1 - 4 of 4
Number of results to display per page

Allan Rohan Crite

Description: Interview with South End based artist Allan Rohan Crite. He tells a story about selling paintings in the 1940s, tracking them down, and recently finding them. He talks about his paintings, inspired by different parts of African American lives, including religion. He also talks about the poetry and essays he's been working on recently. They focus on his version of the African American experience. They shoot cutaways with no sound.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/04/1982

Count Basie

Description: Interview with jazz pianist and band leader Count Basie at the Berklee Performance Center. He talks about his long career and current musicians.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/25/1982

Desegregation, quality of education

Description: The Boston School Committee holds a meeting in the School Committee chambers. Members of the School Committee discuss school business. John O'Bryant (Boston School Committee) reports on the need for school repairs; Robert Spillane (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) reports on staffing issues. Sharon Stevens (WGBH reporter) interviews Kathleen Kelly (President, Boston Teachers Union) about a proposed school choice plan. Kelly says that many parents support a school choice plan because the current system allows little flexibility. Kelly says that the school choice plan must be considered carefully to prevent a return to segregated schools. Stevens interviews O'Bryant about the proposed school choice plan. O'Bryant says that the plan promotes greater access to schools across the city; that the current system is archaic and inflexible. Stevens interviews Barbara Gray (parent) about the proposed school choice plan. Gray says that parents should be allowed to choose a school with programs suited to the needs of their children. Gray says that the schools need to be improved; that the Boston Public Schools are not truly integrated because there are few white students. Stevens has extended conversations with interviewees while cutaways are shot. Takes of Stevens doing standup about supporters of the school choice plan working on an official proposal for the end of the month. The audio quality on this tape is uneven.
1:00:12: Visual: A Boston School Committee meeting is held in the chambers of the Boston School Committee. School committee members Jean McGuire, John O'Bryant, Jean Sullivan McKeigue, Kevin McCluskey, and Rita Walsh Tomasini are seated at the front of the room. Robert Spillane (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) sits at the front with the members of the School Committee. Community members and the press are seated in the audience. O'Bryant talks about the need for $40 million to make school repairs. He says that the mayor, the Boston City Council, and the community must be made aware of the money needed for repairs. Shots of the various committee members. McKeigue agrees that school repairs are needed. A vote is taken on approving a draft of a letter to the mayor and the Boston City Council. O'Bryant thanks Spillane for his report. O'Bryant asks Spillane a question about staffing. Spillane says that more staff is needed before instituting a certain program. Audio is muffled. Shots of Sharon Stevens (WGBH reporter); of members of the audience; of the stenographer; of the committee; of the audience. The committee members discuss school business. Audio remains muffled. Shot of the committee members from the perspective of the audience. 1:05:10: Visual: Spillane talks about setting objectives for the school Social Studies programs. Shots of the committee members; of the audience. Audio is muffled. The committee members take a vote. Committee members discuss school contract issues. Shot of Stevens; of Kathleen Kelly (President, Boston Teachers Union) speaking to another audience member; of audience members. 