern Slides ;  Film  Slides ;  The  Electric  Map ;  Spatter  Work ; 
Pencil  Outlines  of  Leaves ;  Carbon  Copies  of  Leaves ;  Leaf 
Prints  from   Carbon    Paper  ;   Blue  Prints  ;   Sepia    Prints.  (25c) 

WRITE  OR  SEND  COUPON  BELOW 


Educational   Screen, 

64   East  Lake  St.,   Chicago,  111. 

Send  me  the  12th  Edition  of  "1000  and  One" 

Send  me  the  Heathershaw  Booklet 

Enter  my  subscription  to  Educational  Screen  for 

and  send  me  copy  of  "1000  and  One". 
Check  enclosed  for 


(add  25c   if  Heathershaw  booklet  desired,   also) 
Bill  me  for  subscription  and  "1000  and  One" 

and  or  Heathershaw  pamphlet  □ 

Name  

Address 


75c  enclosed 

n 

25c  enclosed 

( 1 

(coin  or  stamps) 

1  yr.    $2.00 

f  1 

2  yrs.  $3.00 

u 

t2.25 

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$3.26 

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Page  264 


The  Educational  Screen 


I 


Here    They    Are 


riLMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 
Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)   Davenport.  la. 
(See  advertisement  on  page  234) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  259) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St..  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.         (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Films,  Inc.  (5) 

19  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago 

925  N.  W.  19th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 
Walter    O.    Gutlohn,    Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  45th   St.,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on   page  255) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological    Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  258) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  Auburn   Ave.,   Cincinnati,   O. 
(See  advertisement  on   page  258) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028    Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,   New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  260j 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.      (3,  4) 

48  Melrose   St.,  Boston,   Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  237) 

Bass  Camera  Co.  (6) 

179  W.  Madison  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  261) 

Bell  &  HoweU  Co,  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central  Camera  Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  258) 


Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Edited   Pictures   System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,   New   York  City 

Herman   A.   DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  «jn   page  263) 

The  Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago.  111. 
(See  advertisement  on  page  256) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  258) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 

90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,. New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  251) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  238) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose   St.,   Regina,   Sask. 
S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 
Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers     (3.  6) 

407  W.  Wash.  Blvd.,  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind. 
United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.        (2,  5) 
Allegheny  Ave.  at  Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  257) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (e) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  253) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721   N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See   advertisement   on    page   261) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  251) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 
510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 

Eastman  Educational  Slides 
Iowa  City,  la. 

Edited    Pictures   System,   Inc. 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 


A    Trade    Directory 
for  the   Visual    Field 


Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 
30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,   111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  258) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  236) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  258) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(.See  advertisement  on  page  257) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on   page  258) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 
1111   Center   St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on   page  263) 

Keystone  View  Co. 

Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  236) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  233) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 
Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Spencer  Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See   advertisement   on    page   257) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


i 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

{!)    indicates    firm    supplies 

35 

mm. 

silent. 

(2)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35 

mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates   firm   supplies 

35 

mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

(4)    indicates    firm    supplies 

16 

mm. 

silent. 

(5j    indicates    firm    supplies 

16 

mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6t    indicates    firm    supplies 

16 

mm. 

sound  and   silent. 

Continuous  Insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


Kanias  Cliy.  *»«>• 
TMChtrt  Utof*'y 


Educational 


1' 


COMBINED  WITH 


Visual  Instruction  News 


CONTENTS 

Practices  in  City  Administration  of  Visual  Instruction 
What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film? 
Visual  Education  at  Lawrence  College 
Visual  Education  ''Gets  Going''  in  England 


Single      Copies      25c 
•  S2.00    a    Year  • 


NOVEMBER 


1936 


PROJECTORS  -   DISTRIBUTED     BY    NATIONAL    THEATRE    SUPPLY    COMPAI 


SIMPLEX   SEMI-PROFESSIONAL 

SOUND    PROJECTOR 
10'  Type  with  Incandescent  Lamp 


7^ 

SMALLER 
THEATRES, 

CluclUctiums 

6lc. 


^tmpiex*  PORTABLE 

and  hhe  new  SEMI-PROFESSIONAL 

SOUND  PROJECTORS 

Simplex  Portable  and  the  new  Semi-Professional  Sound 
jectors  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  special  requiren 
of  snnaller  theatres,  schools,  colleges,  churches,  hotels, 
pitals,  commercial  organizations,  etc.  The  characteristic 
and  accuracy  which  have  given  our  products  an  internal 
reputation  are  maintained  throughout  in  the  manufacture 
assembly  of  all  Simplex  Projectors  and  equipment. 
Superior  sound  and  visual  projection  can  be  secured  i 

any  conditions  with  adec 
equipment.  Therefore,  we  gii 
absolute  assurance  that  in  the 
for  which  they  are  intended  \\ 
suits  obtained  v 
Simplex  Semi-Pr 
sional  Sound  Projf 
and  Simplex  Por 
Projector  are  the 
as  those  secured 
Simplex  De  Luxe 
jectors  and  Simp 
Acme  Sound  Proje 
In  thousands  of  le£ 
theatres  throughou" 
world. 


SIMPLEX 
41"   BAFFLE 


SIMPLEX 
NP-n  AMPLIFIER 


SOUND  EQUIPMENT 


Amplifiers,  baffles,  tubes,  speakers,  and  all  other 
equipment  supplied  for  Simplex  Semi-Professional  and 
Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projectors  invariably  maintain 
the  same  high  standards  which  have  given  Simplex  Pro- 
jectors an  International  reputation  for  over  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  It  is  impossible  within  the  limits  of  a  notice 
of  this  nature  to  furnish  details  of  our  equipment  or  any 
adequate  information  regarding  prices,  etc.,  but  these 
will  be  very  cheerfully  furnished  upon  request. 


SIMPLEX  PtoTABLE 
SOUND  PRffECTOR 
1000'    Type    with    InlndescenI 


INTERNATIONAL  PROJECTOR  CORPORATION 


November,  1936 


Page  267 


Educational  Screen 

Combined  With 

Visual    Instruction    News 

NOVEMBER,  1936 

VOLUME  XV  NUMBER  9 


t 


} 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaughf,   Pres. 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary  Seattle  Brady 
F.  W.  Davis 


Stanley  R.   Greene 
Josephine  Hoffman 
F.  Dean  McCluslcy 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


CONTENTS 

Practices  In  City  Administration  of  Visual  Education. 

Fannie  V/.  Dunn  and  Etta  Schneider, -..-269 

What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film?    (Ill) 

Donald  C.  Doane...- 27 1 

Visual  Education  at  Lawrence  College. 

John   B.   MacHarg ...._. _ 273 

Visual  Education  "Gets  Going"  in  England. 

F.  W.  DeValda _ 276 

The  Church  Field. 

Conducted  by  Mary  Beattie  Brady 277 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers 278 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction 280 

Film  Estimates _ 282 

Film  Production  In  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  V/.  Davis. _ 284 

News  and  Notes. 

Conducted  by  Josephine  Hoffman 286 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky 288 

New  Film  Releases.. 294 

Among  the  Producers 295 

Here  They  Are!  A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field... .296 

Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index. 

General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lalce  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  November,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published    every   month   except  July   and    August. 

$2.00  a  Year        (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


Page  268 


The  Educational  Screen 


NEWA^^MODEL 


Complete  Line  Of  16mni.  Projectors 


Junior 
Model 

$375 

Senior 
Model 

$415 

SILENT 
Professional  brilliance  of  il- 
lumination, buili-in-quality 
and  ease  of  operation  have 
made  Ampro  silent  projec- 
tor a  standard  of  perform- 
ance   all    over    the    world. 


SOUND 
Ampro  sound  projectors 
have  brought  new  standards 
of  tone  quality,  illumination 
and  simplicity  of  operation 
to    16    mm.   sound-on-film. 

Model  J 
500  Watt 

$135 

Model  K 
750  Watt 

$150 


A  QUALITY  SILENT  PROJECTOR  j 
THAT  CAN  BE  ^<^^^  INTO 
SOUND  PROJECTOR  ,^.  OPTION 

If  your  budget  will  cover  a  silent  projector  only,  you 
can  purchase  one  of  these  two  new  Anripro  Convertible 
nnodels  knowing  that  you  will  not  have  to  discard  it 
when  you  switch  to  sound.  Both  Models  have  all  the 
quality  and  precision  features  of  the  regular  Ampro 
!6  mm.  Silent  Projectors,  plus  such  additions  as  will 
permit  conversion  into  latest  type  sound  projectors  by 
the  addition  of  sound  parts  for  sound  film. 

MODEL  MC,  convertible  into  standard  500  watt 
Amprosound  Junior  Model       ....       $160.00 

MODEL  NC,  convertible  into  standard  750  watt 
Amprosound  Senior  Model      ....      $185.00 


I 


A   M   P   R 


PRECISION    PROJECTORS    FOR    PERFECT    PERFORMANCE  !  !  ! 

THE    AMPRO    CORPORATION.    2839   N.    WESTERN    AVE..    CHICAGO,    ILL. 


November,  1936 


Page  269 


Practices  in  City  Administration 
of  Visual  Education 


THE  USE  OF  visual  aids  to  expedite  and  enrich 
the  educative  process  is  steadily  advancing,  and 
with  its  advance  the  need  increases  for  informa- 
tion with  respect  to  effective  procedures  in  initiating 
and  administering  a  program  of  visual  education.  Re- 
ports have  been  published  from  time  to  time,  mainly  in 
bulletins  or  educational  journals,  of  practices  in  a  few 
situations,  and  a  number  of  recommendations,  more  or 
less  theoretically  based,  have  been  made.  A  summary 
of  the  literature  of  these  two  types  has  recently  been 
issued  in  a  limited  edition  by  the  American  Council  on 
Education. 1 

Much  of  current  practice,  however,  has  not  yet 
found  its  way  into  publication.  A  central  clearing 
house  is  needed.  Without  such  an  agency,  information 
as  to  current  status  and  practices  can  only  be  assembled 
by  survey.  The  United  States  Office  of  Education 
and  the  American  Council  of  Education,  under  the  di- 
rection of  Dr.  Cline  M.  Koon,  Specialist  in  Radio  and 
Visual  Education,  have  recently  undertaken  a  very  ex- 
tensive questionnaire  to  determine  the  status  of  visual 
and  auditory  aids  in  the  280,000  public  and  private 
schools,  which  will  afford  a  thorough  basis  for  the 
development  of  programs  based  on  experience. 

Before  Dr.  Koon's  survey  was  initiated,  we  had 
accumulated  reports,  all  of  which  are  on  file  in  our 
office,  from  81  cities  and  towns  in  the  United  States 
regarding  their  work  in  visual  education.^  These 
cities  are :  Alameda,  Burbank,  Fresno,  Long  Beach, 
Los  Angeles,  Oakland,  Pasadena,  San  Francisco 
(California)  ;*  Pueblo,  (Colorado)  ;*  Hartford, 
Meriden  (Connecticut) ;  Claymont  (Delaware) ; 
District  of  Columbia;  Atlanta  (Georgia);  Chicago, 
Elgin,  Evanston,  Geneseo,  Joliet,  LaGrange,  Moline 
(IlHnois)  ;*  Evansville,  Gary,  Indianapolis,  Peru 
(Indiana)  ;*  Cherokee,  Newton,  Sioux  City  (Iowa)  ;* 
Junction  City,  Wichita  (Kansas)  ;*  Belmont,  Green- 
field, Lynn  (Massachusetts)  ;*  Battle  Creek,  De- 
troit,    Grand     Rapids,     Hamtramck,     Kalamazoo 

iDunn,  F.  W.  and  Schneider,  E.  "The  Administration  of 
Visual  Aids :  Summary  of  the  Literature  from  1923  to  1935". 
American  Council  on  Education,  Washington,  D.  C. 

2Since  making  this  study  we  have  come  upon  an  unpub- 
lished master's  thesis  which  bears  upon  some  of  the  material 
contained  in  the  following  pages,  but  which  applies  more 
specifically  to  the  secondary  schools  of  the  State  of  Ohio. 
It  is  entitled,  "A  Study  of  the  Administration  of  Projector 
Apparatus  in  the  Secondary  Schools  of  Ohio",  by  C.  L.  Bard, 
Master's  Thesis,  Ohio  State  University,  1931.  In  this  report, 
Mr.  Bard  indicates  practices  of  the  secondary  schools  in  Ohio 
in  purchasing,  housing,  distributing,  financing,  and  utilizing 
t  projection  apparatus. 

*These  states  maintain  a  state-wide  distribution  service 
of  films   or   slides. 


By     FANNIE     W.     DUNN 
and     ETTA     SCHNEIDER 

Processor  of  Education,  and  Assistant  In  Visual  Education, 
Teachers  College,  Columbia  University 

(Michigan)  ;  Baltimore  (Maryland)  ;  Albert  Lea, 
Minneapolis,  Moorehead,  St.  Paul  (Minnesota)  ;* 
Kansas  City,  St.  Louis  (Missouri)  ;*  Grand  Island, 
York  (Nebraska) ;  Englewood,  Flemington,  Mont- 
clair,  Newark,  Paterson,  Rutherford,  West  New 
York  (New  Jersey)  ;*  Buffalo,  Mt.  Vernon,  New 
Rochelle,  New  York,  Rochester,  Schenectady,  White 
Plains  (New  York)  ;*  Cleveland,  Toledo  (Ohio)  ;* 
Allentown,  Erie,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburgh,  West 
Chester,  Wyomissing  (Pennsylvania)  ;*  Providence 
(Rhode  Island) ;  Bangs,  San  Antonio  (Texas)  ;* 
Richmond  (Virginia) ;  Seattle  (Washington)  ;* 
Chippewa  Falls,  Fond  du  Lac,  Manitowoc,  Menom- 
onee,  Milwaukee,  Racine,  Two  Rivers  (Wiscon- 
sin).* These  communities  compose  a  practically 
random  sampling,  consisting  of  all  departments  the 
existence  of  which  has  become  known  to  us  through 
news  items,  published  accounts,  or  personal  infor- 
mation. Naturally,  no  standard  program  has  been 
discovered,  nor  is  this  regrettable.  No  single  set-up 
is  likely  to  be  appropriate  for  all  situations.  How- 
ever, from  a  comparison  of  the  efforts  and  accom- 
plishments of  this  wide  range  of  school  systems, 
valuable  suggestions  may  be  gained  as  to  what  can 
be  done  if  an  administrator  has  the  will  to  do  it. 
This  article  is  designed  to  make  this  information 
generally  available. 

Outstanding  programs  of  visual  education  have 
been  reported  from  Los  Angeles,  Chicago,  Newark, 
New  York,  Evansville,  Montclair,  Detroit,  Cleveland, 
St.  Louis,  Philadelphia,  and  Kansas  City.  Each  of 
these  cities,  under  special  budgetary  provision,  main- 
tains a  bureau  for  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  vis- 
ual aids  under  the  supervision  of  a  director,  who,  with 
his  staff,  cooperates  with  classroom  teachers. 

Position  of  the  Person  in  Charge 

The  responsibility  for  the  organized  use  of  visual 
teaching  materials  varies  greatly  among  the  cities  re- 
porting. As  in  many  other  special  aspects  of  teach- 
ing, progress  often  depends  upon  the  initiative  of  one 
person.  Frequently  an  individual  teacher  starts  us- 
ing slides,  pictures,  films  or  the  like ;  his  fellow  teach- 
ers seek  his  cooperation  along  those  lines ;  eventually, 
the  principal  delegates  to  him  the  task  of  ordering 
materials  and  distributing  them  upon  their  arrival.  In 
some  cases  he  is  asked  to  operate  the  projection  equip- 
ment. Geneseo,  Engelwood,  Two  Rivers,  and  Meriden 
are  a  few  cities  in  which  a  classroom  teacher  has  charge 
of  visual  education  activities. 


Page  270 


The  Educational  Screen 


Many  cities  have  found  it  desirable  to  appoint  a 
director  or  supervisor  of  visual  education.  Among 
these  are :  Buffalo,  Chicago,  Fresno,  Schenectady,  Mont- 
clair.  New  York,  Philadelphia,  York,  Pueblo,  Detroit, 
Rochester,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Kansas  City,  Flem- 
ington.  Providence,  Sioux  City,  Michigan  City,  Green- 
field, Oakland,  District  of  Columbia,  and  Long  Beach. 
The  actual  status  of  the  director  of  visual  education 
varies  from  city  to  city.  He  is  usually  charged  with  the 
responsibility  of  giving  technical  instruction  in  use  of 
equipment;  compiling,  selecting  and  organizing  source 
lists  for  distribution ;  arranging  demonstration  les- 
sons at  faculty  meetings;  and  so  forth. 

The  cities  of  St.  Louis,  Cleveland,  and  Kalamazoo 
have  placed  the  responsibility  for  visual  education  in 
the  hands  of  the  director  of  the  educational  museum. 
The  city  of  Pasadena  depends  upon  the  city  librarian 
for  visual  materials.  Directors  of  the  following  mu- 
seums are  similarly  responsible  for  the  distribution  of 
materials:  Kent,  Erie,  Milwav:kee,  Grand  Rapids,  St. 
Paul,  Oakland,  and  Providence. 

Rutherford,  Mt.  Vernon,  Albert  Lea,  Fond  du  Lac, 
Manitowoc,  Grand  Island,  Pueblo  all  report  that  the 
principal  of  the  junior  high  school,  of  an  elementary 
school  or  of  the  senior  high  school  supervises  the  pro- 
gram. Battle  Creek  schools  are  served  through  the  su- 
pervising principal.  In  Wyomissing,  similarly,  it  is  the 
supervising  principal  who  works  wth  the  cooperation 
of  a  committee.  In  West  New  York,  the  head  of  the 
art  department  is  also  general  supervisor,  with  the  add- 
ed assignment  for  visual  education.  In  Elgin,  the  head 
of  the  science  department  is  in  charge.  In  Toledo,  it  is 
the  director  of  the  Department  of  Vocational  and  In- 
dustrial Education  who  has  assumed  the  responsibility 
for  visual  education  since  the  departure  of  the  science 
supervisor. 

The  office  of  the  superintendent  is  in  some  cases  used 
to  store  materials,  but  the  details  of  distribution  are 
not  necessarily  in  his  hands.  The  superintendents  of 
schools  of  the  following  cities  administer  visual  educa- 
tion: New  Rochelle,  Allentown,  West  Chester,  Bangs, 
Richmond,  Chippewa  Falls,  Joliet,  LaGrange,  Peru, 
Cherokee,  Moorehead,  Claymont.  In  Newton,  the  su- 
perintendent of  schools  works  in  close  cooperation 
with  the  head  of  the  Trade  and  Industrial  Arts  De- 
partment. In  Alameda,  it  is  the  assistant  superintend- 
ent, in  charge  of  curriculum,  who  handles  visual  aids. 
In  Hartford,  Newark,  Paterson  and  San  Antonio  the 
assistant  superintendent  similarly  is  in  charge. 

It  might  be  well  to  note  at  this  time  that  the  absence 
of  a  special  director  of  visual  education  does  not  nec- 
essarily imply  that  there  is  no  such  activity  in  the 
school  system.  The  success  of  a  visual  education  pro- 
gram depends  upon  the  extent  to  which  teachers  utilize 
it.  Indeed,  the  individual  teacher's  responsibility  and 
initiative  is  in  the  last  analysis  the  essential  determiner 
of  a  successful  program.  But  because  of  heavy  duties 
now  assigned  to  classroom  teachers,  and  the  intensive 
special  training  needed  to  select  and  use  visual  mate- 


rials effectively,  economical  organization  usually  calls 
for  some  form  of  cooperative  enterprise,  of  which  the 
mechanical  details  may  be  in  the  hands  of  a  single  per- 
son, but  the  main  responsibilities  must  be  divided 
among  all  those  concerned. 

Types  of  Aids  Loaned 

The  medium  most  often  distributed  from  a  central 
library,  and  the  one  which  needs  most  efficient  admin- 
istration and  organization,  is  the  motion  picture.  Other 
visual  aids,  such  as  collections  of  mounted  pictures, 
museum  specimens,  maps,  charts,  and  the  like  are 
usually  found  in  varying  degrees  of  abundance  in  in- 
dividual schools.  Films,  increasingly  of  the  16mm. 
size,  and  lantern  slides  are  the  most  common  types 
of  aids  loaned. 

Evansville  makes  available  to  its  schools  a  col- 
lection of  Japanese  prints,  usually  too  expensive  to  be 
owned  by  individual  schools.  These  are  distributed 
together  with  slides  and  films. 

The  school  systems  of  Geneseo  and  Newton  prefer 
filmslides  to  lantern  slides  or  motion  pictures.  This  is 
a  less  expensive  and  more  simple  device  to  handle,  re- 
quiring less  costly  equipment,  and  little  knowledge  of 
mechanics. 

The  Los  Angeles  schools  place  a  great  deal  of  em- 
phasis on  the  construction  by  pupils  and  teachers  of 
home-made  lantern  slides,  distributing  for  this  pur- 
pose the  materials  and  instructions  for  their  prepara- 
tion. This  activity  adds  certain  values  to  those  of 
visual  education  per  se. 

Another  type  of  activity  is  fovmd  in  Two  Rivers 
and  in  Flemington,  where  a  photographic  laboratory 
is  being  developed.  Teachers  and  students  are  en- 
couraged to  take  original  photographs  of  desirable 
scenes.  Such  activity  is  becoming  increasingly  popular 
among  school  people  as  one  means  of  illustrating  the 
work,  and  in  a  few  cases,  the  limitations  of  the  school 
system.  Annual  reports  by  school  superintendents, 
namely,  the  New  York  City  and  the  Evansville  re- 
ports, are  illustrated  with  photographs  of  high  tech- 
nical quality.  Motion  pictures  of  school  activities  are 
equally  effective. 

Location  of  Center 

The  visual  materials  owned  by  a  school  system, 
such  as  slides,  prints,  exhibits,  films,  posters,  and  maps 
are  variously  located.  They  may  be  in  the  principal's 
office,  the  superintendent's  office,  the  city  library,  a 
tnuseiim,  or  some  other  place.  The  reports  vary 
as  widely  in  this  respect  as  they  do  in  the  rank  of  the 
person  in  charge.  In  Cleveland  and  St.  Louis,  the 
educational  museum  works  in  close  cooperation  with 
the  Board  of  Education  in  purchasing  and  distributing 
materials.  The  former  institution  has  assisted  in  course 
of  study  construction  as  one  means  of  cooperation. 
New  York,  Erie,  Milwaukee,  Grand  Rapids,  St.  Paul, 
Oakland,  Providence,  Paterson,  Manitowoc,  Newark, 
and  Buffalo  all  utilize  the  facilities  of  their  museums 
as  cooperating  agencies   in  the   distribution  of   visual 

{Continued  on  page  276) 


November,  19}  6 


Page  271 


What  Makes  A  Good  Educational  Film?  -  ( 


An  Analysis  of  the  Choices  of  Teachers 


WHILE  the  two  previous  articles  of  this  ser- 
ies have  dealt  with  the  question  of  desir- 
able and  undesirable  characteristics  of 
educational  films  from  the  standpoint  of  educa- 
tional methods,  the  present  article  departs  from  the 
usual  practice  and  attempts  to  study  the  question 
from  the  purely  commercial  viewpoint.  Every  pro- 
ducer of  such  films  is  faced  with  the  question,  "Will 
my  films  be  in  demand?  '  An  analysis  of  teachers' 
choices  as  expressed  in  actual  bookings  is  therefore 
in  order.  The  extent  to  which  one  may  apply  these 
findings  as  desirable  characteristics  from  the  purely 
educational  viewpoint  depends  on  the  extent  of 
importance  one  places  on  teachers'  preferences  as 
indications  of  merit. 

Bookings  of  films  from  the  Department  of  Visual 
Instruction  of  the  University  of  California  Exten- 
sion Division  over  a  one  and  one-half  year  period 
were  chosen  as  a  basis  for  this  analysis.  To  remove 
external  influences,  the  films  studied  were  restricted 
to  those  of  the  16  mm.  size,  one  reel  in  length  and 
renting  for  $1.00. 

First  in  interest  is  the  relative  demand  for  the 

different  subject  matter  fields.    The  following  table 

presents  the  results  of  the  study  in  summary  form. 

In  this  table  and  all  following,  figures  are  relative, 

all  statistical  data  being  equated  to  an  over-all  mean 

of  100  bookings  for  all  films  studied. 

Mean  No. 

Subject  of  Bookings  S.  D. 

1.  Physiology  and  Health  148.4  39.7 

2.  Physical  Sciences  119.2  43.7 

3.  Biology  109.5  35.1 

4.  Geography  (Industrial)  108.4  31.2 

5.  Geography  (Physical  and  Human)    107.6  43.7 

6.  Vocational  Guidance  76.1 

7.  Nature  Study  61.2  33.8 

All  Subjects  100.00 

It  is  clearly  seen  that  some  subject  fields,  for  ex- 
ample. Physiology  and  Health,  are  much  safer  from 
the  commercial  standpoint  than  are  others,  such  as 
Nature  Study.  It  appears  that  Science  subjects  on 
the  Secondary  level  are  most  popular,  Geography 
following  not  far  behind,  with  Elementary  Science 
subjects  lagging  far  below  the  others.  In  fact,  only 
8  of  the  36  Nature  Study  films  scored  better  than 
the  lowest  scoring  Physiology  film. 

The  films  in  each  of  the  above  subject  fields  were 
analyzed  for  the  relative  desirability  of  the  pres- 
ence or  absence  of  certain  characteristics.  This 
was  done  by  the  method  of  grouping  all  films  to  be 


By      DONALD      C.      DOANE 

Stanford  University,  California 

compared  into  those  possessing  a  given  character- 
istic and  those  not  possessing  that  characteristic. 
The  means  of  both  groups  were  then  compared. 
These  results  are  given  below.  Due  to  space  limi- 
tations the  tabulated  results  of  only  a  iew  are 
given.  All  conclusions  are,  however,  based  on  sim- 
ilar tabulations. 

Geography  Films 
From  the  standpoint  of  teachers'  choices : 

1.  A  Geography  film  should  be  concerned  with 
a  country  or  region  prominent  in  the  curricu- 
lum of  the  schools  for  which  it  is  intended. 
The  degree  of  success  of  a  Geography  film  is 
largely  dependent  on  this  factor.  Classifying 
as  not  prominent  those  which  received  less 
than  two  pages  in  a  typical  text,  the  follow- 
ing results  were  obtained : 

Not 
Prominent      Prominent 

Number  of  films  29  19. 

Mean  number  of  bookings 

per  film 131.9  77.4 

S.  D 4.2  4.2 

Percent   superiority  70.0 

Critical  ratio  4.83 

2.  Whether  the  film  deals  with  the  physical,  hu- 
man, industrial  or  general  aspects  of  the  sub- 
ject appeared  of  little  significance.  The  one- 
reel-at-$1.00  industrial  films  studied  no  doubt 
suffered  a  loss  of  popularity  due  to  the  com- 
petition of  free  industrial  films. 

3.  Local  interest  is  of  Httle  influence  in  the  popu- 
larity of  a  Geography  film  unless  the  subject 
is  too  much  within  the  range  of  the  experience  of 
the  children  in  the  schools  using  them.  In  this 
case  the  film  will  probably  rank  low  in  popu- 
larity. 

Natural  Science  Films 
From  the  standpoint  of  teachers'  choices : 

1.  The  classification  "familiar  versus  unusual"  sub- 
ject matter  is  better  adapted  to  these  subjects 
than  "broad  versus  narrow".  In  the  case  of  ele- 
mentary nature  study  films,  the  results  of  this 
grouping  showed  a  distinct  advantage  in  favor  of 
familiar  subject  matter  of  unusual,  non-typical 
topics. 

2.  Nature  study  films  when  they  consist,  as  they  so 
often  do,  of  animals,  plants,  etc.,  merely  pictured 
and  not  built  up  as  a  curricular  lesson,  consti- 
tute the  poorest  field  studied.  These  films  which 
are  usually  of  uncommon  or  non-typical  subjects 


Page  272 


The  Educational  Screen 


in  every  case  rate  very  low  in  demand,  no  matter 
how  interesting  or  instructive. 

3.  The  actual  place  a  natural  science  film  occupies 
with  respect  to  the  mean  for  its  subject  matter 
depends  largely  on  the  extent  to  which  the  sub- 
ject of  the  film  is  important  in  the  usual  curricu- 
lum, (e.g.,  The  degree  of  success  of  a  Physiology 
and  Health  film  with  respect  to  others  on  the 
same  subject  is  considered  to  be  the  degree  to 
which  it  falls  above  or  below  the  Physiology 
and  Health  mean,  148.4.  This  is  dependent  on 
the  degree  to  which  the  topic  of  the  film  is 
stressed  in  a  typical  Physiology  and  Health  cur- 
riculum.) 

4.  Films  for  secondary  schools  are  more  in  demand 
than  films  for  elementary  schools. 

5.  A  few  natural  science  films  with  narrow  subject 
matter  were  quite  in  demand,  but  these  were  all 
subjects  prominent  in  the  usual  curriculum. 

Physical  Science  Films 

From  the  standpoint  of  teachers'  choices : 

1.  Again  curricular  importance  of  the  subject  matter 

is  of  the  greatest  importance   in  predicting  the 

success  of  a  Physical  Science  film.     Tabulated, 

the  results  found  are : 

Not 
Important        Important 
Number  of  films  20.  15. 

Mean  number  of  bookings 

per  film  132.3  88.8 

S.  D - :...  38.5  38.5 

Percent    superiority    60.0 

Critical   ratio   4.58 

2.  Films  of  a  broad  subject  matter  are  generally 
much  preferred  to  those  which  are  narrow  and 
detailed  in  scope.  Tabulated,  the  results  found 
are: 

Broad  Narrow 

Number  of  films  9.  25. 

Mean  number  of  bookings 

per  film  162.2  106.4 

S.  D.  19.9  31.8 

Percent  superiority  52.5 

Critical  ratio  6.0 

It  should  be  noted  in  this  case,  however,  that  sev- 
eral films  which  were  unusually  good  and  well 
adapted  to  the  curriculum  were  very  popular,  al- 
though detailed  in  scope.  Except  in  outstanding 
ca.ses,  however,  the  chances  are  against  such  a 
film. 

3.  Films  illustrating  industrial  processes  or  applica- 
tions of  strictly  curricular  material  are  not  apt  to 
be  successful  where  a  rental  is  charged.  This  is 
probably  due  to  the  existence  and  consequent 
competition  of  many  free  films  of  this  type. 

4.  The  best  subjects  are  those  which  are  adapted 
for  use  in  secondary  school  science  classes  as  well 
as  General  Science,  thus  increasing  the  possible 
number  of  users. 


Other  Subjects 

History  films  should  deal  with  phases  of  history 
which  are  deemed  important  in  the  usual  course  of 
study.  The  price  cannot  be  raised  above  that  usually 
charged  regardless  of  the  length  of  the  film  without 
seriously  limiting  the  number  of  orders.  This  ap- 
pears to  be  true  regardless  of  the  degree  of  educational 
or  technical  superiority.  As  a  whole,  however.  His- 
tory appeared  to  be  a  poor  field  when  the  demand  must 
be  considered,  probably  for  the  above  reason. 

Civics  and  citizenship  films  rate  unusually  low  in 
demand.  A  large  group  of  films  are  obviously  in- 
tended for  the  elementary  field,  and  this,  considering 
the  relatively  greater  demand  by  secondary  schools, 
may  be  considered  a  handicap.  With  the  current  de- 
mand for  better  movies  because  of  the  effect  of  theat- 
rical pictures  on  the  morals  of  children,  it  is  to  be 
regretted  that  good  films  designed  to  effect  changes  in 
actions  are  not  available  to  be  used  in  schools.  But 
the  degree  of  technical  perfection  required,  the  excel- 
lent acting  necessary  and  the  fact  that  clothing  styles 
change  so  rapidly  as  to  make  a  serious  film  appear 
ridiculous  in  a  few  years,  would  probably  cause  this 
to  be  a  dubious  field  for  production  enterprises  for  the 
present  at  least. 

Vocational  guidance  appears  to  hold  possibilities  of  a 
promising  field.  A  relatively  small  number  of  schools 
have  "Occupations"  or  similar  courses,  yet  the  mean 
for  this  subject  does  not  fall  so  very  far  below  the 
mean  for  all  subjects.  These  would  probably  rate 
higher  were  it  not  for  the  fact  that  only  one  order 
during  the  one  and  one-half  year  period  represented  a 
repeat  order.  Apparently  there  was  considerable  in- 
terest in  such  films,  and  disappointment  in  the  quality 
of  them  when  used. 

Vocational  and  trade  subjects  as  well  show  the  con- 
dition that,  no  matter  how  interesting  and  informing 
a  reel  may  be,  if  it  is  not  concerned  with  a  subject 
given  a  large  degree  of  consideration  in  such  courses 
the  demand  for  that  reel  will  be  poor. 

Repeat  Bookings 

The  above  data  dealt  with  the  number  of  times  a 
film  was  ordered.  The  assumption  was  that  this  would 
give  an  indication  of  the  type  of  film  teachers  wanted. 
These  choices  were,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  usually  based 
on  catalogue  descriptions.  However,  certain  of  these 
films  were  ordered  over  and  over  again  by  the  same 
school.  This  may  be  taken  to  mean  that  the  teacher 
was  satisfied  with  the  film  when  he  used  it.  At  the 
same  time,  many  films  were  ordered  by  many  different 
schools,  yet  never  were  given  another  order  by  a  school 
once  using  them.  This  would  indicate  that,  although 
the  schools  want  a  film  of  the  type  they  thought  it  to 
be,  they  were  disappointed  in  the  actual  product  upon 
use.  By  a  study  of  repeat  bookings  we  should  get  some 
insight  into  desirable  and  undesirable  qualities  in  the 
manner  of  treatment  of  the  subject. 

There  appears  to  be  no  significant  tendency  toward 


I  November,  19}  6 


Page  273 


rejjeating  in  one  .subject  field  more  than  any  other 
except  in  the  case  of  Physiology  and  Health.  It  should 
[  be  noted,  however,  that  as  would  be  expected  from  pre- 
1  vious  observations,  none  of  the  films  which  merely  pic- 
1  ture  animals,  plants,  etc.  and  did  not  involve  some 
r  amount  of  study,  received  more  than  three  repeat  book- 
ings while  some  films  in  other  subjects  received  over  a 
^  dozen  repeats. 

It  was  suspected  that  films  involving  acting  which 
[were  available  were  of  such  poor  dramatic  quality  that 
sthey  would  rarely  if  ever  be  used  again.  Investigation 
[proved  this  to  be  true.  Of  the  50  films  involving  act- 
fing: 

28  or  56%  were  never  ordered  again  by 
the  same  school 
8  or  18%  were  repeated  once 
4  or  8  %  were  repeated  twice. 
3  or  10%  were  repeated  3  times. 
2  or  4  %  were  repeated  4  times. 
0  or  0  %  were  repeated  5  times. 
2  or  4  %  were  repeated  6  times. 
None  received  more  than  6  repeat  bookings. 
It  appears  that,  although  films  involving  acting  may 
be  wanted,  the  teachers  are  usually  disappointed  when 


they  see  the  product.  This,  then,  precludes  films  in  the 
Social  Studies  field  and  may  be  the  explanation  for  the 
predominating  popularity  of  the  Science  films.  Such 
films  would,  to  appear  anything  but  "hammy",  have  to 
be  made  with  all  the  technical  perfection  of  a  major 
Hollywood  studio  production  with  the  accompanying 
elaborate  equipment.  Until  the  facilities  of  the  big 
producers  are  available,  it  would  seem  best  for  any  or- 
ganization contemplating  production  of  educational 
films  to  avoid  any  more  than  incidental  acting.  Those 
acquiring  films  for  rental  should  demand  that  they 
compare  favorably  technically  with  the  theatrical  films 
as  shown  in  theatres,  for  they  will  be  subjected  to  such 
comparison  by  the  pupils. 

From  the  study  of  repeat  bookings,  it  appears  that, 
after  using  the  films  as  produced  to  date,  teachers  are 
most  favorably  impressed  with  Science  films  involving 
study,  presenting  problems  and  preferably  strictly  cur- 
ricular  in  nature.  They  are  not  quite  so  well  impressed 
with  films  which  are  largely  illustrative,  merely  pictur- 
ing animals  or  plants,  and  generally  unfavorably  im- 
pressed with  films  involving  acting  or  which  in  any  way 
may  be  compared  with  the  current  theatrical  product. 
(Concluded  in  December  issue) 


Visual  Education  at  Lawrence  College 


IN  THE  Educational  Screen  for  May,  1935,  the 
writer  described  in  detail  "The  Miniature  Camera 
Way  of  Visual  Instruction,"  and  the  possibilities  in 
prospect,  drawn  from  some  years  of  experience  in  visual 
teaching  in  connection  with  his  work  as  a  college  in- 
structor. Partly  as  a  result  of  the  publication  of  this 
article,  the  college  administration  thought  best  to  estab- 
lish a  Visual  Education  Service  for  the  entire  college, 
extending  the  work  which  had  been  carried  on  volun- 
tarily in  one  department  as  a  special  interest.  In  the 
hope  that  what  we  have  accomplished  may  be  of  gen- 
eral interest,  it  is  my  purpose  to  describe  what  has  been 
done  in  the  last  year. 

In  order  to  benefit  by  the  experience  of  others,  the 
visual  services  and  principal  slide  collections  of  Mil- 
waukee, Madison,  Chicago,  Boston,  New  York,  and 
other  cities  were  visited,  and  at  the  same  time  an  at- 
tempt was  made  to  move  instrument  makers  to  hasten 
the  production  of  projectors  adapted  to  class-room 
teaching,  and  capable  of  showing  double-frame  film- 
strip  material  and  miniature  slides. 

This  preliminary  survey  revealed  all  but  over- 
whelming riches  in  visual  materials  of  every  kind, 
and  a  cordial  willingness  on  the  part  of  officials 
everywhere,  to  allow  copying  and  to  share  their 
treasures. 

Because    slide    and    picture   collections    must    be 


By      JOHN       B.       MacHARG 

Professor  of  American   History, 
Lawrence  College,  Appleton,  Wisconsin 

carefully  catalogued,  if  they  are  to  be  of  general 
use,  especial  attention  was  given  to  this  ])roblem. 
One  of  the  most  practical  catalogues  studied  was 
that  of  the  Fogg  Museum  in  Cambridge,  where 
each  subject  listed  has  a  card  with  photograph  at- 
tached. The  Metropolitan  Museum  has  a  system 
adequate  for  use  in  certain  fields  of  art,  and  issues 
a  pamphlet  describing  it.  By  far  the  most  complete 
and  satisfactory  method  of  filing  and  cataloging 
discovered,  seemed  to  me  to  be  that  of  the  Mil- 
waukee Public  Museum,  based  upon  the  Dewey 
library  system,  with  ingenious  and  necessary  adap- 
tations. 

