Back to the 1930s Again (American) Quiz

Answer: A galvanized pail of beer

The local tavern filled galvanized pails with beer to be consumed at home. Escaping carbon dioxide made a sound like a growl. Uncle Don, a coal miner, while he cleaned the coal dust from himself, sent someone to the tavern to bring back his nightly growler. Sometimes this would be one of the children. That was ok if the tavern owner knew the family.

Today the word "growler" is still used to describe draft beer sold for off-premises consumption but the old galvanized buckets are now museum pieces and have been replaced by glass or metal containers. Traditionally a growler is 64 ounces but may vary subject to marketing.

Answer: Betsy Wetsy

By pouring water into the mouth of the Betsy Wetsy, it passed through, thus imitating urination. Betsy Wetsy had blue sleepy eyes with eyelashes and its arms and legs were jointed. A layette, baby bottles, a plastic bath tub, and other accessories were sold with it. The sale of the Betsy Wetsy peaked just after World War Two and was phased out in the 1980s.

Dolls for girls reflected the role model of the times that young girls would be wives, homemakers, and mothers. Boys had toy soldiers, comic book heroes, and action figures as role models for masculine endeavors such as protector, defender, and strength. My grandmother looked over my comic book collection and had no problem with Superman, Batman, or Captain Marvel but shook her head at Wonder Woman.

Answer: Ma Perkins

Decoder rings as a promotion were simple substitution codes. A would be 1, b-2, C-3, etc. Usually the message was a preview of the next episode or health/moral advice. When Ralphy, the protagonist in "Christmas Story" (1983), gets his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring, he carefully writes down the numbers and locks the bathroom to decode his first 'secret' message. His frustration is tested when the message was "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine, Ovaltine".

"Ma Perkins" was a radio soap opera.

Answer: Dance contest

Marathon dance contests were all the rage in the 1930s and later. No words can describe better than the 1969 film "They Shoot Horses, Don't They", based on the novel by Horace McCoy. People entered the contests with a variety of reasons--fame, money, prizes-- but it took a great deal of physical and emotional endurance.

These contests often ran on for days with brief rest periods. If the couple stopped moving their feet, fell asleep, or fell, they might be eliminated. Admission was charged to the public could witness the weary but determined couples. Today the tradition is carried on by certain colleges that hold such events as fund raisers and with modified rules.

Answer: Baseball

A herd of donkeys was unloaded in a town and generally taken to a softball diamond with some seating although an open pasture could be modified. By arrangement, local groups were recruited to form teams such as the Lions or Kiwanis as a fund raiser. This created community involvement and attendance.

When the batter hit the ball, he had to jump on the back of a donkey and ride to first base, sometimes falling, sometimes with a donkey that balked at running, or there was a pause when the animal chose to relieve itself. Baseball/softball rules were interpreted loosely and the winner had to score the most runs and avoid stepping in something. Laughter rang out all through the game.

Answer: Zoot suit

A zoot suit was men's suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. Later a pork pie hat with a long feather, pointy shoes, and long gold colored chains were used as enhancements. Cab Calloway, a popular musician, band leader, and singer was given credit for introducing the style that young minority men began to imitate. It was regarded in some quarters as an emblem of pride. However, there were elements of hooliganism attached to the zoot suiters.

When World War Two came on the horizon, the making of garments was streamlined and zoot suits could only be purchased from 'underground' tailors. In addition, newly recruited servicemen felt that zoot suiters represented an unpatriotic element and riots ensued between servicemen and zoot suiters that were racially inspired.




I'm the hippiest number in town and I'll tell you why,
I'm the snappiest dresser right down to my inch wide tie,
And to get you wise I'll explain it to you,
A few of the things that a face is supposed to do.

I wear zoot suit jacket with side vents five inches long,
I have two-tone brogues yeah you know this is wrong.
But the main thing is unless you're a fool,
Ah you know you gotta know, yeah you know, yeah you gotta be cool.

So all you tickets I just want you to dig me,
With my striped zoot jacket that the sods can plainly see,
So the action lies with all of you guys,
Is how you look in the other, the other, yeah, the other cat's eye.

Well don't you see, well don't you see, well don't you see now,
Well don't you see now, come on baby, 'cause don't you see now, oh baby,
Well don't you see now, you drive me wild, hmm hmm hmm, you're crazy-looking now.

Answer: Medicare

Medicare came in 1966 to assist Social Security recipients with medical benefits.

Work Projects Administration (1935) was to improve the infrastructure of towns and cities with road-building, bridge construction, sidewalks, and even the arts and literature. The Tennessee Valley Authority (1933) was a giant step in bringing electricity to the nation, particularly rural areas. Social Security (1935) was to protect the elderly with income at retirement age.

Answer: Band-Aids

The original bandage came in a broad sheet and one had to use scissors to cut to the right size. Steps taken by Johnson and Johnson were to individually wrap each bandage and sell them in various sizes in one container. The paper wrapper provided a higher level of sanitation. A thin red thread was included that made them faster and easier to apply.

The use of Band Aids grew after World War Two and became an international product. Estimates are that a 100 billion have been manufactured worldwide. Johnson and Johnson continue to defend the Band-Aid trademark against genericization.

Answer: Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was aimed at disadvantaged single youths between 18 and 25. Enlistment was for six months but participants were allowed to re-enlist for four segments. They lived in tents or make shift barracks and received basic necessities. They worked forty hours a week and a portion of their thirty dollars a month was sent to their families who still struggled with the Great Depression. It has been estimated that nearly three billion trees were planted by the CCC.

The public loved the CCC, as did politicians. 87% of Democrats and 67% of Republicans supported the CCC on renewal votes. It was dissolved in 1942 and those who might have joined the CCC were being drafted to fight World War Two. Cousin Leon left the CCC and joined the peace time army that went to war in 1941 and made a career of military service.

Answer: Amos and Andy

Garrison Keillor once said that he had a face made for radio. So it was with Freeman Gosden and Charles Carrell who for 22 years were the voices on radio of Amos, Andy, and the Kingfish. Many listeners never figured out that the black characters on radio were actually two white guys in Chicago. In the early days they did all the voices including female characters. It is estimated that they voiced 170 characters. Due to the popularity of the show, an Amos and Andy movie was made called "Check and Double Check". Gosden and Carrell starred using minstrel-style blackface. Later they were to regret the decision and proclaimed it the worst movie ever made.

In the early 1950s Amos and Andy came to television but this time using black actors. Although it was a popular and funny sitcom, times had changed. It met the wrath of minority groups who labeled it as stereotyping black people. The program was cancelled due to controversy but continued in syndication. As protests continued, CBS removed it from the air and it was not seen again for 46
years.