The Modern Mechanix blog's reprint of a December 1931 feature about Scientific Hoaxes that Have Fooled the World is entertaining in itself.
But, as I've said before, there's usually some more entertainment to be gained from the advertisements in these old magazines. And such is certainly the case this time.
On the third page of the Scientific Hoaxes piece, a proud graduate of the Federal School of Illustrating expresses his relief that, in those dark days of the Great Depression, "I'm a trained artist - and I've quit worrying"... about losing his job.
I like to think that even readers in 1931 would have been laughing at the supreme employability of guys who know how to draw.
(Page four of the feature has an ad offering you the chance to "Learn Electricity the McSweeny Way!" I am uncertain whether anybody who, when asked what they knew, said "Electricity!", has ever actually gotten a job.)
26 January 2008 at 9:55 am
In the McSweeny ad: "YOU are the sole judge of your fitness for a BIG JOB."
I think the EMPLOYER might have a few things to say about THAT.
26 January 2008 at 11:56 am
As noted in the comments, pages 172 and 173 of the Modern Mechanix article are missing.
27 January 2008 at 6:51 pm
that Big Interesting Book on ELECTRICITY sounds really interesting!