Old Bones Family Research of New England: The Talking Machine Contract

01 February 2014

The Talking Machine Contract

This post intrigued me as the author, Kevin Lynn, tells about his great grandmother's purchase of a "Talking Machine" in August of 1930. It's interesting (or maybe not!) to note that a little earlier that year, the US Government conducted the population schedule portion of the census of 1930. One of the unusual questions that was asked on that particular census was if the family had a radio! Well, now the Molleur household had theirs!

I have a theory about that question. The president that was elected in 1932 was certainly privy to the demographics recorded in the 1930 census. So there's better than an even chance that he may have made a mental note that there was an incredible number of "talking machines" in the household across America. Hmmmm...how better to reach the populace than through this magnificent new medium! It's a fantasy of mine, of course, but FDR was a bright guy and bright guys (and girls) often think alike!!