M 19
&c., appearing as they did on the screen in a highly magnified form possibly did a great deal of good, as Masters frequently have to write chits to the different Dispensaries for Sulphur ointment, Iodine and Quinine for the treatment of Itch, Ringworm and Malaria.
For the boys to derive material benefit, the slides should deal with local conditions of life. It is not of much use showing defects in the ventilation of a bedroom when a boy occupies at the most a cubicle; showing faults in the construction of a trap in a well-equipped kitchen and scullery when their food is cooked entirely differently, perhaps in a room without a chimney and with utensils of the scantiest; or showing a well-appointed w.c. when they have possibly an earthenware pot or a public latrine to resort to. Such generalities only detract from the educational value of the whole series and tend to defeat its object.
*
*
*
A teacher by the judicious use of diagrams and coloured chalks, could in the majority of cases, achieve as good results as those obtained from these Lantern Lectures, and still be free from the petty annoyances and trouble occasioned by the state of the climate, defective apparatus, &c.
The Headmaster of Wantsai says that:
CC
The Lantern obtained from the Education Department was not strong enough to show the pictures to advantage.
I have ventured to point out that Hygiene as hitherto taught in our schools is not, strictly speaking, educational. I cannot say that a further course based on these lantern slides is likely to improve matters in this respect. The fact that the lectures have to be given out of school hours is a serious objection. (They must be since Hygiene cannot again, as at Saiyingpun, be taught at the expense of the pupils' health.) But if given at night, such a course brings boys into the streets when they ought to be at home, interferes with their home studies, and after the charm of novelty has passed, is unpopular with both boys and Masters.
These objections do not apply so strongly to boarding schools. There are, however, certain defects attaching to lantern lectures as means of instruction. The room is dark and it is impossible for the Master to see whether (a) pupils are attending, (b) whether what he says is going home. These are points which a schoolmaster fully appreciates, and will become apparent to any one who watches a good teacher,—how all the time he is recalling the wandering attention of the units of his class, watching his class and recapitulating again and again, till he sees his points are understood and absorbed.
Lantern slides have, in my opinion, a distinct and limited function as an educational instrument. Where the subject is a large and general one and needs to be seen as a whole, such as the study of the Empire, it may well be illustrated by views taken of it from many points and passed before the eye in rapid succession. Thus a general and almost kinematographic effect is produced.
The eye passes to the brain a number of transitory impulses, and the brain
M 19
&c., appearing as they did on the screen in a highly magni- fied form possibly did a great deal of good, as Masters fre- quently have to write chits to the different Dispensaries for Sulphur ointment, Iodine and Quinine for the treatment of Itch, Ringworm and Malaria.
For the boys to derive material benefit, the slides should deal with local conditions of life. It is not of much use show- ing defects in the ventilation of a bedroom when a boy occupies at the most a cubicle; showing faults in the con- struction of a trap in a well equipped kitchen and scullery when their food is cooked entirely differently, perhaps in a room without a chimney and with utensils of the scantiest; or shewing a well appointed w.c. when they have possibly an earthenware pot or a public latrine to resort to. Such generalities only detract from the educational value of the
whole series and tend to defeat its object.
*
*
A teacher by the judicious use of diagrams and coloured chalks, could in the majority of cases, achieve as good results as those obtained from these Lantern Lectures, and still be free from the petty annoyances and trouble occasioned by the state of the climate, defective apparatus, &c.
The Headınaster of Wantsai says that:
CC
The Lantern obtained from the Education Department was not strong enough to show the pictures to advantage."
I have ventured to point out that Hygiene as hitherto taught in our schools is not, strictly speaking, educational. I cannot say that a further course based on these lantern slides is likely to improve matters in this respect. The fact that the lectures have to be given out of school hours is a serious objection. (They must be since Hygiene cannot again as at Saiyingpun be taught at the expense of the pupils' health.) But if given at night, such a course brings boys into the streets when they ought to be at home, interferes with their home studies, and after the charm of novelty has passed, is unpopular with both boys and Masters.
These objections do not apply so strongly to boarding schools. There are however certain defects attaching to lantern lectures as means of instruction. The room is dark and it is im- possible for the Master to see whether (a) pupils are attending, (b) whether what he says is going home. These are points which a schoolmaster fully appreciates, and will become apparent to any one who watches a good teacher,-how all the time he is recall- ing the wandering attention of the units of his class, watching his class and recapitulating again and again, till he sees his points are understood and absorbed.
Lantern slides have in my opinion a distinct and limited func- tion as an educational instrument. Where the subject is a large and general one and needs to be seen as a whole, such as the study of the Empire, it may well be illustrated by views taken of it from many points and passed before the eye in rapid succession. Thus a general and almost kinematographic effect is produced.
The eve passes to the brain a number of transitory impulses, and the brain
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.