Part 15 (2/2)

Good storage for ill.u.s.trative materials offers many problems, but is that sufficient excuse for a teacher to leave materials on the wall the year around or piled carelessly on open shelves in the cla.s.sroom? The provision for adequate storage does not necessarily require elaborate equipment nor a large expenditure of money. Cabinets and steel filing cases are highly desirable but are not absolutely essential for good storage.

Much of the ill.u.s.trative material for teaching related art lends itself to storage in manila folders and large envelopes, but some could better be stored in boxes, and still others, such as posters, swatches of fabrics held together by large clips, or pictures, may be best hung up.

The use of folders or envelopes necessitates a place to keep them. In the absence of a filing case, one teacher improvised s.p.a.ce by utilizing a large, deep drawer. A part.i.tion through the center made it possible to arrange two rows of folders. The same plan might be utilized in narrower drawers, providing for one row of folders and s.p.a.ce at the side for storage of boxes. If regular manila folders are not large enough to protect the materials, larger ones may be procured at small expense by making them of heavy paper, which is obtainable at any printers. A strip of bookbinding tape may be used to reinforce the bottom.

Cupboard shelves are more often provided in school laboratories than drawers. In such cases large envelopes, which are easily labeled and handled, will hold the materials more successfully. Boxes are very usable also, and may be stacked on shelves for easy accessibility.

Those which are uniform in size and color are especially nice for storing many materials such as textiles, yarns, and other bulky pieces, and when used on open shelves a good standard of appearance in the laboratory is maintained.

Any available s.p.a.ce for hanging materials can also be used effectively.

Textile swatches, charts, and posters, as well as garments, may be kept in better condition by hanging in closets or cases than by packing.

When the teacher of art has the privilege of advising on the original building plans that include an art laboratory, she would do well to plan for various types of storage s.p.a.ce. Perhaps the first essential is plenty of drawer s.p.a.ce of varying sizes. Shallow drawers of 4 to 6 inches are recommended by many art teachers. These may vary in width and length, but some should be sufficiently large for posters and the larger pictures. Some deeper drawers are desirable for the odd, bulky pieces of material. Cupboards with solid panel doors should also be provided, for boxes, vases, candlesticks, and similar articles which can be most easily stored on shelves. If a storage closet or case is to be provided, a small rod and many hooks should be included. Then, of course, a special series of deep drawers or a filing case for the material that can be placed in folders should be a part of any newly planned laboratory.

The most important factor is accessibility, and therefore the containers for all materials must be plainly labeled and conveniently arranged.

Since ill.u.s.trative material is such a valuable teaching device in art related to the home, good storage s.p.a.ce and easy accessibility are of fundamental importance in its successful use.

Section VII

REFERENCE MATERIAL

The home of the future will become more and more an art laboratory for the homemaker. When housewives make a serious study of art in the home--and this may be manifest in the preparation of food as well as in the color arrangement of the house--there will be better homes as well as houses.--Richard Allen.

USE OF REFERENCE MATERIAL

A wide use of reference material is essential in the successful teaching of art through the use of problems. Many sources of information are necessary for pupils to evaluate tentative conclusions and to verify final conclusions as well as for elaboration of facts. Reference to several different authorities will reveal to students the fact that there are differences of opinion regarding art and will help in making them realize the importance of weighing information thoroughly before accepting conclusions. In other words, it is valuable in preventing pupils from jumping to conclusions or accepting hasty conclusions.

This suggests that several books for reference are preferable to a single text. However, many teachers favor the plan of providing three or four copies of the best books for cla.s.s use rather than single copies of every art book that is published.

In support of the use of references rather than single texts, the following points are made:

1. Opportunity is offered for pupils to verify and elaborate on information.

2. More pupils will have contact with the best references.

3. Resourcefulness in the pupil will be better developed.

4. Teachers are challenged to make better selection of books as well as better use of them.

5. In those schools which provide free textbooks for the pupils it is easier to replace old books, since fewer copies of the newer ones will be purchased at one time.

SOURCES OF REFERENCE MATERIAL

In addition to books, the teacher of art has at her disposal bulletins, current magazines, and educational advertising materials. In selecting art reference material for pupil use she should keep in mind that--

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