How To Teach With Films (1940s)

[Music] this fourth grade class is studying the missionary work of the [Music] church it has learned from the account in St Matthew that the 12 disciples of Jesus were the first missionaries that St Paul took the church to Europe and that throughout the ages many missionaries have gone into all parts of the world now the children are interested and want to know where missionary work is being carried on today let's listen we send missionaries to today don't we yes remember the doctor from China who spoke to us of his word I remember but are doctors missionaries yes missionaries can be doctors or teachers as well as ministers now I wonder who can tell us where else our missionaries have gone besides China I remember you told us a story about a Christmas in Panama the children in a home had a Carol service and afterwards they all receiv received presents where did the presents come from we sent some from our Sunday school didn't we yes and so did boys and girls from Sunday schools all over this country do you call sending presents missionary work I do because it tells them we're their friends that's a very good answer Jane because in a way we can all be missionaries my father doesn't believe in missionaries he says we're wasting our money when we send it away from home well John lots of mothers and fathers feel that way about missionaries because they've never known or realized the wonderful work that's been done in spreading the teachings of Jesus throughout the world wherever our missionaries have gone they've built churches hospitals and schools next Sunday we're going to see a motion picture that will show us how many lives were saved because of the work these missionaries have done will it be a picture about people of today yes it's the story of an American Aviator shot down Behind Enemy Lines on the island of New Guinea and how he was rescued by a native named Jim who lived on the island Jim had been educated at the Mission School and one day he found a letter written in English floating in the water the teacher now tells the children the story of the picture they are going to see next Sunday she refreshes her memory from the synopsis as outlined in the guide from previous study she has selected certain incidents in the picture that are important for emphases thus properly preparing the minds of the children for what their eyes are going to see from past experience it has been found that the projector should be set up before Sunday school starts a rollup screen has been placed where it can conveniently be pulled down when required black curtains have been provided to darken the room when the picture is run the Sounder is placed on a pedestal built to bring it as close to the center of the screen as possible and theat the heads of the audience when everything is properly placed the projector is run to check the focus and sound each church school conducts a service of worship according to local Customs therefore we show no details of arrangements our fourth grades are our part of the whole [Music] school all [Music] great father [Music] andly now that we've finished our service of worship we will see the picture last month we studied the parable of the Good Samaritan and saw the film who is my neighbor today we will see a picture entitled we to receive which will take take us down to an island in the Pacific Ocean where the church has been at work for many years your teachers have already told you the story and I'm sure that after seeing this picture you will understand why missions are so important to the church James we're now ready to see the picture [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] mother Daddy it's a letter from John even the mailman knew it that's why he stopped here first [Applause] Mary get my glasses there the sewing basket here let me read Dear Mother and Dad first let me tell you I'm all right I'm at a base hospital at the name is censored out here been here for the past 3 weeks but the doc says I'll be as good as you in about 10 days I still have my regulation GI number of arms and legs fingers and toes but I did catch a couple of knit bullets one in my leg and one in my shoulder but he says he's all right now mother I'm going to tell you about it I was on reconnaissance Patrol and was hiling it for home over some of the toughest country I've ever seen where they came from I don't know but suddenly there were some zeros on my tail and they meant business [Music] I landed in a clearing no bigger than a dime it might have been luck but I like to think it was something else anyway I was on the ground not feeling any too chipper either but I knew I had to get away from there fast they knew I was somewhere about but they didn't know just where my leg wasn't working well so I got down on my hands and knees and crawled I hadn't done a thing about my wounds and they were beginning to hurt also in this part of the world you better take care of wounds right now well luck was with me again I hadn't crawled far when I came to a little stream right smack in the middle of the Jungle I decided to fix my leg first jaap voices were getting closer all the time once in a while I could hear gunfire in the distance so I knew I wasn't too far from the ground fighting fixing my shoulder was tougher I had only one hand for it but I finally got it done and then I was through I couldn't go any farther I don't mind telling you I [Music] prayed I drove back from the stream it's a good thing I had too because two Japs waited right down that stream looking for me then I must have passed out because I don't remember anything more until what must have been hours