Rebels Sit On Rooftops
Category: Culture
Greek Life 1974, Part Tres
Today’s installment could also be called “Ladies Under Trees.” Check out Pissy Chrissy on the far left.
Evidently this sorority did not allow curly-haired girls in. 1974 was the last season of “The Brady Bunch,” as evidenced by some very Jan & Marcia tresses.
It’s almost as though the photographer stumbled upon a gaggle of Breck girls in a strawberry field, rocking far-out peasant dresses and understated necklaces.
The gals of Alpha Kappa Alpha flashed their gams in mod mini-skirts. One appears to be confused as to where she should look. Perhaps a palm tree frond has lodged in her ear canal and she is experiencing sudden-onset vertigo.
Lisa Bonet did her best to stay discreet by posing in the back row, but the jig’s up, Lisa.
And so I leave you with this unshaven, sideboob image of Bonet. Ew!
Greek Life 1974, Part Uno
Cheers to the drunks boys of Tau Kappa Epsilon! A Schlitz toast to Less Nessman!
These dudes are a klass act.
One more pitcher refill for our pal, Bill Albert. Get down wid yo bad self, Bill.
Political Debates
Nice Maracas
No, this tropically-clad lady isn’t Carmen Miranda; she’s a guest enjoying the Chicago Art Guild’s annual Green Moth Ball. The ball had been all but suspended during the war years, and now was being revived by 600 guests at Chicago’s Continental Hotel.
Evidently the conga line grew and the liquor flowed until the official end time of 4:30am. As Life put it, “A few guests at this rowdy party could always be counted on to land in jail before the festivities were over.” And who could blame them? It was November 30, 1945, the war was over, Hitler was dead, and the holiday season was upon them. If there ever was a time to celebrate, it was then!
Chest Inspection
Did you know?
- TB is also known as consumption or the white plague.
- There is a dramatic resurgence of tuberculosis due to HIV, with more than 8 million new cases each year worldwide and more than 2 million persons dying from it. (http://www.news-medical.net/health/History-of-Tuberculosis.aspx)
- In the 1800s, tuberculosis was known as “the captain of all men of death.” Does that even make sense?
- Tuberculosis was keen on afflicting authors, including: John Keats, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Emily Bronte, and Edgar Allen Poe.
Skeedaddle
1949: Year Of The Better Sweater
Greetings from the perky staff of the 1949 Redskin Yearbook from Oklahoma A&M University! Before folks wore Christmas sweaters ironically, they wore them to keep warm during winter. 1949 was clearly a sweater heyday, with these two staffers partial to forest creatures. Each time Barney Neal checked his reflection in the mirror, he reminded himself, “Hey, Barney–if that deer can jump over that stick, you can overcome any obstacle.” Sweaters were empowering!
This pretty co-ed favored moose.
Others preferred fowl. A bird in flight sent a clear message: Don’t even try to clip my wings, honey. The war is over, I’m free as a bird, and this bird you cannot change.
Polar bears were big with the big men on campus, especially bears in face-to-face confrontation.
Sweaters even ventured into Aztec territory! So multi-cultural! His gal Suzy nearly exhausted herself applauding his fashion choice and had to rest her palms on this 1905 stone.
And don’t forget: sweaters were great to wear while sharing gossip! Look at Phyllis wearing a platypus sweater. So gauche! Everyone knows bunnies and swans are where it’s at.
What Happens To Kids Who Win Participation Trophies
Whenever I See Your Smiling Face
I wanted to share the warm smiles of this couple, shown in one of the montage sections of the 1949 Oklahoma A&M University. The footer at the bottom (not shown here) reads: Good neighbors from everywhere gather in friendly Aggieland.
I also like the little tea cups. Cheers!
That Looks Uncomfortable
Prints And The Revolution
Well, y’all, it’s hard to believe the bicentennial was nigh on 40 years ago. Some of you were already married, some weren’t even born, and I was in pre-school, oblivious to the fashion faux-pas going on in society. Scarves and bandanas for women, pointed shirt collars for men. And prints so loud coming together in a dangerous cacophony such as this! It’s as though clothing designers suddenly decided to make garments of sofa and wallpaper material.
Other fun facts of ’76 include:
- Apple Computers was formed by double Steves, Jobs and Wozniak.
- Gymnast Nadia Comaneci earned her first Perfect 10.
- Eva Peron told Argentina not to cry for her.
- North and South Vietnam united to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
- The United States Treasury Department reintroduced the two dollar bill. I still have several!
- Jimmy Carter won the Presidential election.
- The world’s first laser printer was introduced by IBM.
- Eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes dropped dead at the age of 70.
- The musical groups Black Flag, The Clash, U2, The Cure, Foreigner, Joy Division, and Madness were all formed in 1976. (source: rwrant.co.za/20-facts-the-year-1976)
When I think about bands forming, I think about a group of dudes (yes, I realize that’s sexist) in a basement, slowly getting gigs and paying their dues for years until being launched out of obscurity. Right? But Foreigner had major hits the following year, selling four million with songs like “Feels Like The First Time.” Way to get it going right off the bat, Foreigner!
Per www.thepeoplehistory.com, the cost of living was much lower:
Average Cost of new house $43,400.00
Average Income per year $16,000.00
Average Monthly Rent $220.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 59 cents
And a microwave oven cost $169.00. I could buy one for that price now. Although the interwebs says that sales of microwave ovens exceeded that of gas ranges in 1975, I didn’t know ANYONE who had a microwave then. I didn’t know anyone who had one in the 1970s at all. And I didn’t have one until my first college apartment. Do you recall Tappan microwaves?
As far as music goes, these were the songs the people requested on heavy rotation:
1. Silly Love Songs, Paul McCartney and Wings
2. Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, Elton John and Kiki Dee
3. Disco Lady, Johnnie Taylor
4. December 1963 (Oh What a Night), The Four Seasons
5. Play That Funky Music, Wild Cherry
6. Kiss and Say Goodbye, The Manhattans
7. Love Machine, Pt. 1, The Miracles
8. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, Paul Simon
9. Love Is Alive, Gary Wright
10. A Fifth of Beethoven, Walter Murphy and The Big Apple Band
So tell me–when did you get your first microwave? Did you have awful yellow and avocado green tupperware dishes to put inside it? Do you remember when earning 16K was a decent salary, and not the price of a used car? Did you vote for Jimmy Carter or Gerald Ford? Did you know the popular vote for Carter was 40 million and for Ford it was 39 million? That’s a pretty close call.
And did you know Carter was the first president to be born in a hospital? Wow! Were you born in a hospital?
I Don't Get It 