In the natural sciences, nature study and geography, and any other study that deals with material objects, pictorial eicpression may be used with partitular effectiveness and become necessary for positive results when the objects of study cannot be observed directly oi through types. Practically every feature of artistic productions can be expressed by pic tnres and drawings. Form, size and position are the elements that enter into every class of art conception and color is inually an important element All these fa,ctors may be perfectly represented by still pictures and here verbal description fails utterly. The field includes painting, sculpture, arehitecture and the minor arts. A verbal description of Amiens cathedral would lie quite unintelligible to one not con versant with architecture.
Too much may be claimed for the visual pres entation but on the other hand the irnportance of it for certain purpoees cannot be denied. After the fiekls of its special usefuluess have been determined and the aids have been selected with due reference to their value it still remains to use them in a way suited to the pu ses to be attained. What is the visual ? At the outset, there is some difference of opinion as to whether pictures should be used merely as illustrations of a general statement of a truth or as the means of approach to an understanding of a truth. The practice of the former is probably the more common. It must be admitted that there is a place for each, but the latter is raore ia need of incoaragement The studies most in need of visual presentation are general!! acknowledrd to bc indactive in character. n the use o pictures then let ob servation come first. On the whole, reading nmy better follow than preeede observation. This is particularly true when there is an in tensive use of pictures with special reference to teaching pupils how to pursue the study rather than to give him merely some general information about it. Granting that the pri mary feature of the tnethod is observation one has only to follow the recognized rates for ob serving. The procedure is not essentially dif
ferent whether the object itself or its pictorial representaticm is observed.
In leading pupils to study a picture it is usually advisable to give them a start. Avoid a cmestion like, 'What do you think this pic ture shows?* for by such a question attention is scattered instead of concentrated and there is lilt* to be guessing. Rather direct the class to note a particular feature and tell about it. Have a definite Purpose in using a picture. It probably expresses some facts not pertinerrt to the immediate end in view. Do not suppress a disposition on the part of the pupil to see foe himself, but lead him to report his observationi along chosen lines.
First ascertain ju,t what perceptive facts ate shown. When these have been clearly and accurately expressed, call for judgments. What doeg the pupil infer that is not actually shown? Souse additional points of interest merely asso ciated with the object may be stated, but in doing this the instructor has departed from a visual presentation. In the main leave such additional information for separate presentation or for the pupil to get from reading.
A picture is not seen as a whole. It must first be examined as to the features that make it up. It is exceedingly itr.portant that begin ners be led to make their observation in such an orderly way that the mind will not waver in its search for the content of the picture but %MI quickly detect one feature and then pass on to another. Such ability to read a picture is developed rapidly under proper guidance.
The following are some of the advantages to be derived from the proper use of visual aids to instruction: a keener interest in the subjects stinfitd, a growth in voluntary attention, clear and more definite percepts of the things in volved, truer and. more vivid mental images, much better results in oral and written expres sion, increasing ability to grasp new truths when presented.