Clint Dantinne.com
Page 1 of 2 with APPENDAGE and SCRAPBOOK
Jesse Morris, Class of 1968, was running for the Mount Pleasant Senior High School student council. On the Morris Ticket was the proposal for a student-run low power radio station. The radio station was initially proposed in May 1967 prior to the student council election.
The student council election was held on May 20, 1967. Jesse Morris was elected Student Council President for the Class of 1968. On May 23, Robert Huber, also Class of 1968, was appointed radio station manager and project coordinator. The school administration were helpful and supportive of this ambitious project.
On February 19, 1968, the Mount Pleasant Board of Education submitted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) application. The FCC issued a non-commercial FM low power educational radio station construction permit to the school board on October 15, 1968. This was the first permit of its kind to be granted within the State of Delaware.
May 1967 - Platform of the Morris Ticket
May 9, 1967 - Letter to Bob Huber from the Morris Ticket
October 11, 1967 - Letter from MPSSD (Schwinger) to NAB
May 21, 1968 - Letter from Senator Boggs to MPHS
June 14, 1968 - Letter from Law Firm to MPHS
July 10, 1969 - Article from Town Talk newspaper
Summer 1969 - Article (unknown source)
WMPH radio first signed on the air October 1, 1969.
The radio station was dark (off the air) from 1990-1993. The school district actually forfeited the FCC broadcast license and nearby West Chester University was trying to obtain it. Clint Dantinne gave a proposal to the superintendent to resurrect the defunct station. Had he not interceded at that time, WMPH would have been closed permanently. Under his management, WMPH returned to the air March 1, 1993. It was at this time he chose 'Super 91.7' as the new slogan.
WMPH has always been located at Mount Pleasant High School on the corner of Washington Street Extension and Marsh Road with the exception of the 1995-1996 school year. The entire building was renovated and the radio studios were temporarily moved to a trailer at the Claymont Education Center.
Clint Dantinne founded the Broadcast Learning Center incorporating radio, television, film club, recording studio, puppets, newspaper, and web team at Mount Pleasant High School. Dantinne remained the faculty manager until the end of the 2010 school year.
The 40th anniversary of WMPH was celebrated on October 23, 2009 at the Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The event, held every two years around homecoming weekend, was celebrated at the nearby Brandywine Hundred Fire Company. The Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame CLASS OF 2009 inductees were Arthur Colbourn, John Crum, Carol Hoffecker, Rodney Lambert, John Jancuska, and WMPH founders Jesse Morris and Bob Huber. Dr. Jesse Morris was introduced by student Haley Hirzel and then his wife. Bob Huber was introduced by student Todd Hartsock. Teacher Kelli Bradley presented the plaque to our final inductee of the evening. Student Alex Sprague then introduced WMPH manager Clint Dantinne who gave a multimedia presentation.
Old News Articles and Television Interviews
Brandywine Review 1993News Journal April 29, 1993 - ANews Journal April 29, 1993 - BBig ShoutNews Journal February 3, 1994Out & About Magazine February 1994News Journal April 19, 1994 - ANews Journal April 19, 1994 - BNews Journal News Journal October 20, 1994TV - First State News 1997
News Journal July 3, 1997TV - Puerto Rican Panorama on ch. 6 hosted by Diego Castellanos 1997 (taped 5/30/97)
Brandywine Valley Weekly January 2, 1998News Journal March 23, 2000News Journal June 8, 2004Brandywine Review March 2006SPARK Magazine April 5, 2006 [online article] Alumnus mentions WMPHCommunity News November 11, 2006No performance tax boycott began in 2007Letters sent 2009 to Delaware Congressman Castle and Senators Carper and KaufmanLetters received 2009 from Delaware Senator KaufmanAssociated Press June 10, 2009All Access Music June 12, 2009News Journal June 16, 2009 (
frontpage) * (
Full Article)
TV - ACTION NEWS ch. 6 (WPVI Philadelphia) June 28, 2009 * [
VIDEO]
Other Materials Since Returning To Airwaves In 1993
Original WMPH Logo on Handbook 1993First Program Schedule Spring 1993WMPH Ad on Cable TV 1995WMPH T-Shirt at ClaymontWMPH on School MarqueeWMPH manager with Powerline host at National Assoc. of Broadcaster's ShowWMPH at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia 2000 Our first affiliate satellite network Our first billboard in WilmingtonAnother WMPH billboardWMPH in 2002 Yellow PagesAd in Out & About Magazine 2001Ad in Out & About Magazine 2006Web site Archive (1998-2003) Picture Archive (1993-1996)
Studios in January 1993 at Mount Pleasant High School
Control Room
Lobby
Production Room
Engineering Room
Studios in March 1993 After Renovation
Control Room
Studios in 1995 at Claymont
Control Room / Control Room
Office
Production Room
Engineering Room
Outside view of trailer (studios located in foreground at Claymont)
Studios during 1996 Construction at Mount Pleasant High School
Control Room
Office
New Studios in 1996 Back at Mount Pleasant High School
Control Room / Studio Design plan
24/7 Programming 365 Days
WMPH began continuous broadcasting with the debut of our new satellite network (Music Channel One) and automation system on June 12, 1997. After that date, WMPH would never sign off again. There was one exception. WMPH deliberately turned our transmitter off on the morning of September 11, 2001.
WMPH was Delaware's only high school radio station until 1998 when WMHS began broadcasting at 88.1 FM from Thomas McKean High School.
Audio Archive (1993-2010)
From 1993-2010, many thousands of announcements were recorded for WMPH with a variety of voices. Click
HERE to hear a sample (5 minutes 30 seconds as MP3).
December 16, 2001 - Groundbreaking Ceremony; WMPH provided DJ for future home of Brandywine Hundred Library event on Foulk Road
Documents
WMPH Renewal Certificate
WMPH FCC License
FCC Filing Report 2006
FCC Renewal Application 2006
FCC Renewal Approval 2006
Ownership: Brandywine School District, Board of Education
Chief Operator Designation: In accordance with FCC rule 47 C.F.R. § 73.1870, Clint Dantinne was the designated Chief Operator of WMPH radio station (1993-2010). To view his FCC Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit, click HERE.
The Mount Pleasant Hall of Fame began in 2005 under the direction of teachers Dave and Kelli Bradley. Nominations with induction ceremonies are held every two years. Clint Dantinne, co-founder of the Hall of Fame, has been the disc jockey for all four induction ceremonies including the most recent 2011 event.
On October 23, 2009, both WMPH founders Jesse Morris and Bob Huber were
inducted coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the radio station.
On October 28, 2011, William Schwartz (better known in Wilmington radio
as Mike Rossi) was also inducted. Mike Rossi began as a student on WMPH in the 1970s. His lifelong career in radio continues with a daily
on-air shift at 93.7 WSTW. Click HERE for News Journal mention of event and HERE for the program.
Clint Dantinne departed WMPH in part to pursue other ambitions including his Dance Radio Network LLC. The radio station was silent during a period of transition. During this time, the school hired a new manager and again renovated the studio facilities. The school no longer uses the wmph.org and mphsknights.com domains.
To visit WMPH radio station online now, click HERE. According to FCC regulations, all licensed stations are required to maintain a public file. The WMPH public file may be viewed by anyone at the Mount Pleasant High School studios during regular operating hours. Both studios and transmitter are located at this street address:
WMPH Radio Station
Mount Pleasant High School
5201 Washington Street Extension
Wilmington, DE 19809
(302) 762-7125 School Office
Tower Longitude-Latitude: 39° 46' 23" N 75° 30' 25" W