1:08:15: V: Stevens sets up an interview with Kelly. Stevens asks Kelly about a "freedom of choice" proposal supported by some African American parents. Kelly says that she has not yet seen the proposal; that many African American and white parents support a "freedom of choice" plan because the geocode system allows little flexibility; that parents are more interested in good education than racial statistics. Kelly says that a control mechanism must be put in place to prevent a return to segregated schools; that the plan must be given careful thought. Kelly says that the choice of educational programs is more important than the choice of school location. Stevens asks Kelly if busing is "almost dead." Kelly says that busing is no longer the only remedy for Boston schools; that busing can serve as a tool to further the goals of desegregation and educational quality. The crew takes cutaway shots of Stevens and Kelly. Stevens and Kelly speak informally. 1:12:36: V: Stevens sets up an interview with O'Bryant. Stevens asks for O'Bryant's opinion of the "freedom of choice" proposal. O'Bryant says that parents are trying to reform the rigid geocode system; that students have been denied access to schools because of the geocode system. O'Bryant mentions students who have been denied access to the Trotter School. O'Bryant says that the parents are asking for more accessibility to the schools; that the "freedom of choice" proposal has been made into a bigger issue than it should be. O'Bryant says that the geocode system assigns students to schools based upon their residence; that the geocode system is archaic and inflexible; that the geocode system must be addressed in the consent decrees put forth by the court; that leaving the geocode system in place would have "disastrous" consequences. Stevens asks O'Bryant about NAACP intervention in the court case, and NAACP opposition to the "freedom of choice" plan. O'Bryant says that there is a lack of communication between the NAACP and supporters of the plan; that supporters of the plan want greater access to the schools. Stevens asks if the "freedom of choice" plan could result in a return to segregated schools. O'Bryant says that schools in Boston are already segregated because white parents refuse to send their children to most schools located in African American communities; that African American parents want greater access to quality schools all over the city. The crew takes cutaway shots of Stevens and O'Bryant. O'Bryant says again that the "freedom of choice" plan does not represent a return to segregated schools. 1:16:13: V: Stevens sets up an interview with Barbara Gray (parent), who supports the "freedom of choice" plan. Gray says that the supporters of the plan want greater access to all of the schools; that supporters of the plan want an end to the rigid geocode system. Gray explains that the geocode system assigns children to schools according to address and race. Gray says that all of Boston schools need to have high standards; that the each of the schools should have different programs designed to suit specific needs; that students should be able to choose a school whose programs suit their needs. Gray says that education needs to be improved so that all of the schools are equally competitive and able to provide a good education. Stevens asks if the "freedom of choice" plan could result in a return to segregated schools. Gray says that she does not want to go back to segregated schools; that true integration does not exist in Boston because there are not enough white students in the school system; that white students might return to the system if the schools are reformed. The crew takes cutaway shots of Stevens and Gray. Gray says that parents want more control over the education of their children. 1:19:59: V: Stevens records the closing segment of the story from outside of the headquarters of the Boston School Committee. She reports that the supporters of the "freedom of choice" plan are working on an official proposal for the end of the month; that the Massachusetts State Board of Education will propose an end to court intervention in the Boston School System. Stevens does two more takes of the closing segment.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/08/1982

