Historic Newspaper Articles

about WRTI & WRTI-FM

1948 Article about Dedicating WRTI Studios

Perhaps for the first time in a half century, WRTI Alumni will be able to read the January 23, 1948 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer about the dedication of the radio studios that were in the basement of Thomas Hall.

Besides the Philadelphia Inquirer article, we present the banner story from the Temple University News which dates from the day before the ceremonies.

1965 Article about WRTI-FM Returning to the Air

This Temple News article from October 1, 1965 deals with WRTI-FM returning to the air after being off for the summer. FM Station Manager Bob Cirillo is quoted several times in this story.

1954 Article about Claire Coleman

Here's an article from the December 10, 1954 issue of the Temple University News about Claire Coleman being "Miss Claire" on TV's Romper Room. The program was directed by Lew Klein.

1957 Article about Doris Elvanian

Doris Elvanian was elected "Miss Checkroom. Read the Temple University News from November 16, 1957 about how she won.

1996 Article about Pixanne

Jane Lazarus, known to the public as Jane Norman played PIXANNE for year on CBS-TV. Here's an article from the Temple University News of November 14, 1996 about her.

1964 Article about Jane Lessner

Another one of our Janes is Jane Lessner, who did a sports program. Read this article about her from November 12, 1964 in the Temple University News.

1958 Article about Chuck Sherman

Chuck was Sports Director at WRTI and an all night jazz DJ on WHAT. On October 20, 1958, the Temple News wrote this article about him.

1964 Article about Joan Honig

Although this Temple News article has no date, a good guess would be late 1964. Written by Kenn Venit, it is about Joan Honig and the 1964 elections. Read the article.

60's Article about Laurence Blenheim

Kenn Venit e-mailed us a story he wrote for the Temple University News more than 30 years ago. It's all about Laurence Blenheim, WRTI faculty advisor from 1962 until 1968. Read the article (updated 12/20/98) and learn about Dr. Blenheim.

Sciaky in the City Paper

In the November 27, 1998 issue of the Philadelphia weekly, the City Paper, they ran their lead story about the GLORY DAYS of Philadelphia radio. See the front page which includes a photo of Ed Sciaky with Bruce Springsteen, Janis Ian and Billy Joel. You can then click on the letters of GLORY DAYS to take you to the story or use this link.

Farewell to Thomas Hall

In an e-mail from Harold Sacks, he says...Does anyone from my era remember Malcolm X speaking in ...Thomas Hall? I don't have a tape of that but I remember a photo of it in the Temple News. For some reason, I think George Ingram would remember better than I.

George Ingram e-mails...Yes, I remember Malcolm speaking at Thomas Hall (and hearing Ravi Shankar play there, too). In fact, I mentioned both of them in a remembrance of Thomas Hall I wrote for the Fall '98 issue of TEMPO, WRTI's quarterly publication.

While we discussing visitors to Thomas Hall and WRTI, remember in May of 1964 when WOR radio personality, Jean Shepherd appeared at the yearly banquet? Read about it in the Temple News.

WRTI Items from Temple News

On April 4, 1951, Muriel Ichelson who was on the Temple News Staff wrote her column "The Air Waves." Muriel was also the Publicity Director for WRTI. The column was totally devoted to the campus radio station.

On April 13, 1951, the campus newspaper ran an ad for WRTI.

On May 11, 1955, Steve Cohen, WRTI's Station Manager at the time, wrote an article about BLOOPERS aired on WRTI.

Steve Cohen also wrote for the Temple News. A column called "AIRWAVES" was a regular feature of the paper. Here's one of the columns from November 21, 1955.

Temple Broadcast Course Via Radio - - in 1926

More than 70 years ago, our Alma Mater broadcast a course via radio. Charles Beury thought that it followed the beliefs and principles of the University's founder, Russell Conwell, who believed that education should belong to anyone who wants it. Read the April 2, 1926 article from the Camden Courier.

FYI, four years later in 1930, members of the Temple faculty defeated newspaper reporters in a spelling bee and the event was broadcast live to the city via radio.

This first offering via the airwaves led to the establishment later that same year of WOOF, a "mock" University radio station. It didn't have any transmitters, but did have broadcast studios. The WOOF article was written by Kenn Venit.

More WRTI Articles

In 1963, the cigarette makers announced that they would not advertise in college newspapers and on campus radio stations. The policy did not last long and the smokes returned to the airwaves.

In 1964, the building that housed WRTI, Thomas Hall went through some renovations.

About 1963, WRTI-AM expanded their operations to include all the dorms. The article was written by our own Kenn Venit for the Temple University News.

In May of 1965, William Goldman, President of WHYY received an award from the University. It took place at the 17th annual WRTI banquet.

In the early sixties, Kenn Venit wrote an article about the tenth anniversary of WRTI. While we don't have an exact date for it, it dates from about 1963.

In the mid-sixties, before John Wright, the chief engineer for WRTI was a guy by the name of Dick Swayze. He left WRTI to go to WTOP in Washington, and that's the last we saw of him. However, before he left Philly, Kenn Venit wrote an article about him in the Temple University News.

1953 Article about Gary Gumpert

In the 1953, the local Oak Lane Newspaper ran a story about Gary Gumpert, a WRTI staffer. He went from being a terror victim of the Nazis to a Professor at Queens College. Read the article.

1964 Article about Jean Shepherd

In 1964, WOR broadcaster, Jean Shepherd spoke at the WRTI-FM Annual Banquet. Read the May 7th article from the Temple University News.

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