"‘5 W3» ._. A SURVEY OF RADIO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MICHIGAN Thai: for the Degree at M. A. WCHIGAN STATE COLLEGE Ruth Dillingham Nadal l 945 l:w*1|| lh-II lN BACK OF BOOK This is to certify that the thesis entitled A Survey of hadio in the Public Schools of Michigan presented by Ruth Dillingham Nodal has been accepted towards fulfilment of the requirements for M. A. degree in Speech Major professor Date SBPtember l, 1945. -..-......h—‘h ...\ A L‘- -h ~——- -o-...o—.—_.. ~.—- ...... ...“; A. . _ a. .s .2 ,, - ~ -‘ ~f “‘ I scrunch ...”‘n... ..-..- . - “.-.Ld.._-J_4_ - - . .... . . . .... .A .‘anzw-‘v-w ‘ ' " ' O 'wr nv—v 1"1 ‘I A SURVEY OF RADIO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MICHIGAN by RUTH DILLINGHAM 3.31231. A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate School of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Speech and Dramatics 1945 THESIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writer wishes to express her gratitude to Prof. Paul D. Bagwell and to Prof. Joe A. Callaway for their helpful suggestions, and general supervision in the writing of this thesis; to Dr. William.D. Baten for his assistance in the arrangement and preparation of statistical data; and to Mrs. Kathryne W. Nadal for aid in tabulation of data and construction of charts. The writer wishes also to express her appreciation to the superintendents and supervisors of radio education who generously gave their time for interviews; and to the many superintendents throughout the state of Michigan who were so prompt in their replies to letters and questionnaires. Without their assistance this survey would have been impossible. , seq-gr J ‘2 Q ‘1 PI?” I. -—- a—Q [L ‘ s L r- _ L L. -' 'L 'i 9"“ r: FL ' . ‘ l: . e: . L L" :. 1 t : Il - L L ‘o - ' L! l .4 L 1‘ -\ ' .Li» I} ‘. \J EF 5 - 3 AL i5 “-5“ “.3 H} A. H LE. 3....i . hi F. A E: 3.3L 3N BACK OF BOOK TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Page I — INTRODUCTION 1 II - PURPOSE OF SURVEY 8 III - METHOD OF PROCEDURE . 11 IV - SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED THE POSTCARD QUESTIONNAIRE 20 V - SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED THE LONGER QUESTIONNAIRE A. Equipment 55 B. Programming 45 C. Utilization 50 D. Broadcasting 56 E. Evaluation 65 VI - DETROIT 67 VII - FUTURE OF RADIO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MICHIGAN 76 VIII - SUMMARY 82 CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 84 APPENDIX 88 BIBLIOGRAPHY 91 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The earliest record of broadcasting to the classroom was in 1923 when experimental broadcasts were conducted in Haaren High School in New York City.1 Shortly after this, broadcasts were prepared by the New York City Board of Education and broadcast over Station WJZ, but these were soon discontinued. The first national impetus given to school use of radio came in 1928 with the inauguration of music appreciation lessons conducted by Walter Damrosch. In.1950, the American.School of the Air2 began regular school broadcasts over a national hookup. Local school systems had experimented with radio as an educational tool, but the public did.not become conscious of radio's classroom possibilities until school programs were broadcast on national networks. Thus, it was the networks which gave the real impetus to the use of radio in the classroom. About twenty-five years ago, when radio was "born", a few educators saw in it educational possibilities. Many colleges applied for and received licenses to broadcast, some of which were soon revoked or allowed to expire because the colleges did not make full use of their licenses. Some 1 l. Atkinson, Carroll, Public School Broadcasti§g_ to the Classroom. Boston: Meador Publishing Company, 1942, p. 11 2. A Columbia Broadcasting System production which is still broadcast five times weekly. of these licenses were used only for experimental purposes. Realizing the potential educational possibilities of radio, many schools purchased radio equipment long before the superintendents and.teachers knew how to use this new medium. Because of this a great many teachers misused radio. They did not know how to adapt it to the school situation. It has been only within recent years that teachers have learned how to fit radio in with the overall objectives in education. The fear has often been expressed by teachers and school officials that radio might displace the teacher. Experience has shown that radio does not offer competition to the teaching profession. Instead, it is a supplement to teaching and used by the teacher in the same manner as movies, maps, books, or any other educational tool.’ None of the advocates of radio education believe that radio will ever take the place of the teacher. The teacher is of the greatest import- ance in synthesizing the information gathered from.the broad- cast with the overall educational goals. It has long been recognized that radio is most useful When it supplements the classroom.schedule rather than when any attempt is made to use it as a substitute for the teacher. "Until a teacher can look upon radio as only a part of her teaching situation (just as she now views textbooks, blackboards, victrolas, drawing materials, and even herself) she cannot adjust it to its proper place in classroom.activities. Radio is not the be-all nor the end-all of classroominstruction."3 3. Harrison, Margaret, Radio‘ig the Classroom. New'Ybrk: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1937 Experience shows that lessons given entirely by radio are not generally satisfactory. However, it is interesting to note, in this connection, that there have been instances in which actual lessons given by radio proved to be of practical value. Such was the case in Chicago in September, 1957, when because of a serious poliomyelitis epidemic, the Chicago public schools were forced to close. At that time, the decision was made to broadcast lessons direct to the homes of the pupils. Seven radio stations donated time in fifteen minute periods throughout the day, and five newspapers carried a daily digest of each lesson to be broadcast - in- cluding directions, questions, and assignments for the pupils. These digests served as texts in the absence of books. Pupils were instructed to keep all work done in connection with these broadcasts and present them to their teachers as soon as school opened. Tests were drawn up and given to the children when they returned to school. Writing on the evaluation of this program, Harold.Kent, director of the Radio Council, Chicago Public Schools, made the following statement: "As far as the broadcasts to the children who were kept out of school because of the epidemic are concerned, we must admit that objective results were not particularly satisfactory. However, some interesting points were observed. Social studies seemed to be the most widely received program, with the most progress made in this field. Mathematics rated at the other end- or the 8 ca]- 9 O O O O . O O O O O O I O O The real results were of slightly different nature, however, in that the epidemic broadcasting brought home to the Superin- tendent of Schools the fact that we have a dramatic tool right in our very midst that has tremendous possibilities for educa- tion, and which.up to this time was being completely ignored. The present Radio Council owes its existence to the epidemic. Another interesting result is that a plan should be organized for just such.an emergency so that its machinery can be thrown into action overnight in order that school work of an adequate though perhaps supplemental, sort can be carried on." Similarly, in Long Beach, California, the present radio activities are a result of an emergency program.which was set up to take care of school children during the big earthquake in 1935.5 In Michigan, classroom broadcasting not only had its be- ginning but has found its highest development in the city of Detroit. As early as 1928, a few programs were broadcast in the form of speeches describing the activities of various departments of the Board of Education of that City. A few musical programs were also broadcast, but it was not until the fall of 1934 that any definite plan was formulated. In January, 1955, the Board of Education set up the Advisory Committee on Visual and Radio Education which was recognized as the first definite establishment of a broadcasting policy._ Very few school systems in the country had from the very be- ginning such a definite and clearcut policy towards radio education as did Detroit. Its Board of Education had the vision and foresight to see radio as a vital part of every child's life, and sensed the importance of using itpas a force for progressive educationj/ Paul T. Rankin, former Supervising Director, Research and Informational Service, 4. Atkinson, 22. cit., p. 40 5. Atkinson, 22. cit., p. 101 of the Detroit Public Schools,said that, "The question.may well be asked as to why and how we started to use radio in the Detroit schools. Probably the basic reason is the tradi- tion.that the schools should be constantly on the alert to discover new and better means of instruction."6 As a result, Detroit now ranks with several other cities throughout the country as having one of the outstanding overall programs in radio education in the public schools. During the year 1955-54, the Flint Public Schools broad- cast a weekly radio story period for the elementary schools. This series, however, continued for only a part of a year. In 1954, a weekly program on safety education was broadcast through the cooperation of the schools and the Police Department. Station WFDF worked with the music supervisor that same year to present a weekly musical program for the rural schools. This program.was conducted in the manner of a class, and listening students kept careful notes on the broadcasts. It was reported that over one hundred rural schools in the county participated in this two-month.course, and many of the city school children were reported to have been regular listeners.7 At present, Station WFDF reports no actual classroom broadcasts "for the duration", but the station.makes time available to school groups who wish to perform over the air.‘ 6. Stewart, Irwin, ed., Local Broadcasts 22 Schools, p. 12 7. Atkinson, 22. cit., p. 80 Within the last five years, Pontiac High School has developed its broadcasting activity to the point where high school students produce radio programs for the other schools of the city.' Students have learned both broadcasting and production techniques, and now have their own studio in the high school building. Every week, they broadcast from.this studio, by remote control over the Pontiac station WCAR. Success is evidenced by the response of the schools through- out the city. Each week, letters come in from teachers and pupils expressing their appreciation of the series. The Pontiac Board of Education has taken another forward step by engaging Miss 01a Hiller, director of broadcasting at Pontiac High School, to spend the summer preparing scripts for next fall's broadcasts by the Pontiac High School workshop. Radio, especially educational radio, is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, it has clearly become a recdgniged/._ force in public school education./ school systems in this country which.consider radio a vital part of the educational program.include those of New Yerk, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco.8 It would be well for schools to be investigating the possi- bilities of radio in the classroom, for soon after the war 8. For more information about schools that have used radio in the c1assroom.with.marked success, see Irwin Stewart's Local Broadcasts 32 Schools. is ended.new educational stations will appear throughout the country. At that time, teachers who have been trained in the techniques of broadcasting and production will be in a position to join in a movement to make radio education more significant in all school systems. CHAPTER II PURPOSE OF SURVEY As the use of radio in the public schools has become more widespread, many administrators, superintendents, teachers, and others interested in educational advancement, have become interested in knowing to what extent radio is being used as a supplement to teaching. With the increased interest in Frequency Modulation,1 and with plans already under way for a state-wide network of FM (Frequency Modula- tion) educational radio stations in Michigan to be set up after the war, it seemed wise to have more definite informa- tion on the present use of radio in the public schools of Michigan.