Like  many  other  institutions,  I  guess,  Lawrence 
College  had  larger  collections  of  visual  materials 
than  we  knew  scattered  through  many  departments 
and  buildings.  Our  first  large  undertaking  was  to 
make  a  tentative  catalogue  of  about  9000  slides, 
mimeographed  copies  of  which  were  furnished  to 
all  departments.  We  do  not  know  how  many  pic- 
tures we  have  in  our  rather  large  collections  of 
prints,  lithographs,  photographs,  etc.  The  first 
general  conclusion  that  needs  emphasis  is  that 
every  collection  of  pictures  and  slides,  however 
small  or  large,  must  be  conveniently  and  adequate- 
ly catalogued,   for  hidden   materials  are  dead  and 


Page  274 


The  Educational  Screen 


have  only  potential  value.  Our  permanent  card 
catalogue  has  been  started,  but  its  completion  re- 
mains a  major  problem. 

In  my  former  article,  to  which  reference  has  al- 
ready been  made,  it  was  made  clear,  I  hope,  what 
is  surely  true,  that  any  competent  amateur  with 
comparatively  simple  apparatus  through  the  medi- 
um of  film-strip  copies  can  make  good  slides  of  any 
subject,  by  copying  or  direct  photography,  at  a  cost 
of  a  few  cents  each,  without  the  necessity  of  a  dark- 
room, using  facilities  which  are  everywhere  at  hand. 

For  our  purposes,  however,  wishing  to  make  from 
start  to  finish,  all  forms  of  slides  and  photographs, 
the  installation  of  adequate  laboratories  was  neces- 
sary. In  this  work,  great  practical  help  was  found 
in  the  "Leica  Manual",  and  in  the  ever  ready  coun- 
sel and  advice  of  its  author,  W.  D.  Morgan.  Also, 
anyone  with  photographic  problems  will  find  prac- 
tical help  and  cordial  cooperation  from  the  ofHcials 
and  experts  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  Company. 

The  setting  up  of  equipment  for  efficient  produc- 
tion of  standard,  film-strip  and  miniature  slides, 
would  require  long  and  somewhat  useless  descrip- 
tion, for  individual  preferences  as  to  methods  vary, 
and  an  abundant  literature  gives  all  needed  -informa- 
tion. 

Aside   from   apparatus   for  processing,   three   de- 


Figure  1 

vices  are  essential  for  miniature  photography : — 
1.  Copying  camera  and  stand,  which  are  shown 
in  the  accompanying  illustration  (Figure  1). 
The  stand  consists  of  a  tooled  steel  rod 
mounted  in  a  fifty  pound  casting,  which  a  lo- 
cal mechanic  produced  for  five  dollars.  In 
copying,  a  30x  magnifying  glass  is  used  which 
insures  certain  and  absolute  focus.    With  four 


100  watt  lamps,  using  positive  film,  an  ex- 
posure of  half  a  second,  with  stop  f7,  gives 
uniformly  good  results,  in  copying  line  work 
and  most  half-tones. 

2.  Enlarger,  for  the.  production  by  projection  of 
standard  slides,  paper  prints,  as  well  as  minia- 
ture slides.  The  self-focusing  "Focomat"  has 
proven  a  satisfactory  machine,  with  many 
adaptations  and  uses.  It  should  be  equipped 
with  an  automatic  extension  device  for  vary- 
ing the  position  of  lens,  thus  avoiding  the  use 
of  extension  tubes.  An  orange  screen  is  essen- 
tial. 

3.  A  step-printer  for  production  of  individual 
film-positives,  and  a  frame  for  printing  entire 
strips  with  one  exposure.  The  former  is  ex- 
pensive ;  the  latter  can  be  made  for  a  few 
dollars. 

These  three  pieces,  if  of  the  best  type,  cost  be- 
tween four  and  five  hundred  dollars,  according  to 
lenses  employed.  It  may  be  of  interest,  however, 
to  record  that  the  entire  Visual  Education  Service 
at  Lawrence  this  year  has  been  accomplished  with 
the  expenditure  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  equip- 
ment and  materials,  all  labor  costs  aside  from  that 
of  direction  being  avoided  by  the  services  of  stu- 
dents paid  by  N.  Y.  A.  funds. 

Insomuch  as  Lawrence  College  is  well  equipped 
with  standard  stereopticons,  and  because  no  entire- 
ly satisfactory  double-frame  film-slide  projector 
was  available,  the  major  part  of  our  work  this  year 
has  been  the  production  of  standard  films,  of  which 
we  have  made  about  one  thousand  by  projection 
from  film-strip  negatives.  All  copying  has  been  done 
with  the  machine  described  under  (1)  above.  The 
resulting  standard  slides  compare  favorably  in 
quality  with  those  made  by  the  usual  and  more  ex- 
pensive methods. 

We  have  made  a  considerable  number  of  film- 
strip  rolls  and  miniature  slides, — enough  to  con- 
vince us,  at  least,  that  in  this  field  lie  unlimited 
opportunities  for  the  extension  of  visual  teaching 
with  slides.  Convenience,  economy,  ease  of  produc- 
tion, and  technical  merit,  are  the  factors  that  make 
for  progress  in  the  immediate  future,  the  possibili- 
ties of  which  are  not  yet  generally  recognized. 

This  is  not  an  old  story ;  while  single  frame  film  - 
strip  slides  professionally  produced  have  been  made 
and  used  for  twenty  years,  it  is  only  within  the  last 
very  few  years  that  the  advent  of  the  precision 
miniature  camera  has  made  it  easy  for  almost  any 
one  to  make  good  slides,  either  miniature  or  film- 
strip,  of  any  desired  subject.  This  great  advantage 
has  been  all  but  nullified  by  the  fact  that  no  double- 
frame  stereopticon,  suitable  in  cost  and  perform- 
ance for  class-room  use,  has  been  available.  This 
difficulty  has  been  met  and  now,  the  three-purpose 
projector    in    several    styles    is    available,    meeting 


November,  1936 


Page  275 


every  requirement.  The  new  projectors  are  adapted 
for  the  use  of  both  fihn  and  glass  2  x  2"  individual 
sHdes,  and  for  the  projection  of  both  single  and 
doulile-frame  film-strip  positives,  either  vertically 
or  horizontally.  The  means  of  both  making  and 
projecting  miniature  slides,  with  results  practically 
as  good  for  almost  all  educational  work,  as  those 
obtained  by  the  use  of  much  more  expensive  stand- 
ard slides  and  stereopticons,  are  now  at  hand,  and 
it  is  the  privilege  of  educators  everywhere  to  use 
the  good  tools  that  have  been  prepared  for  them. 

The  precision  cameras  and  accessories  used  in 
slide  making  employ  the  double-frame  opening, 
while  practically  all  the  film-strip  material  thus  far 
available  for  teaching,  has  been  single-frame,  with 


^ 

[•TaJ 

n 

^^£      if 

11*.    -'■■"■- 

1 9     ^^ 

^^■r       '^ 

WL  i^,f^  1 

^M 

K-*'^ 

f  cS^vPl  '^'"l 

^  B&fl^^ 

■InQtaK^^^  |MM 

J^S 

Figure  2 

the  standard  opening  of  regular  moving  pictures. 
There  is  now  no  difficulty  in  this  difference,  for  the 
new  machines  project  both  single-frame  and  double- 
frame  material  equally  well.  For  production  of  the 
former,  however,  only  especially  adapted  equipment 
not  easily  obtainable,  can  be  used. 

The  double- frame  apparatus,  aside  from  the  all  im- 
portant fact  of  availability,  has  the  inherent  advantage 
of  double  area,  giving  not  only  greater  brilliance  to  the 
picture  but  affording  also  a  positive  large  enough  to 
allow  coloring,  which  is  of  great  importance  in  prepar- 
ing slides  for  the  lecture  room.  While  the  best  hand 
tinting  of  slides  requires  the  art  of  a  skilled  colorist, 
the  application  of  color  to  maps,  charts  and  many  land- 
scapes, can  be  easily  accomplished  with  the  aid  of  good 
brushes,  good  colors,  a  good  magnifying  glass  and 
plenty  of  patience. 

All  of  our  work  at  Lawrence,  except  coloring,  has 
been  done  by  students- with  Httle  or  no  knowledge  of 
the  work  at  the  start,  and  the  work  has  enabled  them 
to  continue  their  college  studies. 

Aside  from  the  production  of  slides  and  prints,  ex- 
perimental work  has  been  carried  on  in  the  production 
of  stereopticons,  stands,  and  other  devices.  Among 
the  last  named,  an  instantaneous  switch  in  its  simplest 


form  is  illustrated  (Figure  2),  made  from  materials 
easily  obtained,  and  costing  about  a  dollar.  It  controls 
two  receptacles,  one  for  the  stereopticon  and  the  other 
for  room  illumination.  It  provides  for  easy  change 
from  screen  picture  to  fully  lighted  room.  This  is  a 
matter  of  some  imix)rtance  for  convenient  apparatus 
without  annoying  features  is  an  essential  in  visual 
work.  Slides  should,  of  course,  be  as  good  as  pos- 
sible, but  visual  methods  will  be  avoided  and  discour- 
aged by  teachers  if  their  use  involves  added  burdens 
of  work  and  worry. 

It  seems  to  me  that  there  can  be  only  intense  satis- 
faction and  greater  efficiency  in  teaching  in  store  for 
any  instructor  who  undertakes  the  use  of  new  pro- 
jectors. To-day,  I  have  tested  thoroughly  the  100  watt 
stereopticon  of  one  manufacturer  and  the  200  watt 
stereopticon  of  another,  projecting  single  and  double- 
frame  film  positives,  and  individual  slides.  The  ma- 
chines are  so  good,  that  it  is  difficult  for  me  to  restrain 
my  enthusiasm,  for  they  make  possible  the  use  of  sim- 
ply unlimited  riches  in  slide  material. 

The  precision  camera  and  photometer  enable  those 
who  use  them  to  photograph  anything  under  the  sun, 
or  anything  in  any  newspaper,  book,  or  microscope 
with  certainty  of  producing  at  trifling  cost,  a  satisfac- 
tory slide,  easily  colored,  and  likely  to  prove  a  sur- 
prising help  in  teaching.  For  the  price  of  one  wall 
map,  you  may  have  a  hundred  slide  maps ! 


ES,    SUNDAY,    APRIL    5,    1936. 


4NESE  CONFLICT  IN  THE  FAR  EAST 


^TZTTT^ 


bshiaJ  tht  cUifiai   aa   Ik*    OoUr   MonfolUn   hord.r. 


A  Slide  Map — Made  from  the  Daily  Press 

Lawrence  College  can  justly  claim  only  a  small  part 
in  the  production  of  the  splendid  instruments  I  have 
tried  to  describe,  but  it  is  a  fact  of  interest  to  us,  that 
they  were  first  exhibited  side  by  side,  and  used  in 
showing  the  results  of  our  Visual  Education  Service, 
by  the  Trustees  of  Lawrence  College,  at  their  annual 
meeting,  June  4,  1936. 


Page  276 


The  Educational  Screen 


Visual  Education    Gets  Going     In  England 


THE  twelfth  of  October  1921  was  a  very  rainy 
day  in  Paris.  I  took  shelter  in  a  photographer's 
shop  and  to  while  away  the  time  he  showed  me  a 
film  on  some  historical  subject  on  a  little  Pathe  Bebe 
Projector.  In  twelve  minutes  I  had  learned  more 
about  a  certain  phase  of  French  history  than  hours  of 
research  could  have  given  me.  To  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses this  was  the  moment  when  Visual  Education  for 
the  United  Kingdom  and  the  British  Colonies  was 
born.  Since  then,  with  the  cooperation  of  friends  in 
France,  Germany,  Italy,  and  notably  the  Society  for 
Visual  Education  in  Chicago,  the  first  films  were  got 
together,  were  edited,  until  today  Visual  Education 
Ltd.  of  London  is  generally  admitted  to  be  the  leading 
exponent  of  the  movement. 

After  a  good  many  years  in  actual  practice  visual 
aids  in  teaching  have  grouped  themselves  largely  into 


By       F.      W.       DeVALDA 

Founder  of  Visual    Education   Ltd.,    London 

two  classes;  (a)  Still,  and  (b)  Moving  Pictures. 

The  Still  Picture  technique  has  been  developed  in 
Great  Britain  perhaps  more  than  elsewhere,  largely 
owing  to  the  wealth  of  slides  (glass)  which  are  avail- 
able in  London  and  other  towns  and  which  cover  prac- 
tically the  whole  of  the  Empire.  The  great  bulk  of 
these  slides  are  definitely  Victorian  in  age  and  in  their 
application  generally.  Little  if  any  attempt  has  been 
made  to  use  individually-taken  modern  pictures  by 
having  them  made  into  slides  and  there  is  badly  needed 
something  like  the  Picturol  library  and  equipment, 
which  is  produced  in  Chicago,  to  provide  suitable  ma- 
terial of  this  type. 

In  the  matter  of  motion  pictures,  there  is  a  definite 
prejudice  in  Great  Britain  against  their  use  for  teach- 
ing purposes,    unless    they    fulfill    certain    requisites 

{Concluded  on  page  291) 


City  Administration  of  Visual  Education 

(Continued  from  page  270) 

materials.  The  Long  Beach,  Pasadena,  and  Kalamazoo 
schools  have  placed  the  distributing  centers  for  their 
visual  aids  in  the  library  department. 

A  special  center  for  storing  materials  to  be  distrib- 
uted among  schools  is  maintained  by  Fresno,  Long 
Beach,  Los  Angeles,  Hartford,  Washington,  Atlanta, 
Chicago,  Evansville,  Detroit,  Montclair,  Newark,  Pat- 
erson,  New  York,  Schenectady,  Toledo,  Philadelphia, 
Providence,  Seattle,  Flemington,  Rochester,  and  Buf- 
falo, among  others. 

Most  of  the  remaining  cities  report  that  some  ma- 
terials are  stored  in  the  principal's  or  superintendent's 
office,  and  others  are  requisitioned  from  State,  Federal, 
or  commercial  agencies. 

Selection  of  Materials 

It  has  become  evident  that  motion  pictures,  like  text- 
books, must  be  carefully  selected  to  justify  their  value. 
Cooperation  in  the  selection  of  materials  is  very  de- 
sirable.   Fresno,  California,  affords  a  fine  illustration: 

"We  have  worked  with  all  Improvement  of  Instruc- 
tion Committees  to  get  each  course  of  study  unit 
equipped  with  visual  aid  references,  just  as  the  reading 
bibliography  is  part  of  the  course  of  study  unit.  .  .  . 
We  added  sound  film  last  year,  but  not  promiscuously. 
We  got  the  botany  films  and  had  the  botany  teachers 
make  them  an  integrated  part  of  their  instruction  pro- 
gram. When  that  is  thoroughly  accepted,  we  will  put 
in  another  line  of  films  for  some  other  subject.  We 
make  haste  slowly." 

In  White  Plains  the  superintendent  of  schools  acts 
upon  the  advice  of  each  of  the  subject  matter  commit- 
tees in  purchasing  materials.  The  school  system  is  of 
such  a  size  as  to  make  the  membership  of  each  com- 
mittee open  to  a  teacher  from  each  of  the  eight  ele- 
mentary schools,  thus  giving  each  school  a  voice  in  the 


purchase  of  films  and  other  aids.  In  this  way,  visual 
aids  are  considered  an  integral  part  of  the  curriculum 
and  are  used  by  all  the  schools. 

Providence  reports: 

"Curriculum  revision  committees  will  incorporate 
lists  of  visual  aids  with  each  unit  of  work  in  social 
science  throughout  the  elementary  and  high  schools." 

Other  procedures  for  selecting  films  for  purchase  or 
rental  are: 

1.  The  listing  of  films  which,  from  the  numerous 
catalogs,  appear  to  have  some  value  for  teachers.  This 
list  is  then  sent  to  the  schools  and  requisitions  invited. 
This  method  seems  less  desirable  than  those  foregoing, 
because  catalogs  are  often  misleading  in  their  descrip- 
tions. 

2.  Selections  made  by  a  committee  of  teachers, 
supervisors,  principals,  and  others  interested  in  visual 
education.  However,  those  teachers  whose  teaching 
might  be  greatly  improved  through  the  use  of  visual 
aids  are  not  usually  members  of  such  committees.  A 
procedure  similar  to  the  one  described  for  White 
Plains  above  appears  to  be  more  desirable. 

3.  Selection  of  films  from  the  collection  routed 
through  a  central  distributing  office.  Such  an  arrange- 
ment would  be  desirable  if  the  central  depositories 
contained  only  carefully  selected  materials.  This,  un- 
fortunately, is  not  always  true.  The  analysis  of  ma- 
terials in  State  film  libraries  shows  that  too  often  the 
films  listed  as  educational  are  advertising  or  propa- 
ganda films  made  for  purposes  other  than  instruction, 
and  frequently  of  little  or  no  value. ^  This  appears 
largely  due  to  inadequate  financial  support,  with  sub- 
sequent heavy  reliance  on  free  materials. 

(Concluded  in  December  issue) 


iDunn,  F.  W.  and  Schneider,  E.  "Activities  of  State  Visual 
Education  Agencies  in  the  U.S."  Educational  Screen, 
14:99,126,158,  April,  May,  June  1935. 


November,  1^36 


Page  277 


The  Church  Field 


News  Notes 


For  the  third  consecutive  year  Dr.  Paul  H.  Vieth, 
director  of  field  work  and  associate  professor  of  re- 
ligious education  at  the  Divinity  School  of  Yale  Uni- 
versity, will  conduct  a  motion  picture  practicum  dur- 
ing the  school  year  1936-37.  The  program  in  this 
motion  picture  course  is  being  developed  to  include 
practice  in  the  use  of  various  types  of  equipment, 
study  of  existing  pictures  and  practice  in  planning  and 
actually  conducting  programs  where  motion  pictures 
are  used.  The  members  of  the  course  in  this  way  are 
able  to  make  their  work  coincide  with  their  field  activ- 
ities. Ernest  J.  Arnold,  of  Sylacauga,  Alabama,  Pres- 
byterian College,  Clinton.  South  Carolina  1936,  will 
act  as  Dr.  \'ieth's  student  assistant  in  motion  picture 
work.  t.       ▲ 

Two  one-reel  pictures,  the  scenarios  for  which  were 
written  at  the  Yale  Divinity  School  last  year  as  part 
of  the  school's  experimental  work  in  the  use  of  visual 
aids  for  religious  education,  were  recently  released  for 
projection  in  churches. 

One  of  the  pictures.  Forgive  Us  Our  Trespasses,  is 
intended  for  children  from  nine  to  15  years  old.  The 
other.  Our  Children's  Money,  is  for  parent  education 
groups,  and  provides  "a  concrete  basis  for  discussion 
of  problems  arising  in  connection  with  training  chil- 
dren in  the  use  of  money." 

That  definite  and  constructive  progress  in  the  de- 
velopment of  motion  picture  technique  for  church  uses 
is  being  made  is  well  illustrated  in  the  current  work 
under  way  to  prepare  motion  pictures  on  the  African 
scene  for  use  in  foreign  mission  studies  in  the  Protes- 
tant churches  this  year.  Dr.  Emory  Ross,  secretary 
of  the  African  Welfare  Committee  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  with  twen- 
ty-two years  of  experience  in  practical  mission  work 
in  Liberia  and  the  Congo  and  for  fifteen  years  inter- 
denominational secretary  of  the  Congo  Protestant 
Council,  is  chairman  of  the  informal  committee  of 
church  board  representatives  to  cooperate  with  The 
Religious  Motion  Picture  Foundation  which  is  creat- 
ing this  series  of  pictures.  Missionaries,  explorers, 
and  church  boards  have  assisted  in  making  available 
material  which,  when  blended  together,  will  serve  a 
useful  purpose  in  making  more  vivid  and  vital  the 
splendid  material  which  has  been  prepared  and  pub- 
lished by  the  Missionary  Education  Movement  Com- 
mittee. A       ▲ 

For  the  second  time  in  its  history  the  Student  Vol- 
unteer Movement  used  motion  pictures  at  its  quadren- 
niel  convention,  held  the  last  four  days  of  December, 
1935,  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana.     Over  3,000  students. 


Conducted  by  MARY  BEATTIE  BRADY 
Director,    Harmon    Foundation,    New   York    City 

leaders   in   Christian   work  especially  concerned  with 
world  missions,  were  in  attendance. 

A  prelude  program  to  each  of  the  four  evening 
sessions  was  arranged  with  a  motion  picture  on  some 
phase  of  foreign  work.  The  pictures  used  included  reels 
on  China,  Mexico,  and  Japan.  A  special  session  on 
the  subject  of  motion  pictures  was  held  on  Monday 
afternoon,  December  30.  Over  450  members  of  the 
convention  attended  this  meeting,  and  reels  on  Siam, 
China  and  Korea  were  shown. 

The  importance  of  the  motion  picture  in  church 
work,  especially  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  student 
volunteer,  was  presented  by  Mr.  S.  Franklin  Mack  of 
the  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  U.S.A.  and  Mr.  George  Abernethy, 
graduate  student  at  the  University  of  Michigan.  All  of 
the  pictures  used  were  obtained  through  the  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Foreign  Missions. 
▲       A 

Children  in  Search  of  God  is  a  one-reel  visual  ser- 
mon that  has  just  been  completed  by  William  L.  Rog- 
ers as  a  demonstration  of  the  practicability  of  creating 
sermons  in  visual  terms.  A  number  of  years  ago, 
when  actively  engaged  in  ministerial  work,  Mr.  Rog- 
ers interested  himself  in  children's  sermons  and  this 
was  one  of  his  themes.  His  method  in  preparing  the 
picture  was  exactly  similar  to  his  preparation  of  his 
original  sermon  except,  of  course,  that  he  had  the 
technical  work  of  assembling  his  small  cast  of  three 
children,  a  father,  a  mother  and  an  old  man,  and  of 
directing  their  actions  before  his  camera.  His  locales 
involved  scenes  by  the  ocean,  in  mountain  country  and 
in  and  about  a  home.       .        . 

The  Board  of  Home  Missions  of  the  Methodist 
Church  is  distributing  the  3-reeI  16  mm.  film  on  mis- 
sion study.  In  the  Shadow  of  Independence  Hall, 
which  was  shown  for  the  first  time  at  the  1936  Gen- 
eral Conference  after  six  months  of  production  by 
Rev.  Maurice  E.  Levit,  director,  and  E.  K.  Esser, 
official  photographer  of  the  Philadelphia  Conference 
of  the  Epworth  League.  The  film  presents  the  work 
of  the  Fifth  Street  Methodist  Mission  and  Community 
Center  in  the  heart  of  old  Philadelphia.  Many  historic 
landmarks  in  this  interesting  old  section  are  pictured, 
including  Betsy  Ross'  house,  Poe's  house,  Old  Christ 
Church  and  many  other  old  churches.  The  film  traces 
the  changes  in  the  social  and  economic  conditions  that 
have  occurred  in  this  neighborhood  through  the  years, 
and  shows  how  the  Fifth  Street  Mission  Center  is  try- 
ing to  meet  the  needs  and  problems  of  the  foreign 
population  now  settled  in  this  formerly  aristocratic 
section. 


Page  278 


The  Educational  Screen 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


Atlantic  Monthly  (158:422-431,  Oct.  '36)  "The 
Quicksands  of  the  Movies,"  by  Gilbert  Seldes. 

The  movie  habit  indicated  by  the  expression, 
"going  to  a  show",  requires  no  knowledge  of  the 
hero  or  heroine,  nor  even  the  name  of  the  picture. 
Radio  and  television  may  alter  this.  Publishers 
have  a  backlog  of  books  which  sell  steadily.  Why 
not  have  such  a  reserve  of  films  always  in  demand? 
A  reel  of  film  is  as  permanent  as  the  bound  pages 
of  a  book. 

The  introduction  of  the  Victorian  novel  in  pic- 
torial form  in  1934  brought  the  gift  of  rounded, 
complete  human  characters  upon  the  screen.  "Dav- 
id Copperfield"  is  an  illustration  of  this  type.  "Van- 
ity Fair",  mistakenly,  was  represented  as  a  series 
of  episodes  instead  of  a  typical  Victorian  character 
study.  In  "Mr.  Deeds  Goes  to  Town",  the  plot  is 
delayed  at  various  times  to  permit  the  character  to 
develop  with  such  force  that  it  carries  the  plot 
along.  "The  carry-over  of  interest  is  precisely 
what  the  film  of  action  -  without  -  character  always 
lacks."  A  well-developed  character  in  a  play  car- 
ries us  along  without  a  constant  succession  of 
thrills.  The  movies,  however,  cannot  abandon  their 
superficial  attractions  that  appeal  to  the  simpler 
emotions.  They  must  build  these  elements,  as  the 
popular  novel  does,  on  a  firm  foundation.  "The 
way  to  make  movies  more  interesting,  for  a  longer 
time,  is  not  by  atempting  to  make  artistic  films, 
but  by  discovering  the  true  source  of  the  movie's 
power,  which  lies  in  its  magical  and  matchless  ca- 
pacity to  convey  all  the  variety  and  richness  of  life 
through  the  actions  of  human  characters." 

Movie  Makers  (11 :  381  et  al,  Sept.  '36) 
"The  Camera  in  School",  by  Alexander  B.  Lewis 
and  John  A.  Deady.  The  work  of  a  high  school 
movie  club  is  fully  described,  including  the  writing 
of  a  scenario,  dramatizing,  directing,  filming,  tit- 
ling, editing,  and  producing.  The  buying,  and  pay- 
ing for,  a  sound-on-film  projector  is  not  omitted. 

"Movies  Aid  Labor",  by  Ralph  M.  Barnes,  (p.  389 
et  al.)  Men  trained  in  time  and  motion  study  are 
being  demanded  by  industry  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
ducing fatigue  and  improving  effectiveness.  The 
primary  purpose  of  motion  study  is  to  make  the 
work  easier,  not  to  "speed  up"  the  worker.  It  may 
be  that  the  worker's  output  will  increase,  but  that 
is  an  indirect  result.  The  motion  picture  is  used  for 
recording  very  rapid  motions  and  indicating  the  re- 
quired time,  such  as,  the  movements  of  a  cashier 
counting  coins,  which  are  too  fast  for  the  eye  to 
follow.    A  large  electrical  manufacturing  company 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS 


saved  in  one  year,  at  one  plant,  over  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  The  University  of  Iowa  was  one  of  the 
first  schools  in  the  United  States  to  inaugurate  a 
course  in  motion  economy  principles.  Several 
courses  are  now  offered,  and  students  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  laboratory  that  has  been  seven  years 
in  developing.  An  adequate  description  is  given  of 
the  whole  field  covered. 

The  Education  Digest  (II,  35-7:  Oct.  '36)  "Dis- 
crimination in  the  Use  of  Movies",  by  Ben  H.  Dar- 
row,  Director  of  the  Ohio  School  of  the  Air. 
Reported  from  an  address  before  the  National 
Education  Association,  1936. 

Children's  thoughts,  ideals,  and  conduct  are  being 
constantly  conditioned  by  the  three  unlicensed 
teachers,  the  comic  strip,  the  radio,  and  the  movie, 
to  whose  tutelage  the  children  voluntarily  go.  Edu- 
cation, it  has  been  said,  consists  in  observing,  re- 
membering, and  comparing.  Motion  pictures  restore 
a  lost  opportunity  to  observe.  "The  motion  picture 
offers  the  most  complete,  swiftest  teaching  tool  yet 
devised  by  man.  .  .  .  Both  art  and  science  have 
enriched  it  as  they  have  no  other  medium.  .  .  .  The 
classroom  use  of  movies  is  less  than  one  per  cent  of 
what  we  have  the  right  to  expect.  .  .  .  We  are  al- 
lowing the  too-heavy  load  of  information-giving  to 
be  ineffectually  carried  by  the  teacher,  rol)bing  her 
of  time  and  strength  by  demanding  of  her  what 
could  be  far  better  done  by  movies." 

Dr.  Edgar  Dale's  text-book  for  inducing  apprecia- 
tion for  the  best  motion  pictures  is  briefly  analyzed. 
The  conclusion  of  the  article  presents  the  problem  of 
how  to  supply  adequately  proper  teaching  films  at 
prices  that  schools  can  pay.  If  teachers  will  use  to 
the  fullest  extent  the  supply  now  available,  produc- 
ers will  increase  their  repertoire  of  films,  and  the 
larger  supply  will  decrease  the  cost.  To  carry  out 
the  plan  effectively,  we  need  to  cooperate  on  a 
national  basis. 

Vital  Speeches  (2:725-8:  Aug.  15,  '36)  "Motion 
Pictures  and  Public  Opinion",  by  Alexander  Mar- 
key,  University  of  Virginia. 

Motion  Pictures  have  in  forty  years  revolution- 
ized the  whole  trend  of  modern  mass  thought,  and 
are  the  most  powerful  single  factor  in  the  world 
for  good  or  ev,l,  in  the  opinion  of  this  writer.  Man 
has  always  expressed  himself  in  visual  images. 
Animated  visual  images,  being  a  development  of  a 
form  of  expression  deeply  rooted  in  the  human 
race,  have  naturally  taken  the  world  by  storm.    "On 


November,  1936 


Page  279 


the  whole,  they  are  intelligible  to  the  simplest  peo- 
ple, and  their  appeal  is  as  universal  as  that  of 
music.  But,  the  cinema  deals  with  the  events  of 
everj'-day  life  or  the  incidents  of  every  man's 
fancy.  By  its  subtle  magic,  it  dramatizes  these 
phenomena  and  invests  them  with  a  glamor  and 
appeal  that  is  irresistible  to  the  average  man." 

The  primary  importance  of  the  motion  picture, 
although  it  was  originally  intended  for  entertain- 
ment, lies  in  its  power  to  shape  the  social,  moral 
and  cultural  values  of  today  —  and  of  tomorrow. 
The  commendable  pictures  out  of  one  hundred 
barely  reach  six.  "The  screen  is  too  big  a  power 
for  good  and  evil,  for  society  to  be  content  with  a 
supply  of  motion  pictures  manufactured  by  busi- 
ness men,  however  well-meaning,  merely  because 
they  find  it  a  profitable  business  venture."  The 
producer,  distributor  and  exhibitor,  by  working  to- 
gether, could  raise  the  character  of  the  pictures, 
with  even  better  returns  to  the  business.  A  num- 
ber of  definite  suggestions  are  made  in  line  with 
this  thesis. 

Book  Review 

World  Fellowship:  1004  pp.  Popular  edition 
$3.25,  De  Luxe  $5.25  .  Order  of  World  Fellowship, 
Hotel  Morrison,  Chicago.  Contains  242  addresses 
delivered  in  the  83  meetings  held  during  the  Chi- 
cago Century  of  P'rogress  by  the  First  International 
Congress  of  the  World  Fellowship  of  Faiths. 

"The  Stake  of  the  Church  in  Motion  Pictures,"  by 
the  Rev.  Worth  Tippy,  Federal  Council  of  the  Church- 
es of  Christ  in  America,  pp.  387-399. 

The  story  of  the  evolution  of  the  motion  picture,  and 
scientific  tests  as  a  basis  of  appraisal  are  followed  by  a 
discussion  of  the  film  as  a  means  for  religious  educa- 
tion. Lack  of  writers,  directors,  actors  and  technicians, 
comparable  to  those  in  the  commercial  field,  hamper 
production  in  the  religious  field.  Also,  a  lack  of 
distributing  agencies  is  a  deterrent.  Few  churches 
know  how  to  use  the  pictures  when  they  are  pro- 
duced, few  are  equipped  for  sound,  and  lack  of  finances 
impedes  generally.  The  churches  will  have  to  take 
the  matter  more  seriously,  and  employ  experienced 
workers.  Large  circuits  of  churches  must  be  built 
up.  by  which  means  local  churches  may  be  helped 
to  secure  ecjuipment  and  may  be  taught  how  to 
use  films.  The  best  of  the  commercial  pictures 
should  be  encouraged  by  the  church.  A  large  list 
of  these  is  included  with  valuable  evaluations. 

"Motion  Pictures  and  a  New  Soul  Science",  by 
Dr.  Francis  S.  Onderdonk,  Dept.  of  Architecture, 
University  of  Michigan,  pp.  399-405. 

Our  technical  achievements  are  not  able  to  save  our 
society,  even  to  the  extent  of  providing  employment 
for  all.  "Only  a  religious  awakening  can  save  man- 
kind from  its  present  plight.  As  in  individuals,  so  in 
nations,  the  Eternal  may  well  up  and  break  through 


into  human  consciousness  in  the  darkest  hours 
when  human  resources  have  failed.  Our  sole  hope 
lies  in  religion  quickly  reaching  the  scientific  stage. 
From  the  present  religions  of  mankind  there  may 
develop  a  genuine  Soul-science,  the  religion  of  the 
future.  Religious  truth  then  will  be  accepted  by 
all  without  question,  just  as  the  facts  of  electricity 
are  accepted  today."  Definite  suggestions  are  pre- 
sented as  to  how  this  universal  religion  may  be  or- 
ganized. "Motion  pictures  are  the  most  powerful 
of  all  means  for  moulding  mankind.  .  .  .  We  must 
sow  the  seeds  of  Tolerance  and  Peace  throughout 
the  world  by  films — for  that  is  now  the  most  scien- 
tific, energy-saving  way  to  spread  ideas.  "...  Un- 
tiring, wholesale  education  in  the  laws  of  soul- 
science  is  the  need  of  the  hour." 

The  cinematograph  is  the  ideal  educational  ma- 
chine, since  it  aflfords  a  division  of  labor  between 
the  producer  of  the  message  and  the  spreading  of 
it;  hence,  each  may  be  highly  specialized.  Also, 
the  repeatability  of  the  message  in  its  most  highly 
improved  form  is  a  unique  advantage  of  the  mo- 
tion picture.  "As  spectacles  aid  weak  eyes,  so 
motion  pictures  make  unenlightened  people  see  as 
nothing  else  can.  People  must  be  given  opportun- 
ity to  see  the  truth  before  they  can  accept  it.  .  .  . 
The  main  endeavor  of  religious  leaders  must  be 
to  bring  the  good  message  before  the  1,800  million 
indifferent  citizens  of  our  globe  by  the  most  soul- 
gripping  medium  yet  invented  —  the  motion  pic- 
ture." 

STATEMENT    OP    OWNERSHIP,    MANAGEMENT,    CIRCULATION, 
ETC..  REQUIRED  BY  THE  ACT  OF  CONGRESS 
OF  AUGUST  24.  1912 
Of    The    Educational    Screen    and    Visual    Iniitruction    News,    pablished 
monthly  except  July  and  August,  at  Morton,  III.,  for  October  1.  1936 
state  of  Illinois,  County  of  Cook,  as. 

Before  me,  a  notary  public  in  and  for  the  State  and  county  afore- 
said, personally  appeared  Nelson  L.  Greene,  who,  having  been  duly 
sworn  according  to  law,  deposes  and  says  that  he  is  the  editor  of  The 
Educational  Screen,  and  that  the  followins  is.  to  the  best  of  his 
knowledge  and  belief,  a  true  statement  of  the  ownership,  management 
(and  if  a  daily  paper,  the  circulation),  etc.,  of  the  aforesaid  publica- 
tion for  the  date  shown  in  the  above  caption,  required  by  the  Act  of 
August  24,  1912,  embodied  in  section  411.  Postal  Laws  and  Regulations, 
printed  on  the  reverse  of  this  form,  to-wit : 

1.  That  the  names  and  addresses  of  the  publisher,  editor,  manag- 
ing editor,  and  business  managers  are :  Publisher,  The  Educational 
Screen,  Inc.,  64  E.  Lake  Street,  Chicago,  111. ;  Editor,  Nelson  L.  Greene, 
64  E.  Lake  Street,  Chicago,  III. 

2.  That  the  owner  is:  The  Educational  Screen,  Inc..  64  E.  Lake 
Street,  Chicago,  III.  :  Herbert  E.  Slaught,  5548  Kenwood  Ave.,  Chicago : 
Nelson  L.  Greene,  5836  Stony  Island  Ave.,  Chicago ;  Estate  of  Dudley 
G.  Hays,  1641  Estes  Ave.,  Chicago;  Estate  of  Frederick  J.  Lane,  6450 
Kenwood  Ave.,  Chicago :  Marguerite  Orndorff.  1617  Central  Ave., 
Indianapolis,  Ind.  ;  Frank  Greene.  Ocala,  Fla. ;  Marie  Craig,  Torring- 
ton.  Conn. ;  Marion  Lanphier.  5000  E.  End  Ave.,  Chicago :  Estate  of 
J.  J.  Weber,  Bay  City,  Tex. 

3.  That  the  Itnown  bondholders,  mortgagees,  and  other  security 
holders  owning  or  holding  1  per  cent  or  more  of  total  amount  of  bonds, 
mortgages,  or  other  securities  are:   (If  there  are  none,  bo  state.)     None. 

4.  That  the  two  paragraphs  next  above,  giving  the  names  of  the 
owners,  stockholders,  and  security  holders,  if  any,  contain  not  only 
the  list  of  stockholders  and  security  holders  as  they  appear  upon  the 
books  of  the  company  but  also,  in  cases  where  the  stockholder  or  se- 
curity holder  appears  upon  the  books  of  the  company  as  trustee  or 
in  any  other  fiduciary  relation,  the  name  of  the  person  or  corporation 
for  whom  such  trustee  is  acting,  is  given  :  also  that  the  said  two  para- 
graphs contain  statements  embracing  affiant's  full  knowledge  and  be- 
lief as  to  the  circumstances  and  conditions  under  which  stockholders 
and  security  holders  who  do  not  appear  upon  the  books  of  the  com- 
pany as  trustees,  hold  stock  and  securities  in  a  capacity  other  than 
that  of  a  bona  Ade  owner:  and  this  affiant  has  no  reason  to  believe 
that  any  other  person,  association,  or  corporation  has  any  interest 
direct  or  indirect  in  the  said  stock,  bonds,  or  other  securities  than 
as  so  stated  by  him. 

5.  That  the  average  number  of  copies  of  each  issue  of  this  pub- 
lication sold  and  distributed,  through  the  mails  or  otherwise,  to  paid 
subscribers  during  the  six  months  preceding  the  date  shown  above 
is  .      (This  information   is  required   from   daily  publications  only.) 

NELSON  L.  GREENE. 
(Signature  of  editor,  publisher,  business  manager  or  owner.) 
Sworn  to  and  subscribed  before  me  this  l.st  day  of  October,   1936 
(SEAL)  LYDA  SHEA. 

(My  commission  expires  December  16,   1937) 


Page  280 


OFFICERS 

NELSON    L.   GREENE 
President 

Editor  of  Educational  Screen 

Chicago,  Illinois 

WILBER    EMMERT 

First  Vice-President 

State  Teachers  College 
Indiana,  Pennsylvania 

ANNETTE    GLICK 

Second  Vice-President 

Visual  Education  Division 
Los  Angeles,  California 

E.    C.    WAGGONER 
Secretary- Treasurer 

Elgin  Public  Schools 

Elgin,  Illinois 


The  Department  ol" 
Visual  Instruction 


of 


The  National  Education  Association 

Headquarters  Address,  64  East  Lake  Street,  Chicago 


The  Educational  Screen 


EXECUTIVE  COMMIHEE 

ROBERT  COLLIER.   JR. 

