Visual Education (Jan 1923-Dec 1924)

March, 1923 95 Readers are invited to address queries on practical projection matters to Projection Department, care of VISUAL EDUCATION Why do objects on the screen sometimes look ''funny" when seen from the side of the room? — M. C. P., Rockford, III. Because the images are on a plane surface and their apparent width is diminished when seen obliquely, while their heights are unchanged. If the screen were observed from directly in front but from high above the level of its center, then objects would seem to be shortened in the vertical direction. For fear the foregoing may not be perfectly clear, let us consider the matter more concretely. Take a book whose width is about half its length. Stand it on end about six feet away, directly in front of the observer, with the flat side toward him. It will then appear to be about twice as high as it is wide. Now step from six to ten feet to the right or left and look again. If the distance of the observer from the book is kept the same, the apparent height of the book will be unchanged, but its width will seem to be diminished. If the observer goes far enough he will be looking at the edge of it. On the screen a picture of a girl, for example, is on the plane surface of the screen. When viewed from a point directly in front of the screen she is in true proportions, but when viewed from far to one side the most lovely heroines take on grotesque shapes. The corresponding thing is not observed when looking at the girl herself instead of her image, because she is rounded and not in a plane. The question you have raised has cost theater builders large amounts of money. In order to avoid the defects to which you refer, they have been compelled to build relatively long and narrow theaters, instead of the more compact structures that are used for the stage. One always raises the question in his mind whether the defects of distortion cannot be avoided by cylindrical screens or some other means. There is no hope in the construction of the screen itself, but each person might be provided with spectacles so designed as to magnify objects in the horizontal direction. The amount of magnification necessary to produce normal results would, of course, depend upon the position of the observer. Even aside from this complication, however, the method is probably not feasible.— F. R. MOULTON. MAKING A PROPAGANDA MOTION PICTURE (Continued merit on the day the picture was taken. Unconscious Study of Economics Poor Rosa, working painfully under the glaring factory lights or lunching at her machine — her best friend, employed as a waitress in a restaurant, coming home dog-tired at the end of a rush day — these familiar experiences are followed with keen interest. But the greatest enthusiasm is displayed, and evidenced by cheering, as the paymaster hands Mollie and Jim equal pay for their equal work. Anxiety for Rosa and her poor mother, who must work "all night to make not enough," makes way for con from page 90) gratulations when the girl finally secures a good, job and is instructed in her work by a smiling Jim, who now realizes that short hours and Saturday afternoons off for Rosa are going to mean more picnics and wholesome pleasures for both of them henceforth. As the end of the film comes and the "Standards" pass in slow review, the sketches and captions call forth ripples of applause and a murmur of approval. And the girls go back to their afternoon work, talking eagerly and intelligently about the picture, all unconscious of the fact that for half an hour they have been students of an im portant side of industrial economics— the question of proper working conditions, short hours and equal pay for women workers, as embodied in the Women's Bureau Standards. [Readers will be interested to learn that the film, "When Women Work," is distributed free of charge to any organization or corporation which can give assurance that the picture will be put to good use and that it will be shown by a licensed operator or other person experienced in projection. All transportation charges are to be borne by the borrower. Address applications to Women's Bureau, U. S. Department of Labor, Washington, D. C] PUTTING THE BLACKBOARD TO WORK (Continued from page 88) launched happily upon the composition of jingles. The best verses were written beneath the drawings, which were then attractively mounted, forming a very effective room display. With older children, posters worked out in similar fashion are used for various school and community activities. In the foregoing paragraphs are suggested only a few of the ways in which the blackboard may be made to function more actively and valuably in visual education through the use of an enlarging device. When pupils from the third grade up are easily able to use such an instrument themselves, it is readily seen how much time can thus be saved for the busy teacher. Of even greater importance, of course, pedagogically speaking, is the tremendous appeal made to the child's interest in school work and pride in accomplishment when thus permitted to do something worthwhile that can be put to practical use by the entire class. Visualization and motivation are magicworkers in the modern school. IN THE SPIRIT OF ACCURACY Miss Ethel Wakefield calls attention to an unintentional misstatement in her article in the January issue, "Teaching Literature Through Films and Slides." In the list of literature films the distributor of "Quo Vadis," "Julius Caesar," and "Othello" was incorrectly given. In each case the film is distributed exclusively by George Kleine Motion Picture Films.