The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-15
How's that!

Many years from now-perhaps
not so very many-one of the real
ly splendid accomplishments OF ra-
dio will be consummated. There
will be a door flung open wide, and
flung open wide to stay. 1t is a
door which for generations has
opened only to shut again; or has
never opened at all beyond a tam
talizing, grudging crack. 1t is the
door OF the country school house.
For radio broadcasting will even
tually take the tremendous gift Of
q broad education to the boys and
girls in the distant villages and
the scattered farmsteads.
Educated by radio" is a phrase
which folks of the future may ex-
pect to hear spoken concerning
some public man or accomplished
specialist Of the day.
Colleges will make regular bus
mess Of conducting radio courses.
especially designed for students in
the country districts. The enroll
ment of such students and their
final graduation will be developed,
beyond doubt, on a logical, work
able basis. Nearly all the func-
tons Of high school or college
can be accomplished. and will be
accomplished, by radio.
College Plans Lectures.
Indeed, more than one progress
sive university is already planning
radio lectures. But as an every
day, permanent, weIl-conducted ac-
tivity, it is still hardly more than
shining possibility.
The far-seeing, and the deep
thinking, among educators, sociol-
ogists and statesmen, are beginning
to understand what this will sig
Nifty. Thousands of Americas best
youth will be trained as their ia
theirs and forefathers never were.
The country young folk, who live
far away from centers Of learning,
who could never get to high school,
much less to college, will now have
high school and college almost lit
orally brought to them The limi-
tations Of the proverbial little red
school house" will truly be swept
away. The earnest, but often mex
perienced and ill-paid, country
school teacher will be reinforced,
perhaps entirely supplanted, by the
best type Of college professor
through the wonder of the wireless
The shortcomings of the district
school, which could only be kept
open two or three months in the
year. in some places, will conceiv-
ably vanish.
At present, radio broadcasting is
a nationwide institution. But II
is an institution for entertainment
1t is the lyceum platform, the con-
cert course, of the air. Nightly, fol
young and old. it is being used
largely to amuse 1t is the pro
moter OF relaxation, the brightene1
Of leisure. The audiences are scat
tered from coast to coast. The
broadcasting station of the Genera
Electric company has actually en-.
tertained people in San Francisco
But to utilize radio for giving a
complete schooling" to whose who
otherwise would be but poorly
equipped mentally will move the
whole world forward. A mightier
bigger America-mightier because
more generally Intelligent thar
ever beforewil come to pass.
! Adequate, well-directed education
is q stable rock upon which t
build the destinies of . state. THAI
sort Of education will be NOR,
nearly universal for American.
when radio takes q hand.
Way Now Open.
The way for doing these thing.
Is now open. The voice Of the in
structor and the professor now car
ries through the air to the mos
distant spot 1t can reach the ca
OF the boy and girl in the little ret
school house Of the future. Tha
means that the professors though
can be conveyed to the mind o
that boy or girl. The spoke,
thought, or idea, win reach hin
as quickly as though professor an,
pupil were In the same class room
together.
All this implies, of course, q "a
do receiving set in every little rex
school house. Perhaps 1t will meal
. set In every town hall, in ever,
country church. as we'll.
II More than that The possibilitie,
Of radio for the farmer will un
Questionably make q receiving Sc
virtually . necessity In the farm
house. And think Of the radio col
lege that Will be possible when
IS . general practice. farm house
are 20 equipped!
j Going to school" will then be