South  Hiqh  School 

Denver,  Colorado 
WILLIAM    H.    DUDLEY 

736  Wabash  Avenue 

Chicago,  Illinois 
JOHN    A.    HOLLINGER 

Pittsburgh  City  Schools 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 
DANIEL   C.    KNOWLTON 

New  York  University 

New  York  City 

CLINE    M.    KOON 

Office  of  Education 
Washington,  D.  C, 

GRACE    FISHER    RAMSEV 
American  Museum  of 
Natural  History 
New  York  City 


ON  THE  opposite  page  appears  for  the  first  time 
in  print,  so  far  as  we  know,  the  complete  roster 
of  D.  V.  I.  members.  Included  only  are  those  whose 
memberships  are  full  paid  as  of  November,  1936. 
Every  effort  has  been  made  to  achieve  perfect  ac- 
curacy. If  we  have  failed  in  any  respect — in  names 
improperly  excluded,  in  expiration  dates,  in  spelling — 
we  invite  your  immediate  explosions. 

Such  a  printing  of  the  membership  list  is  perhaps 
unusual.  It  was  finally  decided  upon  not  merely  for 
visible  evidence  that  the  Department  is  something  like 
twice  the  size  shown  by  any  existing  previous  records, 
but  primarily  as  a  convenience  to  members  for  keeping 
track  of  their  own  expirations  and  to  save  the  De- 
partment the  cost  of  endless  notices  to  members  anent 
membership  lapse.  It  should  help  relieve  the  Depart- 
ment somewhat  of  that  highly  unpleasant  procedure 
known  as  "dunning  for  dues." 

The  major  cause  for  hestitation  about  such  listing 
was  the  danger  of  its  becoming  a  fertile  "mailing  list," 
and  thereby  cluttering  member  mailboxes  with  a  deluge 
of  unwanted  circulars  and  sales  arguments.  We  be- 
lieve this  possibility  is  safely  avoided  by  omission  of 
all  addresses  and  titles. 

Each  name  has  been  reduced  to  its  minimal  essen- 
tials, exactly  as  it  stands  in  our  records,  just  enough 
to  enable  each  member  to  recognize  himself.  Alphabet- 
ical arrangement  permits  instant  check-up  by  each 
member  on  the  status  of  his  membership.  (Earnest 
request  to  each  member  to  pay  this  much  attention  to 
the  list.)  The  nine  dots  and  the  dagger  represent  the 
ten-month  year,  July  and  August  not  counted.  The 
dagger  shows  month  of  expiration  in  the  current  year, 
the  double  dagger  indicates  that  month  of  the  following 
year,  in  other  words,  a  two  years'  membership.  (We 
have  two  members  paid  for  life.) 

The  size  of  the  roster  should  be  gratifying — yet 
almost  equally  distressing  is  the  absence  therefrom  of 
scores  of  names,  eminent  in  the  visual  field  in  the 
past  and  still  so  in  the  present.  We  know  that  in  many 
cases  this  is  mere  oversight.  They  are  still  "under  the 
impression"  that  they  "belong."  It  is  devoutly  to  be 
hoped  that  this  list  will  serve  as  reminder,  or  surprise, 


to  the  owners  of  these  missing  and  gravely  missed 
names;  that  they  will  let  their  eyes  wander  down  the 
alphabetical  line  to  their  normal  place  in  the  roster,  be 
startled  and  pained  at  the  lacuna,  and  take  immediate 
steps  to  restore  their  name  in  the  next  printing  of  the 
roster. 

While  not  anxious  to  arouse  positive  fear,  we  should 
like  to  see  some  excitement  among  members  over  the 
dangerous  daggers !  Note  that  they  will  move  one 
space  from  right  to  left  each  month.  When  next  to  your 
name,  it  means  "expiration"  and,  unless  something  is 
done  about  it,  the  name  disappears  automatically  the 
next  month.  If  something  is  done,  the  dagger  will  next 
appear  at  the  extreme  right,  and  the  worry  and  danger 
comfortably  postponed  for  a  solid  year. 

We  strongly  urge,  however,  that  no  member  feel 
it  incumbent  upon  him  or  her  to  await  the  dagger's 
arrival  at  the  extreme  left.  Renew  whenever  the  spirit 
moves.  There  often  comes  a  moment  in  life  when 
vitality  ebbs  and  we  "simply  don't  know  what  to 
do  next."  Solve  the  quandary  hy  using  that  ideal  mom- 
ent, useless  for  anything  else,  by  sending  along  your 
D.  V.  I.  renewal.  That  changes  the  dagger,  just  where 
it  stands  now,  to  a  pointless  double-dagger  which  is 
harmless. 

A  LETTER  is  going  to  every  member  on  the  list 
'  ^  opposite  concurrently  with  this  November  issue  of 
The  Educational  Screen.  It  deals  with  the  New  Or- 
leans meeting  next  February.  It  is  the  first  letter  to  all 
members  that  does  not  ask  for  "dues."  It  asks  merely 
a  reply  without  cost  and  almost  without  effort.  We 
hope  to  be  swamped  with  the  returns.  A  wholesale 
and  wholehearted  response  will  augur  well  for  the 
development  of  a  genuine  departmental  cooperation 
which  can  put  the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 
where  it  belongs  among  the  departments  of  the  N,  E.  A. 

With  your  re])lies  in  hand,  and  from  other  negotia- 
tions long  since  under  way,  the  next  issue  of  The 
Educational  Screen  expects  to  give  a  detailed  ac- 
count of  plans  for  the  D.  V.  I,  meeting  at  New  Orleans, 
with  the  Department  of  Superintendence,  on  February 
22nd  and  23rd  next. 


November,  19}6 


Page  281 


Official  Roster---Pdid  Members--- Department  of  Visual  Instruction  of  the  N.  E.  A. 

(Showing  expiration  month  of  current  year  —  July  and  August  not  included  —  the  '^  indicates  two  years) 


Alleman,   C   C 

Allwein,    A    F    

Amson,    Emily      

Anderson,    C    Darsie 

Anderson,  Duane  P 

Anderson.    E   W    

Anderson.  John  A  

Anderson.    Wm    V 

Andrew.    Paul    E    

Appenzellar.   J    I-.  

Arnold.    E    J 

Auehinbau^h.    B    A 

Austin,    Scott    

Bacon.    Francis    L 

Bailey,    Floyd   P   

Baker.    Evelyn    J    

Balcom,   A  G  

Ballard,   C  R 

Ballou.    Ethel    

Bardy.   Joseph    

Bare,    Thurman    H 

Barnard,    Elizabeth    

Barrett.    Wilton    

Bashkowitz,    P    

Bere.   E   L   

Birch,    C    E    

Bittel,    William    H 

Black,    L    A 

Boecker.   Alexander   

Bonwell.    W   A    

Boss.   Willis   

Bowen.   Ward  C   

Bowmar,    Stanley    

Brewer,    KM    

Briner,   George  C  

Brown.    Carolyn    A    

Brown.   Oliver    E    

Burke.    H    A  

Burns,    Val    Jean 

Butler,    Marffaret    J    .... 

Bvers.    Elvin    G    

Caldwell.    L    H    

Campbell.    Laurence   R 

Cawelti.  Donald  G 

Chapin,    Henry  S   

Chester,    Marjcaret    ' 

Clark,    Ella    Callista 

Clifford,    William 

Cohen,    Frances      

Collier,    Rob't    Jr 

Consrer,   H   G 

Consilia,   Sister  M 

Cook.    Dorothea    

Cook,   Dorothy    

Crawford.   E  Winifred 

Crumblinir,   C  S   

Cumminf^s,   O   G   

Curran,    Kenneth    A 

Dale,   Edgar   

Dalrymple,    Carl    W 
Darlington.  Evalina  H  .. 

Daugherty.   A  C 

Davenport,    Marjorie   H 

Davis,    Rex    H    A 

Deer,    Irvin    F    

DeLand.    Glenn    A 

Dent,    E   C    

Desmarais,   Laura  B   

Devereux.   F   L    

Doane.   Donald   C   

Doidge,    R    W    

Dudley,   Wm   H 

Dugdale,    Lee   A  

Dunn.    Fannie   W  

Dwerlkotte,   Francis  D  .. 

Dyar,    Elizabeth   J    

Dyer,    J    Elizabeth    

Eaton,   Ann    

Eby,  George  

Edwards,    Thomas    A 

Elam,    L    H 

Ellis,   Don   Carlos   

Emmert,   Wilber   

Ferguson,    B    W 

Finley,    Elden   D   

Fisk,   Harrison   S   

Fordenwalt,    Fred    

Fortington.    H    A 

Fraine.  Harold  S   

Frances.   Carrie  B    

Frankel,    Louis    

Gallup,   Anna  B 

Gemmill.   Charles  W   

Gillen,   F  Gardner   

Gilliland,   J   F   

Gleckler,  Bryce  

Glick,    Annette    

Gray,    Rebecca    J    

Greene,    Nelson    L    

Greenwald,   Alma   J 

Gregory,    W  M    

Grote,    Benjamin    

Gunnell,    Frank    E 


Exp 
Nov. 
ND 

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Expiration     Dates 
Nov.  to  Oct. 

NDJ   FMAMJ  S  O 


Hall.    Arthur   C 

Hansen,   J   E   

Hardcastle,    Richard    . 

Haworth.    Harry   H 

Hayes.   D   P   

Healey.    Gertrude   M    . 

Hebert.    A    Omer 

Heinaman.    F   S    

Helms.    H    

Hendrickson,    Ira   

Hessberg,   Lena  

Hillegass,    W    F    

Hinman,    K    C  

Hirsch,    Everett    C 

Hissong,    R   D 

Hoban,  C   P 

Hoban.    C    F    Jr  

Hochheimer,    Rita    

Hodgins,  Geo  W  

Hoefling,   C   E   

Hoffman,  Josephine  .... 

Hollinger,    J    A 

Hughes,    Harold    F 

Hunt.    Franklin    L 

Ingham,    A    B    

Jansen,    William    

Johnson,   F   R   

Jones,    Augustus    P    .. 

Jones,    A    H   

Jones,    Elmer   C    

Jordan,   A   L   

Kaufman,   Marie  E   .... 

Kennedy,    B    A 

Kennedy,    B    A 

Kerstetter,    Newton    

Killey.    Lorene    

Kitowski.    O    E 

Klein,   Jos  K    

Klinger,    Landis    R    

Knowlton,    D    C 

Kooser.    H    L 

Kottman,  W  A  

Kraus.   Philip  E 

Kraus,    Jos   P    

Krohn.  H   W   ..~ 

Kruse,    William    F 

Kyper.   Guy  D 

Lain,   Dolph   

Lakey,  Frank  E   

Lannin,   Georgina   

Laun.   F  C  

Lawrence,   C  W   

Lease,  L  J   

Legro,   Edna   C 

Lesourd,    Homer    W  .  . 

Lewin,    William    

Lewis,   Donald   K   

Lieberman,    Malvina    ... 

Lindstrom,   C  A   

Linton,  Alma  V  

Lippold,    Paul    

Lloyde,    R   K    

Logsdon,   J   D    

Lowe,    O    H 

Lyford,    Aimee    E 

Lyons,    John    H    

Machan,    W    T 

Mahaffey,  C  F  

Mallon.    Arthur    

Mann.    Paul    B  

Marchankuski.    L    R 

Matisko.  John   

Mayer.  Rachel  

McClusky,  F  D   

McDaniel,    Nettie    

Mclntire.    Geo    

McKeown,  M  J   

McMaster,    Wm   H 

McSwyny,  Mary   

Meissner,   Amelia   

Mels,    Edward    

Meola.    L   K    

Miglautsch,  Frank  

Millar,   Laura  B    

Miller,    D    W 

Miller,   Raymond  E   

More.v,  F   R  

Mnerman,   J   C   

Mullen,  Sarah  McLean 

Nelson,    Paul    C  

Nichol,  R  J    

Nichols,    Preston    

Noble,    Lorraine    

Norman,  Margaret  A    . 

Northcott,    John    W    

O'Brien,    Geo   M 

O'Brien,    Mary   S 

O'Brien,   Warren   S 

O'Gorman,    D    

OIney,   Frank  D   

Osins,  W  F   

Palmer,    W    C 

Parizak,    Liel    


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Petersen,    Robert 

Peterson,    V    E 

Pointer,  P  D  

Pratt,  M  W  

Quinn,    Eleanor    .    t 

Rabenort,    William    

Ramsey.    Grace    F    

Ramseyer.   Lloyd   L 

Rankin.   F  B   .    t 

Reh,    Frank    t  . 

Reilly,    Frederick   J t 

Reitz.    W   L   

Reitze,    Arnold    W t 

Renner,    G    I    

Rhodes,    H    K    

Rhuland,    Frank   Alfred .  .    t 

Ricklefs,    Robt    U    

Riordan,  Helen  M   

Ritter,    Karl    

Robinson,    Roy  E 

Rogers,    M    A    

Rogers,   T   N   

Rooney,    M    C    

Root,   Oscar   M .    . 

Routzahn,   Evart  G   

Ruch,    H    R t 

Russell,    F    R f 

Savage,    Geo   O t 

Sawyer,  Geo  G .    . 

Schmidt,    C    E t 

Schneipp,   A   E   

Seltzer,    Jack     ,        .  .    . 

Shedd,   H   P   

Sietler,   Thos   H 

Simpson,  M  L f 

Small,  Lillian  G 

Smith,   Gerald  W   

Smith,    Harvard    C t 

Smith,    S    W      . 

Soward.    G    V 

SpalTord,    B   M    ..  .  .    . 

Sprenkle,  W  H     . 

Stabler,   E   F   

Steiner,     Frederick     t 

Stinson,   J   E   .    . 

Stoltz,  R  J   

Stork.    Nelson   N    .    . 

Sullivan,    Joseph    V f  . 

Sutfin,    Vernon    A    .    . 

Swaim,   Clara   C f 

Swarthout,    W    E t 

Swenson,   Carroll    + 

Tangney,    Homer    t 

Taylor,  F  P  

Temple.    Edward   H t  . 

Theobald.   Jacob   t 

Thomas.    John    P 

Timings.  Claire .    f 

Trent.    J    A f 

Trolinger,    Leila   

Tuttle,    Earle   B    

Twogood,    A    P  .    f 

Uhrlaub,   R  R .    ♦ 

Uhte,   J   C f  .'.'.'.'.'    ' 

Van   Loenen.   C   Addison  .....'*' 

Vaughan.    H   B t '.    '. 

Vernon,  Mabel  D t  ....!!    ! 

Vernor,   P   H    . .  .  .  *    *    1  * 

Viar,  W  L   t  .'.'.".    . 

Waggoner,   E   C    t  .    '    '    '    " 

Walker.    Darthnia    t  ..'.'.    '. 

Walter,    Mary    Ethyl  ...        t  .    . 

Wampler,    W    N f  ....'.'.    '. 

Warren.   Hamilton  .    t 

Watson.    N    E    f  .    '.    '.    '. 

Wavrunek.    Geo    M .    t  ...!!!    ' 

Werley,  Marvin  O +  '    "    ' 

White,   J   Kay >   •    •    • 

White,  J   M   .    .  '    '    ♦   ' 

Whittinghill.    W  W t  .    .    .".".'.    ." 

Williams,    Edgar    t  '    *    *    * 

Williams,    Paul    T  .  . 

Williams,    Vida    A  . 

Wilson,   E   H 

Wilson,    H    W    

Winchell,    Lawrence  R 

Winger,    R    C 

Wise,   H  A    

Wishnick,    F    f 

Witt,   Margaret   L .    f  ..'.'.'    ' 

Wood,    W    Wadsworth t  .    .    .    . 

Yeager,  Wm  A  ...    t  ...    . 

York,   Mira    E .    t 

Young,  A  R  t  .    .    '    ' 

Zeiler,    Edw    J f 

(Indiiidual  member  name  not  yet  se- 
cured for  following  paid  memberships) 
Administration   Library 

(Pittsburgh)     t 

Board  of  Education 

(Naperville)     t  -    .    . 

(Concluded  on  next  page) 


t  . 


t  . 


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.   .   t  . 


.  t 


Page  282 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


AccusinsT  Finger  (Paul  Kelly,  Marsha  Hunt) 
(Para.)  Cold-blooded  district  attorney,  having 
sent  many  to  chair,  faces  it  himself  by  false 
circumstantial  evidence.  Strong  diatribe 
against  capital  punishment,  much  of  it 
thought-provoking,  but  too  much  is  harrowing 
and   gruesome.  1 1-3-36 

(A)   Depends  on  taste     (Y)   Doubtful     (C)   No 

Alibi  for  Murder  (W.  Gargan,  M.  Churchill) 
(Columbia)  Sensible,  alert  radio-newscaster 
stumbles  on  murder  in  high  munitions  circles, 
and  solves  it  after  tire-squeak  auto  chase. 
Dialog  with  little  wisecrack,  and  emphatic 
lines  against  munitions-makers  as  world  en- 
emies. Agreeable  little  thriller.  11-3-36 
(A)   Fair                      (Y-C)   Rather  good  thriller 

Back  to  Nature  (Jed  Prouty,  Shirley  Deane) 
(Fox)  Another  picture  in  the  elementary  ser- 
ies "Educating  Father",  rather  better  than 
average.  Homely,  wholesome  fun  over  a  hec- 
tic trailer  trip  in  picturesque  country  taken 
by  father  and  irrepressible  family.  Mild  crook 
adds  mild  romance.  10-13-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Amusing 

Big  Broadcast  of  1937  (Jack  Benny)  (Para) 
Elaborate  radio  "revue"  with  thin  plot  and 
many  "acts".  Swing  bands,  song  and  dance. 
Burns  and  Allen  comedy,  Martha  Raye,  etc. 
Entertaining  or  not,  amusing  or  silly,  accord- 
ing to  taste.  Notable  sequence  with  Stokowsky 
and  his  orchestra.  10-20-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste     (Y)  (C)  Probably  amusing 

The  Big  Game  (Philip  Huston,  June  Travis) 
(RKO)  Clever  football  thriller,  but  seemingly 
bent  on  proving  college  football  a  racket  run 
by  outside  gamblers  for  betting  profits.  Fac- 
ulty bullied,  players  bribed,  framed,  kidnapped 
— but  hero  wins  in  last  quarter  and  slate  is 
clean !  10-27-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y-C)  Doubtful 

Cain  and  Mabel  (Marion  Davies.  Clark  Gable) 
(Warner)  Rollicking  formula  stuff.  Prizefighter 
and  chorus  girl  working  way  up  —  hate  each 
other— must  pretend  love  for  publicity  purposes 
^and  expected  result.  Thick  with  dances,  ring 
fighting  and  wisecracks,  some  very  labored. 
Typical  box-oflice.  10-20-36 

(A)  Perhaps      (Y)  Amusing      (C)  Little  interest 

Case  of  the  Black  Cat  (R.  Cortez,  June 
Travis)  (Warner)  Mystery-melodrama  much 
complicated  by  three  murders  and  needing 
much  talk  to  clarify,  and  the  cat  isn't  even 
black.  But  action  is  smooth,  tempo  right, 
much  character  interest,  and  Cortez  is  notably 
good  as   Perry  Mason.  11-3-36 

(A-Y)    Good  of  kind  (C)    Doubtful  value 

Cloistered  (made  in  French  convent,  dialog 
and  song  in  French,  but  good  English  narra- 
tive accompanies  as  needed).  Rarely  impres- 
sive, revealing  picture  of  activity  and  mean- 
ing of  life  in  cloistered  convent.  Rich  in 
beauty,  symbolism  and  moving  ritual,  expertly 
and  reverently  done.  Outstanding.  11-3-36 
(A)  Excellent    (Y)   Mature    (C)   Little  interest 

Daniel  Boone  (Geo.  O'Brien,  Heather  Angel) 
(RKO)  Vivid  portrayal  of  fortitude,  grim  suf- 
fering, gruelling  hardship  in  covered  wagon 
trek  across  Alleghenies  into  Kentucky.  True 
to  times,  but  constant  Indian  massacres,  tor- 
tures, violence,  misery  make  it  harrowing  en- 
tertainment for  any  one.  10-27-36 
(A)  Perhaps     (Y)  Good  but  grim      (C)  Doubtful 

Devil  Is  a  Sissy  (Bartholomew,  Rooney,  Cooper) 
(MGM)  Very  human  study  of  underprivileged 
boys  in  city  slums,  their  start  in  petty  crime 
and  gradual  regeneration.  Notable  cast,  finely 
knit  story,  outstanding  work  by  boys  and  judge. 
Grim  and  thought-provoking,  humorous  and  ap- 
pealing. 10-20-36 
(A)  (Y)  Verysrood                                 (C)  Doubtful 

Dimples  (Shirley  Temple,  Frank  Morgan) 
(Fox)  Street-waif  of  1850  has  a  pitiful  old 
crook  for  grandfather,  whose  endless  pilfer- 
ings,  despite  her  wistful  objections,  become 
merely  painful.  Plot  falsities,  depressing 
background,  excess  of  song  and  dance  stunts 
are   wasting  a  prize   little  actress.  11-3-36 

(A-Y-C)    Disappointing.      Only   fairly   good. 

Dodsworth  (Huston.  Chatterton.  Lukas,  As- 
tor)  (UA)  Fine  screen  version  of  fine  play 
showing  effect  of  changed  environment,  from 
Midwest  to  Europe,  on  mature,  long-devoted 
married  couple.    Trenchant,  appealing  realism. 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a   National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special  arrangement  with  The  Educational  Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


notably  written,  acted  and  directed.  Intelli- 
gent "triangle"  drama.  10-27-36 
(A)  Excellent                 (Y-C)  Entirely  too  mature 

Don't  Turn  *Em  Loose  (Bruce  Cabot,  Lewis 
Stone)  (RKO)  Sensational,  fairly  strong  dia- 
tribe against  parole  system,  crudely  done. 
Hero  is  ultra-bank-robber  who  tricks  his  fine 
parents,  shoots  people  right  and  left,  including 
his  sweetheart,  until  his  father  shoots  him. 
Stone  good,  Cabot  impossible.  10-20-36 

(A)  Waste  of  time  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Easy  Money  (Onslow  Stevens,  Kay  Lina- 
ker)  (Grand  Nat.)  Supposedly  an  expose'  of 
the  crooked  racket  in  fake  accidents  and 
court  collection  of  damages  by  shyster  law- 
yers. Lively  enough,  but  second  rate  cast, 
banal  dialog  and  crude  thrills  make  it  a 
cheap  production.  10-13-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Gay  Desperado  (Nino  Martini,  Leo  Carrillo) 
(UA)  Delightful  mixture  of  farce,  romance, 
satire,  travesty  and  slapstick.  Breezy  action, 
picturesque  dialog,  notable  singing.  Mexican 
bandits  emulate  American  movie  gang  meth- 
ods, but  soon  learn  better.  Martini  and  Car- 
rillo notably  fine.  11-3-36 
(A-Y)   Very  good            (C)   Unless  too  exciting 

Girl  on  Front  Page  (Gloria  Stuart,  Edmond 
Lowe)  (Univ)  Unskilled  romance-comedy-mystery 
combination,  amusing,  dull  or  absurd  by  turns. 
Newspaper-owner  heroine  and  hard-boiled  edi- 
tor-hero are  in  love  but  wrangle  endlessly. 
Operation  and  trapping  of  blackmail  ring  make 
chief  humor  and  suspense.  10-20-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  Fair  (C)  No 

Gypsy  Baron  (German  production)  Colorful, 
well-done  story  of  peasant  and  gypsy  life  in 
18th  Century  Hungary,  with  fair  English  ti- 
tles and  delightful  Strauss  music.  Hinges  on 
buried  treasure  of  noble  family  exiled  from 
their  castle.  Lively  action  and  romance  when 
scion  returns.  10-13-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y-C)  Little    interest 

Hollywood  Boulevard  (John  Halliday)  (Para) 
Near  bankruptcy,  screen  star  tries  comeback 
by  "Memoirs",  which  emerge  merely  as  boudoir 
conquests,  finally  involve  his  own  daughter  and 
publisher's  wife,  and  melodrama  ends  the  mess. 
Dismal  effort  at  glamor  for  Hollywood  and 
forgotten  stars  a  la  fan-magazine.  10-20-36 

(A)  Trash  (Y)  No  (0)  No 

Killer  at  Large  (Mary  Brian,  Russell  Har- 
die)  (Columbia)  Amateurish  murder  mystery 
with  a  girl  detective  feebly  played  by  Mary 
Brian.  Whole  narrative  and  direction  incredi- 
bly naive.  Wax  dummies  furnish  the  comedy. 
Harmless  thriller  so  stupidly  done  as  to  be 
almost  amusing.  10-27-36 

(A)  Hopeless  (Y-C)  Harmless  but  poor 

Kelly  the  Second  (Patsy  Kelly,  Guinn  Wil- 
liams) (MG*M)  Hilarious,  raucous  slapstick  two- 
reeler.  padded  to  feature  length  by  gags  new 
and  old.  Patsy  her  usual  self  as  breezy  heroine 
who  transforms  dumb,  fighting  truckdriver  into 
ring  champion.  Typical  low  comedy  for  those 
who  want  it.  10-20-36 

(A)  Hardly         (Y)  Good  of  kind         (C)  Perhaps 

Ladiea  in  Love  (Young,  Gaynor,  Bennett. 
Simon)  (Fox)  Three  girls  of  different  back- 
grounds and  ambitions  start  after  careers. 
Three  varied  romances  develop  until  fourth 
girl  appears  to  complicate  matters,  and  the 
three  end  the  film  by  heading  back  for  home. 
Little  unity  or  charm.  10-13-36 

(A)  Hardly  (Y)  No  (C)  No 

Libeled  Lady  (Powell.  Tracy.  Harlow,  Loy) 
(MOM)  Lively,  sophisticated,  continuously 
amusing  newspaper-high  society  comedy, 
smartly  done  by  able  cast,  dialog  clever  aside 
from  wisecracks.  Hilarious  efforts  of  two 
men  to  ward  off  libel  suit  complicated  by  two 
girls.     Perfect  "box  office".  10-13-36 

(A)  Very  good  of  kind      (Y)  Better  not     (C)  No 

Longest  Night  ( R.  Young.  Florence  Rice) 
(MGM)     Formula    thriller    about    Department 


store  murders,  with  stock  scare  devices  and  no 
character  values.  Clumsy,  confused  plot  with 
funny  detectives,  sinister  crooks,  fake  cops, 
wax  dummies,  closeted  corpses,  wild  chases, 
unlimited   smashing  of  china,   etc.  10-27-36 

(A)  Poor  (Y)  Poor  (C)  Poor 

Old  Hutch  (Wallace  Beery)  (MGM)  Agree- 
able rural  realism,  with  Beery  good  as  shift- 
less, lazy  ne'er-do-well  with  many  children, 
who  fishes  while  his  worn-out  wife  works. 
Finds  fortune  in  stolen  bills,  tangles  with  the 
thieves,  but  flounders  through  to  win  with- 
out much  work  after  all.  10-27-36 
(A)  Rather  good                               (Y-C)  Very  good 

President's  Mystery  Story  (Wilcoxon,  Betty 
FurnessI  (Repub.)  Merely  central  idea  of  Lib- 
erty serial  (suggested  by  President  Roosevelt, 
written  by  six  prominent  authors)  turned  in- 
to non-shocking  social-political  melodrama  of 
big  firms'  ruthless  competition  with  little 
ones.      Good,   obvious   propaganda.  10-27-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Fair  (C)  Little  interest 

Magnificent  Brute  (V.  McLaglen,  Billy  Bir- 
rud)  (Univ)  Primitive,  giant  hero,  braggart 
bully,  glorifying  brawn  and  sneering  at  brains, 
crashes  way  to  top-puddler  in  steel  mills — wor- 
shipped by  engaging  boy  whose  mother  dreams 
better  things  for  him,  but  she  marries  the 
yokel !   Strong,   convincing   crudity.  10-20-36 

(A)  (Y)  Good  of  kind  (C)  No 

Murder  with  Pictures  (Lew  Ayres,  Gail  Pat- 
rick) (Para.)  Complex  and  confused  excite- 
ment over  several  murders.  News  cameras, 
cops,  villains,  suspects,  and  smart-aleck  hero 
and  heroine  result  in  sort  of  solution.  Unin- 
spired dialog,  wisecracks,  clumsy  narrative 
and  cheap  touches  help   little.  10-13-36 

(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Hardly  (C)  No 

Seven  Sinners  (E.  Lowe,  C.  Cummings,  and 
English  cast)  (G-B)  Entertaining  detective- 
melodrama  with  gruesome  bits  but  sustained 
interest.  Elusive  villain  uses  train-wrecks  aa 
means  to  murder  and  to  cover  murders,  but 
suave  American  hero  and  heroine  track  him 
down.      Gootl    dialog.  11-3-36 

(A-Y)    Good   thriller  (C)    Too  strong) 

Thank  You,  Jeeves  (Arthur  Treacher,  David 
Niven)  (Fox)  Crazy  slapstick  farce,  with  lit- 
tle of  the  Wodehouse  original,  full  of  hokum, 
archaic  thrills  and  stock  laugh-devices,  b\it 
Treacher's  role  as  valet  to  whimsical  hero  is 
redeeming  feature.  Decidedly  different  and 
amusing.  10-13-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind      (Y)  Amusing      (C)  Amusinsr 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction 

(Concluded  from  page  281) 
Brigham  Young  Univ. 

Ext.    Division    t 

Burlingame  High 

School    (Calif.) t  .    •    • 

Enoch   Pratt   Free 

Library      .    t 

High  School  (Monti- 
cello,    111.)    t 

George  Peabody  College 

Library    .    t 

International    Library   of 

VisualAida(RadioCity)  t 

Iowa  State   Univ. 

Ext    Division +  .    • 

Kent  State  College(Ohio)   .    t 

Michigan     Film     Library 

(Detroit)  t 

Pedagogical  Library 

(Philadelphia)    t 

Public  Library 

(Cleveland) t  .    • 

State  Normal  Univ. 

(Normal.    III.)    t 

State  Teachers  Coll. 

Libr.    (San    Diego)  .    .    t 

Teachers  College  Library 

(Hawaii)      .    t 

Town  of  Barnstable 

(Mass.) t  .    - 

Union  High  School 

(Holtville,    Calif.)    t  •    .    • 

University    of    Florida t 


November,  1936 


Page  283 


»,  /fahii  m^(ft^  m^4oife 


Teachers  find  that  use  of  phonograph  records  increases 
the  effectiveness  of  modern  education  —  maices 
it  more  interesting  to  pupils.  Here  are  3  steps  lead- 
ing to  most  advantageous  use  of  records  in  schools! 

Always  use  most  accurate  recordings  obtainable  .  .  .  This  means 
Victor  Higher  Fidelity  Records  made  by  Victor's  great 
Higher  Fidelity  process.  They  capture  every  tone  and  varia- 
tion of  the  original! 

Get  the  finest  reproduction . . .  RCA  Victor  Electroias  are  capable 
of  releasing  every  note  captured  by  Victor  Higher  Fidelity 
Records.  These  fine  instruments,  rich  reward  of  years  of  re- 
search and  manufacturing  experience,  are  the  first  that  truly 
reproduce  the  full  beauty  of  Higher  Fidelity  Recordings. 
Have  a  complete  record  assortment  ,  .  .  Thousands  of  Victor 
Higher  Fidelity  Records,  covering  a  variety  of  subjects,  are 
now  available.  You  can  secure  them  individually  or  in  units. 
It  is  also  important  that  your  records  be  easily  and  always 
accessible.  For  this  RCA  Victor  has  a  handsome  Sectional 
Cabinet,  especially  designed  for  record  libraries.  The  cabinet 
can  be  expanded  as  necessary. 

Victor  Records  for  Educational  Use 

Songs  for  the  Schools  Physical  Education  Series 

Music  Appreciation  Series  Modern  Language  Series 


Model  R-99  Electrola,  with  "Featherweight  Pickup", 
dynamic  amplifier,  15  watts  output,  balanced  tone  con- 
trol. Here's  an  instrument  that  does  not  imitate  tone^ 
but  actually  duplicates  it!  Only  $149-50  (shown  above). 

The  RCA  Victor  Sectional  Cabinet  is. designed  to  meet 
the  needs  of  all  schools.  The  single  section  with  the  top 
and  base  (illustrated)  is  approximately  21"high,  27"  wide 
and  17"  deep.  $25.00.  Additional  sections,  $12.50  each. 

Model  R-93-2  Record  Player  (atop  cabinet)  converts  any 
AC  radio  into  a  phonograph-radio.  Lid  closes  when  in 
operation.  Only  $24.95. 

A  visit  to  your  RCA  Victor  dealer  for  a  demonstration 
will  convince  you;  or  write  us  for  further  information. 

AU  prices  F.O.B.  Camden,  N.J. ,  and  subject  to  change  without  notice. 

Listen  to  "The  Magic  Key"  every  Sunday,  2  /o  3  P.  M.,  E.  S.  T.,  on  NBC  Blue  Network 
EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT,  RCA  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  INC.-  CAMDEN,  N.  J. 

^^am^J^U^  FOR  SCHOOLS 

A  SERVICE  OF  THE  RADIO  CORPORATION  OF  AMERICA 


Page  284 


The  Educational  Screen 


Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field 


I  RECENTLY  had  the  opportunity  of  reviewing  cer- 
'  tain  teaching  films  which  were  photographed  entirely 
in  color.  There  seems  to  be  so  many  problems  in- 
volved with  this  type  of  production  that  I  think  we 
should  discuss  a  few  of  them  at  this  time. 

We  have  at  the  present  time  several  good  methods 
of  making  natural  color  movies  in  the  16  mm.  size. 
Anyone  who  has  seen  the  results  obtained  with  the 
present  day  film  will  agree  that  tremendous  strides 
have  been  made  in  this  field  over  a  few  years  ago. 
Our  present  color  film  will  reproduce  very  exactly  the 
colors  in  nature  which  when  projected  upon  a  screen 
by  a  good  projector  will  give  amazing  results.  There 
is  a  big  field  ahead  of  us  in  the  use  of  this  type  of  film 
in  educational  productions.  Those  who  have  used  it 
are  very  enthusiastic  over  their  results  and  at  the  same 
time  just  as  cautious  about  its  limitations. 

The  new  16  mm.  color  films  are  a  great  temptation 
to  the  amateur  as  well  as  the  professional  photographer 
and  there  is  a  prevalent  tendency  to  use  it  in  a  produc- 
tion merely  as  a  novelty  or  variation  from  the  con- 
ventional black  and  white.  This  practice  should  be 
avoided.  The  determining  factor  in  the  choice  of  film 
is  whether  or  not  the  subject  matter  being  photo- 
graphed could  be  shown  more  clearly  in  color  or  in 
black  and  white.  It  obviously  is  a  waste  of  film  to 
photograph  a  colorless  subject  on  color  film.  This 
sounds  rather  elementary  although  in  the  past  week  I 
have  seen  two  films  made  in  color  of  subjects  which 
not  only  contained  very  little  color  but  also  were  lighted 
so  as  to  suppress  any  color  that  was  present.  This 
film  might  have  been  extremely  effective  if  produced 
in  black  and  white  but  as  it  was  it  gave  the  impression 
of  being  an  amateurish  experiment. 

It  all  goes  back  to  the  fact  that  in  order  to  produce 
a  good  film  in  black  and  white  one  must  know  the 
technical  details  such  as  correct  exposure,  develop- 
ment, manipulation  of  the  camera,  lighting  and  com- 
position. Now  when  we  think  of  color  we  not  only 
must  include  all  of  the  above  but  also  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  color  and  color  harmony,  which  in  itself 
is  a  big  field. 

We  should  first  of  all  decide  upon  whether  the  ad- 
dition of  color  will  be  beneficial  or  detrimental.  There 
are  times  when  color  is  invaluable  such  as  in  medical 
work.  We  recently  filmed  several  operations  here  at 
the  University  in  natural  color.  They  were  very  ef- 
fective due  to  the  fact  that  the  color  was  an  explanatory 
aid.  By  means  of  color  one  was  able  to  distinguish 
one  section  from  another.  Another  example  has  to  do 
with  the  photography  in  the  stomach  of  a  live  cow.  An 
opening  was  cut  in  the  side  of  the  cow  large  enough 
to  allow  a  motion  picture  camera  to  enter.  A  power- 
ful lamp  was  wired  in  through  this  opening  and  movies 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  University,  Columbus 


were  made  in  color.  There  again  the  addition  of  color 
meant  the  classification  of  details  and  proved  invalu- 
able on  this  occasion. 

We  might  say  right  now  that  in  general  color  films 
are  more  difficult  than  black  and  white  to  handle.  In 
the  first  place  they  take  more  light  than  the  conven- 
tional film,  which  in  most  schools  is  a  big  factor.  We 
are  thinking  now  of  inside  photography  with  artificial 
illumination.  Provided  that  we  can  secure  two  or  three 
times  the  illumination  needed  for  black  and  white  our 
exposure  problems  will  not  be  so  difficult.  An  under- 
exposed color  film  is  useless  as  far  as  projection  is 
concerned.  Then  too  we  have  a  certain  leeway  in  our 
exposure  in  black  and  white  or  latitude  as  it  is  called 
in  technical  terms,  but  not  so  with  color  where  we 
must  have  exactly  the  correct  exposure,  remembering 
that  a  change  in  density  of  the  film  will  not  only  afifect 
its  brillance  on  the  screen  but  also  the  relationship  of 
the  color  values.  For  proper  results  we  should  try 
to  secure  a  proper  balance  between  our  light  source, 
filter,  and  film,  for  now  a  change  in  light  source  (say 
from  sunlight  to  artificial)  will  not  only  mean  a  change 
of  exposure  but  also  a  change  in  rendition  of  color. 
We  must  secure  a  combination  such  that  our  color  is 
correct  first  of  all. 

From  what  has  been  said  one  should  not  obtain  the 
idea  that  color  film  is  too  difficult  to  experiment  with, 
for  this  type  of  photography  will  be  used  more  and 
more  in  the  future  educational  films.  However  one 
should  become  proficient  in  using  the  easier  black  and 
white  and  then,  and  not  until  then,  try  the  color.  For 
the  first  few  productions  try  just  one  or  two  sequences 
in  color  and  the  rest  in  black  and  white,  as  many  films 
are  produced  in  this  manner. 

The  cost  of  this  new  type  of  film  in  general  is  very 
little  more  than  the  regular  film,  approximately  20% 
more,  which  means  that  for  the  results  obtained  and 
their  effectiveness,  this  price  is  far  from  prohibitive. 
Two  other  factors  should  be  taken  into  consid- 
eration when  thinking  of  natural  color  film.  One 
is  that  at  the  present  time  it  is  impossible  to  secure 
duplicate  color  prints  from  an  original  which  would 
be  a  disadvantage  in  distribution.  However,  I  imagine 
before  very  long  these  films  will  be  duplicated  com- 
mercially. The  other  factor  is  that  of  projection.  To 
properly  show  a  correctly  exposed  color  film  and  bring 
out  the  colors  in  their  full  naturalness  requires  a  fairly 
high  powered  projector  especially  when  projecting  be- 
fore a  large  group. 

In  conclusion  then  we  might  say  that  one  should 
use  color  film  by  all  means  but  proceed  with  caution. 


