In October, 1961, the Division of Extension and General Studies cut off all financial aid and technical support to WTJU-FM. The former had never consisted of much more than free office supplies and secretarial service. The latter had consisted of records, tapes, and equipment loaned to the station by the RRC. This event was desired as much by the WTJU as by the Division, since we had long yearned for complete freedom from administration by the University and figured we had little to lose and much to gain.

“For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life if freedom fail.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

This action entailed a signature of a written agreement between WTJU and the RRC (in the files), according to which we forsook all use of RRC materials and equipment, while the RRC relinquished all claims to our Gates #’s 1 and 2, records, RCA turntable, pilot tuner, Ampex recorder (not our present one, but an old DSD machine too decrepit for Department use; its eventual fate is unknown), mikes, and filing cabinet. “Consequently, after many years of hard work,” Jenkins wrote to Runk, “radio station WTJU-FM has emerged as a completely independent legitimate student activity. For this accomplishment we are very proud.”

A further insight into this matter can be gained from the facts the Collins had just become director of the RRC this year and that Collins and Jenkins were on bad terms, as much from a clash between personalities as anything else. Some of the reasons for this antithesis may be readily grasped by anyone who has ever met Rod Collins. Collins is a close-cropped, raucous-voiced, prematurely aged man whose overbearing personality and frequent pugnacious attitude contrast sharply with his short, gaunt physique and will offend anyone who happens to catch him (as the author well knows) in a bad mood, as he often is due to his limited budget and demanding work schedule. His concern for TJU, though, has been evinced many times; besides the time he devoted to and the money he invested in the station while serving as its station manager, he has frequently granted us the use of his remote lines (which radiate to all parts of the Grounds from the RRC; without these, none of our live, remote broadcasts could have been effected); has hosted his own radio show (1965-66) well after our move to Humphries House; has held staff cocktail parties at his home as early as May, 1960, and as late as the fall of 1966; has given us IBS tapes even after we were forced to let our membership lapse (1969-70) due to monetary difficulties; and had aided us in our quest for more adequate funding. In the spring of 1962, he donated $60 and in February, 1963, $72 to the station. However, Collins’s first love has always been the RRC, while Jenkins’ one passion is life was the WTJU.

One can only speculate about the character and personality of Jim Jenkins, for such details here long since been effaced by the sands of time. But the mere facts that he was a member of the station for 6 consecutive years (a record length of service topped only by the 7 years of Richard Stanley), served as an officer for 5 of these years; dominated all administrative and financial activities throughout this period (Stanley doesn’t appear to have given him much competition, despite his rank); and effected our establishment as a student activity, our purchase of our first new transmitter, and the transfer of our studios to Humphries House all testify to his competence, diligence, and dedication. In May, 1966, he donated $25.00 to the station. He is now the head of an electronics parts company, quite possibly the Radio Supply Co., Inc. of Richmond, where he lived and worked during the summers while a U.V.A. student. In October, 1969, Jenkins visited the RRC. Upon hearing of our extreme financial difficulties from Collins, he went away shaking his head and saying “Shit!” (he may have dropped the station, but if so, no officer was told of it). Later that month, Collins, at his suggestion and our urging, wrote Jenkins detailing our plight and hinting that we would certainly appreciate a contribution from him. To date, we have received no response.

Extensive dissatisfaction on the part of the staff with the 1962 constitution and by-laws led to their thorough revision at the staff meeting of February 12th. These amendments stated that the president would henceforth appoint (subject to staff approval) the chief engineer, chief announcer, program director, director of public relations, and record librarian, of which the first three were voting members of the Board and the last two, together with a Board-appointed parliamentarian, were non-voting members; that the president chaired Board and staff meetings and could only vote in the even of a tie; and that proxy votes were permitted at staff meetings. During the next staff meeting, on March 19th Beril Abraham, our parliamentarian, moved that these amendments be rescinded on the grounds that they have not been properly circulated among the staff beforehand and were inconsistent with the un-amended part of the constitution. His motion passed. The by-laws, though, were revised. No copy of these revisions is extant, but it is known that the offices of president and station manager were incorporated as per the original February 12th proposal. This particular clause had given rise to rumors that Jenkins was powerhungry, so, before the March 19th meeting Jenkins went on record as being opposed to it, claiming “a station manager would be a useless and hampering device in the smooth working of WTJU.”

After his controversial motion, Abraham made an impassioned plea for unity among our staff. No record survived of the exact nature of the controversy, but again, most of the strife apparently centered on what powers the president should possess. The faction favoring a strong president triumphed this year, but they would love at the end of the following year after the departure of Jenkins. On April 19th, the Virginia Society of Broadcasters (see “1961-62”) was renamed the “WTJU-FM Broadcasting Association.”

