OUT OF THIN AIR

through our carpet. He developed a technique of making his own accom- paniment by striking the lowest strings on the fiddle. Every time the bow went over it, it rang, and it was this ringing tone that marked Lem Jay’s unique style.

The fiddling was popular. Later the old—time fiddling champion, Bob Weeks, travelled in regularly from Highfield. Bob brought a group of fiddlers in with him, and there they’d sit in a ring of backless chairs, these men, playing with great concentration, playing music of their own creation, and music which had its beginnings long ago in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England and France.

During the first six months of CFCY, broadcasting consisted of what became known in the trade as mechanical music: records played in front of a microphone. The only regularly scheduled broadcasting Dad and Walter Burke were doing then was on Sundays. On September 14, 1925, Dad wrote to Alex Sutherland, Director of Radio, Department of Marine, Halifax:

.. .due to improving our station we are operating Sundays only: 11.00 a.m. Church Services

1:00 pm. Hotel Victoria Dinner Concert

7:00 pm. Church Services.

Aside from this—may go on any evening providing suitable material is available.

The morning church service mentioned here was consistently from the Methodist Church which by this time had become Trinity United Church. The evening services were usually from any other denomination that wished to arrange a broadcast. The Victoria Hotel was Charlottetown’s finest. It was a common thing for large family groups to go there for dinner after church on Sunday. There was broadcasting done from there. The Casino Orchestra played dinner music. I know it was heard and enjoyed as far away as Hartford, Connecticut because there is a card from a listener who lived there still on file.

In these very early days there were no formalized techniques with regard to style and format. More effort went into making the equipment work than into polish and illusion. The broadcast took place warts and all. There was a consciousness, though, that one should “speak well”,

whatever that meant.

44