WHAS radio scripts
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- WHAS radio scripts
- Date
- 1926-1943
- Extent
- 1.68 Cubic feet
- Subjects
- Archaeology--Kentucky.
- Businesswomen--United States
- Economics--Unites States.
- Education--Kentucky.
- Geology--Kentucky.
- Natural resources--Kentucky.
- Political science--Europe.
- Sports--Women
- Arrangement
- This collection is arranged by subject chronologically in folders.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- WHAS started in 1922 when an estimated 19,000 stations were on the air nationwide. Most were amateur operations broadcasting sporadically, 439 were commercial stations, but none of the latter was in Louisville, Kentucky. Judge Robert Worth Bingham, owner of the Courier-Journal and Louisville Times Company, determined to do something about that: "I want a radio station which will reach into the farthest confines of the station, where a man may string an aerial from his cabin to the nearest pine tree, and sitting in his chair before the fire, have a pew in a church, a seat at the opera, a desk at the university." He applied to the Commerce Department, the governmental agency then handling radio licensing, and in April 1922 the Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover awarded Bingham a license for the radio station WHAS. The letters did not stand for anything; they were selected at random by the Commerce Department.
- The station began practice transmissions July 15, 1922, from an antenna on the roof of the CJ and T building. Three days later WHAS-AM went on the air with these words from station manager and announcer Credo Harris: "This is WHAS, the radio telephone broadcasting station of the Courier-Journal and Louisville Times of Louisville, Kentucky." Initially WHAS was on the air only 2 ½ hours a day. On September 14, 1922, the station had a national first, the first broadcast to a moving train. The station's first remote broadcast came in December 1922 -- a broadcast of organ music from the old Alamo Theatre in Louisville. By the end of that year the station had received almost 30,000 letters from listeners, some living as far away as Spanish Honduras and Sydney, Australia. Due to its strong commitment to music the station had produced 3,006 performances during its first six months and was ranked as one of the six foremost stations in the country. WHAS' first brush with notoriety occurred August 22, 1924. The station gave some Kentuckians a scare with a broadcast of a Fort Knox mock battle. Many thought Martians had landed.
- Important dates in the station's history include: May 30, 1925, The first Kentucky Derby Broadcast; May 15, 1928, WHAS became a part of the CBS network; 1936, The station began carrying University of Kentucky basketball and football games; April 24, 1937, WHAS was awarded the CBS Medal for Distinguished Service for its coverage of the January floods; 1939, WHAS' newscasts were recognized as one of the five best radio newscasts in the nation; 1954, WHAS radio and television establish the Crusade for Children which Vic Sholis, who held management positions from 1947-1975, calls the crowning achievement of his years at the station; March 1963, The station affiliated with ABC radio; and March 1970, WHAS began broadcasting 24 hours a day.
- In 1929, University of Kentucky President McVey stated to the Board of Trustees that he had an offer from the Courier-Journal and Louisville Times for the installation of a radio service in connection with WHAS. He stated that the newspapers had offered to arrange for special service for the University of Kentucky for one hour a day from twelve to one o'clock each day and one hour in the evening once a week.
- Source: WHAS INK from the LKYRadio webpage in October 2007, http://www.lkyradio.com/WHAS.htm and from the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees minutes March 13, 1929.
- Scope and Content
- The WHAS radio scripts consist of transcripts of various radio programs from 1926-1943. These scripts provide an excellent cultural representation of America during the interwar years. The majority of the scripts are lecture formatted documents presented on the radio by University of Kentucky faculty and professors. The scripts are arranged chronologically and folder titles in quotations represent the actual title of the specific radio program. The scripts vary in subject and include information on numerous topics to provide the most entertainment to the radio listener of the time. The most common subjects are science, education and education reform, government education and progression, marketing and economic reform, Kentucky geology, natural resources, history, important people, art, culture, and leisure activities. Some interesting topics to note are the scripts focusing on the stock market in January of 1930, European travel, German political position, and American relations from 1932-1937. The collection also contains University of Kentucky Publicity Bureau Radio Program pamphlets for the years 1931 through 1936. The programs list the times, dates, titles of each broadcast and also includes an introduction and list of staff in charge of the UK Radiocasts. There is also a Radio Studio Regulations pamphlet from 1931.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections and Digital Programs.
