On October 30, 1938 the original radio play “The War of the Worlds”, directed by Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre was broadcasted on CBS Radio Network. The radio play was so true to life that it panicked some of its listeners, who thought the Martian Invasion was actually happening.
This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the original radio play. For over 20 years it has become an annual tradition for the students of WKHS radio, Maryland’s only High School Radio Station, to reenact the radio play in it’s entirety on or about the anniversary date of the original broadcast.
This year that broadcast will fall of the anniversary date, October 30th. Beginning at 11:30am, the students at Kent County High, in Worton, MD, will put on a live production of the radio play. The students assume the various player roles along with the original music and sound effects.
WKHS is the only High School FM Radio Station in Maryland and broadcasting at 17,500 Watts and is one of the strongest High School Stations in the country. The station’s primary purpose is as an educational training ground for students with an interest in broadcasting. During school hours students fill the broadcasting day. Playing music, delivering news and everything you would expect from a radio station. They often do sports broadcasting of home football, basketball and baseball games. Students of the program have gone on to have productive careers in the industry and others have said that their experiences at WKHS helped paved the way regardless of their career path.
There is also a dedicated crew of community volunteers who do radio shows in the evenings. These shows are “labors of love” and can consist of just about any genre of music that you can possibly imagine. Country, Alternative, Dixieland Jazz and others. The volunteers are dedicated, and knowledgeable and listening to these programs are an education in themselves of music history.
The station runs a 24 hour format and to fill the gaps the school system has entered an agreement to simulcast WXPN radio from the University of Pennsylvania. This arrangement helps to support WKHS from both a financial and a programming standpoint. Click HERE for Program Schedule‘.