Evening star., 1941-09-21
6. j. 10 Broadcast
Over Own Station,
Gift Of Friend
New Speech Institute
Is 'Bruin Child of
Father Walsh

rtdulO EJIOSl dlllS Will NC UloduCdSI
direct from the Georgetown Uni
versity campus this fall as one of
the regular functions of new speech
institute that will be conducted for
all public speaking classes at the
College of Arts and Sciences, it was
announced yesterday.
The gift of an anonymous
friend" of the university, who in
CURED all the expenses, the official
ly-designated Georgetown Speech
Institute has a sound proof public
auditorium and completely
equipped radio studio for recording
and broadcasting. 1t is located in
the new North Building in the COL
lege quadrangle and will be opeend
for the use of students tomorrow
when the new semester begins.
From all accounts the institute
Is the brain child" of the Rev. Ed
mund A. Walsh. S. j., vice preSi-
dent of the university and regent
of the school of foreign service.
He not only conceived and pro-
NOTED the idea but designed the
Supervized Installation.
A man of mechanical as we'll as
artistic bents, DR.. Walsh has long
counted carpentry and radio among
his favorite personal hobbies. He
stayed in Washington most of the
summer to direct the univerSity's
carpenters in remodeling one of the
largest class halls and installing
the radio equipment. When radio
engineers came out recently to in
spect the station they pronounced
it a perfect job.
DR.. Walsh also served as radio
engineer" during tests made with
the equipment, Two of the last
speeches of President Roosevelt
were recorded on discs for the in
stitute's permanent collection.
Speeches of European notables also
can be recorded since the studio is
equipped with short-wave radio.
Public speaking is a required
course for Georgetown freshmen
and the institute, no doubt, will
attract larger number of students
to the advanced courses for juniors
and seniors. Instruction is under
the direction of Albert A. Austen,
who also has Just taken over the
speech clinic at Georgetown Uni
versity Hospital. He will carry on
the work of Miss Jennie Hedrick,
retired, who devoted 25 years to free
classes at the hospital for correction
of the speech defects of children
and adults.
G. u. Joins College Network.
Mr.. Austen is on his first teaching
assignment and his second year at
the college. He came here from Co
lurnbia University where he obtained
his B. A. and M. A. degrees.
In working out the scope OF in
struction and activities of the new
institute at the college, Dr. Walsh
has arranged for its use by other
departments when the occasion
arises. A radio club is being organ
lied among the students and
Georgetown has now joined the IN
tercollegiate Broadcasting System.
Students will be given practical
instruction in script writing, pro-
duction of programs and in broad
casting. The also will be taught
how to operate the control room.
The auditorium, equipped with
stage and microphones, will be used
for practical demonstrations by the
classes and for such small public
radio audiences as the university
may invite during the year. 1t has
a seating capacity for 100 persons
All the windows are triple-paned
and the walls and ceiling are done
In the usual studio manner.
To Apply for License.
The studio workshop and control
room are on each side of the stage.
They are ample in size. The equip
ment includes two R. c. A. recording
and play-back units. Student pro-
grams will originate from the work.
shop, where actual instruction in
radio will be given. When broad
casts are presented for audiences in
the auditorium the radio engineer
in the control room will be able
TO give quiet" signal by a system
of lights.
The Georgetown authorities will
apply soon to the Federal Com
munications Commission for a
broadcasting license.
So far, no regular plan has been
developed for general broadcasting.
AT the outset. 1t was said, the
broadcasting will be limited to the
confines of the campus. Later, when
contracts are made, regular univer-
sponsored programs will be
transmitted to commercial broad
casting stations by telephone. Radio
engineers said the Georgetown sta
ton is equipped to operate on the