Relaxing, 1922 style

I still think old ads are one of the best ways to see what life used to be like back in the day.

--The Colville Examiner (Colville, WA) March 25, 1922

Imagine going out and buying a record for the night's entertainment. Just a few years later, people would imagine relaxing by the radio, not the Victrola. And a few decades after that, people would watch a black-and-white TV with the family. Now I relax with the TV on and hanging out online.

I also have trouble imagining a day when women had to do the backbreaking work of laundry once a week!

House plans, Old Timey iTunes, Eugenics

Gonna be pretty quick today. House plans (!) in the New York Tribune:

Note it has servant's quarters downstairs. When my dad was growing up in an old house, they never had enough electrical outlets, so he made sure to have our house built with plenty of them.

--New York Tribune, Sunday, October 2, 1921


So this is a busy page...it has stories of rabies vaccines (the "Pasteur Treatment"), a custody battle, at least 2 murders, one quite gruesome, all the church services in New York...oh, and a scientific call for eugenics. In America. Wow.

Development of Race of Supermen Suggested
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Professor Says Godlike Bodies and Newton Minds Could Be Produced on Island

Special Dispatch to The Tribune

BALTIMORE, Sept. 30.--Dr. H. S. Jennings, professor of zoology at Johns Hopkins University, expressed belief to-day that a race of people with the bodies of Greek gods and the minds of Newton or Shakespeare could be developed if a group of selected men and women were put on an island, otherwise uninhabited and kept there with their descendants for many generations.

"Of course," Dr. Jennings admitted, "that isn't possible, because the generations of the human race are too long, and we might not be successful in obtaining subjects. We can, however, improve the race by scientific methods, making the people healthier, better looking and more intelligent.

"Great men are both born and made. Heredity and environment both have their effect, so the race may be changed by selection of the parents of the future and by a change in surroundings. In a group of men placed under exactly identical conditions those with superior ancestors would soon come to the front, while a few men of equally good descent will soon show the effects of variations in environment."

--New York Tribune, Saturday, October 1, 1921

In less worrisome things...you know? I am not sure I am ever going to look at iTunes and Amazon MP3 the same way again. Sometimes I hesitate to spend 99 cents on a song…

--New York Tribune, Saturday, October 1, 1921


In theory, these discs could have played 2 songs, one on each side, each something like 3-4 minutes long, but I think only the ones near the bottom are two-sided.

Historical Currency Conversions says $1.00 in 1921 was worth $12.66 in today's dollars. For one song, in many cases.

Now, it's hard to imagine how incredible it would be if you lived in the middle of nowhere, to suddenly hear musical performances that you'd never be able to hear in person. That said, in 1921, I imagine the smart money would be buying radios, not gramophones and phonographs.

The Library of Congress has some of these songs in a "National Jukebox", though Uncle Josh's was from the wrong year so it might not exactly match what listeners would've heard in 1921. (Like the Library of Congress, I don't endorse the statements made in these songs.)

Nightingale and the Rose by Mabel Garrison ($1.25!)

Where the Lazy Mississippi Flows by Olive Kline-Elsie Baker

In a Boat -by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra

Baltimore Buzz by Eubie Blake and His Shuffle Along Orchestra

Uncle Josh Buys a Victrola by Cal Stewart (a spoken-word "comedy"!)

Melon Time in Dixieland by Billy Murray and American Quartet

Irish Home Sweet Home by Billy Murray--Monroe Silver

Quietest Fourth - July 9, 1921 - Colville, WA

Just scanned the Library of Congress website for interesting articles. I have a soft spot for small-town newspapers.

Colville Has Quietest Fourth

"The quietest fourth Colville ever had that I can remember," said G. B. Ide, idly stretching himself in his real estate office "And I have seen a good many in this town during my 37 years residence. As for myself, I went up to Mill creek and did some fishing."

