§ Sir R. Glynasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many schools of various types are now provided with adequate cinematograph projectors; to what extent have the Board been able to influence local education authorities to include this equipment in all new schools and which are the counties in order of merit; and how many have established educational film libraries?
Mr. LindsayAccording to information supplied by the British Film Institute, 1,259 film projectors are available for schools in England and Wales. Of these 716 are in elementary or preparatory schools, 277 in secondary schools, 145 in technical or university institutions, and 121 are provided by local education authorities for general use. The Board have no figures relating to the provision of projectors in new schools, but it is now usual for the plans of new senior elementary, secondary and technical schools to include arrangements designed to facilitate the showing of films.
According to the most recent information in the possession of the British Film Institute, seven local education authorities in England and Wales have established educational film libraries.
§ Sir R. Glynasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many separate educational films are there available for circulation amongst the schools for which local education authorities are responsible; to what extent does the Board encourage the use of films as part of the school curriculum; to what extent are films of Dominion and Colonial interest included; and how far is there 1932W any interchange of such films between this country and the schools in the Dominions and Colonies?
Mr. LindsayAccording to the most recent information in the possession of the British Film Institute, the total supply of educational films of all kinds and qualities in the United Kingdom is about 2,400, of which nearly 300 are on Dominion and Colonial subjects.
The Board are anxious to see an extension of the use of films in schools; the Handbook of Suggestions for Teachers draws attention to their educational possibilities, and the pamphlet "Optical Aids" conveys information and suggestions on the technical aspects of projection. Expenditure by local education authorities on the provision of projectors is eligible for grant at the rate of 50 per cent.
The Empire and General Post Office Film Library attached to the Imperial Institute contains over 2,000 prints of 560 documentary or educational films of United Kingdom, "all-Empire," Dominion, Indian or Colonial subjects. Most of those in the four last named categories have been contributed by oversea Governments. These prints are circulated from the library without charge to some 3,500 schools, educational institutions and societies in this country which are registered as borrowers. Educational film libraries have been or are being created by educational and other authorities and bodies in the Dominions, India and some of the Colonies, and consideration is now being given to the question whether some form of organised system of interchange between the United Kingdom and these countries of films for school use can be arranged.