Just wondering if anyone has any memories or thoughts of WAIN Radio in Columbia, Kentucky? Going back into the 1950's, it was an AM daytime-only at 1270 k.c. but in later years added an FM at 93.5 and then kept the AM in operation at night.
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WAIN - Columbia, Kentucky
- Thread starter Cincinnati Kid
- Start date
My grandfather took me to WAIN studio in ~1955. I think Lanier Burchett was working there. Lanier's parent's were neighbors of my great-grandmother.
In the 1950s there were no radio stations in Russell county, where I grew up. So WAIN was the nearest station, it was the first radio station I remember hearing before 1955.
The 1st radio station in Russell County was WJKY, and it started later, not sure when?
Also remember an announcer at WAIN by the name of Ores Goin (name spelling may not correct), and Ed Cundiff.
Saw in a old Broadcasting Yearbook, that John B. Horton was president of WAIN (~1968).
As I recall, John B. Horton was president of Lindsey Wilson College in the mid 1960s. So, guess Lindsey College has owned WAIN for a long time.
Does anyone know what the call WAIN stands for?
In the 1950s there were no radio stations in Russell county, where I grew up. So WAIN was the nearest station, it was the first radio station I remember hearing before 1955.
The 1st radio station in Russell County was WJKY, and it started later, not sure when?
Also remember an announcer at WAIN by the name of Ores Goin (name spelling may not correct), and Ed Cundiff.
Saw in a old Broadcasting Yearbook, that John B. Horton was president of WAIN (~1968).
As I recall, John B. Horton was president of Lindsey Wilson College in the mid 1960s. So, guess Lindsey College has owned WAIN for a long time.
Does anyone know what the call WAIN stands for?
Thanks. Appreciate hearing the memories.
John Burns Horton, the President of Lindsey Wilson College in the 1960's, was also the President of WAIN. Unfortunately, despite that connection, students of the college weren't too welcome at the station around 1962-1964 - at least by those who were called station officials. I'm not sure why. It's something President Horton could have helped if he was so inclined. The disc-jockeys were very friendly. One of them, Ray Ferguson, went on to WWVA as "Buddy Ray". He got the all-night show at WWVA and once appeared on the TV show, To Tell The Truth. If the negative response to students by some station people had one positive effect, it should me how not to be when approached by younger people interested in working in radio. As such, I have always made it a point to be friendly and positive with anyone asking about that kind of work.
Back then, the station studios were on WAIN Street. In later years, the station moved down State Route 206 - also called Liberty Road - where it is today. I've had the opportunity to go there twice and use the facility to feed my radio show back to the Cincinnati area. When I did so, I found the people at WAIN to be wonderful.
John Burns Horton, the President of Lindsey Wilson College in the 1960's, was also the President of WAIN. Unfortunately, despite that connection, students of the college weren't too welcome at the station around 1962-1964 - at least by those who were called station officials. I'm not sure why. It's something President Horton could have helped if he was so inclined. The disc-jockeys were very friendly. One of them, Ray Ferguson, went on to WWVA as "Buddy Ray". He got the all-night show at WWVA and once appeared on the TV show, To Tell The Truth. If the negative response to students by some station people had one positive effect, it should me how not to be when approached by younger people interested in working in radio. As such, I have always made it a point to be friendly and positive with anyone asking about that kind of work.
Back then, the station studios were on WAIN Street. In later years, the station moved down State Route 206 - also called Liberty Road - where it is today. I've had the opportunity to go there twice and use the facility to feed my radio show back to the Cincinnati area. When I did so, I found the people at WAIN to be wonderful.
Cincinnati Kid said:
Thanks for posting the question.
I think (but am not certain) Lindsey Wilson College established the station from the beginning ~1951.
Since you bring back memories of WAIN:
Lewis M. Owens was chief engineer at WAIN in the 1950's. Lewis did the engineering work to help start several radio stations in KY and adjoining states. He was chief engineer at WLAP, and was instrumental in many upgrades at WLAP-AM and FM, in the 70s and 80s.
I had the privilege of working for Lewis in the early-mid 1970s at WLAP.
Lewis has since died.
It seems that several former WAIN employees have had successful careers at other stations.
Highway 206, a lot of drag races took place down that road in the mid-late 60s
I was a student at Lindsey 1965 thru 1967.
Yes, I also have found that employees of WAIN are very friendly and helpful.
Cincinnati Kid, guess you must be from Adair county or somewhere in the region?
