THE RADIO YEARS

Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota

The Gustavian Weekly

Dwain Johnson, radio talentWELLS? WELL! Orson Wells [sic] might not have been flattered, but the senior class night program was design[ed] as a possible imitation of his ideas. The audience was taken 2,000 years into the future and by means of radio and television, had a look back at the class of '43.

Bernhard Erling was master of ceremonies. The class history was read by Dwain Johnson, the class will by May Fosnes; music by Ralf Runquist on the oboe, vocal solos by Rosemary Le Vaque and Gordon Nelson. A skit, in the form of a take-off on a faculty meeting was presented by a number of the seniors. It must have been Orson Wells idea.

THE GUSTAVIAN WEEKLY, St. Peter, Minnesota, June 2, 1943

Did you know...?

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet visits Gustavus radio station

Dwain Johnson, radio talent

HANGING OUT WITH CARL SANDBURG

While in college, Dwain sat with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and author Carl Sandburg for two hours. The legendary writer was visiting Gustavus on a speaking tour but there was a mistake in his itinerary and he arrived two hours early! Dwain was working at the college radio station and was assigned to interview Sandberg. He recalled that not only was Sandberg content to sit and wait but he was fascinated by my father's background in farming. "Here was one of the greatest poets of all time, sitting with me for two hours and all he wanted to do was ask me about farming."
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