“Child in a Strange Country” Traveling Exhibit Section 4: Scientific Study

“Child in a Strange Country” Traveling Exhibit Section 4: Scientific Study

American Printing House for the Blind “Child in a Strange Country” Traveling Exhibit Section 4: Scientifi c Study Graphic Proofs Submittal 09.05.12 11-261 American Printing House for the Blind – Traveling Exhibit Graphic Elevation Not to Scale Final Size: Size: Final Description:SectionGraphic 4:Scientifi Exhibit Traveling theBlind – Housefor Printing 11-261 American 35.4375” x78” 35.4375” Scientifi c Study Study c Much of Helen Keller’s initial science education Boston, where blind students used the most was experiential. In Tuscumbia, she explored modern scientifi c teaching tools. She explored the natural world by touch, with her teacher stuffed animals, seashells, and models of encouraging her curiosity. The garden, a fl owers and plants. She also learned by fi shbowl fi lled with tadpoles, and a table using a popular series of tactile pictures of of seashells were her laboratory. animals and plants created by Martin Kunz In October 1889, Helen sat in on classes in (1847-1923), director of a school for the blind zoology and botany at the Perkins School in in Illzach, Germany. “We chase butterfl ies, and sometimes we catch one. Then we sit down under a tree, or in the shade of a bush, and talk about it. Afterwards, if it has survived the lesson, we let it go; but usually its life and beauty are sacrifi ced on the altar of learning.” — Anne Sullivan, 1887 FPO Photo courtesy New England Historic Genealogical Society Revised Scienti — 09-05-12 11-261 Schultz ExhibitConcept “Child inaStrange Country” Traveling American PrintingHousefortheBlind fi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 c Study GraphicProof SC.01 – Intro Final Size: Size: Final Description:SectionGraphic 4:Scientifi Exhibit Traveling theBlind – Housefor Printing 11-261 American 35.4375” x78” 35.4375” Exploring the Natural World c Study c Whenever possible, science teachers introduced their students who were blind to natural specimens they could explore by touch. Some schools collected a “museum” of study specimens, supplemented by scale models of objects that were very large or very small. Buildings, furniture, and large animals were modeled in miniature, while microscopic structures such as the atom became hand-sized models. Even the human body was reproduced, in parts and whole, as tactile models for detailed study. “We must realize that the degree of pupil comprehension ... is directly proportional to the contact experience with the subject studied. The experience may be direct or indirect and vary in intensity; but it must be present! Most of the public school experience is visual; Exploring Models of a Hippopotamus, 1914 Museums such as the American Museum of Natural History ours must be tactual and auditory. in New York City sometimes made their collections available in special programs for blind children. ” — William T. Heisler, Science Teacher, Overbrook School for the Blind Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History SC_A03 SC_A02 (Lizard Plaque) (Elephant) Lizard Plaque Lizard plaque, copper-plated metal embossed zoology illustration from the Press of the Imperial and Royal Court and State, Vienna, Austria, mid-1800s. On loan from the Perkins School for the Blind. Original Kunz tactile illustration of elephant Indian Elephant, from Pictures for the Blind series by Martin Kunz, Illzach, Germany, SC_A05 ca. 1890. Museum Collection Tabletop SC_A01 Tabletop (Starfi sh/replacesSC_A09 Tabletop Gears) (Leaves) (Natural Specimens - sizes vary) Revised Scienti — 09-05-12 11-261 Schultz ExhibitConcept “Child inaStrange Country” Traveling American PrintingHousefortheBlind fi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 c Study GraphicProof SC.02 – Inter Final Size: Size: Final Description:SectionGraphic 4:Scientifi Exhibit Traveling theBlind – Housefor Printing 11-261 American 35.4375” x78” 35.4375” Human Anatomy c Study c “[A] model of the eye, showing every part of its delicate mechanism, [is] constructed in so substantial a manner that every portion can be examined by touch…. The design of these ‘object lessons’ is to make tangible things that are visible to the seeing… but in the education of the blind they are peculiarly useful.” — B. B. Huntoon, Director, Kentucky Institute for the Blind, 25th report (1872) To study anatomy, blind students in the 19th century examined anatomical models of body parts such as made by a French physician, Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux, of papier-mâché. In 1827, Dr. Auzoux opened a factory to manufacture models sold to schools all over the world. Dr. Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux 1920s model of a human eye Students explored the human body using tactile models. This papier-mâché model of the human eye was produced in the 1920s, probably using Auzoux molds. Image courtesy of the Moosnick Medical and Science Museum, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY. SC_A07 SC_A06 SC_A08 Revised Scienti — 09-05-12 11-261 Schultz ExhibitConcept “Child inaStrange Country” Traveling American PrintingHousefortheBlind fi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 c Study GraphicProof SC.03 Final Size: Size: Final Description:SectionGraphic 4:Scientifi Exhibit Traveling theBlind – Housefor Printing 11-261 American 35.4375” x78” 35.4375” Natural Philosophy c Study c When Helen Keller was young, scientifi c subjects In the early days of scientifi c exploration, illustrated were taught within a very broad area called lectures and demonstrations of physical effects or philosophy. A student of the sciences was called “phenomena” became popular not only in university a natural philosopher. Laboratory tools were classes, but also as public entertainment in lecture known as philosophical apparatus. Students halls. Gradually, lecture apparatus began to be used used philosophical apparatus to study such for teaching science at the pre-university level. topics as mechanics, magnetism, astronomy, Because of their physical, tactile nature, most types hydrostatics and hydraulics, pneumatics, heat, of philosophical apparatus could be used without optics and electricity. adaptation in classes for students who were blind. A “philosophical apparatus” for studying the solar system. Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History Magdeburg Hemispheres For example, blind and sighted students alike explored the power of atmospheric pressure by using Magdeburg hemispheres (named for SC_A04 Magdeburg, Germany, their place of origin). Students used a vacuum pump to draw air out from a pair of sealed hemispheres – and then tried, unsuccessfully, to pull the hemispheres (Magdeburg Hemispheres apart. Inventor Otto von Guericke (1602-1686) demonstrated his apparatus before Emperor Ferdinand III, and it is said that the vacuum seal - displayed in box) was so strong that two teams of eight horses could not pull it apart! Otto von Guericke’s experiment with atmospheric pressure Revised Scienti — 09-05-12 11-261 Schultz ExhibitConcept “Child inaStrange Country” Traveling American PrintingHousefortheBlind fi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 c Study GraphicProof SC.04 – Flip/Inter Final Size: Size: Final Description:SectionGraphic 4:Scientifi Exhibit Traveling theBlind – Housefor Printing 11-261 American 35.4375” x78” 35.4375” Chemistry & Physics c Study c Chemistry and Physics were essential parts of the classic high school education in the early residential schools for blind students. Although heavily supervised, as early as the 1860s blind children used the same test tubes, beakers, alcohol lamps, and other equipment used by sighted students for their lab work. Some schools had fully equipped laboratories where each child had their own lab ware, others only a few pieces of carefully protected apparatus. Models developed later for the study of organic chemistry worked equally well for blind and sighted alike. Advanced study, however, was diffi cult until Abraham Nemeth introduced his braille code for scientifi c equations and symbols in 1952. Tactile Chemistry lab thermometers, balance scales, and other tools became available for classroom work in the 1970s. SC_A12 (1/3 Section - Periodic Table) Azer’s Interactive Periodic Table Azer’s Interactive Periodic Table This kit from the American Printing House for the Blind features tactile chemical symbols on a Velcro board and models to diagram the parts of an atom This kit from the American Printing House for the Blind features tactile chemical symbols on a Velcro board and models to diagram the parts of an atom. Revised Scienti — 09-05-12 11-261 Schultz ExhibitConcept “Child inaStrange Country” Traveling American PrintingHousefortheBlind fi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 c Study GraphicProof SC.05 11-261 American Printing House for the Blind – Traveling Exhibit Graphic Description: Section 4: Scientifi c Study Final Size: 35.4375” x 78” for Special Eduacation, ca. 1945. ca. Eduacation, Special for SC_A10 Science Students Using Braille Textbooks at the New York Institution York at the New Textbooks Braille Using Students Science Using a modern “Sense of Science” kit from the from kit Science” of “Sense a modern Using the Blind. for House Printing American SC_A11 (SOS Packets) SC_A10 Exploring a Science Measurements Kit, Kentucky School for the Blind, ca. 1975. the Blind, ca. for School Kentucky Kit, Measurements a Science Exploring SC.06 – Table/Inter SC.06 – American Printing House for the Blind “Child in a Strange Country” Traveling Exhibit Concept Schultz 11-261 09-05-12 — Revised Scientifi c Study Graphic Proof Package 03 11-261 American Printing House for the Blind – Traveling Exhibit Graphic Description: Section 4: Scientifi c Study - Informational Graphic

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