Radio Digest (May 1931-May 1932)

56 Station Parade "Psychology is a valuable help in handling programs," says Edythe Fern Southard, Program Director at WJAY in Cleveland. The results she's getting prove there's truth in her statements. TVL TV-Cincinnati, "Ironmasters" ONE of the most outstanding programs broadcast over WLW, station of the Crosley Radio Corporation, Cincinnati, is the half -hour Armco Ironmaster program featuring a Concert Band with Frank Simon conducting. Simon was born in Cincinnati in 1889, and received practically all of his musical education in that city. At the age of eleven he first blew into a cornet and his indulgent parents sent him to the noted instrumentalist, William Kopp, for instruction. He made rapid strides under his first professional teacher, and then the genius, Herman Bellstedt, was given a glimpse of the boy's talents and lie immediately took young Simon under his wing. Phenomenal progress followed under the tutorship of Bellstedt, and at the age of nineteen, Simon was offered the solo cornet chair in Kopp's Cincinnati Band. After several highly successful tours with Kopp's Band, the youth joined Weber's Prize Band of America, where he played solo cornet in company with the finest type of musicians, becoming known from coast to coast for the ease and grace with which he performed his difficult solos. It was apparent that such musical talent would attract the attention of the greatest bandmaster of all time. With Sousa's Band he was heard in virtually every city and town in the United States and Canada. His brilliant per formances won for him the title of "America's Foremost Cornet Soloist," and he was for years identified as the premier attraction and assistant conductor of John Philip Sousa's great organization. But this nomadic life, even with all its glamour and satisfaction, finally lost its appeal. The ambition to create an organization of his own was strong. So when called to organize a band, Simon gladly responded. It is now ten years since the first little group of band musicians gathered for a rehearsal. It was an inauspicious occasion in an artistic way. But the Armco Concert Band under the musicianly guidance and enthusiasm of its conductor, and with the support of the American Rolling Mill Company, its sponsor, successfully Ethel Hawes, the Girl Who is Everybody's Friend at WHK, makes a very special companion of her pet baby lion, whose name is "Trader Horn." passed through the exacting and often discouraging preliminary stages, to take its place as the '"world's greatest industrial band." Musicians came from all parts of the United States, Canada and Europe to become associated with the noted conductor in creating this great wind ensemble. TVHK Cle v el and, a?id Ethel Hawes ADVISE R — counsellor — everybody's friend — that is what they call petite Ethel Hawes at her radio home, WHK in Cleveland. Miss Hawes has had an interesting and varied career. She is a firm believer in the science of Astrology. She was born under the versatile sign Gemini and has many of the good things forecast for people of this sign. She has been a newspaper woman, a kindergarten teacher, and a writer of children's books. In 1923 she made her first radio "appearance" as the Story Lady. Children wrote her letters from all over the country and for each birthday child she wrote a short verse. Sometimes the stories were very short because of the number of letters and verses. Ethel's eyes grow moist and faraway when she recalls those early beginnings in her radio career, "I loved those days with the children," she says. From children's bed time tales she went to general announcing, such as the men do today, weather, time, anything and everything. Today she runs an hour : and a quarter program of her own. A ' few years ago she had many letters from housewives asking her if she could please tell them where to buy certain things. Feeling that for every person who took the time to write there were dozens who also wanted the information but who didn't write, she took these letters and began her work. Arranging with the station for fifteen minutes every morning Ethel started her own radio program. Armed with the letters she had received she visited merchants handling the products requested r.nd sold them a small announcement on her program. The program was a unique success from the beginning. Using the name of the announcer who first worked with her, she called the program "Ethel and Harry." And "Ethel and Harry" it has remained though it has long since This is the owner of that charming soprano voice that is delighting WBT listeners these days. Her name is Grace Kohn Johnston, and Those Who Know predict for her a radiant spot in the radio sun.