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Family Business: 1943
... for the ironic necktie. Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Items I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2015 - 11:36am -

April 1943. "San Augustine, Texas. Clyde Smith, grocer, with his two daughters." Papa gets sartorial points for the ironic necktie. Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Items I rememberI remember some of these items on my Grandmother's shelves. I also remember the phone which I loved to use because my parents' phone was "modern"! I'm nearly 70 and still learningsar·to·ri·al särˈtôrēəl/Submit adjective of or relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress. "sartorial elegance" In a van, down by the river!Chris Farley's Grandpa? The young ladies --Lila Marie (16) and her sister Rosa Nell (14), according to the 1940 Census. 20 Mule TeamCrazy, the number of uses for borax: alone as a laundry detergent booster; mixed with ammonium chloride to produce a flux when welding iron and steel; as an anti-fungal foot soak; to treat thrush in horse hooves; as a cockroach killer; to make buffer solutions in biochemistry; as an ingredient in enamel glazes; mixed with glue, water and food coloring to make the gloopy play slime for kids called gak; etc. Mule Team ModelI remember as a kid sending in the coupon for a model of the twenty mule team: 20 mules, the three wagons and the muleskinners, and the harnesses, etc. It was one of my earlier attempts at model building but I did manage it. Another use of boraxDon't forget borax's use in laundering cloth diapers. A little white vinegar and borax thrown in with the soap makes the bright white and like new. I raised three kids in the pre-Pampers era. XSpecializing in brands that end in the letter "x". Mule teamI remember getting the Mule Team model as well. Went together well, but the lines for the mules and painting it were my troubles. I guess at 7 my sense of detail just wasn't there! Mom Would Write A NoteIn the late 40's my mother would hand me a note plus some money, instruct me not to read it and give it to Mr Mac at the corner convenience store where I usually got my penny candy. I dutifully carried out my mission by not looking at the note and handing Mr Mac the note. He would reach behind him and put a blue box in a plain brown paper bag. The first few times I did not look but an 8 year old boy's curiosity finally won out and I checked the note --- KOTEX. To say the least I was very confused and the box was no help since the only other information on the box was Sanitary Napkins. Why would buying napkins be such a big secret? It wasn't until I became a teenager did I find out the reason for my secret mission. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
Bob's Log: 1943
... requires all truck drivers to keep time records." Photo by John Vachon, Office of War Information. View full size. Trailer Brake Lever ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2013 - 5:55pm -

March 1943. Washington, D.C. "Bob Daugherty filling out his log book after lunch. The Interstate Commerce Commission requires all truck drivers to keep time records." Photo by John Vachon, Office of War Information. View full size. Trailer Brake LeverModern tractors still have the separate trailer brake lever, but it's usually on the dashboard somewhere, not on the steering column as pictured here. It really doesn't serve any purpose! Pull your JohnsonThe trailer brake valve is called a Johnson bar or johnny. The term might come from railroading, where a 'Johnson rod' was a mythical part greenhorns were sent to find, or was a catch-all phrase for unexplainable problems with the engine. Until Spring brakes became mandatory in the '70's, trailer parking brakes depended on having air in the trailer tanks. When the air leaked out over time, a driver trying to hook a trailer could end up chasing it all over the yard as it would roll away on contact with the tractor. He would thus back up to the trailer, hook up the airlines (with 'gladhands', another term borrowed from railroaders),charge the trailer tanks, pull his johnny to lock trailer brakes, and hook her up. They are still required on tractors, although seldom used. Using it to get out of a jacknife would only worsen things, like using the handbrake in your car during a snowfall. Bob's brother, Ralph.Bob had a younger, look-a-like half-brother, named Ralph who also worked as a driver. The last time they met, Ralph was on his honeymoon. I am trying to picturea modern teamster wearing a tie to work. Funny book?The truck drivers name for the log book is 'funny book'. It probably got that name from the fake entries made in it to conform with the letter of the law. Book of liesAnother term for the logbooks was "Book of Lies". Natty AttireThe gizmo just to the left of the steering wheel is the handle for the spotlight. They disappeared long ago, along with uniformed truck drivers. SpotlightThat spotlight is an Appleton, long gone from the stores but a highly coveted find now. Spotlights (now almost all the generally similar Unity) remain common; you will see at least one on every police car and emergency vehicle out there, and on many taxis and big trucks. Civilian spotlight geeks remain out here, too! I note from my own post that we are at least as obsessed with bizarre obsolescent details as the train geeks. That lever on the steering columnThe lever on the steering column is clearly not a shifter nor a turn signal. It has a little pipe coming out of it. I'd guess it's for a trailer brake or a compression brake, but someone with more practice driving 1940s big rigs would know better. Make, year and model of the tractor?I'm thinking it's a late 30s or early 40's Autocar, before the comfort cab. Trailer Brake LeverThat trailer brake lever is very useful. It can be used to apply only the trailer brakes if the tractor starts to jackknife. Applying the trailer brakes helps to straighten out the rig whereas if you use the brake pedal to apply all brakes you might increase the chance of a jackknife. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., John Vachon)
Commuter Parking: 1937
... Resettlement Administration. 35mm negative by John Vachon. View full size. Oh, the Old Days Wish the kids now days knew ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:38pm -

November 1937. "School at Greenbelt, Maryland." Notable for being an early planned community, one of three "Green-" towns midwifed by the Depression-era Resettlement Administration. 35mm negative by John Vachon. View full size. Oh, the Old DaysWish the kids now days knew the joy of coming out after school and finding your "unlocked" bike still standing exactly were you left it, unmolested. mode of transportToday, kids only come to school by S.U.V. Sad. GreenbeltA bit down at the heels today, but still a very pleasant place. Opponents of government "interference" in relentless growth should have a look at Greenbelt and then another local community like Bladensburg or Laurel. bikesI agree with Sugapea. My husband and I both graduated from the University of Maryland in 2005 (College Park is just down the street from Greenbelt). He had 3 locked bikes stolen before he just gave up. GreenbeltI lived in Greenbelt from 1948 to 1951 (14x Hillside Rd). It was the most walkable and safe environment you could ask for. But it was also segregated...no African-Americans allowed. Had they been permitted to live there when I did, it still would have been a wonderful place to live, and I am sure they would have been welcomed. After all, in 1948, Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby were already playing in the Major Leagues and Truman had already integrated the armed forces. Little Red WagonThat little red wagon reminds me of the similar wagons we had in my nursery school yard back about 1952. We'd get on them with one knee in the wagon, and our hands controlling the handle in front, and we'd zip ourselves along with our other foot on the ground, more or less like a scooter. We really clipped along! I'll bet that's what that wagon was use for, (as opposed to being pulled with something in it). Something&#039;s wrong hereDoor propped wide open No guard at the door No hall monitor No metal detector No graffiti on the brickwork and >gasp!< that faucet still has a knob on it! Tag saleIf this was a tag sale these items would be gone so fast it'd make your head swim! (The Gallery, Bicycles, Education, Schools, John Vachon)
Iron Man: 1941
... four hundred feet deep." Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Grand ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 11:40pm -

August 1941. "One end of the Hull-Rust-Mahoning pit, largest open pit iron mine in the world, near Hibbing, Minnesota. The pit is two and a half miles long, three quarters of a mile wide and about four hundred feet deep." Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Grand Canyon of the NorthWe visited Hibbing several years ago, searching for where my wife's grandparents had lived. We found an old town map in the library, and headed out to take a look. We came to the end of a street. The town ended at the edge of a huge canyon, several times bigger than the information posted with the photo. There are hills and small mountains all around the area where they dumped the mine tailings (rock and dirt not good for anything). It is a profound statement to man scarring the earth. Right or wrong it is there for all to see. Could you step back...Just a little further... a little further... just a little mo... uhh, never mind. Scarring?Mother Nature left the Grand Canyon. That's quite a gash in the earth. One might think of retrieving iron as part of building the nation, and this valley as evidence of hard work and determination. Oh, well. Fashionability and all that, eh? It’s no wonder.Why Bobby Zimmerman moved to New York. The mining company may have scarred the landBut they built a High School beyond belief http://www.ironrange.org/attractions/historic/hibbing-high/ Unique hand-molded ceilings in the foyer welcome visitors and accent the breathtaking auditorium designed after the Capitol Theatre in New York City. Cut-glass chandeliers of crystal, imported from Belgium, light the 1800-velvet seat grand auditorium. The cost of each chandelier in 1920 was $15,000 and today they are insured for $250,000 each. The auditorium boasts a magnificent Barton pipe organ, one of only two that still exist in the United States. Containing over 1900 pipes, the organ can play any orchestra instrument except the violin. Bob Dylan and Kevin McHale attended school here. The BeholderWithout iron ore, there would have been no steel. Without steel, how would America look today? The mining boom left behind beautiful schools, Carnegie libraries and other public buildings not typically seen in such small towns. Not in the least, three generations of my male ancestors worked in or for the mines. They built families, and their houses too. As far as aesthetics go, one could also argue the vibrant rust red of the ore, the deep blue of the Northern sky and the bright green of the brush make for a beautiful scene. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Mining, Railroads)
Eggerss-O'Flyng: 1938
... yard, Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Reclining ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2020 - 10:15am -