PROJECTOR 


^%> 


1 


NOT  AT  ANY  PRICE  con  these,  and 
otheT  valuable  features  responsible  for 
Animatophone  leadership,  be  had  in  any 
Sound  Projector  other  than 

VICTOR 

****AUTOMATIC  SAFETY  TRIPS 
that  prevent  costly  film  mutilation  (endorsed 
by  all  film  libraries)  .  .  Easy  to  clean  SU- 
PER SOUND  SYSTEM  that  insures  per- 
fect performance  always  .  .  .  SUPER  HI- 
POWER  ILLUMINATION  with  QUIET, 
SPIRA-DRAFT  VENTILATION  that  pro- 
longs lamp  LIFE  and  EFFICIENCY  .  .  . 
Simple,  sturdy  construction  .  .  SUPERIOR 
SOUND  and  Unsurpassed  PICTURE 
QUALITY.  For  definite  PROOF,  ask  to 
see  and  hear  ANIMATOPHONE  per- 
form.    Why  not  NOW  ? 


In  CCC  CAMPS  and  U.  S. 
FORESTRY  SERVICE  the 
sturdy,  "fool  proof"  easy-to- 
use  Animatophone  has  prac- 
tically excluded  all  other 
l6mm  sound  equipment. 

In  INDUSTRY,  light  weight, 
compact  and  efficient  Ani- 
matophone, with  its  many 
superiorities,  has  won  a  prom- 
inent-user following  that  has 
no  equal. 

In  the  service  of  SCHOOLS, 
UNIVERSITIES,  and 
CHURCHES  Animatophone 
outnumbers  all  other  l6mm 
sound  projectors  by  a  decid- 
edly substantial  margin. 

On  SHIPS  sailing  the  seven 
seas — on  TRAINS  entertain- 
ing passengers  with  sound 
pictures  —  l6mm  Animato- 
phone knows  no  competition, 
for  it  alone  provides  finest  re- 
production, trouble-free  per- 
formance and  absolute  safety 
along  with  Automatic  "cut-off" 


Protection  Against  Film  Mu- 


tilation. North,  East,  South 
and  West  —  At  Home  and 
Abroad  —  ANIMATO- 
PHONE'S  all-round  SU- 
PERIORITY has  made  it  the 
great  popular  choice! 


;^&^'?«%. 


CTOR  ANIMATOGRAPH  CORPORATIO 


Page  286 


The  Educational  Screen 


News  and  Notes 


Canada  National  Film  Society  Report 

In  its  report  on  "Educational  and  Cultural  Films 
in  Canada,"  financed  by  a  grant  from  the  Carnegie 
Corporation,  the  National  Film  Society  of  Canada 
stresses  the  need  for  a  national  clearing  house  for 
information  on  the  film  in  education.  Although 
the  society  was  created  in  1935  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  the  study  and  appreciation  of  the  film 
as  an  educational  and  cultural  factor  in  the  life 
of  the  Dominion,  so  far  it  has  only  been  engaged 
in  the  development  of  private  film  clubs  in  Mon- 
treal, Ottawa,  Toronto  and  Vancouver. 

The  report  summarizes  a  few  representative  edu- 
cational film  activities  and  experiments,  but  the  sur- 
vey the  Society  has  made  of  the  production  and 
distribution  of  educational  films  in  Canada  discloses 
the  lack  of  film  sources — the  National  Museum  in 
Ottawa  and  the  Canadian  Government  Motion  Pic- 
ture Bureau  being  two  of  the  largest.  There  are 
few  regional  libraries  such  as  exist  in  the  United 
States.  Strictly  teaching  films  are  not  made  in 
Canada  and  must  be  imported.  This  lack  of  a  suit- 
able supply  of  films  and  the  lack  of  technical  skill 
in  handling  films  and  correlating  them  with  the  cur- 
riculum, have  prevented  a  more  rapid  assimilation 
of  film  instruction  into  teaching  in  Canada. 

The  Society  recommends,  therefore,  that  some 
national  ofiice  be  established  for  the  distribution  of 
information  on  films  available  for  educational  pur- 
poses and  the  providing  of  advice  on  equipment. 
It  also  advises  the  affiliation  of  those  departments 
of  education,  schools,  colleges,  and  societies  which 
plan  to  make  use  of  the  cinema.  As  a  cooperating 
institution  between  the  film  institutes  of  other  na- 
tions it  would  be  prepared  to  disseminate  informa- 
tion also  on  techniques  of  teaching  with  films. 

The  price  of  this  report  is  25  cents  and  can  be 
obtained  from  Mr.  Donald  W.  Buchanan,  Secretary 
of  the  National  Film  Society  of  Canada,  Ottawa. 

Traveling  Peace  Film  Units 

Since  the  report  in  the  May  issue  of  The  Educa- 
tional Screen  on  the  promotion  of  peace  by  Dr. 
Francis  Onderdonk  and  his  Peace  Films  Caravan, 
much  progress  has  been  made.  Three  "Peacemobiles" 
are  now  employed  in  the  work,  carrying  projectors  and 
rolling  screens  attached  to  the  top  to  enable  the  show- 
ing of  the  films  outdoors.  Three  new  films  have  been 
added  to  the  programs  of  anti-war  pictures  shown. 
They  are :  Dealers  in  Death,  which  tells  the  inside 
story  of  the  munitions  racket ;  Drums  of  Doom,  a  pre- 
Hitler  German  drama  of  the  World  War,  with  Eng- 
lish dialogue,  produced  by  G.  W.  Pabst;  and  Toward 
Unity,  a  one-reel  subject  portraying  the  common  hu- 
manity of  man  with  commentary  by  Gilbert  Seldes. 


Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN  I 

The  "Peacemobiles"  are  part  of  the  Emergency 
Peace  Campaign's  two-year  program  to  keep  the 
United  States  out  of  war.  Inquiries  regarding  these 
programs  should  be  sent  either  to  Dr.  Francis  Onder- 
donk, 1331  Geddes  Ave.,  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  or  Emer- 
gency Peace  Campaign,  20  S.  12th  St.,  Philadelphia, 
Pa. 

New  Film  Directory 

The  accompanying  illustration  of  a  "Native  of 
Guiana"  is  a  reproduction  of  the  cover  of  the  new 
Fall-Winter   1936-37  Motion  Pictures  of  the   World, 

the  educational  film  direc- 
tory issued  semi  -  annually 
by  International  Education- 
al Pictures  of  Boston,  an 
institution  which  not  only 
publishes  the  catalog  but 
also  acts  as  a  clearing-house 
for  the  film  bookings  as 
well.  This  issue  of  62  pages, 
generously  illustrated,  re- 
places all  previous  ones, 
containing  1600  rental  films 
on  a  variety  of  subjects, 
and  400  free  films,  with 
factual  descriptions  and  data  on  each  as  to  number  of 
reels,  availability  in  16  mm.  or  35  mm.,  silent  or  sound, 
and  rental  prices.  An  extensive  film  index  is  also 
provided.  Subscription  is  50c  annually  for  the  two 
issues. 

Visual  Education  Courses  at  Boston  University 

Boston  University  is  offering  additional  courses  in 
Visual  Education  this  semester.  Mr.  Abraham  Kras- 
ker,  who  will  conduct  the  courses,  writes  that  the  fa- 
cilities for  Visual  Education  at  that  University  are 
very  much  improved  since  the  School  of  Education  has 
moved  into  a  new  building,  where  a  room  has  been 
built  especially  for  Visual  Education  classes  and  offers 
an  ideal  set-up  for  lecture  and  laboratory  work. 

Mr.  Krasker  has  two  classes  taking  the  functional 
course,  "Visual  Education — The  Collection,  Prepara- 
tion, and  Use  of  Teaching  Aids,"  which  is  aimed  to 
help  each  teacher  become  proficient  in  the  use  of 
teaching  aids.  "Research  in  Visual  Education"  is  in- 
tended for  the  advanced  student,  trained  worker, 
teacher,  or  administrator,  who  has  had  at  least  one 
course  in  Visual  Education.  A  third  course  is  called 
"Visual  Education  in  the  Teaching  of  Nature  Study." 

Boston  University  School  of  Education  is  now  com- 
pleting plans  for  the  offering  of  training  in  the  Major 
of  Visual  Education,  which  will  be  designed  specifically 


November,  19}  6 


Page  287 


for  the  preparation  of  leaders  for  newly  created  posi- 
tions of  directors  of  Departments  of  Visual  Education. 

Department  of  Agriculture  Film  Strips 

Prices  for  film  strips  issued  by  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  will  be  approximately 
the  same  for  the  fiscal  year  1936-37  as  those  in  ef- 
fect during  the  past  year,  according  to  an  announce- 
ment recently  made  by  the  Division  of  Cooperative 
Extension  of  the  Department.  Dewey  &  Dewey, 
Kenosha,  Wis.,  again  were  awarded  the  contract  for 
film-strip  production.  The  prices  will  range  from 
50  cents  to  $1.10  each,  depending  upon  the  number 
of  illustrations  in  the  series.  The  majority  of  the 
275  series  that  the  Department  has  available  will 
sell  for  50  or  65  cents  each.  Film  strips  are  avail- 
able on  such  subjects  as  farm  crops,  dairying,  farm 
animals,  farm  forestry,  plant  and  animal  diseases 
and  pests,  farm  economics,  farm  engineering,  home 
economics,  and  adult  and  junior  extension  work. 
Lecture  notes  are  provided  with  each  film  strip 
purchased. 

Film  Makes  Its  Debut  at  Salzburg 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  Salzburg  Fes- 
tivals the  film  was  introduced  into  the  program  of  the 
famous  Festivals.  The  Great  Ziegfeld  was  shown  as 
a  European  premiere  on  August  2  and  Romeo  and 
Juliet  as  a  world  premiere  on  August  9  to  a  choice- 
public  of  world  figures.  The  impression  made  by  these 
IJroductions  can  be  judged  by  the  fact  that  the  project 
of  steady  Film  Festivals  at  Salzburg  is  being  discussed 
at  Vienna.     (The  Festivals  are  an  official  institution.) 

Chateau  Becomes  Film  Studio 

The  famous  Chateau  of  Trevano  near  Lugano, 
Switzerland,  with  its  surrounding  Park,  has  been 
sold  by  the  canton  of  Ticino  to  the  Forum  Film 
Co.  Inc.,  for  the  erection  and  operating  of  a  large 
motion  picture  studio.  The  castle  is  widely  known 
for  its  colorful  history  and  the  almost  unbelievable 
magnificence  of  its  interior.  It  was  built  by  Baron 
von  Derwies,  a  Russian  millionaire  and  private  sec- 
retary of  the  Czar  between  1860-1870.  He  was  a 
patron  of  the  fine  arts  and  as  such  he  maintained 
in  the  castle  a  high  class  orchestra  and  a  small  the- 
atrical company,  so  that  Trevano  soon  became  a 
rendezvous  of  the  musical  world.  In  the  chateau's 
early  days  royalty  and  nobility  were  its  guests  at 
brilliant  night  fetes. 

Baron  von  Derwies  died  in  1881  and  the  chateau 
then  remained  unoccupied  for  almost  20  years.  Its 
second  owner  was  Louis  Lombard,  a  Frenchman  by 
birth  and  an  eminent  violinist  by  profession.  Some 
of  the  foremost  musicians  of  his  time  played  at  Tre- 
vano, and  an  orchestra  under  his  direction  gave 
over  900  symphony  concerts  which  were  attended 
by  the  elite  of  Europe's  musical  and  social  leaders. 
Lombard  died  in  1927  and  his  property  came  into 
the  possession  of  the  canton  of  Ticino. 


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Philadelphia,  Pa.  New  York 


Page  288 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Department 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Experiencing     in  the  Use  of  Educational  Movies  at  Kindergarten  Level 


VISUAL  instruction  simply  means  the  presentation 
of  i<nowledge  to  be  gained  through  the  seeing  ex- 
perience. The  seeing  experince  has  always  been  man's 
simplest  and  most  natural  means  of  gaining  informa- 
tion. 

Educational  movies  widen  the  horizon  of  the  child 
by  bringing  to  him  experiences  which  he  might  other- 
wise miss. 

(Example — Certain  wild  animals  available  only  in 
a  zoo,  which  are  introduced  in  stories,  pictures  or 
photographs,  may  be  seen  on  the  screen  in  their  na- 
tive habitats.) 

Direct  information  may  be  brought  to  the  children 
which  will  clarify  their  ideas  and  images. 

(Example — See  how  wings  are  put  on  aeroplanes. 
How  tigers  walk.  How  camels  get  up  and  lie  down. 
How  elephants  use  their  trunks.) 

A  movie  may  be  a  means  of  summarizing  an  ex- 
perience. Example — An  interest  in  farm  life  and  the 
care  of  milk  was  summarized  by  the  Eastman  Teach- 


The   World   Famous 
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ing  films  on  "The  Farm" ;  "Wisconsin  Dairies" ; 
"Milk".) 

A  well  chosen  movie  may  initiate  a  new  interest. 

(Example — After  seeing  "Bear",  "Beavers",  "The 
Cat  Tribes",  the  group  became  quite  interested  in 
stories  about  wild  animals,  their  activities  and  their 
habitats.) 

Movies  are  often  a  good  form  of  repetition.  Gen- 
erally children  need  to  be  exposed  to  facts  or  have 
experiences  repeated  more  than  one  time  before  learn- 
ings are  fastened. 

(Example — On  a  train  interest,  even  after  a  trip 
to  the  roundhouse,  a  movie  on  trains  renewed  group 
interest,  helped  to  clinch  certain  learnings  as  well  as 
added  some  new  impressions  by  bringing  these  facts 
again  visually  before  the  children.) 

Since  kindergarteners  cannot  depend  upon  the 
written  word  (only  as  it  is  read  or  told  to  them)  their 
eyes  are  their  biggest  avenue  for  gaining  new  impres- 
sions and  building  bodies  of  information  and  units  of 
thought  which  may  be  transferred  from  one  situation 
to  another. 

Movies  are  a  usable  tool  for  encouraging  reading 
readiness. 

(Example — The  children  are  eager  to  know  "what 
does  it  say."  The  adult  reads  the  captions,  they  listen. 
In  familiar  experiences,  the  children  like  to  make  their 
own  captions.) 

Furthermore,  any  worthwhile  experience  by  which 
a  child's  horizon  is  widened  and  which  lifts  him  from 
one  level  to  another  naturally  encourages  his  interest 
in  books  as  he  is  led  on  to  wider  interests. 

Observations  Made  by  Children  When  They  Saw 
''The  Cat  Tribe" 

How  did  they  clean  their  claws  ? 

With  their  tongue — licked  their  claws. 
How  many  different  animals  did  you  see? 

Hilda:  I  think  I  saw  three — leopards,  kittens  and 

tigers. 
What  others  did  you  see? 

Jack :  I  saw  some  lions.    I  saw  a  big  wild  cat. 
What  did  you  see,  Julia? 

Tigers. 
What  did  you  see  that  interested  you? 

Ruth    Ann:    I    saw    some  animals  with  spots  on 

them. 
\Miat  were  those? 

Leopards. 
How  could  you  tell  tigers  ? 

Jack :  Tigers  have  stripes. 
How  would  we  know  the  father  lion? 

Lee :  He  has  hair  all  the  way  round  his  head. 

(Concluded  on  page  290) 


November,  1936 


Page  289 


What  the   Eye  Sees, 
the  Mind  Remembers! 

Learning  Is  a  process  of  fact  retention. 

Things    seen    are    remembered 

long  after  things  heard 

are   forgotten. 


In  teaching  Geography,  Music,  History, 
Current    Events,    make    your   task 
easier  and  better  by  entertain- 
ing   while    you    instruct. 


Consult  Universal! 

Fifteen    years    of    leadership    in    non- 
theatrical    service    have    equipped 
us    with    a    clear    insight    into 
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Write   to   Universal' s  N  on -Theatrical  De- 
partment for  further  information  re- 
garding short  and  feature-length 
pictures,  travelogues,  cartoons 
and    other    educational 
motion    pictures. 


UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 


Rockefeller  Center 


New  York,  N.  Y. 


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EVERY  school  principal  grasps  each  opportunity  to  in- 
crease the  student's  interest  in  school  work  by  inter- 
polating current  events  in  history  or  current  progress 
in  science. 

With  the  Model  R  Spencer  Delineascope  illustrated, 
this  can  be  done  visually  in  an  auditorium  assembly,  as 
it  projects  either  slides  or  opaque  illustrations.  For  in- 
stance, if  you  come  upon  a  magazine  or  newspaper  illus- 
tration, or  one  from  a  new  book,  you  can  insert  it  at  any 
point  in  a  lecture  illustrated  with  slides. 


Spencer  Auditorium  Combination  Projectors, 
Models  R  and  RA,  give  brilliant  screen  pictures 
of  both  slides  and  opaque  material.  These  are 
powerful  instruments  for  the  lecture  room  and 
auditorium.  Similar  equipment  is  available  for 
class  room  use.  For  complete  information  on 
Spencer  Aids  to  Visual  Education,  write  for 
folder  K-78.    Please  address  Dept.  R-ll. 


Spencer  Lens  Company 

B  u  f  f  a  1  o  ^8  New  York 


Page  290 


The  Educational  Screen 


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What  do  we  call  that? 

Joan :  Mane. 
What  interested  you  most  ? 

John:  Kittens. 

Lorie :  Tigers. 
How  do  tigers  walk? 

Jerry :  Soft. 
Why  can  they  walk  so  softly? 

Ruth :  Because  they  have  padded  feet. 

Comments  from  the  Children  After  Seeing  "Across 
America  in  Sixteen  Hours" 

Howard :  "There  will  have  to  be  a  gear  on  the  air- 
plane." 

Lynn :  "It  had  a  speedometer." 

Lee :  "There  were  wheels  for  taking  off  and  a  radio." 

Livingston :  "We  need  a  back  wheel  on  our  airplane." 

Roger  :    "It  had  a  compass." 

Jerry:  "Some  pilots  wear  compasses  like  a  watch. 
Sometimes  they  are  in  the  airplane.  That  one  was 
in  the  airplane  on  the  board." 

Lynn  :  "We  should  make  a  place  for  mail  on  our  plane." 

Jack:  "\A'e  need  windows  if  we  go  traveling.  We 
should  make  a  mail  truck  to  bring  mail  to  the 
plane." 

Presenting  the  Pictures  to  Kindergarteners 

Teacher  should  preview  them  first  that  she  may  be 
familiar  with  the  details  of  the  picture. 

Prepare  the  group  for  some  of  the  more  important 
things  which  are  going  to  be  seen. 

Possibly  ask  certain  children  to  look  for  particular  in- 
formation to  encourage  the  habit  of  seeing. 

Check  with  the  group  following  the  picture.  Vary 
methods  of  checking. 

If  necessary  to  get  correct  impressions  show  picture 
again.  Considered  best  to  repeat  film  immediately 
rather  than  stop  too  often  during  a  picture,  break- 
ing the  continuity  of  thought. 

Look  for  a  few  facts  at  a  time — attempting  to  hold  too 
many  ideas  in  mind  at  one  time  may  confuse  the 
children. 

For  young  children  it  seems  best  to  repeat  the  film  sev- 
eral days  or  a  week  apart  rather  than  attempt  to 
check  numerous  points  at  one  sitting. 

It  should  be  expected  that  some  children  will  see  more 
than  others.  Thev  gradually  build  the  habit  of 
seeing. 

By      BESS      L.      STI  NSON 

Western  State  Teachers  College,  Kalamazoo,  Michigan 

Visual  Group  Meets 

The  New  Jersey  Visual  Education  Association  had 
its  Fall  Meeting  for  teachers  in  the  southern  end  of  the 
state  in  the  high  school  at  Vineland  on  Monday,  Octo- 
ber 12th,  under  the  direction  of  Lawrence  R.  Wlnchell, 
superintendent  of  schools,  Vineland. 

"Keeping  Our  Feet  on  the  Ground  in  Matters  Per- 
taining to  Visual  Instruction,"  was  the  title  of  an  ad- 
dress by  A.  G.  Balcom,  President  of  the  Association. 
Demonstrations  were  given  of  a  Geography  lesson  with 
visual  aids,  and  the  use  of  puppets  in  health  teaching. 
At  the  evening  session,  the  topics  discussed  were  Hob- 
bies in  Elementary  Schools,  Creative  Work  in  Rural 
Schools,  Visual  Education  in  Intermediate  School,  and 
in  High  School. 


November,  1936 


Page  291 


Visual  Education  In  England 

(Concluded  from  page  276) 

which  are,  briefly:  (a)  they  must  illustrate  the  teach- 
er's teaching  and  not  supersede  it,  (b)  they  must  in- 
duce a  definite  mental  effort  by  the  class,  (c)  they 
must  come  within  the  teaching  curriculum,  (d)  they 
should  illustrate  movement,  otherwise  slides  are  in 
every  way  preferable. 

To  get  together  a  store  of  films  answering  the  above 
requirements  has  been  the  labor  of  years.  Positive 
copy,  for  instance,  of  the  "Moon  of  Israel"  was  se- 
cured and  edited,  re-edited  and  re-titled  until  it  was 
almost  unrecognizable  and  finally  issued  as  "The 
Tenth  Commandment".  Film  after  film  was  taken 
and  "boiled  down"  in  this  manner  until  there  is  avail- 
able a  real  good  store  of  films  illustrating  geography, 
history  and  some  of  the  simpler  "ologies."  Little  by 
little  movie  films  are  making  their  way,  but  as  an  ad- 
venturer in  visual  education  in  England,  and  with  the 
knowledge  which  has  come  to  me  from  practical  ex- 
perience, I  feel  there  is  likely  to  be  a  more  immediately 
adopted  and  more  widely  used  medium  directly  there 
becomes  available  the  ideal  apparatus  for  suitably  tak- 
ing and  assembling  still  pictures  in  a  form  less  cum- 
bersome, expensive,  costly,  and  fragile  than  the  glass 
slide  of  Queen  Victoria,  the  Good. 

I  wish  to  bring  out  quite  clearly  the  keen  interest 
which  has  been  shown  bv  individual  teachers  in  the 


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many  States  I  have  visited.  There  appears  to  be  some 
curious  infection  inherent  in  the  concept  of  visual  edu- 
cation which  results  in  individual  teachers  becoming 
so  enthusiastic  that  the  expenditure  of  time,  money 
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The  Challenger  has  its  o-wn  tripod,  pivotally  attached  to  the  case.  The 
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suited  to  the  projection  requirements  of  the  room.  The  top  of  the  largest 
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Unless  otherwise  specified,  the  Challenger  is  furnished  with  a  glass- 
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The  Challenger  is  only  one  of  many  fypes 
in  the  Da-Lite  line  —  the  world's  most 
complete  line  of  screens.  There  are  hang- 
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as  those  supplied  by  Da-LIte  to  the  lead- 
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AND    MOVIE 
ACCESSORIES 


Page  292 


The  Educational  Screen 


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MOTION  PICTURES 
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Mount  Vernon  &  Walnut  St.        —         Boston.  Mass. 


"We  Are  All  Artists"— Film  Review 

An  excellent  title  for  one  of  the  most  notable  films 
among  the  productions  of  1936  for  the  educational 
field !  It  is  expertly  planned  and  deftly  made  to  rouse 
the  layman  to  a  realization  that  art  is  part  and  parcel 
of  every  article  and  of  almost  every  moment  of  his 
existence.  Our  leisurely  viewing  of  the  film  at 
Educational  Screen  headquarters  was  a  pleasure  as 
well  as  a  privilege,  for  such  productions  are  all  too 
few  in  this  young  field. 

We  Are  All  Artists,  newly  made  expressly  for 
schools,  clubs,  museums,  and  other  groups,  is  a  graphic 
tool  for  teaching  art  appreciation.  It  was  directed  by 
Alon  Bement,  whose  idea  it  was,  and  produced  by  the 
Harmon  Foundation  of  New  York.  Mr.  Bement,  who 
has  been  a  teacher  of  art  for  many  years  both  at 
the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York  and  Teachers 
College,  Columbia  University,  felt  the  need  for  ade- 
quate illustrative  material  in  instruction  as  well  as  in 
lecture  work  with  lay  groups.  The  film  was  born  as  a 
result  of  his  own  experience  and  study. 

Several  school  systems  have  already  included  We 
Are  All  Artists  in  their  programs  for  the  coming  year, 
making  it  the  basis  of  a  visual  study  of  design  in  their 
art  courses,  and  also  presenting  it  to  the  student  body 
as  a  whole  to  emphasize  the  importance  of  an  artistic 
approach  to  every  undertaking.  To  make  the  viewing 
of  the  film  a  real  and  lasting  experience,  certain  helps 
have  been  prepared  for  use  with  it,  giving  discussion 
topics,  subject  matter  for  remarks  preceding  the  film, 
follow-up  study  programs,  and  reading  lists. 

The  film  is  in  three  parts.  The  first  presents  a 
simple  analysis  of  design  as  the  basis  for  the  develop- 
ment of  taste  and  shows  the  historic  attitude  toward 
art  and  industry.  By  animation,  the  elements  of 
beauty  are  shown  as  well  as  the  theory  of  design. 
Color  photography  is  used  in  concluding  the  demon- 
stration. The  potter  at  his  wheel  and  the  lacemaker 
with  her  bobbin  illustrate  the  historic  attitude  toward 
art  when  the  consideration  was  for  the  thing  to  be 
made,  its  use,  and  its  appearance.  In  the  same  way 
the  film  brings  out  the  fact  that  through  this  earlier 
understanding  of  art  we  are  all  artists,  whether  we 
be  typists,  gardeners,  or  seamstresses.  It  further 
visualizes  for  us  that  we  are  artists  when  we  exercise 
our  powers  of  selection  as  well  as  when  we  create 
with  our  hands. 

The  second  part  of  the  film  shows  the  revolutionary 
efifect  on  art  of  the  introduction  of  the  machine ;  the 
early  typewriter,  the  old  Morris  chair,  and  an  ornate 
electric  lamp  are  some  of  the  examples  chosen  to  show 
the  awkward  appearance  of  some  of  the  things  of  that 
time.  The  bringing  of  the  machine  under  control 
through  the  design  of  manufactured  products  is  de- 
picted. The  position  of  the  artists  of  today  is  made 
comparable  with  that  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  Michael 
Angelo,  and  others  of  earlier  times.  These  great  artists 
of  antiquity  are  made  to  live  again  in  art  which  served 


November,  1936 


Page  293 


AVAILABLE   FOR   THE   FIRST   TIME 
"OUR  WORLD  IN  REVIEW" 

A  weekly  series  of  EDUCATIONAL  SUBJECTS  in  16  mm.  sound  on  film.   Specially  produced  by 
PATHE    NEWS,    Inc.,    for   school   use,    and    distributed    exclusively    through    our    organization. 


The  World  and  Its  People 
Music  Appreciation 
Art  and  Architecture 

SPORTS 

Howard   Jones   Football   Series 
Track,  Swimming,  Skiing 
Wrestling,   Boxing 


Physical  Science 
Marine  Life 
Microscopic  Studies 

LITERATURE 

Dramafized  versions  ot  "The  Last  of  the  Mohi- 
cans", "Little  Men",  "Jane  Eyre",  "Black  Beauty", 
"Keeper  of  the  Bees",  "Hoosier  Schoolmaster" 
and  many  others. 


Every  reel  in  our  instructional  group  is  suited  for  classroom  as  well  as  auditorium  use. 


,  _.    —  _  -^  We  have  a  special  plan  by  which  you  may  purchase  or  rent  a  GLOBE  sound 

P  R  O  J  u  C  T  O  R  S  --  projector  and  films.    Our  distributors  in  key  cities  are  ready  to  serve  you. 

Write  for  details. 


WALTER  O.  GUTLOHN,  Inc.,         35  W.  45th   St..   New   York.   N.   Y. 


a  useful  purpose  both  in  their  own  time  and  today. 
The  relationship  of  the  artist  of  today  to  modern  life 
is  shown  through  the  appearance  in  the  films  of  a  num- 
ber of  the  designers  themselves  in  their  own  surround- 
ings and  with  the  old  and  re-designed  objects  side 
by  side. 

Stagecoaches,  trains,  automobiles,  and  aeroplanes 
tell  the  story  of  the  phenomena  of  the  unity  of  design 
and  function,  and  the  film  closes  with  the  thought  that 
with  the  increased  beauty  of  objects  of  utility,  and  the 
improvement  of  taste  on  the  part  of  society  as  a  whole, 
we  are  approaching  what  may  be  a  new  national  ex- 
pression in  the  arts  of  painting,  sculpture,  and  archi- 
tecture. 

We  Are  All  Artists  is  unique  in  the  field  of  art 
study.  At  the  convention  of  the  Eastern  Arts  Asso- 
ciation in  New  York,  in  April,  when  it  had  its  first 
showing,  as  well  as  later  at  the  convention  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Arts  in  Washington,  D.  C,  it 
was  enthusiastically  greeted  by  teachers  of  art,  mu- 
seum directors,  and  educators. 

Sixteen  millimeter  silent  film  was  used  in  the  pro- 
duction of  the  picture  so  as  to  make  it  most  readily 
available  to  the  groups  for  which  it  was  intended.  The 
film  merits  wide  circulation  to  audiences  of  wide  in- 
terest-range, and  for  years  to  come.  Its  value  is  not 
limited  in  time.  The  Harmon  Foundation  has  made 
an  eminently  worthwhile  contribution  to  the  film  litera- 
ture of  visual  education.  N.  L.  G. 


MODEL  F 
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with  PICTUROLS— short  rolls  of  35  mm.  film 
bearing  series  of  still  pictures.  When  shown  by 
an  S.V.E.  Projector  on  a  wall  or  screen,  they 
can  be  seen  by  the  entire  class.  PICTUROLS 
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Page  294 


The  Educational  Screen 


Now  She  Sees 


New  Film  Releases 


A  Triumph  in  Visual  Instruction 


A  New  Set  of  Fifty  Third-Dimensional 

Drawings  for  Classes  in  Solid  Geometry 

by 

JOHN  T.  RULE 

Massachuset'l's  Institute 
of  Technology 


One  teacher  says  that  it  saves  him  at  least  ten 
days'  time  in  transferring  his  classes  from  seeing 
figures  in  one  plane  to  seeing  figures  in  three 
dimensions.  It  also  saves  some  of  those  pupils 
who  otherwise  might  never  learn  to  see  in  true 
perspective. 

Nothing  Keystone  has  ever  published  has  met 
with  a  more  enthusiastic  reception  than  has  this 
new  set  of  third-dimension  cards  on  Solid  Geometry. 

Complete  information  will  be  sent  on  request,  or 
material  will  be  shipped  on  ten  days'  approval 
where  proper  authorization  for  a  possible  order 
has  been  obtained. 


Keystone  View  Co. 


MEADVILLE.  PENNA. 


"The  World  in  Review" 

The  series  of  one  reel  16  mm.  talking  pictures  un- 
der the  general  title  The  World  in  Review,  recently 
acquired  by  Walter  O.  Gutlohn  Inc.  of  New  York 
City,  is  a  radical  departure  from  any  pictures  here- 
tofore submitted  for  the  consideration  of  educators. 
They  are  emphatically  not  presented  as  pedagogical 
material,  but  are  designed  to  bring  light  on  general 
subjects,  which  could  not  otherwise  be  so  concisely 
presented.  Every  reel  in  this  series  is  suited  for 
"general  assembly"  or  auditorium  presentation  in 
grade  or  high  schools,  and  no  doubt  many  of  them 
will  be  found  to  be  suitable  adjuncts  for  classroom 
work  in  their  various  subjects. 

Pathe  News,  from  all  corners  of  the  globe,  has 
gathered  millions  of  feet  of  motion  picture  film.  By 
special  arrangement,  Walter  O.  Gutlohn  Inc.  has 
secured  the  exclusive  right  to  select  from  this 
enormous  store,  material  sviitable  for  the  new 
World  in  Reznew  Series.  With  this  practically  in- 
exhaustable  source  of  film  supply,  there  is  hardly  a 
subject  which  cannot  be  represented  in  this  series. 
Suggestions  from  educators  regarding  the  type  ma- 
terial they  require  or  would  like,  will  be  welcome. 

The  first  twenty-two  reels  in  this  series  are  now 
ready  for  immediate  delivery.  At  least  forty  addi- 
tional releases  will  be  made  each  year,  or  at  the 
rate  of  one  subject  for  each  week  of  the  average 
school  year. 

1936  Olympics  in  16mm  Sound 

A  new  16mm  sound  film  recently  released  by  Films 
Inc.  is  Highlights  of  the  1936  Olympics,  a  one-reel 
news  reel,  depicting  Berlin  at  her  gayest  for  the  games. 
It  shows  the  formal  ceremonies,  the  massed  parade  of 
the  athletes,  the  torch  bearer  from  Greece,  and  ex- 
citing action  from  all  important  field,  swimming  and 
rowing  events. 

A  New  Industrial  Subject 

"What  would  you  do  if  you  didn't  have  coffee"  is 
cleverly  answered  in  the  one-reel  sound  picture,  Com- 
merce Around  the  Coffee  Cup,  produced  for  the  U.  S. 
Department  of  Commerce  by  Pathe  News  Inc.,  for 
release  during  Foreign  Trade  Week,  May  17-23,  and 
now  available  for  exhibitions  in  educational  institu- 
tions. 

The  film  features  Lowell  Thomas,  well  known  com- 
mentator, and  features  the  romance  of  foreign  trade 
as  it  affects  the  average  individual.  It  is  based  on  a 
story  by  Howard  S.  Welch,  Chief  of  the  Automotive- 
Aeronautics  Division  of  the  Bureau  of  Foreign  and 
Domestic  Commerce.  Animated  drawings  depict  ex- 
change of  goods  between  countries  of  the  world  and 
explain  how  payment  for  these  goods  is  made.  Tri- 
angular trade  is  described  and  a  simple  explanation 
given  of  the  various  items  that  make  up  the  balance  of 
international  payments. 


November,  1956 


Page  295 


Among  the  Producers 


SDIIND 
SERVICE 


FOR  SCHOOLS 


Kodachrome  for  8  mm.  and  Still  Cameras 

Eastman  Kodak  Company  announces  that  Type  A 
Kodachrome,  made  especially  for  taking  pictures  in- 
doors with  artificial  light,  is  now  available  for  8  mm. 
and  certain  types  of  still  cameras.  In  still  film,  two 
sizes  are  offered.  No.  K  828A  (eight  exposures)  for 
the  Kodak  Bantam  Special,  and,  in  35  mm..  No.  K  135.A. 
(18  exposures)  for  the  Kodak  Retina,  Leica  and  simi- 
lar miniature  cameras. 

Kodachrome  Type  A  may  be  used  for  daytime  pic- 
tures also  by  ])lacing  a  special  filter,  supplied  by  the 
manufacturers,  over  the  camera  lens. 

New  RCA  Sound  Catalog  for  Schools 

A  new  catalog,  Sound  Service  for  Schools,  has  been 
issued  by  the  RCA  Victor  Division  of  the  RCA  Manu- 
facturing Company  to  meet 
the  needs  of  school  ex- 
ecutives and  classroom 
instructors  desiring  infor- 
mation and  assistance  con- 
cerning the  application  of 
sound  to  teaching  prob- 
lems. In  recognition  of  the 
rapidly  developing  use  of 
sound  for  educational  pur- 
poses, the  Educational  De- 
partment of  this  Company, 
under  the  direction  of  E.  C. 
Dent,  aims  to  establish  a 
Complete  Sound  Service  for 
schools,  doing  so  as  rapidly  as  equipment  and  materials 
can  be  developed,  tested  and  produced.  The  new  32- 
page  catalog  contains  brief  information  on  items  sup- 
plied to  schools  by  RCA,  including  Motion  Picture 
Projectors,  Sound  Amplification  Equipment,  Educa- 
tional Phonograph  Records,  Combination  Radio  Pho- 
nographs,  Radios,  and   Centralized   Sound   System. 

A  copy  of  the  catalog  may  be  secured  without  charge 
upon  request  to  the  Educational  Department,  RCA 
Manufacturing  Company,  Camden.  New  Jersey. 

DeVry  Foreign  Business  Rapidly  Growing 

A  report  from  Herman  A.  DeVry  Inc.  on  foreign 
sales  indicates  the  trend  in  other  countries  toward 
American-made  motion  picture  sound  equipment. 
Among  their  latest  shipments  were  38  16mm.  sound 
projectors  to  England,  and  45  Portable  and  Theatre 
Projectors  to  Peru.  DeVry  sound  equipment  now 
goes  to  66  foreign  countries,  including  9  South 
American  countries,  Mexico,  all  the  states  of  Central 
America,  most  of  the  islands  of  the  West  Indies, 
Egypt,  France  and  Australia.  The  Japanese  Flag- 
ship, Hiei  has  recently  installed  a  DeVry  sound  unit. 

Bell  &  Howell  Film  Catalog 

The  rapid  progress  being  made  in  non-theatrical 
16  mm.  talking  pictures  may  be  gauged  by  the  new 


RCA  Catalog  Cover 


Where  the  commercial  firms  —  whose  activities  have  an 
important  bearing  on  progress  In  the  visual  field  — 
are  free  to  tell  their  story  in  their  own  words.  The 
Educational  Screen  is  glad  to  reprint  here,  within  nec- 
essary space  limitations,  such  material  as  seems  to  have 
most    Informational     and     news    value    to    our    readers. 

56-page  catalog  of  library  films  just  issued  by  the 
Bell  &  Howell  Company.  The  book  lists  more  than 
300  reels  of  16  mm.  sound  film,  contains  more  than 
40  illustrations,  and  offers  interesting  suggestions  to 
program  chairmen  and  others  on  the  selection  and  ar- 
rangement of  talking-picture  entertainment  and  edu- 
cation. Recommendations  as  to  audience  suitability 
are  made  in  the  form  of  a  simple  index  ray — indicat- 
ing whether  the  film  is  best  suited  for  general  enter- 
tainment, home,  school  auditorium,  classroom,  or 
church  use. 

An  Orthovis  Aid  to  Geometry  Teachers 

Lack  of  ability  to  visualize  the  three-dimensional 
figures  represented  by  the  two-dimensional  dia- 
grams of  solid  geometry  textbooks  is  one  of  the 
major  difficulties  in  the  study  of  that  subject.  When 
a  pupil  has  made  a  real  effort  to  understand  the  flat 
diagram  in  the  textbook  and  fails,  he  must  be  given 
some  assistance. 

The  "Diagrams  in  Three  Dimensions"  prepared 
by  The  Orthovis  Company, "  publishers  of  Third 
Dimension  Pictures,  Chicago,  should  supply  a  long 
felt  need  of  pupils  and  teachers,  as  they  make  the 
figures  stand  out  clearly  when  viewed  through  the 
Spectacle  Orthoscope  which  accompanies  each  set 
of  15  Third  Dimension  Diagrams.  To  attain  the 
best  results  with  these  diagrams  the  pupils  should 
first  analyze  and  study  the  drawings  in  the  text- 
book. Those  who  are  unable  to  understand  the 
drawing,  then  secure  assistance  by  looking  at  the 
diagram  in  three  dimensions. 

Diagrams  of  elementary  mathematics  illustrated 
in  third  dimension  are  now  being  prepared  and  will 
be  offered  at  an  early  date.  This  material  is  edited  by 
Ernst  R.  Breslich  of  The  University  of  Chicago. 

