Modern Retro Woman » Vintage School Films

Yes, You May Drink Your Soup…But Only If…

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:57:43 +0000

Dear Friends,

Have you ever found yourself in this type of situation? You are at a professional or social event where there are ten people crowded around a circular banquet table. You barely have room to move and your table setting is millimeters away from your neighbors’ table settings. You try to make the best of the crowded circumstances when the waitstaff begins to bring out the soup and, much to your horror, the guy across the way picks up the cup of soup and begins to drink it! The same guy who only a few minutes earlier during the cocktail hour was wolfing down the appetizers and having little regard for the fact that you aren’t into “see food.”

Well…believe it or not, that oaf might actually be correct in his table manners. Watch this Emily Post film to see when it is okay to drink your soup…

Click here if the player is not working for you

What do you think? Would you drink your soup?

To your fabulous Technicolor life!

Dr. Julie-Ann

1955 Educational Filmstrip: “Trying New Things”

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:04:46 +0000

Dear Friends,

When I was a new schoolteacher, “multimedia” primarily meant filmstrips or reel-to-reel films. High tech was having a filmstrip projector with a cassette or record player attached. There was one VCR and TV for the entire school (but there were so few educational videos, the machine wasn’t exactly in high demand).

I discovered a delightful little filmstrip at the Internet Archive called “Trying New Things.“ It shows the self-talk a teenage boy goes through when he discovers that he will be attending a picnic that involves swimming and diving–something he doesn’t know how to do very well.

There is no sound…just a series of slides with the script written along the bottom as subtitles.

Click here to watch filmstrip.

Can you relate to Pete? As they say in the filmstrip, “Discuss this statement: All that is new is not bad, all that is old is not good.”

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: Mr. Lincoln’s Springfield

Dr. Julie-Ann — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:21:35 +0000

Dear Friends,

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a sucker for those films produced by the National Park Service. Just last week, My Honey and I watched “A Treasure in the Sea” when we visited the Channel Islands National Park visitors’ center (the center we visited was in the Ventura Harbor complex…it is a several hour boat ride out to the park itself). Some of the films are old and cheesy but they do provide a great overview of why the place we are visiting became a national park. Unfortunately, the film we are looking at today had been replaced when we visited Springfield, Illinois.

When I was young, we celebrated both Pres. Lincoln’s birthday and Pres. Washington’s birthdays on their respected days. But then, in the early 1970′s, it was decided that Pres. Washington’s birthday should be celebrated on the 3rd Monday in February and that kind of changed everything. Now “President’s Day” has devolved into a giant sale day instead of commemorating two great presidents.

This film shows what Mr. Lincoln’s life was like in Springfield before he and the family left for Washington, DC when he was elected president. It is about 18 minutes long.

Do you have a favorite National Park Service film?

Fondly,

Dr. Julie-Ann

Click here to watch the video since the embedded version is being cranky.

Birthday Gathering

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:57:53 +0000

Dear Friends,

I’m having most of my family over for dinner on Saturday for a birthday gathering with a twist. When I was asked how I wanted to celebrate the Big 5-0, I realized that I wanted to prepare an old-fashioned “Sunday dinner” type of meal for my family. I don’t get to play hostess for my family very often and this, you might say, is my birthday gift to me.

I’m sure Emily Post is spinning in her grave because, technically speaking, you’re not supposed to throw yourself a birthday party. I guess I could say that Garret is hosting it but I’m doing all of the work! Seriously, though, I’m viewing it as a time to share an important milestone with my family and getting to do something I really enjoy.

When I was younger, I just assumed that I would take over the responsibility of hosting Sunday dinners for the family. After all, I was preparing them when I still lived at home. But life has a way of taking twists and turns and I ended up across the country. It was a bit far to have the family over every Sunday!

In honor of the party preparations (mine are pretty low-key…), I found this educational film on “What Makes a Good Party” from 1950. The audio is a bit off but it is still fun to see teenagers having a good time without any alcohol and loud music involved.

What is your favorite part of the film?

I’ll write more on Monday,
Dr. Julie-Ann

What Makes a Good Party (1950) (Approximately 10 minutes long)

Click here if the video player isn’t working for you

Tuesday in November: A Nation Elects A Government

Dr. Julie-Ann — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:51:06 +0000

Every four years, Americans cast their ballots for president. Today is a “midterm” election but, as this film from 1945 shows, it is just as important because we are electing members of congress…part of the “checks and balances” system that makes our republic so successful as a governing system.

