“TALKIES ARE NOT CAUSE OF CRIME.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19134, 29 July 1930, Page 2

“TALKIES ARE NOT CAUSE OF CRIME.”

EDUCATIONAL VALUE STRESSED BY PROFESSOR

Crime among children can no more be attributed to talking pictures than to the influence of the Deadwood Dicks of years ago, according to Professor Osborne, Dean of the Faculty , of Medicine at the Melbourne University. Professor Osborne was formerly president of the Federal Film Censorship Board. Speaking at Wesley Church, the viceprincipal of the Teachers’ College (Mr G. S. Browne), who is also president of the Visual Education Committee, said that pictures could not be considered detrimental to the community. In many districts they were a godsend, as they afforded an escape into a romantic atmosphere. Commenting on Mr Browne’s remarks, Professor Osborne said that crime among children xvas not attri- ' butable to the influence of the pic- j tures. Their effect xvas educational, and not harmful to the morals of children. Screen Geography. “Both talking and silent films can be of immense educational value.” he said. “The next best tiling to visiting the country is seeing a talking, picture made there. A great deal may be learned of modern tongues and manners from the gestures of the actors, and the formation of their lips while speaking. Languages might xvell be taught with the aid of talking pictures. In spreading a knowledge of geography and of foreign countries, the talking pictures are performing a great work. “I have -no doubt that talking pictures will take a prominent part in education in the future. The big drawback at present is the expense involved in their production. Films which run for only ten minutes cost between £4O and £SO, and this has proved prohibitix’e. t Se\*eral films, among them one used by the Faculty of Medicine, have been adopted by the Unix'ersity. Most of these come from America, but we obtain line technical films from Germany. As yet educational talking pictures have not been used in the Unix’ersity, although no doubt they xxt’U be adopted.” Professor Osborne said a proposal to establish an educational film theatre at the University had been discussed, and there xvere sex-eral rooms there where provision for the exhibition of films had been made.