Bausch  &  Lomb  Visual  Aids 

In  addition  to  their  regular  catalog  of  Balopti- 
cons  and  Accessories,  Bausch  &  Lomb  Optical 
Company,  Rochester,  have  issued  an  attractive  8- 
page  illustrated  supplement  on  "Aids  for  Modern 
Visual  Education"  which  summarizes  briefly  the 
various  uses  of  Balopticons,  micro-projectors  and 
microscopes,  magnifiers,  and  other  optical  instru- 
ments. Helpful  operating  data  on  slide,  opaque  ob- 
ject, still  film  and  daylight  projection  is  also  given. 

For  years  the  Bausch  &  Lomb  scientists  have 
worked  with  American  educators  in  developing 
these  tools  for  visual  education,  and  advances  in 
teaching  method  have  been  accompanied  by  corres- 
ponding development  within  their  laboratories. 


Page  296 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729   Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 
Wm.  M.  Dennis  Film  Libraries  (6) 

250656  W.  7th   St.,  Los  .Angeles,  Cal. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  292) 

Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)  Davenport.  la. 
(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.         (1,  4) 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 
Films,  Inc.  (5) 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New    York  City 

19  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago 

925  N.  W.  19th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 
Garrison  Film  Distributors  Inc.     (3, 6) 

729  Seventh  .'Avenue,  New  York  City 
(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 

Walter   O.    Gutlohn,   Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  45th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  293) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological   Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 

Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 
7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 
Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  291) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  Auburn   Ave.,   Cincinnati,   O. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028   Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,   Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (1,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller   Center,    New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  289) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,   Boston,   Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  268) 

Bell  &  HoweU  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central  Camera  Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 


Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.    Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Edited   Pictures   System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,    New   York  City 

Herman   A.    DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  266) 

The  Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  288) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   page  291) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   inside  front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 
National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  283) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose    St.,    Regina,    Sask. 
S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 
Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers     (3.  6) 

407  W.  Wash.  Blvd.,  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind. 
United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.         (2,  5) 

Allegheny  Ave.   at   Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  287) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  285) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721   N.   Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on   page  291) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 

Eastman  Educational  Slides 
Iowa  City,  la. 

Edited    Pictures   System,   Inc. 

330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 


A    Trade    Directory 
for  fhe   Visual   F\e\6 


Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 
30  E.   Eighth   St.,   Chicago,   III. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  291) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  294) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago.  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  283) 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  289) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on  page  290) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 

1111   Center   St.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  266) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See   advertisement   on    page   294) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  265) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 
1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 
Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 

1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 

Society  for  Visual  Education 

327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  293) 

Spencer  Lens  Co. 

19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  289) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1)   indicates    firm    supplies 

35   mm. 

silent. 

(2(   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

(4)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6(   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound   and  silent. 

Continuous  insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


PtfOfte  Ubrary 
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1936 


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Simplex  Portable  Sound  Projectors  invariably  maintain 
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jectors an  international  reputation  for  over  a  quarter  of 
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KJCVA/      >^r»ou'      NI  V 


December,  1936 


Page  299 


I  Educational  Screen 
Combined  With 

Visual    Instruction    News 
DECEMBER,  1936 

VOLUME  XV  NUMBER  10 


THE  EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN,  Inc. 

DIRECTORATE  AND  STAFF 


Herbert  E.  Slaught,  Pres. 
Nelson  L,  Greene,  Editor 
Evelyn  J.  Baker 
Mary  Seattle  Brady 
F.  W.  Davis 


Stanley  R.  Greene 
Josephine  Hoffman 
F.  Dean  McClusky 
Stella  Evelyn  Myers 
E.  C.  Waggoner 


CONTENTS 

Practices  in  City  Administration  of  Visual  Education. 

Fannie  W.  Dunn  and  Etta  Schneider. 301 

Methodology  of  the  Motion  Picture  Lesson. 

Charles  A.  Gramet.._.._ - - 304 

What  Makes  a  Good  Educational  Film?  (IV) 

Donald  Q  Doane -... -.- .,305 

Developing  Visual  Education ..- 308 

(From  WPA  Information  Service) 

News  and  Notes. 

Conducted  by  Josephine  hloffman 309 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books. 

Conducted  by  Stella  Evelyn  Myers — 31  I 

Department  of  Visual  Instruction _...-3l3 

Film    Estimates -- 3 1 4 

Film  Production  in  the  Educational  Field. 

Conducted  by  F.  W.  Davis... 316 

New  Film  Releases.. 3  1 8 

School  Department. 

Conducted  by  Dr.  F.  Dean  McClusky 320 

hiere  They  Are!   A  Trade  Directory  for  the  Visual  Field.. ..326 

Index  to  Volume  XV.. — ...327 


Contents  of  previous  issues  listed  in  Education  Index. 


General  and  Editorial  Offices,  64  East  Lake  St.,  Chicago,  Illinois.  Office 
of  Publication,  Morton,  Illinois.  Entered  at  the  Post  Office  at  Morton, 
Illinois,  as  Second  Class  Matter.  Copyright,  December,  1936  by  the  Edu- 
cational  Screen,    Inc.      Published   every   month   except  July   and    August. 

$2.00  a  Year         (Canada,  $2.75;  Foreign,  $3.00)         Single  Copies,  25  cts. 


Page  300 


The  Educational  Screen 


HERE/V  QUALITY 


BUILT    INTO    the    NEW    AMPRO 
16mm.  SOUND-ON-FILM  PROJECTORS 

There  are  many  basic  reasons  for  the  superior  theatre- 
quality  performance,   the  clear  undistorted   sound,  the 
brilliant  illumination  of  the  Amprosound  Projectors. 
Back  of  Ampro  quality  are  technical 
features     of     greatest     importance. 
A  few  of  them  are  here  illus- 
trated.     For    the     complete 
story  write  today  for  special 
circular. 


FILM  PATH.  All  parts  which  come  In  contact  with 
film  are  designed  so  that  no  part  of  the  picture  or 
the  sound  track  can  be  scratched.  Side  tension  on 
the  sound  track  side  and  pressure  pad  tension  on 
the  sprocket  side  of  the  film  assure  smooth  move- 
ment and  steady  projection. 


MECHANISM.  All  gears  are  helical  cut 
and  extremely  accurate  for  smooth  opera> 
tion.  Gears  are  paired  so  that  brass  gears 
mesh  with  laminated  bakelite  gears  for 
quietness. 


SOUND  HEAD.  A  completely  self-con- 
tained unit,  easily  removed  from  projector 
by  taking  off  four  screws.  Exciter  lamp 
and  photo-cell  are  readily  accessible  for 
instantaneous  replacements.  Pre-focused 
exciter  lamp  is  used  so  that  no  adjust- 
ments are  necessary  when  changing  lamps. 


TWO    NEW    CONVERTIBLE    MODELS    are    now    available    with    all    the    quality    and    precision 

features    of   the    regular   Ampro    16    mm.    Silent    Projectors    plus   such    additions    as    will    permit 

conversion   into   latest   type   Sound    projectors   by   the   addition    of   sound    parts   for   sound    film. 

Model  M  C  —  $160.     Model  N  C  —  $185.     Write  for  full  defails. 


Amprosound    Junior — $375    Complete 


SOUND 
PROJECTORS 

Junior 
Model 

$375 

Senior 
Model 

$415 


SILENT 
PROJECTORS 

Model  J 
500  Wa+t 

$135 

Model  K 
750  Wati 

$150 


AJM[  IP  IRiD 


PRECISION    PROJECTORS   FOR    PERFECT  PERFORMANCE 


THE    AMPRO    CORPORATION,    2839  N.    WESTERN    AVE..    CHICAGO.    ILL. 


December,  1936 


Page  301 


Practices  in  City  Administration 
of  Visual  Education 


(Concluded  from  November  issue) 


By     FANNIE    W.     DUNN 
and     ETTA    SCHNEIDER 

Prolessor  of  Education,  and  Assistant  In  Visual  Education, 
Teachers  College,  Columbia  University 


Routine  of  Distribution 

THERE  appear  to  be  two  main  ways  in  which  mo- 
tion pictures,  prints  and  other  such  materials  are 
distributed  among  schools  after  they  have  been 
selected.  One  method  is  by  the  regular  delivery  or  cir- 
cuit system,  whereby  a  schedule  is  prepared  one  semes, 
ter  in  advance,  the  school  truck  calling  for  and  deliver- 
ing the  materials  on  a  designated  day  each  week.  In  this 
way,  administrators  can  check  up  on  the  number  and 
types  of  materials  needed  for  the  following  semester.  In 
an  alternative  arrangement,  the  administrator  orga- 
nizes the  materials,  correlates  them  with  the  course  of 
study,  issues  lists  properly  classified  for  easy  reference, 
and  then  delivers  such  materials  as  teachers  may  order 
upon  either  a  day's  or  a  week's  notice  depending  upon 
the  specifications  of  the  individual  system. 

Both  these  methods  are  excellent,  yet  both  have  lim- 
itations. In  the  first  place,  the  routine  distribution  of 
materials  is  inflexible.  All  the  material  having  been 
scheduled  in  advance  for  the  following  semester,  it  is 
frequently  difificult  and  often  impossible  for  a  teacher 
to  secure  a  film,  no  matter  how  pertinent  for  her  use, 
at  any  other  than  her  allotted  time.  This  is  especially 
true  in  large  school  systems.  The  alternative  arrange- 
ment has  its  limitation  in  that  a  great  many  ma- 
terials remain  idle  on  the  shelves  waiting  on  teach- 
ers' requisitions.  The  circuit  system  at  least  as- 
sures the  continual  use  of  a  large  number  of  ma- 
terials. Some  administrators  who  favor  the  requi- 
sition system  of  distribution  keep  accurate  records 
of  those  materials  which  are  used  often,  and  of 
those  which  are  seldom  or  never  used  and  proceed 
to  equalize  their  use.  The  Washington,  D.  C.  of- 
fice, for  example,  keeps  a  record  of  the  number  of 
requests  granted  for  certain  visual  aids  and  those 
which  have  been  denied.  In  this  way  the  clerical 
staff  may  tabulate  those  materials  which  should 
have  additional  copies  made,  and  those  which  might 
be  discontinued. 

Other  systems  of  distribution  may  be  operating, 
but  from  the  reports  at  hand  it  is  difificult  to  de- 
termine these,  nor  can  an  accurate  figure  be  given 
on  the  number  of  schools  using  each  type  of  dis- 
tribution described  above.  The  most  desirable  pro- 
cedure is  the  one  which  makes  ample  provision  for 
the  individual  teacher,  who  however,  has  the  ex- 
pert guidance  of  a  curriculum  specialist  or  a  di- 
rector of  visual  education. 


Teacher  Guidance 

Several  administrators,  realizing  the  need  on  the 
part  of  teachers  for  specific  guidance  in  the  selec- 
tion and  use  of  supplementary  teaching  aids,  dis- 
tribute printed  or  mimeographed  material.  There 
are  numerous  sources  of  supply,  such  as  state  de- 
partments of  visual  education,  libraries,  museums, 
U.  S.  Government  departments,  industrial  firms, 
and  the  like,'^  but  these  are  too  frecjuently  not 
known  to  teachers,  nor  are  the  materials  adequately 
organized  for  ready  use.  Several  means  are  used 
in  well-organized  systems  to  bring  materials  to 
teachers'  knowledge  in  such  ways  as  to  facilitate 
their  use. 

One  very  helpful  type  of  assistance  rendered  by 
city  administrators  is  the  distribution  of  catalogs 
of  teaching  aids  which  have  been  correlated  with 
the  course  of  study.  The  cities  of  Atlanta,  Buffalo, 
Chicago,  Detroit,  Erie,  Evansville,  Grand  Rapids, 
Greenfield,  Kalamazoo,  Kansas  City,  Long  Beach, 
Los  Angeles,  Milwaukee,  Montclair,  Newark,  Oak- 
land, Pasadena,  Paterson,  Philadelphia,  Rochester, 
Rutherford,  Seattle,  St.  Paul  and  Washington  have 


Check-up  and  Record  Clearance 

prepared  catalogs  of  the  materials  which  they  dis- 
tribute. These  are  available  to  all  teachers  and 
requisitions  invited. 

Oakland   has   prepared   a   handbook   on   types   of 
visual    aids   and    equipment,    assisted    by    the    Com- 


'Koon,  C.  M.    "Sources  of  Educational  Films  and  Equipment", 
U.  S.  Office  of  Education,  Circular  No.  ISO.    1935. 


Page  302 


The  Educational  Screen 


mittee  on  Improvement  of  Instruction.  Schenect- 
ady has  published  a  similar  handbook  for  teachers, 
adding  to  it  the  ways  in  which  their  supervisor  of 
visual  education  may  aid.  The  Philadelphia  hand- 
book combines  a  description  of  the  various  visual 
aids  tog-ether  with  the  catalog  of  their  visual  aid 
collection.  In  addition  to  this,  leaflets  entitled 
"Helps  for  Teachers"  are  distributed  periodically. 
Atlanta  has  put  out  a  small  brochure  entitled,  "Vis- 
ual Education — What's  It  All  About?''  in  a  'nut- 
shell' edition.  A  pamphlet  on  the  status  of  visual 
education  in  the  Elgin  schools  has  been  prepared 
by  the  teacher  in  charge. 

A  more  specific  type  of  assistance  is  rendered  by 
the  Pittsburgh*  handbook.  It  contains  lesson  units 
on  practically  all  levels  of  elementary  school  in- 
struction, and  in  various  subjects.  The  visual  aids 
integrated  into  these  lesson  units  are  available  from 
the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  of  that  city. 
The  director  of  visual  education  in  Kansas  City  has 
also  prepared  lesson  units,  but  to  a  more  limited 
extent.  His  unit  on  "New  England"  has  been  used 
by  other  school  systems.  These  units  are  sugges- 
tive, and  are  not  intended  to  be  rigidly  adhered  to. 

Other  forms  of  teacher  guidance  were  reported 
by  the  directors  of  the  Chicago,  New  York,  and  San 
Francisco  systems,  among  others.  These  cities  give 
their  teachers  personal  guidance  or  supervision  up- 
on request. 

Budgetary  Provision 

Many  cities,  especially  the  larger  ones,  are  given 
annual  funds  for  carrying  on  visual  education.  This 
budget  is  needed  for  salaries  of  the  staff,  for  pur- 
chasing and  servicing  materials,  for  delivery,  for 
teacher  guidance,  and  other  expenses.  Systematic 
administration  can  only  be  carried  out  under  such 
conditions.  However,  the  reports  indicate  that 
many  administrators  or  teachers  in  charge  of  vis- 
ual education  exercise  much  resourcefulness  with 
little  or  no  separate  allowance.  Various  means  of 
raising  funds  for  rental  and  postage  are  reported. 
In  Junction  City,  the  board  of  education  has  set 
aside  $75.00  in  its  'activity  fund'  for  visual  educa- 
tion. Although  the  allotment  was  used  for  repair 
of  a  screen  and  for  wiring  the  visual  education 
room,  as  well  as  for  postage  on  films,  the  teacher 
in  charge  reports  a  balance  to  be  carried  over  for 
the  following  year.  In  Battle  Creek,  funds  are 
raised  by  asking  each  school  for  a  contribution  of 
five  cents  per  elementary  child,  and  by  a  contribu- 
tion from  the  Early  Elementary  Club.     The  board 


of  education  donates  only  the  services  of  a  clerk 
for  half  a  day  per  week.  The  Sioux  City  budget  for 
visual  education  is  $700  annually.  A  business  man 
assumes  the  responsibility  for  servicing,  ordering, 
and  returning  films  that  are  loaned  from  the  State 
agencies,  and  he  also  maintains  a  delivery  service. 
The  York  schools  raised  funds  through  a  faculty 
play.  The  cost  of  visual  education  for  last  year 
was  reported  as  being  16.4  cents  per  pupil.  The 
report  from  Grand  Island  states: 

"The  program  in  visual  education  has  been  con- 
fined entirely  to   the  two  junior  high  schools  and 


♦"Inadvertently  Pittsburgh  was  omitted  in  the  list  of  cities 
from  which  outstanding  programs  have  been  reported,  as 
mentioned  in  the  November  issue.  This  city  has  for  many 
years  had  an  excellent  Department  of  Visual  Instruction 
employing  a  Supervisor  and  enjoying  a  special  budget 
from  the  city.  Its  Handbook,  above  referred  to,  is  one 
of  the  earliest  and  still  most  useful  publications  of  its 
kind." — F.  W.  Dunn. 


Film  Inspection 

the  senior  high  school.  .  .  .  The  three  schools  will 
probably  not  spend  more  than  $100  a  year  for  rental 
and  postage  on  films." 

Several  superintendents  report  that  the  rental  of 
films  is  made  possible  only  through  a  cooperative 
arrangement  with  neighboring  school  districts.  The 
projector  is  purchased  cooperatively  and  the  ulti- 
mate cost  of  rental  or  of  purchase  is  greatly  re- 
duced. The  circuit  system  of  distribution  has  made 
possible  the  introduction  of  a  systematic  use  of  mo- 
tion pictures  in  schools  where  this  would  otherwise 
have  been  too  expensive.  This  arrangement,  de- 
vised by  a  former  school  administrator,  provides  the 
use  of  a  projector  and  eight  reels  of  film  for  one 
day  every  two  weeks  in  a  school  district  where  ten 
neighboring  schools  will  enroll.  The  membership 
charge  is  nominal.  Although  this  system  has  its 
shortcomings,  its  greatest  advantage  is  in  awaken- 
ing an  interest  in  the  possibilities  of  good  motion 
pictures,  and  often  leads  to  a  concerted  eflfort  to 
organize  a  film  library  for  the  school  system. 

The  reports  of  some  administrators  indicate  that 
limited  funds  in  recent  years  have  retarded  an  other- 
wise promising  movement  toward  using  visual  aids. 

Large  Group  Instruction 

Brief  mention  should  be  made  of  those  school 
systems   making   effective   use   of   motion   pictures 


December,  193  6 


Page  30 J 


and  slides  in  large  class  instruction  in  the  audi- 
torium. In  the  Gary  schools,  organized  under  the 
l)latoon  system,  illustrated  lectures  in  the  audi- 
torium are  found  to  be  effective.  A  description  of 
this  procedure  was  published  in  the  Visual  Review, 
1930,  in  an  article  by  A.  H.  Jones  entitled,  "Visual 
Education  in  the  Auditorium".  The  use  made  of 
films  for  large  group  instruction  in  the  Englewood 
Junior  High  School  has  been  described  in  the  Feb- 
ruary, 1936  issue  of  Educational  Screen  by  F.  M. 
Worrell  in  an  article  on,  "Large  Group  Instruction 
Through  the  Use  of  Visual  Aids".  Providence,  too, 
has  had  published  an  account  of  its  experiment  us- 
ing motion  pictures  with  large  groups.  This  ap- 
peared in  an  article  by  A.  J.  Stoddard  entitled, 
"Will  Sound  Pictures  Tend  to  Increase  Class 
Size?"  in  Nation's  Schools,  14:16,  July,  1934. 

Status  of  Sound  Films 

Sound  picture  equipment  is  still  in  its  experi- 
mental stage.  As  a  basis  for  comparison,  note  that 
in  the  findings  of  the  National  Visual  Instruction 
Survey  there  were  9,000  silent  motion  picture  projectors 
found  in  the  possession  of  schools,  and  but  750  sound 
film  projectors.  In  our  study  the  following  school  sys- 
tems reported  having  sound  equipment  somewhere  in 
the  school  system :  AUentown,  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  El- 
gin, Evansville,  Fresno,  Grand  Island,  Minneapolis. 
Moline,  New  Rochelle,  Newton,  Providence,  Rich- 
mond, Spokane,  St.  Paul  and  York.  In  cases  where 
only  one  or  two  schools  are  equipped,  the  superin- 
tendent has  expressed  the  hope  that  all  schools 
might  eventually  be  provided  with  sound  equip- 
ment. The  city  of  Evansville,  as  a  result  of  a  pre- 
liminary survey  using  sound  films,  has  had  installed 
a  sound  projector  in  each  of  the  twenty  schools  of 
their  city.  Montclair  and  Englewood,  after  having 
cooperated  in  a  similar  study,  have  not  yet  found 
it  practicable  to  install  sound  equipment.  The  New 
York  City  schools  are  waiting  on  experimental  evi- 
dence before  purchasing  sound  machines  extensive- 
ly. The  cities  of  Moorehead,  Manitowoc,  Belmont, 
Englewood,  and  Hartford  have  all  expressed  the 
hope  that  they  might  make  sound  films  available 
to  their  schools  in  the  near  future. 

The  general  trend  appears  to  be  toward  the  in- 
stallation of  sound  equipment  for  use  in  secondary 
schools,  vocational  schools  and  the  like,  rather  than 
for  elementary  schools.  This  tendency  is  perhaps 
due  to  the  nature  of  the  films  currently  available. 

Proposed  Departments 
The  cities  of  Belmont  and  Baltimore  respectively 
have  proceeded  in  a  most  admirable  way  toward 
developing  a  department  of  visual  education.  They 
appointed  committees  made  up  of  teachers,  princi- 
pals, supervisors,  and  directors  to  investigate  the 
problems  and  possibilities,  and  to  make  recommen- 
dations.    The  Belmont  committee  has  already  pub- 


lished its  findings  and  suggestions  in  a  mimeo- 
graphed bulletin  available  from  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation. The  Baltimore  committee  submitted  a 
questionnaire  to  the  superintendents  of  twenty-five 
cities  most  closely  resembling  their  own  in  popu- 
lation and  economic  status.  On  the  basis  of  the 
experience  of  others,  the  committee  hopes  to  be 
able  to  organize  a  plan  which  they  will  recommend 
to  the  Baltimore  Department  of  Education. 

Conclusion 

In  brief,  this  survey  has  shown  that  collections 
of  visual  aids  exist  in  school  systems  of  varying 
size  throughout  the  United  States.  In  fact,  the 
findings  of  the  National  Visual  Instruction  Survey 
reveal  that  such  collections  are  more  numerous 
than  has  heretofore  been  estimated.  However,  the 
use  being  made  of  these  collections  and  of  other 
collections  available  on  rental,  varies  greatly,  de- 
pending upon  the  funds  and  the  personnel  of  the 
school  system. 

The  problems  of  visual  education  can  be  met  by 
planning  and  by  proper  administration  and  super- 
vision. These  problems,  as  indicated  in  this  analy- 
sis, are  the  need  for  the  establishment  of  a  clearing 
house  for  information,  adequate  annual  funds  for 
the  purchase  of  materials,  guidance  of  teachers  in 
service  and  those  in  training,  and  the  routine  dis- 
tribution of  materials. 


Boxing  Objects,  Specimens,  Models 

Where  the  administration  of  visual  aids  is  left 
to  chance  or  to  the  uninitiated  teacher,  progress 
appears  to  be  slow.  Where  the  need  for  responsi- 
ble supervision  has  been  recognized,  an  effective 
technique  for  using  visual  aids  is  being  developed. 


Editor's  Note: — The  three  illu.trations  accompanying 
this  article  are  available  through  the  courtesy  of  The 
Visual   Education  Division  of  the  Los  .^ngeles  Schools. 


Page  304 


The  Educational  Screen 


Methodology  of  the  Motion  Picture  Lesson 


THE  USE  of  motion  pictures  in  teaching  is  still 
so  new  that  a  discussion  of  the  methods  of  using 
them  may  not  be  amiss.  This  article  was  stimu- 
lated by  experience  with  a  department  composed  of 
young  teachers  of  more  than  average  interest  in  their 
work,  of  more  than  average  ability. 

The  first  problem  that  presents  itself  is  one  that  is 
purely  mechanical.  It  seem,s  to  be  peculiar  to  women, 
although  not  confined  to  them.  It  is  rather  strange 
that  in  this  day  of  the  electric  iron,  electric  sewing 
machine  and  other  common  electrical  household  appli- 
ances, women  teachers  should  hestitate  to  use  so  simple 
an  apparatus  as  a  16  mm.  motion  picture  projector. 
Even  teachers  of  iscience  are  sometimes  awed  by  this 
simple  contraption.  Or  is  it  laziness  or  a  false  sense 
of  dignity? 

Motion  pictures  are  "screened",  projected  upon  a 
surface  that  reflects  light.  A  very  elementary  idea. 
We  have  gone  into  classrooms  and  found  teachers 
using  blackboards  as  screens !  In  one  room  we  found 
a  teacher  projecting  upon  a  nice  white  wall  space  in 
the  rear  of  the  room,  above  the  blackboard  and  adja- 
cent to  the  ceiling.  The  seats,  in  this  room  were  fixed, 
facing  the  front  of  the  room.  Some  necks  tired  dur- 
ing that  showing.  In  another  room  we  found  the  chil- 
dren all  but  standing  upon  their  heads  because  the  pic- 
ture was  being  screened  upside  down.  Good  screens 
are  desirable  but,  if  not  available,  any  white  surface 
makes  a  usable  screen, — the  back  of  a  map,  a  large 
sheet  of  cardboard,  a  white  window  shade,  an  old  pil- 
low case,  etc.  It  can  be  hung  in  some  convenient  loca- 
tion in  the  room. 

It  appears,  next,  that  many  teachers,  even  good  ones, 
do  not  yet  regard  the  motion  picture  as  a  serious  teach- 
ing tool,  especially  the  16  mm.  film.  They  use  it  as 
a  toy,  to  entertain  or  divert  the  class.  Have  you  ever 
heard  a  teacher  say ;  "I  feel  tired.  I'll  show  a  picture 
today."  And  the  pupils  consequently  say:  "There  is 
no  lesson  today,  we  have  a  movie".  There  are  many 
entertaining  subjects  among  the  available  teaching 
films  and  we  may  well  use  them.  But  we  must  have 
clearly  in  mind  that  entertainment  is  the  object  of  the 
lesson.  On  other  occasions  films  must  be  used  as  aids 
to  instruction,  as  the  best  available  aids,  in  many  cir- 
cumstances,  for  objectifying  instruction. 

We  have  in  mind  some  good  teachers  who  are 
anxious  to  use  motion  pictures  to  the  best  advantage. 
However,  they  lack  training  and  experience.  They 
ishould  be  able  to  work  their  way  out.  A  number  of 
books  and  articles  have  been  written  which  should 
give  them  some  suggestions.  There  are  some  courses 
that  are  practical  and  suggestive.    From  all  these  they 


By      CHARLES      A.      GRAMET 

Franklin   K.   Lane  High  School,   Brooklyn,   New  York 

should,   with  some  thought  and  experimentation,   de- 
velop a  methodology. 

Many  of  the  methods  that  have  been  suggested  as- 
sume that  the  film  will  be  available  whenever  it  is 
needed  for  as  long  a  period  as  the  teacher  may  require. 
It  is  therefore  proposed  that  a  preliminary  showing 
be  given,  a  class  discussion  follow,  a  re-viewing  of 
the  film,  and  sometimes  a  third  showing.  Such  a 
method  does  not  appear  economically  nor  administra- 
tively feasible.  It  is  questionable  whether  it  is  psycho- 
logically desirable. 

We  shall  not  presume  to  dictate  an  ideal  method  if, 
indeed,  there  could  be  one.  However,  several  sugges- 
tions for  formulating  an  acceptable  one  may  be  of- 
fered. If  the  ground  has  been  well  prepared  through 
a  well  organized  development  of  the  subject,  the  pupils 
will  be  prepared  for  the  experience  isupplied  by  the 
film,  which  would  follow  logically,  psychologically, 
naturally.  Again,  a  film  lesson  planned  and  produced 
in  accordance  with  pedagogical  and  psychological  prin- 
ciples will  require  little  if  any  supplementary  explana- 
tion or  reviewing  (reshowing).  Some  still  pictures  or 
lantern  slides  may  be  used  to  preview  the  motion  pic- 
ture during  the  discussion  period  that  follows  the 
(Showing.  Moreover,  if  the  teacher  is  thoroughly  fa- 
miliar with  the  contents  of  the  picture  she  can,  through 
preliminary  discussion  or  by  a  series  of  challenging 
questions  direct  the  attention  of  the  pupils  to  the  im- 
portant parts  of  the  picture.  This  requires  that  the 
teacher  shall  preview  the  picture.  Descriptive  booklets 
may  help  but  cannot  substitute  for  the  former.  This 
should  be  part  of  the  teacher's  preparation  for  this 
partiailar  type  of  lesson. 

The  experienced  teacher  will  vary  her  method  ac- 
cording to  the  aim  of  the  lesson.  In  one  lesson  we 
aim  to  provoke  interest  in  a  unit  of  work.  In  another 
we  would  review  the  materials  in  a  unit.  In  still  an- 
other we  would  develop  concept.  In  another  we  would 
explain  a  process.  While  it  is  true  that  the  skilled 
teacher  may  use  the  same  film  to  present  different 
types  of  lessons,  often  the  organization  of  the  picture 
does  not  permit  its  adoption  to  the  different  circum- 
stances. It  should  be  possible  to  make  pictures  that 
are  suited  to  our  needs,  or  that  may  be  readily  adopted 
to  them. 

It  is  difficult,  sometimes,  to  determine  whether  the 
picture  was  made  to  interest  the  pupils  or  the  teacher. 
I  have  been  in  many  classrooms  where  the  most  in- 
terested spectator  was  the  teacher.  The  development, 
the  language  of  the  titles  or  of  the  speech,  the  char- 
acters, the  concepts  ishould  all  be  pitched  at  the  pupils' 


December,  1936 


Page  305 


level  of  comprehension  and  appreciation,  or  not  too 
high  above  it. 

A  final  problem  is  that  which  is  concerned  with  the 
production  of  pictures  by  teachers.  Amateur  cine- 
photography  has  become  a  common  hobby.  There  are 
only  a  small  number  of  teachers  who  have  used  their 
cameras  to  produce  teaching  pictures.  This  may  be 
due  to  the  supposition  that  such  pictures  require  elabo- 
rate equipment  for  their  production.  This  is  not  really 
so.  Commercial  companies  often  use  elaborate  equip- 
ment to  get  results  that  amateurs  have  produced  with 
simple,  inexpensive  and  ingenious  devices.  Nor  is  the 
cost  of  isuch  a  picture  prohibitive. 

There  are  subjects  that  are  beyond  the  scope  and 
means  of  amateur  photographers.  We  may  well  leave 
them  alone.  There  are  enough  good  subjects  left.  In 
fact,  some  of  our  most  needed  subjects,  simple  and 


commonplace,  have  been  entirely  neglected  by  com- 
mercial producers.  The  planning  and  production  of  a 
teaching  film  develops  in  the  teacher-producer  real 
significant  criteria  for  evaluating  such  films,  and  sug- 
gests methods  of  using  them  more  effectively. 

There  are,  we  believe,  four  desiderata  in  connection 
with  this  problem  of  improving  the  methodology  of 
the  teaching  film.  First,  the  development  of  great  in- 
terest on  the  part  of  many  teachers.  Secondly,  the 
willingness  to  give  serious  thought  and  study  to  the 
use  of  films  in  teaching.  Thirdly,  the  will  and  desire 
to  experiment  and  to  gain  from  such  experimentation. 
This  would  include  some  evaluation  of  the  procedures 
used.  Fourthly,  the  willingness  to  tell  others  of  our 
experiences  so  that  through  an  exchange  of  ideas  the 
use  of  motion  pictures  in  education  may  be  improved. 


What  Makes  A  Good  Educational  Film? -(IV) 


Check  List  for  Evaluation  of  Educational  Films 


IT  WAS  one  of  the  objects  of  the  study  presented  in 
the  preceding  articles  of  this  series  to  compile,  in 
the  light  of  those  findings,  a  set  of  criteria  which 
would  have  a  twofold  purpose : 

1.  To  provide  producers  with  a  check  list  by  which 
a  contemplated  educational  film  can  be  judged, 
and  to  provide  a  set  of  standards  that  may  be 
incorporated  into  the  finished  product,  and 

2.  To  provide  distributing  agencies  with  a  check  list 
to  judge  a  film  which  has  already  been  produced, 
the  acquisition  of  which  is  contemplated. 

The  resulting  criteria  are  equally  applicable  to 
schools  contemplating  the  acquisition  of  films  for  their 
own  use. 

The  data  are  presented  in  two  parts.  The  first  is  a 
set  of  questions  or  statements  which  is  to  be  used  as  a 
check  list.  No  weighting  is  given  the  various  items, 
as  such  could  only  be  the  result  of  subjective  opinion. 
Furthermore,  the  absence  of  one  trait  could  alone  be 
grounds  to  condemn  a  film.  In  such  a  case,  a  weighted 
score  would  be  misleading.  The  second  is  a  chart  of 
interest  primarily  to  producers  and  distributors  show- 
ing the  probable  relative  success  of  a  given  film  accord- 
ing to  the  subject  field  which  it  treats  and  to  such  other 
characteristics  for  which  significant  results  could  be 
obtained. 

The  check  list  is  divided  into  three  main  parts.  The 
first  part  is  concerned  with  the  subject  matter  of  the 
film.  Two  main  questions  are  proposed,  under  each 
being  a  number  of  sub-questions  which  are  all  factors 
in  the  main  question  for  the  purpose  of  clarifying  the 
concept    intended.      While    no    weighting    figures   are 


By      DONALD      C.      DOANE 

Stanford  University,  California 


given  to  each  of  these  items,  the  main  questions  may  be 
thought  of  as  the  total  in  value  of  the  sub-questions 
under  them.  This  list  is  comprised  of  the  various  fac- 
tors concerning  subject  matter  noted  throughout  this 
study  which  appear  well  established  as  of  importance 
either  in  the  success  from  the  teaching  standpoint  or 
from  the  demand  standpoint,  when  that  coincides  with 
the  best  education  interests.  The  second  question  with 
its  sub-items  is  the  greatest  determining  factor  in  the 
probable  demand  for  a  given  film. 

The  second  part  has  to  do  with  the  method  of 
presentation.  The  same  arrangement  of  main  and 
sub-questions  is  used.  The  items  again  consist  of 
factors  developed  in  this  study  which  are  of  proved 
importance  in  determining  the  success  of  a  film 
from  a  teaching  standpoint  or  which  are  criticisms 
so  apparently  valid  as  not  to  require  proof.  While 
the  first  part  asks  in  general  the  question,  "Is  such 
a  film  as  this  needed?",  this  second  part  asks  the 
question,  "When  it  is  used,  will  it  be  successful 
from  the  standpoint  of  pupil  achievement?" 

The  third  part  is  concerned  with  the  technical 
make-up  of  the  film.  The  necessity  of  tech- 
nical perfection  has  been  demonstrated  both  in 
studies  of  relative  efficiency  quoted  herein  and  in 
the  original  studies  of  demand.  Not  only  does  a 
technically  poor  picture  fail  to  put  its  message 
across  to  the  pupils;  it  is  also  subject  to  compari- 
son with  the  best  product  of  the  major  studios  by 
the  pupils.  Too  often  have  otherwise  excellent 
films  been  turned  into  comedies  by  the  amateurish 
technique  of  ill-equipped  producers. 


Page  306 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  chart  presents  a  sumniar}^  of  the  present 
demand  for  educational  films  for  characteristics 
where  significant  findings  were  obtained.  One  con- 
templating acquisition  of  a  film  for  distribution  or 
production  of  a  film  for  sale  or  distribution  to 
schools  can,  by  means  of  this  chart,  roughly  predict 
the  success  of  the  film  relative  to  others.  Some, 
it  may  be  seen,  would  be  almost  certainly  doomed 
to  failure,  commercially  speaking,  while  others  can 
scarcely  fail  to  be  well  in  demand.  It  must  be  re- 
membered that  the  entire  prediction,  however,  is 
based  on  the  assumption  that  the  demand  under 
study  is  typical  of  that  of  the  country  as  a  whole. 
There  appears  no  serious  question  that,  within  the 
limits  of  such  rough  predictions,  this  is  the  case. 

To  illustrate  the  use  of  the  chart,  it  appears  at 
a  glance  that  the  films  on  the  secondary  sciences, 
natural  and  physical,  are  the  most  in  demand.  Sup- 
pose a  producer  decided,  then,  to  work  in  the  nat- 
ural sciences.  Let  him  beware  of  films  which  would 
be  classed  as  Nature  Study  —  those  which  merely 
picture  a  subject  perhaps  in  its  native  habitat,  per- 
haps showing  interesting  points  about  its  life  and 
habits,  but  which  oflfer  no  contribution  to  the  core 
part  of  a  secondary  Biology  or  Physiology  and 
Health  course.  If  he  still  chooses  such  a  subject, 
let  him  further  beware  that  he  does  not  choose  as 
a  subject  a  rare  but  interesting  animal  or  plant, 
perhaps  from  some  distant  country,  which  would 
scarcely  be  considered  in  sufficient  detail  in  a 
schoolroom  to  warrant  use  of  the  film. 

The  chart  shows  the  mean  for  each  class  consid- 
ered, and  also  the  standard  deviation  and  probable 
error  of  this  mean.  This  latter  is  named  on  this 
chart,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not  versed  in 
statistical  terms,  as  the  upper  and  lower  limits  of 
the  range  in  which  the  chances  are  50-50  that  a 
given  film  will  fall. 

Producers  and  distributors  will,  then,  be  inter- 
ested in  both  the  check  list  and  the  prediction 
chart.  The  chart  and  question  number  two  of  the 
first  part  of  the  check  list  are  concerned  with  the 
probable  demand  for  first  or  trial  bookings,  while 
the  remainder  of  the  check  list  is  concerned  with 
the  probable  success  of  the  product  in  the  class- 
room and  the  consequent  demand  for  re-orders  by 
the  same  school.  A  distributor  should  first  con- 
sider the  subject  matter  of  a  film  under  considera- 
tion in  the  light  of  the  data  of  the  demand  predic- 
tion chart,  then  immediately  after  viewing  the  film, 
he  should  consider  the  items  on  the  check  list,  mark- 
ing each  item  "-I-"  or  "— "  depending  on  whether  or  not 
he  feels  that  it  possesses  that  characteristic.  In 
this  way,  he  will  be  able  to  form,  at  a  glance,  an 
accurate  and  comprehensive  over-all  conception  of 
the  film  upon  which  to  determine  his  choice.  A 
producer  should  first  consider  the  subject  matter  of 
a  proposed  film  in  light  of  the  demand  prediction 


chart  and  of  the  first  part  of  the  check  list.  The 
manuscript  should  then  be  subjected  to  careful 
scrutiny  in  light  of  the  remainder  of  the  check  list, 
and  these  items  kept  constantly  in  mind  during  the 
production  of  the  film.  The  finished  product  should 
then  be  worthy  of  a  "-I-"  after  every  characteristic 
contained  in  the  list. 

A  school  or  school  system  considering  purchase 
of  a  film,  or  a  visual  education  department  consid- 
ering recommending  a  given  film  for  rental  hx  the 
schools  it  serves,  will  be  less  interested  in  the  de- 
mand prediction  chart  than  in  the  items  of  the  check 
list.  To  them,  the  check  list  furnishes  an  inven- 
tory of  the  film's  characteristics  by  which  a  more 
valid  judgment  of  the  whole  can  be  made.  They 
should,  as  should  distributors,  view  the  film,  and 
immediately  thereafter,  check  the  items  "-I-"  or 
"— ".  If  they  so  desire,  weightings  may  be  assigned 
to  each  item  according  to  their  special  needs  and 
each  film  thus  assigned  a  score. 

