It may be that at least some of our mother’s rosy depiction of her happy childhood reflected her personality more than anything else. Whether or not that is true, we know that school and music were important to her. They were made more difficult for her by both her health and the Dawson family’s many moves between Philadelphia and St. Petersburg—especially during her primary and middle school years.

Again, from For the Love of the “Mike”:

Autumn came, and we returned from our Canadian trip. The autumn [of 1930] also brought my first year of school. I was only five years old but I was registered at St. Mary’s Academy in Logan, Philadelphia. I enjoyed my first year of school very much and will always consider the teaching of the Sisters invaluable. The only sadness that I experienced during my first year, however, was the fact that I was so far away from home. I was very lonely and would take crying spells. I can remember how nice the students looked in their school uniforms. Navy blue serge pleated skirts and blouses trimmed with white comprised our winter uniforms, while for early fall and late spring we wore navy blue silk uniforms trimmed in white. It was a very impressive sight to see us marching from one class to another. 

I was promoted to second grade in June, and I still have my first grade final report card. Our class participated in the regular school pageant, which was held at the close of the year.

The following summer was comparatively uneventful only for an occasional visit to Atlantic City, New Jersey, for a short vacation. 

The next September I enrolled in the Academy and remained there until December when I withdrew and our family made our first visit to St. Petersburg. On  arriving in St. Petersburg I entered Roser Park School. I made many friends at this time and some of these same schoolmates are in the graduating class this year. A few of them are Marjorie Danker, Bert Benton, Barbara Bassett, Corrine Silverman and others. In the spring our family returned to Willow Grove. We did not go south the next winter but stayed at home where I enrolled in our parish school, St. David’s, for third grade. I did miss the sunshine but I also love winter sports and had a good deal of fun with my northern friends. The next year, however, we returned to St. Petersburg. I suppose we had  gotten “sand in our shoes.” I attended Roser Park School again and had the same teacher and most of the same classmates. This was fourth grade.

In April of this year I contracted whooping cough and was forced to stay home from school. As I would probably have to stay home for quite a time, my mother and father decided that it would be just as well for us to go back home. My whooping cough made the trip very slow and I can’t remember when I have ever eaten so many lollipops. (To soothe the cough.) This summer was very important, however, as it was then that I made my first radio appearance.

Here is the story of this most important event in my life.

It was announced that there would be a new series of children’s programs to be held in the amusement park that was located near my home. The program was to be broadcast over WIBG, a radio station of a nearby town, and all children up to the age of sixteen years were asked to participate. 

The various children that I played with were very much excited about this event and all decided to appear for an audition the following week. Some of them were going to tap dance, some sing, and some just couldn’t decide what to do. They all urged me to join them in their invasion of the program manager, but I declined at first, as I was always the most bashful of the crowd. Constant urging finally made me give in, and with perspiring hands and shaking knees I went to the program manager and mistress of ceremonies and asked her to let me sing. 

The audition was successful, and I was signed up for the program to be heard the following week. I was overjoyed at my success, but I looked forward to that program with as much fear as one looks forward to a dentist’s appointment. 

The dreaded day arrived, however, and there was I, a skinny freckle-faced, frightened little girl in a green taffeta dress. My turn at the “mike” finally came and I managed to get through my song. I don’t know whether it was the funny expression on my face, or that my song was really good, but somehow I was a “hit.” Other programs followed and I continued my success. That was the starting of my radio work with WIBG and from there WIP in Philadelphia. I have been on the radio ever since, and the mistress of ceremonies is now one of my closest adult friends.

I never dreamed that that first children’s program would start me on my life’s work. 

We came to St. Petersburg the next September. I entered fifth grade at Glenoak School where I met many friends who are in the graduating class this year also. I sang in class and school programs frequently. This year was comparatively uneventful and we returned home in the spring.

That summer Mrs. King, the directress of the children’s program on which I first appeared, introduced me to “Uncle Jim” Nassau, owner and manager of station WIBG in Glenside, Pennsylvania. She asked him to help me in every way he could. I liked him from the very moment I saw him. He was very nice to me and was a great help to me. He placed me on his “Children’s Hour” which featured juvenile talent from the states of Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey. This grew to be a very popular program and I appeared on every broadcast. This was practically my sole occupation all summer as the preparation for these broadcasts took a great deal of time. We came to St. Petersburg the next September where I attended sixth grade at South Side Junior High School. 

