Leveraging Technology
This photo shows Evan, Edna Mae Coleman, Irma Nancy Peterson, and Clifford Joseph Peterson in the radio studio from which they broadcast their weekly shows. Localized missionary broadcasts were a distinct and popular phenomenon in New England.
By 1932, missionaries in the Eastern States Mission frequently used local radio stations to amplify their message. Because many people in New England were hesitant to open their doors to missionaries, the radio allowed "Elders" to enter homes via the airwaves. These local programs usually consisted of:
A "Sermonette": A 10-to-15-minute address on a specific gospel topic.
Musical Selections: Often featuring missionary quartets or local members playing piano or organ.
Community Announcements: These served to "humanize" the missionaries to the local community.
President James H. Moyle was a strong advocate for using modern media and encouraged missionaries to be "polished" in their public presentations.
Fun fact discovered during research: Edna Mae Coleman (middle left) and Clifford Joseph Peterson (right) would later marry.
The radio program is mentioned in a few missionary letters and articles that are also part of this collection:
