We didn’t have electricity when I was growing up in the mid-1920s through 1940. We would often visit family and friends, especially on Saturday nights. On one of these nights, we were visiting Dad’s cousin and his wife who had a battery-operated radio, which was an enticement to me.

I was sitting in the living room listening to the radio, while everyone else was out on the porch. I listened to a western program for a while, then I decided to join the others on the porch. I got up from the chair, started towards the door when all of a sudden “Whoa, Jennie!” came out over the radio. It frightened me so much I sat back on the chair and started crying. My mom heard me and came to my rescue. It was a long time before I listened to a radio alone again.

Jennie Clark, Troy, Randolph EMC