Chrysler Record Players and the Potato Car

My usual "Tidbits" column for AnnArbor.com today offers a fun round-up of auto-related snippets. Something to enjoy on your lunch break if you like: here you are!

Haab's 75th Anniversary: An Ad from their Early Days

AnnArbor.com is running Janet Miller's story about Haab's upcoming 75th anniversary on Monday, when they roll back prices to 1934 levels (50 cents for a chicken dinner!)

Dusty D dug up this April 7, 1937 ad from Haab's early days, when it was called "Haab Brothers Cafe." Same location: 18 W. Michigan. This "nice, quiet place to eat" had "Schlitz, Budweiser, and Schlitz Bock Beer on Draught."

Happy Diamond Anniversary to our wonderful and venerable old restaurant!

A-Bomb Dog Tags for All Ypsilantians

Today's story in the Courier, for those that don't receive it, explores a forgotten chapter of Cold War Ypsilanti history, when the plan was to issue every Ypsilantian a dog tag to wear 24/7.

“If an atomic bomb drops (you can tell it by a sudden and great increase in light), drop wherever you are with your back to the light,” said the December 8, 1950 Ypsilanti Daily Press. “Curl up to cover your bare arms, hands, neck, and face. Stay curled up 10 seconds. Then go to the nearest shelter to avoid flying glass and other objects blown about by the blast.”

Fearing such an attack, in 1950 the Michigan Civil Defense commission picked four Michigan cities to test a pilot program that would issue every resident dog tags listing their blood type. The idea was to create a “mobile city-wide blood bank” in case of disaster. The state chose Ypsilanti as a representative residential-industrial town. It also chose Alma as a typical rural town, Birmingham as a residential center, and Jackson for a county-wide program. If all went well, the state planned to roll out a statewide blood-typing program.

“The idea of mass blood typing in Michigan originated with the state commission as a civilian defense measure,” noted the November 11, 1950 Ypsilanti Daily Press. “In the event of an atomic disaster or other highly destructive catastrophe, pre-knowledge of necessary blood types and the availability of supply would expedite the treatment of the injured. It was pointed out that such knowledge and supply would have greatly reduced the death rate resulting from atomic bomb blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”

The program began in mid-November. “Michigan today started plans for dog-tagging its citizens as part of preparations for the possibility of an atom-bomb attack,” said the November 13 Press. “What the [state] wants to know is whether people will wear the tags around their necks, carry them in pocketbooks, or toss them aside.”

Ypsilanti formed a blood-typing team of local health officials and the city’s two Civil Defense coordinators, Harold Haun and Carl Arvin. The group met to choose personnel and the location of blood-typing stations. “The meeting will be the first in which Dan Muntean, recently appointed full time director of the program, has participated,” said the November 17 Press. “Mr. Muntean, assistant principal of Ypsilanti High School, was granted a 60-day release by the board of education at their meeting Monday night, to take charge of the campaign.”

State consultants traveled to Ypsilanti to make recommendations “Conclusions drawn from their visit were that Ypsilanti should have five 5-person teams to successfully type the entire population in a reasonable length of time. Each team is composed of a receptionist, nurse, nurse’s aid, and two clerks. Due to the amount of clerical work necessary for each typing, it is deemed necessary to have two clerks to handle the necessary information from each person so as not to slow up the nurse. It was estimated by Chief Haun that. . . smooth working teams could type a total of 700 to 900 persons a day in Ypsilanti.”

A week later, two five-woman blood-typing teams “attended an orientation meeting Friday afternoon, receiving instructions and suggestions for Monday, the opening day of the program,” said the November 25 Press. “Mrs. Jean Smiddy and Mrs. Patricia McGinnis, nurses of the State Office of Civil Defense, spoke to the women, as did Dan Muntean, director of the program in Ypsilanti and Dr. Stacey Howard, chief pathologist of Beyer Hospital and head man for the laboratory phase of the program.”

