DISSERTATION Presented in F a Rtia L F Ulfillm Ent of the Requirements For
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AMERICAN EDUCATION AS SEEN IN PERIOriCAL LITERATURE 1956 - 1958 DISSERTATION Presented in Fartial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University Py David tord Martin, R.Sc., M.A. Ohio S tate U niversity 1959 Approved by i i ACKNOXEDGMHfT The author wishes to express h is in debtedness to Dr. Robert E. Jewett for his encouragement and counsel in making this dissertation possible. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF T A B L E S ....................................................................................................... ▼ INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 Chapter I . DEFINITION AND AUDIENCE OF MASS M E D IA ............................. 8 Definition of Maas M edia .................................................... 8 Audience of Mass Media . ........................................... 10 R a d i o .......................................................................................... 10 T e l e v i s i o n ................................................................................ 11 N ew sp a p ers................................................................................ 11 M agazines .................. 12 B o o k s.......................................................................................... 14 Motion Pictures .................................................................. 16 Multi-Exposure to Media ............................................... 16 I I . FUNCTIONS OF MASS M E D IA ............................................................. 18 The Entertainm ent Function ........... 18 The Commercial Function......................................................... 21 The C ouncil F u n c t i o n ..................................... ....................... 24 The E ducational F u n c t i o n ................................................... 28 The Status-Conferring Function • ............................. 31 The Inform ation F u n c t i o n .................................................... 33 The Enforcement of Social Norms Function .... 35 The Homogenizing F u n c t io.................................................... n 36 Dysfunction ..................................................................................... 43 I I I . THE SELECTION OF MEDIA, MEDIA SAMPLE AND TIME SPAN FOR CONTENT A N A LY SIS...................................... 47 National A vailability ............................................................. 47 N ew sp a p ers...................................................................... 48 Radio and T e l e v i s i o n ......................................................... 61 Motion Piotures .................................................................. 52 B o o k s .......................................................................................... 64 M a g a z in e s................................................................................. 64 National Influence ................................................ 66 Relative Influence of Magazines and Books • . 56 Relative Influence of Magazines and the Other Mass M e d i a ......................................................... 69 Seleotion of a Magazine Sample for Analysis . 70 Circulation Leaders ......................................................... 70 Information B earers ......................................................... 76 Homan's M agazines............................................................. 82 Status Leaders ....................................................................... 83 The Amerioan M ercury......................................................... 88 Selection of a Time Span for A nalysis........................ 89 ir TABLE OF CONTENTS (Contd.J Chapter Page IV. THE DEFINITION OF CONTENT ANALYSIS AND THE SELECTION OF CATEGORIES.................................................... 93 Content A nalysis ........................................................................... 93 Categories of Analysis .............................................................. 96 P u r p o s e .......................................................................................... 96 E v a lu a t io n ..................................................................................... 97 Themes in Amerioan E d u c a tio n........................................... 99 Jeffersonian-tTacksonlan.....................................................101 Nativiat-Humanist ...................................................................108 Utilitarian-Liberal A r ts ...................................................119 Individualism -G roupIsm ................................................ 131 V. PURPOSE OF PERIODICAL LITERATURE ON AMERICAN EDUCATION ....................................................................... 141 Clroulation Leaders ....................................................................... 142 Information Bearers............................................................................ 146 Women's M a g a z in e s................................................................................. 156 Status Leaders ................................................................................161 Sum m ary.........................................................................................................165 V I. EVALUATION OF AMERICAN EDUCATION IN PERIODICALS . 168 Clroulation Leaders ....................................................................... 168 Information Bearers ....................................................................... 177 Women's M a g a z in e s.................................................................................187 Status Leaders.......................................................................................... 193 Summary.........................................................................................................199 V II. THEMES IN AMERICAN EDUCATION IN PERIODICALS................................... 202 Circulation Leaders ....................................................................... 203 Information Bearers ....................................................................... t e l Women's M a g a z in e s................................................................................. 266 Status Leaders ........................................................................271 Sum m ary.........................................................................................................286 V III. CONCLUSION................................................................................................................ 290 PERIODICAL SAMPLE........................................................................................300 BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 346 AUTOBIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................. 364 ▼ LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1* Clroulation Leaders—In Rank Order Having a Clroulation of 500,000 or M ore........................ • 76 2. Status Leaders—Rank Order of Circulation of Magazines Assessed as Opinion Leaders ................... 86 5* Summary Comparison of Total Sample and Sample Classifications With Magazines over 500,000 C lro u la tio n and A ll General M a g a z in e s..................................................................................... 87 4* Purpose of Articles on Anerioan Education— Circulation Leaders ......................................................... 145 5. Purpose of Articles on American Education-- Lnfonation Bearers ......................................................... 147 6* Purpose of Articles on American Education— Wonen'e Magazines .................................................................. 157 7. Purpose of Articles on American Education— Status Leaders ....................................................................... 162 8. Purpose of Articles on Anerioan Education— Summary P ercentages .............................................................. 167 9. Evaluation of Anerioan Education— Circulation Leaders ............................................................. 169 10. Evaluation of American Education— Inform ation Bearers .............................................................. 175 11. Evaluation of Amerioan Education— Women's Magazines .................................................................. 169 12. Evaluation of American Education— Status Leaders and American Mercury ................... • 195 13. Evaluation of American Education—Summary ..... 198 14. Jeffersonian-Jacksonian Themes in American Education—Circulation L eaders................................. 204 15. Nativist-Humanist Themes in Amerioan Education—Circulation Leaders ................................. 210 16. U tilita r ia n -L ib e r a l Arts Themes in American Education--Circulation Leaders .................................. 220 17. Individualism-Groupism Themes in Anerioan Education—Ciroulation L eaders................................. 226 vi LIST OF TABLES (C ontd.) Table Page 18. Jeffersonian-Jacksonian Themes in American Education—Information Bearers ................................. 233 1 9 . N a tiv lst-H u n a n ist Themes in Amerioan Education--Information Bearers ................................. 238 20. Utilitarian-Liberal Arts