VISUAL EDUCATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 8

VISUAL EDUCATION

AND MODERN PUBLICITY METHODS. MR H. H. NEWTON'S ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB. "Some aspects of visual education in modern publicity.” was the theme ol a particularly interesting talk at the Masterton Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday, given by Mr H. H. Newton, manager of A. S. Paterson Proprietary. Wellington. "Visual publicity had its real foundation in the ages past," said Mr Nekton. The ancient market places provided the oldest example—demonstrating the qualities of merchandise. Traders demonstrated the application of patent gadgets for lighter labour. The, potter made his pottery, rugs and carpets were woven, brass and metallic works executed, in the full view of prospective buyers. A visit to any modern store provided a parallel. Various departments staged shows demonstrating the use of vacuum cleaners, washing machines, electric toasters, cake mixers, home craft lessons, cooking demonstrations, and illustrated lectures.

"The modern school," said Mr Newton. “is forced to meet the demands of a rapidly changing civilisation. Today the world of the learner is almost unbounded. He must acquire facts relating to a bewildering variety of places and things; he must acquire appreciations of far-reaching inter-relation-ships. The curriculum and methods of 'publicity .must undergo a continuous appraisal. New subject, matter and new devices for instruction are being scrutinised' for their potential contributions to the learning process.

"Ever since advertising began, efforts have been made to increase the effectiveness- of the process. Methods have been improved and materials have been added.. Scientific apparatus, still pictures, models, exhibits, charts, maps, stereographs, slides, silent motion pictures, the phonograph, and the radio all have contributed in lending reality to modern advertising."

The agricultural and pastoral shows were practical demonstrations of applied mechanics. Milking machines, tractors, and other farm implements were on display. The scope and nature of man's learning had always been conditioned by the mediums of instruction which were available. The need for adapting himself to the changing conditions of his environment focussed man’s attention upon bettering the tools by which he acquired learning. In primitive society, the wisdom of the elders was handed down by word of mouth to successive generations. With the invention of writing, there came the clumsy tablet of clay and later the roll of papyrus, the only means whereby the pupil might be taught to understand a mechanical process or the growth of a living organism. The use of animated diagrams,had been widely utilised in educational films with splendid results. Some typical cases were:— The method of production of crude oil had been explained by direct photography on film and the method of refining it revealed by animated diagram and cinematography applied to actual industrial equipment. By the use of the film it was possible to trace the development of a flower and the formation of seed by. speeding up the process, which might cover many days, so that it might be viewed on the screen in less than two minutes. The stages of natural growth, would have been 'slow to be appreciated in any other way. The life history of a butterfly had been recorded on a twelve-minute film—the caterpillar stage changing to that of the chrysalis from which the butterfly later crawls out—a development occupying three months from the time the egg was hatched. The pupil could now be taken 1000 feet down into the gold mines of the Witwatersrand and instructed in the process of mining the quartz. The full process of gold refining was then exxplained. Mention should be made of the value of correct atmosphere imparted to the production of industrial films by means of correctly recorded background noises reproducing the actual, sounds associated with industrial processes and activities depicted on the screen —the click of truck wheels passing over rail joints —the hammer of electric drills — the swish of grinding materials—the | lapping of water —the chug of a Diesel engine on a canal barge —the lighthearted whistle and snatches of song by some docker going about his daily task on the wateafront."