Check  List 
Subject  Matter 

1.  Is  the  subject  one  which  cannot  be  pre- 
sented equally  as  effectively  or  more  ef- 
fectively otherwise  in  the  usual  class- 
room with  the  usual  equipment?  

a.  If  it  presents  a  demonstration,  is  it 
one  which  cannot  be  given  well  by 

the  teacher?  

b.  Does  the  subject  demand  action  and 
motion  for  effective  presentation?     

c.  Does  not  have  an  over-abundance  of 
titles?  

d.  Does  not  have  an  over-abundance  of 

still  pictures?  

e.  Does  not  present  material  so  famil- 
iar to  the  pupils  that  it  need  only  be 
referred  to  by  the  teacher?  

2.  Is   it   produced  with   definite   reference 

to  the  usual  curriculum?  

a.  Is  the  subject  given  considerable 
emphasis  in  the  schools  for  which  it 

is  intended?  

b.  Is  the  material  chosen  to  illustrate 
the  subject  worthy  of  a  place  in  the 
curriculum?  (Unworthy  material,  it 
must  be  remembered,  crowds  out 
worthy  material  in  the  crowded  cur- 
riculum. It  is  a  question  of  relative 
values.)  

c.  Is  the  material  so  arranged  (if  it 
presents  more  than  a  detailed  study 
of  a  single  item)  that  it  may  be  inte- 
grated into  the  usual  curriculum?      

Method  of  Presentation 

1.    Is  the  content  sufficiently  limited  as  not 

to  leave  the  pupil  bewildered  or  bored? 

Not  too  expansive?  


December,  1936 


Page  307 


a.  Details  not  confused  after  viewing?.. 

b.  Film  not  so  long  or  slow  that  the  at- 
tention of  the  pupils  is  apt  to  lag? 

2.  Is  it  interestingly  presented? 

a.  Does  not  generally  appear  boring?    .. 

b.  Does  not  fail  to  compel  your  inter- 
est? 

3.  Is  it  psychologically  adapted  to  the  pu- 
pils for  whom  it  is  intended? 

a.    Not  over  their  heads  or  too  childish 
for  them? 
.b.    Is  the  child's  point  of  view  consid- 
ered? 

4.  Does  it  jiresent  a  challenge  to  further 
activity  on  the  part  of  the  pupil  rather 
than  leave  him  passive?  (Not  necessary 
when  purpose  is  to  provide  a  concrete 
example,  rather  than  to  instruct.) 

5.  If  it  attempts  to  present  general  ideas 
or  conceptions  or  to  create  attitudes, 
does  it  genuinely  do  this  to  the  observ- 
er with  technique  comparable  to  that 
of  the  present  day  theatrical  product?    .. 

6.  Does  it  attempt  to  supplement  rather 
than  replace  the  teacher? 

7.  If  more  than  a  detailed  study  of  a  sin- 
gle item,  is  there  a  definite  sequence  in- 
stead of  a  collection  of  disconnected 
scenes,  (e.g.,  Geography  films) 


a.  Is  there  a  main  theme  to  which  oth- 
ers are  subordinated? 

b.  As  themes  change  are  there  transi- 
tional sequences  rather  than  abrupt 
changes? 

c.  No  remotely  related  subject  matter 
added  to  complete  the  reel?  Appear 
padded? 

8.  Is  the  subject  matter  accurate? 

9.  If  a  sound  picture,  is  the  sound  an  inte- 
gral part  of  the  scenes,  not  merely  an 
accompanying  lecture? 

Technical  Make-up 

1.  Is  the  film  technically  well  produced? 
Compare  it  with  the  standards  you  de- 
mand in  theatres. 

a.  Good  photography  —  focus,  lighting, 
etc? 

b.  Genuinely  good  acting? 

c.  Sets  and  equipment  not  amateurish?.. 

d.  Are  there  varying  camera  angles 
and  focal  lengths  to  relieve  monot- 
ony ? 

e.  Are   important    scenes    repeated    from 

various    angles    and    provided    with 
"close-ups"? 

f.  Are  important  scenes  given  more 
time  than  minor  scenes  for  empha- 


sis; 


AVERAGE  NUMBER  OF  BOOKINGS  AND  PROBABLE  RANGE  OF  DEMAND  FOR  FILMS  OF 

VARIOUS  TYPES 

(TO  BE  USED  AS  A  BASIS  FOR  PREDICTION  OF  DEMAND  FOR  A  GIVEN  FILM) 

(Note:    These  figures  are  relative  to  the  average  of  all  types,  which  is  given  as  100.    Figures  do  not  repre- 
sent a  definite  number  of  bookings.     Closest  whole  numbers  are  given.) 


Chancee 

Mean  No.  of 

are  50-50 

Subject 

Description 

Bookings  of 
This  Type 

S.  D. 

That  No.  Will 
Lie  Between: 

AVERAGE  OF  ALL  SUBJECTS  AND  TYPES 


Geography 


Subj.  prominent  in  curriculum 
Subj.  not  prominent  in  curriculum 


Natural  Science 


Familiar  Subject 
rEl.  Nature  Study  <^  ^,  ,  n   ,  • 

[.Cnusual  Subject 

JGeneral  Biology 
iPhysiol.  &  Health 


Secondary 


100 


132 

13.2 

123-141 

77 

13.2 

69-  86 

74 

41.2 

47-102 

40 

21.2 

26-  55 

110 

35.1 

86-133 

148 

39.7 

122-164 

132 

38.4 

107-158 

89 

38.5 

63-114 

114 

43.8 

86-143 

156 

21.2 

142-170 

89 

25.1 

71-106 

162 

19.9 

149-175 

106 

31.8 

85-128 

Physical  Science 


Important  Subject 
Not  Important  Subject 

[■Detailed  Study 

<  Survey  of  Curricular  Items 

[industrial  Applications,  etc. 

fBroad  Subject  Matter 
\Narrow  Subject  Matter 


History  (most  films  higher  in  cost) 


58 


33.1 


36-  80 


Vocational  Guidance 


76 


Page  308 


The  Educational  Screen 


Developing  Visual  Education 

From  Information  Service 

Works  Progress  Administration 

Washington,  D.  C. 

PCHOOL  authorities  long  have  recognized  the  fact 


o 


that  many  children,  especially  those  who  grow  up 


in  large  cities,  are  unable  to  evaluate  their  lessons  in 
"true  life"  terms  because  they  do  not  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  see  many  of  the  things  dealt  with  in  their 
text  books. 

As  a  result  objective  teaching  has  been  developed 
through  use  of  visual  educational  materials.  Edu- 
cators have  endeavored  to  collect  and  develop  materials 
and  techniques  so  that  a  comprehensive  program  might 
be  instituted.  Methods  used  include  production  and 
distribution  of  motion  pictures,  slides,  models,  graphs, 
charts  and  other  objective  teaching  aids  based  upon 
research  in  objective  teaching.  Such  material  is  being 
made  available  for  educational  purposes  in  museums, 
libraries,  parks  and  other  private  and  public  agencies. 

Those  in  charge  of  the  Emergency  Education  pro- 
gram of  the  Works  Progress  Administration  have  con- 
cerned themselves  with  visual  education  and  thou- 
sands of  skilled  workers,  who  would  otherwise  be  on 
relief,  have  been  employed  in  the  manufacturing  of 
visual  aids. 

In  New  York  City,  a  five  story  factory  is  devoted 
to  this  purpose.  Life-like  models  for  class  room 
studies  are  being  made  for  children  of  all  ages.  The 
first  large  order  was  for  721  miniature  figures  to 
illustrate  the  distinctive  racial  attributes  and  costumes 
of  French,  Italian  and  Spanish  natives. 

This  Visual  Aid  Plant,  operating  through  funds 
supplied  by  the  WPA  and  sponsored  by  the  New 
York  Board  of  Education,  now  has  a  personnel  of  628 
workers.  For  the  pa(St  year,  200  research  workers, 
artists,  technicians  and  metal  workers  have  been  busy 
planning  and  constructing  models.  Thirty-five  class- 
rooms have  been  put  into  use  as  workshops,  labora- 
tories and  storerooms.  All  equipment  was  made  by 
the  workers  and  through  the  use  of  discarded  material, 
costs  were  kept  to  a  minimum. 

The  questions  of  children  who  want  to  know  how 
things  grow,  how  things  are  made  and  how  they  look 
outside  the  printed  page,  are  being  answered  through 
these  visual  aids.  This  method  is  also  welcomed  by 
the  teacher,  who  can  now  show  what  an  oil  well  looks 
like  in  cross  section  or  how  a  bridge  hangs. 

Habitat  groups  are  being  created  for  teachers  of 
geography  and  history.  One  of  these,  "The  Man- 
hattan Indian",  shows  the  Indians  with  their  homes 
and  primitive  background.  The  research  department 
assembled  authentic  pictures  and  designs,  from  which 
the  plastic  workers  and  artists  created  the  models  of 
the  various  Indian  types. 

Different  industrial  groups  are  also  shown  by  this 
"unit"  type  of  instruction ;  cotton  pickers,  oil  workers, 


cereal  manufacturing  and  so  on.  It  is  planned  to 
have  all  the  groups  constitute  a  lending  museum  for 
use  in  all  the  schools  of  New  York  City. 

The  visual  education  project  is  also  interested  in 
helping  the  teachers  to  become  familiar  with  simple, 
cheap  materials  that  can  be  used  for  construction  pur- 
poses. Teachers  are  being  trained  in  the  technique  of 
using  the  materials.  They  are  also  given  a  course  in 
the  psychology  of  objective  materials  and  methods  of 
preisenting  them. 

On  the  West  coast,  in  California,  a  variety  of  work 
is  being  acccomplished  by  the  visual  education  projects 
of  the  Works  Progress  Administration.  The  San 
Diego  Visual  Education  Department  is  producing  a 
wealth  of  pictorial  material. 

Trees  and  animals  are  shown  in  black  prints ;  dio- 
ramas present  natural  scenes.  Costumes,  flowers  and 
fruit  trees  are  portrayed  through  the  medium  of  water 
color.  Charts,  maps,  models  and  line  drawings  of 
dancQS,  clay  and  wood  figures  and  dolls  dressed  in  a 
variety  of  costumes ;  murals,  oils,  and  opaque  water 
color  paintings  are  also  produced. 

The  creation  of  all  these  visual  materials  is  accom- 
plished by  a  staff  which  includes  writers,  research 
workers,  artists,  photographers,  teachers,  secretaries 
and  stenographers. 

The  Oakland,  California,  visual  education  depart- 
ment is  preparing  models  for  an  international  handi- 
craft project.  Embroidery,  lace,  beadwork,  basketry, 
woodwork  and  other  items  are  being  made  by  22  craft 
workers.  A  history  of  transportation  is  also  being  il- 
lustrated with  models  by  the  Oakland  workers. 

Among  other  States  producing  visual  education  aids 
are  Delaware,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  and  Indiana.  The 
visual  education  project  of  Delaware  has  produced 
small  compact  books  known  as  "Time  Lines",  whose 
pages  can  be  put  together  fanwise  so  that  the  entire 
book  can  be  stretched  out  its  entire  length  in  order  to 
show  the  progress  of  civilization  in  relation  to  the  time 
element.  Each  page  bears  an  illustration  of  an  im- 
portant event  which  took  place  in  that  country.  Thus 
the  rise  and  decline  of  various  civilizations  is  indicated 
graphically. 

Other  units  completed  on  the  Delaware  project  are 
a  series  of  water  colors,  showing  the  history  of  cos- 
tume ;  also  a  group  in  black  and  white  outline  which 
cover,s  the  history  of  transportation  from  the  boats  of 
the  Egyptians,  to  the  streamlined  steamers  of  the 
present.  Habitat  models  also  have  been  produced  on 
the  Delaware  project.  These  small  portable  museums 
(27"  front,  20"  deep,  24"  high)  portray  man  in  his 
relation  to  his  environment. 

Wisconsin  craftsmen  have  worked  out  a  section  of 
an  educational  series  using  wooden  manikins  sixteen 
inches  high.  The  models  are  clothed  in  authentic 
miniature  costumes  of  various  European  nationalities. 
They  graphically  illustrate  the  development  of  cos- 
tumes. 


December,  19}  6 


Page  309 


News  and  Notes 

Progress  in  Florida  Conducted  by  JOSEPHINE  HOFFMAN  | 

The  organization  of  the  Sensory  Aids  Association  ing  Criminals,"  by  Mr.  C.  M.  Koon  on  "The  Use  of 

of  Florida  was  a  direct  outgrowth  of  the  Visual  In-  Visual    Equipment    in    Elementary    and     Secondary 

struction  Conference  called  on  October  23  and  24,  by  Schools,"  by  C.  G.  Weber  and  J.  R.  Hill  on  "The  Care 

B.  C.  Riley,  Dean  of  the  General  Extension  Division  of  Slide-Films  and  Motion  Picture  Films  in  Libraries," 

of  the  University  of  Florida,  at  Camp  Roosevelt,  near  and  in  the  demonstration  of  "Medical  Motion  Pictures 

Ocala,  where  the  University  has  established  a  School  in  Color,"  by  Dr.  R.  P.  Schwartz, 
of  Adult  Education.    Miss  Bernice  Ashburn,  Head  of  Most  of  the  technical  papers  were  given  by  members 

the  Department  of   Sensory  Aids  of  the  University,  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  and  Bausch  &  Lomb  organiza- 

was  elected  president  of  the  new  organization.    W.  L.  tions,  and  tours  through  these  plants  contributed  to  the 

Goette,  of  Gainesville,  was  elected  vice-president ;  Roy  enjoyment  of  the  convention  delegates. 

Duer,  of  the  School  of  Adult  Educational  Camp  Roose-  .,  ,  ...       ,      , 

velt,  secretary ;  and  O.  R.  Davis,  Principal  of  the  Me-  National  Visual  Education  Directory 
morial  Junior  High  School  of  Orlando,  treasurer.  Results  of  the  visual  instruction  questionnaire,  sent 

The    conference    attracted    nearly    fifty    leaders    in  out  from  Washington  the  first  of  the  year  by  the  Office 

the  field  of  Visual  Education  in  the  State.     Plans  for  of  Education  and  the  American  Council  on  Education, 

a  circulating  state  library  of  films,  with  the  General  'lave  been  compiled  by  Cline  M.  Koon  and  Allen  W. 

Extension  Division  to  serve  as  a  repository,  were  made.  Noble  into  a  valuable  279-page  directory.     A  total  of 

and  the  proposed  short  course  to  instruct  classroom  approximately  9,000  reports    were    received    from  the 

teachers  in  the  technique  of  using  sensory  aids  was  ap-  school   superintendents  participating    in    the    survey, 

proved  and  will  be  held  in  January.  which   covered  nearly  seventeen  million  pupils  in  95 

Two  of  the  outstanding  papers  of  the  conference  per  cent  of  all  cities  with    a    population    of    5,000  or 

were  presented  by  Mr.  Duer,  who  spoke  on  the  educa-  mere.     The  foHowing  equipment  was  listed  as  owned 

tional  value  of  relief  models  and  the  desirability  of  in-  ^y  the  schools  reporting: 

troducing  into  the  child  consciousness  the  "third  di-  Lantarn    slide    projectors 17,040 

mension",  and  K.  E.  Webb,  who  outlined  the  possibil-  Stillfilm    attachments    3,007 

ity  of  filming  Florida's  exotic  natural  resources  and  Filmstrip    projectors    (stillfilm) 2.733 

unusual  advantages.  Micro-slide    projectors    2,073 

An  incomplete  check  on  visual  aids  equipment  showed  Opaque  projectors   2,720 

that  at  least  twenty-five  projection  machines,  either  for  16mm    silent   projectors 6,074 

slides,  opaque  material,  or  motion  pictures,  have  been  16mm  sound  projectors 458 

purchased  by  Florida  school  systems  since  last  spring—  35mni    silent    projectors 3,230 

half  of  these  since  September.  35mni   sound  projectors 335 

Miss  Ashburn  is  reassembling  all  of  the  visual  aids  :„  addition   much  equipment  was  reported  as  rented 

of  the  General  Extension  Division,  using  the  Florida  or  borrowed. 

State  Course  of  Study  as  the  basis  of  organization,  and  The  survey  also  revealed  that  more  films  are  used 

all  of  the  materials  which  will  be  made  during  the  win-  jn  teaching  science  than  any  other  subject.     Next  in 

ter   will   be   adapted    for   similar   use.     A   splendidly  ngg  are  films  on  travel  and  geography,  then  history, 

equipped  photographic  laboratory  at  Camp  Roosevelt  social  science,  health,  English,  nature  study,  commerce 

will  be  utilized  for  the  making  of  stereopticon  slides,  jj,^(j  industry. 

transparencies,  and  pictures  suitable  for  use  in  teach-  "jhe  National  Visual  Education  Directory",  a  very 

'"S'  attractive  volume  in    both    binding    and    typography. 

q  ki  p  r    r  II  p  ■•  giving  all  the  data  complete,  is  available     from    the 

American  Council  on  Education,  Washington,   D.   C. 

One  of  the  outstanding  events  of  the  Society  of  Mo-  Price  $3.00. 
tion  Picture  Engineers  meeting  at  Rochester,  October 

12th-15th,  was  the  Monday  evening  lecture-demonstra-  Audio- Visual  Education  Activities 

tion  by  Dr.  C.  E.  Kenneth  Mees  on  color  photography  ^^  Teachers  College 

at  the  Eastman  Theater.  Dr.  Mees  traced  the  general  The  Audio- Visual  Education  Club  of  Teachers  Col- 
principles  of  the  various  systems  of  color  photography  lege,  Columbia  University,  is  planning  several  very 
and  demonstrated,  by  means  of  16mm.  color  pictures,  interesting  features  for  the  winter  semester.  One  of 
examples  of  work  produced  by  the  different' processes-.  its  first  programs  was  the  showing  of  a  special  issue 
Considerable  interest  was  shown  in  the  papers  by  J.  of  March  of  Time,  dealing  with  minor  political  figures 
Frank  Jr.,  on  "The  Schwarzkopf  Method  of  Identify-           in  the  campaign  of  1936.     A  most  stimulating  discus- 


Page  310 


The  Educational  Screen 


sion  on  the  value  of  such  a  film  for  social  studies  teach- 
ing ensued.  On  November  5th  and  6th,  a  showing  of 
the  Federal  Resettlement  Administration  film,  The 
Plow  That  Broke  the  Plains  was  offered  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  Rural  Education  Club. 

In  addition  to  film  showings  for  students  and  staflf 
of  Teachers  College,  the  Club  is  planning  to  produce 
projection  aids,  such  as  slides,  photographs,  and 
movies.  They  plan  to  work  as  a  group,  and  in  col- 
laboration with  other  organizations. 

Other  collegiate  clubs  interested  in  educational  films, 
motion  picture  appreciation,  photography,  cinematog- 
raphy, or  radio  programs  are  requested  to  communi- 
cate with  the  Audio- Visual  Education  Club,  keeping 
them  informed  of  their  activities  and  possible  col- 
laboration. 

A  New  Market  for  Photographs 

The  personnel  behind  the  new  magazine.  Life, 
recently  started  as  a  new  publication  by  Time,  Inc., 
contains  a  name  of  particular  interest  to  the  visual 
field.  We  mean  Willard  D.  Morgan,  formerly  with 
the  Leitz  Company,  New  York  City,  makers  of  the 
famous  Leica  Camera  and  Accessories,  and  now  an 
Associate  on  the  Life  publication  staff.  Mr.  Mor- 
gan has  been  long  and  widely  known  in  this  field, 
not  only  as  a  technical  authority  on  things  photo- 
graphic but  as  the  writer  of  books  and  numerous 
articles  in  many  magazines,  the  Educational 
Screen  among  them.  His  new  connection  brings 
him  still  closer  to  our  field,  as  will  be  evident  from 
the  following  partial  quotation  of  Mr.  Morgan's 
own  words  in  a  recent  letter: 

"This  new  magazine  {Life)  will  use  photographs 
by  the  hundreds,  and  they  will  cover  everything 
which  has  reader  interest.  The  typical  candid  type 
of  picture,  pictorial  shots,  news  photos,  the  strange 
object,  the  common  object  in  a  new  light,  are  only 
a  few  suggestions.  Outstanding  cover  pictures  and 
photographs  in  natural  colors  will  also  be  in  de- 
mand in  large  quantities.  A  booklet  of  instructions 
will  be  prepared  later  for  distribution  to  all  ama- 
teurs and  professionals  interested  in  this  new  pub- 
lication. The  magazine  will  pay  for  all  pictures 
used  and  it  will  consider  each  photographer  as  a 
professional  just  as  soon  as  he  is  able  to  produce 
pictures  which  can  be  purchased  for  publication. 

"Will  you  tell  your  readers  that  I  will  be  per- 
sonally interested  in  receiving  letters  from  them 
regarding  the  sale  of  their  pictures  to  this  new 
market.  I  intend  to  answer  all  these  letters  per- 
sonally and  inform  them  about  the  requirements 
of  this  magazine.  My  job  will  be  to  locate  photog- 
raphers in  every  city  who  will  be  in  a  position  to 
produce  pictures  for  Life.  I  am  interested  in  ob- 
taining the  following  information  from  all  amateur 
and  professional  photographers  for  my  files:  (1) 
Name   and   Address,     (2)     Type    of    photographic 


equipment  available,  (3)  Type  of  pictures  they  are 
interested  in  taking,  ((4)  Time  available  for  photo- 
graphic work),  (5)  Subjects  and  places  they  have 
photographed,  and  any  additional  information  of 
interest." 

Conferences  on  Visual  Aids 

The  State  Normal  School  of  Oneonta  and  the  Visual 
Instruction  Division  of  the  New  York  State  Education 
Department  cooperated  in  a  conference  on  visual  aids 
at  the  State  Normal  School  of  Oneonta  on  Saturday, 
October  17th.  The  purpose  of  the  conference  was  to 
give  practical  guidance  to  teachers  in  making  wise 
choice  and  efficient  use  of  visual  aids  of  various  kinds. 

The  meeting  was  divided  into  four  one-hour  periods, 
each  including  ample  time  for  questions  and  discussion. 
One  period  was  devoted  to  a  demonstration  lesson  in 
geography  with  a  fifth  grade  class.  This  was  an  un- 
rehearsed class  exercise,  the  lesson  being  developed  by 
means  of  lantern  slides  and  other  objective  aids.  An- 
other period  was  given  to  the  problems  of  the  one  or 
two-room  rural  school,  with  special  attention  to  the 
school  journey,  the  school  museum  and  other  objec- 
tive aids  which  involve  little  or  no  expense.  Other 
topics  to  receive  attention  included  globes,  wall  maps 
and  projection  equipment.  Motion  pictures  were  also 
shown  and  discussed. 

*  *  * 

A  Conference  in  Radio  and  the  Movies  in  Education 
was  held  at  State  Teachers  College,  Indiana,  Pennsyl- 
vania, October  23  and  24.  The  College  has  been  offer- 
ing courses  in  movie  appreciation  for  several  years 
and  is  experimenting  with  the  use  of  the  radio.  Mr. 
Ben  Darrow,  Director  of  the  Ohio  School  of  the  Air, 
and  Dr.  Edgar  Dale,  of  the  Department  of  Education 
at  Ohio  University,  lectured  and  conducted  a  forum 
on  Radio  and  the  Movies. 

The  Geography  and  Visual  Education  Sections  of 
the  Nebraska  State  Teachers  Association,  District 
4,  held  a  joint  meeting  October  29th  at  the  Asso- 
ciation's three-day  conference  in  Kearney.  An  ef- 
fective demonstration  was  given  by  Miss  Anna  Van 
Brussell  of  A.  O.  Thomas  High  School,  Kearney, 
on  the  use  of  flat  pictures  in  Geography  combined 
with  the  opaque  projector  and  supplemented  with 
the  silent  motion  picture.  Miss  Elda  Stubbs,  of  the 
same  school,  then  demonstrated  the  making  and 
use  of  slides  in  the  classroom.  The  use  of  sound 
motion  pictures  in  the  classroom  was  discussed  and 
demonstrated  by  Donald  Thornton.  Another  fea- 
ture was  an  illustrated  travel  talk  on  Europe  by  Dr. 
Esther  Anderson  of  the  University  of  Nebraska. 

There  was  a  Visual  Education  program  also  on 
October  30th  at  the  District  5  meeting  of  the  State 
Teachers  held  the  same  days  at  McCook,  Nebraska. 
Of  particular  importance  was  a  discussion  by  Sup't 

{Continued  on  page  319) 


December,  1936 


-    Hi 


Page  311 


Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 


Progressive  Education  ( 13 :409-504,  Oct.  '36)  This 
issue  is  entirely  devoted  to  instruction  by  visual  aids, 
and  related  means  of  observation.  The  articles  are  so 
suggestive  that  the  most  of  them  are  being  re- 
ported. 

"Learning  to  Look  at  Pictures",  by  G.  T.  Buswell, 
University  of  Chicago. 

A  study  has  been  made,  and  a  book  published, 
showing  photographic  records  of  eye  movements  of 
about  200  different  subjects  looking  at  a  large  group 
of  pictures.  Both  vertical  and  horizontal  ocular 
movements  were  photographed,  so  the  various  ej'e 
fixations  could  be  determined  with  precision.  The 
artists  have  assumed  that  certain  patterns  of  per- 
ception are  produced  by  certain  types  of  pictures, 
and  their  writings  are  replete  with  a  priori  state- 
ments as  to  what  the  eyes  do  in  looking  at  a  picture. 
A  study  of  eye  movements  is  usually  made  after 
general  survey  movements  over  the  picture  as  a 
whole.  The  majority  of  people  in  an  art  gallery 
make  these  general  survey  movements  and  stop 
there.  There  is  evidence  that  when  a  "study"  is 
made  of  a  picture,  the  duration  of  fixation  pauses 
becomes  longer,  the  longer  one  looks  at  the  picture. 
A  "Density  Plot"  or,  composite  print,  gives  the 
fixation  points  for  seventy-six  observers  in  looking 
at  "The  Solemn  Pledge"  by  Walter  Ufer. 

"The  Park  School  Drama  Club  Presents  .  .  .  ", 
by  Sarah  Putnam  and  Harrison  Tompkins. 

The  Park  School  of  Baltimore  decided  that  the 
best  way  to  give  the  pupils  a  value-scale  for  meas- 
uring the  merits  and  deficiencies  of  a  motion  picture 
is  through  their  own  creative  efTort.  Pupils  wrote 
scenarios,  and  "Silas  Marner"  was  decided  upon 
for  filming.  A  synopsis  of  four  reels  is  given,  and 
illustrations  supplement  the  account.  The  filming 
was  effected  at  a  cost  of  $230.,  covered  by  charging 
quarter  admissions  to  the  showings.  "Most  valu- 
able to  the  children  was  a  new  consciousness  of 
ability,  essential  to  us  all  in  these  days  of  uncer- 
tainty and  of  bitter  struggle." 

"Vitalizing  the  Textbook",  by  Fred  W.  Orth, 
Lecturer  in  Cinematography  at  the  University  of 
Southern  California. 

The  written  word  has  been  venerated  for  sixty 
centuries,  and  shall  continue  to  remain  important. 
Yet,  the  newest  tool  in  the  art  of  expression,  the 
motion  picture,  is  the  most  complete  and  swiftest 
tool  devised  by  man  in  conveying  impressions,  and 
in  changing  attitudes  for  both  young  and  old  alike. 

Motion  pictures  educate  while  they  entertain,  and 
entertain  while  they  educate.  A  medium  which  can 
do  this  should  be  ranked  among  the  principal  aids 
to  education.    Progressive  educators  are  beginning 


Conducted  by  STELLA  EVELYN  MYERS  I 

to  realize  that  it  is  desirable  for  textbooks  of  the 
future  to  be  sup])lcmented  with  films,  produced 
simultaneously  with  the  textbooks.  The  writer  and 
a  collaborator  have  produced  such  a  work,  "Queer 
Farms",  now  in  the  hands  of  the  publisher.  Fourteen 
farms  were  visited  by  Sixth  Grade  pupils  of  Los 
Angeles,  whose  experiences  are  narrated  in  the  text. 
The  films  are  of  16  mm.  width,  and  200  foot  lengths 
for  each  farm.  "The  motion  picture  supplement  by 
reason  of  its  seeming  reality  not  only  makes  an  ex- 
cellent substitute  for  the  excursion,  but  in  some 
instances  might  even  surpass  it  in  value  if  the  ex- 
cursion were  not  well  planned." 

"Conventional  Versus  Pictorial  Graphs",  by  J.  W. 
Wrightstone. 

Pictorial  gra])hs  (Neurath  Method)  were  tested 
against  the  line,  circle,  and  bar  graphs  with  820 
pupils  from  Grades  VII  to  XII.  The  results  for 
"Locating  Facts"  and  "Delayed  Recall"  are  de- 
cidedly in  favor  of  the  pictorial  plan,  although  the 
author  does  not  recommend  their  exclusive  use. 

"The  One-Way-Vision  Screen",  by  Arnold  Gesell, 
M.  D. 

The  one-way  vision  dome  in  the  laboratory  of 
the  Yale  Clinic  of  Child  Development  has  been  pre- 
viously described  in  these  pages.  Here  is  a  picture 
of  the  dome  along  with  other  illustrations,  and  the 
account  is  given  by  the  originator  of  this  unique 
plan  for  observation  without  being  observed.  Dr. 
Gesell,  Director  of  the  Clinic  of  Child  Development 
and  Professor  of  Child  Hygiene  in  Yale  University, 
tells  how  the  screen  may  be  made  inexpensively,  and 
also  suggests  other  general  uses  of  the  screen  in 
education. 

"Teaching  Aids  in  the  USSR",  by  P.  S.  Benukh, 
Director  of  the  Soviet  Private  School  in  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  for  children  of  the  USSR. 

Present-day  Soviet  pedagogy  maintains  that  "the 
products  of  modern  technical  and  scientific  achieve- 
ments must  be  utilized  to  implement  the  'peda- 
gogical process'."  The  editor,  in  a  foot-note,  says, 
"Each  American  visitor  to  the  schools  in  the  USSR 
returns  with  enthusiasm  for  what  the  Soviet  govern- 
ment is  accomplishing  in  the  field  of  visual  educa- 
tion, and  particularly  for  what  adult  workers  are 
doing  to  supply  the  pressing  need  for  visual  aids." 
All  manufactured  visual  aids  must  meet  the  following 
requirements :  good  visibility,  clearness  and  prom- 
inence of  important  features,  easily  legible  descriptive 
text  that  may  be  read  at  a  distance,  and  the  avoidance 
of  bright  colors.  To  prevent  distraction,  several  objects 
may  not  be  presented   on   one   plate,   except   for  the 


Page  312 

purpose  of  comparison.  Regional  stations  collect  all 
the  needed  teaching  aids,  and  teachers  may  obtain  them 
without  a  fee,  returning  them  to  the  loaning  station. 
Great  stress,  at  present,  is  being  placed  on  equipment 
that  "will  demonstrate  not  simply  things,  but  how  they 
perform.  Mastering  his  subject  and  the  methods  of 
teaching  is  only  one  part  of  a  teacher's  preparation, 
since  he  must  be  able  also  to  construct  simple  devices. 
The  practice  of  cooperation  between  teachers  and  pupils 
in  the  preparation  of  needed  school  appliances  has  not 
only  material  but  immense  educational  values  also,  and 
it  usually  results  in  a  more  careful  handling  of  these 
objects  and  of  other  school  property  as  well." 

"When    and    How    Shall    We    Use    the     Motion 
Picture?",  by  Edgar  Dale. 

More  than  one-third   of  the  admissions  to   motion 
pictures  are  paid  by  minors.  "The  issue,  then,  is  not 
whether  we  shall  have  visual  instruction.  It  is,  rather, 
shall  our  visual  instruction  be  directed  toward  socially 
beneficial  ends,  or  shall  it  be  narrow,  desultory,  un- 
coordinated,  unintegrated  ?"   We  have  only  scratched 
the  surface  as  far  as  providing  physical  equipment  is 
concerned.     A   number   of   educational   organizations, 
however,  are  taking  a  deep  interest  in  the  problem  of 
correcting  this   educational    lag.    Our   chief   problem 
is  not  that  of  arousing  interest  or  enthusiasm,  but  of 
taking  a  long  look  ahead  and  asking  some  fundamental 
questions   as   to   the   precise    functions,    which    these 
visual  aids  should  serve.  One  important   function  is 
that  of  exposition.  "We  must  plan  eventually  to  have 
such  expository  films  available  in  a  library  or  labor- 
atory so  that  they  can  be  used  in  much  the  same  fashion 
as  one  would  use  an  encyclopedia  or  dictionary."  Some 
of  these  films  would  be  of  sufficient  general  interest 
to  use  with  larger  groups  in  the  auditorium.  Another 
function  which   teaching  films   might   serve   is   aiding 
in  the  learning  of  certain  skills.  A  third  function  is 
that  of  sensitizing  pupils  to  important  social  problems. 
Dr.  Dale  deplores  the  lack  of  relationship  between 
the  school  and  the  other  community  influences,  pre- 
senting a   dualistic   program,    one    element    of   which 
often  annihilates   the   others.   He   warns   against   per- 
mitting visual  aids  to  lead  us  to  fall  again  into  the 
subject-matter  stereotype   from   which   we   have  been 
trying    to    extricate     ourselves    these     many     years. 
Teachers  are  inclined  to  attempt  to  correlate  films  and 
slides  with  the  present  courses  of  study,  the  present 
textbooks,  our  current  objectives,  "without  first  of  all 
subjecting  these  materials   and     objectives     to     rigid 
scrutiny.   We   must   not   do   better   with  the   film   the 
things  that  ought  not  to  be  done  anyway." 

International    Journal    of    Religious    Education 

(13:18-19,   Oct.   '36)    "Motion   Pictures   Bring   Life 
to  Conferences,"  by  Anna  Jean  Vandercook. 

At  a  recent  National  Youth  Conference,  seeing 
and  hearing  living  people  on  the  screen,  and  there- 
by  understanding  how  they  meet    life    situations, 


The  Educational  Screen 

rather  than  just  hearing  about  them,  brought  new 
vigor  to  the  assembled  group.  At  Scranton,  Penn- 
sylvania, real  life-situations  by  means  of  sound- 
films  were  presented.  "Broken  Lullaby"  and  the 
discussion  that  followed  is  fully  reported,  and  valu- 
able suggestions  are  given  as  to  tactful  leadership 
in  group  conversations.  Also,  the  free  expression 
of  ideas  by  the  audience,  enables  the  leader  to  see 
more  clearly  what  points  he  should  emphasize  in 
making  his  summary. 

The  Instructor  (45:70-71,  Oct.  '36)  "Photoplays 
as  an  Aid  to  Education,"  by  William  Lewin,  Chairman 
of  Committee  on  Motion  Pictures,  Department  of  Sec- 
ondary Education  of  the  National  Education  Asso- 
ciation. 

With  this  issue  The  Instructor  inaugurates  a  de- 
partment which-  is  to  be  devoted  to  the  motion  picture 
and  the  general  topic  of  audio-visual  aids  to  education, 
according  to  Mr.  William  Lewin,  editor  of  the  new 
department.  In  his  first  article  Mr.  Lewin  names  five 
recent  films  which  should  stimulate  good  reading  by 
boys  and  girls  as  a  result  of  seeing  the  films :  Last  of 
the  Mohicans,  Daniel  Boone,  The  Adventures  of  Tom 
Sawyer,  Captains  Courageous,  Romeo  and  Juliet. 
Suggestions  for  such  reading  are  given.  "Teachers 
who  post  on  their  bulletin  boards  lists  of  forthcoming 
films  and  related  readings  find  that  the  books  are  in 
demand  by  the  children." 

Journal  of  Experimental  Education  (5:1-6.  Sept. 
'36)  "The  Verbal  Accompaniment  of  the  Educa- 
tional Film — The  Recorded  Voice  vs.  the  Voice  of 
the  Classroom  Teacher",  by  J.  E.  Hansen,  Univer- 
sity of  Wisconsin. 

Following  a  review  of  previous  studies  made,  the 
writer  reports  a  scientific  experiment  made  at  Fond 
du  Lac  and  Edgerton  among  415  pupils.  Four  Erpi 
talking  pictures  were  used,  the  verbal  continuity 
presented  by  the  teacher  being  assured  to  be  the 
same  as  that  accompanying  the  picture  by  means 
of  recording  on  a  dictaphone  and  transcribing. 
"The  results  of  this  study  seem  to  indicate  that  the 
verbal  explanation  accompanying  an  educational 
picture  of  the  talking  picture  type  can  be  presented 
as  effectively  by  the  classroom  teacher  as  by  the 
medium  of  the  recorded  voice  and  the  sound  mo- 
tion picture  projector.  The  personality  and  the 
voice  of  the  teacher  will  greatly  determine  the  ef- 
fectiveness of  the  teacher  presentation.  On  the  oth- 
er hand,  a  poorly  recorded  voice  and  poor  room 
acoustics  may  impair  the  eflfectiveness  of  the  re- 
corded voice." 

Movie  Makers  (11:388  et  al,  Sept.  '36)  "Rear 
Projection",  by  Earl  Theisen. 

Rear  projection  to  provide  atmosphere  and  furnish 
background  for  scenes  is  an  economic  and  most  suc- 
cessful late  technique.  Proper  environment  may  be 
provided  without  taking  a  company  to  the  desired 

(Continued  on  page  324) 


December,  1936 


OFFICERS 

NELSON   L.   GREENE 

President 

Editor  of  Educational  Screen 
Chicago,  Illinois 

WILBER    EMMERT 

First  Vice-President 

State  Teachers  College 
Indiana.  Pennsylvania 

ANNETTE    CLICK 

Second  Vice-President 

Visual  Education  Division 
Los  Angeles.  California 

E.    0.    WAGGONER 
Secretary- Treasurer 

Elgin  Public  Schools 

Ergtn.  Illinois 


The  Department  of 
Visual  Instruction 


of 


The  National  Education  Association 

Headquarters  Address,  64  East  Lake  Street,  Chicago 


Page  313 
EXECUTIVE  COMMIHEE 

ROBERT  COLLIER.  JR. 

South  High  School 

Denver,  Colorado 
WILLIAM    H.    DUDLEY 

736  Wabash  Avenuo 

Chicago.  Illinois 
JOHN   A.    HOLLINGER 

Pittsburgh  City  Schools 

Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania 
DANIEL   C.    KNOWLTON 

New  York  University 

New  York  City 

CLINE    M.    KOON 

Office  of  Education 
Washington,  D.  C. 

GRACE    FISHER    RAMSEY 
American  Museum  of 
Natural  History 
New  York  City 


"THE  "letter  to  members",  sent  out  some  three  weeks 
•  ago  at  this  writing,  has  brought  response  a  shade 
beyond  expectation  from  a  first  effort.  Already,  as  we 
go  to  press  for  December,  over  80  members  have  re- 
plied, have  given  desired  information  generously  and 
even  eagerlv.  and  16  of  the  80  will  be  at  New  Orleans, 
not  counting  numerous  "may  he's".  Have  you  returned 
your  "member  letter"?  If  not,  please  do  it  now  instead 
of  eventually. 

