The state of Iowa has 99 counties.  That means 99 county seats.  And just about every county seat in Iowa has its own radio station.  Most of these stations will never show up in the ratings.  Many are simply seen as stepping stones for the young broadcaster with radio as a career in mind.  A place to start.

Often they are combo daytime AM and "Class A" FM operations - with a format favorably described as "variety."  Even today you'll hear the phone-in "buy, sell or trade" shows and the daily half-hour public service interviews.  There is still a half-hour newscast at noon.  And even though the farmers can now get up-to-the-minute market quotes displayed on their cell phones, you still hear regular market updates on the price of a bushel of beans or corn.  Of course there is the daily obituary report, predictably sponsored by a local funeral home.  Coverage of high school sports is an essential.  And the birthday club will announce your special day, awarding a cake from the local bakery to the winning entry.

KCII-AM in Washington, Iowa was such a station - and still is.  Similar in size to many Iowa  county seats, Washington has approximately 7000 residents.  KCII, standing for the Kleanest City In Iowa, signed on in 1961, adding its FM in 1975.  As a 500 watt daytimer, KCII's AM signal has never served much more than its own county and a few other smaller, surrounding towns.

But how that station has served over the past 50 years! 

One of the very first announcers, Claude Woods, became a local institution.  Everybody knew and loved this man.  He was a veteran radio pro and "the voice of Washington."  No one knew exactly what his real title was.  Anyone who worked at the station wore many hats - but Claude's signature was a daily one-hour live show called "Man on the Street."

In the 60's KCII studios were located on the second floor of an insurance office building on the northeast corner of Washington's town square.  And every weekday Claude Woods would lower a VERY long mic cord out of the station's second story window to the sidewalk below.  With microphone in one hand and commercial copy on a clipboard in the other, "Man on the Street" would go live at 1:00pm sharp.

My mom loved "Man on the Street."  On laundry days (always Monday) she would take her transistor radio out to the clothesline and listen as she hung out the wash - not wanting to miss the show in case someone she knew might be on the radio.

Claude was a communicator.  My parents said he just had the "gift of gab."  But whether there was someone to talk to or not, he would keep the commentary coming from the street below, rain or shine.  The star of the show, though, was the unsuspecting shopper or local businessman that Claude would persuade to talk with him as they'd stroll by.  One December day it was my mom and myself.

I was seven and we were doing some Christmas shopping "on the square."  I remember my mother being a rather reluctant guest in the conversation - so Claude got down on one knee, looked me in the eye and, after asking my name, said "..young man do you believe in Santa Claus?" - expecting to hear a seven year old say "yes."

All I could think of to say was "Nope.  Because last year I saw my dad eating the cookies that we set out on Christmas eve.."  Then I added "..and nobody at our church believes in Santa Claus either!"  This brought a slightly concerned look to my mother's face. 

But, being a good radio man, Claude Woods took it all in stride, wished us well, handed us a candy cane and we were on our way.  He continued to do "Man on the Street" with his very long mic cord for years.  I've often thought back to that day as my first experience with radio, but even more do I recall Claude Woods and how he served his community so well, simply by making good conversation.

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