15th Anniversary Show

It was your host for this 15th anniversary celebration and dedication ceremony is Mr. George Campbell chairman of the Arkansas Educational Television Commission. Good afternoon distinguished guests ladies and gentlemen welcome to the dedication of our expanded

facilities for Educational Television here in Conway Arkansas. As chairman of the commission I'm pleased to welcome you on behalf of all of the commission. And I'm also pleased to tell you of action taken by the Commission this morning in its meeting at which time a resolution was adopted by the commission naming our expanded facility the arly Reeves Center for Educational telecommunications. This recognizes the predominant influence and leadership that Lee Reeves has had as director of the work of this commission since its inception. And while these 15 years represent we hope only a mild post in the continued growth and progress of educational television in this state. It gave us the opportunity to recognize the significant contributions which this man has made

with the cooperation of the other agencies of the state government and with the cooperation of thousands of citizens of the state who have contributed their time and effort in the support of this particular activity. It is appropriate that on this occasion of this dedication we have with us a spokesman for public broadcasting of national stature and I am particularly pleased to note one who has experience in public broadcasting. Our speaker today is Mr. Edward J Feister who has recently been elected president of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Prior to going to Washington this fall to assume that position must Feister served as the director of the educational facilities in the educational television facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

He brings to his position of responsibility with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. A broad career of activities as a journalist as an educator are as one familiar with the work of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. And as a practicing broadcaster in the educational television field I'm pleased to welcome him to Arkansas and to introduce him to you for the dedicatory address. Mr. Feist. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much Mr. Campbell and thank you ladies and gentlemen for permitting me to be a part of this day. There are a couple of people in the audience who know very well and understand how ready I am at almost any time to discuss educational public broadcasting in this country.

However today is a most significant honor and I'm doubly pleased to be able to participate because of the extraordinary man we are thanking. Special for more reasons than we have time to recycle this afternoon. He is committed and tireless. He is a man of vision. He is a man who understands only too well that in this democracy vision can be and is accomplished only one and if someone rolls up his sleeves and goes to work. Lee on behalf of all of your colleagues across the United States I want to thank you for being one of us for giving us the gift of your talents so unselfishly just as you have given those talents to this state and to its people. What educational television is here and often saw is due in great part to what many who are

here in the studio may not realize is that what educational and public television is today across the south and indeed across the nation is also due in great part to you. So we do want to thank you. There's a second point I should like to make about Lee. I would like just to point up what I think is his extraordinary courage. Imagine the courage of a man from the state whose name is Lee Reeves who permits one of his two children to emigrate to Texas and is able to stay here and continue his own life. That is an extraordinary act of courage. Rare indeed in today's world. I should like ladies and gentleman to pose one or two questions at this point in the history of public broadcasting.

What is Public Broadcasting and what is it that it does. We sometimes indeed often have disagree about our fundamental mission. Even among ourselves some of us see our role as strictly educational. Others want to provide only local community services. Some emphasize services for the unrepresented and the under-represented and accordingly want to use public broadcasting as a tool for social dialogue. Others dream of bringing the finest in the arts drama music and civilization itself to as many Americans as possible. Some want public broadcasting to be the vehicle through which unconventional ideas and issues can be voiced and debated. And of course everyone in this room understands that public broadcasting is and must continue to be. All of this.

Clearly we agree. Public broadcasting in this society must survive to continue to provide the opportunity for its listeners and in radio and radio and its viewers in television to see America in all of its diversity and complexity to reveal to explain to explore to chide and to goad our fellow Americans when necessary. Public broadcasting is that institution which must remind us of our past illuminates our present and yes even occasionally help us to chart a better future. Public broadcasting must serve as a mirror for all Americans as well as other societies and cultures. We must provide the means of expression for creative and talented people as we do today including those whose abilities and gifts might otherwise never be known. The dream and the challenge to inform inspire and educate. This