Mrs. Olive Roush, my fifth grade teacher, urged me to join a new program that was being organized on Station WSUN. It was called the “Kiddie’s Cabaret” and was sponsored by Webb’s Drug Store. The directress of this program was Mrs. Edith Kirtland and the announcer was Carl Fritz Sr. I followed her advice and entered the contest on the program. I sang the song “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and won first prize. As a result, Mrs. Kirtland asked me to sing with her dancing school in the entertainments, which they staged at various hotels, etc. around town. This began a very interesting series of events, and constituted most of my activity that winter. We returned home in the spring of that year. That summer I resumed my singing work with “Uncle Jim” and gave my first radio talk over Station WIBG. The subject of my talk was “How Christmas Is Celebrated in Florida.” This talk opened a new field of interest to me – radio speaking. This summer was filled with radio work and much activity in this line. The next September we came to St. Petersburg and brought along my father’s cousin.

This year did not bring much activity, as my health was not very good. I missed a great deal of schoolwork this year but I did make some appearances with Mrs. Kirtland, however.

In March of this year my father’s cousin died very suddenly. This broke up our stay in St. Petersburg and we returned home earlier than usual. I did not feel very well that summer, so I did not enter into a good many of my former activities. 

The following autumn we returned to St. Petersburg. The principal of the South Side made me go back to seventh grade as I had missed so much time the previous year. I stayed with the seventh grade work about three weeks. At the end of this time all my teachers recommended that I go onto eighth grade, as they knew that I could do the work. I went on to eighth grade and was soon in step with the work and back with my old schoolmates. 

In the meantime, my health had returned to normal and I felt like myself again. I continued my entertaining work with Mrs. Kirtland and made some very good friends and acquaintances among the pupils of her dancing school. They were all very interesting and talented, and we were like one big family. In the spring we returned home, with the intention of selling our northern property. We placed our house for sale and attracted a buyer from Florida, of all places. It seemed strange to see a Florida license on a car again.

The sale was completed in July and we started our trip to St. Petersburg. On arrival at St. Petersburg we rented an apartment at the “Heart’s Delight” apartments on Fifth avenue and Third Street South. We had a very nice place overlooking a beautiful yard and flower garden. I used to go into the landlord’s house and play her piano. I got acquainted with the boy who was the helper for the landlord. He helped her with the lawn and with general repair work. His name was John Falconnier. I naturally talked of my radio ambitions and, as a result, he told me that his brother Arnold was a radio announcer. He used to talk for hours about Arnold and how much he could help me if I only knew him. 

In August I sang on another program on WSUN. It was called the “Candid Camera Hour,” and featured Joe Nichols’ orchestra. The program was designed especially for candid camera fans and equipment such as lights, ladders, and scenery was furnished for their convenience. The object was for the fans to take pictures of the artists while they were performing on the program. You cannot imagine the queer sights to be seen or the conditions we had to work under. For instance, while you were performing, there might be two or three photographers, one photographer on his back on the floor, and many photographers standing on all sides of you snapping your picture while you were in action. The effect was humorous, as you can imagine. The master of ceremonies of this program was Bob Wilbur, who is now manager of station WTSP. Edie Ginn was accompanist, and she is now musical director of station WSUN. 

The following September I entered ninth grade at South Side. The subjects I selected were: English, Latin, Algebra, and Home Economics. In October we bought a house at 1916-10^th Street South, which is our present address.

After I had been going to school about three weeks, the principal informed me that I would have to make up my time and examinations from the last half of the eighth grade.

I had left school before June the previous year. Therefore he suggested that I stay after school every day until I had made up both the time and examinations. This was one of the hardest things that I have ever had to do. Another girl was in my same position, so she had to stay also. We stayed from three to four every day until we had our work completed. This was certainly hard at times. At the end of four months we were finished with this work. We were repaid for our labor, however, as we had a feeling of personal triumph along with a great feeling of relief. I continued my ninth grade work and graduated in the graduating class of 1939.

Our family went north after graduation in order to prepare our stored furniture for shipment to St. Petersburg. During our visit in Willow Grove, we stayed with my godmother, Mrs. Uhlein, and her family. They have always been very good friends of ours and her son and daughter have taken the place of a brother and sister to me, as I am an only child. We had a very nice time during our stay and certainly regretted leaving. We returned to St. Petersburg in July and stayed close to home for the rest of the summer. 

Once in high school, though, the family became more settled and she came into her own in music, writing, and performance. Her father was a member of the American Legion, Post No. 14, in St. Petersburg, and likely had a hand in her becoming a drum majorette of the Legion’s Drum and Bugle Corps. Parades and patriotic assemblies were prominent activities of the war years.

In August I joined the American Legion Auxiliary Juniors. I was appointed secretary to complete another girl’s term. At a meeting of the group late in August, there was an announcement of the formation of a Sons of the Legion drum and bugle corps, and it was stated that “Juniors” were eligible to join. The girls immediately thought that it meant to play instruments, and they were not interested. The advisor of the group suggested that I go to their first drill and offer my services. I did as she suggested, out of mere curiosity. I never dreamed that I was entering a very interesting adventure. I visited the first drill, which was held on a Sunday afternoon. Everything was complete confusion and someone handed me a baton. It all happened so quickly that I didn’t quite know what happened. The idea of being a majorette never entered my head, and I confess that I didn’t know one end of the baton from the other.  