November 1938. "Railroad and coal yard, Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Reclining on his yacht in Florida, 1940A retired Omaha sign painter. C&amp;NWCan’t tell you exactly where this is, but going to guess it is a Chicago, St Paul, Minneapolis &amp; Omaha RR yard, because the CStPM&amp;O was a subsidiary of the Chicago &amp; Northwester, and the shovel-nosed engine on the head of that short passenger train on the upper tracks is a C&amp;NW E-4 class locomotive. The cars it is pulling are what Railroader’s called “head end” cars- baggage or (possibly) Railway Post Office cars. Odd seeing a road engine like that on the head of an equipment consist like that without coaches or Pullmans. Usually smaller engines put a train together or took it apart, and road engines like this one came on just for the revenue trip. Streamlined SteamOn the far right there appears to be a Chicago and North Western Railway Class E-2a 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive. Good Ol&#039; 4008?The steamin' streamlined beauty (far right) may well be Chicago &amp; North Western engine #4008. This Hudson-class E-4 (4-6-4) would be relatively new here, having rolled out of the Alco works at Schenectady in March of '38. Still thereWith the original signs still faintly visible. I wondered how longit would take for someone to zero in on that steam locomotive with the correct description, I believe they may have been painted orange. Similar, but differentThat is a North Western E-4, loafing with a short consist -- humiliating for an engine capable of more than a hundred miles per. But the orange engines mentioned (more gray than orange, actually) were the similar locomotives owned by the Milwaukee Road. The North Western ones, as seen here, were a deep green with an accent stripe. Each an outstanding example of streamlined steam. Nice photo with much besides going on. Not LoafingOmaha Union Station is just out of the picture at upper right. This is where through trains changed from C&amp;NW to Union Pacific operation. The C&amp;NW Hudson has undoubtedly just cut away from a hot "Overland Route" train, probably the "Challenger", taking the Omaha-bound head end cars with it. The crossovers are a few blocks farther west (to the right and behind the photographer), where the engine &amp; cars will cross over and back into the mail and express tracks. Meanwhile, once the C&amp;NW locomotive has cleared the track, a Union Pacific locomotive will be attached to the train, and the "Challenger" (or whatever train it was) will continue on it's its way west. All of this, including connecting air and steam lines, was done in less than 30 minutes. (Panoramas, Factories, John Vachon, Omaha, Railroads)
Cream Poultry Eggs: 1938
... 1938. "South Omaha, Nebraska." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Cryptogram? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:25am -

November 1938. "South Omaha, Nebraska." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Cryptogram?NSA Alert: strange sequence of numbers above door which contains "strange" for sale sign. [5037, 5039, 5041 ... almost like an address of some sort! - Dave] Re: Cryptogram?I think those are the letters "SO", not numbers. The others numbers would be the addresses of the store and the two houses behind it, perhaps? The "SO" could possibly designated "South." [As noted below, 5037-39-41 are the building's three street addresses: 5037, 5039 and 5041 24th Street. - Dave] Baby ChicksFor pets or for eating. OK, it doesn't say that here, but one day while motoring along a Pennsylvania country road in my Healey 3000, I came upon a sign that read: "Baby rabbits. For pets or for eating." Just wanted to share that. Package CoalI looked up Staley Feeds and found some interesting info. Tint-sax were feed sacks in various pastel colors with a higher quality cloth. The company became aware that farmers wives were dyeing the feed bags and using them to make clothing for the family. The colored sacks meant to appeal to the wives. As well, Staley Feeds introduced high-fructose corn syrup to us. Super ThriftThe building now houses St. Vincent DePaul Super Thrift Store at 5037 South 24th Street in Omaha. View Larger Map &quot;Baby Chicks&quot;I guess that's another way of saying "eggs." Buildings that changeThe cool thing about these buildings is that the houses (boarding?) in the rear were constructed first between 1880-1905, then the zero lot line commercial storefronts were probably constructed in the late 1920s - mid 1930s. These kinds of "hybrids" are all over America on the edges of historic business districts. Some just have storefronts built in the front yard; some houses were lifted and the dirt excavated for a new lower story. Early examples of adaptive reuse as well as buildings that show physical traces of the development history of neighborhoods. Love it! (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha, Stores & Markets)
Home Plate: 1941
... at Erie, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. No coffee mugs here. I don't think anyone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2021 - 4:26pm -

June 1941. "Wife of defense worker setting table for dinner in trailer home. Trailer camp at Erie, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. No coffee mugs here.I don't think anyone uses saucers under coffee cups any more. Am I wrong? The dish with the dishesShe's a cute lady; reminds me of Lee Remick. It's clear that she cares about setting the table for the meal, even though she needs to straighten out that silverware. Speaking of ware, I wonder if the dishes are Fiesta. And RDown3657 is correct; it's all mugs now, at least in my world and the world of everyone I know. My coffee cups and saucers -- stacks of them -- that match my dishes, are on the highest shelf of the cupboard and are never used. My eclectic mug collection is prized, however, and my guests have a wide range from which to choose at coffee serving time. HarlequinIt’s not Fiesta but close - those are Harlequin dishes, the lower priced siblings of Fiesta, also made by Homer Laughlin What&#039;s for desert Mom?Family weekday dining in our household enlisted the saucers to function as desert plates. Fewer dishes for me to dry! [Perfect for that cactus ice cream. - Dave] Harlequin dishesThe dishes are not Fiesta, which had more rounded coffee cups. They are likely Harlequin, which was made by the same company, Homer Laughlin. http://www.laurelhollowpark.net/hlc/harlequin-p2.html Fine DiningGetting a good defense job at a time when jobs were still fairly scarce AND a nice trailer to live in to boot seems like something worth celebrating! She's taking such pride in setting the table. And by the way the light is shining off of that spoon and knife, they appear to be real silver! I hope they had a great meal and a happy life! Dishes I.D.You're on the right track, JennyPennifer, the dishes are younger siblings of Fiesta, in this case the Harlequin pattern, introduced in 1938 as another product of the Homer Laughlin Pottery Co.. The Harlequin pieces are generally slightly smaller and lighter in weight than Fiesta, and were less expensive when they were originally sold in F.W. Woolworth ten-cent-stores. Harlequin did share Fiesta's Art Deco style, as they were also designed by Fredrick Rhead. Harlequin came in some different colors from Fiesta, including a striking mauve shade of blue. Many thanks, everyonefor all of the excellent information on the dishes. I wish I had some of them now. I especially love the way that, in the Harlequin ad, they mis-matched the colors on the cups and saucers. I would totally do that. I remember when, growing up, a lot of our mismatched collection of dishes -- and dish towels to dry them with -- came out of soap powder and oatmeal (Crystal Wedding) boxes. I believe Homer Laughlin did a promotion like that too, with Carnival ware, but it was before my time. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kitchens etc.)
Ott's Esso Arboretum: 1937
... this was a thing back then. Medium format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Feat of clay Love the fancy brickwork in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2013 - 8:30am -

July 1937. "Gas station in Washington, D.C." Ott's Esso Service, providing our second example in as many weeks of gas-station faux flora. Maybe this was a thing back then. Medium format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Feat of clayLove the fancy brickwork in the road. TriangulationCan anyone roughly pinpoint the location of this gas station based on the distances to the cities on the chart? ["Roughly pinpoint" -- phrase of the day! - Dave] One-Stop ServiceOtt's Service Station was located at 12th and H Streets N.W. but branch locations included 923 H St. N.W., 7th and Rhode Island Ave. N.W, and Sherman Ave. and Park Rd. N.W. The corner at 12th and H has been entirely rebuilt since 1937 which challenges the ability to definitively connect this photo with that location. [As indicated by the sign on the mural, the name of the business was Ott's Service Stations, plural, with every station being a "branch." - Dave] I am in total agreement with stevendm on the impressive craftsmanship of the paved street stonework. Hopefully some DC historical trolley buff might be able to collaborate one of the above locations of Ott's Service Stations with the location of tracks along a route of the 1930s streetcar system. Gas artReminiscent of gas station road maps of the period, like this one that's been in our family since the year one, as my mother would say. Doing it rightThere's so much to love in this shot: the two attendants (the guy with no coin changer is probably in training) in the middle of the photo just waiting for their next customer, the (rare) convenient soda bottle machine (certainly 5 cents per 6-oz. bottle) next to the pumps, and the helpful "distance to" signs on the back wall. And what IS that four-story building where the mural is painted? The gas station office is apparently on the right side, where all the action is. Wonderful slice of life from an era where a fill-up probably cost 85 cents. [The other "attendant" is wearing mechanic's coveralls. - Dave] Coin changerA classic from the days when every transit operator carried and received and processed cash. The metallic sound of it was hypnotic, more so in the hands of a skillful and experienced change-maker. I had one of my own at home and would gladly make change for anyone who asked. Still made by a company named McGill, in Illinois. LocationThis looks like it might be on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown, maybe around P or Q Streets. So much to seeLaundry out on several clothes lines drying. A couple of great looking convertibles, especially the car on the left side street. The rumble seat open on the other, and it with no windshield! The the fellow looking under the coupe on the far right. And finally the person on the 3rd floor shaking out their throw rug from the window. All at 4:45 PM on another typical summer day! Re: TriangulationBased on the mountain at the back of the picture (which by the way looks strangely like the Paramount Pictures logo), I'd guess we could "roughly pinpoint" the location to exactly somewhere on Planet Earth; more or less. It&#039;s at the corner of what and what?I knew this photo looked familiar. That nifty book of vanished DC, "On This Spot," lists this station as being located at 36th and M Streets NW, over in Georgetown. (Page 194 for those of us that want to check). Given the incline of the street seen at the left side of the photo, and streetcar tracks embedded in the street in the foreground, this seems a likely location. [There were numerous Ott Esso stations in the District. - Dave] Not streetcars or trolleysThe fact that there are 3 'rails' reveals that this is a cable car system of the type that still runs in San Francisco. [Most of the system was electrically powered. Streetcars got their juice through a "foot" that ran in the center groove. - Dave] 30th &amp; M Street?Based on this image from the DDOT library it could be the corner of 30th and M Streets. (The Gallery, D.C., Gas Stations, John Vachon)
Bleak House: 1940
... County, North Dakota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pipe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/18/2019 - 10:54am -

