SECRET CINEMA: A Child’s Introduction to Social Guidance Films
Schedule
Thu, 11 Sep, 2025 at 08:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street | Philadelphia, PA
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We've shown many themed groupings of short films over the 33+ years of Secret Cinema programming -- nights devoted to music films, travel films, old color films, TV commercials, stag films, World War II films, films made in the 1970s, films made in Philadelphia, and yes, even boring films. But surprisingly, only once did we devote an entire program to the now-celebrated social guidance film.A subset of the educational, or classroom film genre, social guidance films exist not to teach children the traditional school wisdom of history, science and grammar, but to impart to their unformed minds the correct attitudes and behavior. They came into their own in the post-war years, and were omnipresent in American schools in the 1950s and '60s. They were rediscovered in documentaries like THE ATOMIC CAFE, in the 1999 book MENTAL HYGIENE, and on cable television and numerous home video compilations. The Congress-created National Film Registry has even selected one of the most (in)famous social guidance films, DUCK AND COVER, for eternal preservation.
We thought it was time we dusted off one of our favorite programs (which last screened at Moore College of Art & Design in 2006). While these kinds of films have made appearances throughout the history of Secret Cinema (within other programs and before feature films), on Thursday, September 11, we will again compile some of the best S.G. reels from our private archive into one big show. And while social guidance films can be found everywhere nowadays (yep, on the internet too), the best way to see them is in the dark -- using real film projected onto a big screen (albeit a screen much bigger than found in any classroom), among a group of one's peers (albeit peers many years past the target audience of most of these films).
As usual, this Secret Cinema program will be projected in 16mm film on a giant screen (not video).
There will be one complete show, at 8:00 pm. Admission is free.
A CHILD'S INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL GUIDANCE FILMS will include several rare titles not seen in many years. They will span many different eras and include examples of work from important producers of social guidance film like Coronet (originally a division of Esquire Magazine) and Young America Films. Just a few highlights will be: COURTESY AT SCHOOL, HELPERS IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS A CONTRACT?, TOWARD EMOTIONAL MATURITY, WHAT DOES OUR FLAG MEAN? and IT'S WONDERFUL BEING A GIRL.
SECRET CINEMA WEBSITE: https://www.thesecretcinema.com
THE ROTUNDA WEBSITE: https://www.therotunda.org
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Where is it happening?
The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