This film was made during World War II by The Office of War Information and was designed to reassure us (and our allies) that the voting process was secure. It takes us through the branches of government, their responsibilities, and the limits placed on them. It shows the nomination and campaign process and it shows, perhaps my favorite part of the film, people engaged in sometimes heated debate in an effort to convince others to vote a certain way.

I’ll admit that not having my television plugged into the outside world and not listening to commercial radio has helped me immensely during this campaign season because I didn’t have to wade through so much chaff to get to the wheat.

My husband and I have voted. I encourage you to vote, too.

Click here to watch if the embedded player does not work for you.

Theatrical Thursday: If You Have a Bike (1958 Filmstrip)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 23:05:28 +0000

When I was a girl, I loved it when filmstrips were shown at school, in chapel, or Sunday School. If the filmstrip had a record to go with it, I thought it was the height of technology. I can still hear the ding to alert the teacher to advance the filmstrip to the next frame. When I was a schoolteacher, we didn’t have projectors with a record player but rather a cassette tape player attached. Now, of course, we have DVDs and You Tube and PowerPoint to use in the classroom. But, you know, PowerPoint slides really aren’t that far removed from those old filmstrips.

The first week back to campus after the summer break is always an adventure and it is even more so at the local community college where I take my fashion design sewing classes and my husband teaches. Aside from the terribly lost freshmen trying to find their classrooms, traffic is snarled around campus because everyone actually is going to class and parking is at a premium. The smart students are the ones who ride their bikes to campus. There are plenty of racks and poles where they can park their bikes. Unfortunately, some of the bike riders have a tendency to engage in behaviors found in this filmstrip from 1958.

As you listen to the dialogue, pay attention to the rhyming scheme.

Bike Behavior (A Cathedral Filmstrip) Approximately 7 minutes long

Click here if the player is not working 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

Theatrical Thursday: Make Sure You Wash Your Hair At Least Every Two Weeks

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:48:48 +0000

Yesterday, I began the unit in The Home Economics Omnibus on being a well-dressed girl. But part of being well-dressed is also being well-groomed. You can be wearing the best clothes money can buy but still be a mess. Thank goodness the Committee on Medical Motion Pictures from the American College of Surgeons and the crazy film department at McGraw-Hill created an educational film for us called Body Care and Grooming in 1948. Apparently the students at Cornell were having some grooming issues because it was partially filmed there.

Enjoy and be sure to wash your hair at least every two weeks!

Click here if player is not working for you

Theatrical Thursday: Ode to Saran Wrap (c. 1956)

Dr. Julie-Ann — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:59:12 +0000

Well, I managed to do it. It is hard to admit but I think everyone has figured it out, already. I put too much on my plate. I went to the super buffet and loaded it up because I forgot that I could take seconds. Each item on my plate brings me tremendous joy (most of the time) but the stuff loaded on the plate is spilling off of it and I’m beginning to have a mess to clean up. Thankfully, I know that the biggest item on my plate–my winter-term class–will be over in just four more weeks (and then I will be in class three nights a week but the learning is spread out over 16 weeks instead of 6 intensive weeks). I’m just wishing I had some Saran Wrap to help me hold everything together in the remaining four weeks!

One huge way to reduce stress, waste, and save money is to be an efficient food manager. Anne mentioned Once a Month Cooking and asked if it was okay to do as a modern retro woman. I say, “Absolutely!” I have long been an advocate of “freezer cooking” as a way of saving time. The great thing about it is that there are very few rules about how to “feed the freezer.” My method simply calls for “encore meals” to be put into the freezer. Since there are only two of us and most recipes serve 4+ people, I wrap up the leftovers into two serving size packages and stick them in the freezer. With that simple trick, I have created my own frozen dinners without all of the salt, high-fructose-corn-syrup, and unpronounceable chemicals that manufacturers have to put into their boxed frankenfood. I use canning jars (straight up and down, not ones with shoulders) and Pyrex storage containers for food storage in both the fridge and freezer. Just be wise and don’t try to put hot foods in glass containers into a freezer, leave head space for expansion, and don’t put the container directly from the freezer into a hot oven. Glass doesn’t like the sudden temperature change.

As you will see from this film from the mid-1950′s, homemakers have been feeding their freezer for a very long time. I have a cookbooklet from Sears from 1962, entitled “How to Prepare Foods for Freezing.” I have even seen some vintage cookbooks with little “freezer friendly” notations next to recipes.

I found this video about how to use plastic wrap (I learned in my textiles class that Saran really is considered a textile–it just isn’t woven like other fabrics). It is about 20 minutes long and provides a few helpful tips–including how to wrap food for the freezer.

Click here to watch video if player doesn’t work