The Coordinator's Report on the ELT Project in Los Angeles: Educational
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EOCUMENT RESUME ED 045 641 24m TE 002 128 AUTHOR Stern, Hans Georg TITLE The Coordinatorls Report on the ELT Project in Ics Angeles; Educational Laboratory Theatre Project, 1966-70. Final Report. INSTITUTICN Central Midwestern Regional Educational Lab., St. Ann, Mo. SPONS AGENCY Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, D.C. Bureau of Research. BUREAU NO ER-7-0310 PUB DATE 70 CONTFACT CEC-3-7-07C310-1605 NOTE 183p.; Volume 3 AVAILABLE FECM Verna Smith, CEMPEL, Inc., 10646 St. Charles Rock Road, St.Ann, Mo. 63074 ($1.85) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-$0.75 HC Not Available from EDPS. DESCRIPTORS *Attitudes, Cultural Activities, Dramatics, *Experimental Programs, Instructional Materials, Program Costs, Program Development, *Program Evaluation, Race Relations, *Secondary Education, Student Behavior, Student Reaction, Teacher Attitudes, *Theater Arts, Urban Schools IDENTIFIERS *Educaticnal Laboratory Theatre Project, Los Angeles ABSTRACT This third of fcur volumes of the final report cn the Educational Labcratory Theatre (ELT) Project provides an on-the-scene account of the Project1s history at its Los Angeles site, from the pcint of view of the school-system people involved. Useful to planners of future cultural programs in its presentation of the practical difficulties of operating such a program in the context of a large urban school system, this volume recounts the planning of the Project, discusses the financial and contractual aspects of the Project, reviews the curriculum and inservice education program, assesses student and teacher reaction to the plays and the Project, and provides a statistical summary, conclusion, and some recommendaticns for the future. Appendices include the 1967-68 and 19E8-69 ccntracts between the school district and the Inner City Cultural Center, a sample poster, and a summary of the September 22, 1969 ELT meeting.(See also TE 002 12E, TE 002 127, and TE 002 129.) (MF) /3/? 7 -b3,0 U.S. DEPARTMENT Of HEALTH, EDUCATION 8 WELFARE OffICE Of EDUCATION rfirfbireportP4 THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCEDEXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS Of VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIALOFFICE Of EDUCATION educational laboratory POSITION OR POLICY. I-UI theatre project J. 1966-70 CO LeN volume 3 wCI the coordinator's report on the ELT project in C. 61et los angeles hans georg stern The four volumes of the Final Report of the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project are: I - Reactions & Assessments II - Studies III - The Coordinator's Report onthe ELT Project in Los Angeles IV - Professional Theatres in the Schools Published by the Central Midwestern Regional Educational Laboratory, Inc., a private nonprofit corporation supported in part as a regional educational laboratory by funds from the,United States Office of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Office of Education, and no official endorsement by the Office of Education should be inferred. Central Midwestern Regional Educational Laboratory, Inc. 10646 St. Charles Rock Road St. Louis, Missouri 63074 314-429-3535 (:)CEMREL, Inc., 1970 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS COPYRIGHTED MATEUAL BY MICR FICHEONLY HAS BEEN GRANTED BY U 4. TO ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THEU. S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION. FURTHER REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REQUIRES PERMISSIONOF THE COPYR IGHT OWNER." TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART ONE: Planning the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project Activities 1 PART TWO: Financial and Contracted Aspects of the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project 29 PART THREE: Curriculum Materials and Inservice Education 55 PART FOUR: Student, Press and Teacher Reaction to Plays 69 PART FIVE: Adverse Reaction to the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project 123 PART SIX: Evaluation of the Project and Recommendations 135 PART SEVEN: Statistical Summary, 1967-70 and Estimated Cost of the Project, 1969-70 143 APPENDIX A: Sample Poster 155 APPENDIX B: Contract Between the District and the ICCC for 1967-68 159 APPENDIX C: Contract Between the District and the ICCC for 1968-69 167 APPENDIX D: Summary of "The ELT Meeting" September 22, 1969 183 EDITOR'S PREFACE CEMREL has undertaken to publish Dr. Stern's report on the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project in Los Angeles for several reasons. First of all, the document is uniquely valuable in that no other person so intimately involved in the day-to-day operation of the Project has com- mitted an account of it to paper. Second, the account is meticulously detailed and makes use of records and sources of information to which CEMREL did not have access. Third, the report looks at the Project (not uncritically, to be sure) from the point of view of