A Little(!) History of Broadcasting Courses at Lake Orion High School and a Few Other Thoughts
by G. Brett Saunders
Introduction
Since I was there at the beginning, Mr. Smith asked me to “write a little about the history of the classes.” Since we all realize that “little” is a relative term, be patient as you read. A word of warning: This information will be covered on the final exam.
Just a few months after I graduated from the University of Michigan and partway into the 1969-70 school year, I was hired to replace Lake Orion High School's speech teacher who was beginning a maternity leave. At that time there was a single required general speech course which I taught. However, when I was hired I was told my ideas for adding courses to the speech curriculum would be welcomed.
1970s
I had already come to believe that students should learn to improve their communication skills and learn to analyze the messages bombarding us everywhere we turn, especially messages from mass media. We must control the media and not let it control us! Because I had majored in speech/broadcasting, I thought we could use courses in radio and television as a means to promote these objectives. So with two old microphones, a small amplifier and a reel-to-reel tape recorder, I was allowed to offer Radio Speech classes in 1970. In the spring of 1971, a group of students wanted to learn more about television, so they built a cardboard camera for a simulated television performance assignment.
In August 1971, I went to the Athletic Boosters with some information about a new Sony portable 1/2" reel-to-reel black and white videotape recorder and a companion camera. I offered to record all of the football games on this new videotape, if they would purchase the equipment and if I could use it in my classes. They agreed, and we began to include the study of television performance, production and analysis in our curriculum. The first Radio and Television class was officially listed in the 1972-73 high school curriculum guide.
There was so much student interest in the Radio and Television courses that it became necessary to get more equipment, and by the fall of 1974, we had created a two-camera black & white studio in Room 8 of the old high school building. The classes were always popular, and over the years helped thousands of students to become more proficient communicators and more critical television viewers.
1980s
In the early 1980's, the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township were investigating cable television coming to our area. The school district participated in that research. I joined several other community members to lobby for our own local access channels, studio and programming. In order for our school to be ready for the arrival of cable television, we understood the need to upgrade our facility. We required equipment that would make it possible for us to produce video programs with high enough quality for cablecasting and to make us compatible with a local public access studio. In November 1985, LOHS installed a two-camera, color, 3/4" U-matic format studio with on-line editing. It was basic, but a giant step up from a cardboard camera.
When a public access channel became a reality in Lake Orion in March 1987, LOHS was ready. The Television Production Workshop, a new year-long course instituted in the 1986-87 school year, began producing DRAGON DIGEST for the very first week of local access cable TV programming in Orion, and the TPW supplied a DRAGON DIGEST program for every one of its scheduled bi-weekly time slots for eleven years! Totally student produced, DRAGON DIGEST featured stories about the activities of the school and its people, always promoting a positive image. The TPW also produced several non-series programs each year with positive public relations value for our district.
1990s
In 1991, LOHS became a Channel One school. Every classroom was equipped with a television and connected to our building network. With just a couple of additional cables, we also connected our broadcasting classroom/studio to the Channel One equipment, giving us the ability to produce programming that could be seen live in every classroom. LO-AM was created to replace the daily public address system announcements, challenging the TPW students to produce compelling video for a live daily program. LO-AM quickly became an integral part of the school's culture and evolved into a show that has served as a model for several other high school production classes around the country.
In 1995, designing a new high school building and its radio and television classroom/studios was an exciting project. When the building was completed, the broadcasting students were going to have properly designed and equipped spaces for class work, preparation, performance and production. I couldn't wait.
With the introduction of block scheduling, the opening of the new high school building in 1997, and because of its proven success in instantly communicating with the entire school population, LO-AM became the major focus of TPW, and DRAGON DIGEST became a less frequent production. In its place, the television production students were challenged to create personal video essays on a variety of novel and sometimes abstract topics. The goal was to try to interpret a theme, communicate a message, and create a video that did not just imitate commercial network programming. The students' work was so unique and successful that I was invited to national conferences five times to present information about what we were doing.
2001
In 2001, with the acquisition of digital camcorders and16 nonlinear video editing stations, the Video Projects course was added to the curriculum, allowing more students the opportunity to analyze and practice the techniques and disciplines of communicating with video.
In every class I taught, I believed the primary academic goals for my students were first, to improve communication skills; second, to understand the processes we studied rather than to always produce perfect products; and third, to become more critically aware of the ubiquitous influences electronic media have on our society.