Robert Spillane and desegregation

Description: Robert Spillane (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools) speaks to an audience in the chambers of the Boston School Committee. He is introduced by Jean Sullivan McKeigue (President, Boston School Committee), who notes that the School Committee will vote on March 5 about whether to keep Spillane in the post of Superintendent. Spillane addresses the issues of school desegregation and school violence. Spillane says past students in Boston Public Schools had been denied a good education due to segregated schools and cynicism among educators. Spillane talks about the continued involvement of Arthur Garrity (federal judge) in the supervision of the Boston Public Schools. Spillane says that the Boston School Department must begin to take responsibility for school desegregation. Spillane reminds the audience that racial discrimination will not be tolerated in the Boston Public School system; that the climate in the schools must be improved. Spillane stresses the importance of faculty integration. Spillane talks about school discipline and the fair implementation of the disciplinary code. Spillane says that a monitoring process will assure that minority students are no longer singled out for disciplinary action. Spillane promises to establish a task force to investigate school violence. Spillane says that school desegregation will have been a failure if quality education cannot be assured. Spillane also talks about additional programs for students, teacher training, teacher evaluation and community involvement in the schools. John O'Bryant (Boston School Committee) is interviewed by the media after the speech. O'Bryant says that Spillane has addressed school desegregation in a courageous manner; that he will vote for Spillane on March 5.
1:00:04: Press and members of the community are gathered in the Boston School Committee chambers. Jean Sullivan McKeigue (President, Boston School Committee) enters the room and announces that the vote on the office of school superintendent will take place on March 5. McKeigue introduces Robert Spillane (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools). Spillane enters the room and sits down. Spillane thanks McKeigue. He acknowledges the fact that the School Committee will be voting on whether to continue his superintendency. Spillane addresses the need for community involvement in Boston schools. Spillane says that he started as superintendent seven months ago; that he was aware of the social, fiscal and educational problems faced by Boston schools; that he has tried to provide constructive leadership. Spillane says that the schools are working with reduced resources; that he is trying to address the educational and social needs of nearly 60,000 students. Spillane refers to school desegregation across the nation. He says that Boston public school students had been denied a good education due to segregated schools and a cynicism among educators. Spillane says that he would like to address two problems today: school desegregation and school violence. Spillane talks about Judge Arthur Garrity's efforts to produce agreement among the parties in the Boston school desegregation case (Morgan v. Hennigan). He says that these agreements aim to secure the advances made by eight years of school desegregation; that these agreements would form the basis of a final set of court orders; that Garrity would cease to supervise the schools after these consent decrees were put in place. Spillane says that the consent decrees provide an opportunity to assess the progress made in school desegregation. Spillane reviews the state of the Boston Public School System before desegregation. Spillane says that he would like to eliminate racial inequality while improving educational quality. Spillane says that he would like to institute a long-range plan for the schools; that the plan would be presented to Garrity through the consent decree process. Spillane says that Boston schools must take responsibility for school desegregation; that equal educational opportunities must exist for all students; that the staff must be integrated as well as the students. Spillane says that the schools require strong leadership, a clear curriculum, conscientious teaching and a safe school climate. Spillane says that students must be prepared for higher education or the job market; that schools must work with parents to improve education. Spillane says that racial discrimination cannot be tolerated in and out of school; that he will not tolerate those who say that some children cannot learn. Spillane says that teachers must work hard to educate all children. Spillane says that he supports the integration of school faculty; that school staff must represent a cross-section of American society; that minority staff have been denied access to jobs in the past. Spillane says that African Americans and other minorities will be represented in key positions in the school administration. 1:10:44: Spillane says that youth violence is a problem in Boston's schools and neighborhoods. Spillane says that order must be kept in the schools; that alternative programs must be provided for all students in need of them. Spillane says that violence can stem from a lack of success in school; that school staff must help students to learn and achieve as best they can. Spillane says that fair and equitable disciplinary action must be assured; that minority students may have been singled out for disciplinary action in the past. Spillane says that he will set up a process to monitor disciplinary action and insure fair implementation of the disciplinary code. Spillane says that he will establish a task force to investigate school violence; that the task force can make recommendations on how to counter school violence. Spillane notes that students who are not taught to read and write are victims of another kind of violence; that some students are not encouraged to learn; that all students must be prepared to function as active and contributing members of society. Spillane says that desegregation will be rendered ineffective if quality education is not assured; that urban schools can make a difference in the lives of their students. Visual: Shot of a young African American boy who is fidgeting in the back of the room. Spillane says that teacher training is important. V: Jump cut in videotape. Spillane talks about alternative programs for students with special needs. V: Jump cut in videotape. Shots of audience from Spillane's perspective. Spillane says that a fair process of teacher evaluation will be implemented; that assistance and training must be given to teachers; that superior performance should be recognized and inferior performance should be addressed. V: Shot from the back of the room of Spillane addressing the audience. Spillane talks about the need for high academic standards. V: Jump cut in videotape. Spillane says that he will continue to work with the business community on employment and training programs for students. V: Jump cut in videotape. Spillane talks about the need for good vocational education programs. V: Jump cut in videotape. Spillane addresses the need for strong bilingual education programs. Spillane says that the programs must be assessed to assure that they are meeting the needs of the students. V: Jump cut in videotape. Spillane says that education must be a priority in the city; that civic leaders, parents and school administrators must work together to improve the schools; that all groups concerned about the schools must be listened to. V: Jump cut in videotape. The audience claps for Spillane. V: Jump cut in videotape. John O'Bryant (Boston School Committee) is interviewed by the media. He says that he is impressed with Spillane's growth since his stormy meeting with the school committee on February 8; that he will vote for Spillane. O'Bryant says that Spillane addressed school desegregation in a courageous manner; that very few high-profile officials talk about the beneficial effects of school desegregation in Boston; that few people give Garrity credit for instituting desegregation in Boston schools. O'Bryant says that he is optimistic about Spillane's ability to do the job. The media continues to question O'Bryant.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/02/1982