WISL was in competition for national advertising dollars in the 1950s. One way to get noticed by national advertising buyers was to purchase print ads in various trade publications. Standard Rate & Data Service published a directory of media outlets and their contact details. This directory was distributed to the marketing departments of companies and advertising agencies around the United States. SRDS is still around today serving the advertising buying community in the digital world.
In 1950, WISL radio ran a series of ads in the SRDS directory and provided a testimonial to the effectiveness of this promotion. Here we find a full-page advertisement produced by SRDS featuring this testimonial and published in the August 28th, 1950 edition of Broadcasting Telecasting.
Standard Rate & Data Service Advertisement from Broadcasting Telecasting – August 28th, 1950
In 1952, WISL submitted an application to the FCC proposing to add a one-hundred thousand watt television station on channel 65. Radio Anthracite, parent company of WISL would eventually pull their application and WISL-TV would never become a reality. You can learn more about the story of WISL-TV HERE.
Broadcasting – Telecasting TV Application Announcement – November 3rd, 1952
In the application process, Radio Anthracite submitted their proposed tower location and through the power of technology, we can pinpoint exactly where the WISL-TV tower would have been constructed.
Here is a Google Maps view of 40°48’02.0″N 76°33’26.0″W, the proposed location of the WISL-TV tower.
In the early days of radio, attracting national advertising accounts could make up a large portion of a radio station’s annual revenue. Radio stations were typically represented by national advertising firms that would broker advertising contracts for individual radio stations.
This advertisement was published in Radio Annual, a directory of all radio stations in the country. The directory would provide basic information on each radio stations including details such as, power, network affiliations and the names and roles of the station’s management team. These directories also sold advertising and radio stations could pay to include more specific messaging that would help to entice an advertiser to spend money in their market.
Here we have one such advertisement from WISL promoting the market estimates for Shamokin heading into 1953. We can see how economically robust Shamokin was in the early 1950s.
From the publication Radio Annual we present a rundown of some high level facts about WISL. This publication was prepared and distributed as a directory for the broadcasting and advertising industries of all management positions at radio stations around the country.
Crowning of The Coal Township Football Queen – Shamokin News-Dispatch October 18th 1952
In this post we are privileged to share some historic audio recorded by the WISL microphone way back in 1952, only four years after WISL began broadcasting. This clip takes us to the crowning ceremony of the Coal Township Football Queen of 1952.
Before we get to the main exhibit, let’s begin with some background information. In 1950, The Coal Township Boosters Association hosted the first Football Queen competition. The program was created to help raise money for the Boosters Association and their various activities throughout the year.
A total of ten girls would be selected from the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes of the West End High School and the Pulaski School. These girls would then compete, through a voting process, for the title of Coal Township Football Queen. Voting boxes would be placed at each one of the schools as well as at local businesses throughout Coal Township. For a nominal fee, five cents in the earliest years, a person could cast their ballot for queen.
First Week Results from 1950 – Shamokin News-Dispatch October 12th, 1950
Over the years, the fundraising event would grow and each girl would hold various fundraising events such as bake sales, to increase the amount of money raised.
The final year a Coal Township Football Queen would be crowned would be in 1964. The merger of the Shamokin School District and the Coal Township School District resulted in the dissolution of the Coal Township Boosters Association. Although the Coal Township program would come to an end, by the 1960s many other local schools would begin holding annual Football Queen competitions of their own.
Now, back to 1952. The Coal Township Football Queen was Mary Anne Apple who received a total of 8,606 votes. She was a junior at West End High.
Announcement of Mary Anne Apple winning Coal Township Football Queen – Shamokin News-Dispatch October 16th, 1952
The following clip features an unidentified WISL Radio announcer introducing the crowing ceremony. This program was recorded during the half-time program of the Coal Township vs. Mount Carmel Catholic football game and features remarks from third runner up Miss Rose Marie Krupa, Lady In Waiting (second runner up) Miss Betty Moore, Coal Township Boosters Association President Elmer Shuey as well as a few words from the queen.
