Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: announcements

A broadside advertisement by a grocery store owner in Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. The "WAR," of course, refers to World War I (1914-1918). War Has Not Advanced the Prices of Our Goods! We can save you money on any small order. Our prices are way down, for cash. We guarantee our goods to be all fresh and right weight. 8 bars Oak, Leaf, Lenox, or Star Soap, .25 10 bars Large Size Soap, .25 Elastic Starch, .09 Cow Brand Soda, per lb., .03 1-2 Barley, per lb., .03 1-2 A No. 1 Early June Peas, Parson Brand, per can, .06 A No. 1 Brand Sweet corn, .07 A No. 1 Brand Tomatoes, .06 1-2 None Such Mince Meat, .09 Roman Sweet Chocolate, lb., .04 1-4 Bird Gravel, per box, .04 Good Brooms, two for .25 Fine Cut Tobacco, per lb., .25 Fresh, Full Cream Cheese always on hand. Look at our prices! Don't you think that it pays you to buy at the Tunkhannock Cash Store? Our shoe department.--Men's, boys', and children's shoes. Also ladies' and misses' shoes, and Oxford ties. We are selling them at bottom prices. And dry goods! Come in and leave your order at our place, and if you cannot come yourself send someone, and we will deliver you our goods for the prices we advertise them at. Remember the place, at the old National Bank Building, Tunkhannock, Pa. Goods delivered to any part of the city, Morris Malkinson, prop'r.

"Let me cry your next sale and get the money. My prices are right. J. H. Markle, auctioneer and notary public. Lock box 44, Hanover, Pa. Spangler, 113 Locust St., Hanover. Pa."

"Father! I cannot tell a lie! I did it with my little hatchet!" For more information, see the front of this Washington Birthday Reception announcement:

"Washington Birthday Reception, Prof. Carroll's Auditorium, 1102 S. Broad Street, Monday, Feb'y 22, 8 to 12. Special attractions!" Today Washington's Birthday seems to be an excuse for car dealers to hold month-long "Presidents' Day" car sales. But once upon a time, the day to celebrate the first President of the United States was set aside for orations, teas , dinners , and other special celebrations. This paper hatchet is an announcement of one special Washington Birthday Reception that was held in Philadelphia, probably sometime in the 1890s (either 1892 or 1897, I believe, which were years when February 22 fell on a Monday). The apocryphal story about George Washington and the cherry tree is, of course, the reason for the hatchet shape, and the punchline to the story --"Father! I cannot tell a lie! I did it with my little hatchet!"--is printed on the other side (see below). Professor Carroll's title wasn't an academic rank like we use for college and university teachers today but instead identified him as a dance teacher. He may have been a member of the American Society of Professors of Dancing or one of the other dance teacher organizations that were established in the late nineteenth century (for more on this, see Philadelphia Dance Teachers: Taking Steps , a posting on the Philadelphia Dance History Journal blog). I haven't been able to determine what activities or "special attractions" might have taken place as part of Professor Carroll's Washington Birthday Reception from 8:00 p.m. to midnight on that Monday, February 22, although presumably dancing was involved. I did find this complimentary though vague description of a "monthly reception" that was held in 1894 (from A "Doings in Dancing Circles" column in the Philadelphia Inquirer , October 21, 1894, p. 15): "Professor Carroll's Auditorium, 1102 South Broad Street, was nearly full to overflowing at the monthly reception last Monday night, and a prettier picture than this beautifully decorated, brightly lighted hall, with so many handsome well-dressed people, could not be found. Mr. Carroll is such a genial whole-souled fellow and so capable of carrying out to a success such a party as this that one hardly ever questions who will be there, for they know in advance that every one and every one of the best would not be absent on such an occasion."

Spring Opening on Saturday, April 22d, 1871. On the above day the subscriber will have her Spring Opening, when she will display a large variety of bonnets, hats, flowers, ribbons, silk, guipure and cotton laces, crapes, veils, nets, collars, cuffs, &c. Ladies are cordially invited to call and examine her assortment, whether they purchase or not. Mrs. M. A. Zinn, Main Street, West of Penn, Shippensburg, Pa.