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Good morning from Collegeville,

The Times Writers Group is looking for 10 Objects to tell the history of the St. Cloud area. Our intern Ellen Newkirk helped me to draft the following submittal. It was edited by Bill Gray with MPR.
The final list will be determined by February 6th.

“At first glance, the Western Union telegram hanging near the entrance of the original studio of Minnesota Public Radio at St. John’s University may not seem like much. But more than a yellowed copy of an extinct form of communication, the telegram is actually one of the most important pieces of MPR’s history, and it helps tell a unique story in the history of St. Cloud itself. Dated January 20, 1967, it grants authority to St. John’s University to commence broadcasting on KSJR-FM as Minnesota Educational Radio. Two days later, on January 22nd, KSJR-FM went on the air for the first time.

Minnesota Educational Radio was the brainchild of Fr. Colman Barry, OSB, who at that time was president of the St. John’s University. Fr. Barry saw the opportunity to bring classical music to the region as part of the Benedictine tradition of promoting arts and culture. Barry approached St. John’s student Bill Kling with the idea, and together they forged a plan.

In the years that followed, the station hired some of its most familiar names – Gary Eichten joined the organization in 1968, and in 1969 Garrison Keillor came on board as morning drive time host. In 1974, the name was changed to Minnesota Public Radio, and in 1980, MPR moved its headquarters to St. Paul and added its news and information service.

Since its humble beginnings as a college radio station in Wimmer Hall, Minnesota Public Radio has expanded over the last 45 years to become one of the most influential news and entertainment sources in the country. None of this success would have been possible without the authority granted to St. John’s University by the humble telegram.”

The show this week is another live performance from The Fitzgerald Theater. Special guests include the graceful violin virtuoso Joshua Bell, singing sisters of soul Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele and saxophonist Kenni Holmen. Enjoy the show.

“In this world, you must be a bit too kind to be kind enough.” Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (1688-1763)