WISL Transcription Disc Label – Part One
WISL Transcription Disc Label – Part Two
So, let’s go back in time and give a listen to the official crowning of the 1952 Coal Township Football Queen.
AUDIO EXHIBIT
WISL – Coal Township Football Queen Crowning: Mary Anne Apple October 17th 1952
National-Dime Bank East End Branch – Photo from Shamokin News-Dispatch July 1958
In 1932 the Dime Trust and Safe Deposit Company merged with the Shamokin National Bank to become the National-Dime Bank of Shamokin. National-Dime was one of the largest financial institutions in Shamokin serving customers with personal and commercial loans, Christmas clubs, and savings and checking accounts. The bank’s corporate offices and main branch were located at the corner of Market and Independence Streets in downtown Shamokin, the current location of M&T Bank. In March of 1968 the National-Dime Bank merged with The Pennsylvania National Bank and Trust Company of Pottsville.
Pennsylvania National Bank And Trust Company Logo, circa 1968
In 1958, The National-Dime Bank of Shamokin was in expansion mode. A merger with the First National Bank of Trevorton was completed on May 28th 1958 with the Trevorton Branch of The National-Dime Bank opening on June 2nd. Around the same time, renovations were underway at the corner of Independence and Shamokin Streets for what would become the East End branch of National-Dime and their third location.
Advertisement promoting the National-Dime Bank East End Branch Open House – Shamokin News-Dispatch July 14th 1958
The official grand opening of the East End branch commenced on July 15th 1958 with an open house celebration. The open house was attended by directors of the National-Dime Bank, local leaders and featured a live broadcast by WISL Radio.
National-Dime Bank East End Branch ribbon cutting – Shamokin News-Dispatch July 16th 1958
It’s not surprising that WISL Radio would be on-hand to help promote the opening of the new, modern banking facility considering Henry W. Lark, owner of WISL Radio, was also the president of The National-Dime Bank of Shamokin.
National-Dime Bank Grand Opening article – Shamokin News-Dispatch July 16th 1958
The WISL Broadcast took place from 4pm to 10pm and featured interviews with a number of people of interest who were in attendance. The audio clip that we have to share includes one of those notable persons, Mary Roebling.
Mary Roebling 1958
Mary Roebling was a pioneer for women in banking, becoming the President of Trenton Trust in 1937 and also the first woman ever to become president of a banking institution. When Roebling took control of Trenton Trust, the country was in the throws of The Great Depression and the bank was facing $4 million dollars in debt with only $11 million dollars in assets. By 1951, she not only was able to pull her bank through the financial crisis but also increased the banks assets to $70 million dollars. That same year she also scored the bank’s biggest client to date by securing the business of U.S. Steel.
Roebling lent her success to the cause of women’s rights and constantly promoted women in business and spoke out against sexism in the boardroom. In addition to becoming the first woman to serve as a bank president she was also the first woman governor on the American Stock Exchange, was the founder of the first female-owned bank, the Woman’s Bank of Denver in 1978 and first woman member of Union League Club in Philadelphia.
WISL transcription disc Label from Mary Roebling Interview
Roebling was a friend and colleague of Henry Lark and made the trip from Trenton to Shamokin for the open house event. In the following audio exhibit, we have a rare recording of Roebling as she congratulates Henry Lark on his expansion of National-Dime. This recording was likely made on premise at the new East End branch and broadcast during the 4pm to 10pm broadcast.
AUDIO EXHIBIT
Mary Roebling at the Grand Opening of The National-Dime Bank East End Branch, July 15th, 1958
WISL Radio celebrated their third birthday on January 27th 1951 by running a full-page advertisement in the Shamokin News-Dispatch. In the advertisement you will see a massive list of all of the sponsors heard on WISL as well as a list of some of the Mutual Network programs aired by WISL.