October 1940. "Abandoned farmhouse. Ward County, North Dakota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pipe dream.I’ve always wanted to purchase buildings like this and fix them up a bit. Leave them looking old though. Playing throughA picture (especially of an abandoned structure) in which the photographer has shot through and out another open window or door on the other side is endlessly thrilling to me. It strikes me as being almost too poetic, too metaphorically sublime -- in a very good way. At any rate I love this shot. It's extra. Pristine targets for the sharpshootersHow many beautiful and valuable signs I've seen with those damn bullet holes. Wish I could travel back and save those tin beauties... BLEAK indeed - A MONUMENT TO BROKEN DREAMS - - -Assuming John steadied his camera on his car window sill, this sad, tiny, well built former farm house sat close to the road - else why would big business attempt to squeeze 5 cents out of passerby traffic for a soft drink or a bit more for a 'hard' one. Wonder if STRUTZ, LARKIN and GRONNA were small real estate hopefuls. The windows and their fittings were probably carefully removed for another frugal homesteader's use elsewhere. Hoping they succeded - - - Is there anything new at all? Tiny houses seem to have already been old by 1940. Joyce Kilmer poemI've always loved this poem and this house is a poster child for it: https://allpoetry.com/The-House-With-Nobody-In-It The start of it: Whenever I walk to Suffern along the Erie track I go by a poor old farmhouse with its shingles broken and black. I suppose I’ve passed it a hundred times, but I always stop for a minute And look at the house, the tragic house, the house with nobody in it. That&#039;s the ticketThe owner must've been a Republican, at least in the 1938 state elections (Gronna didn't run in 1940, so the signs must be survivors from 1938): Alvin C. Strutz was elected Attorney General; Ben C. Larkin was reelected Railroad Commissioner; James D. Gronna was reelected Secretary of State. The sign with the "ER" looks to have a "K" before the "E", so it's probably for State Auditor Berta E. Baker, who in winning reelection was actually the lead vote-getter for the GOP ticket in 1938. Wonder if the inhabitants of this farm voted for ex and current Governor (and convicted felon) William Langer in his losing independent bid for Senate in 1938. He would win a Senate seat a month after this photo was taken, would be found guilty of moral turpitude by the Senate committee on elections but seated by a vote of the whole body, and would serve as a strong isolationist until his death in 1959. Just behind the barnIf I'm not mistaken, there appears to be a railroad track and a telegraph line in the background. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Rural America)
Granitine: 1942
... Home of the Granitine Laundry Tray. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Two Wringer ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2021 - 9:56am -

February 1942. "Burlington, Iowa. Acres Unit, Farm Security Administration trailer camp. In the utility building for workers at Burlington ordnance plant." Home of the Granitine Laundry Tray. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Two Wringer Washers and One WringerThere are two wringer washing machines to the left, and on the right what appears to be a wringer attached to the top of the divider between the two concrete laundry tubs. While the electric machines would have powered wringers, the other one where the lady is bent over may well have been operated with a hand crank. This would be an advantage for delicate items that might be damaged in a powered wringer. For clothes in water too hot to handle, an old cut off broom handle could be used, which is what the lady on the left might be doing. By 1951 automatic washers outsold wringers in the USA, a point that Canada did not reach until 1968. When I moved out on my own in Vancouver in 1967, my apartment building had three wringer washers until 1971. Through the WringerMy mom put her arm through one of those wringers that the child is eying somewhere around that same time in the 1940's. The effect of the flattening sort of disappeared when she was younger but you can literally see the damage it did to her arm nowadays. Listing to StarboardAnd somehow that seems appropriate. The moms are working hard, probably without sufficient thanks from the people whose clothes they are scrubbing. The tilt of the photo helps me to emphasize empathize with their fatigue. Those Washboard BluesNotice the built-in washboard on the front of the left-hand basins. The woman on the far side is bent over it, scrubbing away. Sometimes we forget how exhausting everyday domestic life must have been even in the '40s. I remember thoseIn 1947 when I was a kid my family moved into a 1941 vintage home that had a laundry tray just like those in the image. It was complete with the same built in washboard. However we had progressed beyond the wringer washer and had a newfangled "EASY Spindrier" washing machine with two tubs. One tub had an agitator similar to the agitator in today's top loading washers. After the washing process was completed the clothes were manually transferred to the second slightly smaller tub that would spin to eliminate most of the water. The next step was to hang the clothes on an outside clothes line and let mother nature's wind and Sun complete the drying process. If the weather didn't cooperate then the clothes were hung on lines in the basement. https://a.1stdibscdn.com/archivesE/upload/1121227/f_3585313/3585313_l.jp... It&#039;s not a chore, it&#039;s backbreaking workAnybody wonder why GE, Hoover et al and their hosehold appliances were all the rage after WW2? Peek-a-Boo!A small face is peeking above the washing machine. Watch those fingers in that wringer! Justice will be servedWe who watched the 1960s Batman TV show know what it means when the camera is tilted in this fashion. Soon the Caped Crusaders will break into the frothy lair of the sinister Suds Sisters and their young sidekick and sincerely kick their butts. "Holy mangle, Batman!!!" Alert supervisorThe rest of the community was hopefully as blessed as these two laundresses by the presence of such charming overseers as the one peeking at the wringer of the washing machine. I spent a little time watching an aunt use one of these and it always frightened me after being warned not to get myself caught in it. I ceased to be fearful when my mom got a mangle to press my dad's uniforms in. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Kitchens etc.)
Street Life: 1941
... Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Is that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2020 - 4:05pm -

June 1941. "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Is that old car so old?I just realized that, if the two newer cars in this picture were from roughly 1941, and the old car was from the mid-1920s, the old car is as "old" as my own car is to 2020 cars. But, compare 'em. The old and new cars in the picture are dramatically different. My car? You need to know cars to know it's "old". Sad ViewWhat a misrable vista. That would be a poor area for a kid to grow up on. Can't see all of it but it looks like there is no room even for a street stickball game. Dealer, I&#039;ve Got 3 of a Kind-- along with a 9 and a Joker! That old carThe old car to the right is a 1930 Model A Ford Coupe. But your point is well-taken. An 11 year-old car today is hardly noticeable, due to the bland styling of modern automakers. But much of that seeming lack of imagination is the result of complying with much stricter rules about safety and fuel efficiency. Not that oldModel A Ford, the radiator shell type and the silver Ford emblem would make it a 1931 model. So it's only a 10-year-old car. Not SadI grew up in several Pittsburgh neighborhoods similar to this one. They were communities, where neighbors talked to and depended on each other and we kids played with the other kids. We were poor together. We went to school together. We walked and talked together. There were vacant lots for make up baseball games. We didn't need the streets for stickball. They were for sledding in the winter. I was happier in these neighborhoods than when my mother moved us to the suburbs, where none of those activities existed, or exist to this day. Please don't be tempted to impose modern values on the past. There aren't that many of us left to defend it. Safety firstThe fatality rate in 1931 when the "old" car was built was 14.79 per billion miles traveled. In 1941, when the picture was taken, it had fallen to 11.43 -- a 23 percent decline in just one decade. In 2018 it had fallen by more than another factor of ten, to 1.13. (Mileage and performance have likewise drastically improved.) You might say that cars today are boring in a good way. Tough Life. When this photograph was taken, the Great Depression had dragged on for a decade. That Model A was very reliable and cheap and it got a lot of people through the Depression. (What make is the other car?) I wonder how that young lad felt. He would only have known the Depression all his life. He lived in a cramped neighbourhood. In a few months the U.S. would be at war and his father or uncle or older brother might be serving. My generation had grandparents who went through all of that and they talked about it to us. Life was tough and I see that in photos like this. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Pittsburgh)
The Bros of Summer: 1941
... Crossing, Michigan." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Since I'm not that old I have a ... with smoke and beer and that was all. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/04/2020 - 3:10pm -

August 1941. "Sunday afternoon. Farm boys in front of beer parlor in the Finnish community of Bruce Crossing, Michigan." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Since I&#039;m not that oldI have a question about styles back then. Was rolling one's socks down a fashion "thing" back then? Socks May Have Been Different ThenI can't speak to '40s fashion trends, but as a boy in the 1960s, my socks only had elastic in the very tops. The elastic was very brittle and would break after a few washings. Then my socks would slide down like the guy on the right. My socks never stayed up well until the infamous knee-high striped tube socks of the '70s. Up Your HoseNo men's sock of the 1940s would stay up for long. So, rolling it down over a finger twist made a tight roll that would stay up. Otherwise, it was sock garters or socks disappearing down into the heels of your shoes. Droopy socksI am a little older, so I know about the sock conundrum. The elastic in socks in those days only lasted a few washings. My grandfather wore something called “galluses” that were like a garter belt for the socks. The galluses were worn above the calf and had suspenders that attached to the top of the sock, holding them up. The other solution to droopy socks was to twist the loose material into kind of a bunch, then roll the sock down over it, which is probably what the guy on the right has done. If you did nothing at all and let the socks droop, they would crawl down into your shoes after a period of time, which would require you to take off your shoes, pull the socks back up and start again. Common European &#039;thing&#039;My father-in-law was a Czech immigrant (1950), and recently passed at the age of 97. He kept to most of his homeland's traditions, including Czech foods, music and language in his home. He nearly always rolled his socks down this way, even with modern socks (and sound elastic). Given these young men are likely native Finns, I suspect rolling down one's socks is just a European thing. Sock pioneerI think his rolled-down sock style was for comfort in the heat. He may have inadvertently invented the low-rise sock. CheershThese two (Sven &amp; Ollie?) looked familiar to me. Back on Feb 29, 2020 they had been tipping a few. This pic appears to have been taken before they consumed their adult beverages. https://www.shorpy.com/node/25415 Beer Parlourwas a term I only thought was from Moose Jaw Saskatchewan where I was from, and the term was appropriate, they were just big rooms with smoke and beer and that was all. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Winona Flour: 1940
... House of David religious community." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. You Needa ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2019 - 10:39am -

