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Niagara Falls, New York, circa 1906. "Girls' Luncheon, Natural Food Conservatory." Employee dining room at the Shredded Wheat factory. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Forget the girls -- it's those gorgeous light fixtures that have my attention. Beautiful yet extremely functional, timeless design!
How I remember the the box that the shredded wheat came in, with a picture of the factory on the front.
Shredded wheat hot porridge
Shredded wheat and fruit cup
Shredded wheat meat loaf
Shredded wheat vegetable stir fry
Shredded wheat rolls with butter
Shredded wheat and green salad mix
Shredded wheat spice cake squares
Ovaltine
Plenty of fiber to keep the gals regular. Sign on the counter attendant at far left - "Never trust a skinny chef."
How odd this photo looks. He really shouldn't have said "freeze". If they don't stop that their gravy will get cold.
"Yo Bob the one on the left is da bomb."
"Nope the one in the back is prettier"
"I call dibs on the one without the pooofy hat"
"Put your hands in your laps, wipe the smiles from your faces and stare straight ahead! Now don't move!!"
An employee cafeteria with a grand piano? I'm speechless. Our break room at work is the size of a closet and doesn't even have a radio.
Also, I very much love the cafeteria workers in the back, peeking up over the screen.
I've seen happier people at a funeral. Are the glum faces because they are "holding still" for the photographer and, therefore, being kept from their food? Little did they know how good they had it with linen tablecloths, real cutlery and real food. Wonder how happy they would be at a fast-food joint replete with plastic and paper?
I've made a ton of 8x10 photos in my youth. This is a classic "hold it ... steady ... " picture. That format, shot indoors, with that depth of field, required some cooperation from the ladies. Notice no one is eating.
Mark Gooch
Birmingham, Alabama (home of the namesake - Shorpy)
www.markgooch.com
Wow, they certainly look none too happy, overall. Also, their little poofy hats don't seem to serve much of a sanitary purpose. For adornment only?
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