Category: 1940s

Satin Panties Add Support

Here, the basketball coach explains why this year’s uniforms were shortened, rendering undergarments completely unnecessary, and thus, saving on material during the war effort.

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Well, that’s my guess anyway. In addition, should there be an unexpected air raid, the satin reflects any light, enabling team members to lead others out of the building. Follow that sheen!

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These two look ready for action. I guess I don’t pay much attention to basketball; I didn’t even realize players wore knee pads. I haven’t watched a game since I had that crush on John Stockton from the Utah Jazz nearly 20 years ago.

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The cameraman took some risks to get this shot (or else he was Andre the Giant).

JayhawkerWinter46002And for those players who weren’t destined to be seven feet tall, there was always room to improve their vertical. Case in point:

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Time In A Bottle Or Two

And now, some levity to balance the somber tone from earlier today.

Here, Francine, don’t drop these. If we return them to the drug store, we’ll get one penny per bottle. Barbara, get up off the floor. Pull yourself together. 

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Listen, you two, they haven’t invented plastic bottles yet, so we need to recycle every one. 

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/06/11/190668206/how-a-used-bottle-becomes-a-new-bottle-in-6-gifs
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/06/11/190668206/how-a-used-bottle-becomes-a-new-bottle-in-6-gifs

You guys, I really appreciate you inviting me to your Dandruff Awareness Club. Hello, my name is Alice, and I have dry scalp. Cheers!

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Donald dear, you know how Enfamil formula has DHA, which supports respiratory health and contributes to the development of a healthy immune system? Well, I don’t care about formula. Coke is it. So there. 

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Hey, fellas, I just heard that Coke carbonation irritates the stomach, causing the body to pull calcium from the blood to use as an antacid, which makes the blood replenish its supply from the bones, giving us osteoarthritis. Bummer, right? Oh, who cares? It’s 1947, and our life expectancy is only 64. Bottoms up! Ha ha ha!

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Guess what would make this Coke even better?

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Call of Duty

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In 1943, the USA was smack dab in the middle of WWII, and graduating college students were faced with the inevitable: enlistment. A cartoon in the Jayhawker magazine shows the four steps awaiting them: graduation and swearing in…

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…securing fatigues and heading into combat.

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How frustrating it must have been to finally achieve graduation, to fill your head with knowledge, only to enter a war where it may be blown off.

John Conard, Editor-In-Chief, shared these words:

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Five Memories of Friday

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“My mum always used to buy a record every Friday.”– Elton John

“I’m half Puerto Rican, and every Friday we have rice and beans and chicken in my house – so that’s like a very Latin staple. It’s just so comforting. I look forward to every single Friday because I just can’t wait for my rice and beans and chicken.”–Victoria Justice

“I understand what’s it like to work all week and on Friday night just want to go and leave your brain at the door, buy some popcorn and be thrilled by something.”–Don Cheadle

“Happy Days, which we did for 11 years, we did with three cameras in front of a live audience. Very special. We had a party every Friday night. The boys, Ron, Henry, they grew up on that show.”– Marion Ross

“That smell of freshly cut grass makes me think of Friday night football in high school. The smell of popcorn and cigar smoke reminds me of the stadium. The cutting of the grass reminds me of the August practice.”– Garth Brooks

Fight ‘Em, Then Light ‘Em

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In the fall of 1945, WWII had just ended, and colleges anticipated increased enrollment from students on the G.I. Bill. Soldiers had received free cigarettes while enlisted, so it’s not surprising that the habit remained when they returned home. Tobacco companies had initially targeted the military during WWI through the distribution of cigarettes to servicemen, and by WWII, they were included in rations. The Red Cross even distributed free cigarettes to the troops. 

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Despite mounting evidence in the 1950s of the adverse health effects of smoking and tobacco use, the military continued to include cigarettes in rations until 1975 (wikipedia). Old habits died hard. This image from the fall of 1945 shows a student lighting up before class.

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Swollen enrollment meant swollen ashtrays.

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Pipes were popular, as evidenced by students, as well as advertising.

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I admit it; I enjoy the smell of pipe smoke. KU-Fall45003

Even student protesters paused for a smoke break.

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And as we know, sex sells. Hence, the cigarette girl. She was the Coyote Ugly of cigarettes.

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In the event that some students may have forgotten their ABCs, this strikingly colorful ad on the back cover of this Jayhawker reminded them. Chesterfield=home runs!

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Varga A Little AFreud

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As we’ve seen in prior posts like Steve McQueen, universities back in the day would ask celebrity males to objectify judge the female beauties on campus for fun and entertainment. In this 1943 Jayhawker commencement issue, pin-up artist Alberto Varga did the honors.

Jayhawker43-Commencement004Chris from the muscleheaded blog should appreciate this. A copy of the letter is included:

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And the winner was…Grace McCandless!

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