WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - This Week in Western Civilization: May 4-10

Episode Date: May 15, 2026

This week, Olivia Finch discusses the anniversaries of the birth of Bing Crosby and the death of L. Frank Baum and celebrates the graduation of the Hillsdale College Class of 2026.

Welcome to this week in Western Civilization on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm your host, Olivia Finch, bringing new snapshots of history and context. Hello, everyone. Today we'll be covering one important birth, one important death, and one notable event that happened between May 3rd and May 9th in Western Civ. On May 3rd, 1903, American singer and actor Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington State. Crosby is best known for being a musical pioneer in the vocal arts, opting for a smoother, more crooning vocal style than the loud piercing vaudeville style

that was popular during his time, later influencing singers such as Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, and Dean Martin. Crosby also starred in films such as Holiday Inn, White Christmas, and Anything Goes. Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipe. are calling From glen to glen And down The mountainside

The summer's gone And all the roses Falling It's you, it's you You must go and I must buy. On May 6, 1919, American author El Frank Baum died after falling into a stroke-induced coma at the age of 62 in Los Angeles, California. Baum is best known as the author of his series of Oz books, most famously The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which was later adapted into the 1939 MGM film The Wizard of Oz.

This event may not be as significant to Western civilization, but it is certainly important to me. On May 9, 26, the Hillsdale College Class of 2026, myself included, graduated from college after a truly unforgettable college experience. The class of 26 is composed of almost 400 students, and students wore special red, white, and blue tassels on the graduation caps instead of the customary white and blue to celebrate the United States of America's upcoming 250th anniversary. You've been listening to This Week in Western Civilization on Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I hope you enjoyed this episode, and thank you for tuning in.

This is Olivia Finch, signing off.