National Association of Educational Broadcasters; The Symbols and the Search

It has been said that if any three Americans and particularly any three American businessmen were to jump out of a burning airplane assuming that their parachutes open but if they jump out of an airplane at any altitude over 1000 feet by the time they reach the ground they will have elected the president the secretary treasurer and the chairman of the landing Committee. The National Association of educational broadcasters resents the symbols and the search and examination of the role of the affiliate or in the modern American city one of a series of programs titled The Urban Frontier. Let us be very frank with each other. Each of us knows secretly that he is without a doubt one of the most unique resourceful fascinating dynamic powerful and lovable people in the world.

This is a secret which each of us tries to keep its a secret except that secrets are no fun at all unless at least one other person knows when out and since each of us is one of the most unique resourceful fascinating dynamic powerful and lovable people in the world. We need other people to discover these things about us. But other people are always stubborn. They seem to insist on finding these things out for themselves. And since we want and need other people to know how very special we are the only way we can go about it is by joining things and the things we join we call groups. This is a term that can be made to cover everything from well to friends meeting on a corner by about a boy. Thank you cumming lives this week. Wouldn't miss it. How about thanking me. I'm stopping by for Bill in time and this will be a big night a big night. Yes everything from two friends meeting on a street corner to some of the boys getting together on

a coffee break. GROUP OF filed down and walked out. That doesn't sound like our little Lois. I don't know that girl's got fired. Well he hauled them off and stalked out and that's all the restored. You know I never have liked that guy is kind of weird. Now he's going to say anything about this now are you. Now what difference does it make. Besides it was a good kid. If you have a reason to worry it's also possible to look at a luncheon club as a group. So far are you. Or upon the occasion of the gathering of the beavers lodge number 7 0 7. As a believer I take my way to be true to it all I must ideals and purposes of my lot.

Let's welcome our new member with the beaver fellowship song. Middle of the of the. Of the in the. Well let's explore a few of the features in common of both formal and non-formal groups. These would be shared by friendship groups. Call them gangs or cliques. Just a bunch of friends who get together occasionally or any of a wide range of formal organizations leagues and clubs and lodges and committees but just as a city organizes a vast and intricate machinery to assure the delivery and distribution of food hoping to prevent physical hunger so also to the people of the city. Organize in a variety of ways hoping to prevent loneliness.

Charlie M. is a man who is seldom lonely or you see in a variety of groups he belong. Not everyone around him knows just what a unique resourceful fascinating dynamic powerful and lovable person he really is. But there are quite a few who think he's a nice guy and he feels that they think he's a nice guy for he has accepted it fairly well and significant reasonably so took quite a number of people and he feels this way because he is joined in a series of mutual interest prizes with many of the other people around him. For example here he is in one of the first groups that he joined. Reliably there and left. Come on you two are going to be at the lake end of it when we get there. You let me know. Oh. Yes. Again to get a life surely to be a good day for fish. Yeah what are you planning to use. Got a whole bunch of stuff which they won't take worms to get salmon I picked out one of

those separately in its own way this non-formal group is as much an organization as any you would find fitted out with duly elected officers and charters committees slogans or what have you and to the newcomer. This may present an even greater problem for so many of its organizing principles are not immediately apparent. For example the official goals of Charlie's friendship group that is those being pursued at the moment have to do with catching fish and ostensibly this is the reason for the trip. Yet no Charlie knows this is only one of the reasons for the long drive up to the lakes. Yet he was not told this the first time he came along. His first invitation was issued like this. Oh yea I understand you're a fisherman. I've done a little one too. I don't know any of the spots around here. There aren't any you have to drive about 60 miles away there isn't too far. You doing anything this weekend. Not a thing. Wife and Kids are going all week. You know Buck over an accounting. Bald headed guy big wide

grin. Yeah how about Tom Frazier in development. Sure we're all going to have screwed up to a lake or two over the weekend Lee. Late Friday night get back Sunday. Sound good sounds fine but when I take my car. OK you got a station wagon amateur thing it's in good shape. Fine I'll have to give you the map to get to my place and how late Friday night to get there by dawn we need to leave about three. It was as a fisherman that Charlie hoped he would qualify for if the group was dedicated to catching fish. Well he felt he needed to prove that he could catch fish with the best of them. Don't you think we better get a boat. Yeah eventually getting anyone over there stiff from that right little sleepy. Clearly guys come up here and get all our was sterile eager for the rough ride. Thanks. Just to get started. Yeah there are a couple of them out there now. Here let's see of this little white. Oh here's some water. Not much maybe this

