SEPT. 1

SEPT., 1941

393

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AFTER 400 YEARS SERIES 6d. each Edited by R. G. Griffith, M.A. Sixpenny books about the Bible in the light of modern scholarship THE BIBLE & SCIENCE, J. C. HARDWICK. THE MESSIANIC HOPE, Rev. P. P. LEVERTOFF. ARCHAEOLOGY & THE OLD TESTAMENT, Prof. S. H. HOOKE. THE POETRY OF THE BIBLE, Sir CYRIL NORWOOD. THE BATTLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT, R. B. HENDERSON. THE BIBLE & THE REFORMATION, G. G. COULTON. THE MESSAGE OF ST. JOHN, Canon W. H. MACKEAN. WHO WAS JESUS? Rev. T. J. WOOD. WHAT DID ST. PAUL MEAN? R. G. GRIFFITH.

*List of Publications in Religion and Philosophy free on application THOMAS MURBY & CO., 1 Fleet Lane, London, E.C. 4

ed

The

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

A BOY'S RIGHT TO RELIGION. CONRAD SKINNER, M.A. (Chaplain of The Leys School).

THE CHRISTIAN AND EDUCATION. W. G. HUMPHREY, M.A., D.Phil. (Headmaster of The Leys School). NURSERIES OF CHRISTIANS. A Call for Christian Schools. JOHN W. SKINNER, M.A., Ph.D. (Headmaster of Culford School). Paper 4d. net. Cloth, Is. net.

"Putting forward the Christian point of view, not merely the expounding of Christian ethics."-The Times Literary Supplement.

Conrad Skinner was a pioneer of the right kind of Scripture teaching and, with his record, he has every right to appeal to parents for co-operation."

"Dr. Humphrey makes a contribution of which, for ripe wisdom and experience, a headmaster twice his age might be proud." "Dr. Skinner's Call for Christian Schools is a forceful plea, original in both language and matter. He is full of suggestions that he has tried out in practice."-The late The Rt. Hon. Lord Stamp.

"... the mature fruits of reflection upon experience, fresh, timely and full of vitality . . . helpful and stimulating.”—The Journal of Education.

"I think they are most stimulating and fresh ... and particularly challenging to us Anglicans. I am exceedingly glad to have them."-The Rt. Rev. The Lord Bishop of Worcester.

66

sincere and lucid. shrewd and sensible . . . discerning and admirable remarks we are sincerely grateful."

-The Guardian.

full of good common sense . . . the advice given is perfectly sound. Their frank, manly and honest tone should make Christians of all denominations emulate and as far as possible adopt methods which are having such satisfactory results in the young men they are sending forth into the world."-The Rev. Prof. F. J. Foakes Jackson, M.A., D.D., D.Litt., D.Theol.

Two more contributions to this important subject. Ready end of August : RELIGION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS. ELLIS W. HEATON, B.Sc. CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP IN SCHOOL AND COLLEGE. A. W. HARRISON, M.C., B.A., B.Sc., D.D.

LONDON: THE EPWORTH PRESS

Τ

FRANCE

HE gradual eclipse of the aged Marshal from public affairs in Vichy is almost complete. Admiral Darlan has the reins and he intends to keep hold of them. Pétain, therefore, has at last decided to take a special interest in the youth of the country.

The Journal des Débats makes a special note of this in one article. It writes: And all of a sudden the Marshal turns to the youth of the country to look after its moral and physical health so that the France of to-morrow will resemble nothing of the France of to-day.

"Henceforth it is a unanimous France which turns with its soul to the sublime figure of the one who has offered himself to the glorification and piety of young France. Peguy said that a young man is nearly always a gentleman'. This is true provided that his noblest sentiments are provoked, etc."

A glance through the French press since Pétain took over this job shows that education seems to have disappeared altogether. Now Vichy is trying to make every French boy a Chevalier Bayard. It is obvious that the plan for education is still very undecided and unsatisfactory. It is a year now since the Armistice, and several schemes have been put into operation-most of them borrowed from Germany. The French people did not like them, would have none of them. The serious papers, like Figaro and Le Temps, warned the Government they were making a mistake. Vichy was concerned with one thing, avoiding any educational system which resembled that of the Third Republic.

