The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1940-04-26
CARVER IS HERO
OF STIRRING
NEW FILM
BY DAVID PLATT
(for Crusader News Agency


(for Crusader News Agency
GAe II t..s most important films
We have seen is Ben Parker's full
length biographical film Of the life
Of the foremost Southern scientist
George Washington Carver.
The film (it is titled George
Washington Carver'') was photo.
graphed in ASdbama, home of Tus.
kegee Institute, the famous educa-
9iona' center for which Booker T.
Washington is revered today. Here
il ,nis FAMOUS institution, the film
shows many things, q Negro linotype
operator engaged in working at hi:
machine end Negro surgeons oper-
ating on patient. The screening
OF all these Negro physicians, dairy
men, Plant breeders and engineers
being trained at Tuskegea will no
doubt come as surprise To white
audiences, but that is only because
Hollywood in its white superiority
philosophy neglects to show this
side of Negro life.
DR.. Carver himself is shown in his
office at. Tuskegee where he heads
the Institutes Agricultural Expert
mental Station. He is seen relating
the story Of his life to a despondent
pupil who can see nothing but disil-
lusion ahead for the college man
today.
Although DR.. Carver does not an
swer every question raised by the
student, his life as it unfolds on the
screen becomes source of pride and
inspiration both to Negro and white.
As the film flashes back and forth
to the 1905, the role of DR.. Carv-
er as young man is played by Tim
Campbell, a young Negro actor. Mr..
Campbell wins by unadorned SIM
plicity and quietness Of his perform
ance.
Another leading member of the
cast is Booker T. Washington Ill,
who plays his illustrious grandpar-
ent. The Tuskegee Choir adds an au-
thentic musical note to the produc-
tion.
Highlights of the film: 1864. A
plantation in the South Carver 4
slave child and his mother kidnapped
by night riders A splendid sequence.
Later Carver is returned to his mas
ter in exchange for spirited race
again. All these scenes are capably
done.
We see Carver as boy in love
with birds and flowers, studying the
secrets of nature and the universe.
As he grows up, his life is beset
with many obstacles. Chief Of these
is racial discriminati The film
brings this out in several scenes.
Carver's interest in science takes
precedence over everything. There
il an amusing scene to illustrate this
point, Carver hires himself out as
a cook. He is not very good cook.
1t is simply means to an end 50
when his application to college is
accepted he leaves the eggs in the
pan, takes his coat and quits even
while the boss is believing for an
s'order Of ham and
But the head of the institution
thought he had been corresponding
with white man and Carver is
turned down because: Science is
no concern Of yours. Negroes were
intended by God to work with their
hands not with their minds" The
usual anti-Negro rot. Carver is
deeply hurt but continues his, expert
ments with plants and flowers and
wins the, admiration Of all who come
in contact with him. Finally Book
e. 7. Washington invites him to
Tuskegee. His real work IS just
about to begin.
Carver tries % stop the bollweevil.
Takes his laboratory to. the fields
Organized school on wheels to aid
the farmers in the South. He in
vestigates the life of the peanut
and the sweet potato which since
then has resulted in over thousand
edible and usable by-proucts.
George Washington Carver" Is a
fine documentary film about great
man and deserves a wide audience
Of Negro and white. It is not q
perfect film. 1t is not a complete
picture of the Negro in the South
Tt does not tell us for example how