Since Lindsey was a 2-year college then, were you a student at Lindsey 1962-1964?
Tripelo -
I'm from Cincinnati and, yes, attended Lindsey Wilson from September, 1962 thru July, 1964 (four semisters and a summer semister). That period has been the only time I have been out of Cincinnati in my lifetime. I have returned there for several reunions, the most recent in 2008.
As I noted, I found the D.J.'s at WAIN friendly, but some who occupied the management positions were not. I've always felt that Dr. Horton should have taken some steps to assist those students interested in radio in working with the station. For the 1963-64 school year, a class was advertised regarding radio, but for no credit hours. It was cancelled even before registration for that term began with the only explanation that there weren't enough people signed up. I never understood how they determined that since the cancellation took place before the registration for classes started or why there couldn't have been at least one credit hour given for that course. It seems to go back to what I wrote in the earlier post about the college being more involved with the station.
Sounds like Louis Owens was someone who was helpful. Engineers can be that way and they seem to be free of some of the politics that can be a part of some stations.
I didn't know about the drag races on State Route 206. Not sure how I missed those.
Thanks, again, for your memories.
I'm from Cincinnati and, yes, attended Lindsey Wilson from September, 1962 thru July, 1964 (four semisters and a summer semister). That period has been the only time I have been out of Cincinnati in my lifetime. I have returned there for several reunions, the most recent in 2008.
As I noted, I found the D.J.'s at WAIN friendly, but some who occupied the management positions were not. I've always felt that Dr. Horton should have taken some steps to assist those students interested in radio in working with the station. For the 1963-64 school year, a class was advertised regarding radio, but for no credit hours. It was cancelled even before registration for that term began with the only explanation that there weren't enough people signed up. I never understood how they determined that since the cancellation took place before the registration for classes started or why there couldn't have been at least one credit hour given for that course. It seems to go back to what I wrote in the earlier post about the college being more involved with the station.
Sounds like Louis Owens was someone who was helpful. Engineers can be that way and they seem to be free of some of the politics that can be a part of some stations.
I didn't know about the drag races on State Route 206. Not sure how I missed those.
Thanks, again, for your memories.
Lindsey (LWC) was my first exposure to the world outside rural Russell County.Cincinnati Kid said:
Good that you made it back, hope you met up with old friends and classmates.
Never noticed any reference to WAIN, or related classes, when attending LWC.
Probably because that activity involved mostly local guys and the hot rods that they (we) drove every day in the commute to school.
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I called WAIN today and again found employees very courteous and helpful.
Info conveyed to me:
- WAIN-AM went on air August 1, 1951
- The FM station, WAIN-FM went on air March 1, 1968
- Lindsey Wilson College sold WAIN radio stations to Forcht Broadcasting.
- WAIN was the first of many stations for Forcht.
- The sale of WAIN occurred in December, 1981.
Thanks for the updated information on WAIN AM & FM.
Even if the station is owned by another entity, they could still have college students involved in some form or other. My feeling is that when the college owned it, college officials never really understood what they had and the possibilities it presented for the college and its students and not necessarily just those who wanted to work in broadcasting.
As I noted previously, I found the station officials quite nice and accomodating when I used the WAIN facilities to help feed my show back to the Cincinnati area.
Even if the station is owned by another entity, they could still have college students involved in some form or other. My feeling is that when the college owned it, college officials never really understood what they had and the possibilities it presented for the college and its students and not necessarily just those who wanted to work in broadcasting.
As I noted previously, I found the station officials quite nice and accomodating when I used the WAIN facilities to help feed my show back to the Cincinnati area.
Cincinnati Kid, your premise, if I understand correctly, is that:
LWC, as a college that owned a radio station nearby (WAIN), in a progressive time for broadcasting, missed an opportunity to participate by helping to train broadcast personnel.
This may be true.
Likely there were many factors involved:
1. Resource Limited - LWC was very small in those days (offering only Associate in Arts (AA) degree).
Possibly if LWC had a vocational/technical branch such a project, a broadcast training project/department, might have been a better fit.
2. Philosophy Limited - LWC was probably operating under strong religious oriented direction.
3. Personnel Limited - Probably few people were available with both broadcast knowledge and an advanced degree to act as teachers/instructors (most colleges need people with advanced degrees to maintain accreditation).
4. Scope Limited - Maybe LWC had a vision of being a larger 4-5 year college and put all their resources towards that goal.
