Beethoven's monumental Symphony No. 9 was the first music ever heard on WDPR when Dayton Public Radio began broadcasting on November 11, 1985. That afternoon at 4:30, Lloyd Bryant greeted listeners and played an LP record of Beethoven's Ninth. Though that was the station's first day on the air, it certainly wasn't the beginning of the story. It took years of work by a dedicated team to put classical music on the radio in Dayton.
In 1980, a group of opera lovers was at a gathering in Germantown and, standing around the punch bowl, they talked about how Dayton ought to have its own classical music radio station. That casual conversation soon led to a meeting where the proposed station was planned. Lloyd recalls that everyone at the meeting put $5 on the table to establish a non-profit organization.
On January 8, 1981, Clark Haines signed the legal documents to bring Dayton Public Radio into existence. Standing behind him in this photo are (from left to right) Doris Spika, John Kohnle, Alan Johnson, Ed Kuhns, Sybil Pomeroy, Lloyd Bryant and Jim Bennett.
Though many people played important roles in the creation of Dayton Public Radio, they were led by Clark Haines, who campaigned tirelessly to make the dream of a classical music radio station a reality. Clark directed the NCR Band for 40 years, as well as the Dayton Philharmonic Chorus and Concert Band. He also led the music for his church and at Kettering City Schools.
"Clark was the godfather of the station," recalled Bill Combs, who served as general manager of WDPR during its early years. Lloyd Bryant agreed: "If Clark had been in the military, he would have been a four-star general."
"Clark was unrelenting," said Judy McCormick, a former member of DPR's Board of Trustees. "I'd be driving up Far Hills Avenue and see him marching south on his way to Dorothy Lane Market. By the time I got there, he'd be holding court for whoever came in saying, 'We need a classical radio station.'" Judy recalled Clark's response if anyone asked how it could be accomplished. He'd say: "If there are enough of us, we can get it done."
"We started working in 1980 to make this happen," said Lloyd Bryant. "Do you think we would've stuck with it if we'd known it would take five years?" It took that long to raise funds, obtain an FCC license, find a radio frequency, purchase broadcast equipment, build a music library, and hire staff and announcers. WDPR finally made its debut in 1985 thanks to the visionary efforts of Clark Haines and many other dedicated individuals.
The years since have been full of growth, and today Discover Classical broadcasts classical music around the clock and around the world. Our success is due to the faithful support of our listeners and, with their help, this station will continue to thrive for many years to come.