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Although Mental Hygiene Films were a staple of the American Educational System from the late 40's, by the early 70's production had ground to a halt. The late 60's had changed America. School systems were moving away from the "3 Rs" and experimenting with new ideas. The Federal Government had passed laws mandating Co-ed Gym, sports, and health classes. After years of separation and being taught health by a gym teacher, boys and girls were henceforth to suffer the embarassment of learning about our bodily functions together and with a professional health teacher.
Some of the old ways prevailed and the Mental Hygiene films remained, though. Old and worn, the projector would be wheeled in. The girls were taken to another room (for what, we were never told). For some cruel reason, us boys were submitted to Highway Safety Films. I vaguely recall other genres such as Sex Hygiene, but all I can remember are those Highway Safety Films.
Yeah and I was a wuss. One steel girder through the truck driver's head and I was out of there!
Recently we were sent a book by Ken Smith, called Mental Hygiene: Classroom Films 1945-1970. It begins - being the first of its kind - to explore this forgotten genre of classroom films. We made the short trip to Astoria in Queens for the opening of a museum series highlighting these films. Screenings were followed by a discussion between a host, the author, and preservationist Rick Prelinger. What a shame, the bitter cold snap in January likely put a damper on attendance! For those who missed out, we looked through our many databases and came up with a few tapes with complilations of Mental Hygiene films.