vision of public broadcasting in the United States from its first has never changed. That's what we provide and that's what we do. It's equally important in my view that we not forget who we are. We are educational and public. We are not commercial and we must be wary even as we are being permitted to develop new relationships with the commercial marketplace that we not permit the loss of a service space public institution and the establishment of yet another commercial profit based broadcasting entity. Please understand this is not intended to diminish the value of our nation's commercial enterprise. Indeed that marketplace is extraordinarily important to what we are. It is to insist that public broadcasting as initiated and as developed is not of that marketplace a commentary made at the time of the first Carnegie report on public television. More than 15 years ago

is more eloquent than I can be and it bears repetition and repetition and repetition. Non-commercial television should address itself to the ideal of excellence not the idea of acceptability which is what keeps commercial television from climbing the staircase. Non-commercial television should be the visual counterpart of the literary essay should arouse our dreams satisfy our hunger for beauty take us on journeys and enable us to participate in events present great drama in music explore the sea in the sky in the woods in the hills. It should be our hour to talk with our Minsky's and our Camelot. It should restate and clarify our social dilemma and our political pickle. Once in a while it does that and once in a while you get a quick glimpse of its potential.

Remember my friends. That is what we really are. We are noncommercial educational occasionally visionary. Our purpose is to serve in ways which must be always different. There is a difference between commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Turn on your set. You'll see the difference. Public broadcasting is now part of the bedrock of this society and should not be numbered among its endangered species. Yes we should experiment. Yes we should seek new sources of revenue but never at the risk of losing what we have. We must not tamper with the ideals and the principles of public broadcasting. We simply must not compromise this institution. Public broadcasting is no longer an experiment. It works

and it can continue to work its fundamental mission is to bring programs of excellence to the public programmes of high quality unavailable anywhere else. Programmes which entertain educate and stimulate us and hopefully our children and hopefully their children. Excellence is its lodestar its constant guide. It can't always hit that mark it shouldn't be expected to. But we who know it and who support it can never lose sight of that goal. How then in these economically troubled times do we sustain these important activities. There are essentially two sources of income for Public Broadcasting in this nation. The first which provides about three quarters of all funding is the community of television and radio licensees. People like you who make it work within regulatory limits

those licensees turn to the private sector to the foundation world to state and local government to educational institutions and to their audiences. The licensees engage in auctions benefits and a host of other enterprising activities to sustain their services. Without you and without others like you across this nation we would literally be without a noncommercial broadcasting service in this country. The other sources of income or the other source of income pardon me is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting whose duty as an independent entity is to nurture guide and invigorated Public Broadcasting. The federal commitment CPB receives and invests in public broadcasting has enabled our services to move from adequacy with which we must never be content to a general level of excellence to which we must always aspire. Accordingly the federal commitment in my view

is and will always be of singular importance. In fact I believe that the federal commitment to public broadcasting has been and will be one of the soundest uses of our national treasury both in terms of purpose and accomplishment. We are the only industrialized nation on the face of this globe which supports most of its efforts in noncommercial public broadcasting through local activity. All the other nations who are our allies support similar activities entirely through their national governments. We do not and in my view we should never. Our accomplishments as you know are about to be sorely tested. Federal support is falling off our long range goal must be to strengthen that federal foundation and thereby strengthen our stations and our national operating institutions. Our

immediate goal however must be to sustain ourselves. This year the one hundred seventy two million dollar federal appropriation the largest in our history is a benchmark in the history of public broadcasting. The nearly devastating irony is that were we more stable this benchmark could serve as a point of fulfillment in terms of the services we are now able to provide. And as a signal to the public of what is still to come instead. And unfortunately it is a benchmark which must serve as a resource to be used to get through these next years. For 1983 PBS appropriation drops to one hundred thirty seven million dollars for 1984 85 and 86. The congressional authorization level is one hundred thirty million dollars. And as you know we shall have to fight to maintain that level. In

my view funding levels below one hundred thirty million dollars will severely jeopardize our ability to maintain current services. We have the cooperation will have enormous difficulty at that level in meeting costs associated with critical system support activities. Even at that level the maximum we can hope to achieve CPB is direct support to our stations will slip to one acceptably low levels and a commitment to high quality national programming will fall alarmingly below amounts needed to maintain and sustain those efforts. The American people have invested many many millions of dollars in public broadcasting to much I believe for them to see the dividends from that investment dwindle and perhaps vanish. We must assure all Americans that there is was and continues to be one of the wisest and most thoughtful investments they have ever made. We have already

