Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-11-02
"A NEW SERVICE FROM THE
MOVIES
H. = HasIkin

by a moving picture exhibitor in this
city, and owners of moving picture
theatres all over the country are
closely watching the developments.
The experiment is the result of a
theory conceived by a local club
woman, Mrs. II. II. Locher.
Plans to improve the moving pic
ture business from every possible
angle are not uncommon, but it is
unusual to find a film theorist who
can sell her idea to a business man
and induce him to create a position
in his organization for her. The
situation appears still more unusual
when you consider that this theorist
calmly proposed that the business
man spend money on her plans with
out the prospect of any appreciate
financial return.
The idea in question Is that the
owner of n~eighboring moving pic
ture theatres has a great opportunity
for public service. His theaters
stand empty at certain hours of the
day when they might be offered to
the public for meetings, lectures,
and benefits. Films have so many
uses now that the moving picture
exhibitor with his equipment and
centrally located theatre is in a po-
sition to render valuable aid to his
community. Lending the theaters
to the public has been suggested
before and occasionally tried out,
but until now no theatre owner
thought of paying a salary to some
one who would put in a full days
work on the average problem of rem
dprinp Dublic EnrVicp
A year and a half ago Mrs. Loeb
err took her idea for a public service
department to Harry Crandall, own
err of a chain of moving picture
houses in Washington. She explain
ed that 1t was not a publicity stunt
nor a money-making proposition.
The returns would be mostly in good
will. The exhibitor was a public
spirited man, and he had a strong
desire to gain the cooperation of tho
public. He told her to 60 ahead
with her plan in her own way.
One of the first duties that the
public service department set itself
was to establish a mailing list. When
a very good picture is to be shown
at one of the theatres in the chain,
post cards are sent out telling briefly
the strong points of the production.
When the next picture to be shown
is only of average merit, no cards
are sent. The purpose of these cards
is to point out unusually good fea-
lures of the picture which the pub
lie should look for. If the producer
has taken special care to make the
film historically correct, for instance,
the details are probably worth not
icing.
Audiences as a rule do not appre-
ciate the less obvious good points
about a picture. The average fan
goes to the movies to be amused.
Half an hour after he leaves the
theatre he has only a hazy idea oil
what the picture was all about. In
consequence, good films are often
money losers to the surprise and re-
greet of the exhibitor. A few years
g it was not unusual to hear in
t~elligent people say that moving pic
lures went too fast, and that they
really could not follow the plot. Au-
diences have become accustomed to
the screen way of telling stories, and
the next step is for the public to see
and appreciate the artistic and edu-
c~ational values of a picture, without,
of course, losing the thread of the
story. This is obviously necessary if
moving pictures are to be more than
a mere pastime.
More often than not progress is
brought about by teaching the COM
ing generation. Mrs. Locher thought
she saw a way to increase the power
of observation in children and at the
same time to render another kind
of service to the community. Visual
education by means of moving pic
lures has been tried out in various
schools but not often with great sue
cess. She tried out her ideas with a
group of girl athletes. Slow moving
pictures of gymnasium stunts were
used. One reel was run off in a
projection room, and the girls stud
led the motions. Then they discuss
ed the picture after which it was
shown again. Later they tried out
the stunt in the gymnasium. By
COMPRISING the subject into one reel
of film which a be shown in 1if-
teen minutes, she found that the pic
ture could be easily shown twice and
commented upon in an hour, and
there was no danger of eye strain.
Satisfied with her series of tests,
she went to the superintendent of
Public Schools in the District of Co
lumbia, and offered Mr.. Crandall's
theatres to the school system. 1t was
pointed out that moving pictures
can be valuable means of education
but only if they are used under fav-
orable conditions. A school does not
often have first class equipment for
showing pictures such as a theatre
can offer. The theatre is sufficient
ly dark to make the pictures clear.
The children are comfortably seat
ed. A professional operator Is in
charge of the projection of the hlm.
The theatres were offered without
expense to the schools except that
it would be necessary to detail a
special teacher to take charge OF
the visual education classes.
1t was explained that the pictures
used would be government films
dealing with such subjects as Goa
mining, forest fires, outdoor winter
life in the New England mountains
The only other films used would b'
from the foreign legations. Thes'
| are similar to our W government
tai films, and show the scenic fea
lures, industries, and sports of for
eign nations.
ssA
The school system accepted tn
offer, and grammar grade classes Q
the public schools take turns in visit
ing the nearest theatre of the chail
on the mornings designated. Accord
ing to the schedule now in effect a.
nine theatres in the chain are bein
used by the schools. On some day
II theatre is open and on other