\\After consultation with.the department of research at the State Office of Public Instruction in Lansing, it became evident that little was known about the use of radio in the schools of Michigan. The State Department of Public Instruction,as well as the Michigan Education Radio Associa- tion, felt that more information concerning the status of radio education in the State would be helpful to them in making plans for the future. The purpose of this survey is to compile in one volume all the available data and information relative to the use of radio in the public schools of Michigan. In order to _ 1. A newly developed type of transmission which will be in ccmmon.use after the war. It is characterized by high fidelity, and freedom from static and interference. present an overall picture of the use of radio in Michigan schools, it was necessary to find out the following: how many schools have facilities for receiving radio programs and transmitting these programs to the various classrooms; how many have recording machines to record programs from the air to be used in the classroom at some other time; how many have record-playing equipment capable of playing transcriptions in the classroom; how many schools do broad- casting. Further information has been compiled on the number of schools now using radio programs in the classroom, the type of program used, the subjects that are at present most satisfactorily covered by radio programs, and the manner in which these programs are utilized by the teachers, including the student activities, if any, that are motivated by the radio programs. In addition, data have been recorded relative to the school administrator's opinion of the value of using radio in the classrooms, its possible use to the schools of the future, and the obstacles which must be overcome before the schools can use radio more extensively than at present. In order to find out what programs for classroom use are available to the schools of Michigan, all radio stations in Michigan, as well as the four major networks in the country,have been contacted relative to the number and type of school broadcasts they originate. It was thought that this procedure might help those interested in educational 10 radio to discover what type programs are most needed at the present time. The compilation of such information should prove to be of value in the consideration of future programs to be broadcast over an educational network in the State. It is hoped that through the present study, interest will be aroused in the further use of radio in the schools of Michigan, and that steps will be taken to bring about a greater utilization of both radio equipment and radio programs which are now being broadcast. 11 CHAPTER III METHOD OF PROCEDURE In order to make a study of this nature, it was necessary to decide upon.methods of collecting data, evaluating the in- formation, and compiling the information so that it would be immediately clear to the reader. Before deciding upon any one method, the writer conferred with authorities in the fields of research, psychology, tests and.measurements, and examined other studies made in the field of radio education. Letters were written to agencies interested in the study of radio education, including The Federal Radio Education Committee, Washington, D. 0.; The Department of Radio Education, Ohio State University; and The Radio Council of the Chicago Public Schools. These letters were written for the express purpose of finding out just what these organizations had accomplished in the fields of radio research and of classroom broadcasting. After securing the above information, the following procedure was decided upon: to send a postcard questionnaire to all of the superintendents of schools in the state of Michigan for the purpose of finding out how many school systoms in the state make use of radio in the classroom. At the same time, additional information was requested relative to their past experience and their future interest in the use of radio. COPY OF POSTCARD QUESTIONNAIRE (Sent to 661 school superintendents in the State) Do you make use of radio in classroom? Yes No IF YOU DO NOT USE RADIO I. Have you ever done so in the past? Yes No 11. Please check your reasons for not using radio: 1. Inferior programs 2. Programs at inconvenient hours 5. Static or interference 4. Inferior radio equipment 5. No radio equipment 6. Other reasons III. I? the above conditions could.be corrected, would you be interested to use radio in the future? Yes No School Post Office No. of Students Superintendent COPY OF ATTACHED LETTER Michigan State College East Lansing; Michigan Dear Sir: The attached postcard is being sent to all public schools of Michigan to find.out which schools are using radio in the classroom. Those schools indicating their use of radio will be included in a future study which will be made under the auspices of Michigan State College and The State Department of Public Instruction, as a basis for planning future educational broadcasting. We will greatly appreciate your prompt reply as we are anxious to get a complete return from all schools as soon as possible. YOurs truly, 15 Six.hundred and sixty-one postcard questionnaires were sent out and.the following list of schools are those that returned the postcard questionnaires: Addison Adrian Akron' Alanson Algonac Allegan Alma Alpena Alpha Al ston Amasa Ann Arbor Arcadia Armada Ashley Atlanta Auburn Heights Au Gres Augusta (w. K. Kellogg) Bad.Axe Baldwin Bangor Baraga Bark River Baroda Barryton Bath Battle Creek Battle Creek P. O. Lakeview Springfield Bay City Bay City P. O. (Bangor Twp.) Bay Port Bear Lake Beaverton Bellaire Belleville Bellevue Benton Harbor P. O. Bard Fair Plain Benzonia Bergland Berkley Berrien Springs Bessemer Big Rapids Birch Run Birmingham Blissfield Bloomfield Hills Boyne City Boyne Falls Breckenridge Bridgman Brighton Brimley Britten Bronson Brooklyn Brown City Buchanan Buckley Byron Center Cadillac Caledonia Calumet P. O. (Centennial) Camden Capac Caro Carson City Cement City Center Line Central Lake Centreville Champion Channing Charlevoix Chassell Chatham Cheboygan Chelsea Chesaning Clare Clarkston Clarksville Clawson P. 0. (Log Cabin) Clayton Climax Clinton Coleman Coloma Colon Comstock Park Concord Constantine Copomish Croswell Crystal Falls Custer Daggett Dansville Davison Decatur Deerfield Delton Detroit P. O. Beacon John.Grace Redford Union De Witt Dexter Dollar Bay Dowagiac Durand East Grand Rapids East Jordan East Lansing East Tawas Eaton Rapids Eau Claire Edenville Edmore Edwardsburg Elberta Ellsworth Elmira Elsie Escanaba Essexville Evart Ewen Fairgrove Farmington Fennville Fife Lake Flint Flint P. O. Atherton Beecher Carman Utley Wolcott Flushing Fosteria Frankenmuth Frankfort Fraser Freeland. Fremont Gagetown Galien Garden City Genesee Gladstone P. O. (Escanaba Twp.) Glen Arbor Gobles Goodrich Gould City Grand Blanc Grand Haven Grand.Ledge Grand.Marais Grand Rapids Grand Rapids P. O. Godwin Heights Kelloggsville Newhall Oakleigh Wyoming Park Grass Lake Grayling Greenville Grosse Ile Gwinn Hancock Hancock P. O. (Ripley) Harbor Beach Harbor Springs Harris Harrison Harrisville Hart Hartland Haslett Hastings Hazel Park Highland Highland Park Hillman Holland P. O. (Beechwood) Holly Holt Honor Houghton P. O. (Portage Twp.) Howard City Howell Hudson Hudsonville Hulbert Ida Inkster P. 0. (Taylor Center) Ionia Iron Mountain Iron Mountain P. O. (Felch Twp.) Iron River (Bates Twp.) Iron River (Iron River Twp.) Ironwood Ironwood (Roosevelt) Ishpeming Johannesburg Jonesville Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Pa 0 e Brucker Milwood Oakwood South Westnedge Kaleva Kalkaska Keego Harbor Kent City Kinds Kingsley Kingston Laingsburg Lake City Lake Leelanau Lake Linden Lake Odessa Lake Orion Lakeview L'Anse Lansing Lansing P. 0. Maple Grove North Pleasant Grove Stoner Lapeer Lawrence Lawton Leland Leslie Lexington Lincoln Park Linden Litchfield P. O. (Litchfield Twp.) Lowell Ludington Luther Lyons P. O. (Lyons Twp.) McMillan Mancelona Manchester Manistee Manistique Maple Rapids Marion Marlette Marne Marquette Marshall Martin Marysville Mason Mass City P. O. (Greenland Twp.) Mattawan Mayville Mendon Menominee Merritt Mesick Michigamme P.O.(Michigamme Twp.) Michigan Center Middleville Midland Milan Minden City Mio Mohawk P. 0. (Allouez Twp.) Monroe Montague Morenci Morrice Mt. Clemens Mt. Pleasant Munising P. O. (Munising Twp.) Muskegon P. 0. Henry St. & Glenside Jelman Nahma Napoleon Nashville National Mine Negaunee Newaygo P. 0. (Brooks Twp.) Newberry P. O. (McMillan Twp.) New Buffalo New Era New Lothrop New Troy Niles North Adams Rose City North Branch Roseville P.O. (Kern Road) Northville Royal Oak Norway Royal Oak P.O. (Madison) Novi Rudyard P.O. (Rudyard Twp.) Okemos Saginaw Olivet St. Clair Onaway St. Clair Shores P. O. Onsted Lakeshore Ontonagon Lakeview Ortonville P. 0. (Brandon Twp.) South Lake Osseo St. Ignace Otsego St. James Owendale P. O. (Brookfield Twp.) St. Johns Owosso St. Joseph Painesdale P. 0. (Adams Twp.) St. Louis Palmer Saline Parchment Sand Creek Paw Paw Saranac Pentwater Saugatuck Perkins Sault Ste. Marie P.O.(Bruce Twp.) Perry Scotts Petersburg Sebewaing Petoskey Shelby Plainwell Shepherd Pontiac P.O.(Daniel whitfield) Sheridan Portage South Haven Port Austin South.Rockwood Port Huron Springport Port Huron P.O.(Kimball Twp.) Stanton Portland Stephenson Posen P. O. (Posen Twp.) Sterling Prescott P. O. (Richland Twp.) Stevensville Quincy Stockbridge Ramsay P.O.(Bessemer Twp.) Sunfield Rapid River P.O.(Masonville Twp.) Suttons Bay Ravenna Swartz Creek Redridge P.O.(Stanton Twp.) Tecumseh Reed City Tekonsha Reese Temperance Remus Three Oaks Rexton P.O.(Hudson-Hendricks Twp.) Three Rivers Richland Traverse City Rochester Trenary Rochester P. O. (Stiles) Trenton Rock P. O. (Maple Ridge TWp.) Trout Creek Rockford Twining P. O. (Arenac) Rockland Union City Rogers City P.O.(Rogers Twp.) Unionville Romeo Utica Romulus Vandalia Roscommon. Vermontville Vestaburg Williamsburg Vulcan Williamston Wakefield P.O.(Wakefield Twp.) Winona Vial-(iron \VOIVGrine Pa 00 (Nunda TWP. ) Walkerville Wyandotte Walled Lake Wyandotte P.O. Warren Fletcher hatersmeet (Watersmeet Twp.) McCann Watervliet Riverview Wayland Yale Webberville Ypsilanti Wells Ypsilanti P.O. West Branch Lincoln White Pigeon Roosevelt Whittemore Willow Run After making an analysis of the answers given on the post- card questionnaires, it became necessary to select all the schools that reported some use of radio and secure from them more detailed information for the study. To accomplish this objective, longer and more detailed questionnaires1 were sent to the 201 superintendents who reported that they were making some use of educational radio. Instead of sending question- naires to the superintendents in the larger cities2 , question- naires were sent to the principals of representative senior high schools, junior high schools, and elementary schools. This method was used in order to get a more complete picture, since it was discovered that in the larger cities, there is little uniformity in the use of radio among the different schools - a condition which.makes it almost impossible for the superintendent to answer one questionnaire for the entire 1. For copy of longer questionnaire - see Appendix. 2. Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Flint, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Muskegon, Pontiac, and Saginaw. Detroit is treated as a separate unit. school system. The total number of longer questionnaires sent out was 520.3 Of these 520, 166 were returned; and, from this return of over 50%, the facts compiled in this study were gathered. Before sending out the longer questionnaire, confer- ences were held with Dr. Norman Borgerson, of the Depart- ment of Public Instruction, and secretary of the Michigan Education Radio Association; and, with Dr. Joseph Maddy, chairman of the HERA, in order to get their advice on the form and content of the questionnaire. Conferences were also held with several of the superintendents in representa- tive towns of the State in order to get their ideas and suggestions. Letters were written to the program directors of every radio station in Michigan, asking the following questions: "Do you broadcast any programs designed specifically for use in the classroom? If so, what is the nature of these programs? Are they local or network? Which network?