The Educational screen (c1922-c1956])

February, 1945 Page 61 They All Go to Evander, Chick Embryology and Behavior of Birds and Insects. He pointed out that interest in visual instruction is greatest and appreciation of the problems keenest among those who attempt to make their own films. . . . Dr. Paul Brandwein showed several films of microscopic forms which he has made. These included action of white corpuscles and fertilization of chromosomes. His method is to show about twenty-five to fifty feet of silent film, without titles, over and over until the pupils can describe the action shown on the screen. In this way the films become accessory microscopes and he is more certain of what pupils are seeing than when they actually use the microscope. Lantern Slides Dr. Ward C. Bowen stated that one of the best ways to utilize slides was to make them a part of the group discussion or class talk, and not the occasion for a monologue by the teacher. He particularly stressed the importance of flexibility of presentation. and the importance of arranging slides to fit the needs of the moment. More slides can and should be used to develop understanding and appreciation. . . . Mr. Thane Bierwert emphasized the value of using slides which showed a true likeness of the subject under discussion. Subjects should be well grouped and carefully photographed, for visual memories can be accurate only when children can see things as they really, are. . . . Mr. Solomon Y. Stillman demonstrated his methods of using slides in the classroom so that the pupil would do 90% of the work and the teacher 10%. These included slides for tests and for homework : .slides projected upon the blackboard where changes in graphs could easilv be drawn and comparisons made ; and slides made by his pupils of drawings of machine parts. . . . Mr. Rutherford B. Piatt, whose beautiful kodachromes of plants and other forms in nature appear frequently in "Life" magazine, compared the clarity of a printed description of a plant by Britton and Brown with that attained when each statement is illustrated by a kodachrome slide showing an enlargement of the part mentioned, e. g., a close-up of flower stalks growing in the axils of the leaves. Mr. Piatt also showed kodachromes of art forms in nature and designs for costume jewelry from close-ups of flowers and buds. Dioramas Dr. Irene F. Cypher stressed the value of a true diorama in creating an illusion of reality. This miniature group is particularly valuable when used as the core around which to build a lesson. The question of scale in using these miniature groups is not a barrier to their effectiveness. Pupils can and should be encouraged to make dioramas for classroom use. . . . Mr. Sam K. Smith stated that the diorama is valuable as a visual aid because it combines sculpture, painting and craftwork, all of which are visual arts. He too stressed the value of the diorama in creating an illusion of reality. ... Dr. James L. Clark described the principle of the new illusion exhibit, the mirrorscope, in which two mirrors placed at the proper angle, and a horizon line properly adjusted in a cardboard diorama, give the illusion of reality. Flat Pictures Miss Louise Condit spoke of the value of flat pictures in presenting a full story. Original objects may be too large or too. small and fragile to handle. Pictorial material enables you to show unlimited details and phases of the subject you are teaching. . . . Mr. Ralph Graetor, formerly of the staff of "Life," showed several series of accurate drawings which are made when "Life" magazine shows scientific studies, e. g.. the life of a tree or an appendectomy. He showed how such drawings are preferable to photographs because they emphasize the important factors and minimize or eliminate others for the sake of clarity. Realia and Exhibits Miss Hanna T. Rose described the work of the Brooklyn Museum in planning its exhibits exactly to meet the needs of teachers. Museums are no longer the ivory towers they used to be, but try to prepare material that will help enrich classroom work by providing actual specimens and objects which could not otherwise be obtained by teachers. . . . Mrs. Kathryn Greywacz described the value of well labeled, carefully prepared and integrated exhibits combining charts, models and artifacts. The New Jersey State Museum plans to work out many new groups for teacher use in the near future. . . . Miss Genevieve Secord stated that children are interested in the real objects, and it is important that such material be made available for classroom use. Art is a description of life, and the art teacher can therefore be of assistance in helping pupils to make objects needed for the various other subjects. . . . Miss Katharine Beneker described the steps in establi.shing small school museums. She emphasized the importance of pupil participation in this work to be secured by having pupils serve as museum directors, curators and custodians, the latter to be responsible for cleaning of the exhibits and keeping them in proper places after use by classes. . . .Mr. Robert Snedigar spoke on the care of classroom pets. He demonstrated this with his pet raccoon. Rusty, showing the intelligence and keen sense of smell of this animal. ... Dr. Alfred Beck showed that realia for science classes may often consist of "junk"; a coca cola bottle, a broken vacuum flask, a piece of glass from the mirrors of the largest telescope ever made, a plunger, etc. But each of these objects can be used in simple demonstrations by the clever teacher to stimulate interest on the part of pupils. . . . Miss Ellen Eddy Shaw demonstrated how to make a cactus garden for the classroom. Student Reaction to the Use of Visual Aids Miss Mary S. M. Gibson told of the enthusiastic reaction of visitors to special exhibitions arranged from time to time. She was followed by three students from Weequahic High School, Newark, New Jersey, who gave their reactions to visual aids in the classroom. They felt that more preparation and research should be done in the making of films used on the high school level to bring out specific subject matter. Slides made