Writing in La France Libre this month, Monsieur Denis Saurat of the French Institute of Great Britain said: "The Third Republic organized a system of teaching which will remain one of her greatest achievements; which, in some ways, was the best in the world even though it had some faults".

I1

FILM EXHIBITION AT HALIFAX

By FRANK HAIGH, Chief Librarian, Halifax

NEW

T was through the Ministry of Information that the exhibition of films at Halifax was made possible. The Ministry lent everything necessary; the library had merely to provide a room and an operator. The films were certainly not specially intended for children, but the young folk came nevertheless-in great numbers. Their only invitation was a small notice in the Junior Library. The first night very few turned up, but the second recorded a better attendance, and on the third night the attendant had to marshal the youngsters into a queue one hour and a half before opening time-and then turn some away.

The films were exhibited on alternate weeks, the same film being shown nightly for one week. The attendances varied, the weather taking on a period of snow-storms, and circumstances that we are not allowed to mention making a considerable difference.

The audiences, like the attendances, varied. Probably 25 per cent could be definitely classed as adults. Of the remainder, perhaps a third might be considered adolescent, and generally fell into two groups. The first consisted largely of boys who attended as serious students of the

sufficient time to study, and if the date were kept then the standard should be reduced.

It is understood that the authorities advanced the date so as to be able to call the young men into the army. Several arrests were made, and the students were told that the examinations would be held on the arranged date. S. H. K.

JAPAN

HE Welfare Ministry which looks after education has

training in order to it

closer to the new Japanese conception. Its plan, however, has a flavour rather more German than Japanese. Here it is:

1. Thorough inculcation of the national foundation spirit and its historic mission in the present days. (This is an example of Japanese indirectness and means strict nationalism in all schools.)

2. Thorough inculcation of Imperial Rescript for Fixation of the National Foundation; cognizance of the situation and observance of various national events; practical education to encourage donations and comfortgiving to the army and police.

3. Cultivation of disinterested spirit by frequent enforcement of mass training, and popular training in emergency

life.

4. Preservation of peace and order through enforcement of ethical training.

5. Reinforcement of practical education. Considering the importance of scientific education, practical education in agriculture, industry, and commerce is to be encouraged, so that through this the national service spirit may be inculcated.

6. Thorough enlightenment about labour service. Labour-service education is necessary not only as a productive measure but also as education for fostering genuine human characters. Though this communal spirit and service may be enhanced.

7. Physical Training.

Considering the importance of the elevation of people's physique, which forms the basis of disinterested service and service in each social post, both school drilling and sports are to be encouraged for cultivation of an indomitable spirit according to the adage mens sana in corpore sano. 8. Practical guidance should be respected in school education. S. H. K.

MEDIA

different pictures and the subjects they portrayed. These boys were generally fairly well dressed and in most cases were pupils of the higher schools. There were other young adults, too, who seemed equally serious, and they were obviously working boys and girls. Then, of course, there was the usual sprinkling of those who were "mating ", and probably the auspices and conditions under which they did so were better than many. It is possible that the increased price of the picture-houses and other luxuries, for example, cigarettes, may have made the public library cinema, with its free admission, a boon to those young people.

It was the remainder of the audience, however, that provided the most interesting study. It was composed of the young children from the streets in the vicinity. It is not easy to describe the kind of homes these youngsters came from. They were not the poorest of the poor, and their homes were not slum dwellings by any means. Yet they were poor, or at least had nothing to throw away, the parents being of necessity very hard-working. Added to these, must be included those from homes which in laterVictorian and Edwardian days were considered rather better-class, but now, alas, turned into flats, and unfortunately not attracting the best tenants.

(Continued on page 396)

These children, whatever they were, and wherever they came from, attended regularly. Some of them became possessive. Just as their elders sometimes habitually book their seats at a commercial cinema, so these youngsters tended to monopolize, and could be relied upon to be in attendance on certain evenings. That they enjoyed the show goes without saying. They clapped and whistled when they shouldn't have done, and sang the choruses of the songs given from the talkie '.

It seemed remarkable that the children could appreciate with such enjoyment some of the exhibitions. On one occasion a group of boys and girls-probably no more than ten years of age were questioned as to their interest. It perhaps ought to be said that each show consisted of about six different pictures.