July 1940. Benton Harbor, Michigan. "Baker at the House of David religious community." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. You Needa Beard-netNo facial hair allowed in the batter!! Fingernails It looks like the baker might have done a shift over at the Garage of David prior to his shift at the bakery. Safety netSomewhere between this extreme of long scraggly beard hairs hanging over the batter and the current rage for nets of all kinds on even the shortest stubble of your serving person (including plastic gloves on all food handlers) must lie a happy, reasonable median where common-sense standards for food handling ought to exist. Myself, I have no problem with clean hands kneading dough or otherwise preparing food. I feel very sorry for all those forced to wear gloves for every aspect of food prep. That&#039;s a Wino-noThis picture taps into my deepest phobias regarding food prepared by anyone other than myself, in my own kitchen, or by select few others (like for example my own mother) in their kitchens. (I handily suspend this when I have an opportunity to grab a pecan waffle at Waffle House. At least there, everything's out in the open.). Aside from this baker's far-from-pristine hands, the flowing beard could contain ... well. I don't even want to say what could be hiding in it, that could end up in the bread. Just no. Hiding placeI’m 62 now and I’ve had a beard since age 16, so that’s 46 years of facial hair, and I’ve never had anything hide in it. Nothing has ever crawled in, nor has anything ever crawled out. Granted, the longest I’ve gone without trimming it is a year, so I’ve never reached House of David magnitude like our baker friend here, but I am certain he is not transporting any snails or rodents or larvae of which he is unaware. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kitchens etc.)
Spring Rollers: 1941
... Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. What a flashback I recognize those houses! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/06/2020 - 2:22pm -

March 1941. "A miscellany of pictures in overcrowded Navy towns. Housing in Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. What a flashbackI recognize those houses! Small world. Clamp-on wheelsMy siblings and I all had those clamp on roller skates as kids in the '70s The worst thing was falling off the front porch into the evergreen bushes. Naval Housing in Hampton RoadsWhen my wife and I got married, we rented a small home near the Norfolk Naval Station. It was a small home built for naval housing at the start of WWII. If you read the biography of Joseph Levitt, of Levittown fame, he got his start building homes in Norfolk at around this time. I have wondered if he built the home that we lived in down there. https://goo.gl/maps/RpK9Qq1buuCyb5GB8 Clamp-onNo, the worst was having the skate come off your shoe mid-stride, and still have it strapped on your ankle whereby you lacerated and bruised the other ankle with it! Our first taste of vehicle freedomWith clamp-ons we now could get to the park or the corner confectionery in half the time. We could have races around the block to see who was the fastest and the bestest. Shin guards, knee guards and helmets were unknown to us and even if they were around the guys and I would say only sissies and girls would wear them. After a while the thrill would go away and we would raid the corner grocery store for used wooden veggie and fruit crates and scouted out construction sites for used 2x4s. The skates would be taken apart and nailed to the 2x4s front and back which in turn would be nailed to the crates and voila we had racing cars now. No brakes or steering of course but then we probably thought they were stuff once again for sissies and girls. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Real [Blank] Spaghetti: 1940
... the word ITALIAN has been painted over. 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. You might ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/20/2011 - 6:30am -

November 1940. "Greek restaurant in Paris, Kentucky." Mussolini's Fascist regime has just invaded Greece, and the word ITALIAN has been painted over. 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. You might think all spaghetti was ItalianBut my ex mother-in-law made spaghetti sauce using Campbell's tomato soup with Velveeta cheese and bologna. This was circa 1955 in Lexington. Kentucky was and is nice (I went to U of Ky), but Connecticut is better for Italian food. First we stop at Nick&#039;sfor a plate of unknown spaghetti, then next door to pick up a new Chevy. Real Spaghetti SandwichesYum! I bet those are good sandwiches. After lunch I think will go and buy a Hevrolet. Axis powerWhy would they black out "Italian." Perhaps it has something to do with the run-up to WWII. [Perhaps it was WWII itself, and the caption explains it. - Dave] Childhood RhymeWhistle while you work, Hitler is a jerk, Mussolini Is a meanie, Whistle while you work. As for the "real spaghetti sandwiches," we actually had a kid in our class who brought those from home for lunch as most families had little meat. Also sardine sandwiches, plain mayonnaise sandwiches, etc. I kind of like going back to the 40's since even after 70+ years I still remember those friends and conversations. I have read that your childhood friendships were the real thing because little kids have not developed the phoniness, social obligations, artificiality or opportunism persona, but accept each other at face value. I miss my old friends, but I digress, I'll shut up now. LSMFT in the &#039;40s"Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco." It also could mean "Lord Save Me From Truman." Heard it both ways many times in the late '40s and early '50s. No Italian spoken hereMy stepsister, who was Icelandic, spoke Italian. We lived in the U.S. from 1941 to 1944, when she was 7-9 years old, but she refused to utter a word in that language. I only spoke Icelandic and Danish, so I didn't have that problem. I wish I still had my Hitler button. It had a string that brought Der Führer up with a noose around his neck when you pulled it. It was an interesting time for us kids, totally oblivious of the horrors of war, although we saw saw some action in October of 1941, when the convoy we were a part of was attacked by German subs. We didn't get hit, but we saw the Reuben James get it. Woody Guthrie wrote a song about that historic sinking. Eating for successI know it is not the intent of the sign, however, I have had spaghetti sandwiches even recently. Best eaten on an Italian roll with smashed meat balls, a good sauce and sprinkled cheese. During the Depression, my mother took baked bean sandwiches to school. Other kids made fun, so she told them she loved baked beans so much that she asked her mother to make her lunch with them. Somehow, even hungry, the kids made it through and obtained a fine education. Now the kids get free school lunches - complain about them, and get lower test scores than ever. There must be a moral to learn there somewhere. Rue Principale, Paris (KY)Nick's is now Charles' Barber Shop, and the Chevy dealership is an antique mall. View Larger Map Couldn&#039;t resist!Love the juxtaposition of old and new! Mayo clinicNothing wrong with eating cheaply, so long as you're eating. When my dad was a student at University of Florida in the 1950s, his budget allowed him to eat mostly mayonnaise sandwiches. He never complained that he despised it though -- he still loves mayonnaise to this day. (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Twin Cities Trucker: 1939
... Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pre ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2020 - 1:17pm -

September 1939. "Truck driver who operates between Twin Cities and radius of 150 miles tying in load. Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pre Aerosol Graffiti I see the street artist of the time had to use sidewalk chalk for their tagging. Or, are those rail hobo telegraph messages? [Routing designations scrawled by railyard switchmen. -Dave] Independent TruckerThis is a good example of how independent owner-operated trucking worked back then. Licensed and regulated trucking companies and union drivers would have referred to him as a "gypsy." If you had a large enough freight shipment, it would be much cheaper to just "rent" a boxcar from the railroad and be responsible for loading and unloading it yourself. The railroad would park the car on a "public" or "team" track, and you would "release" it to the railroad when it was loaded and ready to move, and when unloaded at the destination and available for reassignment. You had a limited time to hold the car at each end without incurring extra charges called "demurrage." You could save even more by having a one-person delivery service like this one to unload it for you if you couldn't do it yourself. My great-grandparents used this method circa 1895, when they moved 75 miles from Darlington to Columbia, South Carolina. It was the only way to do it then, since roads (and trucks) did not yet exist. Safety CabWhen your brakes are unreliable, it's important to be able to jump out quickly! Thisis N.P.R. Trucker&#039;s Hitch?I'm curious how the tension on this load is maintained. Is it possible that a "trucker's hitch" is applied on the opposite side of the vehicle? Insulation for Minnesota wintersThese are Gimco rock wool insulated batts. Rock wool has traditionally been made by melting down basalt stone and recycled slag from steel mills. Interesting article about it here: https://www.familyhandyman.com/walls/mineral-wool-insulation-is-making-a... He&#039;s got a story to tellIf only he could tell about that time he lost the cab's door. ToastyI'm sure that new Minnesota homeowners will appreciate those "Full Thick Sealal Bats" come wintertime. Old boxcarsA couple of elderly cars for a 1939 photo. Believe it or not, the one on the right is probably older -- you can see the metal “truss rods” under the floor of the car, a tensioning system to strengthen the wood floor. Unless it had steel members added, most of that car’s structural members are probably wood, while the car on the left lacks the truss, and probably has a steel underframe. I love the arched “Northern Pacific” lettering -- the kind of thing that vanished as wages rose, because it was harder to do with a single stencil. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Railroads)
This Old Stove: 1940
... in her kitchen." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. This Old Everything The stove isn't the only ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2019 - 11:23am -