started to plan for long range financing solutions together. All of us across the nation must agree on the principles. Work together with the Congress provide information to those who still need to be convinced and inform everyone in Public Broadcasting's growing and vast family of what is needed and why it is needed. And most important you must intensify your efforts here at the community level as a first step in this process. We have established a new long range financing taskforce at the corporation with representatives from the public broadcasting community and the public like its highly successful counterparts several years ago. This task force will conduct a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of financing alternatives and funding sources for Public Broadcasting. Our early year long range financing taskforce provided public broadcasting and the Congress

with guidance which led to long range advance funding and matching federal support. Both very important ingredients in what must be a constant effort to insulate our enterprise from the federal government itself. This new task force represents an equally important undertaking within the next eight months a congressionally created temporary commission on alternative financing for public broadcasting must present to the Congress a plan for the financing of this institution. Frankly I am heartened by the very idea that the Congress for the first time wants to help us resolve our financial problems. If we too care we will be absolutely certain that a plan which puts in place a long range policy for the continuation of public broadcasting and a revenue base to support it is properly delivered by the temporary commission in mid 1982. To do that our own long range

financing taskforce will begin its own work next month. We cannot at any cost negate the federal role while under 30 percent of the total cost it has been and will continue to be one of the two fundamental foundations of our resources. It is part of our pact with the American people. However the hard fact remains that for the next few years this source of support will be less than it should being. Accordingly we must begin to provide ways to seek alternative forms of financing. We have to look for other avenues to secure our income. And we must begin as we have begun across the country as part of its work the congressionally created temporary commission is examining an 18 month long experiment with cluster advertising for broadcast use on our air on our television

stations and our radio stations. The public broadcasting community is a good faith participant in this advertising demonstration project. And of course we'll support the efforts of the temporary commission. I believe that the results of these investigations will prove invaluable to us to the Congress and to all the people of this land on air advertising however again in my view is not the answer for Public Broadcasting. Not now and probably not in the future. We have a unique service to offer to the American public a service which more and more people each year recognize and support and public broadcasting from its very first days developed and grew as a commercial free undertaking. The limited advertising experiment authorized by the Congress should be thoroughly explored because our needs are great

but we must be very cautious. This experiment should not divert or delay us nor should it tire us from the actions we must take to be certain that this institution survives and prospers. We must never forget what public broadcasting is and why our fellow citizens permitted us to bring it into existence 30 years ago. Let's assume that we are very successful with all of these efforts to learn and to establish openings to the commercial marketplace. Let's assume for a moment that we accomplish these ventures without damage to our public and our independent status without damage to our more traditional sources of support. The net proceeds as far as we can tell would very likely not add up to 10 percent of our current system operating budgets across the nation and they would probably not even equal 30 percent of the greatly reduced federal commitment.

So is it worth it. And what is it that we want to continue to build our financial ills will simply not be resolved by the commercialization of public broadcasting. Not unless the millions who watch and listen. Want a completely different institution. Many people believe in us and they give us their support. Many more are willing to help us and we you for our part must work for stronger understanding greater appreciation and increased support from all Americans. All the possible resources and energies of the corporation over the next 12 months will be bent to that end. Without the people we are nothing. We must deal with the whole question of a viable and enduring public policy for Public Broadcasting. We must speak with one voice a voice which is clear and understandable. A voice which is heard and a voice which

is heeded. With such a unity in place Public Broadcasting can have an enduring congressional commitment a stable national policy which will enable continuing progress as you know both television and radio have increased listener and viewer support by significant numbers over the past 10 years. But we must have an even greater groundswell of support. The people here in Little Rock in Denver in St. Louis and in New York the people in communities across the country who want the kind of system which delivers the kind of service they want must join with us to get the kind of congressional commitment we simply must have. Then my friends and only then will be will be able with any certainty to experiment with new ways including commercial ways to strengthen our base. The message which goes to the policymakers in Washington. Let's go from you.

