May 25: Remote Control Man

The next time you’re channel surfing, offer a thank you to Eugene Polley.

Beginning his career in the stockroom of Zenith Electronics Corporation, Polley rose through the engineering ranks to invent the remote control device, called the Flash-Matic, in 1955.

While another device existed prior to Polley’s creation, it required attachment to the television set. Eugene Polley’s remote worked like a flashlight, the beam of light making the magic happen. A short time later, however, his device was supplanted by a more efficient one, created by another Zenith colleague. Still it was Polley who started those channels changing.

While we certainly should respect and build on the successes of the past, we’re called on as well to do great things of our own in the future.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with thy might.

(Ecclesiastes 9:10)

Give me strength this day, Father, to serve You and love my

neighbor.