Contents of the Collection
Scripts
Book Reviews, 1926-1940
Radio Speeches, Head coach Harry Gamage, 1929-1930
“Phases of Colonial Economic Life”, 1929-1931
History Series, 1929-1932, undated
Frank L. McVey Radio Speeches and Lectures, 1929-1937, undated
Biology Series, 1929-1938, undated
Business and Economics A, 1929-1938
Law Series, 1929-1938, undated
Physics Series, 1929-1938, undated
University of Kentucky, 1929-1938
“The Settlement of Kentucky”, April 9-June 18, 1929
Radio Talks of Dr. G.K. Brady A., October 19, 1929-July 31, 1930
Dr. M Scherago Microbe Lectures, 1930-1931
Education A, 1930-1932
“Trade Unionisms,” Dr. L.H. Carter, 1930-1933
Dr. R.D. McIntyre Marketing Lecture Series, 1930-1934
E.Z. Palmer Business Lectures, 1930-1935
International News Series, 1930-1936
Dr. Frank T. McFarland Botany Lectures, 1930-1938
Government Series, 1930-1938
Arts and Literature Series, 1930-1941, undated
Kentucky, 1930-1943
Astronomy Series, 1930, 1938
Plays for Radio, March 18, 1930-February 19, 1931
Chemistry Series, Dr. Charles B. Barkenbus, July 8, 1930-May 9, 1934
Professor Pay E. Jaiman Lectures on the Voice, August 5-Septmber 9, 1930
Radio talks of Cr. G.K Brady B., August 28-September 18, 1930
“Kentucky Prehistory,” W.D. Funkhouser, December 30, 1930-June 15, 1931
“Popular Astronomy,”, October 9, 1930- April 20, 1932
Family Science Series, 1931-1937
Geology Series, 1931-1938
Kentucky Government, 1931-1938
Health Series, 1931-1940
Engineering Series, 1931, 1938
“Mineral Fuels of Kentucky,”, January 8-February 12, 1931
“Living with Engineering Series,”, March 10-April 14, 1931
Dr. C.C. Ross parental Education Lectures, 1931-1932
Victor R. Portman Journalism Lectures, 1931-1934
Mr. Hugh M. Meriwether Architecture Lectures, March 12, 1931-November 4, 1936
“Biographical Sketches of American Business Men,”, March 24-April 21, 1931
“The Kentucky Constitutional Convention,”, July 14-August 4, 1931
“On the Hills of Parnassus,” J.T. Cotton Noe, July 16-August 20, 1931
“Bacteria in Relation to Man,”, September 1-22, 1931
“Common Sense about Art,”, September 30-November 4, 1931
“Popular Tax Talks,” Rodman Sullivan, October13-December 23, 1931
“Through the Net,” Adolph Rupp, December 3-24, 1931
Some Reasons why we behave as we do,”, December 9-30, 1931
Margaret king Book Reviews, January-December, 1932
“The Stock Market,”, March 22-May 3, 1932
“Europe off the Beaten Path,”, January 8-29, 1932
“Going to College,”, May 2-26, 1932
“Photography for the Amateur,”, May 30-July 20, 1932
“Great Kentucky Writers,”, June1-July 13, 1932
“American Foreign Policy, East Asia and Siberia,”, June 24-July 16, 1932
“Children’s Stories for Adults,”, July 22-August 19, 1932
“Great American Paintings,”, September 29-November 17, 1932
“The Highways and Byways of Kentucky,”, October 3-December 12, 1932
“Kentucky and her Mineral Wealth,”, October 5-November 2, 1932
“Keeping Physically Fit,”, November 4-December 9, 1932
J.T. Cotton Noe Poetry Series, December 1, 1932-January 12, 1933
“How is it Produced?”, December 16, 1932-Janaury 13, 1933
George B. Wurtz Meteorology Lectures, 1933
Education B, 1933-1936
Business and Economics B., 1933-1943
“Popular Talks on Insurance,”, February 16-27, 1933
“Private Art Collections,”, March 1-29, 1933
“New Development in Childhood Education,”, April 12-May 10, 1933
“Adventures in Modern Science and Philosophy,”, April 28-June 2, 1933
“Animal Life in Kentucky,”, June 22-August 10, 1933
“The Wars of the Unites States,”, August 9-September 27, 1933
Paul Anderson New York City Lectures, August 11-25, 1933
“Why go to College,”, August 17-September 21, 1933
“Economy and Efficiency in Government,”, September 11-October 9, 1933
“Early American Arts and Crafts,”, October 11, November 23, 1933
“Know your United States,”, October 3-November 21, 1933
“Some Literary Interests,”, October 5- November 16, 1933
“Modern Social Work and Relief of Poverty,”, November 23, 1933-January 11, 1934
