[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7569]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  CONGRATULATIONS TO RADIO STATION WGRE ON CELEBRATION OF 50 YEARS OF 
                           EXEMPLARY SERVICE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pease) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PEASE. Mr. Speaker, though it was not my purpose to address the 
aviation issues, I wish to associate myself with the remarks made by 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the distinguished ranking 
member of the Subcommittee on Aviation of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, a leader in advocacy for American 
aviation, its safety and for American carriers.
  Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago last Sunday, a vision of student-oriented 
mass media became a reality on the campus of DePauw University in 
Greencastle, Indiana. On April 25, 1949, WGRE Radio began broadcasting 
as the first FCC licensed 10-watt educational station in the Nation. 
DePauw Professors Harold Ross and Betty Turnell founded the station 
based on an image of the mass media being an invaluable teaching tool. 
This founding vision has been the hallmark of WGRE's 50 years in 
broadcasting.
  WGRE has been able to provide this teaching tool for its students 
while always being a community-oriented station. Throughout the 
station's history, WGRE has provided west central Indiana with diverse 
programming, meeting the needs of its listening audience. It has always 
made an effort to bring the listening audience programming it can use 
to become more well-rounded citizens. For example, during the station's 
earlier years, a complete opera series was broadcast to western 
Indiana. And now alternative music is in vogue, so the station 
complements this entertainment with around-the-clock news and sports 
coverage along with public affairs broadcasting.
  WGRE has always been a full service FM radio station. Whether it be 
the music that fits the times, DePauw's sports broadcasts or local 
election coverage, WGRE has always tried to emphasize its diversity and 
the diversity of its mission. It is this diverse usage of the mass 
media that has worked to train 50 years' worth of WGRE DePauw 
University alumni. WGRE is proud of its alums that have used WGRE as a 
springboard to productive mass media careers, but WGRE is equally proud 
of its graduates who used the station as a tool to broaden their 
education on the way to pursuing careers outside of mass media.
  Now run by a student board of directors overseeing the largest DePauw 
University extracurricular volunteer staff of over 200 students, WGRE 
hopes to continue to serve the Greencastle and west central Indiana 
communities. This community awareness continues to be manifested 
through the station's ongoing community outreach and fund-raising 
activities. In recent years, WGRE has raised thousands of dollars for 
many causes, including the humane society and the local homeless 
shelter. This work has led to this station being the only college radio 
station nominated for a national broadcaster's community service award.
  Currently at 91.5 FM on the radio dial, WGRE looks to have another 50 
years of quality broadcasting recognized for its diversity and 
community orientation. The trail-blazing vision of Professors Turnell 
and Ross has grown into a bountiful mass media entity and dedicated to 
teaching its participants while serving the community.
  Congratulations to the people of WGRE on the celebration of its 50 
years of exemplary service.

                          ____________________