Wednesday, May 06, 2015

Old Newspapers

In 2005, when I rehabilitated my grandparents' island house, I discovered a number of yellowed, brittle newspapers under the linoleum that had been laid down on the floors. I salvaged various articles and advertisements, most from 1928, 1945, & 1948. Just the other day I found them in a picture album.


















Here is a sample of what I discovered:
  • A "stubborn cough" can be cured by drinking a mixture of sugar or honey and creosote (1928).
  • These ailments can all be cured with various treatments and ointments available for sale:
    • Varicose Veins (Relieved "At Once")
    • Whiskey or Drug Habit (Cured Forever)
    • Asthma (Stopped or No Pay!)
    • Vision problems (No Glasses Needed)
    • Bunions ("Gone in Days")
  • The "New Easy Spindrier" (No old-fashioned wringing) can be purchased for $189.95.
  • "Ambitious Girls" can make $23 for a 40-hour work week, as telephone operators.
  •  Railroad Engineers made average annual earnings of $3,965 in 1939.
  • A ten-year-old Plymouth convertible (new paint, rebuilt engine) could be had for $595 in 1949.
  • In 1928 Beatrice Fuller (a "white girl" who is "a descendant of the Mayflower pilgrims") married Clarence Kellem ("a mulatto") in Connecticut, in spite of threats and protests (including "a flaming cross on a high hill"). 
  • On May 8, 1948, Methodists adopted a "Resolution Aimed at End of Racial Segregation in Southern Churches."
  • A seven-year-old boy is "healthy and happy" in spite of having his heart in the right side of his chest.
  • Goldfish swim fastest in "Mildly Warm Water."
Remember, I am publishing these tidbits as a glimpse into history, and into the news available to islanders 65 to 85 years ago, not to provoke political rants. Please keep this in mind when posting comments.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is an article by island resident, Crystal Canterbury, about her very first visit to Portsmouth Village, on the last day of 2014. You can read Part I here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042115.htm.

10 comments:

  1. When you say rehabilitated the house, how strict were the historical guidelines, and did you do the work yourself?

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    Replies
    1. My house was rehabilitated to NC State Historic Standards. These standards are primarily concerned with exterior appearance (including doors, windows, siding, etc.), and to some extent with more common interior spaces (living room, dining room). My house has a modern kitchen, two modern bathrooms, all new wiring, heat/AC, and insulation...hence it was "rehabilitated" not "restored." You can read about the work here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/howardhome.htm (follow the links at the top of that page for progress reports). I did not do the work myself.

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    2. Very informative
      Thank you

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  2. There's nothing more fun than going through old newspapers when you find them... when I was in school and doing research for one thing or another, I had a hard time keeping on task; as the ads are so enticing to look at!

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  3. Debbie Leonard8:03 AM

    Fascinating!

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  4. Anonymous7:13 PM

    Philip, I liked the 'disclaimer' you put in. Nice touch and smart.
    Keep up the good, interesting site.
    NS

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  5. Anonymous10:40 AM

    A) How old would you guess is the oldest toilet on OI?
    B) How old would you guess is the second oldest toilet on OI?.
    According to a recent report if a community is concerned about conserving water the WC is the first place to start with a low flush toilet.

    If this practice of placing newspaper under the flooring --if that were possible today--the newspapers probably would headline something within the last 15 years or less. Kitchens need to be "updated" constantly and yet people rely so much on prepared foods-- go figure.

    This is a contrast no doubt to the diet on OI. Fresh seafood and vegetables are de riguer.

    In closing , what does the water taste like on OI? I recently visited a resort Destination of South Carolina and man oh man the water tasted like something other than my hometown water for sure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A) -- I really don't have a clue.
      B) -- ditto

      Ocracoke water is excellent. Our water system uses reverse osmosis (RO). Check out bottled water. Sometimes the water is from a municipal water system producing RO water! I could make a fortune bottling the water that comes out of my tap.

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  6. Anonymous8:50 AM

    The "New Easy Spindrier". I had one of these years ago. There was the washing tank, and attached to the side was a spinner (a centrifuge).You just dumped the washed clothes into the spinner and and spun off the water. A real time-saver compared to a wringer machine.The only drawback was that any dirt or rust that was in the water, ended up stuck on the clothes.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:54 AM

    The "New Easy Spindrier". I had one of these years ago. There was the washing tank, and attached to the side was a spinner (a centrifuge).You just dumped the washed clothes into the spinner and and spun off the water. A real time-saver compared to a wringer machine.The only drawback was that any dirt or rust that was in the water, ended up stuck on the clothes.

    ReplyDelete