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October 1943. Washington, D.C. "In the cafeteria at Woodrow Wilson High School." Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size.
When I showed this photograph to my mom, she thought that the one blonde resembled Marilyn Monroe in many ways!
When do you think was the last time that pie that looks this good was served in a high school? Compared to the Wonder Bread and commercial fudge, it looks great.
Generations of American men have fond memories of, as high school boys, going out parking with girls in "soft fuzzy sweaters, too magical to touch" (thanks, J. Geils). It's been since the early 60's that I had that pleasure, but the bright glow remains.
It's morning tea time Thursday morning down here in Australia and I'm enjoying this pic. That pie in the cabinet at left looks yum.
Great expressions! Whatever the girl with the glasses is doing to her hands is making that girl grimace pretty hard. Yet the girl between them is oblivious to what's going on. The girl on the far end seems to be taking notice as well. All the while, Miss Big Collar is making sure the server is selecting just the right piece of something.
It seems that the "lunch lady look" never changes.
Looks like they've got regular and chocolate. We can get "cream-top" chocolate milk in glass quarts via Whole Foods, but it costs double.
Second girl from left: "Should I have the meatloaf and mashed potatoes, or just a big hunk of that fudge..."
All of these photographs convey the timeless truth, that all across the spectrum of time, women have been slaves to the fashion trends. There is, has been, and likely always will be a set look, a 'uniform of the day', that must be strictly followed. Not saying it's good or bad, it just is. My high school daughter dresses exactly like 92% of her classmates.
Here, you see the exact same 'uniform' on 1942 high school girls. Anyone knows when this started? Did Sacajawea and Cleopatra also shop with the sole goal to avoid castigation from their peers?
Been a while since Hair Flowers were a necessary adornment. I like them!
I think that era, for some reason, simpy defined for the 20th century what an "All American Girl" was. Those fresh faces, that bouncy hair. Those simple sweaters with pearls. It's what the boys were fighting for across the Pacific! The 1940's teenagers were archetypal. These pretty girls could have been portrayed easily by June Allyson or Judy Garland who would have been their movie star idols of the day.
The lack of sweater girls was the major flaw at St. John's when I was there in the 50's. I always knew something was wrong!
I love their jugs! No really. The glass milk jugs are awesome.
And to think, these kids still have 10 years before tater tots will be invented. They're missing out!
...seems to have been the word of the day. Or will people look back at us in 65 years and think we all dressed the same, and had the same hair too?
From a period when high school girls dressed like ladies. The style was pretty much the same in the 1950's when I was in high school, the blouse collars were just a little smaller. The girls in these time periods liked to dress like the celeberities, the only difference being, the celeberities of that day dressed like ladies and generally when in public, acted like ladies. I don't remember any celeberities during this time going commando in public.
[I can't remember the last time I saw a girl dressed like a celeberity. - Dave]
This image just makes me depressed about being born in the '60s.
I mean, the girls at my high school didn't have a lot to work with either, but these gals are giving it all they've got!
That said, I wonder what is on the menu.
White bread? Pie? Fudge?!? My God! How did they ever win the war and go on to be known as the "Greatest Generation" without wholewheat bread, fresh veggies and fresh fruit for dessert?
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