Education Is Good Business (film #477 on Prelinger Archive). [Category: Public Service]

This film, made by the National Chamber of Commerce, tries to sell the idea that education is good for business. A high school girl who studies art might grow up to be a housewife who has a taste for “the finer things in life,” a boy who learns better farming techniques in high school will eventually run a farm that has better yields, and a girl who takes a typing class in high school will be able to find a good job after graduation and thus have more spending power, at least until she finds a good husband. Communities that support education sell more magazines! Though I agree that higher education levels tend to improve the economy, there is something incredibly lame about this film and its tendency to reduce people to “tax-supported community assets.” I shudder to think what kind of education the people responsible for this film would like to support. The more you think about this film, the more appalling it becomes. But mostly, it’s just dull and poorly-made, which frankly doesn’t reflect well on the education of the filmmakers.

Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ***. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.