July 1940. Door County, Wisconsin. "Wife of Farm Security Administration rehabilitation borrower in her kitchen." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. This Old EverythingThe stove isn't the only old thing. Everything, including the house looks old and well worn. This was back in the day when things were used in perpetuum and not discarded because they looked old or out-of-fashion. Today's generation would cringe seeing how their not-too-distant ancestors lived. I'd wager to bet, though, that great Aunt Myrt lived a happier life. I&#039;ll betIt was real sense of accomplishment after mastering how to cook a whole meal on a wood stove like this one. There are so many different cooking areas, dampers and vents. I can imagine each area effecting the one next to it so it would be constant adjusting of the vents. I have trouble with an electric stove. [Although you could burn anything you wanted in them, most of these stoves (this particular model is a Ringen "Quick Meal" range) were fired by coal. - Dave] To many combustibles nearbyNewspapers and a motor oil can. Coal in the washtub I imagine. Oil on the floor Oh Boy. Looks downright dangerous. Love Door CountyGrowing up in Chicago in the 1970s, a camping trip to Door County was a treat. The skinny "thumb" of the state that projects into Lake Michigan, Door County is/was staggeringly beautiful, and very remote. But that was 30 years ago so maybe it's all strip malls now? Hot Oil?Storing a possibly leaking gallon can of motor oil next to a hot stove doesn't seem like a good idea. A Special Gourmet TouchFrench fries cooked in motor oil. DangerThis looks like an instructional 'Do Not Do This' photo. The can of motor oil and loose newspapers next to the stove and the rags/cloths hanging above are a fire disaster waiting to happen. Green Bright Motor OilMakes for smooth eating, helps keeps you regular! Decoration and maker&#039;s prideI'm always amazed about the extra work they put into decorating items even like that stove. After all, all those leafs, scrollwork and other reliefs did not serve any other purpose that being pretty (as seen at the time). And somebody still had to design that decoration, some workers had to model them, and they may have taken some extra metal. Not much when compared to the whole product, but somebody had to be paid for it. And it added up with mass production. I guess those stovs were sand-molded cast iron? Imagine the engine block of your typical V8 being embellished with scrolls and leaves. Safety FirstNothing says responsible home safety practice like having a leaky can of motor oil leaning against your blazing hot cast iron stove. Extra points for the straw broom fallen over and coming very close or touching the stovepipe, and tub full of flammable rags immediately adjacent. Corny Cookin&#039;My Great Aunt Nettie made some wonderful meals on a very similar stove on a farm just outside Sidney Ohio. She fired her stove with dried corncobs. Nothing went to waste on the farm! Gas is betterI had family in the anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. In addition to cooking, the coal stove heated water for the whole house, and was also the primary source of heat in the winter. It was lit every day of the year, and needed attention keep going. A weekend away meant the ordeal of relighting it. Then there was carrying coal up from the basement, the ashes out to the can near the street, etc. This went on into the early 1970s. No Sleeves RequiredI'm guessing even if this wasn't summer, she could still get by with short sleeves once this thing got heated up. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kitchens etc.)
The Shoe Line: 1943
... Line at rationing board." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Good Grooming ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 7:23pm -

March 1943. "New Orleans, Louisiana. Line at rationing board." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Good Grooming 101Not a slob in sight. Any one of these people would be considered presentable enough to work in an upscale environment today. Personal pride and self-respect counts for something. It seems to stand out in these old photos above all else. Thanks for this flashback and proof that America's backbone (its people) seemed so much stronger then. Gravier StreetNot 100% percent sure, but the building details and the fire hydrant match perfectly even 67 years later. 522 Gravier Street looking toward Carondelet. View Larger Map RationalityMy grandmother talked about rationing, and how it affected her cooking; the thing in particular I remember was that sugar was rationed so she would carefully hoard it so she could bake birthday cakes for her kids. My mother remembers it because butter also got rationed, but you could get oleomargarine; she hated that because the margarine came in a tub with a separate packet of yellow food coloring. She had the job of kneading the coloring into the otherwise lard-colored and unappetizing oleomargarine. My grandfather on my father's side got a extra gasoline ration because he was a member of the South Carolina Senate &amp; often had to drive back and forth to Columbia (the state capitol). His first cousin was a country doctor and got extra gasoline too, for making house calls etc. And both my parents recalled going out with other kids on scrap metal collecting expeditions to contribute to the war effort. Cruel shoesMy mother remembers the poor quality dress shoes that she could buy back then. She says they were practically cardboard with ribbon, and fell apart if they got wet. She danced at the USO in Dallas, so she needed good shoes for that. But, everyone sacrificed, so that soldiers and Marines could have the materials needed for combat boots. Ration stampsI recently found some of these stamps and tokens in some of my mother's things. I was pretty young, but I remember Mother counting out the stamps at the stores. What exactly is the line for?Are they queueing up for the ration books, or for the shoes themselves? I've seen pictures of clerks in ordinary stores -- butchers and the like -- accepting coupons. Wouldn't shoe stores do the same? The only "rationing" I remember is the "odd and even" system of gasoline sales during the energy crisis of the 1970s. The LineThey are lining up for their ration books. These would include the coupons for the particular product, in this case shoes. If I'm not mistaken - and I could be because Canada used a similar but different system - the coupon books were issued on a monthly basis. I can only imagine that they would stagger the dates to get ration books for various commodities so that you didn't have everyone lining up for everything on the same day. Alternatively, they may have been in the process of changing from one design to another to prevent counterfeiting, which was a major problem. It was good to be a farmer during WWIIAnother great picture! My grandfather was a 32-year-old dairy farmer, on a farm outside of Walla Walla, Washington, as of the start of America's involvement in the war. With so much food required to feed the troops, farmers were essential to the war effort, so they were exempt from the draft. Although they were affected by the rationing of shoes, and other items, they were not affected by the rationing of certain things. Farmers got all of the gasoline they needed. My grandparents still avoided driving their family car more than they needed to, but they definitely benefited from it. Meat rationing didn't affect them much, either, because they could keep enough of whatever food they raised, for their own use. My mother remembers her school having scrap metal drives. Mom also had an uncle who hoarded sugar. He kept several large bags in his basement. Had he been discovered, he could have gone to jail. The war had some interesting effects of my father, who was the son of a divorced mother who really struggled just to provide her children with the very basics. From a very young age, Dad always had a job. Born on November 10th, 1928, he was a little too young to serve in the military, until the very end of the war. The fact that so many of the young men were gone meant that there were jobs available for teenage boys that wouldn't have been, otherwise. At the age of 15, Dad was working as a bartender! Red Dot MargarineSome of my first memories (born on July 4th, 1942) were of my mother taking her clear plastic bag of margarine out of the shopping basket and plopping it down on the kitchen table. In the center of one side the soft mass was a red dot. She would let me play with it for a while, urging me to "make the red disappear." This was more than a child my age at the time (3?) could handle to her satisfaction. But with sufficient kneading and rolling that bag around, it came out yellow, as advertised! Bacon Grease and Toothpaste TubesI was eight years old when the war started. Mom used to save bacon grease, for which we got 2 cents a pound. It was used to make munitions. Toothpaste tubes were made out of tin, which, since the Japanese had taken Malaya, was scarce. If you wanted a new tube, you had to turn in the old one. We had it pretty good, living in New York City. My dad was too old for the war, and suspect anyway, for he was a German. Not many wanted to hire him. He got a job at the Merchant Seaman's YMCA and used to bring home some butter and coffee, which was priceless. He also brought home tales of the survivors, which gave us a clue as to how bad things were going for us in early 1942. The govt kept mum on all the merchant ships being sunk offshore but the people along the New Jersey coast told us about all the bodies and wreckage being washed up every day. (The Gallery, John Vachon, New Orleans, WW2)
The Happy Homemaker: 1940
... and papered the wall herself." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Wow! All ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/06/2019 - 12:35pm -

July 1940. Door County, Wisconsin. "Farm Security Administration rehabilitation borrower and family. The wife made the drapes, the chair covers, and papered the wall herself." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Wow!All that and pretty to boot. They all look like they love their very happy home. A Homemaker, LiterallyAt some point, being called a "homemaker" became unfairly derisive. This woman's precision workmanship is remarkable. A super-zoomed inspection of the room reveals that the sofa has a box-pleated (and probably lined) skirt and every seam is welted, which is cording covered in bias-cut fabric, which was then inserted between the two layers of upholstery before stitching the seam. Harder still is to make smooth welts on the curves and corners of the cushions. Amazing, too, is that she probably did the work on a standard sewing machine. Beyond the sofa, notice that the wallpaper is perfectly matched and the seams are barely visible. The curtains appear to have an applied rather than printed contrast band, and the corner miters are perfect. I.am.in.awe. Now I am impressedMake draperies? Sure. Slipcovers? Not such a huge deal. But I damned well doff my hat to a woman with enough skill to paper a wall like that. Sacra Famiglia U.S.A.I’ll bet it was a rare thing for happy handsome dad to be sitting in his work clothes on the brand new sofa. And what lovely strong fingers all three of them have! DecorInterior design by Philip DeGuard. UnmistakableJoy is writ as large on her face as pride is on his. Indulgence in self-pity or any sense of entitlement is glaringly absent. There was enlightened self-interest but I doubt they had time for faux outrage. There's no substitute for loving the life you have, and for being committed to it in all its ups and downs. Days come and days go and there she is, making a lovely, comfortable home and devoting herself to its occupants, her beloveds. They were the greatest generation indeed. The actorHe kind of looks like Nicolas Cage. DoppelgangerDad looks a lot like Peyton Manning. Door County Cherry Harvest of 1945Door County is famed for its sour cherry orchards. Five years after this picture was taken, when WW2 depleted the local workforce, German POWs were used to harvest them. As per the Geneva Convention, they were paid 80 cents a day in camp scrip, which could be spent on canteen items or put into a savings account. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
The Wall: 1941
... going up on the other side." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. New look The wall still stands, mostly ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/21/2020 - 7:22pm -

