The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-03-01
WEDDING
HUGE SUCCESS

HULL. OOOOIOO
All kinds Of tuning was posi-
BILE under all sorts OF conditions on
the wave lengths last evening.
There was noise and interference
and clear brOadcasts i'm good vol
uIne i'm all directions. Every
little while a deafening roar Of
static would assault the ears and
then quiet would ensue for long
period while programs were heard
in crystal clearness. Code was
heard at practically all points Of
the dials.
A. Cloyd Gill, The Washington
Times radio news flash editor, and
founder and president of the famous
$50 Club" believes the way to have
thing well done is to do it himself.
Therefore, rather than disappoint
tens of thousands of listeners tuned
with WMAL to hear a radio wed
ding last evening, when the pros
pective bride wired she couldn't
think of waiting 200 years for a
golden anniversary, Gill simply called
his own fiancee, Miss Pauline Blake,
into conference before the micro
phone. put the case of the waiting
listeners before her-and-
Well. listeners heard their first
radio wedding service in Washing:
+oY, on5 M on5 N6rS rS;Il 80 4o5o,v
being deluged with kilograms and
other messages Of good will and
wishes for their prosperity.
The first Washington radio we'd
ding, like the $50 Club" daily pro-
grams from which it grew, will
go down in history as one of the
things. When Cloyd Gill was as
signed to take charge of The
Washington Times news flashes
from WMAL he. was told simply
to give people all the news he
could tell in Is minutes and do it
in his own way. He was at loss
to know just how to go about it at
first, but having a pleasing person
atty his intimate evening chats
about current events registered
AAA%44ANAALbOAJ Will +LIIC peDI
His use Of the word thirty" the
good night" at the end Of each
OF his broadcasts led to many in
quiries and finally to the organiza-
ton of the $50 Club" which
numbers tens of thousands of
news became interesting because it
constituted
OF the club and The Washington
Times early news flashes became
one OF the most important radio
institutions in this section Of the
country.
LEAP YEAR PLAN
STARTED PROGRAM
The idea of gathering club mem
bers born on February % in the
studio for a Leap Year party was
developed by Gill and with it the
idea of a wedding Of a couple born
on that day. Several couples were
found who tentatively consented
and for a time a double wedding
was planned. The WMAL manage.
nent entered into the spirit OF the
thing and agreed to act as host at
a reception after the wedding.
Everything was arranged for last
evenings affair, and then the bride
wired her regrets as stated-she
couldn't wait 200 years for golden
anniversary, she said.
The minister, the Rev. Samuel
Rose, of Petworth M r. Church;
the bridesmaid, Miss Lucille Blake;
the best man, Harvey l.. Cobb, and
forty or fifty people born on
February 20 were there in the
flowerdecked studio along with
wedding cake, movie camera men
and other accessories. In addition
10 that, tens of thousa nds of people
were tuned in on the broadcast.
waiting to repeat the words of the
ceremony. Gin laid the facts before
his fiancee, Miss Blake, as all listen
ers heard, and she agreed with him
that it was just impossible TO dis.
appoint such a gathering. And so
listeners heard their wedding cere-
mony and the Leap Year party
was even a greater success than
had been anticipated. The bride
was given in marriage by her
father, James Blake, Of New York,
and Dorothy Sherman Pierson,
soprano; Mrs. Raymond B. Dickcy,
violinist, and Will T.. Pierson, direc-
tor OF WMAL, supplied the music.
| The regular programs proceeded in
the regular way, of course, the
most interest being the production
of 'Cavaleria Rusticana" from the
Cesare Sodero group with number
Of voices not usually heard in radio
opera. Outside we found Eddie and
Fanny Cayanaugh' at KYW renew
ing their old stunt of answering
their vast radio correspondence in
song only this time thew sang
favorite ditties Of their correspon.
dents in addition to. giving them
greeting. .-...