Evening star., 1952-11-16
Board Control
OF School Tv
Station Urged
Other Educution Units
Should Be Advisors.
Sharpe Declares
By JONES g. Deone

By james G. Deone
Board Of Education President G.
Melvin Sharpe said last night the
school board must retain control
over the educational television
station it wants to build.
But he backed the idea Of an
advisory board to represent other
|DiStrict-area educational institu-
tions in programming.
The board president took this
stand as committee Of area edu-
Gators prepared to meet School
Supt. Hobart M. Corning on the
representation question.
Mrs. Louise S. Walker, commit
tee chairman, announced the ap-
|pointment Of nine persons to the
committee. One additional ap-
pointee hasn't accepted yet. she
said.
The group has scheduled q
meeting with DR.. Corning at 2
pm. November "a.
To Study Two Problems.
Mrs. Walker said the committee
will explore two specific problems.
One is the financing of the pro-
posed station. The second is
setting up a representative board.
The committee chairman said
she also will ask why the school
board filed an application for the
educational channel without noti-
flying area educators in advance.
The Federal Communications
Commission has allotted only a
single education channel to the
Washington area. Use of the
has been under discussion by area
educators for nearly six months.
The Board of Education acted
without advance publicity or any
notice to other institutions in ap-
plying for a license to establish
the station, however.
Mrs. Walkers committee was
set up by the group Of area edu-
Gators which has been discussing
the project. A session Of the edu-
Gators two weeks ago heard bitter
complaints about the sudden
school board action. Some educa-
tors advocated an Independent
non-profit corporation for the
station.
There was one threat to file a
competing application for the
channel. But FEC members al
ready virtually have promised ap-
proval of the school board appli-
cation.
More Than Advisory.
Mrs. Walker yesterday said that
as committee chairman she pre-
ferred to take no personal stand
on the management question.
She said, however, that in her
view a representative board has
to be more than advisory.
DR.. Corning assured the edu-
Gators group recently that school
authorities will work out a CO.
operative plan. He hasn't an
nounced any details yet, however.
Mr.. Sharpe, who took the lead
in bringing the project before the
school board, said the boards
application is probably the only
way to get public funds for the
station. The District will seek
100000 from Congress to build
a transmitter and operate the sta
tion for it's first year.
Mr.. Sharpe described as "wishful
thinking" proposals to rely on pri-
vate funds. such as donations from
charitable foundations. He also
asserted that no educational
groups here, other than the school
board, have come forth with any
specific plans for financing and
a station.
There still is no assurance Con-
gress will provide the money, he
admitted.
0n0A pC AA1tS NIAtAClSAus
Mr.. Sharpe reacted strongly to
criticism of the school board &C.
ton.
"I resent the idea it was any
quarterback sneak on my part"
he asserted. II took the opportu-
nifty, and the board acted"
Despite his insistence on Board
Of Education control, Mr.. Sharpe
promised that there will be a CO.
operative effort"
He said he plans to sit in on the
November "a meeting.
Mrs. Walker is supervisor of
audio-visual education in the
Montgomery County schools.
Other members of the educators
committee are: Willett Kemp
ton, American University; Isaac
Jewish Community Coun4
Gil; Charles A. H. Thomson,
Brookings Institution: William S.
Nelson, Howard University; Arthur
Fisher, Library of Congress; E.
James Adams, National Gallery of
Art: Msgr. John S. Spence, di-
rector Of education, Catholic
Archdiocese of Washington; the
Rev. Daniel E. Power, S. J.,I
Georgetown University, and Alex
WeinStein, B'nai Birth.
Franklin Dunham, of the Office
OF Education, has not yet accepted