In my mind, the success of these classes did not depend on the number of students who went on to distinguished careers in television or radio or related fields, although I’m very proud of those who did. I’m just as proud of all of those students who in their own way follow their unique visions and their hearts to make their small part of the world better. My hope is that they will remember the concepts they learned from me that were most meaningful and pass them along, whether it’s microphone techniques, script writing, shot composition, or always working to be as successful as possible, communicating clearly, working well in a group or as a member of a production team, appreciating the unique qualities of each individual, valuing diversity, and always respecting and accepting others.
2002
In the fall of 2002, the transition from teaching for all those years at Lake Orion High School to becoming a productive citizen in the real world was much easier than I had imagined. Mostly I miss the students and their wonderful and creative work. My greatest worry was that Mr. Roger Smith, the teacher taking over the broadcasting courses, would improve them so much that my role would be quickly forgotten. But I knew without a doubt that he was the right person for the position.
I first met Roger, I mean Mr. Smith, when he was an LOHS sophomore in one of my beginning radio and television classes. He then elected to take all of the other broadcasting courses I taught, excelling as a student in all classes and as a leader in TPW. His extra-curricular interests and energies also included television production; he became an intern at our local access studio and also co-produced a regular public access series, RED WINGS WRAP-UP. When he was a junior, we began to discuss his plans for the future. Although the possibilities were unlimited, I suggested he consider someday returning to LOHS and taking over my position. Being able to observe his work ethic, his character, his values, his intelligence, his social skills, his interpersonal relationships, and his respect for everyone, it was easy to recognize his potential as an educator and role model for Lake Orion youth.
Conclusion
So now that stage in the evolution of the LOHS broadcasting classes is completed, I’m optimistic that the courses will continue to develop and strengthen to meet the needs of the students, the school and the community. I know the program is in good hands. I will continue to be an observer and remain in contact with Mr. Smith who has offered to forward any messages addressed to me that are sent to this site.
If you read all of this, I really appreciate it; and if you know me, I probably don’t have to remind you that it’s usually best to listen to and to trust that voice inside of you and not what you hear on television.
by G. Brett Saunders
Introduction
Since I was there at the beginning, Mr. Smith asked me to “write a little about the history of the classes.” Since we all realize that “little” is a relative term, be patient as you read. A word of warning: This information will be covered on the final exam.
Just a few months after I graduated from the University of Michigan and partway into the 1969-70 school year, I was hired to replace Lake Orion High School's speech teacher who was beginning a maternity leave. At that time there was a single required general speech course which I taught. However, when I was hired I was told my ideas for adding courses to the speech curriculum would be welcomed.
1970s
I had already come to believe that students should learn to improve their communication skills and learn to analyze the messages bombarding us everywhere we turn, especially messages from mass media. We must control the media and not let it control us! Because I had majored in speech/broadcasting, I thought we could use courses in radio and television as a means to promote these objectives. So with two old microphones, a small amplifier and a reel-to-reel tape recorder, I was allowed to offer Radio Speech classes in 1970. In the spring of 1971, a group of students wanted to learn more about television, so they built a cardboard camera for a simulated television performance assignment.
In August 1971, I went to the Athletic Boosters with some information about a new Sony portable 1/2" reel-to-reel black and white videotape recorder and a companion camera. I offered to record all of the football games on this new videotape, if they would purchase the equipment and if I could use it in my classes. They agreed, and we began to include the study of television performance, production and analysis in our curriculum. The first Radio and Television class was officially listed in the 1972-73 high school curriculum guide.
There was so much student interest in the Radio and Television courses that it became necessary to get more equipment, and by the fall of 1974, we had created a two-camera black & white studio in Room 8 of the old high school building. The classes were always popular, and over the years helped thousands of students to become more proficient communicators and more critical television viewers.
1980s
In the early 1980's, the Village of Lake Orion and Orion Township were investigating cable television coming to our area. The school district participated in that research. I joined several other community members to lobby for our own local access channels, studio and programming. In order for our school to be ready for the arrival of cable television, we understood the need to upgrade our facility. We required equipment that would make it possible for us to produce video programs with high enough quality for cablecasting and to make us compatible with a local public access studio. In November 1985, LOHS installed a two-camera, color, 3/4" U-matic format studio with on-line editing. It was basic, but a giant step up from a cardboard camera.
