The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 312 purpose of comparison. Regional stations collect all the needed teaching aids, and teachers may obtain them without a fee, returning them to the loaning station. Great stress, at present, is being placed on equipment that "will demonstrate not simply things, but how they perform. Mastering his subject and the methods of teaching is only one part of a teacher's preparation, since he must be able also to construct simple devices. The practice of cooperation between teachers and pupils in the preparation of needed school appliances has not only material but immense educational values also, and it usually results in a more careful handling of these objects and of other school property as well." "When and How Shall We Use the Motion Picture?", by Edgar Dale. More than one-third of the admissions to motion pictures are paid by minors. "The issue, then, is not whether we shall have visual instruction. It is, rather, shall our visual instruction be directed toward socially beneficial ends, or shall it be narrow, desultory, un- coordinated, unintegrated ?" We have only scratched the surface as far as providing physical equipment is concerned. A number of educational organizations, however, are taking a deep interest in the problem of correcting this educational lag. Our chief problem is not that of arousing interest or enthusiasm, but of taking a long look ahead and asking some fundamental questions as to the precise functions, which these visual aids should serve. One important function is that of exposition. "We must plan eventually to have such expository films available in a library or labor- atory so that they can be used in much the same fashion as one would use an encyclopedia or dictionary." Some of these films would be of sufficient general interest to use with larger groups in the auditorium. Another function which teaching films might serve is aiding in the learning of certain skills. A third function is that of sensitizing pupils to important social problems. Dr. Dale deplores the lack of relationship between the school and the other community influences, pre- senting a dualistic program, one element of which often annihilates the others. He warns against per- mitting visual aids to lead us to fall again into the subject-matter stereotype from which we have been trying to extricate ourselves these many years. Teachers are inclined to attempt to correlate films and slides with the present courses of study, the present textbooks, our current objectives, "without first of all subjecting these materials and objectives to rigid scrutiny. We must not do better with the film the things that ought not to be done anyway." International Journal of Religious Education (13:18-19, Oct. '36) "Motion Pictures Bring Life to Conferences," by Anna Jean Vandercook. At a recent National Youth Conference, seeing and hearing living people on the screen, and there- by understanding how they meet life situations, The Educational Screen rather than just hearing about them, brought new vigor to the assembled group. At Scranton, Penn- sylvania, real life-situations by means of sound- films were presented. "Broken Lullaby" and the discussion that followed is fully reported, and valu- able suggestions are given as to tactful leadership in group conversations. Also, the free expression of ideas by the audience, enables the leader to see more clearly what points he should emphasize in making his summary. The Instructor (45:70-71, Oct. '36) "Photoplays as an Aid to Education," by William Lewin, Chairman of Committee on Motion Pictures, Department of Sec- ondary Education of the National Education Asso- ciation. With this issue The Instructor inaugurates a de- partment which- is to be devoted to the motion picture and the general topic of audio-visual aids to education, according to Mr. William Lewin, editor of the new department. In his first article Mr. Lewin names five recent films which should stimulate good reading by boys and girls as a result of seeing the films: Last of the Mohicans, Daniel Boone, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Captains Courageous, Romeo and Juliet. Suggestions for such reading are given. "Teachers who post on their bulletin boards lists of forthcoming films and related readings find that the books are in demand by the children." Journal of Experimental Education (5:1-6. Sept. '36) "The Verbal Accompaniment of the Educa- tional Film—The Recorded Voice vs. the Voice of the Classroom Teacher", by J. E. Hansen, Univer- sity of Wisconsin. Following a review of previous studies made, the writer reports a scientific experiment made at Fond du Lac and Edgerton among 415 pupils. Four Erpi talking pictures were used, the verbal continuity presented by the teacher being assured to be the same as that accompanying the picture by means of recording on a dictaphone and transcribing. "The results of this study seem to indicate that the verbal explanation accompanying an educational picture of the talking picture type can be presented as effectively by the classroom teacher as by the medium of the recorded voice and the sound mo- tion picture projector. The personality and the voice of the teacher will greatly determine the ef- fectiveness of the teacher presentation. On the oth- er hand, a poorly recorded voice and poor room acoustics may impair the eflfectiveness of the re- corded voice." Movie Makers (11:388 et al, Sept. '36) "Rear Projection", by Earl Theisen. Rear projection to provide atmosphere and furnish background for scenes is an economic and most suc- cessful late technique. Proper environment may be provided without taking a company to the desired (Continued on page 324)