December 1942. Proviso Yard, Chicago & North Western R.R. "A train, or 'cut,' being pushed out of a receiving yard toward the hump. A brakeman rides each train to signal the engineer in the locomotive at the rear." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano, Office of War Information.

February 1909. Men's dormitory at the New York municipal lodging house. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

New York City municipal lodging house circa 1909. "After the bath." This is the answer to those wondering what you'd wear while your clothes were being fumigated overnight. George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

February 9, 1927. Washington, D.C. "Miss Grace Wagner, Central High School," out from under the car. National Photo Company Collection. View full size.

May 25, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Winners, Paramount Motion Picture School." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative.

1921, Washington D.C. "Francis Rawling, P.O. Club." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Any P.O. Club members out there?

Field workers in Mississippi circa 1940. View full size. 35mm color transparency by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration.

October 1913. Cuero, Texas. John Huggins. Said he is 14 years old and has been doffing for eight months in the Guadalupe Valley Cotton Mills. Gets a dollar a day now. Before he came here, he worked in the cotton mill at West, Texas, for five or six years. Said boys work in the Cuero mill under age. "They don't even bother to ask your age. Didn't ask mine. Easy 'nuff to git a job." The mills were not running on account of floods this week. I found only one other boy under age. "Spider" Estes said he is 14 years old and been doffing here one year. View full size. Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine.

October 1935. Passing the time in Scotts Run, West Virginia. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the Farm Security Administration.

Washington, D.C., 1923. "Girls with dolls." View full size. National Photo Co.

August 31, 1923. "Girls dressed as adults, posing with cigarettes." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Paging the Olsen Twins ...

February 9, 1927. Central High School, Washington, D.C. "High school girls learn the art of automobile mechanics. Grace Hurd, Evelyn Harrison and Corinna DiJiulian, with Grace Wagner under the car." View full size. National Photo.

New York municipal lodging house circa 1909. "Fumigating clothing." From the New York Times: "There is a basement and subbasement, the latter containing the boiler and batteries for lighting and heating. The basement contains the shower baths for men and the steam and formaldehyde cleansers, the laundry, and the vacuum sweeping apparatus. ... All applicants for accommodations will be forced to undress before going to their rooms, which they will enter after they have taken a bath and their clothes have been thoroughly fumigated. The arrangements for the latter are most novel. The clothes are placed in small crates or boxes, which are then wheeled into large steam and formaldehyde retorts. When they are finally taken from their place before the men and women to which they belong are ready to leave the house in the morning, they are entirely cleaned." 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

"Bread & Coffee." The new Department of Public Charities municipal lodging house at 432 East 25th Street in New York, which opened in February 1909 after four years of construction. "The first municipal lodging house fitted up by the city was a boat moored at the foot of East 26th Street in 1895, followed a few years after by the building at 398 First Avenue, just north of 23rd Street." (NYT) 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

February 1943. Heil & Co., Milwaukee. "Agnes Cliemka, age 23, husband may be going into the service any day. Agnes used to work in a department store. Checking fuel hose on gasoline trailer before it is turned over to the Air Force." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Howard Hollem. View full size.