10th Nov 2008
From Page 114 of Junior Home Economics, ca. 1933.
This entry was posted
on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 7:15 am and is filed under just plain weird, raising children, strange photos.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
So, is it a plug for nonconformity, or is it a plug to get women to learn to swim?
Hey Erica,
I continue to enjoy your blog. I listen to a lot of podcasts and have found some old sci-fi, horror, and comedy radio shows from the past. Particularly interesting are the commercials. I found that the shows from the 40’s and 50’s extolled science as a major advertising point. As in, “Scientific research shows Lucky Strike provides the smoothest balance of flavors preferred by both men and women. LSMFT. Lucky Strike means fine tobacco.” Seems like it was a fad at the time, with white men in white coats explaining with authority how Dove, the soap that floats, is better for your skin because no other soap floats. And how can you argue with that, especially when followed by an endorsement from Judy Garland?
But, these old shows can have their cringing moments too. For example, on an Easter Jack Benny show, Mary Livingston said she had just come back from Harlem. “What were you doing in Harlem,” Benny asked. “I needed colored eggs for my basket,” was the reply. The audience burst out in laughter.
I wonder if Rush Limbaugh will revive that joke during the next White House easter egg roll…
And why is the one on the diving board wearing dance slippers?
@Sea-of-Green — it was in a chapter about how good nutrition and exercise improve your life. I have NO idea how this picture was intended to convey that message!
@skepTick — There were some incredibly racist things on the airwaves back then.
@Buzz — I have no idea