Evening Star Newspaper, November 15, 1925, Page 99

s MAGAZINE SECTION ILLUSTRATED FICTION AND FEATURES b fi %unaag %i&f HUMOR Part 5—8 Pages WASHINGTON, D. SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 15; 1925. Little Human Traits Are Handicaps Before the Microphone BY DUFFY GILFOND. mercial. The radio, though ethereal, €< OOD-DAY, ladies and gen- WCAP at Washington. Would vou, Instead of . . . o ® 5 o a must yield revenue. If a station does teman, this is station Artists and Public Speakers Often Have leficulty in Meetmg the Requxrements of the Radio Sgatlon—-When the Ges- ot manufacture sets for sale its only source of income is to sell space to lictening-in on the radk as is your wont, like to look in toda If you will just stand by a moment, Jadics and gentlemen, until Miss Bee Ginner's distance from the micro- phone is determined, you may look in on WCAP at Washington." Miss Bee Ginner is all the w from Littletown, where the folks are sure #he can warble as well as Galli-Curci. They. finally persuaded her to e this trip to Washington to try out for dio. For two minutes she ®tares at the sign on the studio door, too timorous to enter. Then, muster: ing courage, she sidles in and s n this the radio station? nediately recognized by s Irene Postles, the hostess of the studio, as & tyro. Among Miss Postles’ dutjes s ministering te homesick visitors. In a few mom>nts Miss Ginner has decided that the radio sta tlon isn't such a dreadful place, that 80 far it is not more than a pleas ing, comfortable d wing room She is then pres ed to Mr. William T. Pierson, the program director, and 1o “Mike,” before whom she will per- form. Of the two the latter is by far the more awe-Inspiring. He ha a Jong, thin body with 4 round head, and while Miss Ginner instructed in her behavior toward him, the control man comes up close to him. clappinz eral times, as if he expects “Mike Mike” remains immobile, but, all sée. he is very sensitiv nothing ever escapes him. Formally he is known as the microphone, but “Mike™ is the nickname affectionately hestowed upon him by his co-workers. The serenade of applause is merely to ascertain whether he Is in tune. In the music room M Ginner's agitation has very likely returned. Windowles with heavy drapes of monk’s cloth covering the walls and ceilin, the aspect is somewhuat mys- tifying. But really very reasonable. Windows afford extraneou: sounds : bare walls give xounds resonance. In other words, It the wulls and ceiling were undraped, the echo of Miss Ginner's voice would render it very unnatural to listeners-in. Now, “Mike,” the fairest of Individ- uals, does not wish to transmit a mis- leading voice. The drapes, by absorb- ing the resonance, make It possible for “Mike” 1o record Miss Ginner's voice as it is. Of course, the human ear is accustomed to some echo, hence one square yard of material is drawn aside for each person in the room. When a band performs the drapes are almost entirely drawn. ok % % 'O return to Miss Ginner, who may become 100 nervous (o s She has naturally placed herself rizht be- fore the microphone to make certain that her voice will be heard in the adjoininz room, where Mr. Plerson is listening-in. Not knowing Mike, she does not realize how fine his sens! bilities are: how much better he could record her voice if she receded from him “Mike" reacts differently to different voices. The low voice, with its fewer vibrations and fewer impacts on the microphone, must be favored and placed- nearer “Mike” than_the._hizh Vvoice of many impacts. Miss Ginner, being a_soprano, has to be somewhat removed from ““Mike.” This is. whére we come in on the scene. We shall now see Miss Ginner un- dergo a radio test. This is not an abllity test. We assume the folks of Littletown know a good voice when thev hear one. Miss Ginner's voice ¢ be entrancing In a drawing room, n In & theater, but perhups not over the radio. The radlo voice can not be pitched too low. for slow vi brations will muffle the sound: it can not contain mueh tremolo: it must be particularly clear and distinct, and zbove all, it must not be artificial. The radio singer enters a home, not an #uditorfum. Unless an opera is being Dresented, the volce must not become “stagey”: if Delonging to a speaker, it must not be oratorical. Miss Ginner is also heing tested for her individuality—not for her personal- ‘ty. Being a novice she smiles at “Mike" and extends her arms toward him. He, however, is Interested only in her —and in her individuality which comes out In her voice. Her physical gestures, helpful enough on the stage, are wasted on the alr; but it is only after much experfence that the radfo performer can dispense with these without loss to expression Some radio artists or speakers never abandon their gesticulations. Charles Fvans Hughes gestures to his audi- ence as if It could see him. Caleb O’Connor, Washington declain re- fuses to sit down before little ike" (whom we shall meet later) as other speakers do. Unless he is on his teet, pounding the table or shaking his head as the interpretation wa rants, his “Gunza Din” or “Boots will be minus the “kick 1f Miss Ginner passes her radio test, she gets her opportunity on the ether. 