New-York tribune., 1900-07-22
VISUAL EDUCATION WORK.
GOLD MEDAL FOR PARIS EXHIBIT OF
AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NAT
URAL HISTORY

cable message was received from Paris last
week which announced that the International Jury
on Secondary Education had recommended the
award OF a gold medal the American Museum
OF Natural History in this city for the excellence
OF the illustrations prepared by its department Of
public instruction and for the wide system of free
education carried in conjunction with the De-
partment Of Public Instruction OF the State Of
New-York
The Illustrations consist Of stereoptt,on slides
used in lectures on educat tionaI subjects There
are seventy-two such slides TO each lecture and Of
these about twelve are generally colored. The de-
Velopment OF the use Of these slides IS due almost
entirely 10 the energy and perseverance of Profess
sor Albert S. Bickmore of the Museum Of Natural
History.
Some years ago Professor Bickmore began to IL
lustrate his lectures to the teachers of this city
with the aid OF q magic lantern The teachers were
al once struck by the idea and borrowed Professor
Bickmores slides for in their schools. From
popularity in the city the slides passed 70 popular
ity in the normal schools OF the State BY de-
grees high schools took up the idea and developed
it. arranging courses Of lectures and eQuipping
themselves with complete collections of slides AS
q result there forty-four cities and
IWenty-seven villages IN which the schools have
several hundred slides hand all dealing with
places that are well known and important. An
effort IS made 20 illustrate places that are famous
because of their history or natural scenery Thus
IN the course OF fou- lectures delivered the first
year Of the school course, the subjects deal with
Manhattan Island and the Highlands Of the Hud-
son, the Catskills and the Adiroudacks the lakes
Of Central EewYork and the Erie Canal, and Mag
ara Falls. This will be seen is ilIustra-
tive of local and State geography. and is designed
10 interest pupils in subjects close al hand. This
IS one OF the most popular that has vet
been prepared, and II Is always in demand through
out the State
The course for the second year goes somewhat
further af1eld. It consists or I'VE lectures dealing
respectively with the Connecticut Valley and the
" hlte Mountains, the Coast OF New England and
the 81 lawrence River. Pennsylvania, Virginia
ana the District of Columbia, the Mississippi Val
ley and the Southern States, the Rocky Mountains
and the Great Basin. The for the third
year, consisting of four lectures. deals with the
Yellowstone National Park, California and the
Yosemite Valley, Mexico, the West Indies and the
Lesser Antilles.
In the fourth year there are four lectures deal
ing with Egypt Greece, Cuba Havana and San
uago, Jamaica and Porto Rico. In the fifth and
last year so far as the lectures are concerned an
attempt is made 10 bring before the pupils the
scenes IN which Eoung people at this time have a
great interest The Philippines furnish the Illus
tTatiOns for one OF the lectures. and the Hawaiian
Islands for another. The lecture on the Hawaiian
Islands is Of the thorough and interest
ing that has been prepared. There are a number
Of maps. showing the surrounding depths Of the
Pacific Ocean. the route Of the proposed Pacific
cable and the position Of the islands themselves
With the-sXceptiou Of about half dozen slides the