Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-04-11
Group toSeek
$725,OOO for
Educational Tv
Plans to Continue
Efforts to Enlist
D. c. School System
By james 6. Deone

10 DullQ ana Degln operating an
educational televiSion station
here.
Thirteen educational and cul-
tural leaders formed a tempo
rary board of trustees for the
corporation yesterday, with Dean
Martin A. Mason of George
Washington University's Engi-
neering School as chairman.
The group appointed a four
man Executive Committee to
work with Dean Mason in set
ting up a permanent organiza-
ton. It also voted to appeal to
the District Board of Education
to join in the project.
The new organization, incor-,
porated several weeks ago, has
adopted the name of the Greater
Washington Educational Tele-
vision Association, Inc. Even
tually the Board of Trustees is
to be enlarged to 10 members,
representing school systems, uni
versities, libraries and other in
situations, with three for the
public at large.
Angle for D. c. Schools.
Sponsors of the new group are
particularly anxious to gain the
District school systems partici-
patton, since it is the largest
educational enterprise in the
area. But the Board of Educa-
ton has filed it's own applica-
ton with the Federal Communi-
cations Commission for control
of the city's educational TV
channel.
School board leaders have
given no sign of willingness to
drop their plans for exclusive
control, so competing applica-
ton by the new association is
considered likely. In that event,
public hearings by the FEC
would be necessary. and an
actual start on the project
would be delayed probably for
many months.
The new association is step
ahead of the school board on
finances. The association has a
promise of a 100000 grant
from the Ford Foundation, pro-
vided the association itself raises
100000.
100000 Sought in Congress-.
The school hoard, on the other
hand, is relying solely on Con-
gress for at least initial funds.
The Commissioners have APP
proved a request to Congress for
100000, and the board has
asked the FEC not to act on the
question until Congress indicates
its attitude.
No financial pledge has been
asked of participating institu-
tons by the new association.
But eventually the new board
of trustees must ask member
groups for money. A public fund
campaign also is considered
probable.
The FEC apparently has some
doubts about the school boards
financial plans. It recently asked
for specific information on
them and said it would not act
on the boards application until
both that and an assurance of
cooperation with other area
groups had been provided.
School officials have promised
cooperation, but on the money
end so far they don't know them
selves whether Congress will take
kindly to the project.
% Sat in on Meeting.
Twenty-three school systems
and institutions sent representa-
tives to an organizational meet
ing of the new association at
the Cosmos Club yesterday. Six
teen said they are ready to
be members of the organiza-
ton. The others said they were
there only as observers. since
governing bodies hadn't yet au-
thorized full participation.
Some of those who became
members also said they still
had to obtain formal authorize
ton Dean Mason was one of
these.
Members of the temporary
Board of Trustees, besides Dean
Mason, are the Rev. Daniel E.
Power. Georgetown University:
DR.. William S. Nelson, dean of
Howard University; j. Quinn
O'Connell, assistant to the pro-
curator. Catholic University;
Raymond Reed, assistant princi-
pal of Westinghouse High
School, representing DR.. Barnard
Joy, chairman of the Arlington
School Board; Mrs. Louise S.
Walker. Montgomery County
schools; Howard Roberts, repre-
senting Supt. William S. Schmidt
Of the Prince Georges Schools.
Others at Meeting.
Also, Msgr. John S. Spence, di-
rector of education of the ,Catho-
lie Archdiocese of Washington:
A. H. Thomson, Bookings Insti-
tuition; DR.. Louis B. Wright. di-
rector of the Folger Library; Ar
thur Fisher. representing Libra
rian of Congress Luther H.
Evans; E. James Adams, acting
secretary of the National Gal
lery of Art, and Paul H. Oehser,
Smithsonian Institution.
These others also attended the
session; DR.. Willett Kempton,
American University; Irwin H.
Schrnitt, superintendent of the
Falls Church schools: F. F.
Brown. representing Alexandria
School Supt. T. C. Williams;
Orme Wilson. secretary of the
National Symphony Orchestra
Association: Ralph L. Thompson.
assistant District Librarian. and