1983_03 Insight March 1983

              Morch 16, 1983
Innight
Chipmunks: From Fresno to CBS
young man, Including the bright lights
of Broadway. In 1939, at the age of 20,
he heeded for the Big Apple to work
with bis cousin, Wllnam Saroyan, in
Saroyan's play "The Time of Your
Ufa"
However, World War n intervened and Bagrlasarian and Saroyan
"My dad figured et that point
'Gee, there's nothing to this song
writing business. My first song a gold
record, what could be easier?1 " said
Ross Jr. "There were some lean years
in between mere but that was tbe
beginning of his song writing career."
The Chipmunk idea came to him
some seven years later, oddly enough,
white he was driving In the mountains
from two sources. Bagdasarian
always wanted to name one of his sons
David, but never did. Seville came
from the dty in Spain that he end
try in Europe. When the war ended
Bagdasarian came beck to Fresno
I a try. A couple of 1
later, be end Us wife decided met if
they were going to starve, they would
just as soon do it writing songs.
Realising the necessity of being
close to the recording Industry, the
Begdasarians moved to Los Angeles
in 1960 with the only one song.
The song waa Come On a' My
House, which he collaberated on with
the song In 1961 and tbe result was e
smash hit Coma On a' My House sold
over one million copies, earning
Bagdasarian a gold record and setting
the course for his future.
"In early 1958 be wrote a song
called The witchdoctor" be said.
(Remember? - OOH, EEE, OOH AH
AH, TING, TANG, WALLA WALLA
BING BANG?) "He performed It and
it was the witchdoctor's voice that
la ter became tbe Chipmunk sound. He
now had the sound he really liked, but
didn't know whet kind of character
that voice sounded like.
"Anyway, he was driving up
around Yosemite trying to figure out
if the characters should be singing
reindeer or hippopotamus or what.
Then this little chipmunk jumped out
on the road and kind of dared my ded
and Us 4,000-pound car to drive peat
He just about fell out of the car
toughing end knew at that point he
had his little characters."
The name David Seville came
World War n.
When The Chipmunk Song hit the
airwaves during the Christmas
Season of 1968, it sold an Indredibte
*.Vi million copies In seven weeks -
setting a new mark in the recording
It. When tbe people at Uberty
Records were giving Urn problems, I
remember he would go jump on their
desk and start shouting, so he wasn't
coy about things."
Utilizing the ready-made product
be had created in tbe recording and
television Industry, be got into the
merchandising aree of the Chipmunk
Crase. Soon kids nationwide were
but Chipmunk mania was soon to spill
His I
began to wane around 1966 so be
"retired'' them the following year,
after producing 13 albums that sold
"The Alvin Show" debuted on
CBS prime time, opposite "Wagon
Train," In October of 1961. The show
ran four seasons until a disagreement
broke out between Bagdasarian and
the network. According to Ross Jr.,
CBS wasn't willing to pay him In proportion to the high-quality shows he
was producing, thus ending tbe Chipmunks on television series.
"My dad wasn't shy about Us
feelings," Ross Jr. recalled. "If he
wanted to let people know something
he would always be reel direct about
Remembering his Valley roots, he
and wineries in Tulare and Delano. He
then proceeded to build Sierra Winery
into the nation's fifth largest bulk-
produdng winery in the early 1970s —
contributing up to 75 percent  of
Alma den's wine.
"My dad, as do I, had a greet feeling for that whole San Joaquin
Valley," said Rons Jr. "I spent summers up in Sanger working on the
Chipmunk Ranch."
Rots Bagdasarian Sr. with the most famous of the Chipmunks.
Creator's son mixes
love with Chipmunks
Infringements: Free copies used
FREDGILDNER
Insight reporter
Ross Bagdasarian Jr. planned to
run the financial empire his father
had began. Little did be dream he
would bring his father's original creation back to life
Massajfjag the family business re-
cniired considerable skills so Ross set
out for Stanford to do his
undergraduate work and then to
Southwestern University Law School
in Los Angeles for post graduate
studies. It was during his stint et
Southwestern that be came across the
path of Janice Karman.
It waa love et first sight — for
him, notyor her.
"It took me five years to convince
her that we would be great together,"
he chuckled. For professional
reasons, Janice retained her maiden
name. The adress/writer/producer
has been involved in such TV enterprises as Frcebie and the Bean. Lou
Grant, and Walk Far Woman — appearing with Raquel Welch. The two
have been married for the last two
Janice, a big Chipmunk fan as a
"Janice and I started all of this as
a testimony to my dad," claims Ross.
S The "new" Chipmunks were successfully launched in June of 1960.
"Actually, we tried several years
before and really found a lot of
resistance in tbe industry," be added.
"The thought was That's kind of old
hat' and not current with the times.
"But after the Chipmunk Punk
album came out people realized that
tbe Chipmunks could be applied in a
whole new way.
"Since Urban Chipmunk end The
Chipmunks Go Hollywood, the Chip
munks have been the best seller in
children's records — Including the
Muppets, Sesame Street, Disney and
all tbe rest of them. I guess people
started thinking 'maybe tbey CAN
work in the'80s.
