EDUCATION BY SCREEN.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 5, 30 September 1922, Page 10

EDUCATION BY SCREEN.

A SCHEME COMMENDED BY THE DEPARTMENT

At the Education Board’s Conference on Thursday, a visitor was interviewed, Mr. R. Ale Donald, who sought to put before the boards represented a scheme whereby school children would be taught certain subjects—geographic, j historic, literacy and scientific —by . means of pictures. Air. Ale Donald, who is connected with tho picture business, said that he was likely to be backed by a syndicate who would make it their business to import short educational pictures having a bearing on the lessons taught in the schools. The pictures would be brought before the children by having them’attend at some convenient hall or theatre (at 6d. a head), say, once a month, within school hours. Mr. Strong (of the Department) said that he had been thoroughly into the subject of visual education. He had found'that the cost of machines and film was such that it was. out of the question to consider equipping each school with a machine.' He commended Air. Ale Donald’s scheme as the next best. It committed the Department to no expense, and would give them the class of picture required. Mr. Dunn (Hawke’s Bay) said the objectionable feature was the payment of 6d. each bv the children. There were many children whose parents could not afford ths admission fee. It had been tried in Hawkels Bay, and had led to no end of. trouble. Mr. Kirk (Hawke’g, Bay) said it -«as a splendid idea if carried out after school hours, and jf attendance was made* optional. That apparently summarised the view of the majority of the delegates, so the Department-backed scheme was not taken up.