Modern Retro Woman » Coronet films

How Old Am I, Again?

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:41:59 +0000

Dear Friends,

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a 1950s handbag from an Etsy seller. I didn’t hear from her indicating that it had been shipped so I sent her a note. Much to her embarrassment, she hadn’t shipped it. She was apologetic and even gave me a coupon to use if I decide to order from her again. I let her know that I understood it was an honest mistake. No harm, no foul. She wrote back that she appreciated my understanding. I could tell that she was relieved.

As I was pondering this, I was thinking to myself that, while it is disappointing to have to wait a bit longer for this handbag, the mix-up wasn’t something to get my knickers in a bind over. But isn’t that people’s knee-jerk reaction nowadays? I see people have temper tantrums in public places over minor issues such as having to wait more than 2 seconds for their groceries to be bagged or because a young clerk got flustered and made a correctable error. Not too long ago, I watched, horrified, as a woman reduced a new JoAnn’s Fabrics clerk to tears because she forgot to include a discount. The manager came over, voided the transaction, ran everything through again, and had the woman, still fuming, out the door in less than two minutes. And the discount? It turned out to be less than a dollar. While I understand that a penny saved is a penny earned, the woman’s behavior over a less than a dollar discount was inexcusable. This past year, I had a handful of sewing students who would violently start ripping and tearing the garments they were working on or stomp off if they became confused instead of asking for help. And more of these types of meltdowns are happening from so-called grownups.

When did we stop acting our age and begin to think that throwing temper tantrums was an okay reaction?

Here is an education film from 1949 that is still meaningful today: Act Your Age

Click here if the video player does not work for you.

What do you think? Why do people think it is okay to react in infantile ways?

To your fabulous Technicolor life!
Dr. Julie-Ann

I Miss Having An Administrative Assistant!

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:37:39 +0000

Dear Friends,

Yesterday was “Administrative Professionals Day” (formerly known as “Secretary’s Day”). During my college teaching/administrator career, I had the good fortune of having either a department secretary, an assistant, or student workers that I shared with others but who were very adept at taking care of tasks for me so that I could attend to other things. I, for one, will never, ever take an administrative professional for granted. Without them, the whole enterprise would fall apart. Sadly, not everyone realizes that it is really the Della Streets of the world who run the whole shebang and they treat anyone who isn’t The Boss with a bit of disdain.

In 1947, Coronet Films put out an educational film that tells us all about the secretary’s day (and how it differs from a stenographers):

Click here if the player does not work for you

Thank you, administrative professionals, for all of your hard work (for too little pay and recognition)!

Sincerely,
Dr. Julie-Ann

Theatrical Thursday: Writing Better Social Letters (1950)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 20:40:57 +0000

Dear Friends,

According to a front page story in today’s Wall Street Journal, the use of “dear” has fallen by the wayside because it seems too formal when sending a letter via email. According to to the article’s author, Dionne Searcey, it isn’t uncommon for people to begin email correspondence with “Hey, folks” and “Hi.” Even Anna Post, the great-great granddaughter of Emily post and the spokesperson for the Emily Post Institute, says that it isn’t as important as it used to be to use “dear” except in very formal letters. The article then goes on to quote a businessman as saying that it takes too much time to write out “Dear Soandso” and that he has an automatic signature so that he doesn’t have to take the time to say “thank you” and sign his name.

I’ve said it before but I’m going to say it again. I wish we would bring a little bit more formality back into our lives. Have we become so barbaric that we don’t even have time for common courtesy? I still remember an email I received from a doctoral student that I didn’t know that was addressed, “Hey, Doc.” You can be sure that when I met with this young man, I helped him understand that he will get further in his career if he were just a wee bit more formal when writing to professors he didn’t know.

You know I love those old educational films so I did a search to see if there was one on how to write letters. Of course there was and this 10 minute Coronet Film from 1950 helps us understand how to write a good social letter…whether we are sending via snail mail or email.

(Click here if the player isn’t working for you)

Theatrical Thursday: Runaway Emotions

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:07:14 +0000

“Practice self-discipline and keep emotions under control. Good judgment and common sense are essential.” John Wooden on Self-Control

I’ll admit that the Baby Boomer in me was annoyed by Coach Wooden’s admonition to practice self-control by keeping emotions under control. After all, the whole emotional thing was one of the things that caused a big rift between our generation and our parents’ generation. We wanted to feel our emotions instead of just “sucking it up.” But, as I dug deeper, I realized that he wasn’t telling us to be robots. He was telling us to avoid emotional drama–the peaks and the valleys–so that we can be successful. We can’t always control what happens to us but we can take precautions so that we are prepared when things happen. And, more importantly, we can almost always control how we react to situations. Optimists are generally healthier, happier, and more successful than pessimists. Remember, optimism isn’t “fake happy” but rather an attitude.

