Invitation to Learning : 1940-1964 - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Martin Grams, Jr. is the author and co-author of numerous books about Hollywood, television and radio. These include THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS COMPANION, THE HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL COMPANION, RADIO DRAMA, THE SOUND OF DETECTION, THE HISTORY OF THE CAVALCADE OF AMERICA, THE CBS RADIO MYSTERY THEATER, and INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES: BEHIND THE CREAKING DOOR.

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Since its start in 1940, "Invitation to Learning," a low-rated program (CBS Radio once labeled it "our 69th most popular show") has ranged over most of the world s significant literature as far back as Homer ("The Iliad" and "The Odyssey") and as recent as Dwight Eisenhower ("Crusade in Europe"). It has had on board as talkers everyone from A to Z poet W.H. Auden to psychiatrist Gregory Zilboorg. On the unsponsored show, Herbert Hoover discussed Walton s "The Compleat Angler" and Marx s "Communist Manifesto"; sportswriter Red Smith talked about De Quincey, and sportscaster Red Barber about the Psalms. There was even one show in which Clifton Fadiman spent a half-hour with Mother Goose.

Sadly, there has been, all along, a curious lack of cross reference in literary reviews and magazines, as if this on-the-spot attempt to keep alive the best of earlier cultures, the earmarks of them let us say, was not quite valid or respectable since it was done through a popular medium that is one of the essential earmarks of our own century.

What follows is the development of the main schools of thought in the twentieth century, as broadcast over a medium that was as popular during the 1930s and 40s, as the internet is today. It partialy reflects and reproduces all the subjects of discussion, the guests "honored" to appear before the microphone, and the importance each form of literature had on the listening (and reading) public. Conversely, it is drawn with the advantage of hindsight and so omits some of the heated conflicts that in retrospect proved less important than they seemed at the time. As quoted by Dr. Lyman Bryson himself in one broadcast, "How to think, not what to think, increases intelligence."

"Invitation to Learning" was not by any means a perfect instrument, but it was an illuminating adventure and an attempt to give value to human reality in "real towns and on real land under weather and time."

Over 1,200 broadcasts aired over Invitation and there were many guests and topics made noteworthy, for anyone s consideration, even for the casual clothes-hanger. Topics ranged from the Age of Fable, stories of Gods and Heroes, the Age of Chivalry, Romance of the Middle Ages, Biodiversity, Psychology, the Amazing Ancient World of Western Civilization, and of course, Religion. Intellectual writings were discussed, from Sigmund Freud s "A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis", Sir Isaac Newton s "Principia Mathematica", Darwin s "The Origin of Species", and Albert Einstein s "Relativity, a Popular Exposition."

Andersen s and Grimm s Fairy Tales, Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes, Collected Poems, and Romantic novels were subjects of discussion more than once. The historical importance of Tolstoy s "War and Peace" was the subject of early broadcasts, and the influence the novel had on American readers was the subject of later broadcasts. Intellectual criticism was never taken lightly, on or off the air. When the moderator once made a remark about the disbelief of a higher influence in the Universe, a guest panelist scolded the moderator after the broadcast, remarking "Your mouth to God s ears."

On January 14, 1951, actor John Carradine was a guest during the discussion of William Shakespeare s "Hamlet", a stage play Carradine was more familiar with, since he starred, directed and produced his own productions. Actress Eva LeGallienne was a recurring guest on Invitation, often commenting the week s subject matter from the viewpoint of a stage actress. Norman Corwin, one of the great radio playwrights of our century, was a guest in a couple episodes, often reciting poems or works inspired by the literature of the week. Broadway actress Judith Evelyn was a roundtable participant, as well as Blanche Yorka, Hans Conried and Franchot Tone.

Other highlights of the series included Lieut. Gen. James M. Gavin discussing the values of Cornelius Ryan s WWII novel "The Longest Day". Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas discussed "The Travels of Marco Polo," and Nancy Kelly discussed her stage performance in "Who s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Playwright and author Marc Connelly discussed Wilder s "Our Town." Professor Edward J. Hornick, psychiatrist at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and William McGill, chairman of the Department of Psychology at Columbia University discussed "Principles of Psychology." Playwright Carl Carmer analyzed "John Brown s Body." Captain Walter Karig was involved in a couple sea-bearing discussions, notably "Mr. Midshipman Easy" and "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History."

Alistair Cooke guested with Clifton Fadiman during a discussion of "A Christmas Garland." Edward R. Murrow explained details behind Mill s "On Liberty." Actress Lillian Gish was the guest of honor during "The Scarlet Letter," and Lyman Beecher Stowe explained the historical aspects of "Uncle Tom s Cabin."

There were some episodes, however, that featured guests discussing very odd topics that listeners would not have come to expect. Herbert Hoover made more than one appearance, including revealing tricks of the sport of fishing in "The Compleat Angler." Frances Steloff of the Gotham Book Mart was a participant during a discussion of "The Varieties of Religious Experience."

For the broadcast of November 20, 1960, John Huston, director of the 1956 big-screen epic of "Moby Dick", was a guest roundtable participant for a discussion about the Herman Melville novel. Rex Stout, the famed mystery novelist who created Nero Wolfe, was on hand during discussions of Sherlock Holmes.

"Oddly enough," remarked producer George Crothers, "actors usually make poor guests. People who are used to dealing orally with abstractions teachers, critics make the best guests." One of the worst guests was a guest producer who spoke not a word for the entire program. "Later we found out he was deaf," Crothers explained. Easily the most unpopular guest was a politician (Thomas K. Finletter) who appeared without having bothered to read the book under discussion, Woodrow Wilson s "Congressional Government," and brazenly faked his way through the program. "After the show," remembered Crothers, "he picked up the book and said: You know, it sounds pretty interesting do you mind if I keep it? "