The Metric Marvels is a 1978-1979 series of seven animated educational shorts featuring songs about meters, liters, Celsius, and grams, designed to teach American children how to use the metric system. They were produced by Newall & Yohe, the same advertising agency which produced ABC'sSchoolhouse Rock! series, and first aired on the NBC television network in September 1978.[1] The spots were shown three times each Saturday during the children's programming block for the 1978-79 season.[2]
The Metric Marvels
The Metric Marvels, from left to right: Meter Man, Liter Leader, Wonder Gram and Super Celsius
On December 23, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Metric Conversion Act into law; this act gave official sanction for the United States to convert to the metric system of measurement. At the time the United States mainly used the U.S. Customary system. Ford's presidential successor, Jimmy Carter, began to implement this law in earnest, helping to set up the U.S. Metric Board as a task force to determine when and how the U.S. would convert to metric. The USMB suggested that the transition ought to be voluntary and gradual, taking place over at least a ten-year period.
As part of this gradual transition, the USMB sponsored a number of public service announcements on radio and television. The Metric Marvels was one such television PSA, aired during NBC's Saturday morning cartoons. The shorts featured four animated metric superheroes: Meter Man, Liter Leader, Super Celsius and Wonder Gram.[3] Each superhero performed songs designed to teach children the difference between the old English system and the new metric system.
Episodesedit
"Meet Meter Man" / Superhero Meter Man helps people convert length and distance to metric terms
"Mara-Mara-Marathon" / The difference between miles and kilometers
"I'm Your Liter Leader" / Superhero Liter Leader explains the difference between gallons and liters
The series shared the animation style, song quality and voice actors with the popular Schoolhouse Rock! on rival network ABC. Incoming NBC president Fred Silverman, formerly of ABC, may have thought to replicate the success of that show; Newall & Yohe also produced Saturday morning network IDs and the full-length Drawing Power! series for NBC. Despite this, the series was pulled from the air after a single seven-episode season. Being separated from Schoolhouse Rock! prevented the series from having an afterlife in reruns. Moreover, at the time NBC was ranked third place in viewership among the three dominant television networks.
A deadline for metrication was never passed into United States federal law, and the push for metrication in the United States lost traction following the 1982 dissolution of the United States Metric Board under PresidentRonald Reagan. U.S. metrication is currently overseen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, whose newer series League of SI Superheroes bears some similarities to The Metric Marvels, including a character named Meter Man with many similarities to the identically-named character in the latter series.
Mediaedit
The Metric Marvels was released on VHS for educational buyers only in 1979 by Newell and Yohe, Inc.; Center for Humanities Mount Kisco, NY. This release was in color and included one videocassette (approximately 17 min., 30 sec.) and seven teacher's guides, described as "seven 2 1/2 minute segments in which four animated superheroes explain the metric system" and carried the note "Previously issued as seven filmstrips by Xerox Films". The Xerox Films filmstrip release was described as "Elementary and junior high school, Filmstrip" and included seven 35 mm color filmstrips (approximately 200 fr.), seven audiocassettes and five teacher's guides. [4] Xerox Films was a producer of films for schools and libraries, and was one of the 10 companies making up The Xerox Education Group at the time. [5]
Referencesedit
^Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 540. ISBN978-1476665993.
^Woolery, George W. (1983). Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part 1: Animated Cartoon Series. Scarecrow Press. pp. 180–181. ISBN0-8108-1557-5. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
^Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 387. ISBN978-1538103739.
