NBC transmitter (Oct-Dec 1944)

November 1944 3 NBC COURSES STARTED Added Classes Formed to Accommodate Unanticipated Huge Registrations at NBC -Columbia U. Project RADIO PEDAGOGUES— Sterling Fisher, director of the NBC University of the Air, and Dr. Russell Potter of Columbia University, look into details of an NBC television camera in connection with the new series of courses. NEW YORK. — Unprecedented is the word Sterling Fisher, director of the NBC University of the Air, uses to describe the interest in and registration for the recently inaugurated courses in radio and television offered by the NBC University of the Air in conjunction with the University Extension of Columbia University. According to Fisher, the figures recently released by Columbia University on the total inquiries for the courses represent more than triple the amount anticipated. Close to 1,500 requests poured in to the university and NBC offices, from all corners of the United States and from such faraway points as Alaska. New Guinea. Australia, France and Britain. Of the total inquiries and requests for information, nearly 900 actually developed into applications for the individual courses and approximately 330 persons are now enrolled in the nine courses offered during the first semester. Every one of the 900 prospective students who applied for admission to the courses was personally interviewed by Fisher, or by Dr. Russell Potter, Columbia University representative for the courses, and their respective staffs. Nearly half of the applicants indicated the course in “Television Production Problems1’ as their first choice, with the other courses about evenly divided. Fisher estimated that nearly one-fourth of all applications came from servicemen and servicewomen, some of them stationed nearby, many in other sections of the country and a large number overseas. They fell generally into three categories: ( 1 ) those who were in the vicinity of New York and sought to enroll; (2) those who asked whether there was anything they could do now to assure their registration in the courses after the war; and (3) those who were interested in correspondence courses now on the various subjects presented in the project. Among the many requests for applications from servicemen were those who wanted to know if the courses wTere included in the government's post-war training for veterans. One came from a hardbitten veteran from the Aleutians, who said that he was interested in the courses because “the war cut short my education.” Said a sailor on board one of America's fighting ships, in a letter requesting application for admission: “My time is rather occupied at present and a personal appearance for application quite impossible.” And. indicative of the tone of all servicemen's letters was this from a soldier in the European Theatre: “. . . I am interested in getting a thorough foundation and understanding of this complex field." Servicemen are presently enrolled in the courses on a ratio of slightly less than one for every four civilians. A majority of the students, Fisher declared, are women. The total registration by classes at the time of this writing is: introduction to radio writing, 51 ; advanced radio writing. 14; speech for the radio, 28; radio announcing, 27; uses of broadcast and television equipment. 29; production of radio drama. 47; advanced production of radio drama. 28; television production problems. 41; and music for radio. 60. So large has been the registration and attendance at the new courses that two new instructors have been added to the teaching staff. Hatcher Hughes, assistant professor of English at Columbia University, is now teaching the second section of the course on introductory radio writing, first section of which is instructed b\ NBC’s Morton Wishengrad. Hughes, a well-known playwright, is author of the 1923 Pultizer Prize play, “Hell Bent for Heaven.” Second new instructor is NBC’s Walter McGraw. production director, who teaches the second section of the course on production of radio drama. Frank Papp instructs the first section. McGraw, who joined NBC in January, also is coordinator of the NBC employee group training program. Students presently registered for the courses represent a wide field of professional and non-professional activity. There are many teachers enrolled, as well as newspapermen, actors and actresses, engineers and free-lance writers. ( Continued on page 121