Evening star., 1936-03-22
Bv the Radio Editor.

doggling," but to William Dow
Boutwell, and his enthusiastic
~ staff working on Uncle Sans
educational radio project it's a dead
earnest job they have to do in the
six months their $4,000 allotment
. OF w. P. A. funds must last. Their
fSt two programs went on the air
\ last week. and more are coming, over
E the national networks. They were
Hthe modest beginning of a schedule
of federally sponsored radio programs
that they hope will point the way
to the proper uses of radio in edu-
ca tlon generally.
The radio workshop" as the
+ project is more fam1liarly known. is
brain-child of DR.. John w. Stude-
baker, Federal commissioner Of edu-
cation, and is one of five educational
+ projects for which his chief, Secre-
tary of the Interior Ickes, recently
allocated Federal funds. Manned
largely by youths selected for their
talent and ability from the w. P. A.
rolls and the c. C.. c. camps, its
obJect is "to add educational stand
ards to the technique of successful
#radio programming." Its headquar-
tiers are In a three-story building on
F street loaned to the Government
tent-free by American University.
LIEADING the project is Boutwell,,
editor of the monthly journal of
the Office of Education, with an ex-
ecutive group of 6 supervising staff
# pf 29 persons drawn largely from the
skilled" and professional" rolls of
Uncle Sans works projects and draw
n ng modest salaries ranging from $72
TO s103-the latter figure going only
10 special talent secured from the
|AN. P. A. theatrical and dramatic
projects. Because of the scarcity of
radio experience, Boutwell, had to
kelect two of his chief aides from
he broadcasting induStry-Maurice
DWELL, as production supervisor, and
.eo RoSencrans, as script supervisor,
10Th experts on leave of absence from
be Chicago staff of the National
sroadcasting Co.
The other top men are Rudolf
chramm, music director, Washing
hgton musician and dance band
maestro, who has frequently been
card on the radio locally and ma
onally; James D. Strong, project
hanager, young Yale graduate on
eave of absence from the Fort On
brio, N. Y, camp of c. c. c., where
n was district educational adviser;
P. Brodinsky, station and listener
elationS director, University of
Delaware graduate and University of
pennsylvania postgraduate, also a
ormer G. G. G. educational adviser,
Ind Philip H. Cohen, personnel di-
ector. a Harvard graduate, until re-
ently with the c. c. C. camp at
6hef1eld, Pa. The rest of the staff
re singers, actors, script writer's and
esearch workers.
Their first program, titled Answer
Me This" is being carried Mondays on
he N. B. G. network, and is a sort of
EEestion and answer game in drama
ized form. Their other weekly pro-
gram, Fridays, is titled Have You
Heard?" and is also in dramatic form,
; being a sort of dinner party conversa-
ion regarding curious facts of science.
There are other programs in contem-
plation, which it is hoped to place
both on N. B. c. and Columbia net
works, and which relate to vocabulary,
history, geography, natural and phys
teal science and current events.
proper modeSty prevents
Boutwell, and his staff from be-
lieving they are going to revolutionize
radio showmanship, even though their
avowed aim is to do something most
Educators on the radio have hitherto
failed to do, namely, present instruc-
tive programs that are entertaining
but not entertainment" They hope
they can show the way to other edu-
Gators to the proper use of radio in
their field for, as DR.. Studebaker puts
1t, "broadcasters have eagerly sought
educational programs which would also
be good radio. Relatively few educa-
tional institutions have oeen able to
solve the difficult problem of master
ing the technique Of this new device"
According to DR.. Boutwell,, who is
detached without extra pay from his
Interior Department post, each mem
ber of the staff was carefully selected
on the basis of talent or experience. 1t
Is the projects fondest hope that all
Of them ultimately will be absorbed
Into the radio industry. Five hundred
sought places with the radio work
shop" but the top number of selec-
tions, in view of the limited appropria-
tion, will not run over 70 persons.
Politics nlaved no mart in the selec-