The list of advertisers is transcribed below. It is truly incredible to see just how many businesses operated in the Shamokin area in the post-war era.
Albertini Motors Alexander’s Restaurant Amato Cleaners Double-A Wafers Anchor Diner Ann’s Dress Shop Anthracite Auto Leonard Appichel, Contractor Arcade Beauty Salon Arena Gardens Joseph Arnoldin & Sons Atlas Rug Cleaners Baker’s Auto Exchange Midnight Cafe Ballentine’s Radiator Shop Baum’s Sport Center John A. Belsky Ben’s Fur Shop Kaiser Frazer Dealers Black Diamond M. R. Bodner-Studebaker Dealer The Bootery Bowl-Mor Rowling Alleys Raymond Boyle, Service Station Burkett’s Service Station Burns Furniture Bycoskie Motors Camera & Music Mart Caravella Amusement Enterprises Catino & Krayniak Auto Sales Central Sales & Service Choplick’s Cafe Cohen’s Men’s Shop John J. Chowka, Mortician Crissincer Motors Croll Furniture Crone’s Crowl Tire Company Dale Circus Daniel’s Pottery Danville Livestock Market James A. Davis Davis Hosiery Company Dell Cleaners Sam Dluge Dobroski Furniture Dornbach Motors Durdach Brothers Dusick & Hoberg John J. Dusick Eagle Shoe Shop East End Beverage Company Edgewood Park Edgewood Restaurant Eisenhart’s Ely’s Sample Shoe Store Emily’s Corset Shop Emworth’s Poultry Fetterolf Chevrolet Firestone Store Follmer’s Florist Forman’s Furniture Fraternal Order of Eagles Fryling Stationery Fun Novelty Company Fuhrmann & Schmidt Gallagher’s Charles N. Geist Ghezzi’s Girard Investment Company Wlllard P. Graber, Insurance Guinan’s Department Store V. C. Hack & Sons Hazel’s Gift Shop Herr Gas & Oil Company Economy Stores Ben Hirsh Shoe Store Hodrick’s Appliance Home Furniture Company Horowitz’s Houghton’s Summer Resort Household Appliance Ideal Park Island Park Jay’s New York Store Jeddo Store Jepko’s Jones Hardware Company Katch Furniture Keystone Auto Electric King Music House Kirby Sales & Service Kiwanis Club Ernest Klase Kline Motors Knoebel’s Groves Charles Krebs Stores Kresge Store Kulpmont Athletic Club Kulpmont Auto Wreckers Kuzo Brothers James LaCross Store 1st Roundup Cafe Lazarus Store Leader-Hamilton Company Leaven’s & Donlan Liachowitz Jewelers Little Giant Loyal Order of Moose Lupold’s Furniture Little Norway M&L Cleaners McElwee’s Jewelry Store Madden’s Vacuum Cleaner Service Maine Fire Company B. Mallett A Sons Mallett’s Variety M. J. Marcinek Martin & Kohler C. E. Hoover Mertz Motor Sales Miller Brothers Shoes Miller’s Cafe Reba Miller Mount Carmel Motors Modern Dress Shop Monarch Laundry Moser’s Department Store Mowery’s Radio Service Moyer’s Sunoco Service Murphy & Scovern Natalie Drive-In Natalie Grove National-Dime Bank J. J. Newberry Thomas Nicholas, Plating Nu-W’ay Drive-In Dunkleberger’s Furniture Pearock Shop Parenzan’s Music Store Peter Patti Penn Premier Shows J. C. Penney Company Peter’s Hardware Store Peter’s Furniture Store Peter’s Appliances Store Phil’s Men’s & Boys’ Store Picarelli Markets Pipa’s Beverage Company Pitello’s Kiddies Shop Pitello’s Dairy Lunch Ralph Pupo R-Radio & Appliance Raker Lumber & Planing Company Raup Lumber & Construction Company Reed’s Milk & Ice Cream George H. Reitz Jewelry J. T. Rhoades, Florist Rolling Green Park Rosini Brothers Restaurant Rosini Brothers Coal Helen Rosini, Beautician Rummel’s Nursery SOS Radio Electric Sam’s Restaurant Same Day Vacuum Service Shoener’s Millinery Schneider’s Philco