Evening star., 1952-11-07
Area Groups Seek
Voice in Board Plans
For Educational N
BY jones 6. Deone

representatives of area colleges
and other organizations.
Formation of a special citizens
board to supplement the Board OF
Education in managing the sta
tion was suggested yesterday by
the group. Spokesman plan to
ask an early meeting on the sub
ject with School Supt. Hobart M
Corning.
The move was decided on at a
meeting that heard complaints
that the school board by-passed
other interested school and civic
organizations on the television
project. The board recently filed
an application with the Federal
Communications Commission for
the sole educational TV channel
allotted here.
Ignore Plan for Delay.
A similar complaint was made
Monday in a meeting with DR..
Corning at Franklin School. but
more spokesmen took it up yes
terday. The meeting was at
George Washington University.
Yesterdays session ignored sug-
gestions that a delay in FEC ap-
proval of the school board
application be sought. It voted an
Endorsement of the school boards
action so far.
But the group created ''nego-
tiating" committee to meet with
DIR. Corning and explore the prob
lem of bringing interested organl-
cations into the stations manage
ment
Mrs. Louise S. Walker. director
of audio-visual education in the
Montgomery County schools. was
elected temporary chairman at
the session. A permanent chair
man will be named later.
Arthur Fisher. registrar Of copy
rights at the Library of Congress,
led the criticism of the school
board.
Mr.. Fisher, who also raised the
question Monday. raped the
board for filing its application
with the FEC without giving ad-
vance notice to a special civic
committee, which has been study
ing the educational televiSien sub
ject for five months. Mr.. Fisher
is a member of the group.
Competing Application Threatened.
He asked DR.. Carl F. Hansen.
another member and associate
school superintendent, to ask the
school board to delay its applica-
tion. Otherwise. Mr.. Fisher
threatened. he might consider
filing a competing application.
DR.. Hansen said he wouldn't be
in a position personally to recon-
mend delay" adding he believes
prompt action is imperative.
Mr.. Fisher called DR.. Hansen's
reply disturbing" adding:
"It doesn't seem to me that's
the sort of thing that breeds
confidence for the future"
The Rev. Brian A. McGrath,
dean of Georgetown University's
College Of Arts and Sciences, advo-
Gated that the station be operated
by a non-prof1t corporation repre-
senting area educational institu-
tionS. He questioned whether, if
the station is supported by public
funds obtained through the school
board, Georgetown could put on
religious programs.
Dean Martin Mason of George
Washington University's School of
Engineering. who said he was
speaking as an individual, also
criticized what he called the
school boards unilateral action,
although he did not take issue
with the boards desire to operate
the station.
Fund Drive Proposed.
Henry Wilder, who said he was
q Washington Board of Trade
member but did not represent the
board, proposed that a new appli-
cation be filed by the committee
and that educators. parent-teacherI
associations and civic groups be
called on to select a board Of
directors. He urged a public fund
drive instead of Government sup
port.
Mr.. Wilder and Earl w. Doug
las Of 2017 S street NV, who
identified himself only as a busi-
nessman, also urged a loyalty oath
for all officials of the station.
DR.. Hansen defended the school
board, asserting he was certain
the other groups "can depend on
it." He said the chief advan-
tage of school-board control would
be fixed responsibility for the
stations operation.
Spokesman for Archbishop.
Msgr. John S. Spence. director
of education of the Catholic arch
diocese. came to the school boards
defense, asserting that ''if we are
willing to put our trust in public
officials, it seems to me other Or
ganizations can do the same. "
Msgr. Spence told a reporter aft
erward that he spoke for Arch
bishop Patrick A. O'Boyle.
The board also was supported
by Alex Weinstein Of B'nai Birth;
Isaac Franck of the Jewish Com
munity Council; Mrs. Leslie
Wright Of the General Federation
of Women's Clubs, and Philip
Schiff Of the Jewish Welfare
Board.
Mr.. Franck said, however, that
religious programming is real
question" and that it might turn
out such programs are not pos
sible