The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-05-07
EDUCATE BY FILMS,
IS EDISON'S ADVICE
Moving Pictures Are Ger
tain to Impress Subjects
on Students.
SCHOOLS REPULSIVE'
Primary Grades Are Held
Responsible for Dull Col
lege Student.
FEDERAL ACTION URGED
Inventor Tells Of Own Success
With Films With Orange
Children.
FEDERAL ACTION URGED

Although Thomas A. Edison has
found college men dull and Amazingly
ignorant" he placed the blame for 1t
yesterday on neither the men nor the
colleges, but ON the elementary schools
where their education started. In the
opinion of the inventor the primary
schools are not functioning as they |
should.
In his laboratory in West Orange
the inventor talked readily OF his ex-
periences In hiring and firing his own |
men, principally through the agency
Of his QUESTIONABLE or intelligence
test, which has attracted wide atten-
ton. At the same time he made plain
his criticism Of the schools was not
based entirely on his observations as
an employer. Mr.. Edison said he once
spent eighteen months and good deal
of money In developing q system Of
education by moving pictures which
really gave results.
TN this business" he said. referring
to the Edison industries. Il look for q
young fellow to be familiar with chem
W
| politics, economics and to have a gen.
| era1 knowledge Of the fundamentals OF
| business II he reads the newspapers
| and keeps his brain free from atrophy
| he will have no trouble In passing the
| QUESTIONABLE ordeal
my experience Is that college men
| don't measure up to the QUESTIONABLE
on these essential points. ne said EN-.
| phatically about one in every
twenty-three college men is graded A.
That means the applicant gets JOB
Two get grades Of B and G, which isn't
bad, but they aren't hired. The rest
run all the way down to x 7 q. the
lowest grade. I have tested about 500
men in this way"
The critical point In a boys mental
life is between twelve and seventeen,
Mr.. Edison said. II he doesn't begin to
take notice, to read newspapers. to show
interest In a variety OF matters at this
time there isn't lot Of hope for him.
1.-The fault In the present educational
system does not lie primarily with the
colleges and high schools. but with the
primary schools.
There is a remedy. Instead of boring
boy with words and books all day
teach him with moving pictures. This
is more vivid. more compelling methoo
of holding his attention
Ten years ago Mr.. Edison said he ex-
perimented as pedagogue to class OF
children of Orange. and found he could
beat the schools on results by using
motion pictures. An unseen influence
prevented the application OF the idea to
the schools. so after more than a year
of work he gave Ii UP.
"A man with a powerful personality
or a great newspaper could put that idea
into effect" he said. Some govern
ment organization. made up OF men like
those in the Bureau Of Standards, which
think about 100 per cent perfect. and
free from political control. could get
together some twenty or thirty thou
sand films of different grades and SUBJ
jects and sell them to the States for dis
play In schools. This would make the
schools attractive for the children, and
IL we can do that we can advance
civilization about 1000 years In the next
twanty. The big trouble our educators
are facing Is that the schools are repul-
sive to the children. With motion pic
ture courses of study you could fire the
truant officers and the children would
not be late"
The education of parents OF childnsn
and adults generally Mr.. Edison dis-
missed summarily as SPILLED milk.
The future depends, upon the present
education of children. not Of those Who
are now handling the affairs of tho
world.