August 1941. "Negro children standing in front of half-mile concrete wall, Detroit, Michigan. This wall was built in August 1941 to separate the Negro section from a white housing development going up on the other side." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. New lookThe wall still stands, mostly because it would be a pain to take it down, but now it's just a backyard wall. Some sections have been repurposed as murals, like the one below showing Rosa Parks catching the bus. The WallThe people who lived on the other side of that wall didn't think that these beautiful children of God mattered. What has changed in 79 years? These sweet facesI spent 30 years in classrooms and gyms teaching (and learning from) kids like this who brightened each and every day for me. I'm retired now and miss kids dearly (though not the paperwork and nonsense that comes with the job). And I'm old enough to remember when the building I first taught in was a high school that enrolled kids from several towns in the eastern portion of the Houston metro area because their own districts wouldn't provide a place for them. Thank you, Dave, for posting this picture. It brought me a smile and close to tears. Beautiful ChildrenI love the joy and lightness in their eyes -- brings sunlight into my heart. Brings back memoriesI grew up seven miles from this wall, on the white Macomb County side. It was a very racially prejudiced place! People talk about the South being bad but I don't know how it could have been any worse than metropolitan Detroit in the 1960s-70s. Even as late as 2001, when I sold the house I'd grown up in, a neighbor threatened me with bodily harm if I sold it to black people. (I didn't have the heart to tell the man that my parents had given the side-eye to his Pakistani wife, whom they deemed "too dark" to live in the neighborhood.) A mixed-race couple ended up buying the house and I hope that nasty old bigot didn't spoil the experience of buying their first home together. One race: human! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, John Vachon, Kids)
Hatty's Hats: 1943
... the garment district." Medium format nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Now and Then ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/26/2014 - 10:42am -

March 1943. "New York. Trucks in the garment district." Medium format nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Now and ThenGarment center is now mostly farther west. View Larger Map Governor Clinton Hotel - 1962At the age of 8, I stayed with my family in the Governor Clinton Hotel, and was fascinated looking out the window at the men pushing racks of clothes down the street wreathed in clouds escaping steam. What is the nameon the trailer on the left? It looks like FREUHAUF or is the last letter an R? Freuhauf is the current name so I expect it is an F Looking at these pictures I find it interesting how long some brand names have been around. [Fruehauf Trailer Co. was in business from 1918-1997. -tterrace] Millinery DistrictWest 36th Street in this area was part of the Millinery District. A subset of the larger Garment District, the Millinery District ran between Fifth and Sixth avenues and from 35th to 40th streets. During its heyday in the 1920's it housed over 600 hatmakers with a total of 15,000 employees. It already was in decline by 1943, and today only a few specialty hat businesses remain. The name is still commemorated by the Millinery District Synagogue on Sixth Avenue between 38th and 39th streets, though being on the west side of Sixth the temple is actually just outside the district's boundaries. Railway ExpressThe fourth and fifth trucks in line appear to be Railway Express trucks, the UPS or FedEx of the day. At least they didn't park in the middle of the street like modern delivery services do. The semi on the leftI just love the appearance of that semi on the left. What make was it? InternationalThe first truck on the left hauling the Fruehauf Trailer looks like a 1941 - 1943 International. Most likely it is a 1941, but some civilian truck production continued throughout the war in order to help move goods to market. The model may be a 5-Ton K-8 which was very popular. This model " . . . used a Red Diamond 318 engine and a five speed overdrive transmission with single or double reduction axles (K-8, KR-8) or a two speed axle (KS-8)." The windshield still opened up at the bottom to allow additional ventilation in the cab. Source: International Trucks by Frederick W. Crimson, p. 170 (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, NYC)
Fourth and Main: 1941
... parade in Watertown, Wisconsin." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Free ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2012 - 2:54pm -

July 4, 1941. "Fourth of July parade in Watertown, Wisconsin." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Free MaterialMy mother made dresses for my sister from feed sack material. I see where some busy woman made dresses for all the women and girls in the family on the left. Then showing at The ClassicWhile the name of the movie theater in the back was The Classic, there was nothing classic about the two films on the marquee that day. "Time Out for Rhythm" was a bad musical with a not-so-bad tangent featuring the Three Stooges. "Adventure in Washington" was an effort to recycle the sets from "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," with a poorly-written drama about mischief among Senate page boys. The young star of that film, Gene Reynolds, would go on to write, direct or produce some of the best television episodes, including the first four seasons of M*A*S*H*. The six-time Emmy winner will be 90 years old in April. Still thereThe Woolworth building is still there, although it looks rather less grand today (as the Creative Community Living Services building). The theater next door still seems to be in operation as well: View Larger Map FeedsacksOld feedsacks are an amazing piece of forgotten American folk culture. Feed companies started bagging their products in reusable brightly printed cotton fabric in 1919, and continued into the 1960s. I discovered the wonderful world of feedsack fabric when I made curtains for my art deco era kitchen. A dazzling variety of beautiful patterns were produced over the years. Last peaceful July 4thI love all of the details/ephemera of daily life this picture reveals. The tall lady facing the parade was probably wearing a "maternity dress", judging from the flared jacket she's wearing. Just thinking that some of the older Boy Scouts would probably make it into the war in a few years; hope they made it back. Something familiarStumbling across this picture on Shorpy was a jolt - seeing as I'm currently sitting in my office on the second floor of that Woolworth's building. The theater is indeed still there...all movies are $3. (The Gallery, Boy Scouts, John Vachon, July 4, Patriotic)
Truck Museum: 1941
... where commission merchants sell to retailers." Photo by John Vachon, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Bald tires! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 9:54pm -

Chicago, July 1941. "Produce market where commission merchants sell to retailers." Photo by John Vachon, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Bald tires!The Wulfstat Brothers better get some new tires soon, the cords are showing on that rear tire! Hey buddy!I'm taking a picture here! Cab OversIn the center of the photo there are a trio of cab-overs. Could these be Autocars from the later 20's/early 30's? The Trucks Are Long GoneI drive past these buildings on the way to work. They have been converted to condos. This area is known as University Village, just south of the University of Illinois at Chicago. As a former truck driverIn a truck with power steering, modern air brakes, 500 horsepower and a/c, I wonder what it was like to drive one of these, especially the semi on the right. Safety FirstNo right side mirrors, tiny left side mirrors make lane changes a crapshoot, but reinforce the back to the left rule. Suicide DoorsI don't know the make, but unit #110 of Green Bay Chicago Lines has suicide doors. I've never seen those on a truck tractor before. Comment for Glocke380The last company I drove for back in the '90s before disability claimed me offered us as drivers when our trucks needed replacing the choice of either power steering or air conditioning. I drove the night shift from 6PM to 6AM in a tanker carrying 80000 pounds when full and weighing about 27000 empty. The day driver with whom I shared the tractor wanted power steering so that is what we ended up with. The units without power steering had a steering wheel over 2.5 feet in diameter. The new fangled power steering made keeping the shiny side up very easy and you didn't have to be Charles Atlas to drive it. Six months after we got our new tractor, the company changed the replacement program to all new units had power steering and air conditioning. Because of my day driver's seniority (he had been driving for them since 1971 when he came home from the Army. We thought we had died and gone to heaven! As for that kind of tractor in the picture, cab overs are very hard on you ride wise but steer quickly. I drove a cab over with a sleeper when I drove over the road before the gas tanker job. You have to pay very close attention because they tend to oversteer and can go into the ditch very easily if you get distracted. Driving big trucks - the best job I ever had till I couldn't do it anymore. Too old and wore out now but it was great while it lasted. Ahhh Lackawana 9868Before there was Caller I.D., there was the telephone exchange. This is a term that must baffle those who know only touch tone, area code, star and pound. Back in the day in Baltimore the names which still reside in my memory are Calvert, Eastern, Broadway, Saratoga, Belmont and Orleans. Those were telephone exchanges -- actual neighborhood buildings where operators toiled to hand-connect wires on a switchboard. You knew if a girl gave you an Orleans number she lived around Belair Road or if it was Broadway than maybe she was a Fells Point girl (present Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski had that one) and Eastern ordinarily made her a Highlandtown girl. The present day strings of number have no romance or adventure but a number preceded by Plaza, Chesapeake or Belmont could only lead to fantastic fantasy. Like my SSN and USN service number my first phone number Orleans 5-1418 remains firmly in my databank. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)
Track Star: 1938
... Pacific yards. Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. UPRR ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:22am -