The corps gradually grew more organized, however, and we began to learn something. My first and only teacher was the late “Mike” Miller, former drum major for Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey’s Circus. He was a wonderful drum major and a very patient teacher. The drum major for the corps was Jess Tucker, who was also very fine in this work. In the meantime, I entered my sophomore year in high school, with many of the same feelings that most sophomores experience. I chose as my subjects, Home Economics I, Music II, English II, World History, and Physical Education. All during the months of September and October the corps drilled and we entered our first parade on Armistice Day. The corps entered with inadequate uniforms and equipment, I entered with a skinned knee, and we all entered with a case of stage or, shall I say, street fright. 

We were very successful and appeared in every parade all season.

In April our drum major, on account of business and his wife’s health, was forced to leave us. As a result, I was appointed  drum major in complete charge of the corps, and anyone who has not been a drum major does not realize what a big job that is. June came, school was out, and I was passed to eleventh grade. This was the first summer that we remained in St. Petersburg. In August, James Yates, the organizer of the “Veteran’s Corner of the Air” asked me to appear on his program. In September I entered my junior year in Senior High. I chose as my subjects, English III, Business Arithmetic, Music II, and American History. The corps, after a full summer’s drilling, was better able to meet the new season. In the meantime, I had mastered the numerous signals and commands of a drum major and felt a little more self-confident. I did not twirl as a majorette, so that helped me as a drum major as it did not confuse me. 

In September I was asked to be vocalist with the Bay Pines orchestra. I appeared with them every Sunday morning and Thursday night on Station WTSP. I did not consider this enterprise a real advancement, but I was gaining experience. The master of ceremonies and announcer for these programs was none other than Arnold Falconnier, whom I had heard so much about. I told him of my acquaintance with his brother and he was very pleasantly surprised. Believe me, this certainly was a coincidence. Between the time that I met John and the time that I met Arnold, John was killed in an automobile accident. This was a very sad event and Arnold was badly shaken, as he and John were very close.

Arnold has proven to be a great help and encouragement to me in my radio work, and I have found his advice invaluable. In my opinion Arnold is the best announcer and radio man that I have ever heard. He also has a very lovely wife and the sweetest little girl. 

In the meantime, the corps was appearing at various events and parades. Two other girls and I appeared in a flag pageant at the Kiwanis state convention banquet, which was held at the Tramor Cafeteria. I represented Canada, wore kilts, and carried the Canadian flag. The other girls represented the United States and the state of Florida and carried their respective flags.

On November 17, 1940, I received a very nice honor. I reviewed the troops at Florida Military Academy, the first girl that had ever been allowed to do this and receive such an honor.

Special permission from the War Department had to be secured before I could be allowed to stand in review. In April I attended the  state convention of the American Legion in Key West. I marched in the convention parade with the American Legion Auxiliary vocal chorus, acting as their drum major. The corps did not attend the convention on account of insufficient funds. I sang several vocal solos at the various convention banquets and sessions and in general had a very nice time. Key West is a beautiful, historic old city and repaid us for our trip with many lovely and interesting sights. The enchanting turquoise-blue color of the water along the “Overseas Highway” remained in my memory as a very lovely scene. After my return from Key West, I resigned as drum major of the corps. The season was over and I did not want to spend another summer drilling, as it was too much work. 

We stayed around St. Petersburg all summer. I sang every Sunday morning on the “Veteran’s Hour,” as the program was now called. The Bay Pines orchestra had meanwhile broken up as many of the members were going on vacation and being sent to other places. In August I resigned from the “Veteran’s Hour” and also gave up my office as secretary while in my third  term. I realize that these activities would be too much for me when I went back to school.

I started my senior [year] in Senior High school in September. The subjects I chose were: English IV, Speech I, Clothing I, and Music III. Outside of minor jobs at the radio stations and a few public appearances, I have curtailed my outside work until after graduation, as I have plenty of work to do with my school subjects.

