Cambridge's local cable company has developed, along with the city's school department, a new way to get high school students to read. They plan to encourage the young Cantabrigians to watch television.

American Cablesystems of Cambridge will donate video equipment to the Cambridge Rindge and Latin School because the two groups are concerned about the increase in illiteracy and decline of reading ability among students.

History Shows

Teachers will use the videotapes of educational programming from the Arts and Entertainment Network to introduce students to biographical figures in world history. "We want to use television as a motivating force to encouraging reading," said Bert Giroux of the Cambridge School Department. "The cable programs will refer interested students to books on the program's particular subject," Giroux added.

Rather than compete with television, Giroux said, Cambridge schools will use the medium as an educational tool. "Kids respond dramatically to electronic media. Cable television programming will be a different way to provide educational information."

TV "Not All Bad"

Rika Welsh, director of community relations for American Cablesystems, added that television has had a negative impact on the functional literacy rate but that it has the potential to reverse the trend. "Television is not all bad and doesn't have to be the problem it has been."

American Cablesystems, which serves 15,500 customers in Cambridge, has also pledged $100,000 to the Cambridge Public Schools for the construction of a television studio. The studio will be used to televise educational programming and give students hands-on experience in broadcasting.