The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Page 2 54 The Educational Screen ^riE u^it^xatuxE in ^ viiuaL Lln±ixiiation A Monthly Digest Conducted by ETTA SCHNEIDER ADMINISTRATION Planning a Visual Center. —Lt. James P. Fitzwater, formerly Lake View High School, Chicago— Nation's Schools, 32:58. August, 1943. Floor plans supplement the description of a recommended Audio-Visual Center in a high School. The proposal calls for a coordinator of visual instruction, working with a secretary and student staff. The Center includes a projection room with seating capacity of 140, adjoining the main office, preview room, library-conference room and coordinator's office. With two projectors enclosed in booths, one for group showings and one for previews, there is a minimum of wear on the equipment. FILM PRODUCTION The Basic English Teaching Films —Mary L. Guyton, State Department of Education, Boston— Adult Education Bulletin, 7:118 April, 1943. The possibilities of teaching basic English in a meaningful and lasting way are being studied by I. A. Richards, with the cooperation of the Walt Disney Studios, under a Rockefeller Foundation grant. By this plan, there would be a course of twenty reels, each lasting slightly less than ten minutes. About five hundred basic words and their use would thus be demonstrated by animated figures. One test reel has been completed. SLIDEFILMS The Probable Role of the Soundslide Film in Postwar Edu- cation —Ellsworth C. Dent— American School Board Journal. 107:35 July, 1943. An abstract of an address at the Conference on Radio in Education, held last May at Columbus, Ohio. There is every indication that slidefilms—with and without sound accompaniment—will be used more generally in post- war education than any other type of mechanical aid to class- room instruction. This statement is made after full considera- tion of the ever increasing use of motion pictures, recordings, transcriptions, and radio programs. War training is making intensive use of the soundslide film, with notable results. Some have indicated that training time has been reduced by 40%. Airplane recognition slides help to develop almost instantaneous recognition. It is estimated that there are now 125,000 or more slidefilm projectors in use in schools. Auxiliary sound apparatus will be provided after the war, as well as educational transcriptions to accompany slidefilms. RADIO and RECORDINGS A New Clearing House for Educational Recordings: 4-page circular. New York University Film Library, Recordings Division, 152 West 42nd St., New York City. The ^Recordings!Division ofithe American Councilion Educa- tion'has been added to the New York University Film Library. This circular lists educational recordings available on social and economic problems, literature, languages, United States history, and science for the enrichment of class and group dis- cussion. This Division will continue to make available recordings on educational subjects, to evaluate recordings offered by various agencies, to encourage the production of educational recordings, to help teachers and discussion groups select recordings for their programs, to prepare and distribute selected lists of recordings, and to fill orders for them. High School on the Air —K. Duane Hurley, Marysville (Cal.) Union High School— Sierra Educational News, 39:9 June, 1943. An extensive broadcasting program from the local station is conducted three times each week. The campus broadcasting station is connected with the local commercial station's trans- mitter. All technical work involved in broadcasting, however, is done by sudents. Thus, vocational training in the various aspects of radio work is afforded in the high school. We're Wondering —Georgiana K. Browne, Radio Super- visor, Ventura Co. (Cal.)— Sierra Educational News, 39:26 June, 1943. An account of radio programs which are planned and executed by intermediate grade children. PERIODICALS Sight and Sound —Summer, 1943—British Film Institute, London. The development of filmstrips for education in England is described in "Using the Film Strip," by A. Arkinstall, head- master of a boys' school in Watford, (p. 19) A 250-watt projector with changeable lenses allows for audi- torium and classroom use (a tri-purpose type of machine is described). For preview, a viewer is available for the teacher. The article concludes with an appeal for more and better film strip materials. * * * An interesting development in photoplay appreciation is described on p. 21. One of the theatre chains has initiated Cinema Clubs for Boys and Girls whereby selected matinee programs will be supplemented by educational films or cartoon- type of slides. Children's committees of old boys and girls will act as monitors, will visit ill members, and promote worthwhile activities among the members. The use of films for rural education in Essex is described by B. E. Lawrence on page 14. Mobile vans remain within a given district for a few weeks during which time the films are planned with the teachers. One van generates power for the projector. Lack of darkening facilities and teachers inexperience in applying films to the curriculum are important problems. Suit- able films for elementary grades are needed, and not necessarily sound films. SOURCES OF INFORMATION French Films for American Schools: a selected list of sixteen titles.—A. S. Ackerman, comp.— French Revieiv, 16:355-7 February, 1943. Science —compiled by George E. Flimlin, High School, North Arlington, N. J.—available from Audio-Visual and Teaching Aids Service, N. J. State Teachers College, Upper Montclair, N. J. 43 pp. mimeo. 1943. 75c. An excellent list of audio visual and teaching aids in- tended to supplement the teaching of General Science in all grades. The material is grouped under two main classi- fications: "Science in General,", which includes Nature Study and Physics, and "Contributions of Science to Our Daily Life." This second group, which constitutes the greater part of the publication, is subdivided into "Science in Farm and Garden," "Science in Industry," "Science in the Home," and "Science in Warfare." This compilation of teaching aids is offered as this col- lege's second contribution to the program of education in wartime. The first in this series covered the subject "Fly- ing and Weather."