So Wholesome For Everyone
Category: Nostalgia
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.
That Looks Stable
See You Later, Can I Have Them Please?
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.
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?
Buckley Music System Selection
This 1941 image from Jack’s Sandwich Shop in San Francisco has so much detail, I can almost wipe any lint off his jacket shoulder.
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.
I Don't Get It 