I used to have friends who were drama queens. There was no middle ground when it came to emotions. Everything was either over-the-top happy or life-isn’t-worth-living-anymore depressing (Note: I’m not talking about those with bi-polar disorder). Drama queens suck the life out of other people with their runaway emotions. When I began disengaging myself from their drama, I discovered that they weren’t really attached to me…just my energy. They found new people to suck into their runaway-drama-filled-emotions.

As homemakers, we set the emotional tone for the family. I believe it is important for us to feel our emotions but not let them control us. When our emotions control us, we aren’t able to see a situation clearly and often make poor decisions that we end up regretting (and, believe me, I’ve got my fair share of regrets caused by out of control emotions). By being in charge of our emotions, we can help those around us learn how to cope and deal with negative emotions while also helping them realize that we don’t feel happy, happy, joy, joy all of the time (despite what advertisers would have us believe).

This campy little Coronet Educational Film, from 1950, teaches teenagers that they can be in charge of their emotions rather than letting runaway emotions ruin their day. It is based on Behaviorism but, even though I’m in the Cognition camp, I think it holds some valuable gems.

Control Your Emotions (13 minutes)

Click here if the video player doesn’t work for you

Theatrical Thursday: The Fun of Making Friends (c. 1950)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 22:36:03 +0000

In yesterday’s post, I talked about how American women seem to focus more on being liked than being respected. But, as I’ve reflected upon this more, I’ve also been thinking about how modern “relationships” are so transient. We stick around only as long as our “needs” are being met. And so, we run around expecting everyone else to meet our needs and become so self-absorbed that we forget that we are responsible for satisfying our own emotional needs within ourselves. We’re not going to find satisfaction somewhere “out there. “ It has to come from within. It is only then that we can be fully present with someone else.

This Coronet Film from the early 1950′s is about a young boy who is feeling lonely. His mother explains to him three rules to help him develop friendships. Even though this gentle film is geared toward young children, it is a good reminder for most adults, too! (Note: the opening and closing credits have been lost to time)

Click here if player does not work

Thursday Theatrics: Public Opinion in Our Democracy

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:01:39 +0000

According to the venerable Pew Research Center, an “examination of the 13 cable and radio talk shows in [their] News Coverage Index found that 59% of their airtime last week was devoted to the health care debate.” As Pew points out, talk shows “include the debate-oriented programming that hammers away on polarizing issues.” What this means in English is that these shows are trying to influence listeners’ opinions.

With the Congressional town hall meetings focusing on the health care debate in mind, I offer this 1950′s Coronet Educational Film entitled ” Public Opinion in Our Democracy.” The issue in this film is whether a small city should have a government-run or privately-run public transportation system. I love how this film from 60 years ago echos some of the same conversations we are having today–the importance of being heard and how people develop their opinions.

Unfortunately, this is not a complete film. The person posting it on You Tube put up the highlights in hopes of selling the full copy on eBay. Additionally, every so often, the owner of the film sends a watermark across the screen. I tried to find a clean copy but was unable to do so. Despite the viewing issues, I think it is worth watching this film.

Enjoy!

PS: Just after I posted this message, I read that the Senate has dropped the end-of-life provision (the widely debunked “death panel”) from its version of the bill. While I disagree with their move–I have a Advance Health Directive that indicates my wishes should I become incapacitated (and I mailed copies of it to EVERY member of my family and my doctor so that there is no disagreement about “what I would want”)–I think this change in the provision is an example of public opinion in our democracy.

Buying Food (1950)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:25:04 +0000

I had planned on showing this educational film about buying food tomorrow, but since my eyes are barely open, I will show it to you today and share the peach pie recipe with you tomorrow.

This is a fun film that shows the value of careful shopping habits. It also explains the mysterious Grade A rating. Enjoy!

Click here if the player doesn’t work below.

Why Budget? (1950)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:51:04 +0000

Working Together

Thank you for your kind words while I wasn’t feeling well. I am feeling much better today and am trying to play “catch-up.”

For years and years (and I mean years) I used Quicken to manage my money. I was diligent about keeping track of what I spent. I had sub-categories–such as, “groceries: chocolate”– that my brother-the-tax-accountant would laugh at whenever I handed over my file to him every year. My rationale was that I wanted to know how I was spending my money! I had a budget!

The problem is, I didn’t even look at the totals. I didn’t have a budget. I had software that enabled me to become disconnected from my spending habits. Before online banking was available, I simply printed out checks using Quicken. Kabing, kabang, kaboom, I was done with my bill-paying for the month in 15 minutes and I didn’t even have to bother looking at the bills!

Another problem is that I wasn’t trying to control my spending. I was just keeping track of it. Why? I wasn’t using the information I was collecting.

And then one day, a few years ago, I stopped to look at those bills. Ouch. Big ouch. As in “holy s, er, cow” ouch.

