Social Guidance Films

Social guidance films swept into American schools at the end of World War II. The quick rise of these films came about in response to new romantic and social practices of post-war teenagers. Films benefited from advanced production practices in Hollywood-style production houses. The genre faded by the early 1950s with increasing fears of Soviet scientific superiority. Social guidance films provide a look into changes in education methods, gender and sexuality norms, idealized visions of society, and fears of the Cold War prominent during the time. Explore the exhibit below to learn more about the social guidance film genre and ideas of teenagers in post-World War II America. To watch the the available social guidance films in our collection, continue through the exhibit or click here.