“ Similarly, letters were written to the four major networks to discover the type of classroom.programs they are broad- casting. The answers received from the radio stations and the networks indicate the programs that are actually available to the public schools at the present thme, and thus furnish a basis for the study of utilization of programs now on the air as well as to serve as a guide for 5. This includes 207 superintendents who reported the use of radio in their classrooms as well as 115 additional principals of schools in the larger cities. the planning of future radio programs for school use. The Detroit Public School System is discussed in a separate chapter, since its radio educational program is unique in the State. Statistics on the use of radio in the schools of Detroit have not been included in this study because it would raise the average to such a degree that the picture as a whole would be distorted. The writer made a trip to Detroit for the purpose of observing the department of radio education of the Detroit Public Schools in operation. There, opportunity was given.not only of visiting with the heads of the department, but of seeing the broadcasting activities of the Detroit City school system actually in progress. A similar visit was made to the Pontiac High school Radio werkshop which is known throughout the State for its progressive work in broadcasting. Through these personal visits, it was possible to observe theory being put into practice, and to secure, first hand, the results of broad- casting activity in the schools, much of which is difficult to get from.a questionnaire. CHAPTER IV SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED ON THE POSTCARD QUESTIONNAIRE Out of a total of 661 postcard questionnaires sent out, 428, or 65%, were returned. Two hundred and one schools in- dicated that they made some use of radio, and 227 reported that they made no use of radio. or the 201 reporting some use of radio, several of the superintendents qualified their answers by writing in "seldom", "occasionally", "very little", and similar expressions. 0n the basis of this information, Chart I, page 21, was constructed to indicate the percentage of schools in the following three categories: (a) Those schools that use radio, (b) Those that use radio occasionally, and (c) Those that make no use of radio. A spot map showing the distribution of schools in Michigan.that make some use of radio is located in the pocket of back cover of this thesis. A. Schools Reporting No Use of Radio in Classrooms In view of the fact that 227 schools reported that they make no use of radio in the classroom, it seemed desirable to investigate the data in this connection in order to find out whether the schools answering "no" had ever used radio in the past. Also to examine the reasons given for not using radio at present. or the 227 schools, 117, or 52%, reported that they had used radio at some time in the past but had discontinued the practice for one reason or another. A total of 25, or 10.5%, USE RADIO (28.8%) USE RADIO OCCASIONALLY (17%) DO NOT USE RADIO (54.2%) Chart I - Percentage of Michigan Public Schools Using Radio. failed to indicate whether or not they had ever used radio in the past. Eighty-five, or 57.5%, of the schools indicated that they had never used radio in the classroom. These data are graphically shown in Chart II, page 25. In an attempt to find out why the superintendents were not using radio in their school systems, the questionnaires directed their attention to such reasons as: Inferior Pro- grams, Programs at Inconvenient Hours, Static or Interference, Inferior Equipment, and No Equipment. Space was also provided for additional reasons not included on the postcard question- naire. 0f the 227 schools reporting no use of radio in the classroom, 127 schools checked one item, 67 schools checked two items, 17 schools checked three items, and 16 schools checked none of the items. Of these 16 schools, six wrote in extra reasons other than the five listed on the postcard. Out of the 227 schools, 37 wrote in reasons other than those suggested on the questionnaire. gukluufi ' I I .tha’r ‘5“. , , x v... EEA.~A«M.¢I~MWIW H l I rv'L.I...s.‘.~IJVY..L HAVE NEVER USED RADIO (57.5%) DIDN'T ANSWER (10.5%) USED RADIO IN PAST (52%) - - v . - w- » we... .1; ... final“; ...." 1:“. ‘ «‘4'» ”I... H... ........., Au; . V. I . » was; w- <‘ 4 ' - I A - >—' ' II '- :J‘..~l J: Alun' heir hmm'fim Chart II - Michigan Schools that do not now Use Radio. Showing Percentage of Schools that have Used Radio at Some Time in the Past. _ , (re-nun... 5‘ .1 P'mfl‘uw Laid“? .— ..L— “n.9,... ... . . ...i ...)...J‘ MAL-true» [-12 writ: 14 H” ' The following tables show the distribution of schools according to the number checking each reason for the non-use of radio in their school systems: TABLE I 127 schools checking one item 84 No Equipment 17 Inconvenient Hours 15 Inferior Equipment 9 Static or Interference 2 Inferior Programs TABLE II 67 schools checking two items 25 Inconvenient Hours and Inferior Equipment 12 Inconvenient Hours and No Equipment Inconvenient Hours and Static or Interference Inconvenient Hours and Inferior Programs Static or Interference and Inferior Equipment Static or Interference and No Equipment Static or Interference and Inferior Programs No Equipment and Inferior Equipment No Equipment and Inferior Programs Seoeoeoe H 111 81 62 43 16 TABLE III 17 schools checking three items Inconvenient Hours, Static and Interference, and Inferior Equipment Inconvenient Hours, Static and Interference, and No Equipment Inconvenient Hours, Static and Interference, and Inferior Programs Inconvenient Hours, Inferior Programs, and Inferior Equipment Inconvenient Hours, Inferior Programs, and No Equipment Static and Interference, Inferior Equipment, and No Equipment Static and Interference, Inferior Equipment, and Inferior Programs TABLE IV Total number of schools checking each item No Equipment Inconvenient Hours Inferior Equipment Static or Interference Inferior Programs ”Maggi 0f the 227 schools reporting no use of radio, 57 gave 3 additional reasons for not using radio. Following are the reasons given, quoted directly from.the postcard question- naires, and classified according to subject matter: , ...-.Jludi'n “32.7.... My! .4 POOR RECEPTION "Too far away from.stations." from NBC, Mutual, and CBS stations. "Distance too great1 We are near Blue." "Can get only local station during daylight hours." "Host of the time we couldn't get stations loud enough." "Too far from good stations for reliable reception." "Broadcasting stations we want have too low power. j Can't get them." i "Stations not clear in our territory." "The best program, Columbia School of the Air, cannot be , received satisfactorily." r "Seam to be in a pocket here, so up-state programs are not usually audible." "Bought expensive radio equipment but cannot get good reception." "Unable to locate Columbia School of the Air this year." "Bought expensive equipment. Cannot get anything." l. The Blue Network does not carry any programs designated as school broadcasts. PROGRAMS NOT SUITABLE - OF LITTLE VALUE "Programs either require undue effort on part of teachers or are mostly entertainment. Educational values are small." "Programs are seldom of supplementary value to classroom work 0 "Difficult to correlate program.with classroom work." "Programs do not fit into classwork." "Not correlated with classwork." "Programs had little educational value." "Programs not suitable for certain grade levels." LACK OF INTEREST,_OR PROPER GUIDANCE "Lack of pupil interest." "Students do not care for radio programs." "Requires a lot of organizing and enthusiasm on part of teachers to get some good out of it." "No supervisor to push it." "Board does not force it." "Teachers not too well trained in radio education." FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY "Not enough funds to purchase enough for each room." "No money with which to purchase radio." "No funds to buy one at this time." p" ”Jung: mnwalm‘uwvminvm' rt «:' :‘i-Z 1. r" u _ ..- ~ .2. :1’3‘...i5.'..mv. 3‘01W'v' n 'v. . militia 28 g 'j g 1% NEED REPAIRS E 'E "Cannot get tubes for repairs." 3 3 "We have combination radio and phonograph but are waiting 3 ‘i for preper wiring." 5 g SCHEDULING DIFFICULTIES E g "Usually interrupts schedule of classes." : "Hard to correlate with time and subject matter." i LACK OF EQUIPMENT 0R ROOM' E "Not enough equipment." '3 "Lack of rooms and proper arrangement of equipment." 5 4} "Equipment in use for gym.classes." 5 "Had to bring radios in. School doesn't own one." i "Inconvenience. Students go to my home, but not often." é In order to find out how many of the schools reporting "No use of radio" would be interested in using radio pro- viding conditions could be changed, the question was asked, "If the above conditions could be corrected, would you be interested in using radio in the future?" The percentage of those who replied in the affirmative was 84.4%, those not interested comprised .4%, 5.9% were uncertain, and 11.5% did not answer. 'The results are shown on Chart III, page 50. 1.1..- i . . maintain, ~ IUJENAIJ-d 30 .....NOT INTERESTED (.4%) ..QUESTIONAELE (3.9%) INTERESTED DIDN'T ANSWER (11.3% IN FUTURE USE 0F RADIO (84.4%) Chart III - Percentage of those not Using Radio that are Interested in its Future Use. SCHOOLS REPORTING SOME USE OF RADIO Two hundred and one schools reported some use of radio in the classroom. Even though these schools were not expected to do so, 105 of them checked reasons listed on the questionnaire under the heading "Reasons for Not Using Radio“. It is probable that the items checked represent complaints these schools wished to make or reasons why they were not using radio 9913.1 Of these 105 schools, 46 checked one item, 45 checked two items, 8 checked three items, 6 checked four items, and 2 schools checked all five items. Tables V, VI, VII, and VIII show the reasons given by the various groups for "not using radio more". TABLE V 46 schools checking one item 0 checked Inferior Programs 28 checked Programs at Inconvenient Hours checked Static or Interference checked Inferior Equipment checked No Equipment slate 1. Several schools wrote in the word "more" at the end of the question. 1E3 gdh' Ed on .o <1 <0 TABLE VI 45 schools checking two items checked Inconvenient Hours checked Inconvenient Hours checked Inconvenient Hours checked Inconvenient Hours and and and and checked Static or Interference checked Static or Interference checked Static or Interference TABLE VII Inferior Radio Equipment Static or Interference Inferior Programs No Equipment and Inferior Equipment and Inferior Programs and No Equipment 8 schools checking three items checked Inferior Programs, Inconvenient Hours, and Inferior Equipment checked Inferior Programs, Inconvenient Hours, and Static checked Static, Inferior Equipment, and No Equipment checked Inconvenient Hours, Static, and Inferior Equipment TABLE VIII 6 schools checking four items 5 checked Inferior Programs, Inconvenient Hours, Static and Inferior Equipment 1 checked Inferior Programs, Inconvenient Hours, Inferior Equipment, and No Equipment 2 checked Static, Inconvenient Hours, Inferior Equipment, and No Equipment 5' TABLE IX Total for Schools Reporting Some Use of Radio Number of Schools Check- Reasons Checked ingiEach Reason Inferior Programs 16 Inconvenient Hours 78 Static or Interference 29 Inferior Equipment 44 No Equipment 15 To summarize, the results obtained from the postcard questionnaires show the following: 28.8% of 428 schools make use of the radio in the classroom, 54.2% do not use radio, and 17% use radio occasionally. One hundred and seventeen, or 52%, of the 227 schools that report no use of radio, have used it at some time in the past. The reason given.most frequently for not using radio by these 117 schools is "No Equipment". The next most frequently checked reason is "Programs at Inconvenient Hours". After tabulating the additional reasons written in by the superintendents, it is found that most of the reasons come under the heading of "Poor Reception". The next largest group of reasons come under the heading "Programs Not Suitable - of Little Value". If the conditions which hinder the present use of radio could be corrected, 84.4% of those who do not use radio at present would be interested in making use of it. Frequency distribution charts, constructed for both users and non-users of radio, indicate no correlation between size of school and use of radio. iii-lifting??? " “as: m -. .. .,. . 7d'w3rm": x.- .. . I”. Lint—Lum’vd. alt-mm? - a - n , IL’..'L-I"VK ' .. 13m seams. vivk'ii‘whlrl"; Lu moi; sin-uh :Ifbinmfié‘fliu‘w o v v ...