[Characters in Girls High School show "The Love Pirate of Hawaii"] 1927 Jan. 5
Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection, San Francisco Public Library.
 

Caption:
FOR THE NATIONAL DEFENSE -- WOMEN SHOOT
New York, August 28, 1941 ......... Feminine residents of New York learn how to handle firearms - for the national defense - under sponsorship of the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Memorial Post of the American Legion. At tonight's lesson at the 77th Division headquarters, Regina Tunney (left), and Florence Grab, riddle that ol' bull's eye as teacher, John Sugrue, of the Post's rifle team, looks on.

P, I think you should start this up in New York again and become a defender of the free world!


Fearless! - First Female Aviatrix and her Fabulous Flying Machine!

Caption:
March 3, 1934 ......... As if flying wasn't hazardous enough in the old front seat pusher planes, Ruth Law used to make it even more dangerous, just for fun. Here she is racing Gaston Chevrolet around a Montreal race track, the wheels just over Chevrolet's head.

Okay, to be fair, I only found out about Ruth Law because someone was researching her. But what a story! She first started flying in the early 1910s and had her own flying circus where she would do everything from loop-de-loops to getting out of the "cockpit" and walking on the wings. Later in her life she lived in San Francisco where she gave an interview reflecting on how it all started. Apparently a male friend of hers had convinced her to take a ride in a plane and once they were up in the air, he offered her the controls. At first she said no, but changed her mind, telling the interviewer, "I didn't want him to think I was afraid!" Apparently it wasn't scary at all because she just kept doing it. She bought her first plane from the one and only Orville Wright.

 

Here is the text of the article:
(L.A. Examiner - April 2, 1912)

WIDOW JOINS DEAD SPOUSE - ENDS LIFE BESIDE HIS COFFIN
Mrs. Anna May Marsten Kills Herself With Gas In Room Where Husband Expired

Inconsolable in her grief, Mrs. Anna May Marsten ended her life yesterday beside the bier of her husband, Dr. Luther M. Marsten, who died suddenly Friday. A double funeral will be held from the home, 2319 Raymond avenue, which had been called the "love nest" by friends who often declared that Dr. Marsten and his wife "were the happiest sweethearts in Los Angeles."

Preferring to join her husband in death rather than face the world alone, Mrs. Marsten carefully stopped up the cracks of the doors with towels, turned on the gas and then pushed the leather couch on which her husband died to near where the coffin rested. On this couch she was found dead.

Five years ago Dr. Luther married Anna May Holly. He was 59 years old and she was nine years younger.

"Love knows no age, " Dr. Luther told a friend on the wedding day. "We are as happy and as deeply in love a any young couple. Our honey moon will not end until death."

That prophecy was right. They continued the most devoted of sweethearts. Their friends say that not one cross word ever passed between them.

Couple Always Contented
"They had a simple recipe for their happiness," was the statement yesterday of Miss Carrie Holly, a sister of Mrs. Marsten. "They never found fault and each studied how to make the other happy."

Dr. Marsten was unusually active for one of his age. He was stricken with apoplexy Friday and passed away several hours later.

Mrs. Marsten was prostrated by her husband's death. Then she rallied and called her sister to her.

""Luther wants me. I must go to him. I cannot endure life without him," she said with a calmess that alarmed her sister.

Despondency Not Overcome
Miss Holly called the pastor of Mrs. Marsten's church and he tried to console her. But the efforts failed.

Mrs. Marsten said she would try to get some sleep in one of the bedrooms on the first floor and wished to be alone.

The sister later went to the bedroom and found it empty. Then she hurried to the room in which the doctor had died. The doors were closed. A rush of gas staggered Miss Holly. She called neighbors and the body of Mrs. Marsten was found.

The double funeral will be held today and burial will be in one grave at Rosedale cemetery. Service will be at the Universalist Church conducted by the Rev. C.E. Nash. The rites at the cemetery will be private.

I keep wondering just how many people were walking around San Francisco with missing eyeballs! Granted, this is post-WWII so perhaps some had lost eyes in the war and then, what, wanted an upgrade? And how uncomfortable would it be to wear a "stock eye".

Here are a couple of 'what exactly is going on here?' photos I found:

The caption reads: New York, Nov. 21 (1953) - A MOTHER IS MISSING - Michael Evangelista, 34, a restaurant cook whose wife, Mary, has been missing since Sunday night, is surrounded by his seven children. Evangelista said his wife left home Sunday night and failed to return.

Uh, yeah, seven children? I don't think she's coming back, buddy.

The caption reads: Memphis, Feb. 27 (1950s?) - BOY OR GIRL? - Despite all the platinum hair, etc., the one in middle is a boy. Police arrested trio as they hitchhiked through town enroute to New Orleans.

I love the pose!

Skip the self-help books, skip therapy - watch this movie... it'll improve your life!