The Washington times., 1916-05-06
Inventor Of Keystonlsm Writes
For Times Readers Like a
:, College Professor.
NO LAUGHS IN HIS STORY
Discusses Motion Picture Prog
ress and Its Effect on
American People.

on the subject OF motion pictures AZ
an educational factor In modern civ
flization that almost hesitate to
Discuss the problem In one short ar
ticle. Great as Il the present In
ptructive value OF the MIN, the most
conservative students admit that II 10
In ifs infancy. and. as a form OF
Amusement. the very fact that mo-
ton picture production ranks fourth
among the industries Of the United
States Is quite sufficient to prove Its
standing.
II IL the combination of amusement
and instruction.that is to be found in
the motion picture Of today that as
sures It's permanency. There was
time, a few years ago, when the man
who provided for his family by work.
. ing eight or ten hours a day at a not
exhorbitant wage found the problem
OF raging for clean amusement a diff
hcult one to solve.
theaters. with admissions ranging
from 5 cents up, answers the amuse-
ment question very satisfactorily.
After a hard days work, the head OF
the family is enabled to take his wife
and children to a comfortable thea
=
enjoy well constructed dramas. up
roarious comedies and current news
pictures amplihed by good music.
News Film and Educator.
It is the news picture that has de-
velored into one OF the most valua-
BILE educational mediums OF modern
times. A very few years ago we de-
pended entirely upon Newspaper ac-
counts Of the happenings In foreign
countries, frequently garbled ana
sometimes purposely distorted. and
illustrated at best with reproductions
OF still photographs.
Today we see the actual happening
portrayed upon the screen almost as
distinctly as the event itself. We
see the European armies marching
to the front, battleships being launch.
cd, generals and rulers In interest
ing moments, and a thousand and
one other happenings that bring for
eign lands to our very doors. That
Is one angle of the educational value
OF motion pictures.
Another, and perhaps more vitality
important department of screen edu-
cation Is that used by private insti-
buttons. In schools and churches the
motion picture machine has become
as permanent and necessary as the
library: not replacing 1t, but acting
as q valuable auxiliary.
In commercial and manufacturing
lines tho use of motion pictures In
conjunction with the efficiency
movement that has done so much to
further the welfare OF modern busi-
ness has been of inestimable value.
The new process of manufacture: q
new method of salesmanship. and
kindred details. may be shown to a
multitude of men and women by the
use OF a few hundred feet OF film.
educating them along some particu-
lar line which formerly would have
required a volume OF exhaustive ex-
plaration and many weary hours OF
study.
Replaces the Library.
Tho most successful shops. fac
tories. and wholesale and retail
stores Of today find that this method
of bringing the latest and best
methods to the attention of their en-
ployes are of mutual benefit to en-
ployer and employe alike.
In many ways the moving picture
replaces the library in families where
books might be a luxury. In some
instai ces It would be impossible for
the poor man to possess many books.
Today the family visits the motion
picture theater where, for a few
cents, they see the greatest works Of
fiction produced upon the screen by
the best actors. with appropriate
the ater-olored canvas Of the old
speaking stage.
And so II has come to pass that the
invention which was at first re-
garded as a toy. has been developed
until Il is at present. one OF the
greatest instruments of modern civil
iZation. The elements OF amusement
and education are so nicely blended
that we are amused while being in
Etructed. and instructed while being
amused.
And the future OF motion pictures
Is lust as sure and certain as the
future of printing. for the motion
picture is merely another means of
conveying thought and reproducing
events.
Bruce MacRae and Gerda Holmes ar,
10 appear as joint stars In a photopla!
version Of Richard LeGallienne's 9Th
Chain Invisible" The production Is be
Ing made by the World Film Corpora
ZION. and will be released April 10.
Announcement Is also made that Mac
Rae has signed long term contract 70
aim work. Mr.. MacRae is one OF tn
best known leading men OF the stage
HIS work Is regarded as the most nm
lshed to be seen. He has made an ex
cellcnt impression as photoplayer also
having appeared In half a dozen BIZ
productions with several OF the bes
known film producers.
s1.00 Harpers Ferry, $1.25 Winches
ter and return. Baltimore and Ohio from
Union Station. 500 a. m. Sunday. May
-Advt.