Do you like these films ? was asked.
Rather. They are better than the

a commercial picture-house).

"

The one on coal-mining. We are learning about it at school." This reply was from a little girl.

The coal-mining film was certainly intended for adults, but its appeal was evidently not confined to older people. This opened up a line for profitable thought. It might be that all things of a good quality reach young minds much more than is generally thought. A parallel would seem to be in several autobiographies where, writing of their boyhood days, authors have told of reading their fathers' books with relish.

It appeared to be a great event when, on one occasion, a few of the children were allowed to stay behind and watch the rewinding of the reel. Greater still it was when no objection was raised to their being spectators to a few minor repairs to the film and the changing of one or two valves in the projector. Then it was that one little boy, obviously from a very poor home, approached the librarian, and placing his right hand across his breast, offered his left hand to shake, simply saying "Thank you". Mercifully, the librarian remembered those days before he was supposed to be "high-brow " when in blood-and-thunders he recollected secret societies which had similar signs of membership. Therefore, he gravely accepted the boy's left hand, and the honour it was intended to confer. This incident is introduced to show the friendliness of the audience.

"

"

AN EDUCATIONAL FILM CAMPAIGN

At the of cation collaborated in a cute and

T the beginning of 1940 the British Film Institute and

to ascertain the present position of the school cinema and the possibilities of extension of the use of films in schools. Four experienced teachers were seconded for the purpose and they toured most of the country. Their report has just been incorporated in a pamphlet published by the Film Institute at Is.

The Board circularized local education authorities and during the campaign 224 directors were visited, 83 demonstrations were given to education authorities and teachers, 17 to training and technical colleges, and 174 demonstrations in class-room technique were given.

The conclusions may be regarded in some instances as startling, for some directors of education still have little or no knowledge of the possibilities of the medium and of the sources from which information may be obtained. This bas resulted in little use being made of projectors and of little encouragement being given to enthusiastic teachers in their areas. Many schools have purchased projectors without adequate preparation among the staff, with the result that after a bitter experience with unsuitable films the projector has been discarded and more harm than good has resulted. The main conclusion would appear to be the necessity for spreading knowledge which is unbiassed and advice which is practical. The Film Institute already exists for this purpose; but, to make its influence felt the more widely and effectively, it is proposed that a permanent official, a teacher, be appointed with the duty of travelling all over the country to advise individuals and authorities. The subjects to be covered will be projectors, screens, and films. As a corollary to this is what the report calls the sine qua non of the effective use of the cinema in schools-the establishment of educational film libraries in various provincial centres. Some may regard the latter as of the greater moment, but the spade-work of the representative will do much to achieve that end.

The report makes a strong claim for the increase of the number of projectors in Junior Schools, where visual appeal is naturally at its strongest, and in country and slum schools, where there is an urgent need for the widening of the children's horizons.

The report makes much of the criticisms received about film supply; and, while it is difficult to allocate blame here, a great service has been done by bringing these grievances to light. The disappointment experienced by many teachers emphasizes the need for cheap, expert criticisms of educational films as are available in Scotland, and it is suggested that the Educational Films Section of the Monthly Film Bulletin be published separately. "Film Apprecia

It is surprising to find the section on tion" so very thin. It contains generalizations and platitudes which would not stand up to practical experience. It is the feeblest section of the report.

There follows a succinct outline of technical problems and, finally, recommendations among which, in addition to those already given, are: "That the Board of Education should consider the rapid extension of the use of school projectors as a national necessity and should give authorities encouragement to purchase apparatus.

"That in view of the present inadequate stock and limited range of teaching films, the Government should consider every possible means of encouraging further production and of providing copies of existing good quality films.

"That the Board of Education should:

"(a) Urge Training Colleges to include projection technique in their curriculum.

National Film Library.-Details of sixty-two films are contained in the new catalogue of films available in the Loan Section of the National Film Library which has just been published by the British Film Institute. They have been selected from the archives of the National Film Library and illustrate the early history and development of the cinema. They include copies of the short primitive films shown in 1896 and films of the Boer War; early onereel comedies and dramas; and copies of such famous (Continued on page 398)