The British Film Institute

Abstract

THE British Film Institute has recently published its fourth annual report (1937). It is an interesting record of rapid development and growing usefulness. It is clear that the exploratory phase in the use of the film in education has passed and that the time has come to put into effect the lessons learnt. But it is disappointing to learn that a census recently carried out by the Institute showed that only 916 projectors are available in the educational institutions of Great Britain. This is fewer than one tenth of the number in use in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, etc. Both the Board of Education and the local education authorities are concerned at this slow progress, and are doing their best to encourage teachers to make more use of visual material. The Board of Education is now willing to pay 50 per cent of the cost of any projectors installed. Among the numerous publications sponsored by the Institute in 1937, one is of special interest to teachers of science-the report prepared by the Science Panel. This contained, besides advice on technique of use, etc., a list of 455 science teaching films. Two thirds of these are concerned with biology-a subject well suited to visual presentation. It is unfortunate that so few films on physics and chemistry are available.