If it is true, as Kiger claims, that Richard C. Hoagland earned an undergraduate degree in astronomy, was it a Bachelor of Science degree? Is it too much to ask which college or university awarded him with this alleged undergraduate degree?

This may cause massive gastric distress to some, but Hoagland really did work -- and worked hard -- for the Springfield Science Museum (c. 1964-68). It was there that the energetic young man experienced his first close encounter with Dr. J. Allen Hynek and Dr. Carl Sagan.* However, I do not know if Hoagland was a paid employee or was a volunteer.

The various sections of this small science museum have their appointed curators, such as the Curator of Anthropology, the Curator of Mineralogy, the Curator of Natural Science, the Curator of Physical Science, and the Senior Curator, but no astronomy or planetarium curator. If Hoagland was truly a curator, he most likely would have been the Curator of Physical Science or, as he calls it, the "Curator of Astronomy & Space Science."

Hoagland was most noted for his planetarium shows.

Frank Korkosz (1903-87) was the director of the Springfield Science Museum from 1958 to 1974 and would have been Hoagland's boss.

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* A red-letter date for Hoagland was the WTIC-AM radio program, "A Night of Encounter," broadcasted live and on location from the Springfield Science Museum on July 14, 1965. The program, which covered the historic Mariner IV flyby of Mars, was produced by Charles "Chuck" Renaud of WTIC and was hosted by WTIC announcer Dick Bertel, who was assisted by Hoagland. The program was the first to use a laser in commercial broadcasting.

Press accounts of the program variously identified Hoagland as a "curator," a "museum curator" or an "assistant curator" at the Springfield Museum of Science. But the media did not state what he was the curator of.

Bertel spoke with scientists at JPL in Pasadena, California, during the program. Hoagland spoke with astronomer/author Dr. Robert S. Richardson, Associate Director of the Griffith Observatory.

The press reported that some 500 people, including scientists and amateur astronomers, were in attendance at the museum's "Mars Complex" for the program. That's a sizeable crowd, but it is far less than the 2000 people Hoagland's book publisher, Dr. Richard Grossinger, claimed attended.

The program was submitted by WTIC's Paul W. Morency for consideration for a George Foster Peabody Award, but it did not win. Nor was the program "nominated" for a Peabody Award, since there is no intermediate level of competition for the award -- winners are chosen directly from the entire field of accepted entries.

Additional reading:
1. "Springfield's Link to the Red Planet," by Richard Sanderson, Curator of Physical Science, Springfield Science Museum.
2. "Richard C. Hoagland: Biographical Information," from The Enterprise Mission Web site.
3. "In My Absence...," by Richard C. Hoagland.
4. "Richard Hoagland and the 'Message of Cydonia'," by David Wilcock.
5. "WTIC Alumni Remembrances: David Wilkinson."