"It was too quiet for me" stated Justice of the Peace J. H. King. "While I did not go any place outside of Colville, it seems most of the town wont to Chewelah to attend the celebration. I came down town once and then went back. Again later in the afternoon, I came down attain to see if there was anybody around but one look convinced me that the lakes, Chewelah and Inchelium had been the mecca for the most of Colville's citizens."

Most of Colville divided in spending the fourth. A small number stayed home. Part went to Inchelium to attend the regular Indian celebration being held at that place. But the largest part by far went to Chewelah where the Colville band and baseball team were the leading attractions.

Those who did not go to either of the above named places went to the different streams and lakes in the county on camping and fishing parties. County Engineer T. M. Onet (???) and his assistant Fred Thomas went out to the lakes but when the fish refused to bite they turned to other diversions.

"Home looked good to me, so good in fact that I spent the fourth there"
responded Justice A. L. Knapp when questioned as to his whereabouts.
"Speaking of quiet fourths, Colville had the quietest that I can remember," and Justice Knapp must be taken as an authority when the fact becomes known that he has lived in the vicinity for the past 32 years.

Led by the Colville band and augmented by fourteen members of the Frank Starr Post Noi. (sic?) 47 of the American Legion, the celebration at Chewelah easily attracted more people from Colville than any other single celebration. The Colville band was the only band of three advertised to appear that actually put in an appearance.

Much favorable comment was heard on all sides on the new cap adopted by the Frank Starr Post. The cap is modeled on the same pattern as the cap worn overseas by doughboys in the late war, and is blue with gold trimmings.

The individual features of the parade was the beautifully decorated automobile floats, with the comedy being furnished by the clowns. Eight former ex-sailors from Chewelah in their white uniforms also came in for their share of the attention. In the parade, the post flag of the Frank Starr Post was carried by Color Bearers Bob Lee and Abe Denson. Jack St. Clair and Warwick Stewart acted as color guards. John V. Folsom post of Chewelah also took part in the parade and later acted as host to the Colville post at a dinner.

The ball game in the afternoon between Chewelah and Colville attracted its share of the crowd attending the celebration. In the evening dancing was the chief form or (sic?) amusement offered. Numerous automobile parties made little side trips into the country.

--The Colville Examiner, July 9, 1921

I had no idea Colville even existed before this article...it seems to have a population around 5,000. Couldn't find any good sources but Wikipedia says there were less than 2,000 residents in 1920.

Interestingly, Chewelah is even smaller than Colville. Wikipedia (again, not the height of accuracy, but couldn't find any better in limited time) said Chewelah's population in 1920 was 1,600--pretty close to Colville's.

And to my surprise, Colville is about 23 miles away from Chewelah! I wonder if they had any transportation, or if everyone was just driving...

And an ad from JC Penney!



I love old clothes, of course. This might be noteworthy due to the early 1920s corset (not exactly an hourglass figure).



--The Colville Examiner, July 9, 1921

Now, JC Penney has over 1,100 stores.

Firetrap Schools and Food Prices

The big headline of Saturday, June 18, 1921:

Thousands Imperiled in Dank, Dirty, Firetrap Schools, Survey Shows

Meyer Calls Enright Bluff by Supboena

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Graft Investigators End Pussyfooting and Order Police Head in Monday; May Call Hylan Next

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Clubwomen Blame Hylan for Shocking Condition of Buildings Where Pupils Crowd Classes

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Menace Revealed In All Boroughs

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Squalid Structures, With Leaky Roofs, Called Breeders of Pestilence

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--New-York Tribune, June 18, 1921

I didn't actually read the article...I hear enough about horrible schools in the present day...

Retail Food Prices Drop 4.8P.C. in Month
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WASHINGTON, June 17.--Retail food prices to the average family declined 4.8 per cent in May, as compared with April, while wholesale food prices dropped 5 3/4 per cent in the same period, according to statistics made public to-day by the Department of Labor. General wholesale prices, including farm products, food, building materials, metals, house furnishings and miscellaneous commodities, declined approximately 2 per cent during the month.

--New-York Tribune, June 18, 1921

And, just one quick ad. I thought it looked cute.

--New-York Tribune, June 18, 1921