novel over and looks pretty wet or dry. I think they're opening the boathouse. We can get a boat now. Looks like Kirkby is going to burn after all at this stage in the game. Charlie Mills did not know that this particular group had its own special way of looking at everything and its own special way of organizing the day Bush. Man I often know but try to navigate on three hours sleep. Who's going to want some coffee. I can see them strike the next day we got enough to cook on. Now I don't take much wood to cook eggs. I like strong coffee. How can I break up the stuff. I'll get my tackle organized how about some breakfast we just came by a restaurant. You guys said you were hungry. Wants rest. When they're going to have an omelet with ashes you guys can eat if you want to I'm ready to fish I'm going to get a line right now on a plate. Now this is a small thing but this is also a mistake on the part of a prospect the member of a group for as a newcomer Charlie will be misunderstood.

He wants to get on with the fishing with the result that Charlie may go off in pursuit of the official goals of the group but he will go alone as a fisherman at Guy's probably atmospherical maybe don't get out often and are just thankful we're here to fish. Well I'm going to fish with first things first. You know what I'm going to do. Oh food sleep or you'll feel better after you've had some coffee. Maybe our well. Well I don't know about that guy. Our companion and chauffeur I mean Charlie and I'm a lone wolf. CHENEY Oh I don't think so. Like a nice guy. Maybe you just like the face of the door at the plant. I guess you don't work too early or I don't like the hoosier is really eager to cock come on alchemy ask him to come along and hardnosed about something I tell you these are nice guys. You're a grouch Mr. Grouch. Go stick your head no like we'll call you in the coffee ready. He's coming

back take it easy take my fellow here's a war would be a good boy but you're going to go out and catch our fish you know it's been three years three years since I could get out like you see take it easy We'll get to the station. How about some coffee. How fast you think this stuff more and doesn't have to boil. We got soluble for emergency. It'll do you know we could stick another pan on here and why don't we use a dish pan it's big and catch more. Charlie what is your goal gets more water. Sure. The newcomer is often a disturbing influence. He can be less of one if he first conforms to the group's way of doing things and in the non-formal group this conformity extends to a wide range of things for example Bill and Buck and Tom pretty much agree about certain individuals with whom they work. And if Charlie is to be accepted to full membership in the group he will be given a choice of agreeing or disagreeing but he will be able to disagree only so long then either he will change or the group will shift its position.

How do you like working for Hollister. I get along with him fine. Seems annoy stuff and you know this stuff all right. Boy there's one guy that gets under my hard drive trying to have nothing to do with him unless it's on paper. No kidding. You want some advice. Stick that wood in there where you know they're. Married. Well just figure on the honeymoon lasting in the bottom of that he'll put the screws on. Yeah I just feel you get caught up with that mask the last fall that the guy's just been swell to me you just wait he'll have ya been. Well he can be rough when he wants to be here. Somebody caught him just the other day. Well your turn is coming. Yeah maybe it is a fact. The waiting days rough Charlie I don't think he's got a friend and that plan will be done. So that's the kind of guy he is getting that I guess he fools the wall for a while. This is a considerable distance that Charlie has traveled from. I get along with him fine from that to this. So that's the kind of guy membership in a group.

Non formal or formal involves much more than a willingness to apply oneself to the stated official goals of the organization. It also implies an agreement to accept at least for the time being. A few of the unstated goals and some of the attitudes shared by members of the organization. So it's not surprising that on the way home Charlie is pretty much in line with the other members of his new friendship group. You know I keep coming back to what you told me about Hollister him again. Just get through the. Crowd. Yeah. I think I will. It's funny how some guys can really food you guys real sly Charlie. Well I'm going to be ready for it. I'm really going to be ready for that snake and in time Charlie will find himself in agreement with Bill and Tom and buck on a wide range of topics. The stuff about flying saucers. You know there may be something to it in the matter of automobiles automatic transmission.

I wouldn't have one of them or in men's fashions. So I bought my Bermuda shorts. The same will be true or relatively true in politics. I tell you this Sam Gulzar is the worst mayor this city ever had. In each case over a period of time Charlie Mills has come pretty well into line with the opinions of those around him. Birds of a feather we say flock together. However to the newcomer it's often a bit of a problem to grow the required plumage for this may change from one group to another. For example here's Charlie in his luncheon club it is my last year on behalf of those cities are all to present to the Honorable Samuel L.. Go over the all highest tribute that this organization can be so close earlier so pro-free for distinguished service to the community. Heroes or write a book. Set goal has served with dedication to duty. Rarely matched in the history of this city.

