Why I Like Old Magazines

[naomikritzer]

The antique store around the corner from us is closing down. I went there to browse yesterday. They didn't have a whole lot I was particularly interested in, but their stock of old magazines was 50% off, so I could get three for 50 cents. I picked out LIFE from May 19, 1972; Better Homes and Gardens from August 1963; and Ladies' Home Journal from January 1966.

I find old women's magazines (1960s and earlier) to be particularly fascinating. While on the hunt for a lost family recipe this December, I determined that although it's easy to find current issues of Family Circle at local libraries, it's remarkably difficult to find issues from before 1980; they just don't get kept. Too bad. (The Minneapolis Public Library had what I needed, but it's in offsite storage until the new Central Library opens up. The U of M didn't have it, though I never called the College of Human Ecology to see if someone there might share my fascination with the Social History of Home Economists.)

Anyway, Ladies' Home Journal had one ad that was such a lovely example of what I find fascinating and hilarious about old magazines, I had to scan it in and share. (Below the cut. Totally and completely work-safe -- this came out of a 1960s magazine for housewives.)




That's right, moms! SUGAR IS GOOD FOR YOUR KIDS! YOU ARE A BAD, BAD MOTHER IF YOU DEPRIVE YOUR CHILDREN OF THIS IRREPLACEABLE NUTRIENT!

I actually strongly agree that Little Betty doesn't need any saccharine (or Nutra-Sweet or Splenda, for that matter) in her diet, either, but that hardly makes sugar the healthy alternative...

Edited to add: I am a novice at uploading graphics, and expected it to default to a larger size. If you click on it, you'll be able to see it more clearly. The small text under "Sugar sweetens dispositions" says, "...18 calories per teaspoon -- and it's all energy." The box says:

Note to Mothers:
Exhaustion may be dangerous -- especially to children who haven't learned to avoid it by pacing themselves. Exhaustion opens the door a little wider to the bugs and ailments that are always lying in wait. Sugar puts back energy fast -- offsets exhaustion. Synthetic sweeteners put back nothing. Energy is the first requirement of life. Play safe with your young ones -- make sure they get sugar every day.

Comments

[peacockharpy.livejournal.com]

My daughter would totally agree with that ad. She is such a chocoholic.

I find that the hardest thing is to find foods that haven't been adulterated with corn syrup. I mean, when I cook from scratch, there's no issue, but when I need to rely on the quickie lunch, it's really difficult. I end up buying a lot of Annie's versions of Spaghetti-Os and so on.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

Hahaha. An ex-boyfriend of mine is allergic to corn -- and soy, peanut, and coconut. I spent a year reading food labels. It's just unreal how hard it is to avoid all of those, unless you cook everything from scratch.

Good thing he is a fabulous cook.

[ricevermicelli.livejournal.com]

That thing needs to be an LJ icon. Sadly, I do not know how to accomplish this.

[naomikritzer]

I initially thought, "No way can that work, it's too big. It's funny because of the text, and there's a ton of text." But then I thought, all you really need is the pouting face and the line, "Sugar sweetens dispositions."

And voila. Help yourself if you want it. This just screams "funny-patronizing way to tell a snarky person to shut up." And that's always handy.

[magentamn.livejournal.com]

The library I work at has back issues of the Readers Digest. I would love to write a scholarly paper about America in the fifties through the lens of Readers Digest, and another one about the New Yorker.

Which shop is closing? I might want to look, if they aren't closed yet.

[naomikritzer]

The store on the corner of 42nd Ave and 41st St. I forget its actual name. They're across from Minnehaha Ave and kittycorner from Emella (which you should check out, if you haven't -- it's an artist's co-op and they sell things from a bunch of different local artists).

And check out this job posting -- they previously posted (in a different city, I can't remember which) for researchers to look for unusually prescient (or incredibly clueless) early coverage of events that were later determined to be extremely important. (For example, a news article that speculated about the possibility of GRID being a blood-borne pathogen that could spread via blood donation and become a major problem for hemophiliacs.) Does that not sound like the coolest job ever? I would LOVE to do that. (And yeah, I applied, though I think she wants Journalism professors and professional historians. *sigh*.)

[naomikritzer]

Ergh. Not across from Minnehaha Ave, across from Minnehaha AUTO. You know, the cute auto shop. (Which I highly recommend, should you ever find yourself in need of a mechanic.)

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

I read old cookbooks sometimes, for similar reasons. Such recipes as hamburgers fried in butter would seem a little odd these days.

[naomikritzer]

Molly picked up the Ladies' Home Journal this afternoon and wanted to look at it. She came back with a recipe she wanted me to try. (Pineapple chicken. I have nothing against eating pineapple and chicken together, but I'd make it with skinless boneless chicken, not chicken on the bone.)

[(Anonymous)]

That is priceless. I especially like the line "Play safe with your young ones -- make sure they get sugar every day."

I spent some fun time googling images with the search term "housewife" last night. ;-)

Sandy
http://imponderabilia.blogspot.com/

[(Anonymous)]

Is the 5/19/72 issue of Life one w/George Wallace on the cover? Somewhere my parents have the issue b/c it's from the week I was born.

Heels
http://www.mundanesuperhero.com