Dealer Shades’ Venetian Blind Service Shamokin Bible Depot Shamokin Christian Laymen’s Association Shamokin Cycle Shop Shamokin Equipment Company Shamokin Flying Service Shamokin Home Association Shamokin Sports Supply Shamokin Tire Service Shamokin Upholstering Shamokin Ready Mixed Concrete Company Shusner’s House of Glass Silverman’s Variety Smart Shop Smink’s Book Shop Marlin B. Snyder, Roofing Sperry & Hutchinson E. C. Stashinski Style Shop Superior Furniture Superior Electric George Swank Switzer’s Cafe Tomol’s Troutman Motors Union Fire Company Union Beverage Company Vallish Furniture Stank’s Victory Fur Shop S. Watral & Son Weller Brothers West Ward Building & Loan Association O. K. Wetzel Wolfe’s Department Store Wolfgang’s Electric Service Workmen’s Supply Worth’s Yellow Cab Company Youth For Christ Harold Zeigler Appliances H. A. Zimmerman, Jeweler Roy Zimmerman Appliances Capitol Theatre Victoria Theatre A & P Stores Albermarle Hotel, Atlantic City Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Big Boy Auto Parts Brest Packing Company Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators & Paperhangers of America Buckley Amusement Enterprises Butter Krust Baking Company Clark Packing Company Clark’s Feed Mills Congress of Industrial Organizations Theron D. Conrad, Investment Securities Chevrolet Dealers Crosley Shelvador Dealers Cluckey’s Fur Studios Crowl Chemical Company Dayton Tire Dealers D & H Distributing Company Eastern Press Edward’s Lakes-to-Sea System Electro-Metallurgical Company Insulation Service Company International Ladies Garment Workers Union K-B Frosted Foods Keller Auto Racing Bloomsburg Fair Lycoming County Fair Reading Fair Selinsgrove Fair Maurer’s Dairy Miller’s Auto Stores Neighborhood Bakery Northumberland Memorial Park Philco Dealers Rea & Derick, Inc. Real French Cleaners Roaring Creek Water Company Rusco Products Company Sanitary Diaper Service Shamokin Packing Company Spaulding Bakeries Shamokin Sanitary Milk Company Stegmaier Brewing Company Styletex Clothes Tharp’s Ice Cream Textile Workers Union Local No. 173, U. T. W. U. of A. Triangle Shoes Upholstering Schools Wise Potato Chips Williams Grove Park Yoch’s Bakery Company Academy Distributors Alamo Restaurant Anna Jane Beauty Shop Avellino Cafe Art’s Coffee Shop American-Australian Wool Shop Atkins Store Bardex Medicine Blue Goose Beaney’s Produce Bashore’s Ben Reimer’s Men’s Store Black Diamond Garage Broscious Farm Supply Capital Hospital Service Castetter’s Cafe Concannon’s Chrystal Bottling Company Central Food Markets Choplick’s Cafe Crone’s Cigar Store Cohen’s Hardware DeSantis & Deitman Body Shop D & R Radio & TV Sales Esso Dealers Exchange Club Enterprise Specialty Empire Vulcanizing Company Esslinger First National Bank of Mount Carmel Frank’s Cafe Forget-Me-Not Shop Green Meadow Poultry Market Louis Grossman & Sons Gordon Airport Guarantee Trust & Safe Deposit Company Robert Graham Harner Motor Harry’s Grill Hummel’s Furniture Henry’s Auto Parts Russell M. Seeds Company Romberger Brothers Machine Shop Roth’s Store Highway Service Station Hagan’s Barber Shop Holy Name and Rosary Societies Henlee’s Dress Shop Huntsinger Harris Paint Store Rev. Heffner Irvin R. Enders Kennels Jay Store Johnny’s Market James Shop Alex Klepacki Kulpmont American Legion Andrew Kurillo Steve Kania Kaiser-Frazer Dealers Knights of