314 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
THE USE OF MAGIC LANTERNS IN SCHOOLS.* 
BY GUSTAVE SERRURIER, OF HAVRE, FRANCE. 
I sEALL not dwell upon the use of luminous projections in the scientific 
courses of universities and academies, but show you simply how in France 
the magic lantern has been introduced into the primary school, and has 
become a means of popular instruction. 
In April, 1880, a conference of French teachers was organized by the 
Minister of Public Instruction, for the purpose of showing the use that 
might be made of the magic lantern in elementary education. 
This effort had an immediate practical outcome. In December follow- 
mg, a society was formed at Havre for the avowed purpose of bringing 
about the general adoption of the use of the magic lantern as an aid in 
seaching by observation. This method of instruction was introduced in 
Havre in the higher courses of the primary schools. All the pupils of 
these classes (boys and girls), to the number of twelve hundred, were 
assembled in two great halls twice a week for this exercise. 
The subjects treated were history, geography, travels, physical and 
aatural science. M. F. Buisson, the Director-General of Primary Instruc- 
sion, testified that the notes made by the scholars showed good results and 
great attention on their part. The teachers gained great freedom in 
speaking in public, while the pupils, captivated with the views presented, 
profited on their part by all the explanations offered without any of the 
customary distractions. 
Two years later every school in Havre was supplied with the necessary 
apparatus, and thus the use of the magic lantern was extended without 
any disarrangement of the classes. 
This society did not stop with the work in the schools ; it organized at 
che same time public conferences for families subscribing to the funds. 
These exercises, conducted by men of ability, were very successful, and 
also brought in money, thus helping the society to extend the work, not 
only in the schools and in important centers, but even into the neighbor- 
ng districts. To achieve this result the society of Havre exerted itself 
jo perfect the apparatus, and to increase its collection of views in order to 
meet all needs. 
The school apparatus recommended by the society costs only $24. A 
petroleum lamp is used ; this is simple and practical. It serves for an 
audience of from two to three hundred persons. This is the apparatus 
generally used in the country. The city societies nearly always employ a 
louble apparatus suited to halls for from eight hundred to two thousand 
¥ This paper was read in French, and translated for publication.