Category: History

1916 Election: Peace With Honor

Illustrated History of the US
Illustrated History of the US

One hundred years ago, incumbent President Woodrow Wilson used newfangled machines on wheels to get his message of peace across to the common man (not woman, of course; they were still unable to vote). While Europe had already entered WWI,  Wilson remained popular with his campaign slogan “He kept us out of war.” He defeated Supreme Court Justice Charles Evans Hughes, the Republican candidate, by a narrow margin. And then he sent our boys off to war the very next April.

You can’t always stay neutral, folks.

 

Bus Etiquette: Civilized vs. Liberated

Science For Work & Play
Science For Work & Play

Once upon a time, elementary school boys wore ties to school–natty ones which matched their hunter green socks. Global warming and aspartame had not caused ADD yet, so children sat perfectly still, carrying on conversations void of uncouth words. They were well-mannered and neither stood in the aisles nor threw spitballs at their bus drivers. Was this just a fantasy?

A generation later, the bus was brimming with free love, altered states, lewd bare arms, and sunglasses to disguise dilated pupils. One young man even attempted to punch his way through the roof in an ill attempt at a glass ceiling metaphor. I can smell the patchouli from here.

1974 El Rancho
1974 El Rancho

Which bus would you rather ride?

Mid-Century Must-Haves

The good Catholic boys of Corpus Christi College-Academy in 1950 listed their prize possessions for their yearbook senior portraits. You will find nothing technology-related. It was a simpler time. Take John Carew, for example:

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He cherished his bag of marbles and yo-yo. And if he reached his ambition, just think how many more marbles he could buy!

Some boys prized their own good looks, like Mr. Anderson.

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Honestly, would you have even known it was red?

Still others prized life at the academy itself, like the redundantly-named Brian O’Brien.

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These two favored material objects.

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And while no graduating 2016 senior would put a portable radio at the top of his list, some things never change. Men love cars.

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Here’s hoping Rob Klepac is still burning gas 66 years later.

The King Of Tex-Mex Rock ‘n’ Roll

Cactus 1984 by Bettie Hatch
Cactus 1984 by Bettie Hatch

Seated on this South Padre Island stage is Nuevo Wavo Rocker himself, Joe King Carrasco, at a free concert sponsored by Miller Brewing Company during Spring Break 1984.

The Mass That Matters

Sunbeam 1959
Sunbeam 1959

Billy Joel sang that “Catholic girls start much too late,” but what did he know? Jeanne didn’t start bleaching her hair too late. I think these ladies were right on time. Studying Shakespeare, enjoying vending machine coffee and Clark bars–these are the stuff of life.

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Young women were getting their learning on, sans the distraction of boys.

St. Mary's Academy, Amarillo, TX 1959
St. Mary’s Academy, Amarillo, TX 1959

A nun supervised a student who was evidently keen on growing out her sideburns.

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A morning laugh with gal-pals in sensible warm coats started the day on the right foot.

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And what could be better than spending time in the sweetest home room in Saint Mary’s?

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Genius Idea: Mashing Grapes With Wine Bottle Itself

NatlGeoJune68001
June 1968

National Geographic describes this Viennese toiler as “an old-timer tamping bunches into a backpack.” Odd-looking backpack. And it’s not a wine bottle, but you knew that. It’s a pige.

And this here is pigeage.

commons.wikimedia.org
commons.wikimedia.org

This process is known in French as pigeage and is part of the maceration process that extracts color, flavor and aroma compounds from the grape skins into the wine.–wikimedia

Seems like the same idea as a mortar and pestle, no?