1f in doubt about her, Mr. Pierson will confer with Paul Gascoigne, manager of the station. If folks in Littletown were mistaken about her, she will probably be told that her voice, ad- mirable though it be, does not broad- cast well—a cousin to the explanation of “movie" directors, in which the face in always pretty, but doesn't film that way. *oxow % HE nervousness of aspiring radio performers is v o ripple in comparison with the wave of agitation wiiich suffuses “air” debutants. Ether always has a peculiar effect on people. Tn the broadcasting station it does not 1ake away consclousness, but often the volce, One woman, who hid sung in pub- Jic a number of times, was thus affect- ed. The introduction was played by The accompanist, but she failed to take | her cue. It was played azain, but mi- lady remained silent. \When it was again repeated and no words were forthcoming, the announcer, ever ready to save the situation, pressed the button, thereby severing the artist from the alr. Acclaimed by a visible audience ttme and again, she had now hecome “etherized.” There was only one thing to do—those present in the drawing room were assembled in the music room—and milady sang. Shaken forefingers and fists of pub. lic men at spellbound audiences be- come shake knees on the air. One! public speaker was led into the speak: ==& room. placed in the ‘‘throne” chair, and introduced to “Mike's" little brother. “Little Mike,” purposely up like a telephone to ease the speak- er, 18 most innocent looking. He, nevertheless, perturbed our orato: Where are you going?” the speaker frantically demanded of the retiring announcer. When told that another presence might disquiet him, he protested. “Why, you don’t have to go out. You won't disturb me at all,” he in- sisted, the speech quivering in his hand. i “But T want to listen in on you, explalned the announcer. "I want to ) STuDIO B. FOR SPEAKERS and TECTURERS hear how you sound to yvour audience. =1 no: you must not leave me here.” besought the public speaker. He was finally persuaded. but when the siznal to start. the red light, ap- | peared (traffic .regulations in the air | are different from those on the | streets) his breath departed. Click | went the button and the speaker was cut off the air. “You read the speech to me." pr osed the ever ingenious announcel Set it off your chest once and it will come easie He agreed. He read his speech well —to an unsuspected audience, for he was on the air all the time. Even announcers. when young in the art, lose their footing on the air. i “Good evening, ladies and gentle: men,” commenced one. “This is st ltion’ WAC, WCP, WACP, at Wash- lington. “We are going to have a little dinner music by the—what was the | Iname of the bAnd?" he asked of his {teacher, thinking that the sensitive | “Mike”' could ot hear his ‘“sotto| | voce. ! | *“The Davis-Goldman,” prompted | {the instructor. | A little dinner music by the Davis {Goldman Band,” proceeded the un.| | happy announcer, ‘‘whose first selec- {tion will be—what was the name of the first selection?” he said, turning to his chief. The good announcer must be quick. | He must be able to save the program | when the artist is on the verge of | |spoiling it. When the banjo player misplaces his selection, the announcer asks the listeners to stand by until “the broken string is mended.” When | the efcited artist, still on the air, wants to know “How did that go lacks a little punch, he capers about or chirrups to stimulate them. | * ook % form should palpitate on the air | vou do not see.” Mr. Plerson always Ihim think of the one home in which | alizing his audience as a multiplicity | of such homes.. As soon as the artist can be convinced of the sympathy and warmth of his audience, he will please. “But,” says Everett Hardell, Wash- ington tenor, “the realization th: our audience 1s with you comes only GEN. PERSHING BROADCASTING A DEFENSE DAY SPEECH. over?” the apt announcer replies:| — “That was fine and I hope the audi-|later, when they write to you and e was _eventually ence thinks o, t00.”" When the band | criticize you.” veigled into speaking he really could And it wasn't a_cold, either, ex- cept perhaps in the feet. the name of his pieces they were going to play. Before artists sometimes even {traneous stimuli to combat the invisi- bility of the audience. have seen, He has studied | for “the radio. the control of E ‘i o _|the voice and its ndjustment to the HY people with polse on the plat-| 5, X0 S an-hie has wtudied vo But at first he confesses jis perplexins—unless “the devil that|he didn't know to, stand, e ly 3 . always