My god that might have been me...except I wouldn't say anything remotely disparraging low watt college radio, as that's how I began. Maybe a joke? I was a sick f*** back then. I started at KSNN in mid August of '76 and was on premise daily from maybe noon to midnight.
If I remember correctly, during the week the station was staffed (complete with receptionist!) with PD, MD, and probably newsguy, along with at least one AE...Actually I think there was only one AE: the GSM. Also the ancient owner with a wooden leg, and his wife. Any one of us could have given the tour, as there wasn't a lot else to do but occasionally beat on the automation for playing Abba, Bob Seger, and a commercial all at the same time.
If you remember a tall skinny guy, around 70 with bug eyes, it was the GSM. Big guy with curly hair and beard, the PD. Skinny guy with long hair and beard, the MD/evening jock.
The automation, which ran between morning show and evening show, was tedious to program, and a nightmare of repeating cart loops, incorrect time checks, double audio, and dead air...but that is how I came to know Idaho radio and figured it was expected. The control room was as you described...but also doubled as production room (while auto was in control), and featured a Revox reel to reel with sound-on-sound, terribly luxurious at the time.
So, why Pocatello from SoCal? And did your radio dreams pan out?