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Papers of
Frank E. Schooley
Processed by: Debra Gousha
November 1994
0.5 lin. ft.
Frank Ellsworth Schooley, the son of Ellsworth B. and Viola (Hasbrouck), was born in Effingham, Illinois on March 1, 1906. After graduating from Effingham High in 1923, he attended the University of Illinois where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism in 1929.
Schooley began his forty-three year career in broadcasting in 1929 when he was offered the position of Assistant to the Publicity Director, and Assistant in Journalism at the University of Illinois. Josef Wright, who was then the publicity director and the director of the university's radio station, WILL, turned over to Schooley the day-to-day responsibility of running the radio station. He became the first full time employee at the station, supervising two part-time announcers, and one part-time engineer. His duties encompassed a wide range of activities which included announcing, doing remote broadcasts, technical work, and handling the administration of the radio station's operations.
WILL, originally called WRM, was created when Boetious H. Sullivan gave the University of Illinois $50,000 to start a educational radio station. It was often referred to as the Roger C. Sullivan Memorial Station. It was built by students in the Department of Engineering, who than gave it to the University's Public Information Office to operate. Under Schooley's administration, WILL began broadcasting the University of Illinois's football and basketball games. After Wright retired from broadcasting in 1948, Schooley received the title of station manager and in 1955, the year that WILL-TV was established and WILL-FM was granted its present frequency, he was named Director of Broadcasting, a position he held until 1972. That same year he was honored for his many years in broadcasting by the formation of the Frank E. Schooley Radio-TV Fund, created by the University of Illinois Foundation to benefit the WILL-Radio and TV station.
In addition to his work at WILL, Schooley taught in the School of Journalism at the University of Illinois. He helped establish courses in radio and television, and taught courses in radio and television station management, and radio and television regulations. In 1968 he was made a full professor of radio and television. He was selected to appear in the 1970 edition of "Outstanding Educators of America."
Frank E. Schooley's other professional activities included a long affiliation with the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. He held the position of Executive Secretary from 1937 to 1943 and again in 1952. He served as president from 1944 to 1945 and from 1955 to 1956. He was treasurer from 1951 to 1954, and a member of the Board of Directors in 1947. He also served on the Joint Council on Educational Television in the 1950's. In 1968, President Johnson appointed Schooley to the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as the only educational broadcaster.
Frank E. Schooley died on June 12, 1987 at the age of 81.
The Papers of Frank E. Schooley cover the years 1918 to 1987, with the bulk of the collection dating from 1929 to 1972. The collection primarily focuses on Schooley's forty-three year career in educational public broadcasting at the University of Illinois, and his involvement with various professional affiliations in the educational and public broadcasting field. The collection also includes a significant amount of materials relating to his life outside of his career. Types of documents found in the collection include correspondence, newsclippings, articles, printed ephemera, certificates, and photographs.
The collection consists of four series:
- Series 1: Personal Papers
- Series 2: University of Illinois
- Series 3: Educational/Public Broadcasting Professional Affiliations
- Series 4: Photograph Collection
The Papers of Frank E. Schooley were donated to the National Public Broadcasting Archives, University of Maryland Libraries by Fred Schooley in May of 1993.
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1918-1987 (.13 lin. ft.)
This series documents Frank E. Schooley's personal and family life. It includes newsclippings, articles, and programs that chronicle various events and civic activities important to Frank E. Schooley and his family. It also contains a good deal of correspondence relating to Schooley family news with brief references to professional associations and his career in public broadcasting. This series is arranged alphabetically by subject and/or document type.
Series 2: The University of Illinois, 1925-1973 (.25 lin. ft.)
This series chronicles Frank E. Schooley's long association with the University of Illinois. It includes early school records, newsclippings, contracts, fan letters, articles, printed ephemera, and correspondence relating to Schooley's student activities, his teaching career, and his work as a manager at the University of Illinois public broadcasting station, WILL. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject and/or document type.
Series 3: Educational/Public Broadcasting Professional Affiliations, 1934-1976 (0.1 lin. ft.)
This series consists of materials documenting Frank E. Schooley's involvement with various professional organizations, focusing on his association with the National Association of Educational Broadcasters, and his membership on the Board of Directors for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It includes correspondence, newsclippings, certificates, and printed ephemera. Notable correspondents include former NBC president Robert W. Sarnoff and William G. Harley, former president of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. The series is arranged alphabetically by subject and/or document type.
Series 4: Photograph Collection, 1955-1974 (.02 lin. ft.)
This series consists of fourteen photographs of Frank E. Schooley by himself and with various other persons. The majority of the photographs are undated and the subjects unidentified. Photographs that are dated span the years 1955-1974. Some of the persons identified include Howard Bell, Charles R. Cook, and John Regnell.
A complete guide in Adobe Acrobat (*.pdf) format can be found here.