Columbus Kulpmont Gas Company Kotanchik Lumber Company Keller Racing, Incorporated Kyle Jacobs Allen Krebs Lowery Electric Corporation Vincent Lupia L & S Oil Company William Loftus Lahr’s Wheel Service Liberty Shoe Repair Lee H. Mertz Lincoln-Mercury Cars Mount Carmel Business Men Millie’s Dress Shop Majestic Theatre Mount Carmel Self Service Shoe Store McDevitt’s Cafe McCann’s School of Business McElwee Home & Auto Supplies Martini Markets Mertz Motor Sales Miller’s Furniture May E. Jones Gift Shop Rev. Donald Martin Louis Matlow Novotny Electric Service Neversink Hotel O. P. O. Clothes Victor Paganotti Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Pennsylvania State Employment Service Prescription Shoe Store Phil’s Economy Store Pioneer Troubadors Casper Pinsker Michael Potts Peter’s Tavern Pep Auto Sales Jess Phillips Pinkey’s Market Polish Cadets Polish Dramatic Club Paul Roadarmel Meats Royalist Cigars Rovito & Company Ralpho Township High School James A. Reilley Ranshaw Furniture Ritz Cafe Shamokin Hair Dressers Sunoco Dealers Shade’s Auto Supply Shuey’s Jewelry Store Shusterman’s Sunbury Auto Wreckers Slim’s Lunch Harold Snyder Spriggle’s Men’s Wear Shamokin Merchants’ Council Shimock’s Furniture Serien C. Shipmen Steinhart Appliance Store Stroehman’s Bakery J. A. Seitzinger Superior Electric Service W. R. Thomas & Sons Thompson’s Advertising Service Urich’s Gladiola Garden United States Army United Men’s Shop Andrew Urban Weis Pure Food Stores West End Garage Wydra’s Cafe Warsaw Tavern Ed Waugh J. N. Werntz Willow Cafe Yuengling’s Young Folk’s Club Zurick & Zurick Paul Zimmerman
National Advertisers
Johns-Manville Corporation Quaker Oats Dawn Bible Students American Federation of Labor Murine Pierson Pharmaceutical First Church of Christ, Scientist United States Tobacco Company Lutheran Laymen’s League Kellogg Company Derby Foods Nabisco O’Henry Candy Bars Ronson Lighters Voice of Prophecy, Incorporated Proctor & Gamble Tide Joy Carling’s Ale Wilson Sporting Goods Gillette Razor Miles Laboratories Ballentine Beer Pabst Blue Ribbon Dodge Division (Chrysler Corporation) Plymouth Division (Chrysler Corporation) DeSoto Division (Chrysler Corporation) R. B. Semmler Ford Motor Company Ford-Lincoln-Mercury Hudson Motor Car Company Trimount Clothing Ralston Purina Philip Morris Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Miles Laboratories General Foods Bayuk Cigars Cudahy Packing Company Mutual of Omaha D-Con Nucoa Blue Goose Foods Pepsi Cola Perfect Circle Piston Rings Hudson Motor Car Company Annahist Corporation A. O. Smith Company Chamberlain Company Dari-Rich General Mills Gulf Corporation Episcopal Churches (National Council) East-West Shrine Committee American Schools Oldsmobile Dealers
WISL Promotional Sign – “I Was A Communist For The FBI”
Radio was a much different medium in 1948 when WISL first signed on the air. Back then, radio was programmed much like television is programmed today with a schedule of different programming types throughout the day. Most radio stations had network affiliations and would run prime time and news programing offered by them. WISL was a Mutual Network affiliate and aired several of their programs. We will dig into this topic at a later date. For this post we will revisit a short-lived program that centered on one of the biggest political topics of the day, Communism.
