Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

Better Drivers for Tomorrow by DEL SHELLEY THIS is the story the true story about life saving on tomorrows highways — the story of how a principal in a city school tucked away in the desert metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona, police officers of that city, teachers of the school, parents of the school, and five hundred children are working together on an experiment that could be the answer, or at least an important part of the answer, to developing better drivers on the highways of the future. Today boys and girls at Garfield School in kindergarten and in first, second and third grades are learning the rules of the highway by pedaling scaled-down automobiles over miniature highways. Imagine, if you will, these tots driving cars over a trafficbound highway filled with divided streets, boulevard stops, traffic signals, and a ma/e of other driving problems. Through the use of such audio-visual aids as working models, life-like highway signs in miniature, diagrams, films, recordings, study prints, filmstrips, field trips, demonstrations and exhibits, these children are having many valuable experiences. It all happened two years ago when Captain Haskell Welch of the Traffic Safety Division of the Phoenix Traffic Department attended a safety conference at Northwestern University where he saw a display of miniature cars that had been used in connection with the city playground program of an eastern community. It suddenly dawned upon him that such a program could be expanded to include school-supervised and school-controlled experiences in driver education. His first thought was Garfield School, one of the Phoenix Elementary Schools, where much had been done in the field of bicycle safety, street-crossing safety, playground safety, and general safety in the buildings. In the light of this school's contributions to everyday safety, it occurred to the officer that perhaps they would have some good ideas on the all-important subject of highway a(<ident preven Mr. Shelley is Director of the Division of Audio-Visunl Services of the Phoenix, Arizona Elementary Schools. He is immediate past president of the Arizona Audio-Visual Education Association and at present is serving as president of the Phoenix Elementary Administrators Association. Today boys and girls at Garfield School (Phoenix, Arizona) in kindergarten and in first, second and third grades are learning the rules of the highway by pedaling scaled -down automobiles over miniature highways tion. .After an enthusiastic meeting with Mrs. Thelnia Bennett. Principal of Garfield .School, and the Central ■Administration of the Phoenix Elementary Schools, it was decided to try primary-age children first. In this way driver education for the five, six, seven and eight-year-olds became a reality. Children arc learning "good" driving manners early in life, which should help to minimize bad habits later. Thoughtfulness, courtesy, and consideration for others are basic among the many experiences these primary-age drivers have behind the wheel. .Although the project is in the experimental stages of deveh)pment, learning to drive a car at Garfield School is serious business and an integral part of the curriculum. Kindergartners are concerned with safety to and from school, crossing streets, observing the Junior Patrol safety rules, and reading traffic signals at the intersections. During the year they find themselves interested in playing the game of "car," which jjrovides an excellent opportunity to develop real interest in this future skill. Pie plates become steering wheels and a large circle is formed either in the classroom or on 272 Educational Screen