We must begin to play and now for Long-Range financing which might be introduced two years from now. We must agree on the principles do the necessary work with our friends in Washington go out and do whatever missionary work is necessary to persuade others and to inform everyone and Public Broadcasting's of vast community of where it is we're going. I can't give you a timetable but to obtain the kind of long range funding we need at the national level to sustain what we are we must begin to work together now. I believe we can respond to that challenge together the stations in the cooperation can forge the institution. We have been charged to put in place then we can have an understandable public presence and identification. Then we can put in place once and forever a viable and continuing public policy which says this is an essential institution in this

democracy. And this period of austerity and uncertainty there can be no place for equivocation or for dissembling. We must build an institution on trust on understanding and on commitment. There is no longer in my view a choice I should like to suggest three paths. The first is to strengthen the support of the American people. We must involve people more people in the listening and viewing public. The public who supports us with voluntary dollars through their states through their communities through wanting our membership drives that public must grow by at least one million people for television and 200000 people for radio. And those people must be in place by January 1984. We must persuade our nation that we are genuinely the people's business. Second we simply must have a longer range commitment from the United States

Congress at least a 10 year commitment with the current forward funding principles in place. No longer can this institution have the need for public broadcasting questioned every two to four years. The mandate should be constant and enduring pact with our fellow citizens. Third we must probe because we have obligations and responsibilities and put in place certain openings to the commercial marketplace. But we must be careful not to endanger the noncommercial base of what we are and what we do. So we seek one in a quarter million new voluntary subscribers to public television and radio. We seek a firmer federal commitment and we are willing to test careful openings to possible commercial revenues. It can be done if we are together. Fifteen years ago when you began this great experiment here in

Arkansas or would you have thought that you could have developed this kind of an enterprise with these kinds of services with these kinds of facilities. Fifteen years ago we were not even a trolley car. We were a horse and buggy and a jet age. Today the satellite system we have put in place is one of the wonders technological wonders of this nation's entire technological environment. We led the way into the satellite world. We didn't follow the commercial world is following us 15 years ago we dreamed about color transmission and about covering great cultural and public events across the world instantaneously. Today we do that and we do it very very very well. I like to compare the development of public broadcasting in the United States to the development of the great continental medieval cathedrals never finished never intended to be finished

always changing always representing the aspirations and the dreams of each generation that puts a new stone in place. A remarkable remarkable piece of artistic beauty supported by the people of every possible community. Is this going to be the generation that stops the construction of this cathedral as a father as a citizen and as a public broadcaster. I hope I do not have to carry that with me. The building here. Ladies and gentleman. It's not the only story of what Lee Reeves has done what Lee Reeves has done. It's going to be reflected by the next generation of AUK and sons who are in school rooms today and who are using this facility

and its program services to improve their minds and their spirits. It's being used by adults across the community to enjoy and understand the treasures of this century and the treasures of centuries past and to gauge the kind of a world they want to leave for those to come. That is what Lee Reeves has done. That is what public broadcasting has done and must continue to do. I'm absolutely persuaded that we can with people like you and with public spirited leaders like Lee Reeves. It is entirely possible Lee on behalf of all of us I thank you for these 15 years of your life and I insist on many many more. Thank you so much. Ed

thank you again for your presence and your remarks to us you not only on our leave but all of us by your presidents by your presence and our confidence is certainly enhanced in hearing your remarks and knowing that you're in a position of leadership with the corporation gives us a larger view of our own functions. When we hear the challenges that are ahead sometimes we spend our time thinking about how we can keep the transmitter in Fayetteville on the air and losing sight of some of the larger problems. I would next like to introduce to you Senator Stanley Russ who represents District 21 which includes Faulkner. Van Buren and Conway counties. Senator Russ has been a member of the General Assembly since 1975 and brings us greetings on

behalf of the General Assembly and the citizens of Arkansas. I. Senator Reeves Mrs. Reeves Reeves girls the sons in law and I believe how many grandchildren five grandchildren and two chairman Campbell. Mr. Speaker Mr. former governor of all of us distinguished members of the audience and friends of the TV friends of Lee Reeves. And that's the anonymous. And now in conclusion seriously it gives me a great deal of pleasure to have this opportunity to have a small part on this program today the thing that we're honoring here today. And Dorce and I'm pleased to be a part of it. Now at least you're able staff and

