Less than a quarter of a century later twenty thousand theaters for moving pictures are open daily in the United States and the millions get for their nickel long hours of enjoyment.

In Edison's small box into which only one at a time could peep through the hole, nothing but a few trite scenes were exhibited.

In those twenty thousand theaters which grew from it all human passions and emotions find their stage, and whatever history reports or science demonstrates or imagination invents comes to life on the screen of the picture palace.
Yet this development from Edison's half-minute show to the "Birth of a Nation" did not proceed on American soil.

That slot box, after all, had little chance for popular success.

The decisive step was taken when pictures of the Edison type were for the first time thrown on a screen and thus made visible to a large audience.