P.O. Box 632 Findlay, Ohio 45839 Phone: 419-420-9327

Local History
Findlay College Flashback
By Beth Richards
Oct 1, 2007, 06:20

Several times a week, listeners of the University of Findlay's WLFC 88.3 can enjoy reliving 125 years of the college's fascinating history. Over 100 programs, taped in 15 minute segments, are being aired on the school's student radio station.

The production of Findlay College Flashback has been recorded by Assistant Professor of Communication and WLFC advisor, Chris Underation. A monumental undertaking, he began recording the segments last summer. According to the professor, the shows are simple, unadorned histories that tell about the historical events that shaped the school.

The idea of the program came to evolve during a faculty discussion about commemorating the school's 125th anniversary. New to U of F, Underation inquired about the recorded history of the school with the idea of broadcasting it and learned that there really wasn't anything of significance on record. After being introduced to Dr. Richard Kern's book "Findlay College: The First 100 Years," he knew he had just what he was looking for, a "one stop shop of history...the most comprehensive history (the university) has produced" The updated version of Dr. Kern's book, with the additional 25 years added, will be released later this year.

"It's really amazing to look at the number of times over its history that the school was this close to some type of emergency that could have ended its history. It's also pretty impressive to see how the school has persevered and become the big institution it is today".

Media and Communication students participate in the student publication, the Pulse, and WLFC. Since the beginning of the 125th celebration, the Pulse has run a story each week about a person or aspect of UF history. Parts of featured stories have been worked into the radio program. Students involved with radio production have done the final radio mixing, getting the program from production to CD to programming. Underation noted that summer radio students also worked on setting up the station's myspace site (www.myspace/wlfc88_3) and strengthening music rotation.

"The student manager of the radio station (Jon Limber) has been active in getting the program to air in order and at least three different times each week so people might have the chance to catch them".

The segments provide a pleasant and direct narrative of the University's history. And Underation wants to continue the recorded history for future listeners.

"One thing we have made it a point to do at WLFC this year is record all of the 125th speeches and events. Some of these include remembrances from people like Prof. Emeritus Dick Kern and Lou Chenette, people who are from the area and have been around Findlay for a long time."

Underation says that he believes an organization's history shapes its present. "Findlay has a lot to be proud of--and its story is very interesting. It has been a school started with a very clear vision. It has struggled and come close to closing. Circumstances have allowed it survive and now thrive."

"UF has struggled and had times in its history when it has just had to lay it out there and take a chance on something if it was going to survive. This has given the school today a willingness to stretch itself and do some innovative things because it took chances in the past".

Together, Underation and the students have completed 70 episodes and another 25 should be finished over Christmas break. The commemorative programs air on WLFC 88.3 Mondays at 7:00 a.m., Fridays at 12:15 p.m., and also re-run back-to-back on Sundays from 9:00 to 9:30 a.m.