THE CINEMATOGRAPH FUND [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In
your issue of August 13th a letter appeared over the signature of Sir James Merchant which is, in our opinion, likely to lead to Misapprehension on the part of school teachers and others concerned with the educational use of films and projectors. We understand that any application for the use of the Cinematograph Fund in the' way suggested by your correspondent would be regarded as most inapposite and pre- mature at the present time. So far as is known the matter has not yet been considered by the Privy Council, and not even the general principlei of a scheme for administering the Fund have yet been decided. Local authorities and teachers would, therefore, be well advised to hold their hand until -something more tangible has. resulted.
May we add a reminder that the proposal to establish a Cinematograph Fund originated with. the Commission on Educational and Cultural Films, which is representative of educational, scientific, and cultural bodies of all kinds as well as of the film industry, and it was made-clear that the main purpose of the fund would be the setting up of a National Film Institute charged," inter alia, with the task of promoting the 'introduction of projectors and films into schools ? Sir James Merchant, who is interested in the commercial exploitation of the school cinema through Visual Edudation Ltd.,'a concern of "which he is chairman, is opposed to the Film Institute proposal. He apparently believes that the fund can be better used by making odd grants to a feiv-arbitrarily selected schools on the "basil of indiVidual application with his persOnal 'advice and assistance. We believe that the money should be used by a national body, established with a Royal Charter, under public control, and fully representative of all educational interests as well as the film trade. We are at present working out in detail the constitution and functions of such a body, and we shall proceed to bring it into being at an early date. Meantime, attempts to obscure the issue or to foist ill-considered schemes upon the public do nothing but disservice to the cause of education and the best interests of the film industry.—We are, Sir, itc, A. C. CAMERON Joint Hon.
J. W. Bnowx Secretaries,
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