The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

February, 19}S Page 43 Lantern Slides of Cellophane N(J single type of materials and no one method can ever meet the needs of all teachers or all learners. Teachers, oftimes. develop special techniques that prove particularly valuable and useful. But single patterns, as such, do not apply in the field of "human engineering." Only a variety of patterns can satisf>- a diversity of needs. Individual differences are best provided for in de\'ious ways through liberal use of a wide selection of methods and materials, .\fter all. the personality and enthusiasm of the teacher coupled with zestful variety of material seem to have al)out as much to do with success in method as any relevant factors. The approach outlined here, therefore, is simply another way of doing things that seems to be bringing results. There is nothing new about student or teacher- made lantern slides. They have long been utilized. But the lantern slides that can be made easily and quickly by student or teacher on cheap transparent cel- lophane, either dashed off on a typewriter, traced in india ink. or colored in rich Japanese color inks is another matter, and should bid fair to arrest some at- tention. For instance, if t\-pewritten slides are desired cello- phane sheets of proper size, under radio carbmi mats, arc inserted in the t\-pewritter and run off exactly like any other carbon copies. The typewritten cellophane sheets are then insertefl between the two slide glasses, bound top and bottom with adhesive passe partout. and the slides are ready for projection. By this simple procedure slides are quickly available for purposes of reviews, objective tests, drills, vocabularies, and simi- lar uses. Should illustrated diagrams or drawings be needed, the slide is drawn on the cellophane with India ink. The transparent cellophane is placed over the drawing or illustration and traced with India ink. A crow quill pen proves most satisfactory-. If desired, origi- nal figures or diagrams of the proper size can first be made on regular drawing paper. Cellophane is then placed over the original drawing, thumbtacked to the drawing board, and then traced onto the cello- phane. In tlie case of colored slides the India ink outline on the cellophane can be filled in with brilliant Japanese color inks by means of a quill pen. For example, in the schematic outline of the circulaton^ system it is advantageous to color the arteries red, capillaries pink, and veins blue. These colors show up most beauti- fully without any diminution when projected on the screen, and the various parts are accentuated and stand out in bold relief. .\ny printing or labeling may be done free hand directly on the cellophane slides by having sheets with guide lines immediately beneath the transparent cellophane. Suggestions for varied and systematic uses of hand-made slides for effective teaching By MAHLON R. WEBB and STERLING O. WILSON Collinwood High School, Cleveland, Ohio. Slides can be shown in a lighted room and notes taken while they are on the screen. The screen should be shaded from any direct light at the front of tlie room. In this way, the illumination on the screen and the notebook are about equal. This avoids eye strain which would occur if pupib were constantly looking back and forth from a brightly illuminated screen to poorly illuminated paper or notebooks. A small pointer may be used at the lantern. The sharply defined shadow of the pointer appears on the screen, and may be used to direct and focus attention upon any particular point or area. One of the favorable features of these easily made slides is the fact that if the subject is changed, or im- proved drawings used, the only money loss is that of the cellophane. This loss is negligible as the two plates of slide glass and top binding can be used over again with any new cellophane drawings or diagrams. On the other hand, should a valuable slide meet with ac- cident through careless handling only the outside glass plates can be broken. The enclosed sheet of cellophane, on which appears the drawing or illustration in color, is still available as the cellophane is unbreakable. -\11 that is required is to place the preserved cellophane between two new glass plates, and the same slide is ready for use. Rolls of cellophane and Japanese color inks can be secured at any five and ten, drug or department store. The inexpensive adhesive passe partout. and the radio carbon mats can be purchased at any stationery- store, supply house, or such firms as Radio Mat Slide Com- pany and Keystone View Company, which hin lie ma- terials of this kind. The clear glass slide plates, three and a quarter inches wide by four inches long, cost SI.80 a hundred. This brings the cost per slide be- tw-een three and four cents, depending somewhat upon the t}-pe of slide desired. This does not take into con- sideration the substantial saving that is effected by the elimination of the cost of stencils and mimeographed paper that would otherwise be necessitated in lieu of the cellophane slides. Slides keep indefinitely, but sten- cils do not. The larger the classes the greater is the saving in both paper and stencils. Six slides may be drawn on one sheet of cellophane, eight inches wide by nine and three quarters inches long. Before cutting the six drawings apart it is especi- ally advantageous to either make a blue print or print the intact drawing on a sheet of photographic paper. The transparent inked cellophane is similar to photo- graphic negative and may be printed on either photo- graphic or blueprinting paper. The six drawings are easily accommodated on a single sheet of blueprint, the same size as a sheet of typewriter paper, eight and a half by eleven inches. When these blueprints are bound together they