The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-08-14
Siam Sends Son
To Study Movies
nChicago, III.

q CHICAGO. Aug. 12.-Even far-
away littlesSiam has read the hand
writing on the schoolroom wah.
Teach With Moving Pictures" and
has delegated one Of the Kings own
students-of whom there are at
present. seven in the country-to
look into visual education as de-
veloped In America, report his find
inss to His Majesty Rama the Sixth,
and advice as to the use Of similAr
methods IN Siamese schools.
Mai Prasart Some Sukhum has
been sent by the superintendent of
Siamese government students. Phya
Media, of Cambridge, Mass, to
Join the Society for Visual Edu-
cation at its headquarters in Chi
cago and Evanston. His instruc-
lions are not only to mark. learn.
and digest, but to lend a helping
hand to cameramen, laboratory
workers, and office and shipping
forces in every way possible-in
ing" -, u
Young Mr.. Sukhum, whose honor
able father is minister of local gov
ernment in Bangkok, the capital of
Siam, and who has himself been one
of the courtiers ip the royal palace,
Is attending school in this country
at the Kings personal. expense. His
major" is motion pictures. with
special reference to their educa-
tional application.
I'VE believe in my country, as you
do here" said Mr.. Sukhum. that
the right way to teach is to use the
power to understand that lies in
the human eye. This is the best
way because 1t is the easy, and the
simple way. At the present time,
of course. almost nothing is being
done with visual education in Siam.
In the first place, only a very few
private schools in Bangkok, and
other large cities of the kingdom,
are supplied with moving pIcrpr.
machines. Also. it would have been
difficult to get the right films.
Mr.. Sukhum explained that IL was
at the suggestion or the Kings
brother, Prince Songkla, who has
studied at various American uni
versities, that he was sent to the
Society for Visual( Education for
practical work. Prince Songl<la, ne
stated emphasized the necessity
not only of mastering technical
'heeeSiS Iihc lhupOE ana OUTDOOR
photography, microphotography,
production of titles, assembly of
films and operation of protector, but
of learning the psychology of an
educational film.
I'VE know that a real school film
Is more than just a piece of patch
work." Mr.. Sukhum continued
There should be sound pedagogy
behind 1t. 1t must be carefuiIy
planned. so that it has a close rela-
ton to the textbook. That is why
1 am to study what American pio-
neers in visual education are doing.
Il am also much interested in the
use of slides for teaching. Even now
we use them to a fairly large ex-
tent in Siam / like especially the
combination protector you are using
in your American SCHOOLS. The de-
vice which enables the teacher to
show either moving pictures or
slides with the same machine. so
that she brings slides into the
film showing at any point, is to
me very wonderful thing. 1t gives
the teacher every chance to make
real success of her work in visual
education"
Following his practical initiation
into the production of school films,
Mr.. Sukhum is scheduled to under
go complete technical course at
one OF the well-known Eastern in
stitutes of photography.