Composition: History & Theory: 1930 - 1939
The Media
Description
In The American School From the Puritans to No Child Left Behind (2008), Joel Spring notes that the values being taught in the movie code were very close to the values being taught in schools. It was widely believed that films should be controlled in order to consciously teach moral and political lessons OR that films should be controlled to avoid negative influences. The film industry was on the self-regulating side of the debate in favor emphasizing moral/political lessons. Some educators considered media houses as competition for the minds of youth while others recognized movies as resources. During the 1920s and 1930s, movie appreciation courses in high schools were considered. The movie industry argued that schools could improve movies by educating future audiences, providing an “argument against government censorship” (361).
In 1933, WW Charters published a final summary of the Payne Studies begun at Ohio State in 1928. Some of the highlights include: 1) in accordance with parental fears, children lose sleep after watching motion pictures; 2) A study in Columbus OH by the BJR compared kids who drank coffee at 8:30PM to kids who went to the movies before bed. Their findings were that movies caused as much restlessness as two cups of coffee; 3) a correlation between movies and youths’ attitudes and conduct (more frequent movie attendance equaled lower grades, reputations rated lower by teachers, etc.); and 4) a study by Herbert Blumer, associate professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, demonstrated the important role of movies evoking the sexual revolution of the 20th century. In 1934, after the Payne Studies suggested movie appreciation courses, the NCTE published William Lewin’s manual for the teaching of movie appreciation in high schools. By 1937, three million students were receiving instruction in movie appreciation. The movie production code of the time had three principles: No picture shall be produced that will lower the moral standards of those who see it; correct standards of life, subject only to the requirements of drama and entertainment, shall presented; Law, natural or human, shall not be ridiculed, nor shall sympathy be created for its violation (a bit ambiguous to say the least).
At the time there was also a question about radio being commercial or educational. It was questioned whether or not American radio should be taxed like British radio or if it should be commercial in nature. Commercial radio (NBC split to NBC and ABC, CBS emerged) once held in favor by the feds came under fire because of educators pointing to the decline of licenses for educational organizations. In 1934, the NCER (National Committee on Education by Radio) met. They advocated radio programming as serving the purpose of national culture building. Their conference sought to give 25% of licenses to nonprofit stations. In the 30s, Jerome Davis talked about the negative effects of radio advertisements on cultural values. He believed that ad agencies were taking over the roles of parents, reason, ethics, etc.
Date of Upload
3/13/09