“The two teams will start Monday by taking blood samples from the personnel of Beyer Hospital and will then move on to Cleary College Tuesday where they expect to type well over 200 students,” continued the paper. “The blood samples are taken to the laboratory at the rear of Beyer Hospital after each day’s run and put into a refrigerator in preparation for typing the following day. . . [o]f the four duplicate forms which are made out at the time of the taking of the samples, one is given to the person to check against his ‘dog tag’ when it arrives.”

On the 27th, the paper ran a photo of the first person to be blood-typed: Mayor Dan Quirk, who also led the city’s Civil Defense team. The caption notes, “The tiny ribbon on the mayor’s shirt front denotes that he has been sampled for typing.”

By mid-December, the program was in full swing. “In stops at Beyer Hospital, Cleary College, and Peninsular Paper Mill the week of November 27 to Dec. 1, 1,500 samples were taken; at Michigan State Normal College and Ypsilanti High School, the total was 2,500; at Estabrook and Prospect Schools and at the Shoppers Stop, 500.”

The dog tags were to be distributed early in 1951. “Instead of metal discs,” said the paper, “consideration is being given plastics of varied colors, each corresponding to a type so that work may be speeded in case of disaster. RH factors will be marked on the discs.”

One local resident, D., remembers her tags. “I believe I still have mine somewhere,” she said on a local history blog, “and I certainly have my parents tags. At least back then, everyone knew their blood type! As a kid, I thought the tags were kind of neat.”

“My husband said they really didn't work,” added D. “He was a teenager at the time and he said the girls exchanged tags with their boy friends. The girls also liked to decorate them with fingernail polish.”

Luckily Ypsilantians never needed their tags in a disaster. Today the only vestige of the program are dog tags in dresser drawers, some with creative decoration, from half a century ago.

The Dangers of Ypsilanti Steak

Ladies, if you decide to treat your sweetie with a dinner of steaks from Batchelor's Market at 304 E. Michigan near the Water Street area, take care.

You may want to break it to him gently, lest he suffer the steak-related apoplexy seen on this gentleman. He looks as though he's about to have a stroke. Just a word to the wise. If you do decide to go ahead with Batchelor steaks, why, just call 484-W.

"Jiggs" Dinner at Crippen House

You've heard of a Dagwood sandwich, named after the cartoon character. The "Jiggs dinner" was also named for a cartoon--the popular strip Bringing Up Father, starring Jiggs, an Irishman who has come into money but only wants to hang out at the bar, keep his old friends, and eat corned beef and cabbage--otherwise known as a "Jiggs dinner." The cartoonist, George McManus, chose this dish not because it is Irish but because it was what he observed poor Irish families eating on Sundays when he was growing up, as it was a cheap meal. Jiggs' would-be socialite wife Maggie despises Jiggs' love of this "food of the poor."

Here is an original strip showing Jiggs enjoying his favorite meal (click to enlarge):
One wonders if Mrs. Daniel Crippen of Summit Street gave this dinner party because 1. she simply liked corned beef and cabbage, 2. because it was a sort of arch Depression-era joke among her society friends, or 3. because it was all she could afford in the grim year of 1932. I doubt it's the latter, since her "rooms were tastefully decorated with an abundance of asters and zinnias."

It was certainly a far better dinner than those that many Ypsilantians of the time were scraping together from federal flour, Farm Bureau-donated beans, and other meager supplies in this difficult year.

--September 23, 1932 Ypsilanti Daily Press

The Angel of the Depression

Here is a story I'm particularly proud of. I finished researching it just yesterday in the Archives. I hope you like it. "The Angel of the Depression."

"They Weren't Waiting Around for the Next Episode of 'Lost'"

That was my husband's reaction to this article about an important caveat to a weighty talk. He meant that the talk's auditors' brains weren't all jangly with the din of our modern life.