-Y! I 112mg. a"!!!":\lnu v v r ‘ v ' ‘ w ‘.‘1 t .‘ . V . J“ _ ‘ n ““34! . CHAPTER V SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE LONGER QUESTIONNAIRE A.EmHHflWT In.making a study of the existing radio equipment in the public schools of Michigan, three types of equipment are considered: equipment for receiving radio programs, equip- ment for playing records and transcriptions, and, equipment for making recordings. These three types are designated respectively as the radio receiver, the playback, and the Vi» recorder. Equipment for receiving radio programs includes central sound systems, individual stationary radios, and portable radios. Central sound is a system by which a radio program is received in some central location in the school, usually the office, and from there is fed out over a public address system to any classroom desiring it. The individual station- ary radio is the cabinet type of radio which remains in one room, and the portable radio is any radio which can be carried from.one room to another}//Cgart IV, page 56, gives an over- all picture of the type and amount of radio receiving equip- ment found in the public schools of Michigan. ‘ J . ' .. . ‘ _, . fl_, _‘, .‘“ ; ni‘m-vflflumv LE‘J'I'ZHQ-7.||",l’fil|v~ev-g 1: i . ....g _g~,._..._...,, , .A. W . sitidilibimfiituuthinmn rum» “lulu-NUS“ ' " coo ‘90 °:° CENTRAL SOUND SYSTEM (27) 3;; :3 2 STATIONARY RADIOS (165) PORTABLE RADIOS (245) Chart IV - Radio Receiving Equipment in the Public Schools of Michigan - 166 schools reporting. (Each fi re represents 10 radios or radio systems?u Twenty-seven schools reported that they have central sound systems. Twenty-two of these have central sound and no other type of radio. Others vary in their combinations of central sound systems and other types Of radios, both stationary and portable. Table X gives the information for the 27 schools which have central sound systems. TABLE X Number of Schools NUmber and Typg of Radios 22 Central sound and no other type 1 Central sound, two individual stationary, and one portable 4 Central sound and varying numbers of portables (1 to 4) Sixty-five schools report the possession of stationary radios. These schools are divided here into smaller groups according to the particular combinations of stationary and portable radios which they possess. Table XI shows the entire group of 65 schools and the number of stationary radios owned by each. TABLE XI Number of Schools NUmber of Radios 55 l 15 2 7 5 4 4 2 5 l 6 1 8 1 10 l 50 '63 Thirty-one of the 65 schools report the possession of stationary radios and no other kind of receiving equipment. Table XII shows the distribution of radios among these 51 schools. TABLE XII Number of Schools 15 PJP' F’ i4 P’ ~a .s 3 Number of Radios 1 2 5 4 6 10 50 Thirty-four of the 65 schools reported that they have both stationary radios and portables. Nineteen of these have one stationary radio and from.one to eight portables Table XIII shows the distribution of radios among these 19 schools. TABLE XIII number of Schools 1 l 1 1 1 1 I-‘BIHHI-JI-ng Number and Type of Radios stationary and 1 portable stationary and 2 portables stationary and 5 portables stationary and 4 portables stationary and 5 portables stationary and 8 portables 59 Nine schools reported the possession of two stationary radios and from one to two portables. Table XIV shows the distribution of radios among these 9 schools. TABLE XIV Number of Schools Number and Type of Radios 6 2 stationary and 1 portable 5 2 stationary and 2 portables U Table XV shows the distribution of radios among the remaining six schools which.have stationary radios. TABLE XV Number of Schools Number and Type of Radios 2 4 stationary and 4 portables 4 stationary and 1 portable stationary and 2 portables l 1 5 l 5 stationary and 1 portable .E. 8 stationary and 1 portable 6 u_'_,‘__.—.————— m Seventy-four schools report portable radios and no other type. Table XVI shows the distribution of radios among these 74 schools. TABLE XVI Number of Schools Number of Radios 59 l 19 2 5 5 7 4 2 5 l 7 l 10 72 Ten schools reported that teachers brought in their own personal radios for the classroom use, and one superintendent stated that he took.his students to his home in order to make use of radio in connection with their classwork. The playback, or equipment for playing records, is a vital part of any school's equipment. In Michigan, playbacks are owned by 105 schools, 27 schools reported no equipment, and 56 failed to answer. In order to play radio transcrip- tions, the playback must have a turntable which.runs at 55 1/5 rpm. For this reason, in making a survey of the playback equipment in the schoOls, it is meortant to know the specific rate of speed of the turntables on the individual machines. Table XVII shows the 105 schools which have play- back equipment classified according to the rates of speed. TABLE XVII NUmber of Schoqlg Rate of Speed 90 78 rpm 5 55 1/5 rpm 10 78 and 55 l 5 r 1.03. / pm Record-playing equipment owned by 105 schools out of 166 would seem to be a good showing. However, 90 of these schools have equipment capable of playing records at a rate of 78 rpm only which virtually eliminates the use of educational trans- criptions. Thus, it is seen that only 15 of the 105 schools owning playback equipment are equipped to play transcriptions, and only those 15 schools can.make use of transcribed radio programs. The above information, therefore, indicates a definite weakness in the playback equipment owned by the Michigan schools. Another essential part of the school's equipment is the recorder, or equipment for making records. It is found that 26 schools in Michigan own recorders. Here, too, in order to make transcriptions, it is necessary that the machines record at the rate of 55 1/5 rpm. Table XVIII shows the 26 schools which.have recorders, classified according to the rates of speed at which they record. TABLE XVIII Number of Schools Rate of Speed 9 78 rpm 5 53 1/5 rpm 6 78 and 55 1/5 rpm 8 Failed to indicate rate of speed '23 Thus, it is seen that only 9 schools have equipment which is capable of making transcriptions at the rate of 55 1/5 rpm. A few of the advantages of the playback and of the recorder, when.built to run at a speed of 55 1/5 rpm, are noted.here.(fiIfr;#SChool has the facilities for play- ing transcriptions, it can make use of many more good classroom.programs than would.otherwise be possible. Transcribed radio programs are proving to be one of the most satisfactory methods of radio education. Transcrip- tions are used.when repetition of a particular broadcast is desired, either for the purpose of allowing more classes to hear the program, or when the teacher wishes to give special emphasis to the subject broadcast. When trans- criptions of radio programs are used, they may be played at exactly the moment desired, thus eliminating one of the most frequently mentioned handicaps to the use of radio in the schools - that of radio programs coming at inconvenient hours. With a recorder, a school can transcribe radio programs directly from.the air for future classroom.use; in schools where the students broadcast, permanent records can be made of their radio programs; and, besides serving as a means of checking on student performances for purposes of later criticism, a recorder may be the means of building a trans- cription library. / I Radio receiving equipment is much.more adequate in the public schools of Michigan than is either playback or re- cording equipment./zAlthough 166 schools report some type of receiving equipment, only 15 of these schools are able to play transcriptions, and only 9 are able to make trans- criptions. Following are some of the comments made by superin- tendents concerning equipment in their schools as quoted ' directly from.their questionnaires: A "Little use here of radio. Lack of proper equipment and interest low as result." "Do not have equipment necessary." "Present receiving equipment inadequate for good results." "Have central sound.system, but no longer working. Old and crude e 33 "Had fine central sound system, but it became necessary to close off part of building where master set was." "Lack of equipment biggest problem." "Have not enough radios." "Old building unequipped for radio broadcasts. Own one rather poor small radio - difficult to get anything but local stations." "Each school should have recording equipment. Then use transcription in class at time needed and wanted." "Programs very good but we should.have equipment."1' B. PROGRAMMING In order to discover what radio programs are available to the public schools for classroom use, letters of inquiry were written to the twenty-six radio stations in Michigan.2 The results of this inquiry Show that the following radio stations carry regular programs designed specifically for use in the classroom: WKZO, Kalamazoo, WCAR, Pontiac, WKAR, East Lansing, WELL, Battle Creek, WJR, Detroit, WWJ, Detroit, WXYZ, Detroit, WJLB, Detroit, and WJBK, Detroit. WKZO carries daily the "American.School of the Air", broadcast by the Columbia network. WKAR originates once each.week a program.of Rural School Music, which sometimes is accompanied by dramatizations. Station WELL reports a weekly broadcast called the ”Spelling Bee", in which students participate both in the studio and in the classroom. WCAR carries one fifteen.minute program.oach week, which.is I. Tfiis school has enrollment 6T112, and the students go to the superintendent's home to use radio. 2. As listed in Broadcasting Yearbook, 1945. produced by the Pontiac High School Radio Workshop, and designed especially for elementary schools.~ The contribu- tions of the five Detroit stations are discussed in Chapter VI. Two stations, WJMS, Ironwood, and WHDF, Calumet, report no specific broadcasts intended for c1assroom.use, but mention various broadcasting activities of the local schools which are carried over their stations. These con- sist for the most part of musical programs and occasional dramatic presentations. WFDF, in Flint, reported, "No broadcasts designed specifically for use in the classroom". However, it is found that the public schools of Flint list public school programs of WFDF as programs to which they occasionally listen. These programs are evidently for the purpose of strengthening public relations or for student training in broadcasting rather than for use in the classroom. Table XIX lists the 17 radio stations which responded, and their replies concerning classroom.programs broadcast by theme Radio WJ’R, WWJ', WJBK, WOOD, WLAV, WKZO, WIBM, WSAM, NEON, WKBZ, WFDF, WCAR, WHDF, WJMS , Stations East Lansing Detroit Detroit Detroit Grand Rapids Grand Rapids Royal Oak Kalamazoo Jackson Saginaw Bay City Muskegon Flint Pontiac Battle Creek Calumet Ironwood TABLE XIX Programs for Classroom.Use Rural School Music Detroit Public Schools Detroit Public Schools Detroit Public Schools None None None Columbia School of the Air None None None None None Pontiac High School WOrkshop "Spelling Bee" - local None (broadcasts by school-drama groups, glee clubs) None (broadcasts by school - band concerts - remote from.school) With so few programs broadcast for the classroom, it is not surprising to find such a small number of schools that listen to radio programs with regularity. The program listened to by the greatest number of schools is Columbia's "American School of the Air". However, there are only thirteen schools that listen regularly even to this program. The program.listened to next most frequently is "Schooltime", broadcast from.WLS, Chicago, to which six schools listen at least once a week. Another program listened to with regu- larity is the weekly broadcast of the Pontiac High School Radio Workshop, with five schools which.report they are regular listeners. Four schools listen every week to the Rural School Music Program broadcast by WKAR, East Lansing. Table XX gives the data regarding programs listened to regularly by the schools of Michigan. TABLE XX Program. . Numpigtggigghools AMERICAN SCHOOL OF THE AIR l5 SCHOOLTIME.sWM" _ 6 PONTIAC HIGH SCHOOL RADIO WORKSHOP 5 RURAL SCHOOL MUSIC 4 Table XXI shows the programs listened to occasionally by the public schools of Michigan. TABLE XXI Number of Schools Program. Listening, AMERICAN SCHOOL OF THE AIR 5 FLINT PUBLIC SCHOOL BROADCASTS 4 PONTIAC HIGH SCHOOL RADIO WORKSHOP 2 No other specific classroom broadcasts are mentioned by the schools reporting. Listening, in general, appears to be irregular and without plan. Only nine schools re- ported that they listen regularly to newscasts. There are just forty schools that report regular listening to any program. When asked to list programs listened to regularly (at least once a week), superintendents made such answers as "Various Programs" and "Whatever we can get", indicating ‘ a hit or miss method of listening. Superintendents were also asked to mention the fields in Which they found (a) the strongest radio programs broad- cast and (b) the weakest programs. According to their answers the strongest programs are those in the field of Music, with Current Eyents a close second. Of 125 repliess, 61 indicated they favored.Music, 55 Current Events, and 5. Many superintendents said they did not use radio enough to warrant their answering this question. 