What in the wide, wide world
In the Summer of 1962, shortly after I graduated high-school, I was a student at nearby Houghton College’s (“HO-tin;” as in “oh,” not “ow” or “who”) Summer-school.
An entire semester of college work was compressed into three weeks. I was to do six weeks, the equivalent of two semesters.
I had to do this to be accepted into the college, to prove I could do college-level work.
There were about 15 of us, and I think all succeeded. In fact, most of us, including me, went on to earn college degrees.
I’ve never regretted it, even though I graduated as somewhat a ne’er-do-well, not approved by the college.
They were probably glad to be rid of me; I was always poking fun at them.
A few dropped out as freshmen.
There was a motivating factor.
Succeed or ’Nam.
Boys who failed lost their college deferment.
Succeed or get drafted into the ‘Nam quagmire.
Houghton had a tiny radio-station, WJSL, 12 watts AM.
I’m not sure of that 12-watt number, but it was puny.
The transmitter was a tiny appurtenance on the floor of the studio.
Hardly a tower-of-power, but make sure it’s switched on.
The station was barely receivable at town limits.
I had been corralled into being an occasional announcer on WJSL.
Although I admit I was somewhat interested.
I doubt I would have if I wasn’t.
I played mainly classical music, the format of WJSL anyway.
One afternoon I was playing the conclusion of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, over-and-over.
Bells and cannon-blasts.
It was on vinyl record.
I’d cue it up and air it again.
Finally the college security-person strode into my studio.
He was probably my only listener.
“Do you have anything else?” he asked.
What prompted that memory was that Dubya-Hex-Hex-Hi, the publicly-supported classical music radio-station out of Rochester we listen to, aired Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” this morning (Monday, October 12, 2010).
The announcer is a really nice lady, a Houghton-grad, who replaced the infamous Simon Pontin (“PAHN-tin”) when he retired, WXXI’s morning-man about 30 years.
“What in the wide, wide world is she doing playing ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ at the crack of dawn?” I exclaimed.
“Pontin would never do that.”
It’s as strident as an alarm-clock.
• “Dubya-Hex-Hex-Hi” is WXXI.
An entire semester of college work was compressed into three weeks. I was to do six weeks, the equivalent of two semesters.
I had to do this to be accepted into the college, to prove I could do college-level work.
There were about 15 of us, and I think all succeeded. In fact, most of us, including me, went on to earn college degrees.
I’ve never regretted it, even though I graduated as somewhat a ne’er-do-well, not approved by the college.
They were probably glad to be rid of me; I was always poking fun at them.
A few dropped out as freshmen.
There was a motivating factor.
Succeed or ’Nam.
Boys who failed lost their college deferment.
Succeed or get drafted into the ‘Nam quagmire.
Houghton had a tiny radio-station, WJSL, 12 watts AM.
I’m not sure of that 12-watt number, but it was puny.
The transmitter was a tiny appurtenance on the floor of the studio.
Hardly a tower-of-power, but make sure it’s switched on.
The station was barely receivable at town limits.
I had been corralled into being an occasional announcer on WJSL.
Although I admit I was somewhat interested.
I doubt I would have if I wasn’t.
I played mainly classical music, the format of WJSL anyway.
One afternoon I was playing the conclusion of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, over-and-over.
Bells and cannon-blasts.
It was on vinyl record.
I’d cue it up and air it again.
Finally the college security-person strode into my studio.
He was probably my only listener.
“Do you have anything else?” he asked.
What prompted that memory was that Dubya-Hex-Hex-Hi, the publicly-supported classical music radio-station out of Rochester we listen to, aired Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” this morning (Monday, October 12, 2010).
The announcer is a really nice lady, a Houghton-grad, who replaced the infamous Simon Pontin (“PAHN-tin”) when he retired, WXXI’s morning-man about 30 years.
“What in the wide, wide world is she doing playing ‘Night on Bald Mountain’ at the crack of dawn?” I exclaimed.
“Pontin would never do that.”
It’s as strident as an alarm-clock.
• “Dubya-Hex-Hex-Hi” is WXXI.
posted by BobbaLew at 9:18 AM
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