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WCAL began in 1918. "Wireless telegraphy" or "radio-telegraphy" had emerged at the turn of the century as a way to transmit messages over great distances without the use of wires or cables connecting the sender and receiver, and was among the new technologies employed during the First World War.

Erected by physics professor Erik Hitle and his students, St. Olaf's "wireless" tower was one of the many ways St. Olaf students prepared to participate that war, with both male and female students training in telegraphy. At first, the station operated under a "technical and training school license" sending and receiving most messages in Morse code. It served as one of the wireless "stations" along a route that transmitted messages from tower-to-tower between Minneapolis and Washington DC.

By 1921, St. Olaf's tower had obtained broadcast licensure, and began producing the kind of audio broadcasts we are more familiar with today. One of the first major broadcasts took place on May 19, 1922. It included singing, two piano pieces, and an address from then-President of St. Olaf, L.W. Boe. Theater productions, broadcasts of basketball games, and church services also became popular among listeners.

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Exterior of a pamphlet distributed to early listeners of WCAL

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St. Olaf's physical campus played an important role in WCAL's broadcast history: the physics department relayed their first message thanks to a system of wires that ran from Hoyme chapel to Old Main -- the tallest building on campus. This wiring system is depicted on early promotional pieces for the radio station.

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Photo of Gertrude Boe, a soprano soloist taken in 1923 showing the singing bowl in action.

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After receiving its broadcasting license in 1921, WCAL began producing two shows a week. Like all radio at the time, the early years were marked by experimentation, innovation and ingenuity. Take, for example, the station's first amplifier, created from a large, shallow wooden bowl drilled through its center, and attached to a vertical stand. The story passed down is that the bowl, originally used to allow dough to rise, was "repurposed" without the baker's consent. It wasn't until months later, at an outdoor broadcast, that she discovered the fate of her mysteriously missing bowl. Still housed in the College Archives, the wooden amplifier serves as an illustration of the creativity of this immigrant community, as well as how sophisticated broadcast technology has become in the 100 years since its birth.

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Image taken from a 1939 WCAL bulletin, showing the approximate scale of what WCAL's frequency would later become.

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In its earliest days, WCAL served largely rural, immigrant communities. Weekly church services were broadcast to far-flung farms in German, Norwegian, and Swedish. Many listeners who wrote in to WCAL graciously thanked the station for for providing them with a way to worship in their native languages, and to feel part of a larger community even though the isolation of their farms made travel to a church difficult or impossible. One listener wrote that the broadcasts were especially appreciated by "sick and shut-in friends" who were physically unable to attend services or had difficulty learning or understanding English.

Music and choral performances also quickly became broadcast staples likely contributed to St. Olaf's long legacy as a regionally acclaimed school for music.

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Interior of a pamphlet distributed to early listeners of WCAL.

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In the early days of radio broadcasting, a popular practice among listeners was to write in to the program. In these letters, many of which are held within college archives, the writer would describe their location when they heard WCAL coming through. This effectively allowed WCAL to map its listenership but also find lapses or strain in its broadcast capabilities.

The pamphlet pictured above was sent to listeners who had written to the station. WCAL was the first listener-funded radio station, and led the way as a model for future public radio, and these early exchanges were essential to creating more sophisticated programing. The exchanges helped build loyalty between WCAL and its audience — loyalty which would later become the financial support that would sustain the station. Below are some examples of listener correspondence from this time.

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Photo taken from outside of a WCAL studio. Their technology became more sophisticated in part due to the popularity of radio during this age. 

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The years following the founding of WCAL became known as the “Golden Age” of radio. At this time, radio shows became a dominant form of entertainment for Americans. A number of factors contributed to this. First, radio technology became more sophisticated. Then broadcast networks began to form, creating a more organized listening experience. Radio purchases within households increased dramatically and listening in became an essential part of domestic life.

This became especially true as America experienced both an economic downturn and a world war. Radio’s success would eventually be overshadowed by television, but WCAL would continue to maintain its listenership due to its close relationship with its audience.

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Photocopy of a page from a pronunciation handbook distributed by the NBC during wartime.

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During this age, many of the conventions for formal radio broadcasting were developed. One of these early practices was the crafting of radio personalities, who were sometimes attributed to single-handedly captivating an audience.

Housed in the Archives are a few radio broadcast handbooks that were in circulation during this time. These handbooks provided clear instructions on proper enunciation, pace, and tone that should be used for different kinds of broadcasts - many of which are still in practice today.

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This correspondence shows just how far WCAL's signal could reach in its early years. In the days before round-the-clock programming, listeners were eager to know the times and dats of broadcasts, so they could listen in. One listener from Montana writes:

"Dear Sirs:-
Have been unable to get your station over the radio. Are you on the air? If so, when? When do you broadcast a Scandinavian program? If you have printed programs, please mail me one, also to Gotirid Johansson, Box 1, Grass Range, Montana.
Yours very truly, A.E. Trapp, Grass Range, Montana"

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A description of the College Defense Council from a 1940s WCAL program.