The year was 1952, the “Red Scare” was in full force and was a very popular source of material in the entertainment industry. This program is centered around the character Matt Cvetic, a real-life FBI volunteer undercover agent. His testimony in 1949 helped to put away several members of a conspiracy to overthrow the US Government. After the trial, Cvetic sold his story and it became a serial in the Saturday Evening Post, a bestselling book and a Warner Brothers Movie.
The Frederic W. Ziv Company would later turn his story into a syndicated radio program. The series was produced without help from the FBI, as they refused to assist in the project. The program aired from April 23rd, 1952, through October 14th, 1953, with a total of 78 programs produced. This is where WISL comes in.
Article From Legion Magazine, October 1952 mentioning WISL
Shamokin’s WISL was one of the over 600 radio stations in the US that carried this 30 minute, weekly radio program. The image above is an original billboard poster for the program, promoting it Sunday evening airtime on WISL radio. This poster was found, of all places, lining a drawer in an old store in Shamokin. The owner found the relic when cleaning and gave it to Tom Kutza who has shared it with us.
We have compiled a sample of these programs in this post. Simply click below to relive radio’s golden age, the days of the “Theater of the Mind”. And now, “I Was A Communist For The FBI”, starring Dana Andrews, brought to you by the Bakers of Blue Ribbon Cake, as heard on WISL radio from 1952-1953.
AUDIO EXHIBITS
“I Walk Alone” – Original Air Date: April 23rd, 1952
“Card Game In The Clouds” – Original Air Date: June 4th, 1952
“The Red Record” – Original Air Date: August 20th, 1952
“The Wrong Green” – Original Air Date: April 1st, 1953
“The Crossed Heart” – Original Air Date: June 3rd, 1953
“Rhapsody In Red” – Original Air Date: August 19th, 1953
The Furhmann & Schmidt Brewing Company was formed in 1906, operating from a facility located at Commerce and Washington Streets in Shamokin. Known as simply F&S, They produced a variety of brews that could be found in tap rooms all over the city. Although the brewery closed in 1975, the memory is still very much alive. If you would like to learn more about the rich history of Furhmann & Schmidt, Larry Deklinski, Staff Writer for the News Item, published an amazing history of F&S.
F&S Premium Half and Half with Sealed Ageing store sign
Business was booming by the 1950’s and F&S began an eight year expansion program, ending in 1954 with a new bottling shop, garage and offices. To promote these enhancements a new advertising campaign was developed touting the “Sealed-Ageing Process”. The commercials presented here are part of that advertising campaign and aired on WISL in 1956. It’s likely that these commercials were written and produced by a large advertising agency and would have been hears on many other stations at the time, not just WISL.
An Assortment of F&S Beer bottles
These particular discs were uncovered in 2005 when Dr. Edward Twiggar, owner of the Lark Building, permitted the WISL team to remove the contents of the former WISL Studios. These original acetate discs were found in the record library in a section labeled “Tom’s Box”. These discs were in pretty rough condition. In order to get the best audio quality to preserve these historic artifacts we had these discs sent to Evergreen Computer Services to have them professionally transferred to digital files.
Below are photos of the labels from the records found in the former studios of WISL.
F&S disc label
F&S disc label
F&S disc label
F&S disc label
What you will hear are two groupings of commercials for this F&S Sealed Ageing campaign. The first set, (cuts #4-11) was intended to target a male or general audience while the second set, (cuts #43-47) are targeted at a female audience. You will also hear some isolated jingles to be used during local commercial production. A full jingle, short open jingle and short closing jingle are included.
