Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-28
VIM Wait So Iona?

The Modern Historical Record. association Is an
organization with a name which sounds. much more
formidable than its declared purpose indicates II. to
be. Thspfincipal activity Of the body. Is its. name
implies, rs the preservation for ~posterity of records
showing how distinguished Americans look and act,
the preservation being effected through the mediuin-
Of the motion picture film. In pursuance of this
benevolent end, the association recently took a pic.
ture Of President Wilson'S famous smile, but the
news dispatches make the announcement that this
interesting record has been sealed away in q So
called .!century box" for the delectation of people
living in 1908 and thereafter.
The inestimable value Of such records will be
readily conceded, though 1t is a waste OF time to
wait for q century before they are revealed to the
admiring, gaze Of the public. There are hundreds
Of Thousands Of pc.sons living at this present moment
who have never seen the Wilson smile and VINO, y
they DIRT hurry up, will never have the opportunity,
far the p.dvccations to smile are diminishing In num-
Ter eycr5 day. Speaking in more serious fashion.
tie Modern Historical Record association has within
It's grasp a unique opportunity Of incalculable pos
E%sibilities; ~ The very name suggests 1t. What would
not be the historical value of similar records MADE
during the past hundred and fifty years. IL such a
thing lad been possible? What would not De the
reverential awe with which people Of the present day
would look upon the face of Washington In the repro
duced life Of the motion picture; Of the Revolutionary
heroes and the founders OF the repuDhc; OF tHe Acn
who shaped the destinies of the nation during the
first half century Of its e%xstence: OF Abraham LIN
coin and the men and events of the tremendous TEST
Iiitno, which the nation was subjected Jhnaf 2 century
ago; Of even. many. men who lived and, events when
occurred during the interim between the Civil war
and the present time?
II OF course, this is only idle speculation, Wltnolu.
any value other than such fancies possess. But tney
point the. moral Of the possibilities in the way OF
Z utilizing the great boon Of the motion picture IN q
manner all too rarely employed. WAT If the ednca-
tional authorities Of the country should unite IN 9
nationwide propaganda for the collection OF ~ inc
conntless.records that could so easily be maze; lot
thu. reproduction Of great historical events, from tne
May0ower to the Maine, and from the Maine to Inc
latest keel that was laid; and them instead OF JOCK
ing the records up for inspection by the people a
hundred years hence, they should DE circulated from rom
one end Of the country to the other, in the scnoos
and churches, the, social c~enters-whereve AMER Ana
cans aid those whhobssasffSfsXt5 be Americans have gain
cred. Who can estimate the value. in the formation
81 citizenship, in the mere technical instruction OF the
people, of such a spnoyemaEeEptt! s sk
Instead of anything like this being ATTEMPTED ton.
|, \ really, ,sorth.while scale, however, the motion PIC;
Tires are. given @. ooyyeels 81 selys to : acre amusement.
while TIC few pictures =. y Is Historical value are
locked IN in century boxes.