Fannie Mason Steve (1877-1969) was a teacher, musician, mentor, and tireless advocate for the joys of exercise and life. At the age of 55, after decades as a classroom teacher, Fannie launched a pioneering broadcast career focused on early childhood education. She spent 35 years teaching music and physical education on WHA’s School of the Air, engaging young listeners with just the sound of her voice and a piano.
Fannie grew up in a musical family and started as a teacher in Madison public schools. In 1931 she joined WHA and launched “Rhythm and Games.” The show featured music and activities to inspire imagination, healthy habits, and group spirit. She had a radiant voice that captivated her young listeners.
“Rhythm and Games” was heard by more than 60,000 children each week and was also later broadcast on WHA-TV. She was also an advocate of women’s rights saying, “a chance to live her own life – which infers a chance to do as she wishes – is the right of every woman.”
Fannie received numerous awards including the 1962 McCall’s Golden Mike Award for “outstanding service to the youth of America.” She retired in 1966 at the age of 90.
When I attended first through third grades in Livingston, Wisconsin in the late 1950’s, our only music class was “music on the air”. We had songbooks and sang along with the radio program.
I listened to Fannie Steve and the Wisconsin School of the Air programs when I attended Silver Springs, a two-room country school, near the Fish Hatchery Highway.. Later, I worked my way through the University of Wiscoinsin at WHA.
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Message:
Name:
Email Address:
Website:
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
The Wisconsin Broadcasters Hall of Fame was created in 1989 to honor those broadcasters who have devoted their careers to broadcasting and its development in Wisconsin, to recognize their outstanding service to broadcasting, their communities, and their state, over at least a fifteen-year career in the industry, at least ten of which were served in Wisconsin.The first twelve members of the Hall of Fame were inducted during the 1989 WBA Summer Conference. Inductees are chosen each year from among nominations by WBA members. Broadcasters who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame include managers, personalities, engineers, reporters and those broadcasting pioneers who were at once all of the above.
In October, 1989, Alfred C. Sykes, then Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, came to Wisconsin to formally dedicate a Hall of Fame display, including plaques honoring the inductees, at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library in Madison. In 2010, due to remodeling of the SHSW facility, the display was removed. The Hall of Fame exhibit was relocated to the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in 2015 and enhanced with a touchscreen display featuring all inductee commemorative videos.
$5,000 Level
Gray Television Midwest Communications Mid-West Family Broadcasting Dick Record Wisconsin Stations of Quincy Media
$3,500 Level
Hearst WITI-TV, Milwaukee
$2,500 Level
Morgan Murphy Media
$2,000 Level
Armada Media CBS58 Milwaukee Koser Radio Group Scripps/WTMJ-TV Terry and Sandy Shockley WTMJ & ESPN Milwaukee/Good Karma Brands
$1,000 Level
Bliss Communications Magnum Communications Woodward Communications
$500 Level
Bill Hurwitz