felt he was not being heard,) Tou meis preterable o the dovll that| SRENE Ol She e ration Biairc the lack of applause dis- are after, employ |sie, and dress. attempts to calm an artist by making |heartened him. . “I didn't know when my -audience | atmosphere. i vi ympathetic or cold, so that I v rform, and then visu- |\Was unsymp he loves to pel e eabe e It took months to Baer, local orchestra conductor. Gascolgne introduced him to the lis- teners-in, but had to follow his intro | removed from - | with lights and brilliance, and he s Mike." RECEPTION RoOooMm at STUDIO - § > audienee is unscer. i N\ \ - N 1s never forgotten. In preparing their programs artists are guided by the letters of listeners. One well known local ginger finds that the lighter good music is most popular. requests call for “The World is Wait- ing for the Sunrise” and “When My in- He forgot orchestra and th szl 2 Most of his radioized.” and they need ex- Bomie: Ay we is beset for sentimental gestures; others Sophocles T. Pappas. Washington musician, needs 0 He gets it, too. is strumming his guitar heis placed close to “Mike,” the lights are that a dreaminess per- and Mr. Pappas No_sooner does he abandon | the guitar for the banjo than he is|elevation of musical taste, there are still those who prefer jazz all the yn- | tim The demand for good music is nat- urally the result of its dissemination through the phonograph and the ra- When the radio was first intro- duced anything was accepted by the listeners-in. heard the better But in spite of the When He is flooded “ut that stuff out {* STUDIO A TOR BROADCASTING THE MUSIC BY BANDS 4 ORCHESTRAS Erc. W.C.AP. BROADCASTING THE NOMINATION ACCEP EECH OF JORN W DAVIS at CLARKSBURG, W. ROBERT LAWRENCE, DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY CONCERTS AT THE MICROPHONE. WILLIAM PIERSON ,DIRECTOR OF W.C.A.P. PROGRAM, AT THE PIANO. classical number. “It freezes us—we want ‘Red Hot Mama.’" * % % ¥ JPROGRAM directors at the studio are constgntly studying the radio pulse of the public. There are the owners of, the little crystal set as well as the elaborate seven and eight tube set; there are those who wish to be entertained and those who want to dance; there are those who desire to be informed and those who can't be talked to for more than ten min- utes. Everybody must be considered, and only that which is of general interest to the general public, the principle governing the selection of numbers, will be broadcast. On the whole, students of the radio audience have found that in the after- noon, when the ladles are at home, domestic science talks and light music. appreciated. Dur \ TANCE ing the dinner hour orchestral music, rather than jazz, is preferred. when Dad skims over his paper, he can lend an ear to a vocdl- About 8 o'clock he is willing to lend both ears to a scientific or topi cal talk on the coal situation or farm By 9 o'clock the becomes diversified, so that all are still at home may enjoy it. After 10 the less spry have retired, and the radio manager who The Sunday morning program com- prises a service representative of a different church each week; a good ful musing music between 5 and 6:30, the dull hour of the da or ensemble music—no jazz—in the assembling hi been omitted; (he com- boulevards are taken there to recover: . . - an orghnizati Just as the ASY tures Become Necessary for the Orator Who Has No Audience—Some Persons Must Be Deceived in Order to Carry Through || Tather’ Soah Co. would buy hait the Program—Story of the Leader Who Forgot the Name of His Own Band—Criticisms From the Public Often Contradic- tory-—-Calls for Personal Service by the Announcer. a page of advertising space in the wspaper, it pays for an hour of space on the radio program. With this difference: It cannot tell over the vadio how much “Easy to Lather” p surpasses other soaps, as it may in the newspaper. e general public i not_interested in s to Lather” %0ap, but if some one from the “Easy to Lather” company, or through the courtesy of that concern, will speak on “The Proper Use of Soap.” a sub- ject of general interest to the zeneral | bublic, he will be accorded a place on the program. The company will be mentioned when the speaker is an: nounced as the conferrer of this courtesy More often, when the “Easy to Get” Taxi Co. wants to advertise over the radio Mr. Gascoigne will suggest that it offer tke public the privilege of lis- tening in on a good string quartet or some orchestral music once a week Radio fans appreciate the music, and are grateful to the * sy to Get” 1 Co., through whose courtesy they have heard it Sometimes the announcer. whose ingenuity we have discovered. will ipplement the number by remind- ing listeners not to call Main 100 when they wish the orchestra, for that is the telephone number of the taxi company. not the performers *oxox ¥ THE radio station fs fascinating to all classes of people. During