"So this was an...experiment."
"Yes. An experiment. They had a control group."
"So...how were they testing this? If you drink water at dinner and fall down dead, it's harmful?"
"I dunno, but I know they had a special experimental dinner table. You can tell that the only reason this is in here is because Professor D'Ooge contacted the paper."
"Yeahhh...he had that important caveat."
"He felt it was important for Ypsilantians to know that. Just in case you were tempted to stuff your entire face with food and then inhale a glass of water. Not Advisable!"
"But sometimes I do that...if the food is really hot. (mimics eating) YI! (mimics grabbing a glass, drinking) Ahhhhh..."
"Uh-oh. I think we have to go back to the experimental dining table! You've just revived a 97-year-old controversy!"

Sorry, Professor D'Ooge.

--Ypsilanti Daily Press, January 20, 1912

The 1919 Diary of Ypsilanti High School Teacher Carrie Hardy

Part of a year-long weekly serialization of Ypsilanti high school math teacher Carrie Hardy's diary.

Kind readers may recall that last week Carrie was back to teaching classes without feeling too badly. She bought some new blouses and skirts, though not the sheer georgette or low-cut blouses that some students were wearing, which were discussed at the parent-Teacher Club.

Oct. 14 Tues. Everything about as usual. No luncheons upstairs this week. Go down to lunch room about 11 o'clock.

Oct. 15 Wed. Miss Lich and I have 6:30 lunch with Mr. + Mrs. Houp, Miss Covell, + Miss Baird Washtenaw Co Institute. No school.

Oct. 16 Thurs. Mrs. Jennings entertained for Mrs. Goodrich of Minneapolis Minn (Miss Laird and Mrs. McLouth Ouija)

Oct. 17 Fri. Called after school to see Mrs. Stevens (Blanch Mott of South Bend, Ind. Tried to get Ins. papers. $20 Dr. Hull

Oct. 18 Sat. Van swept + dusted, etc. Mrs. Stevens + I were at May Webb's for dinner. In P.M. Aunt Ellen, May, Blanche + I drove to Ann Arbor. Insurance papers again.

Oct. 19 Sun. Was home all day. Did a few duties and rested for school next week.

Oct. 20 Mon. Washed a few things and ironed after supper. At 4:40 Cardinal Mercier (Belgium) talked from car.

Oct. 21 Tues. Rec'd Mr. Hutchins check for $60.00 for Aug. + 1/2 of Sept. Was at Mrs. Fletcher's for supper.

Thanks for reading; tune in next Tuesday for the next series!

The Pennies Were Taken

When a thief broke into T. S. Weber's home at 1023 Washtenaw, he didn't find much.

A desperate look through a nearby desk turned up only a small purse with "a few pennies."

The thief took the pennies.

It was 1932, when the Depression in Ypsilanti had slowly become dire for many.

Mystery Artifact Update

Kind readers may remember that the Oct. 5 Mystery Artifact a week ago was a lamplighter, and that I said at the time that I wasn't sure whether it was used in one's home or used by a street lamplighter. I've just found a bit of information, in a 1931 cartoon in the Ypsilanti Daily Press, that shows this item being used as the latter. Just for fun, here's the cartoon and a close-up of the lamplighter.

Call for Memories: Ypsilanti Milk

Dusty D is planning an upcoming story about milk in Ypsilanti. During the 1930s, raw-milk and pasteurized-milk ads appeared side by side, battling it out, in the Ypsilanti Daily Press. Do you have memories of old-time milk?

If so I want to include your recollections and let others know of your experience. Do you remember old-time milk? Or one of the creameries that used to exist in Ypsi? How about home milk delivery? Maybe your mom had a thing about raw milk and didn't trust that new "pasteurization".

I'd love to hear from you. My goal with my articles is to write about the community and include community voices when I can. I can use your whole name, your first name, or quote you anonymously, just as you wish. You can email me at ypsidixit@gmail.com or you can email me your phone # and I can call you at a time convenient to you. Thanks!

Reader Suggestion: Luna Lake

A kind reader has left a good suggestion down in the "Skribit" suggestion box:

"How about a story on Luna Lake in Prospect Park. I know some interesting things about it."