later I know it was a long time because I was shot down in the evening and when I came to the sun was coming up again I couldn't remember where I was for a minute but when I tried to move it all came back to me my shoulder hurt worse than my leg about that time I heard a splashing Downstream believe me I lay low the splashing would go on for about about 10 steps and then stop and a voice would say two words I couldn't understand a moment's pause and the splashing would start again and again the two words as the voice came closer the two words sounded like my name I peaked through the foliage he was standing still and this time there was no doubt he said John pain imagine my feelings I'd heard about the head hunters I knew I didn't have a chance so I said come and get me and passed out again when I came to my wounds were dressed and I was looking into the face of the Native he had made some swell bandages out of my shoot if you don't believe in coincidence no I'll change that if you don't believe in the will of god listen to this the day before when I had pulled my first aid kit out to dress my leg I had pulled out mom's last letter with my address on the envelope it had fallen in the Stream and floated away I hadn't seen it but this native had pulled it out of the stream when it passed his village he' seen my plane shot down and knew I was near the stream and all through the night he' waited Upstream calling my name I don't need to tell you where he learned English we were still in the jam the Japs were all around firing was going on and the only possible way out was down the stream so with Jim supporting me I never could learn to pronounce his real name we started out it was tough going but Jim was a tower of strength [Music] when I finally snapped out of it I couldn't seem to get my eyes open but I heard two lovely yank voices talking right above me one of them said they haven't got a chance Gang Green ain't no fun and there's that mountain range standing between them and life and then I Heard a Voice I knew Jims let us take them back it was a funny accent but it was the voice of God these men are our Christian Brothers would you have us fail in our duty to God [Music] and with that we started on our [Music] journey it was tough going how those men got us up that mountain I'll never know [Music] CHR with the cross of [Music] Jesus a [Music] mighty the Church of God Brothers we are isn't it wonderful mother yes Mary it is wonderful but isn't there something we can do yes mother there is we can thank God almighty god father of all mercies we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and Hearty thanks for all his and loving kindness to us through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen with [Music] the having seen the picture with the children the teacher during the week prepares for the discussion next Sunday she checks over the procedure as outlined in the guide the children's interest must be centered on JY I should stress the importance of the Mission School these pictures will refresh their memory they'll see something of the country in which our missionaries [Applause] work Jim and the neor helped because it was their Christian duty this Sunday the teacher finds the class eager to talk about the picture they have seen and the work of missionaries let's listen last Sunday you were all in Sunday school and we saw the picture we two received it was about an American Aviator being downed in the island of New Guinea and we found out what happened to him I wonder if anyone else could remember something about the story Miss Stevens that was a good picture I like Jim so did I I like The Aviator too i' call Jim a good neighbor he must belong to our church what makes you say that because he sang honored Christian Soldiers that's one of our hymns was there anything else that might make you think he's a Christian he said he wanted to help his Christian brother how do you think he learned to speak our language well I went to school like we do yes that's right he probably went to a mission school and was taught by a missionary just think if we hadn't sent any missionaries over what might have happened I'm not sure that I know where New Guinea is suppose you make a map to show us next Sunday I'd like to know what kind of houses they live in what food they eat all right Tom why don't you gather some pictures and make a scrapbook I thought it was good to have the father offer a prayer of thanks at the end of the picture I'm glad you know no that Marilyn now would someone like to write a prayer for Missions all right Marilyn you and Susan can write it together now children be sure and have your projects ready next Sunday I know we'll all enjoy [Applause] them let us see how the teacher made use of the picture because the class was studying missionary work the teacher arranged to have them see a picture that showed some of the results of Christian teaching the projector and Screen were properly placed and tested before the service after viewing the picture the guide was carefully studied photos from the picture were selected and questions prepared for the discussion on the following Sunday she encouraged free discussion by the children Maps posters and other projects were stimulated by the picture and so we have seen how this teacher has successfully used a teaching film in accordance with the following basic principles one determine purposes two make careful preparation three project film four discuss with class A information and values acquired B plans for future work after seeing the film The Children find a new meaning in an old [Music] hymn the INR we be andr through the [Music] h