The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-07-26

The present outbreak of Mauna Loa
and the lava How of 1899 will probably
receive more scientific attention and at
,ract more wide spread popular inter
st in the United states than any that
las preceded It, Most Of the leading
photographers i'm town have either gone
N sent representatives to the flow to
secure pictures as a commercial enter
prise, and the number of koaaks that
nave pictured the Spouting cone ana the
lowing lava Is almost equal to the
number of people who have made the
difficult journey up to the scene of the
outbreak.
But what will bring the subject more
widely and graphically before the gen
nral public of the United States than
probably anything else, Will be the
work of the Visual Instruction di-
vision of the department of public in
struction of the state of New York.
Visual instruction" is n term used
| to- designate a system of poplar educa-
| ton in history and geography, akin in
some Of its methods to university eX-
tension, which was originated by Pro
| fessOr Birkmore of the American Mu-
scum of National History, New York.
! This plan includes sending an expert
photographer to the region or country
about which il is proposed to give in
| struction. Photographs illustrative of
every phase of life and natural scenery
in that region or country are thus Sc
| cured From these steroptican views
are prepared to illustrate descriptive
lectures on the subject. These illustrat-
ed lectures are then given under the
| auspices of the various local school
boards, throughout the state of New
York, and in some cases under the au-
spices of local committees not connect
ed with the schools
The popularity of these lectures and
the interest in them has increased anC
I spread to such an extent, that the de-
partments of public instruction in Other
states and i'm cities and towns outsd,
of New York, have asked to be permit
ted to participate in the advantages o.
the plan. AS result of this interest
the last Legislature of New York appro
pria ted $3S, 900 for the work and author
lied the department to sell copies of thu
lectures with Photographic illustration
to thea departments of public instruc
ton in other states. This authorize
ton has been awaited of, and the plai
of Visual instruction" is in operation
in a number of the states.
l. James RicoltOn, one of the depart
ment's photographers, passed through
here some time ago to the Philippine
and such is the character of his work
that the administration at Washingto
has asked for copies of all his picture
made there to be used in the prepare
ton of the official history of the wa
in the Philippines which the Govern
ment proposes to issue.
Professor Bickmore, who originate
the plan is now in the Hawaiian Isl
ands. He is accompanied by Mr.. Lar
gill, an expert photographer. He cam
here to secure material for an illustrat
ed lecture on the Hawaiian ISLANDS
News of the lava flow reached Honolulu
day or two after Professor Bickmol
arrived here, and he at once went
Hawaii, accompanied by Mr.. Langill,
observe and study it. Mr. Langill hf
already been to the spouting cone ar
secured a large number of eXceller
views. The party is now at Haleaka
and will. probably return 10 Honolulu
next Sunday.
Professor Bickmore is a man of II
highest scientific attainments, and II
results of his observations on the Is
D. ands, illustrated with new photograph
+ of things as they are, will be presente
! in lectures thu ougr out the Uni ed Stat,
" during the coming winter.
These lectures will undoubtedly giN
Hawaii such a hearing before the PEI
pie of the United States as it has new,
had before.