Evening star., 1933-09-17


tionS. American colleges and
universities today appear to be turning
away from station operation toward the
teaching of studio technique, with the
object in view of training students Tor
radio careers who have ambitions to
become station executives, announcerS,
speakers or performers.
More and more college-owned radio
stations are dropping from the rolls, &C
cording to the records of the Federal
Radio Commission. On the other hand,
though the number is still relatively
small more and more institutions OF
higher learning are including courses
in the broadcaSting arts in their cur
ricula, according to the United States
Office of Education.
At one time there were 95 educa-
tionally y-owned broadcasting stations,
but the number fell to 80 at the begin
ming of 1888. of which a dozen were
operated exactly like any other COM
mercial station in order to derive finan-
cial support. At the present writing
there are only 33 left half dozen
more having quit in the last six to
eight months. In most cases the schools
sold or leased their stations to COM
mercial enterprises.
Youth seeking an opening in radio
will find less than one American col
lege or university out of so offering
separate courses in broadcaSting and
program building at present, recent
inquiry by the Office of Education re-
veals. About one college in 20 reports
that it gives some instruction in broad
casting as part of other courses or to
voluntary groups Of students.
College Has Special Degree.
There is one college that grants
special degree in the radio arts to stu
dents who complete its radio course.
It is Oglethorpe University, Atlanta,
Ga, which operates its own small ra-
dio station, WJTL. along commercial
lines and at the same time utilities it
as laboratory for those taking its
radio courses.
Western Reserve University, Cleve-
lend. offers several courses in radio
singing, speaking and play production.
University of Denver gives courses in
broadcaStlng methods, continuity writ
ing and principles OF broadcaStmg
Kansas State College of Agriculture,
University of Southern California at
Los Angeles and Omaha Municip'
University each offers two courses IN
radio speaking and program building.
OF these, the Kansas college owns Its
own radio station, KSAC, which is one
of the pioneer American broadcasterS
and which already boasts dlstln-
guished alumni body.
At least one course in some nom
engineering phase of broadcastlng is
reported to the office of education by
the following institutions: New York
University, Georgetown, Iowa State,
Wisconsin, South Dakota, Syracuse,
Akron. Pasadena Junior College, Chi
cago Musical College. Cincinnati Col
lege of Music. Kansas Clty-Horner
Conservatory and Bob Jones College OF
Lynn Haven. Fla Of these, the Uni
versity of Wisconsin has its own sta
ton VIVA. and South Dakota has It's
KUSD. The others usually draw upon
local or nearby radio station personnel
for instruction and lectures, using the
local radio stations as their labora-
tories.
Range of Courses Wide.
The range of courses includes VolTa
training, diction, microphone technique
radio writing, announcing, speaking
acting. singing. directing, program
building and analyses OF listener re-
actions Perhaps the leading work IN
the last-named field has been done by
graduate students under Prof. Herman
S. Hettinger, University of PennSyl.
vania. and by Prof. F. H. Lumley OF
Ohio State University. Pennsylvania
has no radio station OF its own, puI
Ohio State operates WEAO and has
widely known school of the air IN
which the institutions faculty partlcl-
pate. ;. oa,,oo
ton by radio in the ofhce OF eoucatIoil'
Doints out that the college courses IN
radio-aside from electrical and raolo
engineering, which is generally taugnt
in engineering schools-are being Plan
ned in response to the rather Wloe-
snread demand for such lnstructlon OH
the part of students, young ana olo'
"Multitudes of other people said Dr.
Koon. ARE potential broadcasterS, since
thev may be on the AIR occasloilally
Teachers also want to acqualhI tlelit
selves with the technique OF oroaocast-
ing that they in turn may give the1f
pupils instruction in this new HELD II
fhe broadcasting classes actually pre-
pare and present programs on the an
it appears that the students derive the
additional benefit of intensive eIlolI
required to build the broadcastS' anu
that the college derives the beneht OF
stronger public relations.
Thus it appears that the. colleges
which are offering courses IN raolo
broadcaSting or treating proaocaStHls
in other courses are utilizing the fatner
general interest in the subject to vital
ize instruction and extend the services
of the institution
Almost invariably the privately-oWneo
broadcasting station executives are CO.
operating with educators seeking TO
help their students shape radio careers
opening their studios to the students
and personally giving lecture courses.
Station WADC. Akron, is used by stu
dents of the University of Akron. AT
Omaha the municipal university has had
the manager and staff of leading 10
cal station deliver lecture courses Whlch
will be resumed this Fall.
The trend away from operation OF
their own stations is illustrated by the
recent decision of Nebraska Wesleyan
University officials at Lincoln to re-
linuuish their station. WCAJ. to an
Omaha commercial station, WOW, with
which it formerly shared time. The
Omaha station has purchased WCAJ,.
which was directed by Prof. c. j. Jen-
sen, a physicist who once held
Hoover appointment to the Radio Com
mission. but failed Of Senate con-
firmation. Several months ago Buck
nell University sold its station to news
paper and other interests in Sunbury.
Pa, while within the last year Cornell
university leased its station to Utica.
". Y, newspaper and the New Mexico
RoIleue of ApricI1tlIre leased its station