Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1957)

EDUCATION Educator Says Tv Bad For Teacher, Student TELEVISION constitutes a "real and present menace to the freedom of the teacher and the learner" and the tv screen "can become the final triumph of the machine over man," an educator warned last week. Earl C. Kelley, professor of secondary education at Wayne State U., painted the "prospect of all human relationships being eliminated by the use of television" at the 12th annual National Conference on Higher Education in Chicago's Congress Hotel. Tv can do "a great deal of good or evil as it raises or lowers the cultural level of the people as they voluntarily watch it in their homes" but is "not good" as a substitute for the teacher, Mr. Kelley asserted. Use of tv as a visual aid, means of twoway communication and as an economical teaching device was questioned by Mr. Kelley. The case for education by television was pursued by Dr. John W. Taylor, executive director of Chicago Educational Television Assn. (WTTW), who claimed it might help solve three basic problems — physical facilities, manpower and quality of instruction. Neither speaker at Monday's panel session on suitability of mass techniques discussed the merits of educational television as such, limiting their views to the utilization of tv as a teaching medium. Television cannot be used as a visual aid, Mr. Kelley claimed, "because it has to be broadcast, and the time of its use is determined by the broadcaster, not the teacher." He said further that tv cannot provide for two-way communication because language is "an uncertain means of conveying ideas from one to another" and the learner should be able to ask questions, "to correct or verify what he hears." Care should be taken to "increase" this technique "rather than eliminating it," he felt. Mr. Kelley held that, while tv is defended as an "economical" teaching device, "nobody knows whether or not this is so" and tests and evaluations would be needed for learners. Even so, he added, "we might need as many teachers as we now have" and they would be reduced to "custodians and paper readers." Mr. Kelley observed that "America is not so poor that she cannot provide a teacher "/ owe my success to advertising over KGVO Missoula, Montana" C.B.S. 5,000 watts for each class of 25 students." He declared that "to go to mass media in education for reasons of economy is to encourage our country in its false economy." The educator described the teacher-learning process as a "human affair" and a relationship which is "one of the few last bastions for individualism." Dr. Taylor cited need for educators to increase the productivity of available teaching staffs, "both in quantity and quality of teaching," and felt tv can help do the job. "Television offers the means of multiplying the audience of the teacher in lecture and demonstration work" and for materially lessening school building needs and classroom space, he said. Supporting his theory that televised education is effective, Dr. Taylor reported on results of Chicago City Junior College courses on WTTW last semester [B»T, March 4]. Puerto Rican Educational Tv Schedules Target Date for May PUERTO RICO'S first non-commercial educational tv station — WIPR-TV San Juan — expects to have its building in the city's Rio Piedras section completed by May, it was announced last week. The government-sponsored facility reported that its goal is to provide complete school courses from the elementary level through college. Initial courses, however, will deal with immediate practical needs, to give technical training to potential factory workers. Entertainment and variety programs from the U. S. also figure in plans for the 4:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. schedule. The Commonwealth Department of Education is spending $882,000 for the station, and an additional $200,000 has been appropriated for operation during the fiscal year, Future operating costs are budgeted at $343,000 yearly. Leopoldo S. Lavandero, recently resigned as director of the Yale Dramatic Assn. and assistant professor of the Yale Drama School, New Haven, Conn., has been appointed director of Puerto Rico's educational tv program. This encompasses another station proposed by the government on ch. 3 in Mayaguez. With WIPR-TV covering two-thirds of the island, another outlet in Mayaguez would provide all-island coverage for the educational system. Commercial interests also have applied for the Mayaguez facility. A recent estimate forecasts tv set ownership in Puerto Rico at 315,000 sets by 1961, or three for every four families. Since tv was introduced there two-and-a-half years ago, 130,000 sets have been imported. WKNO-TV Finances Depleted, Wants Appropriation from City WKNO-TV Memphis, Tenn., non-commercial education station which went on the air last June, cannot last this month unless it gets funds to go on, station officials have told the Memphis City Commission. Community and station spokesmen appeared before the commission last fortnight to back up the city Board of Education's POTENTIAL There are all kinds, but if you want to buy proven audience potential in Southern California, here's the story . . . KTTV is pleased to announce the exclusive coverage of the weekend and holiday baseball games of the Hollywood Stars. Three alert sponsors have already purchased the games . . . Count 'em . . . Dutch Masters Cigars The Squirt Company Wilshire Oldsmobile Still in the line-up and waiting for your sponsorship... "Dugout Dope" "The Big Playback" "Extra Inning" These three 15-minute bonus babies are guaranteed to deliver consistent, top-rated performance all season long. Check your Southern California line-up. Season tickets to bigger sales with these shows are available through your friendly Blair man . . . jj Los Angeles Times-MGM Television Represented nationally by BLAIR -TV Broadcasting Telecasting March 11, 1957 • Page 99