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A Woman’s Place is in the Kitchen

Gloria Penner began working at KPBS as a journalist in 1969.
KPBS file photo
Gloria Penner began working at KPBS as a journalist in 1969.

It was December 1, 1969 and my younger son was having his third birthday. For both of us, it would be a day of great change. Brad was spending his first day at "Humpty-Dumpty Pre-School," admitted after he had mastered the prerequisite civilized behaviors. My older son, Steve, was in morning kindergarten. And I was stepping back into the media world after a five year hiatus devoted to my role as parent and homemaker. It was a half-time position which worked for my schedule and for the KEBS (now KPBS) budget.

Traditional multi-story office buildings were the venue for my earlier jobs in radio and television in Washington, D.C. and Hawaii. But on that Monday morning, my destination was an aging two-story apartment house built around a deteriorating swimming pool near the SDSU campus.

There I met General Manager John Witherspoon and Program Director Brad Warner in their offices, a living room for John and a bedroom for Brad. It was an unlikely place of business. My doubts about this strange broadcast operation grew when I was shown to my office: a galley-type kitchen lined with traditional kitchen cabinets. The sink was there, but no stove or refrigerator. Instead, there was a desk and chair and nothing more. I had traded one kitchen for another. My adventure had begun...

Corrected: June 20, 2025 at 9:21 AM PDT
Look for a new story from Gloria Penner every month.
A big decision awaits some voters this July as the race for San Diego County’s Supervisor District 1 seat heats up. Are you ready to vote? Check out the KPBS Voter Hub to learn about the candidates, the key issues the board is facing and how you can make your voice heard.