So Wholesome For Everyone
Category: History
Elsie and Elmer Borden: A Lesson In Dairy Dysfunction
The First Couple of Borden’s Milk products always seemed to be arguing, as they graced the pages of LIFE magazine throughout the 1940s and 50s.
Elmer was controlling.
Elsie was passive aggressive. But, dear…
The ad continues for nearly a DOZEN paragraphs, nothing for which today’s reader would have time. The dialog eventually addresses the product of Christmas. None Such Mince Meat.
Can you imagine an ad today making reference to Cabbages and Kings? Would most readers understand a reference to the 1904 O. Henry novel, itself a reference to Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass? I shant believe it.
Not only have I never tasted None Such Mince Meat, I have never seen hide nor hair of it. The main ingredients include raisins, molasses, dried apples, beef and spices. Not what I think of when I think of pie.
And what about you? Have you ever put a forkful of this into your gullet?
Later, Elmer asks, “Didn’t they punish nagging wives in the public square?” To which Elsie responds, “What a silly idea! Who’d make the mince meat pie while the wife was in the square?” Yikes! Better make sure that eggnog is spiked for tonight’s meal.
Episcopalian Canterbury Club 1947
I think my favorite one is the lady front and right, with her chin tilted down.
Another Brick In The Wall
These cutie patooties in Mrs. Staples’ class sat in an overcrowded classroom in Nome, Alaska in 1904.
A small gathering of folks posed in front of this sod schoolhouse in Custer County, Nebraska in 1886.
Movember: Early 1900s Style
These bearded fellows here are listed as veterans of the Battle of San Jacinto, circa early 1900s. That would make them all at least 80 years old by that point. If you’re not clear on that battle, here’s some quick history.
Remember the Alamo: At 5am on March 6, 1836, Mexican troops under Santa Anna launched their final assault on the Alamo. By 6:30am, the Alamo had fallen. As news of the Alamo’s fall spread, angered volunteer ranks grew. On April 21, under Sam Houston, the Texian (yes, Texian at that point) cannon fired, beginning the battle of San Jacinto. Per Wikipedia,
After a single volley, Texians broke ranks and swarmed over the Mexican breastworks to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Mexican soldiers were taken by surprise…Within 18 minutes, Mexican soldiers abandoned their campsite and fled for their lives…Texians continued to chant “Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!” while frightened Mexican infantry yelled “Me no Alamo!” and begged for mercy to no avail. In what historian Davis called “one of the most one-sided victories in history,” 650 Mexican soldiers were killed and 300 captured. Eleven Texians died, with 30 others, including Houston, wounded.
Anyway, y’all, that’s why we remember the Alamo. Afterward, the Treaties of Velasco required that all Mexican troops withdraw south of the Rio Grande, which became recognized as the border between the two countries, and that’s right about where Trump plans to put that wall.
Perhaps it will look like this border fence in Eagle Pass, Texas, right next to a golf course in Shelby Park and half a mile from the Rio Grande.
Mend No More
When’s the last time you mended a garment? I don’t mean a simple button replacement; I mean adding a knee patch, darning a sock. For me, the answer is never. Mending is a lost art. It’s much easier to drive a mile down the road and grab a dozen socks for $10 than repair the one with the hole in the heel. That sock was weak and deserves the trash.
I wonder if some readers have never seen a plastic wicker sewing backet.
I own my great-grandmother’s sewing basket, similar to this one, but I confess I’ve never used anything inside. Sentiment over function. At this point, it’s more art than utility. Do you remember one from your childhood?
Witchy Women
Stag-Nation 1947
As we’ve seen in prior posts, deer heads graced the chests of many a student in the post-war years. Evidently, victors wear ruminant mammals as a display of pride.
The ladies of the Tee Club knew what was up. Which do you prefer: the facing double stag jump or the stags all over?
Mr. Deer Duds knew how broadshouldered these antlers could make him appear. They seem to be spreading across his frame.
And lastly, this girl from the Baptist Student Union understood how deer could be a perfect balance for her festive poinsettia.
These days, you can still find plenty of deer-dotted Christmas sweaters. Just don’t go too crazy, like this one on etsy.com
Sidelines
Manly Modern-Day Hipster Time-Travels Back To 1964, Reveals Smart Phone
Is it me or does the bearded one look out of place among the other boys of Boyden Hall? Are they comparing notes in their little black books? Why is one guy wearing the potent combination of pajamas and flip-flops (and possibly a priest’s collar)? I don’t get it.
Knowin’ What To Throw Away And Knowin’ What To Keep
This young man may look like the king of his castle, but surely his folks wouldn’t approve of filched funeral home signs. Does anyone say “filched” anymore? Let’s bring that back. Note his tastes: cards, Popeye, and George Petty pin-up girls. Seems pretty blue-blooded American to me.
The Bull In This Place
I Don't Get It 