In addition to the commercials that were found on these discs, there are few extras included. These were saved by Tom Kutza on a cassette tape, many years ago and feature a different “Sealed Ageing” jingle from the one heard on these discs. You will also hear WISL’s Bernie Sacks on some locally produced commercials, including one that features a “man from Mars”.
So now, let’s go back in time with F&S and WISL!
AUDIO EXHIBITS
F&S #4 (Sealed Ageing – Seals In Goodness) 1956
F&S #5 (Sealed Ageing – Brand New Taste In Beer) 1956
F&S #6 (Sealed Ageing – Flavor & Goodness) 1956
F&S #7 (Sealed Ageing – New Taste) 1956
F&S #8 (Sealed Ageing – Try And You’ll Cheer) 1956
F&S #9 (Sealed Ageing – Taste For Yourself) 1956
F&S #10 (Sealed Ageing – If You Haven’t Tasted) 1956
F&S #11 (Sealed Ageing – More And More People) 1956
F&S #43 (Sealed Ageing – Summer Months) 1956
F&S #44 (Sealed Ageing – With Dinner) 1956
F&S #45 (Sealed Ageing – Buy Your Husband A Case) 1956
F&S #46 (Sealed Ageing – When Friends Drop In) 1956
Carl J. Kanaskie (air name Carl Konner) worked at WISL from June of 1956 to August of 1958. During that time he gathered and read news, did a number of remote broadcasts, including sporting events, and hosted a variety of music programs, most notably the afternoon show “Konner’s Korner” and, every other week, the Saturday evening call-in program “Juke Box Saturday Night”. He also conducted interviews with celebrities of the day, among them crooner Eddie Fisher (by phone) and Rock and Roll legend, Little Richard (in person).
Reed’s Dairy Ribbon from Carl’s WISL days
Carl left WISL in 1958 and served in the U.S. Army for two years as a specialist in information and broadcasting. In addition to writing and gathering news for the post newspaper, he conducted hometown interviews with enlisted men and handled public relations responsibilities. A highlight of his years of service was being chosen for duty at the Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, CA, where he aided German and Japanese broadcasters as they disseminated game results to their homelands.
Carl Konner WCNR Promotional Photo
After the Army, Carl returned to Pennsylvania and was hired by WCNR Radio in Bloomsburg. Carl would stay at WCNR for over 20 years. His tasks included writing and reporting news, hosting record shows and conducting numerous on-air interviews in studio and remotely with celebrities and community and political leaders. He also attended Bloomsburg University while employed at the station, eventually earning his bachelor’s degree in geography and social sciences, and his master’s degree in geography.
Carl grading papers as a graduate student at Bloomsburg University
In 1980, he accepted a position in the public relations office at Millersville University (MU), where he was employed for 24 years in a variety of news- and PR- related management positions, retiring as the institution’s director of communications. His responsibilities included: writing and editing the University’s bi-monthly newsletter; composing news releases/tip-sheets/announcements for regional media and working with them as they covered University activities; and advising faculty, administrators and staff on how to deal with media when confronted with sensitive issues relating to the institution and its students.
Carl Kanaskie Millersville University Photo
In retirement, Carl volunteers with several organizations. He is a trustee of the Millersville Area Historical Society, conducting its publicity and media relations efforts. He is a member of the Lancaster County Area Agency on Aging Advisory Council. He is a member of the Sierra Club-Lancaster Group (and past executive committee member), handling its publicity, media and public relations. He serves on the Marketing Committee of Lancaster’s North Museum of Natural History & Science. And, he has been involved with the MU Mentoring Program over the past seven years.
Carl Today
We were very lucky to have had the chance to meet Carl at the 2013 Anthracite Heritage Festival in Shamokin. Carl and his wife stopped by the WISL display as Tom Kutza was broadcasting. To Carl’s surprise, more than 50 years after he had left WISL radio, Tom immediately recognized his voice and blurted out ”Hey, You’re Carl Konner”.
Carl was kind enough to provide us with the information and images presented in this post.
