Near home

This is the main sound film of the British Ministry of Education’s “Visual Unit of Local Studies”. “Near home” shows how a group of school children become interested in local studies, and it follows their progress as they plan, organize, and begin their studies of their locality. After some time, they decide that others besides themselves and their teacher may be interested in Bishop Auckland (the name of the village in which they live, and on which their studies are centred), especially the relationship between the things that they have discovered about the district today The children decide to co-ordinate and collate all the material they have discovered in their local studies by giving an exhibition of their work, which they will invite the entire population of the district to look at and discuss. Maps, models, graphs, records, charts, diagrams, plans and photographs are used in their exhibition. “Near home” is designed for parents, and especially for teachers and student teachers, to show them how local studies and visual education can be integrated and the importance in the day-to-day education of every child, of both visual aids and local studies.