VALUE OF CINEMA

Evening Star, Issue 19450, 7 January 1927, Page 7

VALUE OF CINEMA

AN EDUCATIVE INFLUENCE MINISTER OF EDUCATION'S VIEWS “The moving picture theatre is a hew and very effective means of education,” was che opinion expressed to an ‘ Evening Star ’ reporter this morning by the ex-Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan), who was approached for his views on the cable that appeared yesterday from London in which the president of the Head Msts* ters’ Association (Mr R. F. Cholmley) made a sweeping condemnation of tne cinema. Mr Hanan, in the course of bis remarks, not only referred to the educative value of motion pictures, but also to their recreative purpose. In opening, he said that it would not be irrelevant to refer to the inquiry made by the National Council ol Public. Morals for Great and Greater Britain in 1918 in regard to the moral and social aspects of the cinema, especially in relation to the iulluenoe of picture shows upon children, of which influence the recent cable particularly made mention. The Commission included the Bishop of Birmingham, General imr Robert Bnden-Powoll (founder of the Boy Scouts’ movement), and Mr G. W. Crook, B.A. (president of the National Union of Teachers), and it reported that many teachers and others interested in the welfare of the young testified to the greater care that was being exercised bv proprietors in showing better class films. Of those from whom inquiries were made 75 per cent, replied that in the pictures seen there was nothing they deemed injurious to childrenT Others considered many r* the pictures sillv, but not harmful. Aoout m per cent, of the replies strongly objected to the details of the crime being shown to ultra-sensationalism, and to°ihe suggestiveness of several of the situations in sex problem films; but even where some objection was taken to ceitain films due admiration for the good ones was expressed. A point worthv of special note is that in dealing with “crook ” films, the observers noted the enthusiasm of the youngsters when the wrongdoer was brought to book. The Commission found that, on the whole, the inquiry was reassuring ns regards the kind ot entertainment provided. Mr Hanan proceeded that with regard to the influences of pictures on iuvenile crime in England the Commission found that they had proved an educative, morally healthy, and plea-sure-giving entertainment to those who patronised them. The chief constable of Edinburgh had been approached on the subject, and no oases had come under his notice of boys being incited to crime in the desire to imitate what they had seen on the films, although he considered that there was great danger in such representations, and was opposed to their being shown to the voung. In this statement thirty-eight chief constables were in agreement without further comment, and of seventyseven others, the majority were in general agreement, but a considerable number condemned the crime film _in general, especially any exhibition in the methods of crime. The most common complaint in these replies was the suggestiveness of many sex films. The need of a rigid censorship was generally inisted on in order to prevent any attempts in the stress of competition to obtain patronage by pandering to vicious or prurient minds. The Commission was convinced, continued Mr Hanan. that the picture house meant so much happiness, not only to children, bub even to adults living and working under adverse conditions. that any attempt at suppression would he a grievous loss; and that, accordingly, every effort should bo made to make all picture houses, as places of amusement lor old and young, clean and safe morally without sacrificing their interest and attraction. _ The educative value of pictures in New Zealand was dealt with by the cx-Ministcr of Education, and he said that he recognised the importance _of the cinema, as an agency for visualising and vitalising knowledge, and before ho retired from office fie had had under rcnsideration a frheme for the practical application of the film to the schoolroom. “There is no doubt that we must use the cinema for educative purposes if wo are to keep pace with other countries, asserted Air Hanan. and ho added that the opinion oi men who had given special study to the subject was that it tva.s onlv a matter of time before there would be a branch of the Department of Education for the purpose of acquiring really outstanding and important historical' films, not only to use to-day, hut for the benefit of posterity. “ Nothing could be more suited for dramatic representation than the thousand and one soul-stirring incidents that go to make up the great history of the British Empire, for, after all, it is the story that teaches!” In subjects such as Nature-study, geography, history, scientific and_ technical work, ho proceeded, the cinema was likely to be most helpful. _ The educative value ot moving pictures would be materially enhanced if used along with and supplementary to the ordinary lantern slides _ Of course, definite preparatory teaching should precede the showing of the film.

In an interview about nine years ago Professor Macmillan Brown, Chancellor of the New Zealand University, said that ho would like to see the picture shows of the dominion taken in ns part of the education system. He expressed the view that the amusement had come to stav, and it was no use trying to abolish it. He urged that the Director of Education, or someone in a similar position, be joined with the censor as a licensing board, and that no_ show be licensed unless it made one-third of its programme educative films, to comprise industrial and scientific topics. Dealing with the cinema generally, Mr Hanan said that the films should be such as to assure a proper appreciation of the true values of life and to uphold a high standard of good taste. Any influences that made for the deterioration of public thought and the standards of public life should be removed, “ How do you think the pictures being shown every day in the theatres of the dominion measure up to this ideal?” Mr Hanan was asked.

“ Taking pictures as a whole, 1 am not one of those who believe in wholesale condemnation,” was the reply; “and comparatively recently I have seen pictures ni a very educational and inspiring nature, making for and stimulating a high sense of honor, civic and patriotic ideals. “There is room, however, for a little stricter censorship,” he said, in closing, “and American films of the sensational type and those that do not make for a high standard of morals and intelligence in public life should be barred.”