THE  "Roster"  is  omitted  from  this  issue.  It  will  re- 
appear in  January.  Non-appearance  in  December  is 
in  deference  to  the  Christmas  season,  when  expenditure 
runs  more  easily  to  gifts  than  to  dues.  It  amounts  to  a 
30-day  grace  for  renewals,  but  no  more.  Therefore,  look 
again  at  that  November  page  (281).  If  your  "dagger" 
stands  in  the  November  or  December  column,  your  re- 
newal should  reach  us  by  January  2nd,  1937.  Other- 
wise your  name,  most  regretfully,  must  disappear  from 
the  January  roster.  Salvation  is  easy.  Your  $2.00  will 
take  care  of  it  and,  better  still,  will  keep  your  Depart- 
ment growing. 

"THE  "daggers"  in  November  showed  16  members 
'  expiring  that  month.  Renewals  and  new  member- 
ships in  the  past  three  weeks  total  30.  Not  bad  as  a 
first  month's  showing,  and  with  the  usually  barren  pre- 
holiday  season  close  upon  us.  But  that  growth,  while 
unmistakably  in  the  right  direction,  is  altogether  too 
modest.  It  is  but  a  respectable  fraction  of  what  com- 
ing months  should  bring. 

One  member,  replying  today  to  the  membership  let- 
ter, sets  a  healthy  example  of  cooperation  that  can 
mean  real  growth.  We  think  he  should  be  named.  Ed- 
ward H.  Temple  renews  his  November  expiration, 
brings  in  a  new  member  besides,  and  says  that  at  a 
meeting  occurring  shortly  in  his  territory  he  "will  be 
able  to  contact  several  whose  membership  seems  to 
have  expired  according  to  the  official  roster  on  page 
281."  With  300-odd  members  going  and  doing  like- 
wise, the  Department  of  Visual  Instruction  would  soon 
pulverize  all  growth  records  among  N.  E.  A.  Depart- 
ments. 

DR.  EDGAR  DALE  dashes  off  the  following  crisp 
and  pertinent  communication  to  headquarters  sug- 
gesting a  concrete  procedure  for  the  current  year: 
"First  of  all,  set  up  a  membership  quota  of  five  hun- 
dred, then  apportion  this  quota  to  the  various  states. 
Second,  we  might  set  up  a  friendly  rivalry  in  terms  of 


the  proportion  of  school  people  in  the  state  who  are 
members.  Third,  each  state  group  might  develop  its 
own  organization  and  be  responsible  for  adding  new 
members." 

It  is  a  stimulating  idea,  a  practical  plan.  Member  re- 
action ought  to  be  immediate.  The  one  essential — a. 
member  in  each  state,  where  no  local  organization  yet 
exists,  to  compile  a  prospect-list  of  should-be  members 
in  his  state,  and  cooperate  on  a  mail  campaign  from 
headquarters  to  said  prospects.  Volunteers  and  nomi- 
nations invited. 

.  New  Jersey  Visual  Education  Association  Meets 

The  program  of  the  New  Jersey  visual  section, 
meeting  in  connection  with  the  annual  convention  of 
the  State  Teachers'  Association  at  Atlantic  City,  Sat- 
urday, November  14th,  consisted  of  an  excellent 
variety  of  stimulating  papers  on  all  phases  of  visual 
education.    Below  is  a  copy  of  the  program. 

Singing  with  song  slides — lead  by  Mr.  Balcom, 
president. 

"School  Museums — Getting  Started"— Charles  R. 
Toothaker,  Curator,  Commercial  Museum,  Philadelphia. 

"Use  of  Visual  Aids  in  Teaching" — Demonstration 
by  a  group  of  pupils  from  the  schools  of  Vineland, 
under  the  direction  of  Lawrence  R.  Winchell,  Super- 
intendent of  Schools. 

"Experimenting  with  the  Instructional  Sound  Film" 
— Ralph  W.  Bates,  Supervising  Principal,  Chatham. 

"Supplying  the  Sound  Element  to  a  Silent  Film" — 
John  J.  Dolan,  Principal,  Longfellow  School,  Teaneck. 

"Photoplay  Appreciation  in  the  High  School"- — -E. 
Winifred  Crawford,  Director,  Visual  Instruction, 
Montclair. 

"The  Use  of  the  Film  Slide  in  High  School  Physics" 
— Alfred  R.  Jayson,  Chairman,  South  Side  High 
School,  Newark. 

"Radio  in  the  Schools" — C.  M.  Koon,  Senior  Spec- 
ialist in  Radio  and  Visual  Education,  Washington,  D.  C. 

"A  County  Unit  as  a  Means  to  Promote  Visual  Edu- 
cation in  the  State"— Arthur  M.  Judd,  President, 
Supervising  Principals'  Assn.  Middlesex  County. 

"Visualization  in  the  Teaching  of  Languages" — Wil- 
liam  Milwitzky,   Language  Department,     West     Side 
High  School,  Newark. 
r  ULL  program  for  New  Orleans  meeting  in  January 


issue. 


N.  L.  G. 
E.  C.  W. 


Page  314 


The  Educational  Screen 


The  Film  Estimates 


All  American  Chump  (Erwin,  Armstrong, 
Furness )  ( RKO )  Rather  stupid  concoction  about 
dumb  hero  trying  to  cash  in  on  his  mathe- 
matical talents  in  a  sideshow.  Crooks  inter- 
fere, so  he  gives  up  and  retires  to  country. 
Romance  included.  Many  laughs  for  those 
who  laugh  easily.  11-17-36 

(A)  Stupid  (Y)  Poor  (C)  Poor 

Between  Two  Hearts  (Luise  Ulrich)  (German 
with  English  titles)  Well  told  and  acted  little 
romance  about  intelligent  hero's  struggle  over 
his  deep  love  for  a  girl  he  wrongly  supposes  to 
be  his  daughter.  Human,  humorous,  and  cine- 
matic values  are  enhanced  by  much  action 
without  dialog.  11-10-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind         (Y)  (C)  Little  or  no  interest 

Born  to  Dance  (Ebamr  Powell,  J.  Stewart 
Una  Merken(MGM)  Madcap  musical  comedy  at 
its  finest.  Enough  story,  comic  and  serious  ro- 
mance, amusing  "features",  gorgeous  stage 
numbers,  roles  well  done  except  hero's,  much 
singing  (without  a  voice  in  cast),  and  Eleanor 
matchless  as  acting-dancing  heroine.  12-1-36 
(A)  Excellent  (Y)  Excellent  (C)  Good 

Bulldog  Edition  (R.  Toomey,  E.  Knapp)  (Re- 
public) Lively  but  second-rate  picture  of  cheap 
people  doing  crude  things.  Newspapers  sling 
mud,  gangsters  shoot  bullets.  Anything  to  con- 
trol "circulation".  Rowdy  violence  in  city 
streets    in    broad    daylight    merely    absurd. 

11-24-36 
(A)  Mediocre  (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Charge  of  the   Light  Brigade    (Errol   Flynn, 

De  Haviland)  (Warner)  Technical  masterpiece. 
Romanticized  history.  Bloodcurd'ing  massacre, 
revenge,  love,  insubordination  made  to  replac  > 
the  famous  "blunder".  Shows  glorious  "charge" 
with  most  complete  and  terrible  realism  yet 
done.     Powerful  theatrics.  11-17-36 

(A)  Notable  (Y)  Very  doubtful  (C)  No 

Come  and  Get  It  (Arnold.  McCrea,  Frances 
Farmer)  (UA)  First  half  is  finest  portrayal 
of  large-scale  lumbering  ever  made— when  get- 
rich-quick  greed  stripped  north  of  its  priceless 
forests  —  notable  for  characters  and  back- 
crrounds.  Then  sex-triangle  s*uff  develops  till 
it  becomes  offensive.  11-24-36 

(A)  Notable  (Y)  Unwholesome  (C)  No 

Come  Closer.  Folks  (J.  Dunn,  W.  Gibson,  M. 
Marsh)  (Columbia )  Mouthy  hero,  sidewalk 
hawker,  played  up  as  gre:it  "salesman"  for 
selling  worthless  junk  by  lies,  cheating  his  way 
into  Department  store  job,  ruining  store,  sav- 
ing it  by  same  methods,  marrying  boss*  daugh- 
ter. Stupidly  distorts  values.  11-17-36 
(A)  Absurd                                        (Y-C)  Better  not 

Everything  Is  Thunder  (D.  Montgomery,  C. 
Bennett)  (G  B)  Absurdly  pretentious  title  for 
dreary  struggles  of  English  soldier  escaping 
German  prison  camps,  helped  by  floppy  haired 
courtesan  whose  love  helps  him  win.  Hardly 
motivated,  colorless,  monotonous,  with  little 
dramatic  tension.  11-17-36 

(A)  Very  poor  (Y-C)  Useless 

15  Maiden  Lane  (Claire  Trevor,  Cesar  Ro- 
mero) (Fox  t  Glamorous,  clever  yarn  about  dap- 
per crook  doing  complicated  jewel-snatching  in 
New  York's  famous  jewelry  center  until  hero- 
ine, posing  as  crook  and  sharing  robbery  and 
murder,  finally  tricks  whole  gang  into  custody. 
Honesty  seems  almost  absurd.  12-1-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Better  not       (C)  No 

Follow  Your  Heart  (Marion  Talley,  Michael 
Bartlett)  (Republic)  The  wavering  fortunes  of 
a  stage-struck  family  not  very  well  told  or 
acted,  but  pleasing  settings,  human  characters 
and  comedy,  and  outstandingly  lovely  singing 
by  hero  and  heroine  make  a  "musical"  quit? 
above  average.  11-24-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind     (Y)  Good     (C)  Little  interest 

The  Garden  of  Allah  (Marlene  Dietrich,  C. 
Boyer)  (UA)  Elaborate,  pretentious  screening 
of  old  story  in  beautiful  color.  Camera  ex- 
otic, drama  static.  Fixed,  expressionless  gaz- 
ing, gasping  dialog,  momentous  whispers,  flow- 
ing veils^ — make  frail,  thin,  sweet  tragedy  of 
the  famous  love  affair.  12-1-36 

(A)  Novel  (Y)  Doubtful  (C)  No 

Go  West.  Young  Man  (Mae  West,  W.  William) 
( Para )  Mae  distorts  original  play,  weights  it 
heavily  with  her  old  stuff,  and  achieves  dis- 
jointed drama  of  slight  interest  aside  from  its 
suggestiveness.  Cheaply  unwholesome  and  large- 
ly stale.  Her  attempts  at  singing  and  acting 
feeble.  11-24-36 

<A)Dep.ontaste(Y)  (C)Thoroughly  unwholesome 


Being  the  Combined  Judgments  of  a  National  Committee  on  Current  Theatrical  Films 

(The  Film  Estimates,  in  whole  or  in  part,  may  be  reprinted 

only  by  special  arrangement  with  The  Educational  Screen) 

Date    of    mailing    on    weekly    service    Is    shown    on    each    film. 

(A)  Discriminating  Adults  (Y)  Youth  (C)  Children 


Here  Comes  Carter  (Ross  Alexander,  Glenda 
Farrell)  (1st  Nat.)  Conceited  but  engaging 
radio-news  announcer  tells  the  facts  fearlessly, 
nearly  losing  his  sweetheart,  and  his  life  to 
offended  gangsters,  but  all  comes  out  right. 
Snappy,  breezy  little  picture,  amusing  and 
harmless.  11-24-36 

(A)  Good  of  kind  (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Fair 

Isle  of  Fury  ( Humphrey  Bogart,  Donald  Woods) 
(Warner)  South  Sea  mystery -sex -melodrama, 
quite  exciting,  scenically  fine,  and  with  some 
startling  camera  technique.  But  dramatic 
values  suffer  in  hectic  combination  of  sex  tri- 
angle and  sensational  adventures.  Picturesque 
but   unconvincing.  11-10-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Better  not       (C)  No 

Love  in  Exile  (Clive  Brook,  Helen  Vinson) 
(G  B)  Mythical  kingdom  story  of  king  who 
abdicates,  under  pressure  of  unscrupulous 
money-kings,  but  clever  management  by  hero- 
ine, his  devoted  friend  before  king  days,  re- 
stores king  and  furnishes  a  queen.  Suave, 
light,  agreeable.  12-1-36 

(A)  Fair  (Y)  Good  (C)  No  interest 

Luckiest  Girl  in  the  World  (Jane  Wyatt, 
Louie  Hayward)  (Univ.)  Light,  pleasing  little 
comedy  of  rich  girl's  efforts  to  make  $1.50  do 
a  month  in  New  York,  to  convince  a  skeptical 
father  she  should  marry  poor  fiance.  But  boy- 
neighbor  in  boarding-house  changes  everything?. 
Jane   Wyatt's   acting   is   the  feature.  12-1-36 

(A)  Pleasant     (Y)  Amusing     (C)  Little  interest 

Mad  Holiday  (Lowe,  Landi)  (Para.)  Just  that. 
Movie  star  of  detective-thrillers  runs  off  for 
ocean  trip,  the  girl-author  of  same  stories  also 
on  board.  Then  hokum,  thrills,  they  stumble 
over  corpse  after  corpse,  low  comedy,  even 
Zasu  Pitts  gets  drunk.  Just  burlesque  mys- 
tery. 11-17-36 
( A-Y)  Fair  of  kind  (C)  No 

The  Man  I  Marry  (Doris  Nolan,  Michael 
WhalenKUniv.)  Rich  young  man,  woman-ha- 
t3r.  seeks  seclusion  to  become  playwright.  En- 
gaging heroine  shares  seclusion,  gets  play  pro- 
duced, cures  his  woman-hating.  Two  chronic 
drunks  supposed  to  make  it  funnier.  Mild 
amusement  for  the  uncritical.  12-1-36 

(Al  Hardly  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  Hardly 

Man  Who  Lived  Again  (Boris  Karloff)  (G-B) 
Weird  thriller,  well  done,  repellant  or  fascinat- 
ing according  to  taste  for  morbid  and  fan- 
tastic. Mad  scientist  discovers  formula  for 
brain  transference,  uses  it  for  revenge  and 
murder,  until  he  dies  himself  in  harrowing 
climax.  11-10-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste        (Y)  Doubtful        (C)  No 

Our  Relations  (Laurel  and  Hardy)  (MGM) 
Stan  and  Oliver,  their  wives,  and  supposedly 
dead  twin  brothers  played  by  themselves,  do  a 
tangled  series  of  misadventures  in  crazy  slap- 
stick style.  Many  laughs  for  those  who  enjoy 
the  familiar  antics  and  pantomime  of  previous 
pictures.  11-24-36 

(A)  Perhaps  (Y)  (C)  Probably  quite  amnsing 

Pigskin  Parade  (Patsy  Kelly.  Jack  Haley) 
(Fox)  Hilarious  musical  farce,  crazy  situations 
arising  when  backwoods  college  trains  for  foot- 
ball against  Yale  and  wins  in  blinding  blizzard. 
Some  dubious  ethics  and  lapses  in  taste  so 
wildly  farcical  as  to  be  harmless.  Much  genu- 
inely funny.  11-10-36 
(A)  (Y)  (C)  Probably  quite  amusing 

Polo  Joe  (Joe  V..  Brown)  (Warner)  Nonsense 
farce  built  exactly  for  Brown's  clowning.  Hero 
hates  horses,  but  to  win  polo-loving  heroine 
poses  as  Shanghai  polo  champion.  Finally 
maneuvered  into  championship  game,  ably  abet- 
ted by  his  valet,  he  flounders  through  to  win 
game  and  girl.  11-24-36 

(A)  Fairly  good  (Y)  Amusing  (C)  Good 

Reunion  (Hersholt  and  Quints)  (Fox)  Charm- 
ing Quintuplets  appear  twice  briefly.  Otherwise 
mere  concoction  with  original  cast  of  Country 
Doctor.  Hersholt  busy  solving  miscarried  love 
affairs,  papa  Dionne  burlesqued  at  great  length, 
and  some  comedy  is  very  crude.  About  a  news- 
reel's  worth.  11-24-36 
(A)  Poor           (Y)  Not  very  good           (C)  Hardly 

Rose  Bowl  (Tom  Brown,  Larry  Crabbe) 
(Para.)  Dull,  elementary  football  yarn  about 
very  small-town  college  winning  place  in  Rose 
Bowl !     Includes   puppy  romance  and  commer- 


cialism in  colleges.  Even  the  football  playing 
doesn't  look  real.  Dialog  banal,  acting  feeb'.e, 
realism  childish.  11-17-36 

(A)  Stupid  (Y-C)  Inane  but  harmless 

Sea  Spoilers  (John  Wray,  Nan  Grey)  (Univ) 
Easy,  low-cost,  "second  feature"  melodrama 
about  fight  for  law  and  order  against  seal 
poachers  in  Alaskan  waters  that  supplies  ex- 
citement and  nothing  more,  except  interesting 
and  thrilling  bits  on  activities  and  high  tradi- 
tions of  the  Coast  Guard.  11-10-36 
(A)  Hardly                      (Y)  Fair  (C)  No 

Tarzan  Escapes  (Weismuller.  O'Suliivan) 
(MGM)  The  Tarzan  absurdity,  with  idiot  yell, 
maudlin  love  motif,  grim  jungle  tragedy,  now 
adds  actual  shooting  of  animals,  horrible  kill- 
ings of  men,  and  still  incessant  faking.  The 
preposterous  made  vividly  real.  Neurotic  food 
for  the  young.  11-17-34 

(A-Yi  No  value  (C)  No 

Three  Men  on  a  Horse  i  McHugh,  Blondell) 
(1st.  Nat.)  Loud  laughs  for  the  multitude  in 
clever  screening  of  rowdy  stage-play.  McHugh 
excellent  as  timid  poet  who  picks  racetrack 
winners  for  his  captors.  Acting  ordinary,  dia- 
log bawled,  and  the  "Newyorkese"  is  sadly 
unconvincing.  12-1-36 

(A)  Depends  on  taste       (Y)  Better  not       (C)  No 

Valiant  is  the  Word  for  Carrie  (Gladys 
George.  Jackie  Moran)  (Para.)  Mature,  intelli- 
gent character  comedy  showing  regeneration 
of  prostitute  by  devoted  love  for  two  hapless 
waifs.  Shift  of  interest  and  cast  in  second 
half  mars  drama  but  appeal  holds.  Difficult 
theme  delicately  and  strongly  done.  10-27-36 
(A)  Very  good  (Y|  Unsuitable  (C)  No 

A  Waltz  for  You  (Louis  Graveure,  Camilla 
Horn)  (German,  with  English  titles).  Pleas- 
ing, melodic  mythical-kingdom  stuff  about 
singing  prince  of  Palamo  strayed  from  home 
but  brought  back  to  throne  by  loyal  friends. 
But  reigning  duchess  will  not  abdicate — hence 
the    play.      Light    and    agreeable.  11-3-36 

(A)    Perhaps  (Y-C)    Little  interest 

Wedding  Present  (Joan  Bennett,  Gary  Grant) 
(Para.)  Mad  farce  with  total  disregard  for 
sense  or  probability.  Fast,  dizzy  romance  of 
newspaper  reporters,  flip  dialog,  impussibly 
burlesqued  situations  becoming  often  mere 
slapstick — the  whole  amusing  or  not  accord- 
ing to  taste.  11-10-36 
(A)  Depends  on  taste     (Y)  Not  the  best     (C)  No 

Winterset  (Burgess  Meredith,  Margo)(RKO) 
Splendid  screening  of  powerful,  grim,  depress- 
ing Anderson  play.  Amid  slum  poverty  and 
deadly  gangsteriam,  hate  and  murder  are  dram- 
atized into  masterful  story  of  injustice,  ven- 
geance and  brutality.  Vivid  realism  by  great 
cast.      A   masterpiece  of   its   kind.  12-1-36 

( A )  Outstanding    (Y-C )  Harrowing,  unwholesome 

Without  Orders  (Armstrong.  Eilers)  (RKO) 
Supposed  glorification  of  air-transport  service, 
by  contrasting  hero-pilot  with  utterly  cowardly 
and  caddish  rival,  made  merely  sensational 
nerve-wracker.  Features  hard-drinking  by  pi- 
lots, non -opening  parachutes,  heroine's  in- 
possible  heroics,  etc.  11-17-36 
(A)  Mediocre              (Y)  Better  not  (C)  No 

Wives  Never  Know  (Boland,  Ruggles,  Men- 
jou)(Para.)  Typical  Boland-Ruggles  farce  com- 
edy. Married  happiness  interrupted  when  social 
"philosopher"  convinces  them  that  Charlie 
should  be  bad  so  Mary  can  forgive.  Deft  com- 
edy, bordering  burlesque  and  ending  in  regular 
"chase".  Amusing  domestic  travesty.  10-13-36 
(A)  Amusing      (Y)  Mature      (C)  Little  interest 

A  Woman  Rebels  (K.  Hepburn,  H.  Marshall) 
(RKO)  Finely  done  Victorian  drama  with  au- 
thentic background,  atmosphere  and  quiet  charm 
of  the  era.  Motherless  heroine's  youthful  ro- 
mance and  betrayal,  her  fortitude  in  raising 
child,  finding  true  romance  and  mature  happi- 
ness told  with  delicacy  and  restraint.  11-10-36 
(A)  Excellent       (Y)  Prob.  too  mature       (C)  No 

Women  Are  Trouble  (Stuart  Erwin.  Paul 
Kelly,  Florence  Rice)  (MGM)  Another  newspa- 
per-gangster picture.  Post-prohibition  gangs 
hold  big  city  helpless,  including  press  and  po- 
lice —  but  the  "sob  sister"  solves  all  by  her 
amateur  camera  and  cleverness.  Thrill-build- 
ing by  formula.  11-10-36 
(A)  Hardly                  (Y)  Perhaps  (C)  No 


December,  1936 


Page  315 


SPLENDID  NEW  RCA  VICTOR 
PHONOGRAPH-RADIOS  FOR  SCHOOLS  COMBINE 


Magnificent  all-electric  combination 
instruments  offer  keen  reception  and 
crystal-clear  reproduction.  Rugged 
construction  assures  maximum  utility 
in  classroom  or  school  auditorium! 

Schools  everywhere  find  the  radio  and  phonograph 
important  and  indispensable  links  in  the  chain  of 
modern  education.  However,  truly  modern  schools 
are  replacing  outmoded  instruments  with  new 
phonograph-radio  combinations. 

RCA  Victor's  new  1937  combinations  are  the 
finest  ever  built  at  Radio  Headquarters.  These  mag- 
nificent new  all-electric  phonograph-radios  fea- 
ture RCA  Victor's  most  important  radio  and 
phonograph  advances.  They  are  specifically  de- 
signed to  meet  the  exacting  requirements  of 
schools.  They  mean  more  interesting  lessons — 
lessons  that  actually  live — that  are  easy  to  teach  and 
easy  to  learn. 

Note  the  many  fine  features  shown  with  illustra- 


•  KC;A  Victor  Automatic  I'lionograph-Radio  9-U  .  .  .  Radio  fea- 
tures include  Magic  Voice,  Magic  Brain,  Magic  Eye,  Metal  Tubes. 
Tuning  range  from  150-410  to  530-60,000  kcs.  High-Frequency 
Tone  Control,  Music-Speech  Control,  Selector  Dial  and  others. 
Phonograph  features  improved  tone  arm,  automatic  record 
changer,  automatic  stop.  High  fidelity  reproduction.  Has  ample 
power  for  largest  auditoriums.  An  exceptional  value.  S250.00. 


^am^^. 


tions  of  the  two  phonograph-radio  models  on  this 
page.  These  are  typical  of  the  high  quality  offered 
by  RCA  Victor,  yet  in  spite  of  them,  costs  are  ex- 
tremely low. 

See  your  nearest  dealer  for  a  demonstration  of 
either  or  both  of  these  instruments  in  your  school, 
and  remember  that  if  either  of  them  does  not  meet 
your  requirements  one  of  the  many  other  RCA 
Victor  models  will.  Write  today  for  your  free  copy 
of  the  new  catalog,  "Sound  Service  for  Schools." 

Listen  to  the  "Magic  Key  of  RCA"  every  Sunday,  2  to  3  P.  M.,  E.  S.  T.,  on  NBC  Blue  Network 


•  RCA  Victor  Phono- 
graph-Radio Model  7U-2 
.  .  .  Plays  10"  and  12"  rec- 
ords .  .  .  has  new  electric 
pick-up  and  tone  arm,  im- 
proved automatic  stop  and 
start  switch.  Magic  Eye, 
Metal  Tubes,  3-band  tun- 
ing range  for  domestic, 
foreign,  police,  aviation 
and  amateur  broadcasts. 

S129.50. 
All  prices  f.o.b.  Camden  N.  j. 


emee 


EDUCATIONAL  DEPARTMENT 


RCA  MANUFACTURING  COMPANY,  INC.,  CAMDEN,  N.  J. 


A  service  of  the  Radio  Corporation  of  America 


Page  316 


The  Educational  Screen 


|Film  Production  in  the  Educdtional  Field 


Problems  in  Sound  Film  Production 

FROM  time  to  time  the  question  will  arise  in  a 
'  school  as  to  whether  it  should  produce  16  mm. 
silent  films  or  16  mm.  sound  films.  Ignoring  com- 
pletely the  debatable  question  as  to  whether  sound  or 
silent  films  are  better  for  specific  teaching  purposes, 
there  are  definite  technical  problems  concerned  with 
sound  recording  which  need  scrutiny. 

There  are  three  general  methods  of  securing  a  16 
mm.  sound  print.  One  is  to  record  the  image  and 
sound  directly  on  16  mm.  film.  Another  is  to  record 
the  image  and  sound  on  35  mm.  stock  and  later  through 
optical  reduction  to  transfer  it  to  16  mm.  isize.  Still 
another  is  to  record  the  image  on  16  mm.  film  and 
later  record  the  sound  on  35  mm.  film,  then  reducing 
it  on  to  the  16  mm.  picture.  Experience  has  proven 
that  the  latter  two  methods  are  more  desirable  from 
a  quality  standpoint.  Unfortunately  these  methods  are 
expensive. 

In  sound  recording,  the  pictures  are  not  taken  at 
16  frames  per  second  as  in  silent  films  but  at  24  frames 
per  second.  This  increase  in  film  speed  is  to  allow 
the  sound  recording  device  to  better  accommodate  a 
wide  range  of  frequencies.  This  means  that  inasmuch 
as  the  film  is  moving  more  rapidly  past  the  lens,  each 
individual  picture  or  frame  will  receive  less  light  and 
we  must  increase  the  intensity  of  our  lighting,  or  lens 
speed  proportionately.  As  we  have  discussed  in  a 
previous  issue,  the  average  high  school  production  has 
none  too  much  light  even  with  the  silent  films.  Here, 
then,  is  a  very  practical  problem  to  be  faced  in  mak- 
ing sound  films. 

We  must  also  figure  that  our  raw  film  cost  will  be 
increased  50%  due  to  this  increased  speed  of  the  film. 
This  is  the  same  method  we  normally  use  to  make 
slow  motion  photography  except  in  projecting  the 
sound  films  we  show  them  at  24  instead  of  16  thus 
bringing  it  back  to  normal  again. 

Many  difficult  acoustical  problems  must  be  solved 
in  the  production  of  a  sound  film.  The  professional 
studios  have  sound-proof  rooms  and  all  equipment 
designed  to  minimize  extraneous  noises.  The  acous- 
tical treatment  is  designed  to  give  just  the  right 
amount  of  reverberation.  A  school  might  do  the  same 
thing  but  so  often  it  is  not  done  and  the  recordings  are 
made  in  any  room  withotrt  consideration  of  its  acous- 
tical properties.  After  all.  if  a  sound  film  is  to  be  used 
for  teaching  purposes  it  must  be  intelligible  or  it  ob- 
viously will  defeat  its  purpose.  Too  much  stress, 
therefore,  cannot  be  laid  pn  the  necessity  for  an  ade- 
quate recording  room. 

Another   problem   which   sooner   or   later   always 

■  in  amateur  sound  work  is  that  of  training  the 

whoever  is  to  be  in  the  film,  to  not  only  act 


Conducted  by  F.  W.  DAVIS 

Department  of  Photography 
Ohio  State  UnlversttY.  Columbus 

before  the  camera  but  also  to  speak  into  a  microphone. 
Many  of  us  have  had  our  difficulties  with  amateur 
actors  in  training  them  to  be  at  ease,  lose  their  self- 
consciousness  before  the  camera,  and  to  look  away 
from  the  lens.  The  problem  becomes  doubly  acute 
when  a  microphone  is  introduced  on  the  set  and  the 
actors  know  that  their  voicejS  are  being  recorded. 

All  that  has  been  said  above  applies  to  all  three 
methods  of  securing  16  mm.  sound  films.  It  has  been 
the  experience  of  many  producers  that  recording  the 
necessary  range  of  frequencies  with  high  fidelity  on 
the  straight  16  mm.  process  throughout  is  extremely 
difficult.  On  the  other  hand  the  straight  35  mm.  pro- 
cess and  subsequent  optical  reduction  means  a  much 
higher  initial  cost  for  equipment  combined  with  a 
higher  film  cost.  With  this  method,  providing  one  has 
competent  cameramen,  quality  equipment  including 
lights  and  accessories  and  the  money  to  finance  the 
films,  very  excellent  results  may  be  obtained.  How- 
ever, few  schools  have  all  of  these. 

Possibly  the  most  satisfactory  method  of  i)roducing 
16  mm.  sound  films  for  a  minimum  expenditure  of 
money  is  to  make  the  16  mm.  picture  in  the  normal 
manner  except  at  a  camera  speed  of  24  frames  per 
second  and  then  upon  completing  the  firm  have  a  re- 
cording laboratory  take  care  of  the  sound  angle.  This 
usually  takes  the  form  of  a  "dubbed  in"  lecture  which 
is  recorded  on  an  elaborate  35  mm.  machine  and  later 
reduced  on  to  the  original  16  mm.  print.  Many  sound 
films  are  of  this  type,  namely,  a  lecturer  speak- 
ing throughout  the  film.  The  cost  of  this  process 
while  not  as  high  as  direct  35  mm.  throughout,  is  still 
considerably  higher  than  16  mm.  silent. 

The  purpose  of  this  entire  discussion  of  sound 
recording  is  not  to  discourage  any  attempts  of  the 
amateur  producer  but  simply  to  acquaint  the  reader 
with  a  few  of  the  problems  of  those  who  have  already 
had  experience  in  this  field. 

Teaching  Local  History  Through  Motion  Pictures 

According  to  a  rejxirt  sent  by  Robert  W.  Peabody, 
supervising  principal  of  the  school,  the  pupils  in  Grade 
VI  in  the  Laurel  Hill  Avenue  Platoon  School,  Provi- 
dence, Rhode  Island,  learned  their  local  history  last 
year  through  the  production  of  a  six-reel  film  depicting 
the  early  history  of  the  state.  The  necessary  funds  for 
the  production  of  the  film  were  provided  by  the  Rhode 
Island  Chapter  of  the  National  Society  of  Colonial 
Dames.  The  pupils  participated  in  securing  the  neces- 
sary historical  data,  in  constructing  scenery,  in  dram- 
atization of  the  story,  and  in  the  many  other  activities 
necessary  to  produce  the  film. 


ffmn 


ItlVIDELY  USED  16:;:  SOUND  PICTURE  PROJECTOR 


In  CCC  CAMPS  and  U.  S. 
FORESTRY  SERVICE  the 
sturdy,  "fool  proof"  easy-lo- 
use Animatophone  has  prac- 
tically excluded  all  other 
l6mm  sound  equipment. 


■1 

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NOT  AT  ANY  PRICE  con  these,  and 
other  valuable  features  responsible  for 
Animatophone  leadership,  be  had  in  any 
Sound  Projector  other  than 

VICTOR 

****AUTOMATIC  SAFETY  TRIPS 
that  prevent  costly  film  mutilation  (endorsed 
by  all  film  libraries)  .  .  Easy  to  clean  SU- 
PER SOUND  SYSTEM  that  insures  per- 
fect performance  always  .  .  .  SUPER  HI- 
POWER  ILLUMINATION  with  QUIET, 
SPIRA-DRAFT  VENTILATION  that  pro- 
longs lamp  LIFE  and  EFFICIENCY  .  .  . 
Simple,  sturdy  construction  .  .  SUPERIOR 
SOUND  and  Unsurpossed  PICTURE 
QUALITY.  For  definite  PROOF,  ask  to 
see  and  hear  ANIMATOPHONE  per- 
form.    Why  not  NOW  ? 


CTOR  ANIMATOGRAPH  CORPORATION 


In  INDUSTRY,  light  weight, 
compact  and  efficient  Ani- 
matophone, with  its  many 
superiorities,  has  won  a  prom- 
inent-user following  that  has 
no  equal. 

In  the  service  of  SCHOOLS, 
UNIVERSITIES,  and 
CHURCHES  Animatophone 
outnumbers  all  other  l6mm 
sound  projectors  by  a  decid- 
edly substantial  margin. 

On  SHIPS  sailing  the  seven 
seas — on  TRAINS  entertain- 
ing passengers  with  sound 
pictures  —  l6mm  Animato- 
phone knows  no  competition, 
for  it  alone  provides  finest  re- 
production, trouble-free  per- 
formance and  absolute  safety 
along  with  Automatic  "cut-off" 


Protection  Against  Film  Mu- 


tilation. North,  East,  South 
and  West  —  At  Home  and 
Abroad  —  ANIMATO- 
PHONE'S  all-round  SU- 
PERIORITY has  made  it  the 
great  popular  choice! 


I  r>c  AKin^ci  cc  Kjcvtf  vnoe  riTv 


Page  3  1 8 


The  Educational  Screen 


New  Film  R 


eledses 


Film  on  Progressive  Education 

With  educators  this  year  celebrating  the  one-hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  U.  S.  PubHc 
School  system  by  Horace  Mann,  the  March  of  Time 
has  come  out  with  a  highly  illuminating  and  timely 
motion  picture  entitled  New  School  for  Old,  in  which 
the  theories  and  practices  of  Progressive  Education 
are  vividly  portrayed. 

In  gathering  material  for  the  picture,  three  March 
of  Time  camera  crews  spent  six  weeks  of  intensive 
work  in  Progressive  schools  from  coast  to  coast,  film- 
ing among  others  the  activities  of  the  public  schools 
of  Santa  Monica,  Cal.,  and  Bronxville,  New  York ;  the 
Antioch  School  at  Yellow  Springs.  Ohio ;  Kenwood 
Heights  at  Springfield,  Ohio;  Edgewood  School  at 
Greenwich,  Conn.;  Hessian  Hills  at  Croton-on-Hud- 
son,  New  York;  and  the  Woodbury  School  of  Ports- 
mouth, New  Hampshire. 

All  told,  hundreds  of  youngsters  from  these  Pro- 
gressive Educational  centers  perform  before  the  cam- 
era their  daily  activities  of  learning  to  cope  with  prac- 
tical everyday  problems  by  participating  in  projects 
that  range  in  variety  from  purchasing  and  preparing 
their  own  luncheons  to  the  collective  enterprises  of 
building  and  governing  model  villages,  raising  and 
marketing  pet  animals  and  supervising  their  own  paint- 
ing, sculptoring  and  manual  training  classes. 

Among  Progressive  Education's  most  enthusiastic 
advocates  are  Dr.  John  Dewey  and  Columbia  Uni- 
versity's Dr.  William  H.  Kilpatrick,  both  of  whom 
appear  in  the  film.  The  film  also  shows  Dr.  William 
C.  Bagley  of  Columbia  University  expounding  some 
of  the  beliefs  that  have  made  him  Progressive  Edu- 
cation's chief  critic.  In  this  first  attempt  to  film  so 
comprehensive  a  subject  as  elementary  education  in 
the  United  States,  the  March  of  Time  has  produced 
an  enlightening  and  valuable  document. 

New  Studio  to  Produce  16mm  Films 

Visioning  a  great  future  for  16  mm.  motion  pic- 
tures, the  Carl  Theobald  Productions  Inc.,  North 
Hollywood,  California,  are  erecting  a  complete 
studio  for  the  production  of  16m.  films  exclusively, 
which  will  be  distributed  throughout  the  world. 

The  organization  starts  to  function  with  a  per- 
sonnel of  25  people,  among  them  being  Mr.  Theo- 
bald, President  of  the  organization  and  formerly 
associated  with  UFA  Films  of  Germany,  Mr.  Jos- 
eph De  Grasse,  formerly  a  director  with  Universal 
Studios,  Herbert  May,  eastern  script  writer,  Charlie 
Diltz,  well  known  writer  and  film  editor,  and  H.  C. 
SchimpfF,  who  organized  Ailfiliated  Film  Libraries. 
Mr.  A.  C.  Trapp,  industrialist  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  is 
financially  associated  with  the  project. 


This  new  organization  is  seeking  to  purchase 
unusual  shots  in  16mm  and  will  welcome  any  such 
material  anyone  has  to  of¥er.  They  will  also  wel- 
come new  writers,  ideas  and  special  films,  suited 
to  the  needs  of  the  studio  for  production  or  dis- 
tribution. 

Distribution  of  films  will  be  mainly  through  Af- 
filiated Film  Libraries,  an  international  distribut- 
ing unit  for  16mm.  films  and  equipment. 

Industrial  Subjects 

Let's  Be  Modern  is  the  title  of  a  sound  film  just  pro- 
duced for  Northwestern  Yeast  Company  by  Chicago 
Film  Laboratory.  The  film  deals  with  the  "No  Knead" 
method  of  bread  making,  and  contrasts  bread  making 
years  ago  with  the  modern  method.  More  than  fifty 
prints  of  the  film  are  being  made  available  for  national 
circulation. 

Other  recent  film  productions  from  Chicago  Film 
Laboratory  include ;  The  International  Trail  for  the 
International  Harvester  Company ;  Solid  Foods  in  the 
Infant  Dietary  for  Libby  McNeil  &  Libby;  Star  of 
Motordom  for  Studebaker  Corporation;  and  Sales 
Training  on  the  Floor  for  Montgomery  Ward  and 
Company. 

The  possibility  of  vast  increases  in  the  use  of  farm 
crops  in  industry  provides  the  theme  for  a  new  educa- 
tional sound  film.  Farms  of  the  Future,  produced  by  the 
Ford  Motor  Company  and  distributed  through  local 
Ford  dealers.  Included  in  the  film  is  the  story  of  the 
soy  bean.  Early  experimental  work,  development  of 
simplified  soy  bean  oil  extraction  plants,  plant  opera- 
tion, and  the  production  of  automobile  parts  from  soy 
bean  meal  are  shown. 

The  film  presents  the  belief  of  Henry  Ford  that  the 
problem  of  farm  surpluses  can  best  be  solved  through 
greater  utilization  of  farm  crops  by  industry.  The 
dramatic  achievements  in  farm  crop  conversion  and 
the  part  played  by  chemistry  in  these  achievements  also 
are  pictured. 

Motion  Picture  Depicts  Prison  Conditions 

A  16  mm.  silent  motion  picture  taken  inside  three 
Maryland  prisons  and  concentrating  on  the  problem 
of  prison  idleness  has  been  taken  by  Milton  Stark  of 
Stark  Films,.  Baltiitiore,  for  the  Maryland  Commission 
on  Prison  Labprl  '  Entitled  Idle  Hands,  the  film  was 
first, shown  at  the  Sixty-Sixth  Annual  Congress  of  the 
American  Prison  Association  in  Chicago  on  September 
16.  The  picture  will  be  shown  to  business,  civic,  re- 
ligious and  fraternal  organizations  throughout  the  State 
to  awaken  the  citizens  of  Maryland  to  the  seriousness 
of  the  convict  situation. 


