– Nightline – October 2, 1957 – NBC Radio – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
Sometimes the world just goes about its business and nothing earth shattering happens. A day in the life of anyplace – this day happens to be October 2, 1957.
There were probably things that happened this day that went unnoticed – or that happened that seemed unimportant enough but which went on to make a very big difference in our lives, weeks months or even years later.
This episode of Nightline – a nightly news/information/entertainment program run each night by NBC Radio, in what could probably be described as the waning years of Network radio talks to the wife of the outgoing Secretary Of Defense and her opinions on living in Washington D.C. during the Eisenhower years and a minor kerfuffle involving her and the Press.
An interview with one of the members of the Blue Angels Navy Flying Team, discussing flying in formation and the level of skill it takes to pilot a Jet to do that.
A review of the days activities at the Teamsters Convention in Chicago – and an interview with a Doctor who wrote a book on how Women could be happier in their lives. The announcer explains that more people are enjoying material comfort in this time (October 1957) than at any other time in history. However, with all this happiness, people were still miserable. Dr. John Schindler, the author of Women’s Guide To Better Living had what he considered an answer to the question, at least as far as Women were concerned.
His answers and his opinions would no doubt fuel a few fires in the future (not to mention that, as of 2023 his voice alone would qualify for “unintentional ASMR”). But on this day it was just a breezy observation on why people (particularly women) were unhappy. The answer, he felt was that men were the culprit and their overall lack of maturity was the basis for the problem, but then the message gets muddled and adds men are more likely to “take it on the chin” and keep going, where women generally don’t and because of that, depression and general unhappiness abound.
No doubt, one piece of news from this program that was going to have repercussions in the future, but on this October 2nd in 1957, it was not considered earth shattering and the interview is sandwiched between dollops of music that were very popular at the time. Sounds from a time seemingly innocent, but with a lot of anxiety bubbling under the surface.
But it’s a day in the life and a relatively undramatic one at that, all from NBC Radio’s Nightline for October 2, 1957.