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During the Second World War, Americans' interests and listening habits changed dramatically. Although regular programs retained their listeners, there was a growing need for information about the war overseas. WCAL was quick to deliver. A portion of the broadcast soon became devoted to wartime coverage. A large part of this coverage consisted of updates that came directly from different federal agencies.

However, there was also an amount of time given for the College Defense Council to discuss their perspectives on these events, often guided by their Lutheran beliefs. Additionally, a significant amount of airtime was devoted to selling war bonds, and proved so successful that the National Department of the Treasury awarded WCAL with a certificate of recognition for their efforts.

The end of the war made this coverage less necessary, but WCAL would continue to provide its listenership with political coverage, such as broadcasts of presidential debates.

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A Letter of complaint from Hagen's Radio Shop in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

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A Letter of complaint from Hagen's Radio Shop in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

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"Gentlemen:-
We have been experiencing considerable difficulty in getting good reception from your station since the change made on Nov. 11th and would like to know if there is anything we local listeners could do to help the situation. I would be glad to circulate a petition in this locality in order that you may get a hearing before the Radio Commission if that would help any.
Yours truly, L.G. Hagen"

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A Letter of Gratitude from Brookings, South Dakota

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A Letter of Gratitude from Brookings, South Dakota

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This comes from a multi-part letter written to WCAL.

"Dear Rev. Hegland,
My mother wishes me to write you to express her appreciation for the radio sermons and music, which she enjoys from your station during the week and for the one on Sunday. She doesn't miss one of them and hasn't for years.
She is sending you a small gift of two dollars ($2.00) to help the cause along. It goes to you with her blessing.
Mother was eighty-two years old last December and is perfectly well and happy...."

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October 1941 photo of the radio tower on the St. Olaf campus, which looks very different from the early wiring created by the the physics department in 1918.

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1939 brought the St. Olaf campus and WCAL new facilities for its broadcasting work. It began with the construction of Skifter Hall, named after a student who pioneered the station in its early days. Skifter later went on to develop sophisticated military detection technology during World War Two.

That same year, not far from the studio, a new radio tower was erected, increasing the station's power to 5000 watts!

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Advertising card produced by WCAL, meant to keep beside the radio should they have difficulty listening to their program.

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As radio became more popular and accessible, WCAL was forced to compete with other regional programs. What emerged were a series of clever advertisement campaigns.

One such move made by the program included offering radio repair and part replacement services, so that the listeners would never have go a single day without their program.

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Photo taken from the Kenyon Sunset home, showing elderly residents gathered around the radio to hear the WCAL church services.

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Because of programming like wartime coverage, political debates, and musical performances, WCAL was able to maintain and attract a large audience. However, it still remained incredibly loyal to its immigrant listeners. The station became one of the last to include church services in Norwegian and other Nordic languages, which were especially important to communities of aging immigrants.

This adaptability, combined with a deep commitment to its original audience meant that WCAL would maintain well-funded beyond the Golden Age of radio.

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Photo taken from a WCAL program, urging participation in and listenership of women's hour discussions. 

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Following the Golden Age of radio, entertainment in the United States quickly moved to a new form of technology: television. The move away from radio was rapid, and meant that, once again, WCAL was forced to adapt to a new set of audience demands.

WCAL twice tried to make the change from AM to FM broadcasting. First, in 1948, in hopes of becoming a commercial station. However, FM transmission had not yet been perfected and didn't immediately take off at the studio. The station tried again in 1968 (under the FM number 89.3 and with 100,000 watts of power!) and had much more success. It would continue to remain listener-funded. These listeners (primarily alumni) would pay to maintain the studios and keep WCAL on the St. Olaf campus.

WCAL's content filled only a small part of the broadcasting day, so St. Olaf partnered with the University of Minnesota to make the coverage longer and more consistent, eventually leading to 24-hour broadcasts in 1984.

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Newspaper clipping which describes the 1968 transition of WCAL from AM to FM radio. It also lists the listening hours that were offered by the station.

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Newspaper clipping which describes the 1991 WCAL purchase of land closer to the Twin Cities.

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By 1991, WCAL continued to make moves toward expanding listenership. $1.25 million dollars later, the station would build a new transmitter in Rosemount, on land owned by the University of Minnesota. This land was given in exchange for WCAL's AM frequency. However, this move meant that WCAL-FM would be able to provide full coverage to listeners in the Twin Cities. Another, smaller transmitter would be built in Rochester to do the same for listeners south of the campus.

Membership grew, increasing the need to further professionalize the operations. The station hired full-time broadcasters, and student employees began filling supportive rather than leading roles in production. WCAL's reputation as a professionally run station with a loyal listener- and member-base eventually attracted the interest of Minnesota Public Radio.

