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Fall 1997, Vol. 60, No. 1

The fans of "Hour Melodious" sing praises - excerpts from the Augsburg Echo

While the "Hour Melodious" was on the air many wrote "fan" letters to Prof. Opseth to congratulate him on the spectacular program. Most of the fan mail came from those who had no connection to the school. In fact Rev. James Gronseth, who conducted a radio mission for a decade and had a fair tab on radio statistics, said in the March 15, 1935, Echo, "I have no doubt that you have a million listeners each Sunday evening." And in true Norwegian fashion the Echo responded as such, "Now a million listeners are a few people--in most instances--beyond our comprehension. Cutting the figure in half, better suiting our whims, still allows an ample audience." Very modest.

In addition, the following "blurbs" appeared in the Augsburg Echo while the "Hour Melodious" thrilled the countryside with its beautiful voices and inspiring songs.

February 16, 1935

In a paraphrase from the most recent copy of the Lutheran Messenger, Rev. Marley Gjerde writes that they listen to the "Hour Melodious," but in a unique method. Since radios are so scarce persons fortunate enough to own one connect the speaker to a barbed-wire fence and ground it. Then at the appointed hour, those not so fortunate as to possess radios "tap" the wire with earphones and thus hear the program. First the program goes through 1,500 miles of ether and then through 8 miles of barbed wire fencing. "Music hath power. ..."

December 17, 1934

Dear Music Box Editor:

It was just by chance that I happened to see in the Tribune that the Augsburg College Music Department would broadcast last evening. All my hopes were far surpassed. It was wonderful! ... I certainly like the arrangement of the program. Hope they'll keep it up as a regular feature.