Thursday, October 7, 2010

Teen Scene 1953

Note; this comes from a 1953 Family Circle article on New Years resolutions for teens.

                                               TEEN SCENE

Young Ladies first

1. I will buy an egg timer to limit the time of my phone calls this year. (Hint to mom and pop: how about charging me a nickle a minute overtime and thus helping to pay the
phone bill)

2. I will make my parties easier on the family by shopping for supplies myself -and not
20 minutes before the guests are due. I will harness some of the available manpower to
straighten things up after a party.

3. I will introduce the gentle art of discussion into our house instead of (a) ranting,
(b) sulking, and (c) being defiant when things arent going my way.

4.  I will  have the courage to express my own opinions instead of changing like a weather
vane to please every male I go out with.

5. I will reserve my goodnight kisses for the one or two boys I'm fondest of, ignoring
such obsolete advice as "It's allright to kiss a boy after the third date."

6. I will praise boys for worthy endeavors -for doing well in a ball game or the school
play-and stop applauding such childlike behavior such as speeding, clowing in public
places and heckling the teacher.

7. I will try to think of the library as a gateway to many worlds and make use of its
facilities with the friendly help of the librarian.

8. I will experiment with one new extracurricular activity on the chance that I've been
missing out on a whole lot of fun.

9. I will try to realize that my teachers are my friends and I will get to know them
better, confident that they have much more to give me than my ABC's.


The Masculine Resolutions

1. I will paste a note on my mirror as a reminder to do my chores so that mom needn't
beat me over the head to get them done.

2. In addition to helping the family by washing and polishing the car, shoveling snow,
mowing the lawn and doing my other chores, I will make it a point of trying to contribute
to family discussions with well thought out ideas on everything from politics to home
decoration.

3. Instead of increasing the rioting among the younger members of the family by
belittling them or shouting at them, I will show the small fry a few tricks I've learned
about getting along with people-like giving in occasionally or praising their
accomplishments.

4. I will not let Uncle Sams hot breath on the back of my neck interfere with my focus
on studies, realizing that knowledge is power whether in service or in civilian live.

5. I will go out for at least one sport such as swimming, skating, skiing or bowling-that I
can keep up after graduation.

6. I will cultivate tha habit of doing my least liked homework first.

7. I will avoid being lured into going steady by some boy crazy female or by a silly school custom, realizing that now's my time for looking 'em over.

8. I will turn up for dates with some sort of plan in mind for the evening. For example, if we're going visiting, I'll have made sure the visitees are at home before hand. If we're
movies bound, I will know ahead of time what's playing and when the show begins and ends. I'll be a bit flexible of course if she has something up her little sleeve.

9. I will stop thinking of kissing as a pastime, the way I did as an eighth grader, and
give it dignity and meaning by reserving it for my special girl.


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

1950's American Slang Word(s) of the Day #25

Our 1950's American Slang Word (s) of the Day today is:

Note: The words I use are chosen from the Pocket Dictionary of American Slang. A popular abridgment of the finest dictionary of American Slang ever published. compiled by Harold Wentworth and Suart Berg Flexner. "contained here are definitions of almost all the slang words in common use today" The dictionary was published in 1960 and took ten years to compile. what you read here is copied word for word from the dictionary EXCEPT for the EXAMPLES and CLARIFICATIONS. Those are mine

Four Letter Man; A dumb or stupid man, usually a student. Some student use. The
four letters are "d-u-m-b."= dumb. See "Three Letter Man" for the derivation.



Three Letter Man; An effeminate man; specifically a Homosexual. The three letters are
"f-a-g"= fag. A pun on the collegiate term "Three Letter Man"= a student athlete. Reinforced by "three dollar bill". Some student use since c. 1935.


Three Dollar Bill; An odd or eccentric person; specifically a person who claims to
be what he is not or tries to assume the identity of another.
Because there is no such thing as a US three dollar bill. From the expression "As phony as a three dollar bill." -specifically a Homosexual; a sexual pervert. (also: The Third Sex; Homosexuals. Now the only common meaning.)

                                            image by Diane Arbus "Seated Man in Bra and Stockings"
Example:
Hey Joey, Waddya tink of dat Tony? What a Nancy, Huh? gives me the heebies! At first I was tinkin he was just a kook an' all dat but Willie, he tole me Tony's da real ting, a tree letter man! Can you beleedat? A tree letter man right here in our buildin'Joey, right here in our buildin'!

Clarification:
Hello Joseph. I was wondering, what is your opinion on Anthony? I have come to the conclusion that he is highly effeminate. I get an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness when I am near Anthony. Initially I reasoned that Anthony was merely eccentric but William plainly informed me that Anthony is in fact a Homosexual! Can you accept this  Joseph? We are actually cohabiting in the same rental property as a Homosexual!

I Remember...

I would love to begin a "department" called "I remember..." where readers send in one of their favorite memories of the past, specifically regarding the 1950's era through 1970's. I know that there are followers of all ages out there and obviously not everyone can have memories based in that time period but we all have Grammas and Grampas, Aunties and Uncles, etc. who may have shared one of their stories with you.  I think it would be fun to share the memories with everybody! Please
send your memories HERE!
                                             Image from private collection

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Scan-a-licious!

                  Scans from October 1958 Ladies Home Journal
                                     A Clinging Caress of Color...

Improve your Blood...

An offensive odor she herself might not detect...
For that pleasant "Clean Mouth" feeling
                                       Rolls easily over carpet too!




Ask any woman in 1958

Saturday, October 2, 2010

No More Than $55.00

October 1958 Ladies Home Journal



                              
Easy, Slim silhouettes...


Infinite usefulness
             


  
only 40 dollars for a phenomenal dress with fur!




                                
Wear it short!
                                  

                                   

Beautiful, brightly colored wool


Absolutely no compromise

                            

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