That’s when I started managing my money like my grandmother.

I wish I could say that by taking that step I am now wealthy and living in a big mansion. I’m not. It will take a little while longer to clean up the financial mess that I made. However, I am grateful that I had the “ouch moment” when I did. It put us in a better financial situation when my husband and I were both laid off from our respective jobs a month apart from each other and it has enabled us to pursue our dreams instead of having to panic (although, I confess, I’ve had moments of panic).

Ever the teacher that I am, I have put together a “Tips: How to Manage Your Money Like Your Grandmother” guide based on what I’ve learned on my journey toward fiscal integrity and peace of mind. Basically, subscribers will receive an email every day for about 30 days with a tip and a short description of how to put the tip into practice. And the best part is that it is free! Click here for more information.

This gem of a film from 1950 explains to us why people from all income levels should create a budget.

Click here if the video player doesn’t work

Watch Home Management: Why Budget? (1950) in Entertainment | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

An Organized Life and Home

Dr. Julie-Ann — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 22:32:12 +0000

Sidetracked Home Executive Card File

In many ways, I taught myself to be a homemaker. Sure I learned some basics from my mother but I didn’t learn the fine art of being a homemaker from her. I read some books and such but my first real “a-ha!” moments came when I checked some old books out from the library and I learned how to actually clean my home (it was cleanish–nothing horrifying– before but I learned how to really keep things clean beyond just vacuuming and dusting and wiping down the counters).

Fast forward to the 1990′s when I started my graduate studies in earnest. I was having trouble keeping up with everything. Because I was at a university, I had access to the internet before it really exploded into everyday existence and by the grace of God, I discovered The 21 Essays to S.H.E. by Cynthia Townley Ewer. I received a new essay everyday telling me how I could organize my life simply by using a card file by the program developed by the Sidetracked Home Executives (aka The Slob Sisters). I printed them out and studied them and did as I was told. I still have the printouts and I still use my card system (that is my actual card file and cards in the photo…when I finish this posting, I will take the green card that says “Modern Retro Woman post” and will put it in the appropriate place in the box).

Over the years, I have strayed from The Box, have tried checkoff lists, notebooks, Flylady, emailing myself, and Outlook task lists, but I always return to The Box. Why? Because it seems to work for me. The cards are gentle reminders that I need to dust my ceiling fan and to make my appointment for my annual exam. A simple little tool helps me stay organized in a down to earth and inexpensive way. Using the cards also helped me stay on top of my money management. I no longer forgot that I had some bills to pay. Money management simply became part of my weekly routine.

Unless you are one of those people who are born organized (and a lot of people think I am one of those…if they only knew!), you need to create some sort of organization system. The system is not to keep you imprisoned. No! The system liberates you from being a slave to your disorganization (and high distractability, if you are like me).

Today’s 10-minute film, from 1949, shows the Miller family pre and post organization and how it helped them run the family like a business.

Click here to watch movie if the player below doesn’t show up.

Wise Use of Credit

Dr. Julie-Ann — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 03:34:15 +0000

My very first credit card was from JC Penney with a credit limit of something like $200. I was either 23 or 24 and credit card companies hadn’t yet set up shop at colleges offering to give students free t-shirts in exchange for signing up for the credit card. I used it to buy a sewing machine and slip covers for my hand-me-down furniture for my first apartment. I then got a Sears card, then a Visa, and then…well, by the time I was 30, credit was much easier to obtain and I had opened a charge account at all of my favorite stores “to take advantage of the discounts.” I was naive enough to think that I was saving money by having the cards. The problem was, I didn’t realize how very easy it is to go over one’s planned spending when plastic is used. Depending upon which report you read, people who use plastic–whether it is debit or credit–will spend anywhere between 20 – 50% more than if they had paid with cash. (and read here, too).

When we switched over to the “envelope method” a couple of years ago, it took me a lot longer to do our weekly money management because I kept thinking that I had messed up. We suddenly had a whole lot more money because we were paying with cash (except for our usual monthly bills) instead of with the debit and credit cards.

But credit itself is not the bad guy. The problem seems to be that we forget that credit is real money, too. In this slightly surreal 12-minute educational film from 1960, “Mr. Money” teaches two high school students about the different types of credit and how to use credit wisely. Although credit cards were available when this film was made, they were limited and the expectation was that the charge would be paid off when the bill arrived. While watching the film, note how the “cash installment loan” resembles how people have used credit cards during the past few years. What I really like about this film is that it teaches how to decide how much credit one can afford (not how much they can obtain).

The best lines from the film:

“To earn credit, you have to build character.”

“But Mr. Money, doesn’t it cost more to use credit?” “Oh yes it does!”

Note: The film constantly bounces/rolls. If you get dizzy easily, just listen to the audio of the film instead of trying to watch it.

Click here to watch film if player doesn’t show up below.