In 1959, according to Chris Borden and Bob Sinclair, whether you liked it or not, ‘jocks’ were here to stay. Disc jockeys, that is. As more radio stations switched to a news, talk and music format, the need for qualified men to sit behind the mike was becoming more important. These two local disc jockeys wanted to help fill that void.
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1959 Jack Sheaffer photo
Student Bill Hunter spins a disc while Bob Sinclair (center) and Chris Borden (right) watch.
Borden and Sinclair formed what was believed to be the first school for training jocks in what they called “personality radio.” The Disc Jockey School of Modern Radio Technique set up shop in the old KTKT building at 500 West Elm. St.
The pair spent about $8,000 to set up the school to closely resemble an operating station. Although no signal was broadcast, the station called itself KDJS.
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The coursework included nine hours of class a week, plus additional time spent taping shows for critique. The first class had 16 students ranging in age from 18 to 32. There was no mention of women jocks.
The founders said graduates of the 10-week course would have the equivalent of one or two years experience. “They’ll be personality men, but they’ll be able to adapt themselves to the policies of any radio station in the country,” said Borden.
According to Sinclair, the hardest part was getting the students to forget themselves. “Most of these guys feel like screaming idiots when they first begin. We have to make them realize that it’s one of the sacrifices of being a good jock. Once that’s done, they’re on their way.”
A fire in December 1959, destroyed much of the building and equipment at the disc jockey school. There were no more stories on the Disc Jockey School of Modern Radio Technique.
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