EDUCATION BY SCREEN.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1922, Page 4

EDUCATION BY SCREEN.

COMMENDED BY DEPARTMENT. At the Education Board’s Conference on Thursday, a visitor was interviews I, Mr. R. McDonald, who sought to put before the boards represented a scheme whereby school children would be taught certain subjects—geographic, historic, literary and scientific—by means of pictures. Mr. McDonald, who is connected with the picture business, said that be 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 I found that the cost of machines and films was such that it was out of the question to consider equipping each school with a machine. He commended Mr. McDonald’s scheme as the next best. It committed the Department to no expense, and would give them the class of picture required. Mr. Dunn (Hawkes Bay) said the objectionable feature was the payment of 6d each by the children. There were many children whose parents could not afford the admission fee. It had been tried in Hawke’s Bay, and had led to no end of trouble. Mr. Kirk (Hawke’s Bay) said it was a splendid idea if carried out after school hours, and if attendance was made optional. That apparently summarised the view of the majority of the delegates, so the Department-backed scheme was not taken up.