Before TV and the internet became what it is today, a different form of entertainment was all the craze and one particular event had people glued to their radios.

Back in the day, KANE Radio in New Iberia hosted a fun game for all of its listeners, bringing friends and family together for their “KANE treasure satellite contest” scavenger hunt on Oct. 4 1957.

A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, which the participants seek to gather or complete all items on the list, usually without purchasing them. Often participants work in small teams, although the rules may allow individuals to participate.

According to John Berard, he said the local radio station launched it right after Russia launched its first Earth satellite Sputnik on the same day.

“Every few clues would be given out,” Beard said. “The first clue was ‘Down the middle on the ground up again and then back down…I am near a sign of the Nation’s might.’”

Berard said the first clue was hidden a few inches in the dirt next to the memorial cement arch in front of the old New Iberia High School on Center Street.

Later, according to Berard, the radio station would not actually hide the little metal capsules because people were digging up all over the place looking for them.

Every few days new clues were given out and Donald Bonin at KANE Radio ran the contest. Berard said the contest went on until 1958. Following Bonin at its popularity, Les Lester also at KANE Radio a scavenger hunt.

The winning team got 25 silver dollars and the radio host would ask for 10 items at 7 p.m. and listeners had until 9 p.m. to get them.

“Kay Gueringer, Clair Olivier and Judy Delcambre and another girl won one of the first hunts,” Berard said. “I remember one of the items they had to get was a bank deposit slip signed by Jack Broussard from New Iberia National Bank.”

Berard said his team won later in July 1958 that night our team had Peggy Broussard, Louis Broussard, Sheldon Bonin and himself.

“We won a few times later with different people in our group,” Berard said. “It was a fun time.”