Re: "all-girl" radio

["David W. Harris" <dwh@totalnetnh.net>]

Earlier this afternoon I wrote:

> Today's Lost and Found Sound segment on All Things Considered is
> supposed to feature 1955 airchecks from WHER Memphis.  [Hear it between
> 4:30 & 5 p.m. on most NPR stations; also between 6:30 & 7 on BU's
> stations; or check www.npr.org later]  The claim is that this was the
> first station totally staffed by women.  I'll have more to say about
> that claim after I hear the piece.
>
Another great production from the Kitchen Sisters.  "1000 beautiful
watts."  Pink and purple studios?  More next week in the same time slot.

Tonight's installment took the "all-girl" station from 1955 to 1970.
WHER gets points for longevity but I still wonder about that claim to be
the first station staffed entirely by women.  Headline in the Worcester
Sunday Telegram 4 April 1943:  "W1XTG to Be Manned By All-Girl Staff."
W1XTG was the FM station associated with WTAG and the article claims all
duties at the station, from "announcerettes" to tech staff, were to be
handled by women.  It's not hard to believe there were other stations
that went this route during the wartime labor shortage; it's my guess
that the "all-girl" concept was retired before 1945 was over.

Elsewhere in the Ancient Annals of Announcerettes (Aussie Division):
"Australian Broadcasting Commission will discharge several married women
at present holding down air jobs in the various States.  They'll be
replaced by married men with families." (Variety, 17 June 1936.)  Do you
suppose the ABC wanted those women back once the war was underway?