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WPRB Records
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Held at: Princeton University Library: University Archives [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: University Archives. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
WPRB is the student-operated FM radio station of Princeton University, providing music and live sports broadcasts to the Princeton campus community and surrounding areas.
The birth of the station can be attributed to one H. Grant Theis '42, who on May 13, 1939 wrote to the Federal Communications Commission expressing the interest of a small group of Princeton students in organizing a radio station and requesting information on the necessary F.C.C. requirements and specifications for its operation. A summer of negotiations with University administration and technical experimentation soon followed, and by November 11, 1940 broadcasting had officially commenced under the call letters WPRU.
Despite the station's meager facilities in Theis' Pyne Hall dormitory and its limited program schedule of 3 hours daily, the early station was a success. Within several months of its taking to the airwaves, it was prominently featured in a Saturday Evening Post article about college radio stations. An early survey also revealed an 82% listenership rating among students and faculty.
In an age before the advent of television, the radio station became a significant center of student life. In addition to providing news from around the world and locally the young station covered varsity athletics, and provided a stage for the student body's many musical groups.
The initial reach of the station was limited to campus; however in 1955 WPRU applied for and was granted the license to build an FM transmitter, extending its broadcast range to a radius of 20 miles on the FM band. The new FM capabilities necessitated a change in location (from Pyne to the more accommodating basement of Holder Hall) and a change in name, with WPRU adopting WPRB. Also notable at this time was the acquisition of an FM broadcasting license from the F.C.C., the first of its kind granted to a college commercial radio station. The accompanying increase of the transmitting power to 17,000 watts in 1960 made WPRB the most powerful college radio station in the nation.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, WPRB bolstered its reputation on campus and off by providing a variety of music specialty shows and exclusive news coverage of prominent campus events such as Alger Hiss' lecture in 1956. In 1973 summer broadcasting appeared for the first time, and experimentation with diverse musical styles throughout the 1970s resulted in the station's appearance in the Arbitron radio ratings.
Like many college radio stations in the 1980s and 1990s, WPRB carved out a niche for itself in the musical community by eschewing the mainstream rock and pop offerings played by major market stations and instead focusing upon independent artists. In the 21st century, the introduction of a live stream which enabled listeners to tune in to WPRB over the internet expanded the station's range to any individual or location with a connection to the World Wide Web.
The records consist of various materials which document the origins and development of WPRB, including constitutions, by-laws, photographs, membership lists, clipped articles, board minutes, correspondence, and financial reports.
The records are especially illustrative in their documentation of the station's beginnings. Nearly every piece of correspondence from station member H. Grant Theis is preserved, often with his own retrospective commentary attached. There are also several drafts of station histories, and large amounts of correspondence and technical reports detailing the station's move from AM to FM broadcasting.
The records also contain a number of photographs of WPRB staff and facilities. These photographs have been left in their original locations, and are interspersed with the station records.
The records also contain singing station break music circa 1960, and a series that includes both paper records and audio reel-to-reel tapes from the period 1969-1971.
A Princeton Companion by Alexander Leitch and the WPRB web site were consulted during preparation of the organizational history.
The Series 1 records were transferred to the library by WPRB in August of 2006. The Series 2 Singing Station Break record and notations were donated to the library by Bill Borchard '60 in December of 2015. The Series 2 WPRU Music of Princeton record was gifted to the University Archives by Paul Dunn '58 in 2016 The Series 3 WPRU recordings were dontated by John H. Mitchell '45 in August 2017. Series 5, Frank King '1971 Records, was donated by Frank King in 2018 (AR.2018.101).
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
The two records in Series 3, WPRU Recordings were treated for mold in 2017. However, materials may still be fragile and exhibit signs of damage. Researchers should exercise caution when handling these materials.
This collection was processed by Daniel Brennan and Nicholas Cox '10 in July, 2008. Finding aid written by Daniel Brennan in July, 2008. Finding aid updated by Lynn Durgin in February, 2016. 2018 additions processed by Annalise Berdini in May, 2018. Series 5 added to the finding aid by Phoebe Nobles in February, 2022.
No material has been separated from this collection.
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- University Archives
- Finding Aid Author
- Daniel Brennan
- Finding Aid Date
- 2008
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research use.
- Use Restrictions
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Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. The Trustees of Princeton University hold copyright to all materials generated by Princeton University employees in the course of their work. For instances beyond Fair Use, if copyright is held by Princeton University, researchers do not need to obtain permission, complete any forms, or receive a letter to move forward with use of materials from the Princeton University Archives.
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Collection Inventory
The first series consists of various materials which document the origins and development of WPRB, including constitutions, by-laws, photographs, membership lists, clipped articles, board minutes, correspondence, and financial reports. The records are especially illustrative in their documentation of the station's beginnings. Nearly every piece of correspondence from station member H. Grant Theis is preserved, often with his own retrospective commentary attached. There are also several drafts of station histories, and large amounts of correspondence and technical reports detailing the station's move from AM to FM broadcasting. The records also contain a number of photographs of WPRB staff and facilities. These photographs have been left in their original locations, and are interspersed with the station records.
No arrangement scheme has been imposed on these records. The records remain in the original arrangement they were in when transferred to the University Archives.
Physical Description14 boxes
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This series consists of two LP records: a WPRB singing station break recording and a WPRU-produced album, which was featured in exhibit. It also includes other materials used in a WPRB exhibit, inluding a letter from H. Grant Theis, photographs, a WPRB contour map, and broadcast programs. Some of the original exhibit descriptions are included with the materials.
No arrangement scheme has been imposed on these records.
Physical Description2 boxes
A 33 1/3 LP record of WPRB singing station breaks, written by Bill Borchard, arranged by Dick Oliver, and performed by The Tiger Tones. Also includes hand-written musical notation (sheet music) of the singing station breaks.
Physical Description1 box
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This is a WPRU recording on 16 inch disc. The label indicates that the disc contains a performance of Bach pieces at Murray Dodge Theater circa 1942 with Albert Einstein in attendance. The series also includes a 16 inch disc of unknown content.
WPRU were the orignial call letters of the radio station that would become WPRB.
Physical Description1 box
2 reel to reel tapes of the live WPRB broadcasts during the 1970 Anti-War events, including the IDA sit-in and the Chapel sessions.
Physical Description1 box
.1 GB
The WPRB public websites provides information on the history and activities of the university's student run radio station.
Full text searching of this archived web site is available through the Archive-It interface.
The original arrangement of the files was maintained.
Physical Description4 items
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Records donated by 1970-1971 station manager Frank King include meeting minutes, an annual report, a proposal to begin summer broadcasting, and King's general correspondence as station manager. This group also includes a box of reel-to-reel audio tapes.
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These reel-to-reel tapes were kept by 1970-1971 station manager Frank King. They include various "air checks" (recorded live off-air) of music programs, promos, station identifications, and 11 pre-recorded aired documentaries titled "Almost Monday." One reel is titled, "Jewish Defense League and its Critics." Selected other reels are labeled: "Backstage interview, David Clayton Thomas, lead singer, Blood Sweat and Tears"; "for NBC Radio 'Monitor'--Princeton Coeducation"; "Steve Katz interview"; and "Beatles." Two reels feature a dramatic reading of "War of the Worlds" by the WRPB Radio Theatre in 1970. Recordings of a program called "Inner Ear" include music by artists such as Judy Collins; the Rolling Stones; Simon and Garfunkel; the Beatles; Donovan; the Mamas & the Papas; Bob Dylan; Peter, Paul and Mary; Cream; and the Bee Gees.
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