There are many days, in my present life, where I wish mom was still here so I could ask her why grandma saved the strangest things?
My grandma was a scrapbook fiend way back in the 1920’s. She was born in 1907 and saved newspaper clippings from the 1920’s on. At least those are the earliest dates I can find from the stash of clippings I’ve hung on to. Yes, it’s a compromise I made with myself years ago. Not really knowing what to do with them, I decided to keep the stash as a treasure of sorts. You know, for important things like sitting around in a bin somewhere, just waiting to be rediscovered again. (It’s the Dubious Minimalist TM in me, don’t judge!…)
Every time I start to sort boxes or rearrange a room, I come across treasures and wonder why, oh, why, did she keep so many newspaper clippings? (Dubious Minimalism TM may just be hereditary…don’t judge!)
I was only 12 when grandma died, so I didn’t get to know her well or ask her many questions about why she did what she did. From the stories I’ve heard about her, she had a feisty side, and maybe a bit of a rebellious side, too.
Grandma Erma seemed to have an interest in the Out Our Way comic series which first appeared in 1922. I can imagine her mom sitting at the breakfast table, drinking a cup of coffee, glancing with a sneer across the table at my grandmother, and saying, “You’re why mothers get gray.”
Oh, my, garsh – what the hell??? Did you just notice, what I just noticed?
Ladies, and gents, we’ve been tormented by the message that gray hair is a bad thing since the 1920’s. I’ll be damned if it ain’t true. Newspapers don’t lie!
J.R. Williams’ comics of the time made fun of “Ye Gods!” moms who were pining away doing the cooking and ironing clothes as they dealt with raising rebellious kids. Either my grandma could relate to them, or she was looking forward to raising kids and kept the comics so she could show her kids “why mothers get gray?”
Ye Gods!, I’m darn tootin’ thankful for the little treasures saved by grandma. These Out Our Way glimpses into her mischievous side are quaint and comforting…in an Odd Ball kind of way (I guess I’ll hang on to ’em for a bit longer…I’m pretty sure, there’s more where these came from…).
Enjoy this present round of little treasures from 1927 J.R. Williams Out Our Way – Why Mothers Get Gray series.
That is an amazing collection of comics. If you ever do decide to part with them, they might bring in a nice chipunk of change to a collector of such things. I guess that depends obviously on how collectable they are. They are very vintage.
Thank you, I have no idea if they are collectible or not? They are fun to read and see how much we have and haven’t changed in nine decades!! 😉
Even if they are not collectible, theya re very vintage. Have you heard of the antique road show? You can take things there to be appraised, whenever it comes to your town, or you go to them. AND then there’s the great www to look things up.
Yes, so true! Yes, I love that show, they haven’t been in our area for a really long time. I’ll have to do some research – sounds like a fun way to spend a day or so…! 😉
Excellent post for odd balls. 😀
Thank you, Cee!! 🙂
To me it would be a wonderful treasure to have all those clippings, and scrapbooks! I’ve saved a lot of those kinds of old cartoons, but have also gotten rid of some (wish I hadn’t). I do scrapbook all kinds of strange things which probably no one would even want to see. Oh well, I have fun doing it. I’d guess your grandmother enjoyed doing the same. 🙂
I agree! I like how you described it, that’s a nice way to look at it. I’m positive my grandmother enjoyed scrapbooking – probably why I’m inclined to keep them too! 🙂
That is GD hilarious, Shelley!!
Donna
LOL! Thank you, Donna 🙂
Hi Shelley. Thanks for this fun post! I had not thought much about the comics of that era. Hugs.
Thank you, Teagan, so nice to hear from you!! xx to you, too!