Discover the inspiring origin story of WCVE, Central Virginia’s educational television station. This video traces the remarkable journey from a single televised classroom in 1963 to the launch of a full-fledged TV station dedicated to learning.

It all began when Tom Boushall, a local banker and school board member, was moved by the power of educational television. Determined to bring more of it to Virginia’s students, he rallied support to create a station from the ground up. But there was one big challenge—none of them knew how to build one.

That’s when B.W. Spiller entered the picture. Having already built two stations, he answered a newspaper ad and brought his expertise to Virginia. With just nine months to transform an empty lot into a functioning broadcast station, Spiller worked tirelessly to assemble the infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Mary Anne Franklin was brought on to lead a team of educators in turning classroom lessons into compelling TV programs. Together with producers and artists, they shaped a new model for teaching through television.

On September 14, 1964, WCVE went live for the first time, broadcasting directly into classrooms and ushering in a new era of educational media in Virginia.

This short video pays tribute to the vision, ingenuity, and determination that brought public educational TV to life in Central Virginia.