Later, after her high school graduation in the summer of 1942, she has the opportunity to study with Victor Chesnais, a nationally recognized talent scout and voice teacher:

 Mr. Victor Chesnais has just left for Tucson, Arizona. I was blessed in meeting this person as his vocal teachings and encouragements have been invaluable. I met Mr. Chesnais at the Maritime Training Station here in St. Petersburg toward the last of December, 1941. The event was a weekly quiz program, which was given at the training station by W.T.S.P. Every week, a guest artist would appear and I happened to be the guest artist this particular week. I phoned Sally U. Nelson, who was in charge, that I did not have an accompanist as I had broken relations with Mrs. Jones, my former accompanist. Sally said that she would have an accompanist for me. Meanwhile, in the Sunday “St. Petersburg Times” an article appeared announcing the arrival in the city of Mr. Victor Chesnais, world-renowned musician, singer, talent scout, and vocal teacher, and the article also stated that Mr. Chesnais would start an Amateur Hour over W.T.S.P. in order to discover talent in the Tampa Bay Area. I read the article carefully and wondered how in the world a person like this could ever come here. I never dreamed that I would ever meet him, let alone know him. You can imagine my surprise when I recognized the accompanist that Sally brought for me as the Mr. Chesnais whose picture I had seen in the paper. He accompanied me that night and I heard no more of him until I was summoned to appear on a street program which was called “a preview of the Amateur Hour.” After this appearance, I surmised that I would appear on the amateur hour, but that never happened. Mr. Chesnais became discouraged and discontinued the programs, as he could not find any real talent. Time went on and presently I was called for an interview with Mr. Chesnais. I sang for him and he took my name and address. On January nineteenth, I received a letter stating that Mr. Chesnais was settled and we could begin our lessons. I had casually mentioned to Sally that I would like Mr. Chesnais to coach me, but I didn’t believe that he would. I went up to the studio two nights a week at 6:30 P.M. for about a month. Then Mr. Chesnais advised that I try to get an old piano so that I could practice. I did this and then he decided that it would be better to come to the house to teach me. As I was going to school, we picked Saturday as the day for our lessons.  I repeat, it is now the middle of August and Mr. Chesnais has been teaching me all these months, never missing a Saturday. I am very flattered to be the protégé of such a great person as he. I know that he has improved my voice a great deal, and he has taught me many things. I will be eternally grateful to him and shall never forget him. Before he left, he made me promise that I would come to Arizona soon so that he may help me in Hollywood. This is a great opportunity and if it is for the best, I intend to take advantage of it. 

These lessons and my vocal practice and study has taken up practically the entire summer, but I believe that it was well worth my time. 

All of her early writing includes many details of her education and preparation for a career in music and on the radio. In summer of 1942 she is poised to embark on her future. There is no one else who can say it quite like Marian Dawson: 

Seventeen years seems like a very short time, but when I look back on my experiences, I realize that I have accomplished and learned much in that period of time. I have many faults like all humans, and I suppose that I have some virtues, too. I realize that my worse faults are tactlessness and indecision. I don’t believe that I am the one to say about my virtues. I only know what kind of person I try to be, not the kind of a person I really am. My likes and dislikes are far-reaching and varied, but I believe that my pet hate is a conceited, self-centered person. In relation to my appearances, I’d better leave well enough alone.  

Now, at the age of seventeen, I am looking forward to a career in radio. Anyone who has not been connected with radio does not realize its magic. The wonderful feeling of suspense as the second hand slowly creeps toward the time for the program to start, the feeling of anxiety which comes when you try to finish the program “on the nose,” or the inexplicable thrill which comes when you speak into a metal cylinder on disk and realize that hundreds, thousands, and maybe millions of people are listening to you; none of these emotions can be realized by a person who does not know radio. 

I believe that in the future, radio will be as necessary to a person as bread. Radio will entertain them, comfort them, and aid them in their work. Oh, yes, radio is just in its infancy and still having its “growing pains.” The unimaginable field of television is unfolding before our eyes, frequency modulation is being perfected, and facsimile is emerging from the experimental stage. 

If you take time to read articles and listen to programs concerning radio’s possibilities, you will find that you may, in the future, expect to find your newspaper printed for you and coming out of a small machine in your living room, or carry portable sets with you so that you may talk to anyone at any time by simply signaling them. You may hear a program or not hear it by stepping in or out of an electric beam coming from the radio. This comes in handy when you don’t like the family’s choice of radio programs. 

These “inventions” that I have just mentioned seem fantastic and, you might say downright impossible. But they are not impossible and may be common everyday occurrences in the very near future. 

This great and growing industry has always been a subject for complete interest and fascination to me ever since I can remember. 

I am looking forward to the time when I shall be a part of this great field of entertainment, service, and comfort for humanity.

Radio – one of the most democratic industries in the most democratic country in the world – America. This is my goal.

Here ends the autobiography of Marian Frances Dawson for her Senior paper for which she earned an “E—a very excellent and interesting piece of work” from her English teacher. Later in the summer, after graduating from high school, she continues her account of events.

It is now the middle of August. I have graduated from high school and now that part of my life is far behind. I hope that my future life may be as exciting as my past life, if not more exciting. A new chapter is opening and I am anxiously waiting to get started on that chapter.

The attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 was a defining moment for Marian’s senior class of 1941-1942. Many of the young men enlisted soon after graduation in 1942. We have her yearbook but cannot really match them up with the unidentified photos in her album. 

[Slideshow of St Petersburg school friends]