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Advertisement from the later years of WCAL.

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As the Norwegian immigrant demographic of Minnesota began to age, listenership moved away from religious or spiritual programming and toward musical options offered by the station. Particularly popular were student-led programs such as Christmas Festival.

Disc jockeys at WCAL were also well-known for carefully curating a daily rotation of famous classical artists. Many listeners enjoyed how passionate and knowledgeable the broadcasters were about the music that they were playing. Arts and entertainment events going on locally were also advertised to listeners, which meant that WCAL also was also growing in popularity among networks of artists.

Because the station remained largely listener-funded, regular surveys were done to determine what programs were and weren't successful to listeners. This meant that the station would become more and more music-forward and some of the station's religious programming was gradually reduced.

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Results of a survey done in 1994, meant to acquire data on WCAL's listenership. This type of research would go into advertising and gauged WCAL's longevity.

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Established first as a training tool, and state-of-the art technology for communication, then becoming an outlet for the entertainment and enjoyment of rural, immigrant communities, WCAL looked much different by the end of the century.

By the early to mid-90s, the station turned its focus to a more urban, college-educated, upper-middle-class and upper-class audience. It proved to be a financially significant change, and WCAL was able to maintain its listener-funded status in part because its audience could afford to contribute larger sums of money.

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A popular advertisement from the later days of WCAL, often found on busses in the Twin Cities area.

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Around this time, advertising for WCAL was in full-force. One big aspect of WCAL's campaigns around this time was establishing itself as a program for distinguished listeners. Strategically putting ads on the sides of buses and along the skyways of the Twin Cities area targeted commuting business professionals.

One campaign in particular featured classical paintings alongside the radio show's call number. Another read: "Now you don't have to die to hear decent harp music". Ads such as these made WCAL's mission clear: this was a program for people with a refined taste, and was a highly cultured listening experience.

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Newspaper clipping announcing the purchase of WCAL by Minnesota Public Radio.

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In the late summer of 2004, St. Olaf college announced that WCAL, which had been headquartered on the St. Olaf campus for 82 years, had been sold. Minnesota Public Radio had offered $10.5 million dollars for the sale of the station. At the time, St. Olaf explained this sale by expressing that this money would be a great opportunity to further expand the academic opportunities and programming of the school. The proceeds were promised to go toward the school's endowment fund. Furthermore, the college was confident that MPR would continue the radio's legacy in a way that aligned with the school's cultural and spiritual values.

In 2004, the station's broadcasting lineup had been doing incredibly well: WCAL had outstanding member support in 2004, with listeners contributing just over $860,000. Because of this success, many in the community felt blindsided by the sale. Many listeners felt the decision to sell should have been only made with the donors' approval. Others claimed that the station's listener-funded history effectively made it a "charitable trust", and that the college should have only overseen the donation process. One group, known as SaveWCAL, would take their complaints to the State Attorney General's office.

In the end, the Attorney General ruled that WCAL was not a charitable trust, and that because college assumed financial risks while running the radio station, the sale was up to their discretion. The AG also ruled that St. Olaf could legally transfer the funds to their endowment fund, even if that didn't honor the wishes of its donors.

WCAL's sale continues to be controversial. Many former listeners both mourn the loss of the one-of-a-kind programming the station provided and feel betrayed by the legal decisions following the sale.

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Logo for the radio program that would replace WCAL

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Shortly after WCAL's sale, its classical music programming would be replaced by the alternative music station known as The Current.

The Current enjoyed quick success , and ultimately ended up being another step toward a younger, more modern audience. In its first ten months of broadcast, The Current attracted a similar number of listeners as WCAL's classical offering had; these numbers would eventually far exceed the old classical programming. However, longtime listeners of WCAL seemed unimpressed with these numbers, explaining that it was WCAL's tight, focused programs and donor relationship that had been so important to them.

WCAL's sale (along with the sale of similar small stations) signaled a transition point in a long tradition of independent radio. Today, many programs stay afloat in part because of media cooperatives like Minnesota Public Radio, which have streamlined broadcast processes. And music streaming services, podcasts, and other programming are changing our listening environment again. So if and when you do set your radio dial to 89.3, be sure to remember how far radio has come!

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Photo of Rev. Hegland giving his sermon, taken in 1930.

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Reverend Dr. Martin Hegland served as a religion professor. However, he was with WCAL for some of its earliest programs and would be a key part of its production. His first sermon, given in English, took place on the evening of 1923. He would later become one of the most frequent preachers on the Norwegian program.

He also directed the station up until his retirement in 1954, which is why many listener letters were addressed to him.

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St. Olaf College WCAL radio station records (US-MnNS-049) were re-processed by Sara Skindelien. Her work was made possible by a generous grant from the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Fund. You can view the records in our new archival database, FRAM.