The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Among- the Magazines Conducted by N. L. G. r^TTORLD'S WORK has furnished a ^V/ series of articles by Carl E. Ake- ley which have particular interest b 1 tearing directly upon visual education pr the general public. They present a de~ tiled account of the purposes, experiences, nd achievements of Mr. Akeley's scientific [cpedition to the gorilla country of Africa hder the auspices of the American Mil- ium of Natural History in New York City. "Hunting Gorillas in Central Africa" June) tells of the plans, the personnel, nd gets the party well into central Africa n its way to the gorilla country. Mr. Ake- ;y discusses at length previous writings II the subject of the gorilla and shows ow inaccurate were the thrilling descrip- ions of Paul du Chaillu, for example, rhose imagination served him so ably in ieu of scientifically trained observation, ftiough the gorilla was first seen by white nen in 185"), very little study has been jiven since to this most important link in he zoological chain. "Hunting Gorillas on Mt. Mikeno" July) describes a scientist's day's work in ireparing the carcass of a single specimen or preservation and transport back to its lestination in the museum in New York. The motion picture camera designed by he author for this sort of work is de- cribed and illustrated. It is extremely ompact and manageable under the difficult onditions encountered in the African jun- gles. Its lens equipment permits effective )hotography at distances of 25 or 200 feet ls circumstances dictate. The second specimen obtained by the )arty, and various habits of life of the mimals are described, and much evidence s brought out to disprove the venerable dea that the gorilla is ferocious and dan- gerous to man. "Hunting Gorillas in Central Africa" (August) brings further proof that the huge primate is a creature of great power, but without speed or ferocity. After the shooting of "the lone male of Karisimbi," Mr. Akeley declares that he "felt like a murderer." This installment describes also the selection and photographing of a typi- cal sweep of landscape with the movie camera, which will be used in constructing the background against which the group will be mounted in the museum. "Is the Gorilla Almost a Man?" (Sep- tember) is distinctly different in character from the preceding articles. The first three were largely narrative of the trip. This article is an exceedingly interesting resume of the data gathered, with much scientific discussion of the value of this data. Many interesting conclusions are drawn. The physical results of the trip were five excellent specimens for the new group in the African Hall and 300 or 400 feet of motion picture film, the first ever taken showing live gorillas moving in their native habitat. The scientific results could hardly be over-estimated. Mr. Akeley dwells on the new revelations obtained of the nature and disposition of the gorilla, of the proper way to study him by scientific mod- ern methods, of his kinship to man as sug- gested by his life-habits, of the numerous physiological similarities emphasizing this kinship. He insists that the species is on the road to extinction unless measures are taken immediately to make their present haunts a sanctuary. His fear that extinc- tion will come before man has made an adequate study of this rare subject impels Mr. Akeley to devote the last part of the article to an earnest argument for a pre- serve. The last remaining "gorilla coun- try" is small, comprising the slopes of three mountains about four miles apart—Mikeno, Karisimbi, and Visoke. There are less than 289