Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

REEL and SLIDE The Wisconsin Idea; How It Operates , NE of the biggest and most important universities in the m United States is extending its Department of Visual Instruction through which it augments instruction in almost every branch of education. The University of Wisconsin, at Madison, in connection with its Extension Division, has had such a bureau in operation for some time and with great success. The subjects covered are varied and interesting. There are reels upon reels of subjects listed which offer a wide range of technical a.s well as general information, and which are listed for the benefit, not only of the University itself, but which are loaned to the schools and churches of the state for exhibition in their class rooms. Louis E. Reber, M.S.. Sc.D., and William Henry Dudley head the department. Not only does the wide range of subjects cover many technical branches of science and industry, but there are reels on the great masterpieces of literature, and the most important industries, all of which have a high entertaining value and all of which are calculated to interest the student at the same time that they instruct him. A Wide Range of Subjects The general classification of subje'Cts covers nearly every phase of education which offer opportunities of visualization on the screen. In the way of films, those on history include, among others, the "Life of Abraham Lincoln," "Pyramids and the Sphinx," "Historic Tarrytown," "Egypt in the Time of Moses," "Landing of the Pilgrims," "Paul Revere's Ride," "The Fall of Troy," "Death of Nathan Hale," "Damascus," "Historic Boston," etc. The industrial section includes reels covering the manufacture of firearms, lace making, soap manufacture, cocoa industry, rubber industry, automobile building, pickles and preserves, asphalt industry, coal mining, a visit to a candy factory, etc. There is a lengthy list of juvenile subjects among them ; ■those visualizing the Montessori educational system, child life in the tenements, the annual children's festival at Newark, N. J., "Pied Piper of Hamelin," "Alice in Wonderland," water beetles, birds in their nests, types of flowers, wonders of the microscope, "The Old Curiosity Shop," trained dogs and "Little Boy Blue." Films covering social welfare are numerous, the fly pest, work of visiting nurses, the street beautiful, sane Fourth, red cross seal story, care of infants, cosmopolitan New York, crime of carelessness, safety first, back to the farm, and others. In connection with the teaching of literature, the department lists among others, "Silas Marner," the Shakespeare country, "Hansel and Gretel," "Taming of the Shrew," "Lady of the Lake," "Rip Van Winkle," "Enoch Arden," "Our Mutual University at Madison Reaches Remote Public Schools With Extensive Circuit of Moving Pictures and Lantern Slides, Controlling Own Productions By Jonas Hov^^ard Friend," "A Winter's Tale" and "John Halifax, Gentleman." Many Geography Films Perhaps no branch of instruction offers such excellent opportunities for visualization as does geography. The class is .enabled to see, in life like pictures, localities which, heretofore, have been described only in the motionless illustrations of the text book. The University of Wisconsin lists many reels which augment the class in both physical and general geography, including, Glacier National Park, "Crystallization," grand canyon of the Arizona, rambles around the English lakes, waterfalls, from Chicago to Seattle, Estes Park, Cornwall, the Panama Canal— in fact, the selections are world-wide. In the general geography section, we find available, films describing such places as "A Trip Through the Sudan," Belgium, Prance, Italy and Greece, winter in WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY PLAN OF OPERATION THE educational motion picture films listed are available for use under two plans: (a) The routing plan, wherein slides and films are forwarded from place to place on a definite circuit: and, (b) The direct or special service plan, wherein the illustrative material is sent to the borrower direct from the bureau. Conditions under which the school or other civic organizations may receive this service are as follows: Formal application is made on blanks furnished by the University Extension Division. For special service, this application must be made a week ahead of time. Transportation charges are paid by the school borrowing the films. No rental charge is made for films or slides. The school agrees not to charge admission fee, unless by special arrangement with the University. Scene from Hugo's "Les Miserabies," one of the literary subjects supplied by the Extension Department of the University of Wisconsin. Switzerland, picturesque Japan, northern Venice, a walk in Rome, scenes in Delhi, etc. In the scientific category, entomology and physics, there are many reels which show interesting experiments. There is a reel on air, its composition, properties, etc., another on vaccines and anti-toxins, one on the prevention of typhoid, reptile life, nitrates, wonders of magnetism, the frog, Japanese butterflies, wading birds, sea birds, _ water, wild animals, lessons in liquid air, how plants are born and live, circulation of the blood, etc. The films mentioned in this article are only a few of the subjects which are owned and controlled by -the University. They give an idea of the variety of reels on hand and their general character. Many of the subjects are combined, several different topics being included in one thousand foot reel. The subjects vary in length, but the average is one reel or 1,000 feet. Films Are All Free The motion pictures and slides in the possession of the University of Wisconsin E.xtension Division are loaned free to public schools and qualified civic organizations within the state who agree to abide by the rules governing the service. For instance, it is not permitted to charge admission to see these pictures unless by special consent of the Bureau and the schools using the film agree not to run the picture faster than 1,000 feet in 20 minutes. The educational motion picture {Continued on page 14.)