assistants gave me what they called a biography. It was so well done I believe it would qualify actually as a patah Jeric whatever that is. In fact if it were put to song it would be a peon. But Mr. Minister this is no reflection on the excellent remarks that you brought us today and I'm not even sure what it means but it seems to say what I want to do right now and I heard a speaker say this once that he wanted to say a few words before he spoke. Now you know at first blush you'll accept it when you think about it. That has a little bit deeper meaning but anyway whatever it means. They gave me the Braga Dave saying what I wanted to do but did suggest that I use what they gave me and I'm sure that would be better but as price suggested before we went on here he didn't know what we were going to do. We got up so I'm going to I'm going to exercise that Prokofiev. Besides that it's very very rare that a mayor state

senator gets to speak to a United States senator where he has to listen respectfully for a few minutes so I won't take advantage of it. And Les just let me speak from my heart rather than notes if I may for a few minutes and hope that I won't get maudlin or emotional because Lee Reeves is a mortal man and he's flesh and blood. He has a personality that attracts you to him. And what's attracted to him. You feel a candid spirit with you. And I think that's why Lee Reeves has been able to accomplish with the TV what he has through the years. Now I make no apologies for stories I may or may not tale can certainly raise but I just can't think. Senator Pryor all talking about

Lee Reeves from a particularly governmental and state government standpoint without interjecting a story. So I think of want to immediately that is 180 degrees out from what we're doing here today but using it as an irony I'd like to relate the story to you about this lady that I met a gentleman on Saturday evening they spent the evening together got married later that same evening had their honeymoon and on Monday morning she was in the divorce court before the judge. Playing for a divorce and the judge says ah can't this be on me so I can understand if I have the facts right you met this this your husband on Saturday evening you married later that evening you've just come off your honeymoon it's Monday and you want a divorce. She says yes the judge asked Ryan about the quickest way I know to splain that is that he was the most over introduced man I ever met.

Now I'm going to have to confess to you that in my capacity as a public official I do sometimes have to not story but I have to embellish the truth a little bit to give the kind of introduction to a person that that he wants to hear and I want to give or maybe write a letter of recommendation for a job some of that nature. But I will not regardless of what I might say today I will not be able to over introducer over a grand today. And the fact Linda he reminds me of another story and you know hey I can do this in all good conscience because Lee Reeves is a master storyteller. Those of you that have known him at all you know laugh. And he is somewhat like the husband of the wife that limited you never tell me you love me anymore. And he said look I told you that a lot of you when we got married if anything changes I'll let you know.

Well those all of us in the audience would have had to run for office know the you know the feeling and camaraderie that we have with a man that doesn't have to keep proving to you that he's where he said he was and that's the kind of man that Lee Reeves is when he tells you something. That's the way it's got to be. In other words he's dependable if he tells you he's for you you don't have to go back the next day and say leave your still for make his pitch changes he'll tell you. And I appreciate that about him. Well I'm going to move on and not take up more time than I've been given. But I think that perhaps in a concrete way even more than the brick and mortar that we dedicate here today as a tribute to lead is the stat that Lee has compiled is put together. That runs our educational television programs.

You know we hear today so much on TV. Take it when we're listening to coaches sports commentators about skill positions on the team. Well every position on this team that operates educational television as far as I'm concerned is a skill position and I've been privileged to watch them. And this requires quite an ability to attract some times with salaries that are not quite up to market standards the type of people that do the quality job that's done here in Arkansas educational television and those knobby in the audience can take a bow on that point too because truly numerous contacts and friends all over the state. He has enlisted your support and you have come forward and offered in a grand way. And helped keep the programming up to the quality

that it is. Plus the fact Lee has the ability to do Mr. fester as much or more with a public dollar than any public official that I know and believe you me as a person that has to do with the appropriation of state revenues. I know that here again when Lee comes to us and tells us he needs 50000 supplemental appropriation or his initial appropriation we know that he needs it. We don't have to check when to the everlasting credit of the initial Education Television Commission and Governor Faubus who is then governor of the state of Arkansas. They found an Arkansan with a repertoire of skills and abilities to put this package together as a set of men to go attract the people necessary to operate it and then build upon it as he's done over the