17 Science. Very few comments were given as to the weakest programs. Of those given, Science was mentioned.most fre- quently. Current Events, English, and.Art were mentioned in the order named. C . UTILIZATION It is fully as important to know what‘ugg is made of both radio equipment and radio programs as it is to know the extent of radio equipment and programs. A discussion of utilization covers the matter of how much the equipment is in use and in what manner it is used, what type of pre- broadcast and post-broadcast activity accompanies the classroom.radio programs, and the ways in which radio is used.most satisfactorily as a learning aid. Also included are some factors which prohibit a more extensive use of radio by the schools. From the returned questionnaires, it is found that radio equipment in the schools of Michigan is in use a total of 582 hours per week, which is an average of 2 1/4 hours per school. Actually, the greatest number of superintendents, or 20, reported using equipment on an average of one hour a week. Table XXII Shows the distri- bution of schools according to the number of hours their equipment is in use. TABLE XXII Hours in Use Less than one Ten Eleven Twelve Twenty-five Thirty-five No Answer Indefinite Number of Schools Reporting 16 20 17 15 5 l‘ H F‘ r4 -q m F‘ no r4 2: 03K) 0:00 1'56 “ignimpqr‘xu A, I! ." “'35.." “71%le ' ' .- Me,”- . ... The methods of utilization of radio programs will naturally vary with the content of the programs and also with the different educational objectives of the schools. However, a classroom.broadcast often includes some form of J1.» ...-..-...— - .._-—'- pro-broadcast and post-broadcast activity.//Fr6m reports of leading schools throughout the country coAOerning their use of radio in the classroom, it is evident that they believe a broadcast is most effective when it includes adequate preparation and when it results in various types of follow-up activity. The following report is given of the Portland, Oregon, radio program: "Portland.has emphasized preparation of its class- rooms before the broadcast is heard. This has required that the teachers shall have pre-broadcast materials in order that they may know the nature and scope of the subject to be treated. Pupils have been encouraged to take notes during the time the program.is on the air for use in later discussion by them.and the teacher when the subject of the broadcast comes up for review. So far as possible, visual aids are provided in advance of the classes scheduled to hear a program." Harold W. Kent, Director Radio Council, Chicago Public Schools in 1942, has this comment to make in regard to methods of classroom utilization of radio programs: "In general I can say that the pro-broadcast period should concern itself chiefly with.motivation. As this motivation increases as to earnestness in listening, it eventually unfolds into the area of follow-up activities. In this matter of after-broadcast activities, we are con- cerned with the entire potential situation. It may be an increase in the amount of reading done; it may fall in the line of increased tours and excursion activities; it may result in diaries agd scrap books; it may result in merely a pleased feeling." 4. Atkinson, 22. cit., page 70 5. Ibid., page 42 Intelligently planned broadcast sessions require consid- erable originality and resourcefulness on the teacher's part. "Teachers must watch themselves lest they make radio listening monotonous by always requiring the same set method of follow-up procedure. Follow-up work should vary as much as the programs themselves; no techniques or1methgds of utilizing one program can apply to all programs. In general, post-broadcast activity is found to occur more frequently than pre-broadcast activity. "Since it is difficult to determine in advance the exact nature of every radio program, it is probable that follow-up work covers the most important phase of utilization of radio in the school. Through activities arising from a program, the children pull together the threads of the program and fit them into their regular work."7 In the schools of Michigan, there is slightly more post-broadcast activity than pre-broadcast. Table XXIII gives the number of schools reporting both types of activity. TABLE XXIII Pro-broadcast Post-broadcast ‘Yes 77 Yes 91 No 50 No ' 24 Uncertain 18 Uncertain 18 No Answer 21 No Answer 33 'I55 “166 6. Harrison, 22. cit., page 72 7. Ibid., page 72 54 Some schools express a desire to make more use of radio in the classroom, but at the same time feel handicapped in their efforts to do so. The following comments are quoted directly from.the returned questionnaires and indicate some of the difficulties encountered by the schools in their attempt to use radio. The comments have been classified according to subject matter. SCHEDULING DIFFICULTIES "Programs" we wish.do not occur at time when classes are in session." "Time arrangements difficult to coordinate." "Our.main difficulty is that radio programs overlap class- room.hours - nothing can be done "except re-scheduling of classes in individual buildings." "Impossible to fit schedule and radio programs together for more than a few people." "Difficult to match the radio program.with the class that we wish to have hear it." "Unable to develop schedules to coincide with broadcast." "Difficult to get broadcasts into school programs; inform- ation is often 'cold'; very difficult to schedule classes to listen to a particular broadcast without seriously upsetting school schedule." "Come at wrong time. Transcriptions sent by mail in advance might be better." "Almost impossible to synchronize radio program.of station with school schedule of classes and subject matter." "All programs come about same time. Recordings would.he1p for individual c1assroom.use." "Our programs not flexible enough" to make best use of programs without recording them." 55 POOR RECEPTION "We can use our radio very little. We get so much.inter- ferenge that the local stations are the only ones avail- able. "We try to get important broadcasts but daylight reception is very poor and unsatisfactory." "Too far away from.broadcasting stations." "Impractical - because of local interference. FM radio will solve our problem." "Reception in our vicinity is very poor. W78 cannot get stations during the day except our local. " "Unable to get daytime reception from.Detroit or Chicago." "Inadequate reception makes programs unreliable." "Suggest all local stations for better reception." "We need better daylight reception from distant stations." "Difficult to get some stations we want." FAILURE OF PROGRAMS TO MEET SCHOOL NEEDS "Programs do not fit 'Courses of Study'. Effort should be made to plan radio programs to fit educational school programs." "Difficult to get program that fits events of school work." "Too few programs are practical for school work." "Difficulty in fitting into classroom needs. Also, the time scheduling is unsatisfactory." "Hard to get radio programs into a school program because they do not always fit the units being studied." "When programs are arranged by outside source - outside own school system — they largely do not fit courses of study." "Suggest FM under school control to meet school needs." 8. Local station does not carry any school broadcasts. 56 D. BROADCASTING 9 According to R. R. Lowdermilk , the production and broad- casting of radio programs can be expected to assume an in- creasingly important role in formal education. In schools where this type of student activity has become an established practice, the following definite values are claimed for broadcasting:10 (l) Tends to develop genuine radio-program dis- crimination by making students conscious of the attributes which.make for superior quality in any radio progrmn. (2) Renders a service with broadcasts designed (a) for use by other student groups as programs for supplementing classroom in- struction, and (b) for interpreting the work and purposes of the school to parent organizations. (3) Develops on the part of participating students an effective style in verbal expression, and the basic skills and understandings that are involved in radio-program production. (4) Emphasizes the importance of group planning and cooperative effort. Thus, it is seen that the process of broadcasting.is an . educative Process in itselfvf Broadcasting is an.outlet for creative expression. It is when a student works with others in the total production of a fine radio program that he 9. Research Associate on the staff of The EValuation of School Broadcasts, a research and service project sponsored by The Federal Radio Education Committee. 10. R. R. Lowdermilk, The School Radio Sound System, pages 41-42. 57 receives perhaps the greatest value from."being on the air". Here, he learns the true meaning of teamwork, he learns to think quickly, and he learns to subordinate his desire for recognition to the benefit of the entire group. The average student does not have a chance to "star" in a radio production. It is a matter of the closest c00peration from beginning to end. or the 166 superintendents reporting in this survey, 58 report some type of broadcasting activity by the school. Fifteen schools broadcast over a radio station, or "on the air“ only, 29 schools broadcast within the school only over the public address system, and 14 schools do both types of broadcasting. Schools were asked to list the types of programs they broadcast. Programs broadcast over radio stations, or "on the air", include musical programs, safety programs, debates, and dramatizations. In some communities the Future Farmers of America have given broadcasts, and it is reported that many school projects are shared with the public by way of radio. According to this study, most of the programs broad- cast by the schools over radio stations are for the purpose of interpreting the schools and their work to the community. This type of broadcast gives the students experience before the microphone and gives the parents an opportunity to hear their children perform and to see what prOgress they are making in school. Public relations work of this sort has a definite place in student broadcasting. Moreover, when students produce radio programs specifically for classroom use, two student groups are benefited at the same time. Value is received both by the students who are broadcasting and by the students who are making use of the program material in their classroom work. An example of this is found in the activities of a high schoolll radio workshop recently visited. Here the students are broadcasting weekly programs for use in the grade schools of the City. While the high school students are learning the techniques of acting and production, the elementary students are benefiting from the resulting radio programs which they receive each week. The older students gain satisfaction from.knowing that their broadcasts are actually received and used by the children who, in turn, write them letters of appreciation and criticism. The list of programs broadcast over the school public address systems includes the following: Sports, music, drama, debates, group reading, talks, daily religious services, English classwork, quiz programs, school bulletins, lost and found notices, and war stamp and bond drives. This type of broadcasting also helps to develop radio techniques. 