Moving Picture Age (Jan-Dec 1922)

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Traveling is no fool's errand to him who carries his eyes and itinerary along with him, — Amos Bronson Alcott SOUTH AMERICA via the SLIDE ROUTE James N. Emery Supervising Principal, Potter District, Pawtucket, R. I. FROM the slide user's point of view, South America is one of the most satisfactory continents for treatment. Its people, its topography, from the snow-capped volcanoes to the grassy plains, its industries, its plant and animal life, are interesting. It is a country of vivid contrasts, of striking illustrations. It lies at our own door, and to an undeveloped mind seems to have a greater semblance of realism than do the far-off countries of the East. There is a wealth of material for geographical illustration. Volcanoes, equatorial jungles, broad rivers, fertile plantations, snowcapped mountain-peaks at the very equator, savage tribes, strange animals, all make a deep and vivid impression on the mind of the elementary school pupil. In most school systems South America forms the basis of work for the first half of seventh-grade geography. Not only do the reasons I have outlined make it an excellent medium, but its physical features render it an excellent type-form. Its shape, topography, and regularity of wind and rainfall belts, make it an admirable illustration for the basic principles of general geography and the serious study of winds, rainfall, currents, etc., which generally begins at this point. For slide material on South America we use the regular slides dealing with that continent in the Keystone "600 set," about 30 in number, supplemented by about 80 more selected from the Underwood travel tours on South America. (The illustrative material for this article was furnished by courtesy of the Visual Instruction Department, Chicago Public Schools.) These cover the continent in excellent detail, although I would wish to secure a greater assortment on the Amazon region and on the grassy plains. Thus far I have been unable to find them in the catalogues of any slide firm of my acquaintance. The Tinting of Map-Slides Supplementing these slides are the indispensable map-slides of the country, both political and relief or topographical. These can be obtained from any one of several firms, who will also make them to order from your own maps, in either case colored or plain. If you possess the requisite skill you can color them yourself with an outfit of transparent water colors. If you feel still more ambitious you may want to try your hand at tinting the view slides. For this purpose an excellent outfit is put up at a very low price by the Eastman Kodak Company, the colors coming in small sheets, bound up in a little book. A tiny piece may be clipped off as needed, and dissolved in a small saucer of water, varying the density according to the strength you desire. A clear, lasting, and perfectly transparent color is obtained, and it will not make your slide opaque, as is the case with ordinary water colors. These colors, moreover, do not require any preliminary sizing, but may be used directly upon the emulsion. Little Diversity in South American Races My own classroom experience has led me to take up the continent of South America in somewhat different fashion from the others. These naturally divide themselves into individual sections, with such radical racial and physical differences, modes of living, standards and ideals, that their study breaks up into small component parts. In studying Asia emphasis is laid upon the people of India, Persia, and Korea, rather than upon Asiatics as a whole. The lives of the Chinese vary as widely from those of the Jews of Palestine or the inhabitants of Mesopotamia as do their color, features, or mode of existence. The British Isles are not like Italy or Russia, either in people, climate, or industries. South America, on the other hand, in most respects may be viewed as a whole. There is not much diversity among the races, whether we study Chile, Peru, the Argentine, or the Guianas. All are sprung from much the same mixture of Spaniards, native Indians, and miscellaneous immigrants, the mixture working out about the same in Bolivia as in Ecuador. Historically the countries secured (c) Underwood & Underwood, N. Y. Where mule trains from Guayaquil enter Quito; San Domingo church at left their independence at much the same time. The great Cordilleran mountain chain sweeps along the western edge of the continent from Panama to Cape Horn. Life in the Andes is not greatly different, whether it be studied in Colombia or in Chile. I therefore find it advantageous to use a method of treatment in studying South America that differs from my treatment of Asia or Europe. Rather than lay a great amount of emphasis on any one country, I prefer a modification of the project method in studying this continent. The general theme of the lessons may be best described as a series of visits to characteristic spots on the continent, laying but little stress on the location or "sailor" geography of each place. The natural approach to the study of any country is its surface, location, and climate. There is naturally a wealth of material to illustrate this point, which the teacher will bring out by a few examples of each type. Enough slides to give a general idea of the Andes: a few volcanoes; some mountain cities, such as Quito or Cuzco; the broad grassy plains of the central region; the jungles of the Amazon; the broad rivers; the majestic falls; the mountain trails; the wealthy cities that have grown up at important outlet points — these will convey a general idea of the surface, with constant recurrence to the map-slide. One geography in wide use* takes up in substantial detail the animal life of each continent. I doubt the pedagogical value of devoting any great amount of time to this feature, but it never fails to make a most interesting lesson if recourse is had to the slide cabinet. South America has an unusually large number of peculiar animals of its own, and the llama, the armadillo, the manatee, the condor, the ant-eater, and the long-tailed spider monkeys are scrutinized with intense interest by the pupils. Studying the Population Another lesson taken up early in the year discusses the different people of the country. Here you have a wealth of material, for almost every slide supplies its example. But start systematically with the ancient Incas and their vanished civilization, the great walls they built without the aid of tools or mortar, the remains of those great walls today, and their vanished cities. Follow this with their sub "Tarr and McMurray's. 13