Broadcast Pioneers member W. Carter Merbreier
circa 1930

This photo dates back over three-quarters of a century and shows Broadcast Pioneers member W. Carter Merbreier at a local fishing hole near his home town of Prospect Park, Pennsylvania. Most of us will know Carter better as that rascally ol' captain; the celebrated TV personality of Channel 6 fame, Captain Noah.

He recalled:

What I remember most hauntingly about Easter were the canaries. In the early "thirties," canaries seemed to be the pet of choice for many stay-at-home mothers and wives, their singing apparently providing a companionship during the day in an otherwise empty house. In the summer, with the screened-in open windows and porches, you could hear those tiny melodious yellow birds throughout the neighborhood. So, Reverend Richardson, the diminutive pastor of the Presbyterian Church, on the corner of Tenth and Washington Avenues, cattycorner from the high school, came up with the brilliant idea of inviting his congregants to bring in their caged canaries to hang on hooks on sanctuary beam ends for Easter Sunday. In my mind's ear, I can still hear their beautiful singing throughout the Easter morning service undaunted by organ swells, kids crying, hymn singing and preaching. I wonder if any present attendee looks up to wonder about those hooks, from which 70 years ago some member's caged canary dangled to proclaim in song a Risen Lord?

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Photo originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member W. Carter Merbreier
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