lunch hour the “stenogs” of the neighborhood meander in to play on its plano: in the evening the recep- tion room is visited by the mes- senger hoy, anxious to see how an- nouncing is done, and by the wife of the discourser. nervously crouched before the loud speaker as it emits the wise words of her spouse. Going on the air is an event, and few new arti: fail to notify their friends. two or three. of whom come to the studio for the occasion While the world serfes was under way, women, some over 80, who had never before heen interested In base hall. sojourned here for hours Whenever anything of signifi takes place, such as the politi conventions, people who are at a dis tance from home or whose sets aren’t so good. flock to the studio Of the many who have never looked in on the radlo station thera arc few who haven't written to ii. No better example of the difficulty in pleasing the public may be had than by examining a handful o the 150 to 200 letters which greet Miss Helen Marsdon of the station cach morning One writer wishes to thank WCAD for the instructive talk he heard L night: another is niqued because he has been subjected to speeches after . hard day's work. One listener-in compliments the manager on his se- lection of entertainment; another complains that it is too provincial ‘Beggars should not be choosers.” he writes. “But if some rich gu sould offer a poor fellow free enter- tainment for life at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel one could hardl blame him If he declined te consider the generosity of some other philan- tiropist who offered him free quar- ters at the Salvation Army.” Orle writer congratulates the an- nouncer for “the absence of loc:t paculiarities in his English,” while another criticises his pronunciation Should the announcer give one sylla- ble a little more accent than his hear- rs like. 25 letters of protest will assail him the - following morninz One fan zrumbles because there ik not enough announcing, another be- cause there is too much. “It is noticed.” she writes, “that at the conclusion of each selection there is an extended and complete announce- ment of what has happened. Is it not possible that those who have listened are aware of the entertain- ment?” On the whole, however, letters bub ble with enthusiasm for the radio. Here is one from a blind war veteran “I just had the pleasure of listening to a piano recital by Miss Gertrude Kreisleman, and also the utmost pleasure of hearing a talk on ‘Scien tific Discoveries,” by Prof. Merritt. I would lIike to thank both at one time and to say to the professor that he spoke on the ambition of my wished- for life: fate is somewhat strange times and did me a very unpleasant deed when it took my evesight in the war, so, therefore, the only thing left to do is to listen to others talk." “I_want to let you know," writes another enthusiast, “that up here in apple district of Nova Scot 3 from the home of Longfellow" Svangeline,’ we enjoy very much your programs, which come in clear and loud on a two-tube set, home sembled and partially homemade." Letters come from every State in the Union, from Cuba and Englan from the quivering hand of an old man in Maine: from the typewriters of the blind: from “shut-ins” evervwhere. Requests come for. special programs for a future party, for music to ac company_setting-up exercises and for Ithe weather forecast “When you forecast the weather ** writes one woman, “I know whetn.r to shut the storm windows, whet to put extra coal on the fire, and 1y | daughter can be prepared for stormy | weather when she goes to work." So fervent is the appreciation of | some listeners-in that they wish to | thank the manager personal “My mother is failing fast,” wrote lone girl. “She has expressed her ap. | preciation so many times for WCAP, | her onfy consolation during days of |illness, that she wonders whether you wouldn't drop in to see her before she | goes. Mr. coigne_went. He also vis- | ited the United States Naval Hospital | to thank the boys for their apprecia- tive letters. The radio station even has its bene factors. One farmer, after a day of ! apple-gathering, enjoyed the program | so much that he sent a barrel of ap- | ples to the studio. Another sent | barrels of grapes as a token of a miration fof an artist, but, alas, they arrived two days after the-artist le.x the studio. L The Tiny Atom. "THE actual smallness of the atom is almost impossible to realize. | There are two hydrogen-atoms to one | oxygen atom in one molecule of water, and there are so many, atoms of hy. | drogen In one small drop that if the iatom were as big as.a drop they could cover the whole worid with a foot of water; or if they fell as in the heaviest rainfall it would rain all over the United States for nearly two weeks. Hospital for Trees. PARIS has a unique hospital, lo- cated on the banks of the Seine | Trees which grow weak ulonz the