Editor, Times-Union: When I went to elementary school in North Manchester, I remember watching science programs on TV thanks to the Airborne School of the Air, which supplemented what we learned in class. An airplane was used to relay the programs to TVs in the same way satellites relay programs to TVs around the world. I even saw Airborne programs on my Grandma Badman’s TV. I propose the creation of the Indiana Education Network. I would do more than supplement class material schools can’t afford to offer. Since it would be a satellite education system that would be in contact with schools, educators, and even companies around the state, nation and the world, some of this state’s brightest students would have access to those that could help them the most to succeed in life. If an art student produced wonderful paintings, thanks to the IEN, they could show their works to museums and art lovers around the world and sell them. The IEN would receive a percentage of the profits as an agent fee. An orchestra in England might hire a trumpeter straight out of Warsaw Community High School after an open audition for a multitude of orchestras thanks to the IEN. College costs are exorbitant. With satellite access to schools around the world, students could receive quality higher eduction for a fraction of the cost. Thanks to the IEN, a student could take art classes from Paris, physics classes from MIT, and history classes from the Smithsonian without leaving the house or being in debt for years. Once Experiencible Program Units become a reality and people can experience computer programs and networks, the IEN would allow students to gain access to many programs and networks that would shape their futures. A car designer might experience work for an Italian car company and never leave their home while a young composer might experience rehearsals of his music in Moscow, Berlin, and Warsaw, Poland, and still eat dinner at a restaurant in Warsaw. I’ve wanted computers to be in schools since I ran for secretary/treasurer in eighth grade in 1970. The IEN would rely on computers in classrooms to help as many students as possible. The IEN would help students that are good with their hands to become mechanics, plumbers, and craftsmen that could start earning a living after leaving high school thanks to IEN connections. The IEN has the potential of delivering quality educations to students throughout Indiana for minimal costs and allow talented students to live up to their potential. The Airborne School of the Air was great for Indiana students half a century ago. The Indiana Education Network might be an even greater system for Indiana students in the future. Rick Badman Warsaw