11. Pontiac 59 In fact, the use of the public address system is often the starting point for later student broadcasts over the air- dwaves.3 One of the schools in this survey built its own sound-proof studio by enclosing one end of a classroom, and installing the public address system within. Soon the students became so proficient in broadcasting that the school arranged for a hookup with the local radio station. The students are now broadcasting a weekly dramatic show "on the air". Although 58 schools report some broadcasting activity, only one of these schools stated that the person in charge of broadcasting is employed specifically for that job. In the other schools reporting broadcasting activity, the task of producing radio programs is handled by a faculty member, as an extra job; and only one-third of these faculty members have had any special training in radio techniques. Another matter of interest in connection with broad- casting is to discover whether those schools who do their own broadcasting evaluate radio programs any differently from those schools that do not broadcast. For the purpose of investigating this matter, the schools have been classi- fied below into groups according to the extent of their broadcasting, and tables have been constructed showing 60 how each group evaluates radio programs for the classroom. Table XXIV is presented first for purposes of comparison. It shows the percentages of the entire group, broadcasting and non-broadcasting, according to their evaluation of the worth of radio programs for classroom use. TABLE xxx! Evaluation Percentage of Schools Impractical 24% Practical 28% Very Helpful 22% Indispensable ("almost") 1% No Answer 25 100 Table XXV shows how the 95 schools that have no broad- casting activity Whatever, evaluate radio programs for school use. TABLE XXV Evaluation of Programs Percentage of Schools Impractical 27.0% Practical 51.2% Very Helpful 20.4% Indispensable 1.0% No Answer 20.4 100.0% Table XXVI shows how the 15 schools that broadcast "on the air" only, evaluate radio programs. Evaluation of Programs Impractical Practical Very Helpful Indispensable No Answer TABLE XXVI Percentage of Schools 40% 27% 20% 0% 15 1 0 Table XXVII shows the evaluation of radio programs by the 29 schools that broadcast over public address system.only. Evaluation of Programs Impractical Practical Very Helpful Indispensable No Answer TABLE XXVII Percentage of Schools 20.7% 54.5% 34.5% 0.0% 10.5; 100.0 61 62 Table XXVIII shows the evaluation of radio programs by the 14 schools that broadcast both "on the air" and over the public address system. TABLE XXVIII Evaluation of Programs Percentage of Schools Impractical 21.5% Practical 29.0% Very Helpful 21.5% Indispensable 7.1% No Answer 21.5 10 .0 From examination of the foregoing tables, itimay'be seen that when the schools are considered from the stand- point of their broadcasting activity, there is almost no change in their evaluation of radio programs from the evaluation of the entire group of schools, regardless of classification. The only figure which varies enough to be significant is in Table XXVI, showing the 15 schools that broadcast "on the air" only. Forty percent of these schools considered radio programs "Impractical". This is 15% more than any other group which checked programs as "Impractical". 65 E. EVALUATION Superintendents and principals were asked to give their opinions of the value of radio programs for classroom use.12 The distribution of answers for the entire group is shown by Table XXIX. TABLE XXIX EVALUATION OF RADIO PROGRAMS FOR CLASSROOM USE 166 superintendents reporting Evaluation Percentage of Schools Impractical 24% Practical 28% Very Helpful 22% Indispensable ("almost") 1% No Answer 25 100 To investigate further, it was necessary to find out what correlation, if any, there is between the evaluation of radio programs by the superintendents and the type of equipment owned by their schools. This information is shown by Tables XXX, XXXI, XXXII, and XXXIII. 12. The question was asked, "Do you find radio programs for the most part (a) Impractical for c1assroom.use (b) Practical (c) Very Helpful, or (d) Indispensable 64 TABLE XXX 27 Schools Having Central Sound Systems Evaluation Percentage of Schools Impractical 11% Practical 26% Very Helpful 15% Indispensable 4% No Answer 44 100° TABLE XXXI 51 Schools Having Stationary Radios Only Evaluation Percentage of Schools Impractical 22.6% Practical 52.2% Very Helpful 22.6% No Answer 22.6; 100.00 TABLE XXXII 74 Schools Having Portable Radios Only Evaluation Percentage of Schools Impractical 29% Practical 26% Very Helpful 26% No Answer 19 100 65 TABLE XXXIII 54 Schools Having Combination of Stationary and Portable Radios Evaluation A Percentage of Schools Impractical 29% Practical 52% Very Helpful 21% Indispensable ("almost") 5% No Answer ’ 15 100 Thus, it is seen that when the entire group is broken down and classified according to types of radio equipment possessed, there is very little deviation in any one group from.the percentages of the entire group shown by Table XXIX. The greatest difference is shown by Table XXX. There it is seen that the schools having central sound system had a smaller percentage (11%) of the superintendents reporting radio pr0grams "Impractical" than any other one group. This variance is not compensated by any correspond- ing greater percentage in one of the higher evaluation groups. If the difference is made up anywhere, it must be in the high percentage of 44% of superintendents in that group giving "No Answer". 66 From this study, we find that the opinions of superin- tendents regarding the value of radio programs for class- room.use are very much the same, regardless of the type of equipment installed in their schools.’ Percentages of schools are so evenly distributed among the different evaluations that an unusually neutral picture is given. There is neither great enthusiasm for nor strong feeling against radio programs for c1assroom.use. iPerhaps radio has reached a certain level - that of commanding a measure of respect - and now awaits further developments and.improvements before being fully accepted by the public schools of Michigan. Chapter VII, on The Future 2: Radio lg the Schools E: Michigan, discusses some of these possible deve10pments and improvements. 67 CHAPTER VI DETROIT In 1955, the Detroit Board of Education inaugurated a definite radio educational policy for the public school system of that City. Their's was no hit-or-miss method. The members of the Board realized that radio was becoming an instrument of education, a medium of great influence on children as well as adults, and they began to make careful plans for use of radio in the schools. Definite objectives were set up. At first, the Board.members were interested only in interpreting the work of the schools to the people of Detroit, and through a program.of radio information, many of the citizens were made conscious for the first time of the school program. This first objective - that of interpreting the schools to the community - has been continued through the years, and other objectives have been added until nowVTthe public school radio programs in Detroit are directed toward the attainment of four general objectives: (1) to interpret the schools to the community by means of radio, (2) to supplement other forms of classroom instruction by the use of radio, (5) to provide selected pupils with learning experiences in broadcasting radio programs; and (4) to develop in all pupils better taste and discrimination in radio-listening."l 1. Stewart, op. cit., page 15 68 At present there is a Department of Radio Education connected with the public school system in Detroit which functions full time. Besides Mrs. Kathleen Lardie, the head of the department, there are two secretaries, and two assistants to Mrs. Lardie. The assistants are in touch with every phase of the department's activity; they are called upon to write scripts, to direct and produce radio programs, and to visit the various schools to get pupil reaction to their radio programs. At the present time, the most important objective in the minds of the school administrators of Detroit is "to supplement other forms of classroom instruction through the use of radio." The Department of Radio Education strives to keep constantly in mind its audience, namely, the school children. The Department's obligation is first of all to these children. Therefore, even though the training in broadcasting which the students receive is becoming a large part of radio education, this training is considered incidental to the producing of a good program for the classroom. Student talent is utilized as widely as possible, but students are never used in a broadcast for the sake of giving them training, if there is any chance of its proving detrimental to the radio progrmn. In order to provide the best possible radio programs for the children of Detroit, frequent conferences are held with representative teachers from the City school system. The head of the department of radio education consults at regular intervals with a council of teachers from schools throughout the City relative to future programs to be broadcast. At this time, many problems are ironed out, and ideas for new programs are submitted. Great care is taken in the preparation of scripts for these radio programs. When a script is to be written, the staff member assigned to the job confers with a teacher who is an authority on the subject and conducts whatever research is necessary before the actual writing takes place. Consider- able re-writing is necessary, and the script is carefully checked and edited by the head of the radio department. About six hours of minimum rehearshal is used for one fifteen minute broadcast. Students taking part in the broad- casts are selected from the department files. Any student may audition for broadcasting at regular times set aside for that purpose. At the time of audition- ing, a card with all of the student's qualifications is filled out. This card shows what roles he is capable of playing and what experience he has had. A record of his scholastic standing is also kept. In order to take part in the public school broadcasts, a student must maintain a satisfactory grade average in his school work, and must have the written permission of his parents. Desire to participate in the broadcasts has often proved to be a stimulus to the student in all his school work. The Department of Radio Education takes a deep interest in teacher and pupil reactions to the broadcasts. The Department provides check lists for each teacher to use after every broadcast. These check lists give the teacher an opportunity to criticize and to offer suggestions for changes in the scripts. The check lists are collected and delivered to the main office each day. Another method the Department has of checking audience reaction is by personal visits to the classroom during the broadcasts. Once or twice a week, a member of the Radio Department staff goes to one of the schools and listens in on that day's broadcast. He notes whether there is any confusion on the part of the children during the broadcast, and whether the program leads to an interesting and worth- while discussion after the broadcast. He makes note of the questions asked about the program, and by every means possible tries to discover in what ways the program could be made of more value to the class. Thus by constantly checking programs, the staff members are able to change and improve the scripts to fit the particular needs of the students. 71 It has been found that a good radio program stimulates activity in other departments of the school. For instance, one particular radio program.resulted in the pupils' writing stories, poetry, drawing pictures, and producing plays. In Detroit, third grade pupils are writing some creditable radio scripts. A few of these pupil-written scripts have been good enough to broadcast. Programs broadcast at the present time, Specifically for the public schools of Detroit under the supervision of the Department of Radio Education, include the following: Monday - The School Music Hour, station WXYZ; Tuesday - OER WORLD TODAY, WW3; Wednesday - The Story Hour, WJLB; Thursday - The School Spotlight, WJR; and Friday '.