Thanksgiving, 1959

Bruce Russell’s take on Thanksgiving. Wives – remember all the times dad “sits with the kids and ‘entertains’ them while we do our personal little chores.”

Nov. 26, 1959: “Nothing less than a revival of our Founding Fathers' spiritual faith can halt the moral decay weakening our nation, a decay on which the evil called communism is already feeding. Our American ideal was rooted in a religion that respects every man and worships his Creator. Communism, based on the dogma of Karl Marx -- who despised all religions -- debases man and venerates the state.”

Synagogues Plan Fundraising Campaign to Aid Needy

Thanksgiving marks the opening of the social season and men may need a new dress suit.

Nov. 24, 1919: Three synagogues plan a fundraising campaign to help victims of war and pogroms. It’s interesting to note that there was a synagogue at Central Avenue and 21st Street. View Larger Map

Amelia Earhart – Airplane Babe

Los Angeles Times file photos

After the release of “Amelia,” the film about Amelia Earhart, I thought it would be fun to get into The Times’ photo archives and see what we had. Here are two pictures dated March 25, 1937, in which an anonymous photographer evidently tried to get some glamour poses of her. In the left photo, she’s looking through the radio antenna from the aircraft. In the right photo, she’s sort of draped herself against the propeller of her airplane. Earhart was a good sport about these poses – but honestly.

Baseball Players May Sue Over Nonpayment of World Series Bonuses

The Chicago players have been waiting for more than a month for their money from the World Series.

Nov. 17, 1919: Pacific Coast League umpires want the league to pay for pressing their pants.

Found on EBay – Oviatt’s

Here’s a remarkable item from Oviatt’s – a necktie that the vendor says belonged to James Benton Van Nuys. And by remarkable, I mean remarkably hideous.  But it is from Oviatt’s, one of the most distinguished men’s stores in Los Angeles. Bidding starts at $39.95.

Sept. 3, 1962: J. Benton Van Nuys dies at the age of 79.

A Sad Tale in Divorce Court

Hamburger’s has a special on coveralls.

Nov. 8, 1919: "When I came home from working 18 or 20 hours carrying 100-pound sacks I was hungry and wanted something to eat," William E. Davis says. "I had to do the washing, take care of the children and wash the dishes. My wife would start for church in the morning and not return until late at night."

Love Was Just Chickenfeed

Shoes on sale for $3.50 ($82.86 USD 2008).

Nov. 2, 1909: A neighbor becomes infatuated with a young woman after borrowing chickenfeed from her. Eventually her stepfather complains to authorities … Abbie Sheehan, 17,  is sent to the Door of Hope after being arrested in a Japanese rooming house, where she was living with a Chinese ... And drivers accused of speeding say their speedometers weren't working properly.

Sgt. Kutz Questions Barefoot Woman

Oct. 29, 1909: Lucretia Ruis attracts attention in Long Beach because she doesn’t wear stockings or shoes. She’s an intelligent and refined woman, but shoes and socks cause her too much pain.

Judge Foils Attempt to Get Women on Jury

Arctic turbans are the latest rage -- $82.86 USD 2008.

Oct. 28, 1909: Prosecutor Guy Eddie is determined to get women on juries despite Police Chief Dishman’s order that they not be summoned. His latest tactic is an attempt to dismiss an entire jury, but he’s overruled by the judge. The defendant in the case, J.W. Slocum, represented himself against charges that he and other socialists violated the rules against public speaking in Central Park (now Pershing Square) during a “harangue over free speech and single tax.” And in Des Moines, a judge orders that a case between two Jews be heard by an entirely Jewish jury.

Matt Weinstock, Oct. 23, 1959

Dispatched     A man driving here from Chicago became confused the other day as he neared Los Angeles.  His car is equipped with two-way radio so he called the local dispatcher, who is on the same wave length.  He identified himself as Chicago 287 and explained his problem.  He was coming in on the Santa Ana Freeway and wanted to get to an address near Olympic and La Cienega Blvds.  What should he do?     The dispatcher instructed him to continue to the interchange, then turn onto Harbor Freeway and take Olympic Blvd. turnoff.     Soon Chicago 287 reported in again.  He was becoming more confused by the minute.    THE DISPATCHER GOT ON THE AIR and explained there was a lost sheep on Santa Ana Freeway.  Could anyone help?     L.A. 97, an Owl Trucking rig, and L.A. 236, which happens to be photog Red Humphreys of KTTV's mobile unit, checked in and offered assistance.     L.A. 97 told the dispatcher to instruct Chicago 287 to pull to the side at Soto St. and he'd pick him up there and lead him through the interchange.  L.A. 236 offered to take him from there.     The deed was done, and Chicago effusively thanked the dispatcher who relayed his gratitude to 97 and 236.     "Tell him," Humphreys said, "it was just normal western hospitality, electronics section."     Over and out. ::     WEDNESDAY, when the Supreme Court granted a stay of execution and newly disclosed plans for a frankly commercial Dodgerville in Chavez Ravine created an uproar, the newsboy at 6th and Spring was yelling, "Chessman is saved!  Now they're going to hang Walter O'Malley!"     By the way, there's considerable coffee-break sentiment that Ike should take philanthropist O'Malley along to the summit conference to negotiate with Khrushchev.  He never seems to lose. :: HALLOWEEN NOTE With all that hardware up     in the sky A witch has to watch where     she can fly.     --JOSEPH P. KRENGEL ::     A LADY WHO has been placed on strict diet because of numerous allergies continues to cook choice morsels for her husband, a solid man with knife and fork.     The other day she served him lobster thermidor, which she loves but which is verboten to her.  When he finished both halves, one of which ordinarily would have been hers, and she suffered through a dab of cottage cheese, she asked wistfully, "Tell me, did I have a good meal?"     "Wonderful," he said heartlessly, loosening his belt, "and furthermore, you're too full for dessert." ::     ALTHOUGH life may seem ephemeral in these crisis-a-minute days, there's evidence that plenty of people still, as the saying goes, plan ahead.     Announcement that construction was starting on a 252-crypt mausoleum in Memory Garden Memorial Park in Brea, "first of a series of small, intimate mausoleums," carried the message that almost 50% of the crypts had been purchased on a "pre-need basis."  Nothing's going to take these people by surprise! ::     AT RANDOM -- A clerk in a Burbank market informed a customer he was getting a ticket for parking.  When the customer went out he found the officer had put three pennies in the meter.  Figures he either liked or was afraid of the dog in the car . . . Musician Arthur Lyman and his bird call four eagerly insisted on taking the train instead of flying from L.A. to Las Vegas for their current engagement.  Why?  Because there are no passenger trains on Oahu, where they come from.  The other 48 have lots to learn about the 49th and 50th states . . . During a six-week period the Tic Tac Toe machine in the Electronic Communication Hall at the State Museum in Exposition Park was played 473,129 times.  Proving people will take a free chance on anything.