the school system involved, and explains why certain actions, for which we cri- ticize the schools in our reports, were deemed necessary. Fourth, the report is almost a textbook, for the use of planners of future cultural programs, in the practical difficulties of operating such a program in the context of a large urban school system. Since the management procedures of such a large school system are among the realities with which planners of such programs will have to deal, the understanding of such procedures that may be gained from Dr. Stern's report can be invaluable. Dr. Stern's report is,in the first place, addressed to the Board of Education and the Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District. The opinions and judgments expressed in it are not neces- sarily those either of CEMREL or of the United States Office of Edu- cation. CEMREL's editorial assistance has been limited to a few mat- ters of style, language, and format, and we have made no changes at all in matters of substance, so that responsibility for the factual accuracy of statements and for the conclusions drawn from them is Dr. Stern's. In the Los Angeles City Unified School District the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project was Funded under Public Law 89-10 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 1965 Title III and Title IV iv Acknowledgements A number of people showed great faith in the Educational Laboratory Theatre Project, a faith which was often translated into supportive actions during the past three years. The author here gratefully acknowledges the efforts of those without whose help this Project could not have survived: The Los Angeles City Unified Schools' Board of Education supported the Project strongly. During the three years, its members were: The Reverend James Jones, Dr. Georgiana Hardy, Dr. Ralph Richardson, Dr. Julian Nava, Dr. J.C. Chambers, Dr. Donald Newman, Dr. Robert Docter, Dr. H. C. Willett, Mr. Richard Ferraro and Mr. Arthur Gardner. Dr. Aram Tolegian and Dr. Louis Bernoff were chiefly responsible for the Project during its planning stage prior to funding. They administered activities of the Supplementary Education Planning Center, a Specially Funded Program of the Los Angeles City Unified Schools. The Project was strongly supported by the Superintendents and their staffs, including Dr. Jack P. Crowther, and Dr. Robert E. Kelly, District Superintendents; and Mr. Stuart Stengel and Dr. Otto E. Buss, Superintendents in charge of the Division of Secondary Education; as well as Dr. J. Graham Sullivan, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction. Without the dedicated efforts of the various advisory committees, much of the Project's work would have been unrepresentative of the best talents this District commands. The committees, and their members, were: 1. General Advisory Committee Miss E. Paxton, Dr. R. Hyndman, Mr. W. Rosch, Mrs. N. Delaney, Mrs. B. Harrison, Miss C. K. Mottor, Miss P. Choy, Mrs. S. Griffin, Miss C. Gugel, Mr. D. Farley, Father A. Carroll, Mr. R. Burt, Mr. W. Noble, Dr. G. Neher, Mrs. G. Seaton, Mr. C. B. Jackson, Mr. W. Gass, Mr. W. Lansu, and Dr. H. Stern. 2. Principal's Committee Mr. J. Brown, Mr. D. Skinner, Mr. J. Sanders, Mr. N. Schachter, and Mr. W. Noble. 3. Preview Committee Dr. D. Schwartz, Mr. G. Neher, Mr. W. Lansu, Mr. J. Brown, Dr. R. Hyndman, and Mr. W. Rosch. The members of the National Advisory Committee to the Educational Laboratory Theatre Projects were always helpful in their visits: Dr. J. Morrison, Mrs. M. Felser, Mrs. G. Veidemanis and Mr. W. Smith. The Inner City Cultural Center has been more than generous to the District. Those whose services went far beyond the call of duty were: Mr. C.B. Jackson, Miss J. Dotson, Miss J. Joe, and Board members Dr. J. Cannon, Mr. G. Peck Mrs. G. Seaton, and Mr. S. Cohen. The administrators of the Specially Funded Programs office often helped carry the burden of the Project's day -to -day operation. They were: Dr. T. Lawson, Dr. J. Settle, Mr. W. Lansu, and Mr. W. Chun-Noon. Many of the curriculum materials were prepared by teachers and others who served briefly as professional experts, but profoundly influenced the course of the Project through their impressive contributions: Mrs. A. Georgiade, Miss S. Hewitt, Mr. R. McCandlish, Mrs. J. McKenzie, Dr. L. Grindstaff, Mr. A. Berchin, Mrs. J. Berman, Miss P. Choy, Mrs. R. Lamkie, Mr. J. Dorand, Mrs. S. Hunt, Mr. D. Lunney, Mr. H. Berejikian, and Mrs. B. Wright. Members of the professional theatre community of Los Angeles have contributed their services and, on occasions, free seats for students. From the Center Theatre Group: Mr. G. Davidson, Mr. D. Moody, Mr. D. Lunney, Mr. H. Mack and Mrs.I. Levine. From the Greek Theatre organiza- tion: Mr. J. Doolittle and his staff, including members of the Huntington Hartford Theatre staff. The ANTANS have provided funds and theatre tickets to the Project. Mrs. K. Domyan, their President, was particularly helpful. Space limitations forbid the listing of all those whose work was so vital to the Project.