§E§2§ Moments in Literature, WJBK. Besides these regular daily broadcasts, the Department is constantly being called upon by outside agencies to pre- pare special broadcasts commemorating important occasions, promoting bond rallies, safety education, and otheI*types of public service programs. These extra broadcasts provide further opportunity for participation by the public school boys and girls. \ A significant service connected with the Detroit school broadcasts is the Script Exchange. Whenever a program is broadcast by the Department of Radio Education, teachers throughout the City know that a copy of the script is available. Since the material given on a radio broadcast has been found to be usable in a number of ways, scripts are being used for a variety of purposes. Radio scripts are concise and to the point - clear-cut condensations of subject matter gathered from many sources. A program.such as Detroit's "The School Spotlight" provides information on a different subject each day, and excellent material for classes to use in other ways. The scripts can be read aloud in class by some of the students; thus familiarizing the whole class with the subject matter. Scripts used as dramatic skits make the subject more interesting. Another development in the Detroit school system is the use of scripts by classes of slow readers. Teachers claim that the simple words, short speeches, and interesting material contained in a script, are all conducive to a speedier grasp of reading. The Department of Radio Education furnishes a script delivery service to all schools in the City. A teacher needs only to call the office, request a specific script, and the script packet is promptly delivered. A script packet includes enough scripts for the whole cast, and mimeographing is eliminated, thus saving the teacher much valuable time. The same service returns the scripts to the office. In each packet is a "Script Exchange Opinion- naire", on which each teacher is urged to express his opinion of the value of that particular script. By a simple checking method, the teacher quickly gives his reaction on the use of the script. He indicates the age level where it has proved.most effective, and whether or not it was suitable, together with suggestions for future scripts. The opinion- naires are kept in the script packets so that each teacher who uses that script may see how the other teachers rated and used it. By this method, too, the Department of Radio Education makes sure of the effectiveness of the scripts and makes possible desirable changes. The Script Exchange owns 1500 script packets. Some scripts are duplicates, but it is important to note that 1500 classes can be served in one day. Proof that the teachers do make use of the services of the Script Exchange can be seen by a pin map on the wall of the department office showing a daily record for every school that has ordered a script packet. Over a period of one day, 107 of the 256 Detroit schools phoned in requests for scripts. Aside from the training and experience the students receive from the daily broadcasts, further opportunity is given for learning broadcasting and production techniques in the radio workshop, which.meets every Saturday morning, with some member of the Radio Education Department. One Saturday, there were 527 children present representing grades from the fourth to the twelfth. 74 There is also a weekly class for school teachers. Every Wednesday from four to six, the head of the Department of Radio Education meets with Detroit teachers to help them learn how they can best apply the knowledge of radio to the classroom situation. The experience of Detroit in adapting radio to the needs of its school children should prove encouraging to other schools in Michigan.{ Detroit is an example of what can be done on a smaller scale in any community in the State where a radio station is available.\ In all parts of the country, experience has shown that commercial radio stations are un- usually c00perative and generous when dealing with the public schools. The fact remains, however, that a commercial station cannot always give up for school programs the hours which the schools would naturally choose. Schools are con- stantly having to change their broadcast hours to suit the needs of the radio station. Although the Detroit Public School broadcasts are more stable than many such broadcasts carried by commercial stations, and although the Detroit schools are given every consideration and aid by the staff members of the radio stations, the educators in the City realize that they will not be able to put on the ideal educational radio program.until they have a station of 75 their own. Consequently, steps have been taken to bring this about. A site has already been purchased for a Frequency Modulation station to be owned and operated by the Detroit Public Schools. Construction will begin as soon as possible after the war. CHAPTER VII THE FUTURE OF RADIO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MICHIGAN The future of radio in the public schools of Michigan will be determined by many factors, some of which are the following: first, the interest of local school officials; second, the ability of the schools to finance radio; third, the work of educators throughout the State; and last, the degree of excellence which radio will achieve, both techni- cally and in program content. Since some of these factors are not easily determined in advance, they are not within the limits of this thesis. One important factor which is included, however, is the improvement of radio reception which is a direct result of the use of Frequency Modulation. Frequency Modulation is a means of transmitting radio waves, and is infinitely superior to the present standard method of transmission known as Amplitude Modulation. Some of the advantages of PM are freedom.from static - both natural and manrmade - freedom.from fading, freedom from interference, and increased fidelity of tone. By means of frequency modulation, both the speaking voice and.music are received with a truer tone than is possible through the standard radio set. 77 Another important consideration to the educator is that the FCC has reserved five FM channels for educational stations. Consequently, after the war, education will have its own home on the air and at the same time will have an opportunity to make use of a far superior type of trans- mission. At the present time, Frequency Modulation is being used with success by four large city school systems in the country. New Yerk, Cleveland, Chicago, and.San Francisco all own their own FM radio stations, over which they broadcast educational programs for the public schools of the city. The following statements give testimony to the high merits attached to this method of transmission: William B. Levenson, Department of Instruction, Board of Education, Cleveland, Ohio, says, "WBOE (Frequency Modulation station run by the Cleveland Board of Education) has had an unusual opportunity to compare the relative merits of AM and FM broadcasting, since it has tried both, and since the location of the schools is such that an excellent check of reception in varying conditions could be made. Beginning in 1958, the Cleveland school station broadcast for a time by amplitude modulation. When the shift was made to FM, a survey of reception quality was made among the schools, every one of which.had purchased FM receivers. The response was unanimous in indicating that FM broadcasting was superior. Today we feel that school "reception is no longer the ”bottle- neck of classroom radio. George Jennings, Radio Director, Chicago Board of Educa- tion, has this to say, "Reception on FM receivers is considerably better than over standard sets. Manemade and natural static is not l. Boutwell, William.Dow, FM for Education, Bulletin-Misc. No. 7, U. S. Office of Education, Washington, D. C., page 3 transmitted through the FM receiver. With fixedptuning sets (which will eventually be used in every school) there will be no interference, no fishing for the broadcasting station at the last minute before pgogram.time. A click of the switch will bring in WBEZ." James F. Macandrew, Radio Director, New Yerk Board of Education, says, "One of New York City's best known high schools is so located that its principal reported that radio programs were a complete waste of time. Man-made static was so bad that not even the 50 kw. network stations could be heard with any degree of satisfaction. As a test and with a temporary installation, an FM receiver brought in all the l kw. FM stations in the area with perfect clarity. In further sub- stantiation of the above, it may be said that WNYE (the New York Board of Education FM station) gives clearer re- ception in schools with FM facilities than its AM cougter- part of equal power to which its programs are piped." Frequency Modulation has already proved itself to be a vastly superior'method of transmission. The present problem of the educators is to make full use of the channels assigned to education. For if the channels lie idle, the Federal Communications Commission will quickly turn them over to commercial interests. As James Lawrence Fly, former chair- man of the FCC, said to members of the Federal Radio Committee, in September, 1943, " . . . . those choice channels (the ones set aside for educational purposes) were not set aside for absentees. The ether is far too crowded, the pressure from other interests seeking to use radio far too great, to permit continued reservation of those channels, unless educators actually get busy and fill them.with.educational stations. There is no room for what the railroad industry calls "deadheading". If education doesn't want and doesn't need 2. Ibid. page 3 3. Ibid. page 5 those channels, and if it doesn't prove its desires and needs by actually making intensive use of them, history is going to repeat itself, and education will again find that it is left with memories of a lost opportunity. ‘ In;this State, the Michigan Education Radio Association has been organized for the purpose of guiding the use of radio for educational purposes throughout Michigan: Member- ship in this organization includes: the Governor of Michigan, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, a representa- tive appointed by each of the following organizations; State Board of Education, Board of Regents of the State of Michigan, State Board of Agriculture, State Adult Education Advisory Committee, and from.each contemplated operating station in the proposed educational network. Present plans of the Association include the building. of a state-wide educational network of FM Stations, with a base station at Ann Arbor and three relay or beaming stations located at Cadillac, Manistique, and Houghton. In this way, the network will provide complete coverage of the State - both.upper and lower peninsulas - so that educational programs will be available to every rural, as well as to every city school in the State. The advantage of a network of this type is that every school in the State that could afford FM receiving sets, would have available the finest programs the state would have to offer. Through the cooperative efforts of the 4. Boutwell, 32. cit., page 1 Michigan Education Radio Association, well-balanced programming should result. Representatives from educa- tional stations would consult with local boards of education to discover what programs would be most desirable for the schools in that community.5 It is evident that in small communities, the local teaching staff cannot cover as many fields as thoroughly as it would like. Teachers should welcome supplementary broadcasts which bring fresh material to the classroom. Likewise, it will be possible to repeat certain programs which.have proved valuable. //Mith the opportunity of using program.material from many different stations, it is believed that the small communities would feel capable of operating educational stations, since the problem of programming, one of the most 1" I ...-us" The question may arise as to whether the schools are difficult facing radio stations, would.be partially solved. ,; vitally concerned with the future of radio. Judging by the data obtained from.the postcard questionnaires sent to all of the superintendents in the state of Michigan, there is a definite interest in the use of radio in the classrooms, for of those schools that do not use radio, 84.4% expressed interest in the future use of radio, providing conditions could be improved. This indicates that schools in Michigan consider radio an educational tool worth their time and attention. 5. It is probable that the Boards of Education will own the local educational station in many communities. 81 In order to discover what definite plans, if any, have been.made to own Frequency Modulation stations of their own, school superintendents were asked to give an opinion on this matter. Table XXXIV shows the number of schools that have definite plans for owning FM stations. TABLE XXXIV Plan to Own FM Station Number of Schools Yes 7 No 120 Uncertain 7 No Answer 52 In order to receive programs from.Frequency Modulation Radio Stations, special FM receiving sets, or else FM attachments to standard sets will be necessary. Table XXXV shows the number of schools that plan to equip their class- rooms with FM receiving sets in the near future. TABLE XXXV Plan to Equip Schools With FM Receiving Sets Number of Schools Yes . 