The Old Radio

The introduction of the radio revolutionized every day life for people living in rural Prince Edward Island. All of a sudden current news and weather reports were being broadcast right into your living room. Even entertainment was only a click of the dial away, with live music and serial programs.

The MacDonald family did not own a radio during the 1930s. My grandfather considered it a luxury that they didn’t need and couldn’t afford at the time. However, the family that lived next door did own a radio and my father, Joe, was friends with their son. This connection got him a regular invite to come over and listen to a program that would become one of the highlights of his week ….The Lone Ranger.

Listening to the adventures of the Lone Ranger opened up a whole new world of wonder and imagination for Joe and other children his age. All of sudden, every young boy dreamed of owning a white cowboy hat and a black mask. There were lots of make believe cowboys in those days calling out, “Hi Ho Silver!” as they fought bandits and outlaws in their own backyards.

It was the war that finally pushed my grandfather into purchasing a radio in the early 1940s. With three sons signed up and fighting overseas, the need for up-to-date news dispatches and word of the Canadian troops became essential. He made the purchase from Walter MacEwen’s store, and took home the family’s first battery operated radio.

Battery life in those days wasn’t great and had to be replaced quite often. This limited the amount of time they could enjoy it, so they had to be selective . Ultimately, it was my grandfather, Charlie, who controlled the dial and got to decide what what was listened to and when. He wouldn’t miss Gabriel Heatter’s nightly wartime newscast. Heatter’s opening commentary, “There is Good News Tonight,” was an evening staple in the MacDonald household.

It wasn’t just news that was allowed. Don Messer and the Islanders became a household favourite, with its toe tapping music and lively fiddle tunes. Before the radio, the only music the family listened to were church hymns or the occasional fiddle tune at a house party. The purchase of the radio opened up a whole new world of music that included not just Don Messer, but also some of the greats of that era like Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Joe’s personal favourite, Perry Como.

The radio also brought live sports right into your home, particularly Hockey Night in Canada. Joe remembers racing home from the rink to catch Foster Hewitt and the game on the radio. Listening to the play-by-play call of such stars as Ted Kennedy and Rocket Richard was a thrill for young and old alike. Lots of local on-ice rivalries became battles between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens after hearing their sports idols live on the radio.

From that point on, the old radio became a permanent fixture in the MacDonald household. It was given a place of honour in the family’s kitchen, where the whole family could gather round in the evening to listen. It not only brought the family together but it also brought the world to their doorstep.