Radio Broadcast (May 1928-Apr 1929)

The Listener's Point of View A FINE PROGRAM YOU WILL NEVER HEAR W! 'E HAVE recently received an announcement— now old news, but still good news — which we consider the most significant manifesto so far issued in the history of radio in America. Significant and important in spite of the fact that probably not more than one out of a dozen readers of these lines will ever hear one of the programs promised in the announcement. The long heralded course of music education programs by Walter Damrosch is now assured and will definitely commence next fall. A series of twenty-four educational orchestral concerts will be broadcast beginning October 26. The Radio Corporation of America is sponsoring the series, which will be given Friday mornings at 11 o'clock Eastern Standard Time. It is planned to use twenty-eight stations, the Blue Network and associated stations, covering the entire country between the Atlantic Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. The concerts will be received in the class rooms of both grammar and high schools and the hopes are to reach an audience of from twelve to fifteen million children. We claim that the announcement is an important one in spite of the fact that it doesn't mean a whoop, personally, to either you or ourself. We shall both, doubtless, be far removed from radio loud speakers at 1 1 o'clock of Friday mornings. Its significance lies in the fact that it is really the first move toward making radio a definitely educational factor in this country. There have been sporadic attempts at educating by radio before, but none on more than a local scale, and none of any very efficient organization. We do not intend to slight the fact that radio has already proven its worth as an informational medium. Under this heading comes its vast service to farmers in giving them market and weather reports and other valuable information. But the RCA Music Education Hour is in our opinion the first radio service which can honestly be labeled educational. In a history of radio written fifty years hence, its inception will constitute one of the first important early chapters. • Its purpose, according to Mr. Damrosch, will be time to formulate a list of about twelve questions for each program which will embody the principal points of my explanatory comments, and which will be sent to all the schools connected with us by radio, so that the teachers may use these questions, all or in part, some time after each concert. We will also send the proper answers to these questions for the use of the teachers only, and follow these answers by additional information which the teachers can impart to their pupils at their discretion." A New Plan for School Broadcasts THERE have been various attempts at broadcasting courses other than music appreciation. There is hardly a single branch of learning that hasn't been essayed at some time or other. These attempts, as we have made known in these columns before, have filled us with large snorts of derisive laughter. We cannot be convinced that any of them have been of any great value. We doubt if radio home study courses will ever prove much; they offer no points of superiority over extension courses such as are now offered through other agencies, or home-study from books. But the use of radio as an adjunct to theor Edna "primarily to arouse enthusiasm and a better understanding of music as an artistic expression of human emotions. Secondly, to encourage self-expression in music among the pupils and, therefore, the study cf music in the regular curriculum of the schools. This should develop, first of all, singing, a knowledge of musical notation, and in the high schools and colleges, the formation of school orchestras. My experience of over thirty /ears in this field has proven to me that all these .hings come inevitably and naturally. "At all of these concerts I shall give very short and simple explanations of the music that the orchestra will play, of the nature and character of the different orchestral instruments, and something about the composers. "It is my purpose to prepare this summer the entire twenty-four programs, and at the same A WGR ARTIST Zahm, soprano, is a regular artist on the staff of station wgr, at Buffalo ganized work of the class room has always seemed to us feasible. With the Damrosch lectures as an opening wedge there is no reason why other courses should not follow. To this end there is already in existence a committee which styles itself the Preliminary Committee on Educational Broadcasting, which is, in its own words ''an informal committee working together because of our interest. We believe that there is a wealth of material, that schools can satisfactorily receive the programs, and that if educators show sufficient interest the broadcasting will be financed. In 165 other words, that radio may give every teacher valuable assistance in the class room." This committee has attacked the problem in an expert fashion and has carried it to the point where it is a definite plan to accept or reject. However, its acceptance or rejection is entirely in the hands of the educators. The radio structure is ready to be employed provided the more difficult educational problems are solved. This preliminary committee has very well anticipated most of the problems — probably by consulting the British Broadcasting Corporation, which has had several years' experience in such broadcasting— and has answered in advance most of the possible objections. A few of the objections are answered thuswise: 1. Curriculum already too full! Not a single branch will be added. The Plan merely substitutes occasional expert instruction in certain studies and presentations by great national leaders, the living leaders whom succeeding generations will study about in text books. 2. Instructions cannot be given satisfac torily over the radio, because: — (a) the loud speaker lacks the personality of a teacher — the flash of the eye, the smile, the frown, the gesture. It cannot hold the attention of the pupil. // can hold the attention. Experience proves that it can, not only during the novelty period, but whenever the broadcasting is properly done. The teacher does not leave the room. She is on hand — her personality is as effective as ever and her time is free to follow the lesson with pointer to map, with notes on the blackboard, with supervision in the doing of things in which the radio instructor may be guiding the class. It is not a substitution — it is adding an assistant to the teacher staff — there is no excuse for a flagging of interest, but every reason jor two teachers accomplishing more than one. 3. It lacks the socializing-value of the regular teacher's conduct of a lesson. Again a misimpression. The teacher is present, and has more time to check up on the fine points of the lesson because the Visiting Teacher of the Air is doing the heavy work. Moreover, the feeling of the student that others all over the nation are listening with him, gives him a lift in spirit and a challenge that makes him more receptive, more ambitious. Special regional, state, and national contests might be offered to stir definite rivalry. 4. It is a fad and will pass away. The automobile was a fad, the telephone was a plaything, etc., etc., — yet they have taken their places and are unchallenged. The radio will take its place in education and provide an assistant teacher to every teacher who tunes-in; 0) (2) (3) (4) give inspiration through acquaintance with great leaders in world progress; provide features the smaller schools could not possibly enjoy otherwise — music instruction— appreciation, etc.; offer a Normal School course by master teachers at the microphone;