
Articles about Shep in newspapers and periodicals
Last Update: 10-13-2013

March 4, 1952

Jean Shepherd

F.M.

(Article courtesy: Richard Kerr)

We were twirling the dial of our radio at about one o'clock one night last spring, seeking relief from the rather enervating chatter of Mac Maguire, when we stumbled upon a most unusual disc jockey on Philadelphia station KYW - a gentleman named Jean Shepherd. We have since become disciples of The Great Man, and we feel that perhaps the fact of his existence should be communicated to other Haverford students who, like us, are prone to listen to their radios until the wee hours of the morning. . .

[ Courtesy: Richard Kerr - 02-23-2017 ]

In 2013 I came in possession of over three dozen crumbling copies of the "Haverford News" dating from the 1951-1952 period. I was very surprised and pleased to find in one this early commentary on Jean Shepherd during his Philadelphia-based broadcast period. It provides a number of interesting details on the shows and the broadcast venue, on transitions in Jean Shepherd's show style during this period, and the demonstration of his magical and magnetic appeal to student-aged listeners. Note that Senior News Editor D. Frederick Muth, the writer, speaks of Shepherd as a disc jockey primarily playing jazz since Muth first discovered the show in the spring of 1951. The constant use of "Mr. Shepherd," with no mention of just "Shepherd" or even "Shep," appears to be in line with an editorial standard of the newspaper. In this issue of the college newspaper, a box to the left of the first-page masthead contains "Jean Shepherd / Page Two," while one to the right contains "Spring Day / Page Four."

Additional Comments:
Comments by Richard Kerr: In 2013 I came in possession of over three dozen crumbling copies of the "Haverford News" dating from the 1951-1952 period. I was very surprised and pleased to find in one this early commentary on Jean Shepherd during his Philadelphia-based broadcast period. It provides a number of interesting details on the shows and the broadcast venue, on transitions in Jean Shepherd's show style during this period, and the demonstration of his magical and magnetic appeal to student-aged listeners. Note that Senior News Editor D. Frederick Muth, the writer, speaks of Shepherd as a disc jockey primarily playing jazz since Muth first discovered the show in the spring of 1951. The constant use of "Mr. Shepherd," with no mention of just "Shepherd" or even "Shep," appears to be in line with an editorial standard of the newspaper. In this issue of the college newspaper, a box to the left of the first-page masthead contains "Jean Shepherd / Page Two," while one to the right contains "Spring Day / Page Four."

Copyright: 1952 Haverford College

Photos:

March 04,1953
Haverford News Masthead referring to Shep

Courtesy: Richard Kerr

"Can you imagine 4,000 years passing, and you're not even a memory?
Think about it, friends. It's not just a possibility. It is a certainty." - Jean Shepherd - 1975