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The Metric Marvels is a 1978 1979 series of seven animated educational shorts featuring songs about meters liters Celsius and grams designed to teach American children how to use the metric system They were produced by Newall amp Yohe the same advertising agency which produced ABC s Schoolhouse Rock series and first aired on the NBC television network in September 1978 1 The spots were shown three times each Saturday during the children s programming block for the 1978 79 season 2 The Metric MarvelsThe Metric Marvels from left to right Meter Man Liter Leader Wonder Gram and Super CelsiusVoices ofLynn Ahrens Bob Dorough Bob Kaliban Paul WinchellCountry of originUnited StatesNo of episodes7ProductionProduction companyNewall amp YoheOriginal releaseNetworkNBCReleaseSeptember 1978 1978 09 1979 1979 Voices for the Metric Marvels shorts included Lynn Ahrens Bob Dorough Bob Kaliban and Paul Winchell Contents 1 Origins 2 Episodes 3 Legacy 4 Media 5 References 6 External linksOrigins editOn December 23 1975 President Gerald Ford signed the Metric Conversion Act into law this act gave official sanction for the United States to convert to the metric system of measurement At the time the United States mainly used the U S Customary system Ford s presidential successor Jimmy Carter began to implement this law in earnest helping to set up the U S Metric Board as a task force to determine when and how the U S would convert to metric The USMB suggested that the transition ought to be voluntary and gradual taking place over at least a ten year period As part of this gradual transition the USMB sponsored a number of public service announcements on radio and television The Metric Marvels was one such television PSA aired during NBC s Saturday morning cartoons The shorts featured four animated metric superheroes Meter Man Liter Leader Super Celsius and Wonder Gram 3 Each superhero performed songs designed to teach children the difference between the old English system and the new metric system Episodes edit Meet Meter Man Superhero Meter Man helps people convert length and distance to metric terms Mara Mara Marathon The difference between miles and kilometers I m Your Liter Leader Superhero Liter Leader explains the difference between gallons and liters Eeny Meeny Miney Milliliters Liter Leader uses recipes to explain milliliters Super Celsius Superhero Super Celsius explains the Celsius temperature scale Wonder Gram Superhero Wonder Gram expresses her weight in grams Wonder Baby A young Wonder Gram converts pounds to kilogramsLegacy editMain article Metrication in the United States The series shared the animation style song quality and voice actors with the popular Schoolhouse Rock on rival network ABC Incoming NBC president Fred Silverman formerly of ABC may have thought to replicate the success of that show Newall amp Yohe also produced Saturday morning network IDs and the full length Drawing Power series for NBC Despite this the series was pulled from the air after a single seven episode season Being separated from Schoolhouse Rock prevented the series from having an afterlife in reruns Moreover at the time NBC was ranked third place in viewership among the three dominant television networks A deadline for metrication was never passed into United States federal law and the push for metrication in the United States lost traction following the 1982 dissolution of the United States Metric Board under President Ronald Reagan U S metrication is currently overseen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology whose newer series League of SI Superheroes bears some similarities to The Metric Marvels including a character named Meter Man with many similarities to the identically named character in the latter series Media editThe Metric Marvels was released on VHS for educational buyers only in 1979 by Newell and Yohe Inc Center for Humanities Mount Kisco NY This release was in color and included one videocassette approximately 17 min 30 sec and seven teacher s guides described as seven 2 1 2 minute segments in which four animated superheroes explain the metric system and carried the note Previously issued as seven filmstrips by Xerox Films The Xerox Films filmstrip release was described as Elementary and junior high school Filmstrip and included seven 35 mm color filmstrips approximately 200 fr seven audiocassettes and five teacher s guides 4 Xerox Films was a producer of films for schools and libraries and was one of the 10 companies making up The Xerox Education Group at the time 5 References edit Erickson Hal 2005 Television Cartoon Shows An Illustrated Encyclopedia 1949 Through 2003 2nd ed McFarland amp Co p 540 ISBN 978 1476665993 Woolery George W 1983 Children s Television The First Thirty Five Years 1946 1981 Part 1 Animated Cartoon Series Scarecrow Press pp 180 181 ISBN 0 8108 1557 5 Retrieved 14 March 2020 Perlmutter David 2018 The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows Rowman amp Littlefield p 387 ISBN 978 1538103739 Worldcat See External Links New York Times Xerox No Dropout By William D Smith December 27 1970 Page 103External links editThe Metric Marvels at IMDb nbsp The Metric Marvels Filmstrip at WorldCat The Metric Marvels VHS at WorldCat Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Metric Marvels amp oldid 1204863823, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