"So now we're starting the TV
shows. We did a Chipmunk Christmas
special for NBC and it warthe highest
rated Christmas special in the whole
TV Industry."
The entire Chipmunk project Is a
joint venture for Ross and Janice.
Ross does the voices of David Seville,
Simon and Alvin while Janice does the
voice of Theodore.
They are also writing and producing tbe TV show together. It will
premier this September on Saturday
mornings along the NBC network.
Rots' present leadership in the
production of tbe Chipmunks far
supersedes his participation as a
child.
"My total involvement with the
Chipmunks was to be called in from
time to time with my brother and
sister, and dad would play us his
latest show," be said. "He would ask
our opinion, and we'd say "'yup,'
'nope,' It's a hit' or 'we don't like it'
and  go  back  outside  and  play
Continued from page i structor, said textbook prices may be
tions are committed knowingly. one of the biggest factors causing
In spite of the recent lawsuit teachers to step over the copyright
against New York University with its law line.
costly implications for educators, "At some point in time, a large
many professors, including those at number of people in the academic
CSUF, still feel cushioned against a community have been involved in in-
similar action because of the unen- fringing on copyright laws," Packey
forceable nature of the law. said.
Of six CSUF-laattructors inter- "I  think some of them do it
viewed by Insight, some said they because they fail to see the wrongdo-
have committed copyright infringe- ing there," he said. "They don't ob-
ment, others said they try to stay tain  any   personal  gain.   They
within  the  rather  nebulous  re- distribute coriga free to the students
quirements of the law. None have and they look at-rt,as.doing something
tried to sell any photocopied work, nor that is good for the students. They feel
do any fear punishment for copyright more   responsiblity   toward   the
infringement. students than toward the publisher."
"There is no way the publishers O'Neil agrees. "Book prices have
are going to sue every university," become so Ugh that they are a serious
said Dr. Robert O'Neil, an English threat to education," he said/ "You
professor. "There are so many ajLus begin to feel a need to counteract
they can't possibly, come* after usT' that."                                 V
He complained about the* On the other hand, Dr. Pat Nathe,
pickiness of the law, wUch spells out a criminology professor defends tbe
the number of words that can be rights of the publishers to make pro-
photocopied  for  distribution  to fits.
students in works of poetry, short "Stiidents don't have a perception
stories, articles an prose. of  ho*, the  whole  book   industry
"This silly business of getting works," she said. "I know how little
down to a certain number of words publishers   make.   We   need   those
puts us in an obviously ridiculous publishers and if we make it un-
situation," he said. "If you copy 2,500 profitable for them to put material
words, you are witUn the law. If it's out we are going to be in trouble."
2,501 you are in violation." But Nathe also feels publishers
Other elements of the 1976 charge unreasonable prices for copy-
Copyright Act dictate that a teacher ing rights in some instances,
may distribute photocopied magazine "I once wrote to a company and
articles for only one semester without asked permission to copy a piece for
first seeking permission from the my class," she said. "They wanted,
publisher. Anthologies, created by me to pay $250, so I ended up giving
combining photocopies from several the information in lecture notes in-
published works, are copyright viola- stead."
tions under any circumstances. Dr. O.J. Tocchio, chairman of the
Dan Packey, an economics In- criminology department,  feels the
students may lose something through
this alternate method.
"If I sit down and discuss
something for two hours, unless the
students take shorthand, they're not
going to get everything," he said.
To solve tbe problem, he places
articles on reserve in the library and
seeks copying rights from the
publisher   before   the   following
Tocchio said he takes extra pains
to abide by the law because of his position in the criminology department.
"By God, if I'm not honest how
can I teach my students to be
honest?" he asked.
"I suspect there may be some
professors here who are going beyond
the law because tbey are not aware of
it. But, of course, ignorance is no excuse."
Stephanie Hillman, assistant
CSUF librarian, agrees but says the
complicated copyright law is almost
impossible to understand.
Furthermore, there are a lot of
philosophical questions tied up in the
issue, she said. "How do we weigh
protection of copyright against the
free flow of information?" she asked.
Hillman said some magazine
publishers charge higher subscription
rates to libraries because they claim
their total sales are reduced by the
free access afforded by libraries.
Some publishers claim library
■patrons will photocopy articles in the
library instead of buying their
magazines.
Hillman disagrees. She argues
that copying machines, which were
introduced to the library In 1965, allow
researchers to do their work more
quickly than before because tbey
"don't have to sit and copy laboriously by hand." Most of the copied
material comes from books or journals that would not be puchased by the
library patron anyway, she said.
Hillman feels the library may actually increase sales of books and
magazines by introducing them to the
readers.
The copyright law will certainly
receive more attention once the New
York University copyright infringement case is settled, according to
Packey, especially if it involves a
large cash settlement.
"People have a tendency to respond to money," be said.
In the meantime, however, many
professors continue to weigh the Ugh
cost of textbooks and magazine
subscriptions against the less expensive option ,pf photocopying relevant
portions, even If they are larger than
allowed by law
"A few years ago, 1 could ask my
students to buy eight of nine paperback books for under $12," O'Neil
said. "Now they cost $30 to $32.
