Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-05
Visual Education
May be Adopted in
Schools of County

~" S~oaVcplaJed Dy rthe
cameron country school board Of
trustees r consumated, visual ed
ucation- n OF the most moredn
steps forward in this field, win be
OF pied here. Various appliances
fiy' on the market for this work
being studied. Some are slide
tners are regular film
Hthines.
only the most progressive ms
tltutions in thte country as vet have
nave inaugurated this supplementary
work and If Cameron country adopts
it. IT viii be the first to use it
the iirst generally in rural schools.
II is believed.
Power lines now serve nearly all
rural schools in the county and bv
next fall r expected to be wired
Tor power. A system Of exchange OF
n films and slides can be worked
out between the schools and a large
library on various subjects built up.
DR.. Ben d.. Wood OF this city.
now with Columbia University. is
a pioneer in this new line Of edu-
cation and he recommends It un-
pualifiedly. He has been conducting
a Survey over a number Of years
and believes that he has gathered
enough facts to prove its worth.
DR.. Wood Is publishing a book on
his findings.
In tests conducted with 5000
pupils. 1t was found that pupils
taught with the films made better
progress than those using the
straight instruction. The subjects
covered by this instruction were
geography and general science.
The orderly progress made and the
time saved by pupils taught with
the aid OF films encourage them 10
continue in school and to complete
their courses. Not only are better
results in education obtained. but
in eliminating ~repeaters. the number
OF teachers may be reduced. thus
cutting 1.-THE cost OF education to
the community.
The following was revealed by the
film tests:
An increased interests in school
work and a sustained interests in
topices studied.
A q~uicxened originality and large
participation In project work and
other self-activities.
A greater desire end ability 70
discuss subjects and to write about
them.
An Increase in the quantity and
an improvement in the quality OF
the material which they read.
A clearer appreciation Of the rich
ness. accuracy and meaningfulneSs
Of personal experiences.
A greater facility in correlating
features Of their lessons with COM
munity conditions.
A contribution to life experiences
difficult ard often impossible to Sc
cure by any other method.
A marked improvement in range
and accuracy Of vocabulary.
- An ability to concentrate mental
fctivities. TO think more accurately
and to reason more S0undly.
Films are being made to have a
wide range Of schoOlroom applica-
ton. While most OF these are
classed under general heads. such
as geography. general science. biol
ogy. and civics. this does not limit
their usefulness. Each film Is made
for ues in connection with a parti-
cular topic in a definite subject,
but Il may also be used in connec-
ton with many other topics and
several other subjects. These films
also can be used for teaching. read
ing. economics. English. transporta-
ton. conservation. civics. health.
household economics, vocational
guidance. etc.
The time to show a film IS when
the topic TO which it relates is being
taught in the classroom. Then, as
the teacher desires she may ues
the film either for an introduction.
for supplementing instruction as
she proceeds. with the lesson. or Tor
review purposes.
A local library also can be built
up. Pictures of local industries can
be thrown on the screen IN still.
with one machine. pictures can be
Clipped from books. magazines, etc,
and thrown on the screen IN class
rooms.
Several various makes Of machines
are being studied here