Extensive dissatisfaction on the part of the staff with the 1962 constitution and by-laws led to their thorough revision at the staff meeting of February 12th. These amendments stated that the president would henceforth appoint (subject to staff approval) the chief engineer, chief announcer, program director, director of public relations, and record librarian, of which the first three were voting members of the Board and the last two, together with a Board-appointed parliamentarian, were non-voting members; that the president chaired Board and staff meetings and could only vote in the even of a tie; and that proxy votes were permitted at staff meetings. During the next staff meeting, on March 19th Beril Abraham, our parliamentarian, moved that these amendments be rescinded on the grounds that they have not been properly circulated among the staff beforehand and were inconsistent with the un-amended part of the constitution. His motion passed. The by-laws, though, were revised. No copy of these revisions is extant, but it is known that the offices of president and station manager were incorporated as per the original February 12th proposal. This particular clause had given rise to rumors that Jenkins was powerhungry, so, before the March 19th meeting Jenkins went on record as being opposed to it, claiming “a station manager would be a useless and hampering device in the smooth working of WTJU.”

After his controversial motion, Abraham made an impassioned plea for unity among our staff. No record survived of the exact nature of the controversy, but again, most of the strife apparently centered on what powers the president should possess. The faction favoring a strong president triumphed this year, but they would love at the end of the following year after the departure of Jenkins. On April 19th, the Virginia Society of Broadcasters (see “1961-62”) was renamed the “WTJU-FM Broadcasting Association.”

Stenlake Dynasty (1963-1966)

Extensive dissatisfaction on the part of the staff with the 1962 constitution and by-laws led to their thorough revision at the staff meeting of February 12th. These amendments stated that the president would henceforth appoint (subject to staff approval) the chief engineer, chief announcer, program director, director of public relations, and record librarian, of which the first three were voting members of the Board and the last two, together with a Board-appointed parliamentarian, were non-voting members; that the president chaired Board and staff meetings and could only vote in the even of a tie; and that proxy votes were permitted at staff meetings. During the next staff meeting, on March 19th Beril Abraham, our parliamentarian, moved that these amendments be rescinded on the grounds that they have not been properly circulated among the staff beforehand and were inconsistent with the un-amended part of the constitution. His motion passed. The by-laws, though, were revised. No copy of these revisions is extant, but it is known that the offices of president and station manager were incorporated as per the original February 12th proposal. This particular clause had given rise to rumors that Jenkins was powerhungry, so, before the March 19th meeting Jenkins went on record as being opposed to it, claiming “a station manager would be a useless and hampering device in the smooth working of WTJU.”

After his controversial motion, Abraham made an impassioned plea for unity among our staff. No record survived of the exact nature of the controversy, but again, most of the strife apparently centered on what powers the president should possess. The faction favoring a strong president triumphed this year, but they would love at the end of the following year after the departure of Jenkins. On April 19th, the Virginia Society of Broadcasters (see “1961-62”) was renamed the “WTJU-FM Broadcasting Association.”

Extensive dissatisfaction on the part of the staff with the 1962 constitution and by-laws led to their thorough revision at the staff meeting of February 12th. These amendments stated that the president would henceforth appoint (subject to staff approval) the chief engineer, chief announcer, program director, director of public relations, and record librarian, of which the first three were voting members of the Board and the last two, together with a Board-appointed parliamentarian, were non-voting members; that the president chaired Board and staff meetings and could only vote in the even of a tie; and that proxy votes were permitted at staff meetings. During the next staff meeting, on March 19th Beril Abraham, our parliamentarian, moved that these amendments be rescinded on the grounds that they have not been properly circulated among the staff beforehand and were inconsistent with the un-amended part of the constitution. His motion passed. The by-laws, though, were revised. No copy of these revisions is extant, but it is known that the offices of president and station manager were incorporated as per the original February 12th proposal. This particular clause had given rise to rumors that Jenkins was powerhungry, so, before the March 19th meeting Jenkins went on record as being opposed to it, claiming “a station manager would be a useless and hampering device in the smooth working of WTJU.”

After his controversial motion, Abraham made an impassioned plea for unity among our staff. No record survived of the exact nature of the controversy, but again, most of the strife apparently centered on what powers the president should possess. The faction favoring a strong president triumphed this year, but they would love at the end of the following year after the departure of Jenkins. On April 19th, the Virginia Society of Broadcasters (see “1961-62”) was renamed the “WTJU-FM Broadcasting Association.”