Librarians Find Mass Destruction, 1952

From Grinnell College’s Scarlet and Black Newspaper, October 31, 1952

A Private’s Affair, 1958

Why Take the Risk? [Schlitz]

Why Take the Risk
of your beer becoming impure?

You are not asked to take a similar risk with other kinds of food.

And yet, every time you buy beer in a light bottle you must assume the burden of keeping it away from light to avoid that skunky taste.

Get Schlitz Brown Bottle, and you get beer that is kept pure from the brewery to your glass.

Schlitz – the Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous

Tales from the Infirmary

When I was studying for my MA in Popular Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, I worked as an intern at the Wood County Historical Center and Museum. The museum is located on the site of the county’s former infirmary or “poor farm.” Built in 1867, the infirmary was a repository for the county’s cast-offs — the homeless, the downtrodden, the sick, the elderly, orphans, and of course, the mentally ill. The museum is located inside of the old infirmary building; a really neat sprawling building with three wings. I was hired to help develop an exhibit in an outer building called “The Lunatic House”, which was built in the 1880s especially to house mentally ill residents. I did a lot of research in old local newspapers for the exhibit, and was fascinated with what I found. It wasn’t unusual to find articles proclaiming “(insert local resident’s name) IS INSANE,” with an unflinching account of their descent into insanity. The honesty and amount of disclosure can be pretty stunning. People really did view mental illness as a community issue, and felt good knowing that the infirmary was there to care for local unfortunates. Treatment styles changed over time however, and local cases were eventually sent to larger state asylums. Institutionalization was pretty much the de facto “solution” for most of the 20th century — today, we’ve still got that, but we’re getting back to more local, community-oriented responses as well. Yesterday’s “lunatic house” is today’s group house.

Crusade Against High Heels and Lolly Pop Habit

Crusade Against High Heels and Lolly Pop Habit

BOSTON, Dec. 7 – A ban on high heels such as never carried a Puritan or Pilgrim ancestress to church is to be sought from the legislature by the Massachusetts Osteopathic society. Announcement that the society would introduce a bill to stop the high heel at its source – the manufacturer – was made at its nineteenth annual convention.

Brick Bradford

BRICK BRADFORD

The crew deserts the damaged space-sphere in escape-globes, leaving Brick to a fate that seems to hold little promise….

Brick: (thought balloon) This place is becoming an oven…can’t use the controls…they are beyond repair…

Brick: (thought balloon) This door is locked from the outside…no way out…and no place to hide! Hey! The door is opening!

Brick: Angel! Thanks for dropping in…let’s get out of here!
Angel: Come along! We still have time to get to an escape globe.

Mustache Discrimination!

From the Coshocton Tribune, December 7, 1920

Beware of a Charlie Chaplin Mustache

CLEVELAND, Dec. 7 – A Charlie Chaplain[sic] mustache has no place out of the movies. Judge Kennedy decided in court here today. It was in the case of Oscar Martin, who is suing his wife for divorce. When Martin got on the stand Judge Kennedy got a god look at the upper lip decoration.

“Get off the stand,” Kennedy cried. “Anybody with a mustache like that has no business anywhere, let alone in a court room.”

Martin departed for a barber shop and the case was continued.

Cascara Quinine (1920)

Kill That Cold With
Cascara Quinine
Hill’s Bromide
for Colds, Coughs, and La Grippe
Neglected Colds are Dangerous
Take no chances. Keep this standard remedy handy for the first sneeze.
Breaks up a cold in 24 hours-Relieves
Grippe un 3 days – Excellent for Headaches
Quinine in this form does not affect the head – Cascara is best Tonic Laxative – No Opiate in Hill’s
ALL DRUGGISTS SELL IT

WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS! [Shirts!!!!]

WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS!
WHAT EVERYBODY WEARS!
SHIRTS!
UNLAUNDERED SHIRTS!
We offer to-day a very large lot of the above goods at
EACH CENTS 50 CENTS EACH
The same grade of Shirts that we have sold so many of the past season. Still another lot at
EACH 75 CENTS 75 EACH
Don’t wait, thinking you can buy these goods a month hence or at your leisure, for they are very cheap at the above price, and will be closed very quick. The above Shirts were made by one of the VERY BEST SHIRT-MAKERS in the country, and warranted to fit every time.
ORDERS BY MAIL PROMPTLY FILLED. GOODS SENT BY EXPRESS COD
PUTNAM CLOTHING HOUSE
131 and 133 CLARK and 117 MADISON STS
MINER, BEAL, & HACKETT..Proprietors
WH FURLONG, MANGAGER

Ful-O-Pep Chick Starter

New Ful-O-Pep Chick Starter
Starts Chicks Fast!

Wrigley’s Sweetmeat

From The Stars and Stripes, July 13, 1919

Wrigley’s
This long lasting Sweetmeat
is one of the soldier’s best friends.
It aids appetite and helps digestion, quenches thirst, steadies the nerves.
A delicious refreshment and the most economical sweetmeat you can buy.
Get it at canteens, Red Cross, YMCA and other stores.
The flavor lasts
Chew it after every meal

Syrup of Figs

From the Fresno Weekly Republican, December 21, 1899

Acts gently on the Kidneys, Liver, and Bowels
Cleanses the system
Effectually Dispels Colds, Headaches, Fevers
Overcomes Habitual Constipation
Permanently
to get
Its Beneficial Effects
Buy the Genuine – Man F O By
California Fig Syrup Co.

Schreier’s Edelbrau Beer

This is from the era when a transaction for beer meant bestowing a hearty handshake on your bowler-hatted supplier; an age when any good advertisement should contain a smattering of arbitrary capitalization (because when you capitalize, it’s like someone is turning the volume up to 11), and the claim that beer is not just alcohol, but a “tonic” that soothes frayed nerves.

IT’S ALWAYS THE SAME GOOD OLD SCHREIER’S
Hops and Barley – the mere mention of these products must suggest to you the splendid nourishing and tonic properties obtained in good BEER.

Schreier’s Edelbrau Beer
For over SIXTY years on merit. Think of it. All these years “SCHREIER’S” has held fast to honest, uniform quality. Small wonder then that the various Schreier brands are so popular to-day – that the demand is ever increasing.

HAVE A CASE SENT TO YOUR HOME. Mail orders solicited. Phone 48, write or call
THE KONRAD SCHREIER COMPANY

Bananas are the Only Thing Preventing Us From a Future of Bog-Legged, Pigeon-Greasted, Hump-Backed, Square-Headed, Pot-Bellied, Hammer-Down, Pale, Flabby Bimbo Kids

From the Appleton Post Crescent, Nov. 13, 1929

How to Feed Banana to a Baby

TV Party Tonight!

TV Tonight – Wisconsin State Journal, October 15, 1972.