All Charlie is doing here is reflecting the official position of the club. A majority of the membership has so expressed itself and well as chairman of the civic awards committee Charlie can do little else. However later he can and does try to change the opinions of his intimate friends. I tell you a gold isn't the man who is responsible for the lousy condition of your streets are right down who are. It's your city councilman. That's the guy to jump on. Gold is doing a good job. Oh well maybe it is. And he's as nice a guy as you'd care to meet. It could be all I know is what you hear. Yeah but Bill it's that council that's given me a black eye. Well there are a bunch of long heads Psagot army that are in this instance Johny may be able to shift the opinions of his friendship group. If he can't well he can refrain from discussion of the topic of Sam Voltar which may or may not be important anyhow. Or he can find another group which will share his opinions. Or he can come back into line. All this with a non-formal friendship group which

originally grew out of a mutual interest in fishing but back to the civic circle. So here we go. You Marigold or you accept this circular is appropriate for me here. Well done and keep up the good work. Let's. See. As a member of the civic circle Charlie has asked for a limited commitment of himself a commitment nowhere near as great as that made within his friendship group here in the civic circle he joins in a lesser enterprise for it is restricted to certain activities. The official goals of the circulars have to do with the betterment of the city and yet just as in the fishing trip there are certain unofficial goals that must be reckoned with.

All right gentlemen got two tickets to the stag. It's going to be a big night big Hollywood show come on in. Come on you guys share clothes with $5. The proceeds of the stag after expenses will go toward the sending of underprivileged youngsters to summer camp. And yet to many of the membership this is an incidental argument. This is going to be a stag all white girl which you never see. Wonderful sensational letter. Charlie will know all the official aims and purposes of the club and they will remain fairly constant. The circulars are dedicated to the betterment of the city by such means as they see fit. But note this is officially a nonpartizan nonsectarian a nonprofit organization and thus it concentrates the attention and to a certain extent the resources of its membership to the making of the city a better place in which to live and to do business. These are the oficial aims of the club. The official goals of the group and yet it was.

It were the. It was it was with you. Then too for the individual members of the civic circle a gathering of their peers and business competitors and associates presents an opportunity for the pursuit of individual goals. For example a circular before or after the meeting might be interested in selling his house and a fellow circular might just happen to be in the real estate business. You know what the property around there is doing. I'm home I don't need to tell you that a team of five is a steal. You can have an exclusive listing if you think you can turn it for me. Another may be in the automobile business preview showing how you know I'm not in the market this year but Al I would like to see the new models and then to Charlie is here as a

representative of his employer. I will certainly pass those along to our service division because we make a policy of following up each installation. You should have been in touch with us Harry the minute you started to have trouble and covering all everything that the circulars do is an aura albeit a little hysterical at times of the best of fellowship. Yes it was the end. The the the. There are other organizations which claim Charlie's loyalty and within which he finds a sense of acceptance and belonging. And these are things which occasionally thrive best in an exclusive or secret setting.

Guardians of the lodge and alarm have sounded to your station issued a challenge. At MIT the beaver for examination. I felt I was sorry I'm late. Desist. Desist. Brother males will approach the pinnacle I'm apt to saplings to the supply to dollars like I told you I was going to be late. If brother Mills had been here for the report of the keeper of the bark he would not bleed so all I thought the meeting was all over. It is known as the signal is sounded. But Bieber law is declared officially in hibernation for this week. You're. Meaning to. Break up the cards remember the house. Right isn't going to pay for itself. Officially the purpose of the beaver lodge is to maintain the symbol of this loyal thrifty and industrious beast. A goal which too long ago

ceased to have any meaning. Yet the lodge continues and with a reasonable success on the basis of its unofficial purposes plus some new and more realistic purposes it has set for itself. Where the group has supplied radio and television sets to a home for the aged as well as to three to Burkett awards at the county hospital and also as an organization. It takes a hand in various community wide fundraising activities and it was through his participation in one of these drives that Charlie was invited to become a member. This is the most formal at least the most ritual bound organization in which Charlie Mills claims membership during its actual sessions. Each member plays like he's a total stranger to all the other members and this is an activity which everyone enjoys thoroughly but always ends with a big burst of say. To the other.