years and it's a rare individual that has all of those scales and those abilities particularly in a state where we had no past experience to draw from or no past skills to draw from in this particular type of operation. But they found it and as I said it's to their everlasting credit and yours governor that they found Lee Reeves at that time he was a college vice president. He was a former state senator. Educate or administrator and broadcaster. And on July 1st 1963 he happened to become the director of educational television network. The position that he holds today he is a Navy evolve. Bradley County Governor Purcell knows that. And here again with all the stories he tells I don't know how they have time to pick tomatoes in Bradley County if

you kind of get the idea that sometimes all it is sit around and tell stories. But he was born in Moore and where he graduated from high school he later received an AB degree from any college modest. Now of course the University of Arkansas at Monticello and he was serving as vice pres of that institution at the time and he was tapped to become director of the TV. He later got an MIT degree the University of Arkansas Law graduate school fan. And in recent years received an honorary operated Greek Empire college least career as educator began with his appointment to the faculty of the Arkansas school for the blind. Later he served as supernovae schools at Hermitage Arkansas. And during that time in that school system he became one of the largest and most academically progressive school districts in the state. Also in his role as educator he served on the

Warren and Bradley County Board of Education. He is a charter member of the board of directors of the board of the Southern educational communication Association and has served as its chairman and secretary treasurer. He has been profiled for the past several years in who's who for the South and Southwest because of his outstanding service to the region. And nationally Lee has served as chairman of the state legislative committee and about this land. You must be feeling somewhat like the bereaved at her husband's funeral where the minister had gotten carried away with the eulogy and just really did lay it on. And he just kept on a little bit she pushed her son sitting next to her and said son right up there and looking at box to see if that's your daddy. But please God I'm going to wind up Fairlie's governmentally experience in a span more than a quarter century of service in the state legislature. He served

for 16 years as a state senator and then following that he has served and this is without additional compensation he has served free gratis in the Senate. As our secretary and parliamentarian which gets to be a pretty hot seat sometimes done it wants them. And he's done it he's done it you know gracious manner. And he's also held several important local civic positions. And I won't even list all of those. But in 1951 Lee opened the Bradley County Memorial Hospital. So you see that this is not the first time he had been called on to be a starter and a continuer of a program. And he also built around that time and operated radio station at Warren. Now a man that has done made all these accomplishments and done all these things has to have some buy some power behind the throne. And that happens to be his lovely wife Glenda. And she's here today and we're proud of her and we thank you for the support that you and your family have given as

unable to devote and contributes so much to the betterment of the state of Arkansas. Thank you very much. Thank you Senator Russ. It's never been any secret to me why I have never run for any political office. Greater than justice of peace of Plaskett County which I might add I won without opposition only because there were four hundred eighty five positions available at the time. It is a pleasure for me to recognize a number of special guests that we have today. Before we leave. Have a few words let us recognize some other people who have been important to him through his life. I'd like to alert our floor crew that I would like to ask some of our distinguished guests in the audience to stand up a minute and be recognized.

And if there is a camera which is going to pick these people up then they'll have to be very alert and we need to bring the lights up. And I hope somebody is in the booth that is awake and is listening to me and will be in a position to respond. I want to recognize the presence of a number of public officials who've previously been mentioned or recognized and I suspect have been around to shake hands with a few of you while we were getting ready to start. First my good friend and benefactor are I suppose in that he appointed me to a position on this commission Senator David Pryor. Senator Pryor please stand up for me. We have a number of people here who have served in various capacities. With Levy in his years as secretary of the Senate and of course

one of the functions which he has performed in that position is to be of assistance to the persons who have served as providing officers of the Senate. Currently the lieutenant governor of the state and presiding officer of the Senate. To Lieutenant Governor Weston Bryant A. And former lieutenant governor Joe Purcell. I'm only mentioning the last offices held by each of these people since they have other offices and indeed may be candidates again but where where we're not endorsing anybody for anything at the moment unless of course intend to announce something at the end of the meeting here. But also we're honored today by the presence of friends from educational television stations in adjoining states. I would like to recognize Mr. Lee Maris the director of

educational television in Mississippi. Oh. And to Mr.. And to the general manager of the Memphis facility Mr. Howard host. It was my gracious host at a dinner in Cincinnati at the meeting of the PBS back in the fall and lighted to have him here with us. I also want to recognize our supervisor because of the particular structure of the state government. He has the wisdom to administer his department and leave us to administer our department. But we are very much cognizant of this support and assistance which we have received from the State Department of Education and Dr. John Roberts is here with us Commissioner of Education.