November 1938. "Union Pacific yards. Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. UPRR 2-8-2&#039;s numbers 1928 and 2121If I read the locomotive numbers correctly, they are #1928 and #2121. Both had the 2-8-2 wheel arrangement. #1928 was retired in 1949, while #2121 soldiered on until 1957. Source: www.utahrails.net Puzzles That complicated trackwork is called "puzzle switches", even by professional railroaders who work with them every day. PuzzlesI commute by rail. There's one of these puzzle arrangements coming into South Station in Boston. Some number of tracks coming in and another number of platforms, not all tracks can get to all platforms (I think), and each track change requires some amount of linear distance to accomplish. The amount of distance available is limited, since we're in an urban environment, with highways over, under and around us. The number of switches and shacks holding the control equipment is impressive, but the person who makes it all work sits in a little 8x10 hut surrounded by PCs. I guess it's less puzzling for the computer. Still, it's impressive when your train hardly ever has to wait for the switches to set up -- we almost always go straight out or in, and within a minute of "on time". Name TrainScript on the side of the coaches identifies this train as The Challenger, an economy Chicago-LA train devised by the UP in the 1930's to lure travelers back from the highways. It's in the process of being switched and reassembled, probably cutting a dining car in or out. The 1928, a low-drivered freight engine, is not the road power. That honor will likely go to one of UP's new 4-8-4 types. I agree with Lost WorldNote the pilot on engine 1928: it is the type that they outfit switch engines with, so the brakeman can step on and off easily. Looks like 1928 will be spending the rest of her days as a "yard goat." (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha, Railroads)
Over Omaha: 1938
... among other attractions, Tri-City Barber College. Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Found one! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2019 - 12:59pm -

November 1938. "Omaha, Nebraska." A bird's-eye view of, among other attractions, Tri-City Barber College. Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Found one!The Ford Bros. building (in the upper right corner of the photo) still stands at the corner of Dodge &amp; 11th streets. Graybar Electrical SupplyContinues to thrive all over North America, and is still employee-owned. An early Ford spottedOne of the billboards advertises the film "Submarine Patrol," which was directed by John Ford for 20th Century Fox, the last Ford-directed film before a run of seven box-office or critical successes in a three-year period that would make him a legend. Much Has ChangedMy 1940 Omaha City Directory places the barber school at 1302 Douglas Street. Virtually everything in this photo is now gone. Much Has Changed IndeedI'm glad EADG found the barber school at 1302 Douglas Street, because I found the Arcade Hotel at 1215 Douglas (reference: https://history.nebraska.gov/collections/arcade-hotel-omaha-neb-rg3870am). Since hlupak604 identified the Ford Bros. Van &amp; Storage building still standing at Dodge and N 11th Streets that means this photo is looking north towards what is now Interstate Highway 480. The railroad tracks in this 1938 photo, almost every building, and the tall building from which this photo was taken (and is casting the shadow) are gone. Yes pleaseSunshine Biscuits! Yay! I'll have a case of Hydrox cookies. And a visit to the Uptown Cafe too, after parking under cover for only 20 cents. Just sounds like a great time. What a fabulous picture. I scanned it for many minutes, as big as I could get it. This is why I love Shorpy: unvarnished but soulful glimpses of long-ago America. It took me awhile to find oneDoesn't look like they had too many trees in the area back then Strange place for a periodThe A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. has a period under the c in McDonald. I'm what is considered an old timer, and I had never seen this before today. [Those glyphs (dots, triangles, dashes, etc.) under superscript letters are diacritics. - Dave] Identity Theft?It is interesting to note that this 1938 scene includes a billboard touting the presumably-yet-to-be-released 1939 Chevrolet by means of an illustration that bears very little resemblance to the actual design. Could this have been an early version of fake news? [As most everyone knows, Detroit’s model year begins in the fall or summer of the previous calendar year. And that is a faithful rendering of the 1939 Chevrolet. -Dave] The '39 Chevy had a V-section grille, receding at the top, with a center strip. The illustration suggests a more LaSalle-like vertical curved prow -- reason to believe that the illustrators were working from a prototype or sketch of same. [You're mistaken. And the photo is from November 1938. - Dave] A.Y. McDonald Mfg. Co.An immigrant from Scotland, born in 1834, A. Y. McDonald opened his plumbing shop in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1856, making his company nowadays, at 163 years old, one of the country’s 100 oldest family businesses. It expanded to Omaha in 1915. The firm’s president is still a McDonald, great-great-grandson of the founder. A.Y. himself was in the Civil War, shot twice, and he was shot a third time, later in life, in a home invasion. He died in 1891 at the age of 57. What a fascinating photo that rewards multiple and extended viewings. It all seems to be gone, as EADG points out, but if you google 1150 Douglas Street, outside the photo to the right, to the east of the Omaha Stove Repair Works (1206-8 Douglas), you can streetview a few old survivors, notably a three-story red-brick building marked Specht. OopsHey, Dave, you're right! It appears that the photos I googled, in an attempt to make sure I knew what I was talking about, illustrate 1940 models. Now, as a kid I'd never have been fooled in that way. Thanks for engaging on this one!!! Graybar Electrical Supply... has a fascinating story. "Gray" is Elisha Gray, the (alleged) inventor of the telephone, whose patent was scooped by Alexander Graham Bell. The company was spun off from Western Electric, the wholly-owned supplier to the Bell System. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graybar (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha)
Free Parking: 1937
... 35¢: Vince, now just 29 cents. Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Overstock? Seems like the good druggist may ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/19/2013 - 9:59am -

September 1937. "Drugstore in Washington, D.C." Marked down from 35¢: Vince, now just 29 cents. Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Overstock?Seems like the good druggist may have bought more feminine products than he had room for in the stock room. I see Sal Hepatica is on sale. That company along with Ipana Toothpaste sponsored Fred Allen's Town Hall Tonight in the late '30s. "Ipana Toothpaste for the smile of beauty and Sal Hepatica for the smile of health!" Those Modess BoxesEastman Kodak also provided oversize film boxes for use in drug store display windows. I suspect that the Modess advertising department had the same idea. Modess-becauseDoes anyone remember the ads for this product in 1950s and 1960s women's magazines, like McCall's and Ladies Home Journal? They featured a photo of a glamorous fashion model dressed in a designer gown, standing on the balcony of a Mediterranean palazzo, gazing at the stars. Below the photo was the line, "Modess-because." At the age of 6 or 7, I had no idea what they were advertising, but if you got to wear a dress like that, I wanted to buy it! A few years later, I discovered that the reality was MUCH less glamorous. Re: Times have changedIn the first summer of my life, in 1958 in Winnipeg, my mother would leave me in a carriage outside the neighbor's window while she went downtown. If I cried or fussed, the neighbor would hear and tend to my needs. (This is the story I was told.) Someday I&#039;ll Find YouMr. Keen Tracer Of Lost Persons, brought to you on this CBS Radio Station by Kolynos Toothpaste. The headline was the show's theme song. It was on the air from 1937 through 1955. Young MickeyOn display is an Ingersoll Mickey Mouse watch for 3.25. You can get one on eBay for about that much today! Kind of surprisedto see Modess prominently displayed in the front window like that. And what's that bottle cap doing there on the sidewalk? A possible refugee from a game of Skellies? Good Hope Road?I'm guessing this was somewhere on Good Hope Road, SE, which runs from what was then Nichols Avenue, and Naylor Road, or maybe Alabama Avenue. Times have changedToday it would be completely unthinkable (not to mention illegal), but back in this photo's era it was quite routine for a parent to leave an infant outside in the carriage while the parent went into a store. So what WAS Vince?Or, what IS Vince? Never heard of it. And there's no reason to google it since so many Shorpy-ites probably know the answer already. [Class? Anyone...? Anyone...? -tterrace] My guessVince Tooth Powder [A definite possibility! -tterrace] Ice Cream!I have Googled and searched, but can not make out the brand of ice cream. It does seem to have some type of AAA approval! [Wadrex Ice Cream was a brand name owned by Colonial Ice Cream Co. of Washington, D.C. -tterrace] Tony&#039;s PlaceGood Hope Pharmacy was located at 1400 Good Hope Road, S.E. The pharmacy survived till the 1960s. It looks to be the same building today. Later uses include the Southeast Neighborhood Action Board (1970s), a methadone clinic (1980s), and Good Hope Seafood (1990s). View Larger Map Babies receiving benign neglectDavidK, your comment hit home with me - my first summer was also in 1958, and my parents were building an addition to our house. They parked my carriage under a shade tree, and the neighbor lady would come and get my Mom if she heard me crying too much! Times were different, indeed. Prams in East BerlinWe were in Germany for the last three years before the Berlin Wall came down. Being a military family, at the time, we had special privileges there. One thing I noticed right away was all of the baby carriages parked outside of stores. Most of them had the babies still in them. In the 80s, no one in American, or even in West Germany, would have left babies unattended. But, there were a few advantages over there and one was a low crime rate, so people were safe leaving their babies alone in their prams while they went inside to shop. Of course, there were also many disadvantages to living there. I know that people in some parts of America did that, at one time. Child abandonmentThose who grew up in the 1950s and before were left outside on the pavement in our strollers or prams whenever our mothers shopped. As well, it was considered very healthy for a baby to sleep out in the pram, even on brisk days, well wrapped up. Not just for general health but to prevent Tuberculosis. When I was crawling, my mother also put me out in the back yard in my harness which was tied to a large screw into the lawn so I couldn't wander off. She would come out periodically to check on me and to move my toys back into reach. Leaving the children out unattended in the pram stopped after the time when we went to the local indoor swimming pool one sunny summer day in 1964. My mother pushed the stroller in under the shrubbery with my baby sister, just a few weeks old, in it and started up the stairs. I was horrified! I made a big fuss because I was worried someone would steal her. "Who would do THAT?" My mother asked. I made such a stink that my mother went and got my sister and brought her inside with us. When we came out, we discovered that there had been a flash rainstorm and the pram, one of those deep British ones, was full to the brim with water. Neither of us said a word but neither me sister or my brother who followed two years later was ever again left alone in the pram. (The Gallery, D.C., John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
Little Boy Blue: 1941
... the Ford bomber plant." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Below ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2020 - 2:44pm -

