Wright, Thomas, Ph.D., 5/18/2006

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College of Music; received his Master's degree from Indiana University; went into the Air Force for three and a half years; when they found out he had some musical training, was transferred to the War Department in New York City; after the Air Force, was a staff pianist for NBC television, did a show from Mutual Network, and also worked for CBS; Karl Kuersteiner, Dean of Music, called Wright and asked if he would come to FSU in 1949; after being shown the plans for a new building for the school of Music, he decided to stay; taught classes on piano and music appreciation; President Dr. Campbell then asked Wright to start an interdivisional program in radio and television; it turned into a School of Communication and he moved back to the School of Music; created FSU's fight song by setting music to a poem created by Doug Alley; Robert Braunagle, band director, arranged the music and put it on the field at the next football game; the students loved it and it was adopted as the official FSU fight song by Reubin Askew, president of the student body at the time; has taught the same class, Music Appreciation, at FSU for 57 years. OHP Control Number 1798

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