I want to recognize two other people who have been important to us in constructing this facility and making it available. First of all from the architectural firm of Anderson Baker and MARTIN Mr. Joe Baker who was our principal architect. And the president of con Ark builders the contractor for the construction Mr. Bob Tyler. If he is here he may be checking the bricks are looking at the roof. One of the standing jokes that we have on the commission is one coach goes back long before I became a member. It seems that we had in this facility Dr. Smith is the primary responsible party for this he reports on it at every commission meeting. We had a leaky rough. I say Miss Hammond smiling about that. And that is a standing order of business on our agenda is that we

always get a report on the roof. I'm pleased to say that our present contractor and architect have that sort of thing under control. And Senator Russ we'll only be back for about $150000 to help with a rough next year. We have come now to a part of the program which. Is of extreme personal privilege to me. I have served or will soon serve the general of allotted two years of chairmanship of this commission and it has been an extreme pleasure in so many ways that in the remaining 20 minutes or so that we have available for our programs but I can't tell you of all of them but working with starting from a position of not knowing too much about what educational television was about but anticipating somewhat the opportunities which it presented and indeed the challenges presented. I was pleased to be appointed to this commission and serve on it and work with

Senator Russ alluded to the fact that he is a most responsive and responsible public servant. When we decided to dedicate the facility today to Lee and selected the title for it we had some concern because we know Lee's concerned with the expenditure of public monies. We selected a title which has several words in it among which are educational and telecommunications all of which are fairly long and when you start buying cast bronze or aluminum letters or so forth we recognize that getting Lee to agree to spend the money to put a sign on the building as he had been directed to by the commission may be a problem. Well temporarily only we have alleviated that problem by preparing a plaque which I want to present to Lee and I want his solemn assurance that it will be displayed publicly in a prominent place until we can get together and decide where we can get the money to do it in a more permanent and

publicly recognizable way. Lee would you please step up here please. Again reminding you that this is only temporary. You are charged by the commission along with the architect and contractor putting in a much more permanent and recognizable position. I'm pleased to present you with the initial dedicatory plaque for the Center for Educational Television educational telecommunications dedicated December 5 1981 and the podium is yours. Thank you. I think you fail and should quit mile because I don't think I could ever live up to trying to contain yours. Add to that one reason far. I have my belt of over pictures where you hear an Arkansas car like from go out learn to break bring it back to

Arkansas where they have something to brag about. I'm on like I'm on like the young man it was receiving a similar honor one day and he was scared as I am and he says I don't appreciate it but I certainly deserve it back. There are few people there few people that I would like to point out that I have made possible some of the things that we've been able to do. We have there for people in black and 61 and 63 that set up educational television was Opie how much they've been here today. Senator Mike Jones Santa mailed Earnhart and Senator Mike how we want to give them credit. Back in 1963 when I was first contacted by

a commission to come for an interview I didn't want a political job. So I called of then Governor Orval Faubus and ask him how political this job was and I never will forget it. He probably remembers the call even but I ask him and he said Well to me it's not any more political than the presence of one of the groups. I got interested in the position then. Whens excepted we thought we had money appropriated to begin and 63 we found out that the money was not going to be available I went to the governor at that time and said now it looks like that we're going to have to mark time for a couple of years do you want me to get off the state payroll. And he reminded me that it probably take two years to require to go on the air. And he would suggest that I get busy and