Last one scheme of belonging in a city. A personal scheme and admittedly one that is incompletely listed. But Charlie is married and he and his wife together attend a number of activities some of which are rewarding and some of which are not yet the basic outline of the scheme is clear. Johnny Mills is a member of an intimate friendship group its members drawn from the place he works. You know I never liked that guy is kind of where I always got to say anything about this. What difference would it make. Besides Lois is a good kid. Maybe she had a reason. His friendship group is capable of pursuing a variety of goals covering a wide range of activities. Again you know why Charlie should be a good day for fish. Yeah but are you planning. I got a whole bunch of stuff with me and Charlie has found himself coming into agreement with his friendship group across a wide range of interests so that's

the kind of guy. The stuff about flying saucers. You know there may be something in it. Transmission's I wouldn't have one of them. So what about my Bermuda shorts. Often we often enough the group comes into line with Charlie's opinions. Our real poncho can't go on without our right. To the. In his luncheon club. Charlie meets and profits from many of his peers in the business world. And together they initiate programmes which in time Charlie finds himself in agreement with. I am a nurse. And Charlie also moves among his brothers in a lodge to be sure this

particular law has long since moved away from its original or official purposes. It survives and even thrives on the basis of its unofficial function and it is the unofficial function of all of Charlie schema belonging that makes it work for him or the groups themselves and for the city at large. For each of us knows that he is without a doubt one of the most unique resourceful fascinating dynamic powerful and lovable people in the world and we need other people preferably lots of other people who discover these things about us. The law.

Wow you have been listening to the symbols and the search and examination of the role of the affiliate or in the modern American city. Here to comment on the problems and opportunities of the affiliate or is one of the consultants for the symbols and the search. Dr. Eugene eye Johnson director of the Community Education Project at San Bernardino Valley College. Today the majority of all Americans live in cities or on the edge of cities. Among other things this means that most of us belong to a large number of groups. To be sure they may not all have names and be well-known like the PTA the Masons or the women's club. Some groups may be quite small and informal in nature like the people Charlie Mills went fishing with. On the other hand some of them may be so vast and

impersonal that we hardly think of them as groups at all. These are such giants as the major political parties. The American Federation of Labor the National Association of Manufacturers the American Medical Association or the United States Chamber of Commerce. These groups affect us in many ways and we in turn affect them and through them the circumstances of daily life and the patterns of our society. From Charlie Mills in tonight's show we learned that groups affect people's basic ideas and judgments on other people. Our group memberships also influence our judgments on such issues as candidates for public office atomic energy and many other issues from the vast and growing number of large and small formal and informal groups we also learn many things about our society. We learn first that it's a free society only a free people can permit the extensive amount of voluntary organizing that goes on in this country. A totalitarian society will permit only those groups to

exist which can be dominated by the state and one of the first comments that visitors from other countries make about America is the vast amount of voluntary activity going on. A large number of groups which have just generated themselves. This is a hallmark of a free society. We also learn that ours is a complex society. We cannot as individuals directly affect many of the conditions of modern life. Individual businessmen join chambers of commerce and trade associations in order to effect the economic activity in their own community and throughout the nation. Many workers join labor unions because collective bargaining is for them. The only kind of bargaining which is effective citizens may join civic improvement associations because these are the only way to work for certain desired improvements. A park a change in the city charter and others. Representatives of these organizations in turn may meet in state and national groups which seem

far removed from the daily life of the individual. Life is not likely to become any more simple. We cannot turn the clock of time back to the Days of Daniel Boone when direct action by the individual was possible. Rather we should look to the new Urban Frontier on which we live and seek to settle it with wisdom and courage. The strengthening and improvement of group life is one of the major opportunities open to us today. Can we make sure that the groups as they multiply in number continue to reflect the democratic values of our society. Can we make sure that local groups as a pyramid up to the state and the national levels remain instruments by which the people living in cities can continue to seek the good life for all. Some people may withdraw in dismay and fright from the magnitude of the task of improving group life yet to withdraw is to abdicate what may be the greatest opportunity we have today. We cannot go back. Our

choice is to go forward by stumbling blindly or to go forward with wisdom and courage to make these groups we have created serve us and not us serve them. Thank you Dr. Johnson. This has been one in a series of programs titled The Urban Frontier produced by the Community Education Project at San Bernardino Valley College under a grant from the National Association of educational broadcasters. These programs were developed in consultation with faculty members of the University of California at Riverside University of Redlands Valley College as well as a core of professional business and civic leaders of the San Bernardino Riverside Metro one. Way.