August 1941. "Son of Mr. Nichols, defense worker from Cass City, Michigan, now living in a trailer at Edgewater Park near Ypsilanti. Mr. Nichols works in the Ford bomber plant." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Below decksThe very best in the design of yacht interiors. Oh, it’s a trailer? Whatever. And such beautiful grain in the plywood. And a cute (albeit sad) kid. Sit this wayThe reason the boy is sad is likely from the task of having to follow the directions of the photographer and his mother. He probably hated the whole ordeal and just couldn’t wait to get back outside and play where there were no adults. Poor lad. The Shadow knowsthat all you need for mystery and suspense is a small breeze and a warm radio. The thing above the valanceMany RVs from the 60s on have built-in entertainment systems, but I've never seen a pre-war unit with one. If that's what it is, then the small bakelite radio below is like what I remember from many basements in the 70s: a small TV, set atop a larger wood cabinet TV that had stopped working. What is that top dial?I see the bottom table top radio but what is that top dial about? Don&#039;t touch that dial!The interesting thing here is that there is what appears to be another radio (or some other electronic equipment) directly above the while marble radio in the center. I cannot read the make or model for either the upper or lower device. Perhaps someone with expertise in radios of this era can identify them. The upper one looks to have several bands. It's placed so high that the morose young man certainly cannot touch it, but it's also above what I expect would be the parents' comfortable reach as well. Also intriguing are the paper cards marked "RECEIVED" that are blocking the speaker grille. Does the radio still work? Questionable designWhat's with the cabinet above the radio and fan? To the left: an instrument that's hard to read with 4 knobs that are hard to reach. To the right: an awkward place to store receipts. Two radios doesn&#039;t make it stereo.They built an old Montgomery Ward Airline brand AM &amp; shortwave band radio into the space above, but have a newer General Electric H-500 model AM-only radio on the counter. That upper radioThanks Wiscojim for identifying the radios. You can see a see a nice picture of the GE H-500 here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/general_el_h500.html . As for the Montgomery Ward Airline, that is quite interesting. The Airline was a very long-lived brand - and was quite diverse, as you can see here: https://radioatticarchives.com/archive.htm?page=a4#Airlin Looking at the dial, the one here seems to be the closest match for the 62-196, https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/montgomery_62_196_1.html https://radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=5810 which was a rather handsome tombstone three-band unit before it was dissected. Beetle GE General Electric H 500The Classic Radio Gallery informs us about the plastics used in radio cabinet construction. The GE H 500 radio, also known as the GE "Turbine", has a housing of Beetle plastic, a trade name used by the American Cyanide Cyanamide Co. ["American Cyanide"? Um, no. - Dave] [Um, I see: do not quote without checking the quote itself, thnx Dave - Alex (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Plugged In: 1941
... defense workers. Aberdeen, Maryland." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. As Lily Tomlin once said Here at the phone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2020 - 7:47pm -

December 1941. "Telephone operators at Aberdeen proving grounds. They live in dormitory for defense workers. Aberdeen, Maryland." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. As Lily Tomlin once said Here at the phone company, we serve everyone from presidents and kings, right on down to the scum of the earth. ReplacedThese women are switching phone connections, now done by something you can't see without a microscope (unpackaged IC) and switching more calls in a second then could be done using the method in the photo in many lifetimes. Too Many Cables For MeIn 1968, the night manager at the Cove Inn in Naples, Florida, had the insane idea of having me handle the switchboard while he ran an errand. I was a newbie bellhop and he gave me no instruction at all. I freaked when I saw that contraption and tried to handle a couple of calls when the lights blinked, but decided the only rational thing to do was nothing. So that's what I did until he returned. Anyone else remember:NumBA paalleezze? Easier Than It LooksI was a telephone operator for Bell South in the mid '70s. I was straight out of high school and it was a good job. The switchboards were exactly the same as these except we had modern headpieces that looped over one ear and a skinny plastic mouthpiece. It was not nearly as complicated as it looks and I could work two switchboards at once. Then a couple of years later, the phone company switched over to their new computer terminals. I HATED the new terminals and soon quit. I enjoyed the old style switchboards much more. Little did we all know how soon the operator job would become all but obsolete with advances in technology. So I'm glad I moved on to a job in an industry that is always needed. If you&#039;re ever in Seattle on a Sunday...There's a museum full of this stuff near the airport. https://www.telcomhistory.org/connections-museum-seattle/ My son and I spent a fascinating morning there recently (of course, it's closed now, due to coronavirus). Very hands on and it's run as a tour with a guide who answers questions, demos the equipment and lets you try your hand. If you're an obsolete technology geek, it's well worth the visit. (Technology, The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Hollywood and Vine: 1939
... Wisconsin. "The week's bill." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Poster ... Burns isn't mentioned. Interesting. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Movies) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2011 - 9:53pm -

September 1939. Cadott, Wisconsin. "The week's bill." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Poster collectorsI checked some auction prices for these one-sheet movie posters, and came up with three: Susannah of the Mounties $134 (2009) Stronger than Desire $45 (2006) Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever $120 (2008) The ringer is the Gracie Allen. I couldn't find any references or images of this particular design, but many for a different one whose estimates range up to $1700, so perhaps the one here is a real rarity. "Vine." I get it. LongevityMore than seven decades later, the stars of two of these movies are still among us: Mickey Rooney (going on 91) and Shirley Temple (83). Stanley&#039;s Selection1939 was one of the greatest years ever for movies - i.e. Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Dark Victory, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Wuthering Heights, etc. - and the Stanley Theatre isn't showing even one of them! Not Exactly First-RunAs with most small town movie houses, it looks like Cadott's Stanley Theatre was not very high up in the pecking order for new releases. According to IMDB, "Susannah of the Mounties" was released on June 13, 1939, "The Gracie Allen Murder Case" on June 2, "Stronger Than Desire" on June 30, and "Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever" on July 21. Any Cadott residents who burned to see the latest movies might have made the nearly 100-mile trek to Minneapolis for quicker gratification. Some of the hit movies mentioned below had been released in the Spring, but "The Wizard of Oz" didn't hit the screens until August 25 - sit tight, Cadott - and everyone was going to have to wait a bit longer for "Gone With the Wind." Although it premiered in December, it was not actually distributed to theaters until January 17, 1940. Gracie Allen Murder CaseMy mother had a set of S.S. Van Dine's Philo Vance murder mysteries, gray covers with a spiderweb design. One of them was The Gracie Allen Murder Case. Philo was a rich guy of the "old boy, my dear chap" school whose valet assisted him in his investigations. I recall that many of the chapters began with epigrams in Latin or Greek and Philo was always tossing in "bon mots" in French. Pre-TV WorldAs someone who has grown up in a post-television world, I find it fascinating how so many movies could be at one single screen theater over the course of 10 days. Hope you don't have any plans Tuesday night because that is the last night for "Susannah of the Mounties"! On another note, what is a "bank-nite" and why is touted as being special? [The signs say "Book Night." A promotional stunt dreamed up by exhibitor Robert Lippert. - Dave] I did see that sign, but what I was referring to was written next to the Wed &amp; Thurs above the Gracie Allen Murder Case poster. Top BillingLewis Stone over Mickey Rooney Gracie Allen over Kent Taylor What were they thinking? Now PlayingThe Stanley Theater is still open and playing films. I've had the pleasure myself, actually. Daniel "Mussy" Eslinger and his family have been running the theater since 1968. In 2010, the family restored the outside of the theater to its 1936 glory. The theater is a gem and so is Mussy. Where else can you get real butter on your popcorn? Bank NiteBank Night (listed on the Wed-Thurs board as "Bank Nite") was a lottery for prizes which theaters held during the latter part of The Depression in order to get more patrons into their theater. WallpaperThis picture would be the perfect 'wallpaper' for a fan of classical movies. I wonder if TCM has any of these flicks in their vault. I'd like to see the 'Gracie Allen' picture; note that George Burns isn't mentioned. Interesting. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Movies)
Jr. O.U.A.M.: 1938
... no longer "meets each 1st & 3rd Sat night." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Still a going concern. It looks they have ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2012 - 11:48am -

April 1938. "Lodge hall in Guilford County, North Carolina." The Jr. O.U.A.M., or Order of United American Mechanics. Which, by the look of things, no longer "meets each 1st &amp; 3rd Sat night." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Still a going concern. It looks they have since dropped the "white" requirement and focus on the manufacturing trades, and have decided to maintain a conservative constitutional agenda. Their symbolism appears much like the Masons. References here, here and here. Buy and Hire AmericanOr we'll erect hideous architecture everywhere! The OUAM and Junior OUAM were nativist organizations that arose in response to a rapid increase in immigration from abroad in the several decades prior to the Civil War. According to the Wikipedia article (never a conclusive source but often a good place to begin one's enquiries), its membership was restricted to white males born in the US, and and its main objective was to foster preference for goods produced domestically and employees who were native citizens. No doubt but that the character Bill the Butcher from "Gangs of New York" would have been an enthuisiastic member. The term "mechanic," by the way, was used in the 18th and 19th Centuries to describe almost anyone who was involved in the making or repair of complex objects, from steam engines to buildings. Like the "Know Nothing" political party that existed roughly contemporaneously with its early days, the OUAM failed to prevail, and seems to have lived out its remaining years like many other lodges, providing a venue for social intercourse and bestowing death and burial benefits for indigent members. Or was it another clever front for the insidious Illuminati? We have a winnerWorld's Ugliest Tower of Wood Construction in North Carolina. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
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