Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Edward E. Block Radio Heritage collection, circa 1950-1969
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Block, Edward E.
- Title
- Edward E. Block Radio Heritage collection
- Dates
- circa 1950-1969 (inclusive)19501969
- Quantity
- 2 linear feet
- Collection Number
- XOE_CPNWS0076block (collection)
- Summary
- The Edward Block collection includes records concerning International Good Music and KGMI radio.
- Repository
-
Western Washington University, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies
Goltz-Murray Archives Building
808 25th St.
Bellingham, WA
98225
Telephone: (360) 650-7534
cpnws@wwu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public.
- Languages
- English.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Edward E. Block was born in Illinois. His education included a B.A. in literature from Yale and a M.A. in music from Columbia University. He also attended Julliard for musical training. Fluent in French, German, Italian, Swedish, Spanish, and Latin, Block served in the army during World War II, and received a Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star. Throughout his career in radio, stage, and television, Ed produced dramatic, musical, news, art, and children’s shows. He taught and lectured on drama, staging, and other arts at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As a member, Block belonged to the Screen Actor’s Guild, American Federation of Musicians, Actors Equity Association, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In 1960, Rogan Jones, founder of International Good Music, Inc., hired Block to work at the company’s headquarters in Bellingham, WA. Block served initially as Chief Announcer for Heritage Programming, the I.G.M. department responsible for producing classical music programming 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. He directed over 30,000 announcements involving translation of vocal work and musical terms into English, and scripted and announced original commentary on music. Block later took over from conductor Alfred Wallenstein as the music and program director for I.G.M.'s Heritage Stations. Block left I.G.M. in 1962.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Edward E. Block collection documents the personal and business activities of International Good Music’s Heritage Music Programming Director Edward Block. Records span the period 1948-1962, with the bulk of materials dating from ca. 1960-1962.
The collection documents both the personal and professional aspects of Edward Block’s life. The bulk of the records comprise both personal and business correspondence, including letters to and from composer Alfred Wallenstein and Bellingham businessman Rogan Jones. The collection contains unpublished writings and sketches authored by Edward Block. Programming records pertaining to International Good Music, Inc. include program scripts, notes, schedules, and program guides of Heritage Music Programs. The collection also contains photographs, publications, and newspaper clippings.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Edward E. Block Radio Heritage Collection, Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University, Bellingham WA 98225-9123.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The Edward E. Block Radio Heritage Collection is organized in accordance with the following series and subseries arrangement:
- Series I: Personal Records
- 1. Biographical Information
- 2. Personal Correspondence, Incoming and Outgoing
- 3. Writings
- 4. Photographs and Sketches
- 5. Sheet Music
- Series II: International Good Music, Inc. (I.G.M) Records
- 1. Company Information s
- 2. Personnel
- 3. Administrative Correspondence, Incoming and Outgoing
- 4. Programming
- 1. Programming Correspondence, Incoming and Outgoing
- 2. Programming Records
- 5. Publication
Custodial History
The records in the Edward E. Block collection have been organized as closely as possible following the original filing practices of Mr. Block. In cases where original order was indeterminable the records were organized using the archivist's discretion.
Related Materials
The Rogan Jones Collection at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies contains materials related to International Good Music, Inc.
Processing Note
About Harmful Language and ContentTo learn more about problematic content in our collections, collection description and teaching tools (including how to provide feedback or request dialogue on this topic), see the following Statement About Potentially Harmful Language and Content
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Series I: Personal Records, ca. 1948-1963Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Biographical Information
|
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | Biographical Information
(includes Block’s resume, Symphony tickets, and Church program) |
undated |
Subseries 2: Personal Correspondence,
Incoming and Outgoing |
undated; 1949; 1960-61; 1963 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/2 | Personal
