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!!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Cuyahoga County US Census Form-Herbert Birch Kingston 1930 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

The 1930 US Census, FDR and "Radio Set"

This idea came to me somewhat spontaneously several months ago when I was teaching a class about census records and what can be gleaned from them.  We all know about the 1790 "Heads of Households" census and that nothing particularly interesting until the 1850 census was enumerated.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="240"] 1930 census - William Brooks (Photo credit: Birdie Holsclaw)[/caption]

But when I get to the 1930 census, I usually point out the odd question in column 9 "Radio Set".  Then one night, I put out this theory and readily admitted it was just a theory!   We know that various levels of government have access to census results as soon as the data is complied...no 72 year rule. As I was trying to rationalize why the radio question appeared, I came up with lots of ideas, and if anyone knows the answer, PLEASE add a comment and straighten out my thinking.  Then I ask the class who do they know who may have taken unusual advantage of the radio data in the early 1930's.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Photograph of a young girl listening to the radio during the Great Depression. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]

I have this "theory" about a particular by-product of the data from column 9:  I'm quite sure that FDR was privy to all of the data available to him as President.  My theory is that he very creatively saw the usefulness of how many American households were listening to radios during the Great Depression.  I believe he came up with the idea that this was a new and very modern way to communicate to the masses; an early 20th century Twitter or Facebook account!  I believe....and I certainly have no proof...that FDR crafted his fireside chats as a result of the knowledge that he could easily reach perhaps millions of Americans by broadcasting to all the households where a radio was available.

Your thoughts??

 

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