When a public access channel became a reality in Lake Orion in March 1987, LOHS was ready. The Television Production Workshop, a new year-long course instituted in the 1986-87 school year, began producing DRAGON DIGEST for the very first week of local access cable TV programming in Orion, and the TPW supplied a DRAGON DIGEST program for every one of its scheduled bi-weekly time slots for eleven years! Totally student produced, DRAGON DIGEST featured stories about the activities of the school and its people, always promoting a positive image. The TPW also produced several non-series programs each year with positive public relations value for our district.
1990s
In 1991, LOHS became a Channel One school. Every classroom was equipped with a television and connected to our building network. With just a couple of additional cables, we also connected our broadcasting classroom/studio to the Channel One equipment, giving us the ability to produce programming that could be seen live in every classroom. LO-AM was created to replace the daily public address system announcements, challenging the TPW students to produce compelling video for a live daily program. LO-AM quickly became an integral part of the school's culture and evolved into a show that has served as a model for several other high school production classes around the country.
In 1995, designing a new high school building and its radio and television classroom/studios was an exciting project. When the building was completed, the broadcasting students were going to have properly designed and equipped spaces for class work, preparation, performance and production. I couldn't wait.
With the introduction of block scheduling, the opening of the new high school building in 1997, and because of its proven success in instantly communicating with the entire school population, LO-AM became the major focus of TPW, and DRAGON DIGEST became a less frequent production. In its place, the television production students were challenged to create personal video essays on a variety of novel and sometimes abstract topics. The goal was to try to interpret a theme, communicate a message, and create a video that did not just imitate commercial network programming. The students' work was so unique and successful that I was invited to national conferences five times to present information about what we were doing.
2001
In 2001, with the acquisition of digital camcorders and16 nonlinear video editing stations, the Video Projects course was added to the curriculum, allowing more students the opportunity to analyze and practice the techniques and disciplines of communicating with video.
In every class I taught, I believed the primary academic goals for my students were first, to improve communication skills; second, to understand the processes we studied rather than to always produce perfect products; and third, to become more critically aware of the ubiquitous influences electronic media have on our society.
In my mind, the success of these classes did not depend on the number of students who went on to distinguished careers in television or radio or related fields, although I’m very proud of those who did. I’m just as proud of all of those students who in their own way follow their unique visions and their hearts to make their small part of the world better. My hope is that they will remember the concepts they learned from me that were most meaningful and pass them along, whether it’s microphone techniques, script writing, shot composition, or always working to be as successful as possible, communicating clearly, working well in a group or as a member of a production team, appreciating the unique qualities of each individual, valuing diversity, and always respecting and accepting others.
2002
In the fall of 2002, the transition from teaching for all those years at Lake Orion High School to becoming a productive citizen in the real world was much easier than I had imagined. Mostly I miss the students and their wonderful and creative work. My greatest worry was that Mr. Roger Smith, the teacher taking over the broadcasting courses, would improve them so much that my role would be quickly forgotten. But I knew without a doubt that he was the right person for the position.
I first met Roger, I mean Mr. Smith, when he was an LOHS sophomore in one of my beginning radio and television classes. He then elected to take all of the other broadcasting courses I taught, excelling as a student in all classes and as a leader in TPW. His extra-curricular interests and energies also included television production; he became an intern at our local access studio and also co-produced a regular public access series, RED WINGS WRAP-UP. When he was a junior, we began to discuss his plans for the future. Although the possibilities were unlimited, I suggested he consider someday returning to LOHS and taking over my position. Being able to observe his work ethic, his character, his values, his intelligence, his social skills, his interpersonal relationships, and his respect for everyone, it was easy to recognize his potential as an educator and role model for Lake Orion youth.
Conclusion
So now that stage in the evolution of the LOHS broadcasting classes is completed, I’m optimistic that the courses will continue to develop and strengthen to meet the needs of the students, the school and the community. I know the program is in good hands. I will continue to be an observer and remain in contact with Mr. Smith who has offered to forward any messages addressed to me that are sent to this site.
If you read all of this, I really appreciate it; and if you know me, I probably don’t have to remind you that it’s usually best to listen to and to trust that voice inside of you and not what you hear on television.