One of my favorites, found on the internets: Dot's "Halloween Frolic."
Monday, October 31, 2022
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
High School Senior Handbook, 1945
I enjoy all kinds of ephemera, but this--a recent gift from a friend--is one of my favorites. It sheds light on what people were experiencing as World War II was drawing to a close. This particular handbook belonged to Martha Zomack of Dayton, Ohio.
The advice for 1945 graduates is very specific: The war is winding down and the job market will be tight as war industries shut down and GIs return home. Grab a part-time job, enroll in a training program, business school or college.
The advice for choosing a career is sound, and stands the test of time. It makes you wonder if anyone poses these questions today when pursuing a career.
Two standouts:
"What is the effect of this type of work on the health of those engaged in it?"
"Does this occupation contribute to the welfare of the community?"
The illustrations are sweet.
Good ol' Dale Carnegie. So emblematic of the American approach to life for the better part of the 20th century, especially the optimism that was so much a part of the postwar era.
Was there anything we couldn't do?
Sigh.