43 No 37 Uncertain 45 No Answer 41 Some schools indicated that they plan to equip their buildings with FM receiving sets, providing there is a state-wide network of FM stations. Obviously, the stations must come first. 82 CHAPTER VIII SUMMARY The postcard questionnaire, sent to 661 superintendents of schools in Michigan, was returned by 428 superintendents. The study of these questionnaires revealed the following facts: I. 201, or 45.8%, of the 428 schools reporting, use radio in the classroom. ‘227, or 54.2%, make no use of radio. II. Of those schools that make no use of radio, 52% have used radio some time in the past. III. Of the 227 schools not using radio, the greatest number reported "No Equipment" as the reason for not using it. IV. 25 additional reasons were given for not using radio. Of these reasons, 12 are classified as "Poor Reception"; 7 as "Programs Not Suitable": 6 as "Lack of Interest or Proper Guidance"; 5 as "Lack of Equipment or Room'; 5 as "Financial Difficulty"; 2 as "Need Repairs"; and 2 as "Scheduling Difficulty". V. 84.4% of the 227 schools not using radio indicated a definite interest in the future use of radio, providing conditions which hinder the present use of radio could be corrected. The longer questionnaire, which was sent to 201 super- intendents and principals of Michigan schools, was returned by 166 school administrators. The study of these question- naires revealed the following facts: I. 27 schools, or 16%, have central sound systems. II. 66 schools, or 40%, use radio two hours or more a week. III. IV. VI. VII. VIII. IX. 62%, or 105 schools, report possession of equipment for playing records, but only 8%, or 13 schools, are equip- ped for playing transcriptions. 16%, or 26 schools, report owning recording equipment, but only 5%, or 9 schools, are equipped to make trans- criptions. Broadcasting activities are reported by 35%, or 58 schools. 9%, or 15 schools, do broadcasting "on the air" only. 18%, or 29 schools, broadcast over the public address system, only. 8%, or 14 schools, do both types of broadcasting. Outside of Detroit, there are only four radio stations in Michigan which indicate that they broadcast programs for classroom use. Five radio stations in Detroit broadcast classroom programs. Only 28 schools, or 17% of the 166 schools reporting, listen to a radio program regularly (at least once a week . Radio programs for classroom use are considered either "Practical" or "Very Helpful" by 67.7% of the 166 superintendents reporting. 28 additional reasons were given by superintendents for not being able to use radio more extensively: 11 reasons can be classified under the heading of "Scheduling Difficulties"; 10‘ the next largest number, are classified under Poor Reception", and 7 are classified as “Failure of Programs to Meet School Needs". CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS The survey indicates that if radio is to be used more extensively as an educational tool, the public schools will need to have additional equipment. The results of the post- card questionnaire draw attention to this fact, because of the 227 schools that do not use radio, 49% checked "No Equipment" as a reason. Since this represents the largest percentage of superintendents in this group, the item of equipment would seem to be the starting point in any program designed to ex- tend the use of radio in the public schools. Most of those schools which already use radio have fairly good receiving equipment, but there is great need for play- back recording equipment. Evidently, many schools are unaware of the possibilities of using transcriptions. These schools should be given full information on this subject. Since the greatest single complaint of all superintendents is "Programs at Inconvenient Hours",)it would be well to in- vestigate this problem at length.‘ At present, two solutions are offered: first, to encourage the use of transcriptions and the establishment of transcription libraries in order that radio programs can be used at any hour desired; and second, to encourage the development of broadcasting activity within the local school systan, so that classroom programs can be "made to order". If every school could.bave a central studio where transcriptions could be played and broadcast over a public address system, programs could be sent to any room upon request, and the timing of programs could be worked out more satisfactorily. At present, programming for school use is weak. Very few radio stations in Michigan broadcast programs for the benefit of the school. Schools that are in and around large cities - such, for example, as those in the Chicago and Detroit areas - receive many good programs for classroom use. But even these schools have difficulty in making classes and broadcasts coincide. A suggested solution for this problem would be to have radio stations operated for the "interest, necessity, and.convenience" of the public schools. An educational network would furnish classroom ~programs to the many schools which register the complaint that programs do not fit the courses of study. There is need of education £23 radio before there can be educationigy radio. Teachers must be trained in the use of radio, including both the use of equipment and the use of programs. Only when teachers know more about the complete utilization of radio, will the students receive full benefit from.its use in the classroom. It would be well for at least one teacher in each school to be trained in broadcasting and production techniques, in order that students could.have the educational advantages which come from broadcasting. To this end, special night classes or summer courses in all phases of radio should be made available to public school teachers at a minimum cost. It is significant that 67.7% of the superintendents re- porting, consider radio programs either practical or very helpful. The fact that radio programs are valued so highly by such a large percentage of superintendents gives reason for seeking to make radio more easily available to the schools of Michigan, and for attempting to correct these conditions which hinder schools in their use of radio. Based upon the experience of other schools throughout the country, it would seem wise for the individual schools of Michigan to form a committee within the school, so that a study might be made of radio programs, transcriptions, and the best possible means of using the equipment on hand. This committee could advise as to what radio equipment was needed for the school, could cooperate with the local commercial radio station in producing good school programs, and.by learning everything possible about the production of radio programs, would thus be prepared to work advantageously with the educational stations of the future. Further investigation of the needs of individual schools is essential. The county might well be used as the unit for a more detailed study. Further study could profitably be made of the schools which do not use radio. Since 52% of 87 those that do not now use radio have used it at some time in the past, it would prove especially helpful to know why they have discontinued its use. In order better to evaluate radio programs and find out how advantageous they are as a supplement to teaching, it would seem desirable to carry on studies which would show what progress, if any, is made by the school children through the use of radio programs. Such studies as those supervised by the Ohio State Evaluation of School Broadcasts Staff,1 and the Wisconsin Research Project in School Broadcasting,2 are examples of what might be done in Michigan. 7 l) Seerley Reid, Radio 33 the Schools 2; Ohio. Washington, \ ‘ D.C.: The Federal Radio Education Committee, 1942. 2. Wisconsin Research Project in School Broadcasting, Radio in the Classroom. Madison: University of WIsconsin Press, 1942. ' APPENDIX SCHOOL RADIO IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MICHIGAN NO. OF STUDENTS SUPERINTENDENT NO. OF TEACHERS I. RECEPTION OF PROGRAMS 1. 5. What equipment do you have for receiving radio programs? Check below: ) Central radio-sound system ) Individual stationary radios How many? Where located? ) Portable radios How Many?’ ) Other type? (Please describe) cm 9'0 ( ( ( ( Approximately how many hougs weekly is equipment in use? Which classroom broadcasts do you listen to? And from.what stations? REGULARLY (at least once a week) Programs Radio Stations (Example: New Horizons") (Example: WJR,‘Detroit) OCCASIONALLY ‘Programs Radio Stations Do teachers provide pre-broadcast information, instruction, or activities pertaining to the radio program? Yes No State briefly some of the methods of preparation, if any:__ Are broadcasts followed by classroom discussion or special projects, or activities such as themes, dramatizations, etc.? Yes No If so, what types of post-broadcast activities are used? Which division makes the most use of broadcasts? High School Elementary ' Which field (i.e science, music, current events, etc.) offers most satisfactory programs? Which.the weakest? Do you find radio programs for the most part: (a) Impractical for classroom use (b) Practical " (c) Very helpful " " " (d) Indispensable" " " What criticisms would you offer to school radio programs now- on the air, and what suggestions for future programs? II. BROADCASTING 1. 2. Do you do any broadcasting? Yes No (Check Type Below A. Within the school (public address system) B. On the air Please mention types of programs broadcast: Who is responsible for the production of radio programs? A. Person employed specifically for that job B. Faculty member, who takes over radio productIon as an extra job (If B, has teacher hEH training in broadcasting techniques? Yes “No ) III. GENERAL 1. 2. 3. Do you offer instruction in Radio speech? Yes No Do you have equipment for playing recordings? Please check: A. 10 and 12 inch recor s? B. 16 inch recordings turning at 55 1/3 rpm? Do you have an instrument for making recordings? A. will it record at 78 rpm?_ At 35 1/3 rpm? B. Check uses made of recorder: (1) Recording radio broadcasts for future classroom listenin (2) Recording performances of students ‘__ Have you any definite plans for owning your own Frequency Modulation station in the future? Yes No Do you plan to equip your school with FM receiving sets? Yes No LETTER ACCOMPANYING LONGER QUESTIONNAIRE Dear Superintendent: As a graduate student in Speech and Radio at Michigan State College, I am making a study of the use of radio in the public schools of Michigan. Since plans are already under way for a postwar Michigan network of Frequency Modulation educational stations, it be- comes important that information.be made available concerning the present use of radio in the schools. The results of this survey will be placed at the disposal of the Michigan Educational Radio Commission, and we hope through this study to be able more intelligently to plan for educational broadcasting in the future. Your cooperation in supplying information and returning the form in the enclosed envelope will be exceedingly helpful and greatly appreciated. YOurs very truly, Ruth Nadal BIBLIOGRAPHY Atkinson, Carroll, Pnh11g_§ghggl Broadcagtipg pg the Class- zggm. Boston: Meador Publishing Company, 1942. Berry, Lola, Radio Development Ln a Small Cit 1 School System. Boston: Meador Publishing* Company, 1945. Boutwell, William Dow, FM for Education. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Office of Education, 1944. Darrow, Ben.H., Radio Trailblazing. Columbus, Ohio: College Book Company, 1940. Harrison, Margaret, Radio Ln the Classroom. New Yerk: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 1957. Loudermilk, R. R., The School Radio Sound S stem, Washington, D. 6.: Federal Radio Education~ Committee, 1941. Michigan Education Association, 12th Yearbook of the Department of Elementary School Principals, Implications g; the Radio i2 Education. Lansing, Michigan: 1940. Stewart, Irwin, ed., Local Broadcast; 22 Schools, Chicago: The university of Chicago Press, 1959. Wisconsin Research Project in School Broadcasting, Radio Ln the Classroom. Madison: The University of Wiscons IEP Press, 1942. Periodical Articles C.V. Kettering, "Sound Recording in the Post-War School System", Quarterly Journal ggys eech, Vol. XXX, No. l, (1944), pp. 18—25. Ray C. Wakefield, ”FM and Education”, Quarterly Journal 2; Speech, Vol. XXXI, No. l, (1945), pp. 59-44. .-- —-—... SE ONLY lm—v —w_ . 1- r . #— rv‘v '__r1 ..— V I . X . . _- I ~ I lulu-.6 e... $3553 .‘1 LQAN 315?? {4.1.6. '55 (‘3', , y .-.\)' _ “Olin n. .xnou W . /‘l s ( (1/»(.flv"[ V J -____1 a“ " ““~ -w.‘ ‘ w-..__. L -—- 0.: WIIHIH ll l I ll I [ll