WKBN was the first radio station in Youngstown, Ohio. It was started in the home of Warren P Williamson, an enterprising young businessman. His announcer was my father, Walter Lee Kauffman.
Walter was a young entrepreneur involved in a number of projects in the Youngstown area including a strong interest in radio broadcasting. Originally from Tacoma, WA, Walter served in the US Army in WW1. Following the death of his father, his mother relocated to Youngstown to live with her sister and brother. Walter followed them along with his older brother P Barton Kauffman.
On the day of the first broadcast, they gathered in Warren’s home where they had arrayed a collection of equipment including a crude antennae hung out the window. Walter made that first broadcast.
Walter and Warren worked together for a number of years. Warren went on to built a business with radio and then television. Some 20 years later, they got together to celebrate the 20 year reunion of that first day. When you listen to the announcement, you will hear Walter comment about his stammering during those first few words. Read my comments at the end.
Below is a portion of a letter Walter sent to Elizabeth when he was courting her in 1935. They lived in Erie and California respectively and they wrote each other faithfully over three months while they were deciding when to get married. Finally they realized that a phone call was in order. In 1935, that was the equivalent of a $500 expenditure. Walter likened his first words to Elizabeth to his first words on the WKBN broadcast where he stammered and then cut over to a phonograph record.
Well, Walter’s career as an announcer got off to a poor start and never improved. He went on to a successful career as an inventor and mechanical engineer. His friend, Warren P. Williamson, Jr went on to a successful career in the radio and TV entertainment business.