“State Offices and their Duties,”, November 27, 1933-July 23, 1934
“Kentucky Archaeology,”, December 12-26, 1933
“Making Champions,” Adolph Rupp, November 29-December 20, 1933
Professional Opportunities for Women in Business, August-September, 1934
General Science Series, 1934-1935
“Kentucky Natural Resources,”, 1934-1936
Chemistry Series, 1934-1943
Travel Series, 1934, 1936
“Geography of Kentucky,”, January 8-March 13, 1934
“America and the Germans,”, March 13-April 10, 1934
“The European Travel Logue,”, March 14-April 18, 1934
“Some Great Kentucky Historians,”, April 17- May 15, 1934
“Germany as one of us,”, June 1-July 6, 1934
Ethelbert Neuin, September 27-December 20, 1934
“European Affairs Today,”, October 30-December 4, 1934
“The Second Largest Industry of Kentucky,”, December 7, 1934-January 21, 1935
Sarah B. Holmes Education Lectures, 1935-1937
“Bi-Weekly Nature Chats” #3-11, February 6-May 25, 1935
“Preparing for that College Career,”, March 7-29, 1935
“Life and Literature of the Latin Countries,”, March 25-April 29, 1935
“Popular Superstitions, W.D. Funkhouser, April 26-May 10, 1935
“The Gasoline Automobile, Marvel of the Modern Transportation,”, May 30-July 18, 1935
“Summer Recreation and Health,”, June 4-25, 1935
“Art Education in Kentucky,”, June 7-July 26, 1935
“Famous Kentucky Scientists,”, July 2- 30, 1935
“The Home Workshop,”, July 3-August 7, 1935
“Kentucky Meteorites,”, July 25-November 22, 1935
“Religion in the University of Kentucky,”, August 14-September 4, 1935
“Fifty Years of American Light opera,”, September 24, 1935-April 14, 1936
“The Professor Abroad,” Dr. Daniel Hegeman, Germany, November 4-December 9, 1935
“Some Problems in Automobile Law,”, December 6-20, 1935
“Some Pertinent Facts about English,”, 1936
Religion Series, 1936-1937, undated
“Astronomy Old and New,”, January 9-February 27, 1936
“What the public Should Know about Tuberculosis,”, February 14-March 20, 1936
“The Pioneer Women,”, February 26-March 19, 1936
“Natural Wonders of Kentucky,”, March 5- September 23, 1936
Marguerite McLaughlin Journalism Lectures, May 19-June 30, 1936
“Summer Fun under the Summer Sun,”, May 25-June 29, 1936
“Major Government Trends and Problems,”, July 16-August 13, 1936
Sports of Old and Young World, July 31, 1936-September 9, 1936
Biographical Sketches of American Leaders, September 28-November 2, 1936
Education C, 1937-1943, undated
“Chemistry for the Layman,”, April 19-May 24, 1937
“Leisure Hour,”, June 3-July 22, 1937
“Evolving Germany,”, February 1-22, 1937
“Kentucky in National and Regional Planning,”, March 1-April 12, 1937
“Public Services in Kentucky,”, October 29-December 17, 1937
John Jacob Miles’ Salute to the Hills, 1938
“Sources of Business Information,”, 1938
“European History in the Making,”, January 4-Febraury 1, 1938
“Know Your University,”, January-August 1938, undated
“Women in Sports,”, June 16-August 4, 1938
“Kentucky Bird Walks,”, July 15-August 9, 1938
“Propaganda in the Contemporary World,”, November 16-December 21, 1939
“Kentucky in Prospect,” Dr. H. Donovan, February 14-24, 1943
“Kentucky in Prospect,”, March-September 1943
“Animal Friends and Enemies,” W.D. Funkhouser, undated
“Edgar Allen Poe: A Critical Study,”, undated
“Everyday Engineering,”, undated
“Panamerica,”, undated
"Prehistoric Kentuckians,” W.D. Funkhouser, undated
“What Physics has taught us about our World,”, undated
Pamphlets
Program, January 1931-June 1931
Program (2 copies), July 1931-December 1931
Program (2 copies), January 1932-June 1932
Program (2 copies), July 1933-December 1933
Program (2 copies), January 1934-June 1934
Program (2 copies), July 1934-December 1934
Program (2 copies), January 1935-June 1935
Program (2 copies), July 1935-December 1935
Program, July 1936-December 1936
Radio Studio Regulations (2 copies), 1931
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.
Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.
Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
