More news from the little college that could in Western Massachusetts — Westfield State. When I went there, the name Dr. Phil referred to Phil Shepardson, in the English Department. He ran the media program, and I have him to thank for my stint in the radio business. The news director at the local commercial station had talked to Shepardson, who recommended me for an internship, and I was in. Before the internship had ended I was offered a job, and that was that.
Dr. Phil, who was considered by all to be a very cool professor, had written his PhD thesis on the work of Paddy Chayefsky. He hosted a TV show on the local NBC affiliate, where high schools from throughout the region competed in a weekly quiz show called, “As Schools Match Wits.” Watching it was a Saturday night ritual on campus, even for those bent on getting bent. Shepardson left the show about 15 years ago, but it continued with a new host.
Recently, my old buddy Mike Dobbs reported that after 46 years “As Schools Match Wits” was axed from the schedule. But now there’s word that Westfield State College is involved with efforts to save the show. In this big, bad old scary world, I consider this to be something nice. I hope they pull it off.
Quiz show broadcasts to continue
Thursday, October 12, 2006
The show pits local high schools against each other in tests of knowledge.
SPRINGFIELD – “As Schools Match Wits,” the long-running local quiz show that was set for cancellation, has been rescued by a partnership of two local television stations and a college.
Under an agreement among WWLP-TV, WGBY-TV and Westfield State College, the high school quiz show, which has been on the air locally since 1962, may be back on the air in January. The show pits local high schools against each other in tests of knowledge. The range of questions may take in everything from Civil War battles to the music of Mozart.
WWLP-TV canceled the show due to increased costs of providing closed captioning for the hearing-impaired for all programming.
Disappointed by the decision, a group of students at Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham collected hundreds of signatures on a petition requesting that the Springfield station reconsider the action. Several faculty advisers to teams from other schools also contacted station officials, hoping to preserve the show.
Under the agreement, WWLP-TV will provide production, technical and administrative assistance, as well as the set for the program, while Westfield State College will actually produce the program. WGBY-TV has agreed in principle to carry the program on a day and at a time to be determined.
“This arrangement will provide our communications students with actual broadcast experience. It certainly is a wonderful opportunity for our students and our school,” said Barry Maloney, the interim present of Westfield State College.
© 2006 The Republican, Springfield, MA (where Tom Wolfe had his first job)