Correspondence |
undated; 1949; 1960-61; 1963 |
Subseries 3: Writings |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/3 | “Form in Artistic Anatomy:
Michelangelo” |
undated |
1/4 | “Form in Dante: Gothic Elements
in the Divine Comedy” |
undated |
1/5 | “Our Architectural Heritage”
|
undated |
1/6 | “Some Aspects of Function and
Form in Religious and Secular Staging” |
undated |
1/7 | Untitled – Pertains to
Classicism and Romanticism |
undated |
1/8 | Untitled – Pertains to Staging
and Theatre |
undated |
1/9 | Draft – “The Basis of Ternary
Form in Western Art” ; Draft – Pertains to Ternary Form |
undated |
1/10 | Untitled Draft – Pertains to
American Military Intelligence |
undated |
Subseries 4: Photographs and Sketches
|
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/11 | Photographs of Edward Block,
Alfred Wallenstein, and Unidentified Couple |
undated |
1/12 | Sketches drawn by Edward Block
|
undated |
Subseries 5: Sheet Music |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/13 | Photocopies of Sheet Music to
“The Vicar of Bray” |
undated |
Series II: International Good Music, Inc. (I.G.M.) Records , ca. 1960-1962Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Company Information |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/14 | General Company Records
(includes Company diagram, Letterhead) |
undated |
1/15 | Financial Records |
undated |
Subseries 2: Personnel |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/16 | General Personnel
Records |
undated |
1/17 | Personnel Work
Schedules |
undated |
Subseries 3: Administrative Correspondence,
Incoming and Outgoing |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/18 | Addresses |
undated |
1/19 | General Administrative
Correspondence |
1960-1962 |
1/20 | Rogan Jones, President
|
undated, 1960-1961 |
1/21 | Rogan Jones,
President |
1961 |
1/22 | Rogan Jones,
President |
1962 |
2/1 | John (Jack) Tuttle,
Vice-President |
undated, 1960-1961 |
Subseries 4: Programming |
1960-1962 | |
Sub-subseries 1: Programming Correspondence,
Incoming and Outgoing |
1960-1962 | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/2 | General Programming
Correspondence |
undated,1960-1962 |
Main Office |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/3 | Norman (Norm) Cutler,
Coordinator |
undated, 1960-1962 |
2/4 | Gerard Darrow (Written by
Gerard Darrow) |
1961 |
2/5 | Lee Facto,
Controller |
1984-1997 |
2/6 | Al Swift,
Operations |
1960 |
New York Office |
1960-1962 | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/7 | Igor Kipnis |
undated, 1960-1961 |
2/8 | James (Jim)
Lyons |
1961 |
2/9 | Phillip
Spurgeon |
1960-1961 |
2/10 | Alfred (Wally)
Wallenstein |
1959, 1960 |
2/11 | Martin
Williams |
1961-1962 |
Heritage Owned and Operated
Stations |
1960/1962 | |
Box/Folder | ||
2/12 | General O and O Station
Correspondence |
undated, 1960-1962 |
2/13 | Marc Bowman,
KGMG-FM |
1960-1961 |
2/14 | Aubrey Guy,
WMPS-FM |
1961-1962 |
2/15 | Howard Hall,
KBAY-FM |
1961-1962 |
2/16 | Guyton Parks, The
Montgomery Advertiser |
1961-1962 |
2/17 | Charles (Chuck) Shull,
KFMU-FM |
undated, 1961-1962 |
2/18 | Erin Thomas, KFMW-FM,
|
undated, 1961 |
2/19 | Martin Tobin, KGMJ-FM,
|
1960-1962 |
Box/Folder | ||
2/20 | Record
Companies |
1960-1962 |
2/21 | Program Inquires/Comments
|
undated |
Program
Inquires/Comments |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
3/1 | undated, 1962 | |
3/2 | 1962 | |
3/3 | 1962 | |
3/4 | 1962 | |
Box/Folder | ||
4/1 | Announcer
Audition/Employment |
1960-1961 |
Sub-subseries 2: Programming Records
|
undated | |
Program Scripts and
Drafts |
undated | |
Box/Folder | ||
4/2 | Program Scripts
|
undated |
4/3 | Audition Scripts
|
undated |
4/4 | Drafts of Scripts
|
undated |
Box/Folder | ||
4/5 | Program Notes |
undated |
4/6 | Program Schedules
|
undated |
4/7 | Program Changes |
undated |
4/8 | Program Guides |
undated |
4/9 | Heritage Spots |
undated |
4/10 | Announcer’s Test
|
undated |
4/11 | Maintenance Reports/Notes
|
undated |
4/12 | FCC Ruling on Program Form
|
undated |
Subseries 5 : Publications |
1961 | |
Box/Folder | ||
4/13 | Awards Newsletters,
Broadcasting Magazine, Clipping of Arturo Toscanini |
undated |
4/14 | Newspaper Ads, Heritage
Programs |
1961 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Composers -- New York (State) -- History -- Sources -- Photographs.
- Radio Broadcasters -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham -- History -- Sources.
- Radio Broadcasting -- United States -- History -- Sources.
- Radio Broadcasting -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham -- History -- Sources.
- Radio Stations -- Washington (State) -- Bellingham -- History -- Sources.
- Radio broadcasting -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources.
- Radio stations -- Washington (State) -- History -- Sources.
Personal Names
- Block, Edward E. -- Archives. (creator)
- Jones, Rogan -- 1895-1972 -- Correspondence.
- Wallenstein, Alfred -- Correspondence.
Corporate Names
- International Good Music.