Sounds from Faraway Schenectady

cynicism was setting in the miracle happened. From the loud speaker came a wavering, tinny voice saying:

This is Union Technical College in Schenectady, calling. Tonight we send cordial greetings to our friends in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and hope you are receiving our transmission.

Then followed some tinkling piano music which faded in and out for a time and finally disappeared altogether.

Scepticism turned to enthusiam. In those days of still mainly horse and buggy travel the physical distance between Schenectady and Charlottetown was fairly great. Yet here was living proof that the great physical distances could be transcended by the twiddle of a knob. I wonder if any of those politicians as they sat there listening calculated in their minds the powerful future use of radio. I know my father did.

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