528 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



report the number of people to whom they are shown. The audience, 

 as actually reported for 1922, was 1,937,570. The audience, as actu- 

 ally reported for 1923, was 4,460,077. Allowance should be made for 

 possible exaggeration, but this consideration is balanced by the fact 

 that many users failed to report their showings. In addition, there 

 are no figures available in regard to the exact size of the audience 

 reached by the department films that have been bought by cooperat- 

 ing or outside institutions. As such purchased films outnumber the 

 films owned and circulated by the department, and as many of the 

 purchasers are known to be actively and continually circulating the 

 films to large audiences, figures on this circulation probably would 

 comi^are favorably with the figures reported to the department. 



Another item of circulation comes from the use of portions of 

 our films on several occasions in the commercial " news weeklies," 

 which claim audiences of several million people a day, and still 

 another item — not to be figured in the domestic circulation — comes 

 from the use of many of our films in foreign countries, such as at 

 the Brazilian exposition in Rio de Janeiro, and the exhibition of 

 our pork products film, " Behind the breakfast plate," in commercial 

 theaters in England and the countries of continental Europe. 



The growth in distribution is indicated also by the fact that in 

 1922 the number of film shipments from our laboratory was 2,066, 

 ^hile in 1923 the number rose to 2,715, and the films in most cases 

 were sent out for longer periods. The number of reels in 1922 

 shipments was 5,559, while in 1923 the number was 7,436. 



The number of subjects in distribution at the end of the fiscal 

 year 1923 was 169, the number of prints was 1,047, and the total 

 number of reels was 1,237. 



The growth of distribution would seem to be a fair indication of 

 the value of motion pictures in the department's work, but the figures 

 are not more impressive than the written expressions that come fre- 

 quently from users of the films. These statements in general are to 

 the effect that the films have a remarkable effect in attracting large 

 crowds to meetings, stimulating interest in the subjects under dis- 

 cussion, giving clear conceptions of unfamiliar ideas, and furnish- 

 ing inspirational impetus to campaigns for community betterment. 



On two occasions extension workers have been circularized as to 

 their opinions of the usefulness of motion pictures in aiding their 

 work. On each occasion the advocates of films won by a majority 

 that approached unanimity. Despite this, it is probable that less 

 than one-fourth of the extension workers have regular use of a pro- 

 jection machine. It is recommended that attention be given to this 

 situation, and that if possible the extension workei*s be encouraged 

 and aided in proper ways to obtain projection machines. The 

 results that have been attained with motion pictures demonstrate 

 that a projection machine is as much of a time saver in awakening 

 interest and imparting information as an automobile is in covering 

 the ground. It is confidently believed that the projection machine 

 will come to be recognized as being as essential to the extension 

 worker as his office typewriter and his " flivver." The best way to 

 bring about the acquisition of projection machines is to encourage 

 extension workers in interesting their local cooperating organiza- 

 tions in furnishing such equipment. 