December,  19}  6 


Page  319 


NOW  the  practical 

TRIPOD  SCREEN 

II  ERE'S    NEWS    for     you   —   A 
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thumb -screws   —   automatic   spring 
release  catches  hold  the  screen  just 

P 

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Place  it  anywhere  —  in  classrooms, 
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News   and    Notes 

(Concluded  from  page  310) 

H.  K.  Douthit  of  Curtis  School  of  Agricul- 
ture, of  the  advisability  of  organizing  a  Visual  Edu- 
cation Association  for  that  District. 

R.  A.  Wood,  of  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  Retires 

On  November  30,  1936,  after  twenty-six  years  of 
service  with  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  at  the  Pitts- 
burgh Experiment  Station,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years, 
R.  A.  Wood,  Supervising  Engineer,  Graphic  Section, 
was  retired  on  a  pension.  His  duties  have  been  to 
supervise  the  making  of  drawings  and  photographs 
used  to  illustrate  the  publications  of  the  Bureau,  and 
the  circulation  of  the  3,502  reels  of  motion  pictures 
which  last  year  received  76,607  showings,  80  percent  of 
which  were  in  schools  and  20  percent  to  scientific,  pro- 
fessional, industrial,  religious  and  social  organizations. 

Mr.  Wood  was  born  in  the  village  of  Woodburn, 
Illinois.  At  the  age  of  20  he  entered  the  University 
of  Illinois,  and  with  the  aid  of  loans  of  money  from 
his  family  and  friends,  teaching  drafting  and  kine- 
matics as  "Fellow  in  Mechanical  Engineering",  at  the 
University,  he  worked  his  way  through,  receiving  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science,  and,  after  a  year  of 
post-graduate  work,  the  degree  of  Mechanical  Engi- 
neer. On  graduating  from  the  University,  he  entered 
the  service  of  the  American  Luxfer  Prism  Company 
of  Chicago,  and  after  a  total  of  eleven  years  with  the 
Luxfer  Prism  Company  went  to  the  Bureau  of  Mines 
at  Pittsburgh  in  1910,  the  year  Congress  created  the 
Bureau. 

Mr.  Louis  F.  Perry,  chief  draftsman,  long  asso- 
ciated in  the  work  of  the  graphic  section,  is  taking  Mr. 
Wood's  place  as  supervising  engineer  of  the  graphic 
section  and  a  new,  at  present  unemployed  man,  is  tak- 
ing Mr.  Perry's  place. 


New  Instructional  Films 

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recently  added  to  our  library  include  Physical 
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Page  320 


The  Educational  Screen 


School  Depdrtment 


Screen   Techniques    For    Still    Projectors 

SCREENS  are  designed  with  uniform  surfaces  and 
with  uniform  reflecting  and  diffusing  qualities. 
Every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  ensure  years  of 
service  from  the  screen  without  changing  these  char- 
acteristics. Carelessness  in  handling  and  improper  use 
mar  the  screen  surface,  and  in  some  cases  utterly  de- 
stroy the  whole  screen.  Wrinkles  in  the  screen,  marks 
and  (Scratches  on  the  surface,  finger  prints,  and  blem- 
ishes made  by  rolling  insects  in  the  screen  constitute 
some  of  the  common  injuries  to  screen  surfaces.  One 
guiding  principle  is :  Keep  hands  and  everything  else 
from  the  screen  surface.  Every  mark  or  blemish 
changes  the  reflecting  and  diffusing  qualities  of  the 
screen.  For  instance,  a  dark  mark  on  the  screen  does 
not  reflect  the  light  as  much  as  the  normal  surface. 
A  finger  mark  usually  reflects  more  light  than  the 
regular  surface,  because  of  the  oily  ispot  left  by  the 
finger.  Where  wrinkles  occur  in  the  beaded  screen, 
numerous  "beads"  are  broken  from  the  surface  and 
hence  such  places  appear  as  dark  streaks  on  the  screen. 
If  teachers  will  observe  the  precautions  given  in  the 
next  paragraph,  the  life  of  the  screen  will  be  appre- 


directory  available  of  educational  films  and 
their  sources  —  the  new 

12th  EDITION  of 

"1000  and  One  Blue  Book  of  Films" 

152  pp.,  4500  films 

carefully  classified  according  to  subject,  and  listed  in  144  numbered 
subject  groups.  Information  given  on  each  film — whether  16  mm.  or 
35  mm.,  silent  or  sound,  number  of  reels,  description  of  contents, 
distributors  from  which  films  are  available  (220  such  distributors 
included)  and  range  of  prices  charged  by  them. 

Price  25c  to  Subscribers  of 

EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN 

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Use  the  coupon  below  for  your  order,  _ 


Educational  Screen,  .^  .^  - 

64  E.  Lake  St.,  Chicasro.-Ill., 

Send  me  the  12th  edition  of  S'lOOO  and  One" 

Enter  my  subscription  to  Educational  Screen  for 

\- 
and  send  me  copy  of  "1000  and  One"  for  25c. 
Check  enclosed  for 
Bill  me  for  subscription  and  "1000  and  One"  □ 

Name 

Address 


75c  enclosed  □ 

1  yr.    $2.00  D 

2  yrs.  $3.00  D 

$2.25  n 


$3.25 


Conducted  by  DR.  F.  DEAN  McCLUSKY 

Director,  Scarborough  School,  Scarborough-on-Hudson,  N.  Y. 

ciably  lengthened.  Then  if  the  few  "tricks  of  the 
trade"  given  below  are  followed,  better  projection  re- 
sults will  be  obtained. 

Don't  scratch  and  beat  the  screen  with  the  ruler,  or 
pointer.  Such  practices  mar  the  screen  surface.  Never 
delineate  the  screen  picture  with  the  finger,  or  spread 
the  whole  hand  on  the  screen  in  an  attempt  to  "show" 
something  to  the  class.  Rulers,  meter  sticks,  and 
pointers  are  usually  dirty  from  being  on  the 
floor  or  in  the  chalk  trays.  The  fingers  and  the 
hand  usually  have  some  dirt  or  moisture  on  them. 
Such  objects  placed  on  the  screen  surface  will  change 
the  reflecting  and  diffusing  characteristics  of  the 
screen. 

Music  teachers  seem  prone  to  beat,  jab,  and  scrape 
the  screen  surface  in  an  endeavor  to  emphasize  the 
music  when  the  song  slide  is  used.  Geography  teachers 
appear  to  delight  in  pawing  and  palming  the  whole 
screen  with  either  one  or  both  hands  in  an  effort  to 
cover  large  areas.  Science  teachers  seem  to  enjoy 
pecking  the  screen  with  the  pointer,  taking  broadside 
slaps  at  it,  and  even  drilling  into  the  screen  and  twist- 
ing the  pointer  into  the  devious  parts  of  the  mechanism 
portrayed  while  explaining  "how  the  things  works". 
All  these  practices  constitute  bad  habits  and  poor 
screen  techniques.  They  result  in  permanent  injury 
to  the  screen  and  screen  surface.  What  should  be  done 
about  it?  may  be  asked.  It  is  all  very  simple.  The 
answer  is  given  herewith. 

If,  in  the  use  of  the  opaque  screen,  the  pointer  is 
held  a  few  feet  in  front  of  it  a  very  sharply  defined 
shadow  will  be  thrown  on  the  screen.  This  shadow  can 
be  directed  to  the  exact  spot  on  the  screen  under  discus- 
sion at  the  moment.  This  scheme  will  avoid  undue 
stretching  to  indicate  items  at  the  extreme  top  of  the 
screen.  Simply  move  back  a  few  feet  towards  the  pro- 
jector and  elevate  the  pointer,  then  use  the  shadow  as 
the  "pointer"  on  the  screen.  This  plan  can  be  used  with 
all  projectors — lantern  slide,  opaque,  filmslide,  and 
even  with  the  motion  picture  machine  while  using  the 
opaque  screen.  With  the  lantern  slide  projector  it  is 
easy  to  use  another  device  also.  Insert  a  thin  strip, 
such  as  a  nail  file,  in  the  machine  near  the  glass  slide, 
and  a  shadow  will  appear  on  the  screen.  These  prac- 
tices will  save  the  screen  surface  and  point  specifically 
to  the  desired  parts  on  the  screen. 

A  common  bad  practice  in  the  use  of  the  translu- 
cent screen  is  for  the  teacher  to  stand  in  front  of  the 
screen  (and  hence  in  front  of  a  major  portion  of  the 
members  of  the  class)   and  direct  the  pointer  to  the 

{Concluded  on  page  322) 


December,  1936 


Page  321 


The  D«-Lite 
Challenger 


— One  of  many 
types  for  school 
requirements 


Only 

THE  CHALLENGER 

Can   Give  You   ALL 
of  these  Advantages 


Before  you  buy  any 
screens^  see  the  Chal- 
lenger and  other  Da- 
Lite  values  at  your 
dealer's. 


1.    Quick  Set-Up 

Simplest  to  erect  of  all  portables, 
the  Da-Lite  Challenger  Screen  can 
be  set  up  quickly  anywhere.  Open 
legs  of  tripod!  Swing  metal  case  to 
horizontal !  Hook  screen  over  goose- 
neck of  rear  support  and  lift!  No 
thumb  screws.  Support  locks  auto- 
matically at  height  desired. 

2.    Bright  Pictures 

Unless  otherwise  specified,  the  Chal- 
lenger is  equipped  with  the  famous 
Da  Lite  glass-beaded  surface,  which 
reflects  the  maximum  light  and 
gives  the  sharpest,  clearest  pictures. 

3.    Perfect  Alignment 

A  special  non-sag,  tubular  slat  at 
the  top  of  the  screen  holds  the 
screen  fabric  rigidly  in  place,  as- 
suring perfectly  aligned  and  uni- 
formly focused  pictures. 

4.    Maximum  Portability 

Light  in  weight.    Folds  to  compact 
proportions  for  easy  carrying. 


Write    today    for 
catalogue! 


5.    Seven  Sizes 

30"  X  to"  up  to  70"  X  94"  inclusive. 

DA-LITE  SCREEN   COMPANY,  INC. 

2723  N.  Crawford  Ave.  Chicago,  Illinois 


Da-Lite  Screens 


AND       MOVIE       ACCESSORIES 


llf  iiitiii 


For  its  effect  on  School  Audiences 

Better  Quality  Projection  is 

Emphatically  Worthwhile 


BRILLIANT,  sharply  detailed  screen  pictures  are 
an  important  factor  in  obtaining  the  response 
you  look  for  in  visual  education.    What  does 
it  avail  the  lecturer  to  point  out  the  significance  of 
details  if  they  are  obscure  on  the  screen? 

Especially  in  auditorium  assemblies,  it  is  worth 
while  to  make  sure  of  projection  apparatus  capable 
of  effective  work  at  the  distances  required. 

Take  the  first  opportunity  to  investigate  the 
Spencer  Model  J  Glass  Slide  Auditorium  Delineascope. 
You  can  obtain  with  it  the  correct  focus  objective 
for  the  auditorium  in  w^hich  it  is  to  be  used.  It  may 
be  had  with  the  Spencer  Transposer  or  the  standard 
double  slide  carrier. 


Spencer  Lens  Company 

Buffalo  ^B  New  York 


For   complete   information   write 

for  Folder  K-78.    Please  address 

Dept.  R-12. 


SPENCER  LENS  COMPANY 
Dept.  R-12 
Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Please  send  me  Folder  K-78  describing  Spencer  Delineaseopes. 

Name 

Address 


SP 

1 

ER 

)PES 

-1 

Page  322 


The  Educational  Screen 


16  MM.  SOUND-ON-FILM  for  RENT 

Lists  are  free  —  either  sound  or  silent  films. 
Oar   rates    (we    honestly    believe)    are    the    lowest   in    the    U.    S.    A. 

All  programs  unconditionally  guaranteed. 

All  postage  on   films  —  both   to   and  from  destination  —  paid  by  us. 

We  are  organized  for  service— not  for  profit. 

May  we  save  you  money  on  your  equipment?     Try  us  I 

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TWO  NEW  SCIENCE  AIDS 

FOR       PROGRESSIVE       TEACHERS 

PRINCIPLES    OF    PHYSICS  PRINCIPLES   OF   CHEMISTRY 

The  visualization  of  high  school  The  core  of  the  year's   work  in 

physics  on  35  mm.  film  slides  for  chemistry  especially  adapted  for 

classroom  use.  review. 

Descriptive  literature  and  sample  strip  of 
typical  frames  sent  on  request.     Address : 

VISUAL    SCIENCES  —  Suffern,    N.Y. 


MAKE   YOUR   OWN 

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"SIMPLE  DIRECTIONS  FOR  MAKING  VISUAL  AIDS" 
by  Lillian  Heathershaw.  Drake  University,  Dea  Moines,  Iowa 

with  directions  for  making :  Etched  Glass  Slides,  using  Colored  Pencils ; 
Etched  Glass  Slides,  usine  Colored  Inks ;  Paper  Cut-out  Lantern  Slides  ; 
Ceramic  Lantern  Slides ;  India  Ink  Lantern  Slides ;  Stillfllms ;  Cello- 
phane Lantern  Slides ;  Photographic  Lantern  Slides ;  Film  Slides ;  The 
Electric  Map ;  Spatter  Work  ;  Pencil  Outlines  of  Leaves  ;  Carbon  Copies 
of  Leaves  ;  Leaf  Prints  from  Carbon  Paper  ;  Blue  Prints  ;  Sepia  Prints. 

Price  25c.    Send  coin  or  stamps  to 
EDUCATIONAL  SCREEN  64  E.  Lake  St.,  ChicaKo 


item  under  discussion.  \\'hen  this  i)lan  is  followed, 
pupils  sitting  at  various  angles  to  the  screen  cannot 
tell  exactly  what  is  indicated.  A  better  practice  is  for 
the  teacher  to  stand  even  with,  or  slightly  back  of  the 
screen  and  hold  the  pointer  a  few  inches  back  of  the 
screen  (never  against  the  surface).  A  sharply  de- 
fined shadow  will  fall  on  the  screen  and  on  the  exact 
spot  desired.  The  picture  can  be  seen  from  the  back 
of  the  screen  almost  as  clearly  as  from  in  front  of  it, 
and  hence  no  undue  strain  is  placed  upon  the  teacher 
who  employes  this  technique.  Class  participation  will 
be  materially  improved  thereby. 

Teachers  are  urged  to  refrain  from  the  bad  prac- 
tices indicated  above  and  to  use  the  technique  sug- 
gested above  for  saving  the  screen  in  improving  the 
quality  of  instruction. 

By      WILBER       EMMERT 

State  Teachers  College.   Indiana,   Pa. 

Christmas  Poem  Illustrated  with  Slides 

The  current  December  issue  of  The  Instructor  re- 
produces seven  drawings  for  handmade  lantern  slides 
which  make  excellent  pictures  to  illustrate  the  poem, 
"A  Visit  from  St.  Nicholas."  Emma  B.  Golden. 
Supervisor  of  Teacher  Training  at  Fort  Hays  State 
College,  Hays,  Kansas,  gives  the  following  simple 
directions  on  how  to  make  slides  from  these  drawings. 

"With  a  soft  lead  pencil,  trace  the  sketches  on  the 
glass  plates.  Outline  the  drawings  with  a  water-color 
pencil,  and  fill  in  the  open  spaces  of  the  sketches  with 
various  shades  of  water-color  pencils,  until  the  desired 
color  shades  are  produced.  The  addition  of  a  very 
small  amount  of  water  will  produce  a  smoother  color 
surface.  Since  water  color  is  transparent,  it  will  pro- 
duce a  clear  colored  picture  when  shown  in  the  lantern. 
.  .  .  India  ink  copies  of  the  sketches  on  ordinary  clear 
glass  plates  will  produce  very  satisfactory  slides,  al- 
though they  will  not  be  as  attractive  when  projected 
as  the  water-color  slides." 

Recitation  of  the  poem  while  the  slides  are  shown 
makes  a  delightful  number  for  a  Christmas  program. 

A  Report  of  Motion  Pictures  in  Biology 

Two  valuable  reprints  of  material  from  the  Journal 
of  the  Biological  Photographic  Association  have  just 
reached  us.  One  is  a  6-page  "Report  of  the  Committee 
on  Standards  for  Motion  Pictures  of  Biological  Ma- 
terial," reprinted  from  the  June  1936  issue  of  that 
Journal,  listing  standards  for  educational  films  as  to 
size,  color,  sound  and  silent  films,  photographic  tech- 
nique, presentation,  use  of  titles,  subject  matter,  and 
intrinsic  value  of  the  finished  film.  We  quote  some  of 
the  conclusions  of  the  Committee : 

For  general  use  the  16mm.  size  will  usually  be  found 
preferable  because  of  lower  cost  and  more  generally 
available  projection  facilities. 

Color  films  are  preferable  to  black  and  white  when 

{Concluded  on  page  324) 


December,  1936 


Page  323 


Two    Notable 
Additions 


to     the 


KEYSTONE   SERIES 


of 


Units  in  the 
Social    Studies 


The  Lincoln  Highway 

With  fifty  Keystone  third-dimension  pic- 
tures and  fifty  Keystone  lantern  slides 
you  may  follow  the  story  of  America  from 
the  Atlantic  Coast  to  the  Pacific  —  you 
may  see  vivid  representations  of  those 
varied   facts  that   make  America   great. 


25  Subjects 
25  Subjects 


From  New  York 
to  Omaha 

From  Omaha  to 
San  Francisco 


Selections  of  subject's  photographed  and 
Teachers'  Manuals  for  each  Unit  by 
Zoe  E.  Thralls,  School  of  Education 
University   of   Pittsburgh,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 

Prospectus  or  further  information 
will  be  sent  on  request. 


Keystone  View  Co. 

Meadville,  Penna. 


USEES  ALL-PLAYS  ALL  I 
niveksaL 

16MM.   SOUND   PROJECTOR 

FOR  AUDIENCES  50  to  2000 

The  new  UNIVERSAL  SOUND  PROJECTOR 
excels  in  qualify,  performance  and  dura- 
bility. Never  before  have  so  many  features 
been  offered  in  sound  on  film  equipment 
at  such  a  low  cost. 

iALL  YOU  WANT  IS  HERE 

Quickly  focused  to  a  brilliant, 
steady    image    and    easy    on 
films,  a  Universal  gives  all  that 
you  want  in  a   16  mm.  sound 
projector.   Operates  almost  as 
simply  as  your  radio.  The  touch 
of    a    finger    speedily    adapts 
volume   to   any   size    audi- 
ence.  Compactly  portable 
in  two  carrying   cases. 
Complete,    ready  to    plug 
in.    No  extras  to  buy. 

COMPARE 

Try  a  UNIVERSAL 
side  by  side  with 
any  machine  on  the 
market.  You  owe 
this  test  to  your- 
self before  making 
a  decision. 


TRUE  TONE  QUALITY— Re- 
sults obtained  with  Universal 
Portable  16  mm.  Sound  Pro- 
jector are  the  same  for  fidel- 
ity of  sound  as  in  the  pro- 
fessional theatre.  Every  sound 
is  rich  and  round  with  a  fine 
definition. 

EASY     OPERATION— Anyone 

can  quickly  learn  to  operate. 
Trained  operator  not  neces- 
sary. PROJECTOR  AND  AM- 
PLIFIER arranged  and 
marked,  making  operation  er- 
ror  unlikely. 

PRICED  LOW  —  Considering 
the  Professional  Construction 
— Rugged  Design — Superb  Pic- 
ture —  True  Tone  Quality  — 
Universal's  Low  Price  con- 
tributes to  a  wider  use  of 
Talking  Pictures.  The  upkeep 
is    economical. 


BRILLIANT  PICTURE— Pro- 
jector etjuipped  with  finest  Op- 
tical Units  obtainable.  500  or 
760  Watt  Projector  Lamp 
gives  brilliant,  sharp  image 
in  sizes  up  to  9'  x  12'  and 
over  and  at  distances  up  to 
100'  or  more. 

LESS    WORKING    PARTS    — 

Simplicity  of  Universal  con- 
struction means  less  wear  on 
film.  Ample  spacing  is  pro- 
vided for  easy  threading.  Film 
runs  in  one  direction  through- 
out entire  mechanism  with 
minimum    tension. 

PROFESSIONAL   DESIGN   — 

Universal  16  mm.  Sound  Pro- 
jector follows  construction  as 
used  in  professional  theatre 
equipment.  The  entire  mech- 
anism differs  from  the  usual 
16  mm.  Projector.  Built  for 
continuous,  uninterrupted 
service. 


Complete  Details  On  Request 

UNIVERSAL  SOUND  SYSTEM,  Inc. 


Manufacturers  of  16  mm. 

Factory  &  General  Offices 

Allegheny  Ave.  at  Ninth  St., 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 


35  mm.  Sound  Projectors 

Paramount  Building 

New  York  City 

New  York 


Page  324 


The  Educational  Screen 


What  the   Eye  Sees, 
the  Mind  Remembers! 

Learning  is  a  process  of  fact  retention. 

Things    seen    are    remembered 

long   after  things   heard 

are  forgotten. 


In  teaching  Geography,  Music,  History, 
Current    Events,    make    your   task 
easier  and  better  by  entertain- 
ing   while    you    instruct. 


Consult  Universal! 

Fifteen    years    of    leadership    in    non- 
theatrical    service    have    equipped 
us    with    a    clear    insight    into 
your    needs,    and    with   the 
greatest   facilities    for 
fulfilling  them. 


Write   to   Universal's  Non -Theatrical  De- 
partment for  further  information  re- 
garding short  and  feature-length 
pictures,  travelogues,  cartoons 
and    other    educational 
motion    pictures. 


UNIVERSAL  PICTURES 
CORPORATION 


Rockefeller  Center 


New  York,  N.  Y. 


the  color  of  the  objects  photographed  is  an  essential 
feature. 

Sound  films  are  of  value  for  special  programs  and 
for  historical  purposes  to  bring  to  the  audience  the 
personality  of  a  great  person;  also  to  record  sound 
when  such  sound  is  essential.  Sound  films  cannot  be 
adapted  readily  to  a  given  lecture  or  demonstration 
because  of  their  inflexibility,  although  they  are  proving 
useful  at  the  lower  levels  of  instruction. 

Silent  lilms  will  probably  be  used  more  frequently 
in  class  teaching. 

A  good  motion  picture  must  be  more  than  a  series 
of  still  subjects. 

Material  for  the  subject  matter  of  suitable  biological 
films  is  suggested.  In  the  opinion  of  the  committee, 
the  items  listed  in  the  report  should  lead  to  the  pro- 
duction of  successful  films  and  give  a  basis  for  crit- 
ical appraisal  of  biological  motion  pictures. 

The  reprint  from  the  September  issue  of  the  Bio- 
logical Journal  "The  Use  of  Motion  Pictures  in  the 
General  Course  at  Yale,"  by  Oscar  W.  Richards, 
chairman  of  the  Committee  making  the  above  report, 
repeats  and  illustrates  many  of  the  points  brought  out 
in  the  report.  He  discusses  sound  films,  size  and 
length  of  films,  titles,  animation,  detail,  whether  to 
rent  or  to  own  films,  catalogs  and  sources,  and  cost. 

Among  the  Magazines  and  Books 

(Concluded  from  page  312) 

location.     The    studios    build    film    libraries,    from 

which  appropriate  settings  may  be  ordered. 

New  York  State  Education  (24:36-38,  Oct.  '36) 
"Radio,  Movies  and  the  Teacher",  by  Paul  C.  Reed, 
Rochester. 

This  is  the  first  of  a  series  of  nine  articles  relating 
to  the  contribution  made  by  radio  and  motion  pic- 
tures to  the  school  program.  The  directions  the 
writer  gives  are  sufficiently  simple  for  any  school 
just  entering  the  visual  field. 

Book  Review 

Values  of  Movies  and  Talkies  in  Education. 
Issued  by  Herman  A.   DeVry,  Inc.,  and  compiled 
by  A.  P.  Hollis,  Educational  Director  of  that  cor- 
poration. 

This  exceedingly  "practical"  booklet  was 
prompted,  one  might  say  also  provoked.  Ijy  the  nev- 
er-ceasing inquiries  coming  in  from  all  corners  of 
the  field  to  the  following  general  intent :  "What 
research  and  experiment  have  been  done  in  this 
field?"  "Has  anything  been  proved?"  "What  is 
really  known?  Are  there  any  'facts'  or  is  every- 
thing merely  'claims'?",  etc.  This  neatly  made 
booklet,  of  24  readable  pages  in  attractive  blue-pa- 
per-cover, is  DeVry's  quick  and  convenient  answer 
to  such  inquiries. 

The  first  few  pages  cite,  with  summary  details, 
leading  experiments  made  as  far  back  as  1921-22  to 
determine  the  teaching  values  of  silent  films.  In 
following  years  the  tests  became  more  frequent,  in- 


December,  1936 


Page  325 


AVAILABLE  FOR  THE  FIRST  TIME    IN  16MM.   SOUND-ON-FILM 

"OUR  WORLD  IN  REVIEW" 

A  weekly  series  of  EDUCATIONAL  SUBJECTS,  specially  produced  by  PATHE  NEWS.  INC., 

for  school  use  and  distributed  exclusively  through  our  organization. 
The      first     24      subjects      are      now      ready      for      delivery 

THE  WORLD  AND  ITS  PEOPLE  ><gnCfcs.  AMERICA'S  HALL  OF  FAME 

MUSIC  APPRECIATION  #16M^  MARINE  LIFE 

ART  AND  ARCHITECTURE  milfl.ffWJiW  MICROSCOPIC  STUDY 

ASTRONOMY  ^HR^  ORCHESTRAL  INSTRUMENTS 

PHYSICAL  SCIENCE  X^16>^  SPORTS 

LITERATURE 


,  _    —  _  ^^  _  -,        We  have  a  special  plan  by  which  you  may  purchase  or  rent  a  GLOBE  sound 
P  R  O  J  C  C  T  \D  R  S  --  projector  and  filnns.    Our  distributors  in  key  cities  are  ready  to  serve  you. 

Write  for  details. 


WALTER  O.  GUTLOHN,  Inc.,         35  W.  45th   St..   New   York.   N.  Y. 


eluding  the  newly  arrived  "sound'  films  and  cover- 
ing many  aspects  of  the  subject — teaching  power 
of  films  compared  to  textbooks,  possibilities  of 
large-group  instruction,  lessening  number  of  re- 
peaters, reducing  teaching  costs,  students  attitude 
toward  films,  use  of  public  address  systems  in  the 
school  field,  film  values  in  classes  of  salesmen  in 
the  industrial  field,  etc.  Included  also  are  exten- 
sive "opinions"  from  eminent  authorities,  extracts 
and  summaries  from  significant  publications,  and  a 
page  or  two  of  wise  caution  against  taking  the  film 
as  a  cure-all  when  every  visual  aid  will  have  its 
share  in  the  curative  process.  Whether  "still"  or 
"moving"  picture  is  needed  will  depend  on  place, 

Santa  Symbol  of  Health 

And  what  could  be 
a  better  symbol  of 
health  than  the  age- 
less personification  of 
the  spirit  of  Christ- 
mas? That  is  what 
the  tuberculosis  asso- 
ciations of  the  coun- 
try thought,  so  the 
jolly  face  of  Santa 
Claus  appears  this 
year  on  the  Christmas 
Seal.  This  is  the 
thirtieth  annual  sale 
and  the  tenth  time 
that  the  face  of  Old 
St.  Nick  has  been 
used  as  the  symbol  of 
health.  The  thirtieth 
seal  has  a  new  mes- 
"''~''"^^^~"^~^"^~^~^^~  sage,  more  optimistic 
than  in  former  years.  The  death  rate  from  tubercu- 
losis is  steadily  though  slowly  declining;  from  being 
the  highest  cause  of  death  it  has  become  the  seventh. 


Protect  Your  Home 
from  Tuberculosis 

BUY 
CHRISTMAS   SEALS 


time  and  subject.  More  than  two  pages  of  Bibli- 
ography and  a  Recapitulation,  or  index  page  re- 
ferring the  reader  instantly  to  any  particular  experi- 
ment, round  out  this  careful  little  job.  If  the  De- 
Vry  Corporation  issues  this  booklet  periodically, 
with  changes  and  additions  naturally  to  be  made 
each  year,  it  will  prolong  and  increase  still  further 
the  value  of  this  pertinent  bit  of  printing.  (We  un- 
derstand that  the  booklet  is  anybody's  for  the  ask- 
'"?•)  N.  L.  G. 


Ash  any  professional 
operator  to  cownpare 


THE    HOLMES 

EDUCATOR 

Sound    on   Film 
Standard   SSmm 

PROJECTOR 


with  any  projector  cost- 
ing even  double  as  much. 
It  meets  the  most  exact- 
ing requirements  of 
leading  Film  producers. 

THE    REASOIVS — 


Ball  Bearing 
Mechanism 
Projector  and 
Sound  Head 
one  unit  —  all 
moving  parts 
in  a  sealed 
tight  housing. 


$175.00 

Down  and   19 

Easy   Payments. 

No  Interest.    No 

Carrying    Charees 


Also  manufacturers  of  the   finert  of   16mm 
Projectors,   sound    and    pictures    considered. 


Free    Demonstration 
One  Year  Guarantee 


HOLMES    PROJECTOR   CO. 

"Motion  Picture  Projectors  Since  '97" 
1813  ORCHARD  ST.  CHICAGO 


Page  326 


The  Educational  Screen 


Here    They    Are 


FILMS 

Bray  Pictures  Corporation  (3,  6) 

729  Seventh  Ave.,   New  York  City 

Eastin  16  mm.  Pictures  (6) 

(Rental  Library)  Davenport.  la. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (4) 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outaide  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Co.  (1,  4) 

Teaching  Films  Division 

Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Edited  Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1,  4) 
330  W.  42nd  St.,  New  York  City 

Films,  Inc.  (5) 

330  W.  42nd   St.,  New   York  City 

19  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago 

925  N.  W.  19th  St.,  Portland,  Ore. 

Garrison  Film  Distributors  Inc.  (3,6) 
729  Seventh  Avenue,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 

Walter   O.    Gutlohn,    Inc.  (5) 

35  W.  45th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  325) 

Harvard  Film  Service  (3,  6) 

Biological    Laboratories, 

Harvard  University,  Cambridge  Mass. 
Guy  D.  Haselton's  TRAVELETTES 

7901  Santa  Monica  Blvd.,  Hollywood, 

Cal.  (1,  4) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  319) 

Institutional  Cinema  Service,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

130  W.  46th  St.,  New  York  City 
The  Manse  Library  (4,  5) 

2439  Auburn   Ave.,   Cincinnati,   O. 
(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 

Pinkney  Film  Service   Co.  (1,  4) 

1028    Forbes    St.,    Pittsburgh,    Pa. 
Ray  Bell  Films,  Inc.  (3,  6) 

2269  Ford  Rd.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 
United  Projector  and  Films  Corp.  (i,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Universal   Pictures   Corp.  (3) 

Rockefeller    Center,    New   York   City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  324) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470    Stuart    St.,    Boston,    Mass. 

Wholesome  Films  Service,  Inc.  (3,  4) 
48  Melrose   St.,   Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MOTION  PICTURE 
MACHINES  and  SUPPLIES 

The  Ampro  Corporation  (6) 

2839  N.  Western  Avenue,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  300) 

Bell  &  HoweU  Co.  (6) 

1815    Larchmont    Ave.,    Chicago,    111. 

(See  advertisement  on  inside  back  cover) 

Central  Camera  Co.  (6) 

230  S.  Wabash  Ave.,  Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 


Eastman    Kodak    Co.  (4) 

Rochester,    N.   Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  outside  back  cover) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc.  (6) 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
Edited   Pictures  System,  Inc.  (1) 

330   W.   42nd    St.,    New   York  City 

Herman   A.    DeVry,   Inc.  (3,   6) 

1111    Center    St.,    Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  298) 

The  Holmes  Projector  Co.  (3) 

1813  Orchard  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  325) 

Ideal  Pictures  Corp.  (3,  6) 

30  E.  Eighth  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  319) 

International   Projector   Corp.        (3,  6) 
90  Gold  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on   inside   front  cover) 

Motion  Picture  Screen  & 
Accessories  Co.  (3,  6) 

524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  319) 

National  Camera  Exchange  (6) 

5  South  Fifth  St.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
RCA  Manufacturing  Co.,  Inc.  (5) 

Camden,   N.  J. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  315) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd.  (3,  6) 

1924   Rose   St.,   Regina,   Sask. 
S.  O.  S.  Corporation  (3,  6) 

1600  Broadway,  New  York  City 
Sunny  Schick,  National  Brokers    (3.  6) 

407  W.  Wash.  Blvd.,  Ft.  Wayne,  Ind. 
United  Projector  and  Film  Corp.  (3,  4) 

228  Franklin  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Universal  Sound  System,  Inc.        (2,  5) 

Allegheny  Ave.  at  Ninth   St. 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  323) 

Victor  Animatograph  Corp.  (6) 

Davenport,  Iowa 

(See  advertisement  on  page  317) 

Visual  Education  Service  (6) 

470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc.  (3,  6) 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SCREENS 

Da-Lite  Screen  Co. 

2721    N.    Crawford   Ave.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  321) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
605  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Motion  Picture  Screen  &  Accessories  Co. 
524  W.  26th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  319) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

SLIDES  and  FILM  SLIDES 

Conrad  Slide  and  Projection  Co. 

510  Twenty-second  Ave.,   East 
Superior,  Wis. 

Eastman  Educational  Slides 
Iowa  City,  la. 

Edited    Pictures    System,   Inc. 
330  W.  42nd   St.,  New  York  City 


A    Tra(de     Directory 
for  the   Visual    FieM 


Ideal  Pictures  Corp. 
30  E.   Eighth  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

(Sac  advertisement  on  page  319) 

Keystone   View  Co. 
Meadville,   Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  323) 

Radio-Mat  Slide  Co.,  Inc. 
1819  Broadway,   New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  LaSalle  St.,  Chicago,  III. 

Spencer   Lens   Co. 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  321) 

Visual  Education  Service 
470  Stuart  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Visual  Sciences 
Suffern,  New  York 

(See  advertisement  on  page  322) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 
918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

STEREOGRAPHS  and 
STEREOSCOPES 

Herman  A.  DeVry,  Inc. 
1111   Center   St.,   Chicago 

(See  advertisement  on  page  298) 

Keystone  View  Co. 
Meadville,  Pa. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  323) 

STEREOPTICONS  and 
OPAQUE  PROJECTORS 

Bausch  and  Lomb  Optical  Co. 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on   page  297) 

Eastman  Kodak  Stores,  Inc. 

1020  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

606  Wood  St.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 
E.  Leitz,  Inc. 

60  E.  10th  St.,  New  York  City 

(See  advertisement  on  page  319) 

Regina  Photo  Supply  Ltd. 
1924  Rose  St.,  Regina,  Sask. 

Society  for  Visual  Education 
327  S.  La  Salle  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

Spencer  Lens   Co 
19  Doat  St.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

(See  advertisement  on  page  321) 

Williams,  Brown  and  Earle,  Inc. 

918  Chestnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


REFERENCE   NUMBERS 

(1)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

silent. 

(2)   indicates    firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound. 

(3)   indicates   firm   supplies 

35   mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

(4)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

silent. 

(5)   indicates   firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound-on-film. 

(6)   indicates    firm   supplies 

16   mm. 

sound  and  silent. 

Continuous  Insertions  under  one  heading,  $1.50  per  issue;  additional  listings  under  other  headings,  75c  each. 


YOU      GET      LONGER      LIFE      IN 

BELL  &    HOWELL 


PROJECTORS 


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LEFT — Fiimosound  138  —  smallest,  most  compact  of  the  Bell  &Howell  16mm. 
sound-on-film  projectors.  BELOW — Filmo  129  — 16  mm.  silent  film  projector 
with  1 600-foot  film  capacity.  There  are  Filmo  silent  and  sound  projectors  for  every 
school  need,  from  classroom  to  the  largest  auditorium.  Send  the  coupon  for 
complete  information. 


IN  buying  projectors  for  sound  or  silent  film,  remember 
that  the  machine  with  the  longest  life  expectancy 
usually  costs  less  per  projection  year,  even  though  its  initial 
price  may  be  a  little  higher. 

A  projector's  life  span  is  determined  by  the  merit  of  its 
design,  the  quality  of  its  materials,  and  the  skill  and  pre- 
cision with  which  it  is  built. 

Bell  &  Howell  Projectors  are  designed  in  the  largest 
engineering  laboratory  in  the  world  that  is  devoted  ex- 
clusively to  motion  picture  machinery.  Die-cast  housings 
that  cannot  warp  or  bend  assure  lasting  correct  alignment 
of  mechanical  and  optical  components.  All  moving  parts 
are  sealed  from  dust  and  tampering  and  oiled  constantly 
during  operation  by  Bell  &  Howell's  exclusive  "Metered 
Lubrication"  system.  The  motor  is  an  integral  part  of  the 
projector,  transmitting  power  to  the  mechanism  without 
recourse  to  chains  or  belts,  and  thus  without  slipping, 
starting  strain,  or  speed  variations. 

Thirty  years  of  specialized  experience,  plus  the  finest 
of  laboratory  equipment,  enable  Bell  &  Howell  engineers 
to  select  the  finest  materials,  harden  metals  under  electric 
control,  and  maintain  high  standards  of  precision  con- 
struction. 

These  are  the  factors  that  cause  Filmo  Projectors  to 
give  year  after  year  of  dependable  service  ...  to  cost  less 
per  projection  year. 

BELL    &     HOWELL 

COMPANY 

1817  Larchmont  Avenue,  Chicago,  Illinois 
NEW  YORK        •        HOLLYWOOD        •        LONDON 

Established  1907 


INTERNATIONAL      ICE     PATROL 

,  ,  .  a  new  Filmo  Library  Release 

How  icebergs  in  the  North  Atlantic  are  watched  by  U.  S.  Coast 
Guard  cutters.  Photographed  and  edited  by  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander N.  G.  Riclcetts.  400  feet  of  16  mm.  silent  film.  Price,  $24. 
Rental.  S I  per  day. 


Bell  &  Howell  Company, 

1817  Larchmont  Ave.,  Chicago 

1 

Please  send  me  full  information  on: 

n  Filmo  Silent  Projectors 
□  Fiimosound  Projectors 
n   B&H  Lcasc-to-Sale  Plan 

D   16  mm.  Sound  Films 
P   i6  mm.  Silent  Films 

Name 

City 

State.  . 

FOR 
35  MM.  PICTURES 


-? 


ALL  16-inilliineter  motion  pictures  are  printed 
on  film  of  the  "safety"  type.  Not  so  with  35-miUi- 
meter  pictures.  Whenever  you  project  the  wide 
film,  protect  your  audience  and  building  by  spec- 
ifying prints  on  Eastman  Safety  Film . . .  and  look 
for  the  words  Eastman  .  .  .  Safety  .  . .  Kodak 
throughout  the  transparent  margin  of  each  reel. 
Eastman  Kodak  Company,  Rochester,  N.  Y.  (J.  E. 
Brulatour,  Inc.,  Distributors,  Fort  Lee,  New  York, 
Chicago,  Hollywood.) 


EASTMAN    ^ 

SAFETY  FILM 


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