The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-09
Educational Value.

After looking over the history of the
past few years 1t is not surprising To
the close observer that the motion pic
ture as asvehicle for entertainment and
education has made such a cIded for
ward strides. Not so very long ago
a moving picture show was given in
the Capitol at Washington. in which
the nations Legislators were permitted
to view the actual work being done on
the Panama Canal. Col. George w.
lGodhals, chief engineer of the canal,
was the distinguished lecturer on
that occasion. Never in the history
OF the House of Representatives was
SO unique and unusual a scene present.
ed to the astonished onlookers. a huge
screen had been set in position I'm front
Of the Speakers chair. and the motion
picture machine was placed In the gall
.lery Then In the presence of the
Justices OF the Supreme Court and "a
majority of the members of both
Houses .of Congress, the films were
thrown upon the screen and the stay
at-homes" were given their. first object
lesson In the great work being carried
on by the Government on the Isthmus
of Panama. Quite recently the new
Pennsylvania station in New York
vas invaded by the motion picture CO.
horts and pictures were made in the
lower level. Scenes were enacted by
the actors and actresses assigned to
the task by the enterprislng film man
while trains departed and
others arrived in the busy terminal
In the work of technical education
along various lines the motion picture
has been elevated from the sphere OF
simple amusement 10 the dignity OF
an educational factor. The films are
used in medical colleges. both in the
United States and Europe, and the pro-
fessors are unanimous that better re-
suits are obtained than by the old
fashioned lantern slides and stationary
stereopticon views, The comparative
clinic has been made possible by the
use the motion picture, and stu
dents are enabled to benefit from the
views made by film makers In the most
important hospitals of. the world.
In agricultural schools the students
are treated To views that reveal 10
them many hitherto unkonwn myster-
les I'm the life of plants. In the public
the interest of the pupils is
held by the use of motion pictures hav-
Ing as their subject something that |
pertains to the daily curriculum of the |
classroom. Geography no longer |
proves stale and uninteresting when |
the youngsters are permitted to gaze
upon scenes photographed in all parts |
1f the world, with rivers actually NOV
ng swiftly. VOLCANOES belching fire and |
ava. foreign people moving about at
heir daily tasks. and streets OF the
great cities alive with traffic.
Now that OPPOSITION Is being removed |
~ the logical and clear headed policy |
If film manufacturers, aided by ex- |
libitors who have regard for the moral
md physical well being OF their pa
rons, II Is safe to predict that during
he next decade still greater advance
Will be noted i'm the development OF L
notion pictures. II would appear that
he public. which: after all. is the final
Judge. had placed its seal OF approval
Ipon this form of entertainment. not
My for the reason that II is COM
'aratively inexpensive, but for the fur
her reason that II carries. with II an
ducationa' value that cannot be esti-
mated In cold dollars and cents.
Motion pictures with sound timed to
he action of the objects is now be-
ne studied by the foremost inventors.
nd already motion pictures taken IN