Fellows, wearing tie, specialized in connecting people, and sometimes puppets. To launch the American Children's Television Festival, he brought in the early TV troupe, Burr Tillstrom and his puppet stars Kukla and Ollie. (Photo: American Center for Children and Media.).
Being Jim Fellows: From Cufflinks to Coincidences
In 1978, the spring of my junior year in college, I traveled home to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual convention of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters. I was studying toward a career in children’s television, and wanted to see the “state of the art.” Before leaving, I introduced myself to the president of NAEB – James Fellows – and requested an informational interview when I next came to Washington. I asked for 15 minutes; he gave me 45.
Ten years later, I was planning a move to Chicago, where my wife would attend graduate school. I heard that Jim Fellows was heading the Central Educational Network there, and wrote him a letter that began, “you won’t remember me, but . . .”
Almost instantly (for those days before e-mail), I received a call from Jim, saying “not only do I remember you, but I may have the perfect job.” Several interviews later, he asked me to direct the American Children’s Television Festival (now the American Center for Children and Media).
He was right: It was – and almost 24 years later continues to be – the perfect job.
Anyone who planned a conference with Jim may recall one of his favorite tricks. Invite a very high-level official to appear. If, as was likely, he or she declines, give the speech yourself and conjecture what that person would have said.
In that spirit, since Jim is not available to write this tribute himself, here are just a few things I believe he would ask us to take from his extraordinary life.
Surround yourself with music. Begin with Mahler.
Read widely and quote liberally, especially from Jacques Barzun.
Write letters. In longhand. As Barzun wrote, “It seems a long time since the morning mail could be called correspondence.”
Next time you have dinner with friends, excuse yourself from the table and pay the bill when no one is looking.
Never, ever say “no problem” when you mean “It was my pleasure.”
Love public broadcasting. Get frustrated with public broadcasting. Love public broadcasting. Get frustrated with public broadcasting. Deep down and always love public broadcasting.
Compose difficult documents twice – first write what you’d like to say, then what you need to say.
Play with words. Make an atrocious pun . . . as if there was any other kind.
Live by Fred Rogers’ dictum, that anything an adult can do to bring one more caring person into a child’s life is worthwhile.
Travel well and widely, but when you get homesick, it’s okay to eat at the Burger King in the Munich train station.
Copy and file speeches, articles and cartoons. In both politics and public broadcasting, ideas are like fashions: if you wait long enough, they’ll come back into vogue.
Professionally, believe passionately in the power of technology for education. Personally, recall fondly your Royal manual typewriter.
When you chair a committee or board, draft the minutes ahead of time. No meeting needs to be longer than what can fit on one side of a dry cleaner’s shirt cardboard.
Be a regular patron in at least one restaurant. Get to know the maitre d’, bartender and waiters.
Make astounding connections. Halfway around the world, discover that someone you just met has a mutual friend, lives right around the corner, or grew up with your cousin. When the link is made, ask if they know Liza Minnelli’s song, “Ring Them Bells.”
Buy posters. Frame them. Cover your walls. Leave room for framed menus from favorite restaurants.
Wear bow ties and cufflinks.
Finally, remember someone you met only briefly. You never know when you’ll have the opportunity to make their dreams come true.
David Kleeman is president of the American Center for Children and Media, based in Chicago. He worked for 16 years with Jim Fellows, founding president of the center.
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