The above may or may not have been critical factors, and likely there were others.
Not trying to be critical of your experiences and thoughts, or of LWC.
Just thinking:
Maybe, if LWC had had broadcast classes, some young men might have missed some drag races
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Cincinnati Kid, about your regular radio show in Cincinanti that WAIN helped you with;
Curious, what is your show and what radio station are you with?
LWC, as a college that owned a radio station nearby (WAIN), in a progressive time for broadcasting, missed an opportunity to participate by helping to train broadcast personnel.
This may be true.
Likely there were many factors involved:
1. Resource Limited - LWC was very small in those days (offering only Associate in Arts (AA) degree).
Possibly if LWC had a vocational/technical branch such a project, a broadcast training project/department, might have been a better fit.
2. Philosophy Limited - LWC was probably operating under strong religious oriented direction.
3. Personnel Limited - Probably few people were available with both broadcast knowledge and an advanced degree to act as teachers/instructors (most colleges need people with advanced degrees to maintain accreditation).
4. Scope Limited - Maybe LWC had a vision of being a larger 4-5 year college and put all their resources towards that goal.
The above may or may not have been critical factors, and likely there were others.
Not trying to be critical of your experiences and thoughts, or of LWC.
Just thinking:
Maybe, if LWC had had broadcast classes, some young men might have missed some drag races
--------------------------------
Cincinnati Kid, about your regular radio show in Cincinanti that WAIN helped you with;
Curious, what is your show and what radio station are you with?
Tripelo -
I appreciate your thoughts on this subject.
Lindsey Wilson was, indeed, a small college at that time. Class size was very much like what one would have had in high school. However, that worked well for me and, I think, others. You certainly didn't feel lost in a course that was attended by hundreds of students as you might in a large university.
Lindsey Wilson was very definitely operating under a strong religous direction then. For example, the word "dance" could never be used when referring to an event where dancing might take place. It had to be referred to as a "mixer". Drinking alcohol was strickly forbidden by students and its ills were constantly brought up by the administration in a religously-based way.
Despite the size of the school and its religious direction and code of conduct, I feel that didn't prohibit the teaching of some basic radio courses or otherwise helping to aquaint those interested with the field of radio and communications. Certainly a faculty member who taught speech could have been initially listed as the instructor. Employees from the radio sttion could have been offered as guest lecturers or something similar. It could have grown from there.
Even if the college could not immediately offer such classes, I think they could have been some kind of go-between for the interested students and station personnel. As it was, you were on your own in approcahing the station and, as I have previously mentioned, some there took a less than welcoming approcach to students.
Thank you for asking about my radio show. I have a weekly sports program on WOBO Radio in the Owensville/Batavia Ohio area just east of Cincinnati. The two shows that I originated from WAIN was when I was back at Lindsey Wilson for homecoming in 1993 and 1995. In each, I was able to feature an interview with a sports person who had ties to Kentucky. As I noted, the officials at WAIN were most friendly and helpful.
I appreciate your thoughts on this subject.
Lindsey Wilson was, indeed, a small college at that time. Class size was very much like what one would have had in high school. However, that worked well for me and, I think, others. You certainly didn't feel lost in a course that was attended by hundreds of students as you might in a large university.
Lindsey Wilson was very definitely operating under a strong religous direction then. For example, the word "dance" could never be used when referring to an event where dancing might take place. It had to be referred to as a "mixer". Drinking alcohol was strickly forbidden by students and its ills were constantly brought up by the administration in a religously-based way.
Despite the size of the school and its religious direction and code of conduct, I feel that didn't prohibit the teaching of some basic radio courses or otherwise helping to aquaint those interested with the field of radio and communications. Certainly a faculty member who taught speech could have been initially listed as the instructor. Employees from the radio sttion could have been offered as guest lecturers or something similar. It could have grown from there.
Even if the college could not immediately offer such classes, I think they could have been some kind of go-between for the interested students and station personnel. As it was, you were on your own in approcahing the station and, as I have previously mentioned, some there took a less than welcoming approcach to students.
Thank you for asking about my radio show. I have a weekly sports program on WOBO Radio in the Owensville/Batavia Ohio area just east of Cincinnati. The two shows that I originated from WAIN was when I was back at Lindsey Wilson for homecoming in 1993 and 1995. In each, I was able to feature an interview with a sports person who had ties to Kentucky. As I noted, the officials at WAIN were most friendly and helpful.
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