"If professors get mad enough
about the cost, they're likely to copy
things and give them to the students
Instead.
"Everybody is in the same position," he said. "I suppose4 almost
every farmer violates the law once or
twice a year with so many laws regarding commodities, prices, and
pesticides. And almost" every
businessman does.
"The point is, college professors
shouldn't be moralistic about farmers
or businessmen if they violate the law
themselves."
FALC: Attempts to help illiterate adults
TAKING THE C BEST ?
•for a teaching credential-
Enroll in 24 hr. review course for
California Basic Educational Skills Test
Covers all sections: with emphasis on Math
also test-taking techniques
March 28-31,8 a.m.- 3 p.m.
Cost: 180.00 Class size limited
Presented by Educational Development
-proven test-preparation experience
I for reservation & information call: 226-079
Continued from page 1
creese  of 100 in  the  number of
students serviced.
According to a recent report-
published by tbe FALC, ISO of these
students fall between the ages, of 18 to
34 and 100 between the ages of 35 to 54.
Since 1975, the number of students
served has almost tripled.
Statistics show that English
speaking students comprised e fourth
of the enrollment and that the majority of those who are English-speaking
are Hispanic, followed next by Caucasians and then by blacks.
Of the non-English ajajajjea student, those with the highest percentage are the newest minority from
Aato - tbe Hmong. Of tbe total
number of students, e little more than
half are Asian. There ere at least 18
nationalities Including Chinese,
Ethiopians, Filipinos and Laotians.
While the proportion of male
students appears to be increasing,
Cannon noted that there are
significantly more women students —
70 percent's projected for 1983.
Cannon said that the students,
and the tutors, come from "ell walks
of life" and that she is concerned
about the misconception often placed
on illiterates.
"I feel strongly that there Is a
misconception between someone who
is an Illiterate and someone who is
mentally retarded. An illiterate is not
necessarily retarded and is not
necessarily a stow learner," she said.
"There could be other reasons why he
Is not able to function to the traditional sense. One reason Is perhaps he
did not learn the basic IundamenUl
when he first started out"
She said if the student does not
grasp the fundamentals right eway or
conform to the standards of tbe same
level of others, that person has a tends ncy to fall below the progress of the
class. And, as a result, she said he
does not get any meaningful motive-''
tion to continue.
"He gets the label of not being
able to conform or cope," said Cannon. "He's labeled essentially In the
younger years asheing too immature,
when really all that person needs is individual attention."
Although Cannon said the FALC
is currently understaffed, the center
tries to offer one-to-one instruction,
allowing students to work at their own
pace and ability in individual areas of
levels of reading. Upon completion of
study, stiidents should reach tbe sixth
or seventh grade levels. Cannon said
it usually takes "the average person"
three years of two hours of Instruction
per week. The method uses phonics,
word association and repetition to
teach students how to read and write.
Cannon is tbe only paid worker at
the FALC and said there is a high rate
I said there is a
among- the   <
tutors. Tutor training workshops
lasting a total of M hours are held
periodically —11 hours to train how to
instruct English-speaking students
and an additional 12 hours to train
reason why people do not seek help.
"They are so afraid to receive help
because they are afraid they are going to be labeled 'dumb' again."
The severity of illiteracy is not obvious until one considers stories
about:
e Persons who were hospitalized
when emergency medication could
not be opened because tbey were
unable to reed the instructions on
opening a childproof cap on the
medicine.
e People who die because tbey
cannot reed a plainly-worded safety
warning.
e Persons wbo can scrawl their
It is estimated that the United
States spends $6.6 billion a year
keeping 700,000 illiterates in jail.
The technique used to teach
reeding and writing at the FALC Is
known as the "Laubach Method" end
was the bralncWld of Dr. Frank C.
Laubach. Laubach, founder of
Laubach Literacy International,
began his teachings In the Phillipines
In 1930 and haa since seen his method
volunteers  to  teach  non-English
Laubach Literacy International is
the governing board to the more than
30,000 Laubach Literacy Action
volunteer tutors throughout 600 U.S.
The Laubach method Is a method
at the seme time, said Cannon. All
students start et the very beginning
"Some of the students we have
have never been praised in their entire life because they have never done
anything that was outstanding," said
Cannon. "When people are praised,
they feel tbey can cope with just about
anything or any person. Tbey go on to
adult school or dty college. They are
able to pass their driving test and get
a job. They are able to obtain a certain respect from others that they
were not able to obtain before. And,
most  Importantly,  they respect
Ac-   t
cording to Admiral Hyman Rickover,
30  percent  of Navy  recruites  are
dangerous  to  themselves  because   I
they lack basic educational skills The
US. Navy spent $6 million rewriting  ,
manuals to make them easier to be  <
understood by tbe Navy illiterate.
It le also estimated that the
United States spends $6.6 billion a
year keeping 700.000 illiterates In jail.
JUL ,
But despite the growing problem (
of illiteracy, not only in Fresno, but ;
across tbe world, strides are being •
made to help conquer it.
Would-be volunteers, and those
Ud the Board of Wrectors,"
Cannon. "I find delight In knowing  ■
that a person U beginning to feel good