The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-18
T>HE motion picture spectator
says, just before departing
for the theater, Il am going

says, just DeIore departing
for the theater, Il am going
to the picture show"
He could very truthfully express his
intention in this way: II am going to
school,"
The argument has been expounded
that motion pictures are more potent
as an educational factor than any
other source of learning, because they
combine pleasure and learning. The
motion picture patron goes to a thea
ter for pleasure and enjoys the pic
lures that he witnesses, and he is
therefore impressed by whatever
knowledge he may gain through the
program, because it is coupled with
enjoyment. This principle is illustrat-
ed by the fact that anyone who
studies without a certain amount of
pleasure in the revelations that are be-
ing made TO his mind through the
printed page or the lecturer, never re
members well what he has studied
A Good Combination.
Take, for instance, the school child
who reads his history lessons with
avidity or at least with a very small
amount of reluctance, and finishing
that, opens UP his geography book with
a sigh and a feeling of hopelessness
and struggles desperately to CLEAN
the knowledge that to him seems dry,
uninteresting printed words and facts.
IN which lesson will be the more pro-
fcient the next day in his class room?
Which lesson will he have absorbed?
The answer is obvious. and the reason
is that with study of the one was
coupled a certain amount, however
small, of pleasure and willingness,
while the other was mere grind, dry
and uninteresting to him. A success
full doctor is successful and has learn
ed his business because he has found
& certain amount of pleasure in that
work of learning and practicing what
he has learned. But hating law, could
the doctor, by mere work and grind,
become a successful lawyer?
Thus, it will be seen how, through
the medium of pleasure, the motion
picture spectator absorbs all the edu-
cational value that might be contained
IN, picture. Often, he absorbs it I'M
consciously, but nevertheless, It re-
mains in his mind, being vital part
and parcel of the things which it has
4. d.
The question naturally arises: What
is Taught by motion picture? Geogra-
ply. history, literature, art, human ma
ture, are only few of the subjects
that are impaired to the minds of au-
diences every day of the world In the
ordinary film drama, not to mention
the numerous educational subjects.
Actual Literary Benefit.
The reading of books develops in
one who loves to read, greater
knowledge of the English language, of
fits idioms. proper phraseology sent
ence construction, vocabulary and
grammatical structure. A process of
continued repetition goes on by which
he becomes in time thoroughly famili-
ar with good English and its usage.
But what about the man or woman
who doesn't enjoy reading, or the
working man who doesn't have time to
read during the day and is too tired to
read at night? He goes to a picture
lheater and there sees a feature pro-
3uSion and reads, during, the course
Of Us exhibition a hundred or more
printed titles, couched in The best of
language and literary style, and
evolved after days of constant study
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