spend my time getting ready to go on. I think it was probably the best two years we have ahead Governor because we couldn't have gotten ready much quicker. And if I would have had in the last it's been from an understanding family an excellent commission and I thought out the words of the then governor. He told me on that occasion that part of the best commission I could fine. And if you get it's going to be up to you and a commission I will not interfere with the outstanding employees to put on the payroll that are not capable. And Stanley never did send any. He said if you fail it's going to be your fault not mine. That kind of support has caused us to be able to work with some of the greatest commission and I've worked far a commission or board ever since I have 21 years old and the people that I've worked with on Educational Television Commission have been the most outstanding that I have ever

been associated with. We had a good commission. We had a great staff. And if they any honor is due it's Putin my family my commission and my state. And without taking any more of your time I'd like to present to you at this time the farmer governor our belief obvious. Well I'm not scared I'm not getting any award and I've already been beaten up. Lee Reeves and Mrs. Reeves and your relatives Senator Pryor are lieutenant governor's bride and for sale Senator Russ our distinguished visitor from

Washington are the visitors. We're glad to have you. The TV personnel members of the Board ladies and gentlemen it's a privilege for me to be here and I appreciate the invitation to be a part of this program today. But Lee it's very evident that you have a good record. Remind me the story of the lady who was keeping a set of records to play on her stereo and phonograph. She heard of a new record she wanted so he'd rush to the telephone and dial the number and called in to get this new record by mistake she got the plumber without waiting for him to identify himself Susie answered phone she said Do you have eyes a blue and a heart that's true. He said no lady but I've got a wife and eight kids and she said is that a record. He said I don't know if it's a record or not but it's way above the average. But.

My first contact with Lee razor when he was a prominent state senator in 1956 he announced his retirement from the Senate and that was the year I ran for governor the first time in 1954 and 1956 Leader Reid was urged by a lot of people to run for governor. He had been running against me of course time. He declined. And I'm glad he did because if he had I might have been another one of those one term fellowship. But in 1957 to beginning of my second term he became secretary of the state Senate. And I had a chance to observe him in the months and the years that followed. And as the months and years went by I became more and more impressed with his sound American philosophy his practical common sense and his administrative ability. Also his extensive

knowledge of government gained through academic training as well as actual experience in that field. Then in seeking to promote the progress of Arkansas in all fields I became impressed with the great potential of a network of television for use in our schools and for education generally with the help of others of like mind. I began to push for the authorization and funding by the legislature. Such a system. Far the state we were to begin with one station and then expanded until the broadcast would reach every school and every home in every corner of the state. The beginning was perhaps the most difficult. It was a new untried field the legislature generally was reluctant because they could look down the road and see perhaps a great expansion of the costs that might be incurred. Not only in the establishment of

such a system but in maintaining it. The school forces at the time both secondary and institutions of higher learning gave us no help. There was even some opposition because they were looking at it from their viewpoint that the more money in the field of education that was channeled into other areas their last there would be far Souray so far. The teachers in the secondary schools as well as in the institutions of higher learning. It was a matter of self interest. Our education commissioner time arch Ford always a very practical individual who viewed events Realistically of course did not oppose. And so we have him to thank for his attitude at the time in the legislature there were a few proponents Mr Reaves has already named some of them. Remember that Opie Hammond's was the man you see here today. I served on the commission. His wife served on the commission and he was

one of the leaders in the house that kept me informed of sentiment and helped in guiding the measure through. There was a representative from Polaski County who was very interested and worked very diligently. Tom Tyler who is now deceased and we need to thank him and remember his efforts all of us who appreciate this educational television system in the Senate we had among other center guy Jones from this area and of course his support in the legislature. Our political system being what it is had a little bit to do with it being located in Conway after everything was established. Still it was one of those measures that the governor more or less had to muscle through the General Assembly and I'm sure there's a jam here today who understands that quite well. Former governor now Senator Pryor. But once it was approved and the

appropriations were secured and then we look for a man to head and direct the program. Lee Reeves was chosen and his selection met with general approval. We have course expected help from the National ATV programs had already been established and there was a great deal of help and still remains much help. There were also some difficulties some of the programs some people felt were too much propaganda not in keeping with the precepts always of what we considered as American ism. And in that respect I would remark that any controversy on viewpoint whether mine are some other should not be presented as fact or as Holy Writ. If such a subject must be dealt with then it should be

as much as humanly possible objective and balanced. In other words public TV must be so Hannah.