Anonymous, I think that is a great idea. Moreover, I would **love** to hear everything you know about it and publish your thoughts on it! That would be invaluable. If you like, you can reach me at ypsidixit@gmail.com or I can call you if you send me your #.

I have some beautiful old photos and postcards of Luna Lake--those plus your recollections would make a wonderful post.

p.s. I'm working on the last Skribit suggestion: Sinkule Market. I've collected a number of good old ads thus far and I'm headed to the Archives tomorrow!

If Your Children Could Play Naked, Then Any Bread Would Do

Neighbor, we all wish that our children could play naked in the midday outdoor sunshine, as innocent as lambs. Heck, you probably wish we could all go about our day unfettered by clothing-- though that might be a bit awkward with your boss. At any rate, if that were the case, we and our kids would be in no danger of not absorbing enough vitamin D from the sun's healthful rays.

As things stand now, our precious children are one cloudy day away from a crippling vitamin D deficiency. Think about what that would mean. Johnny falling behind the other kids at school. Johnny too weak and frail to play baseball with "the gang." Eventually, Johnny unable to remember his own name, an invalid lying in bed for you to care for for the rest of your life.

Is that a fate you want for your child?

Luckily, there's an easy solution--Bond Bread! Chock-full of vitamin D, it'll get Johnny out of bed and onto the baseball field in no time, after scoring top marks at school! Bond Bread provides happier health, proper growth, stronger bones, and sound, even teeth! It's officially approved by highest authorities!

Until the arrival of that halcyon day of universal nudity for all, pick up a handy loaf of Bond Bread.

--October 15, 1931 Ypsilanti Daily Press

Telephone Eliminates Horseradish Shortage

In 1931 Ypsilanti, not everyone had a phone.

But housewives who did could simply call in their daily or several-times-weekly grocery order, which was delivered to their kitchen table. They could go and buy it in person, too, but calling was ever so much more convenient.

For those without phones, local grocery stores sent around boys every day to knock on doors and collect orders, which were delivered by truck later in the day. Ypsilanti grocery stores cooperated on this delivery plan in order to reduce the hideous inefficiency of this system. They didn't reduce it enough, however, to compete with the new low-priced "cash and carry" A&P which opened during WWII and doomed the many little groceries scattered around town.

This Michigan Bell ad appeals to the housewives without phones who forgot, perhaps several times, to mention something to the kid who took their grocery order at the door, and then had to do without a crucial ingredient. Despite it being the Depression, the large size of this ad implies that the phone company was taking plenty of orders for this revolutionary new home appliance that today we take for granted.

Until You Have Tasted Trout Baked Electrically, You Cannot Realize What Delicious Meatiness is Achieved by this Healthful Cooking Method

Housewives, have you yearned to save your family money and provide a thrifty "meatless" meal, only to be frustrated by the woeful limitations of the primitive gas stove? Now there's a better way.

You simply can't bake trout properly in anything other than an ELECTRIC stove. Imagine the approving look on your husband's face when, after a hard day of work, he comes home to a succulent meal. Watch the pale, wan faces of your children grow fat and rosy as they gobble up this nutritious treat. Here is the kind of dish that famous chefs glory in preparing--right in your own dining room!

Because gentle moist heat is required to cook it properly, stuffed baked trout is at its finest only when prepared in the flavor-conserving ELECTROCHEF oven. There's really no other alternative. If you want good trout, a happy husband, and rickets-free children, heave out that outmoded gas stove and promptly buy a gleaming new ELECTROCHEF from Detroit Edison!

--Ypsilanti Daily Press, October 24, 1931.

Monday Mystery Artifact

Easy one this week--let's see who nabs it first!

The 1874 Diary of Ypsilanti Teen Allie McCullough

Part of a year-long weekly series of excerpts from Ypsilanti teenager Allie McCullough's 1874 diary, from the last year of her life.

You may remember that last week Allie visited Detroit to get some medicine and visit her Aunt Clara. She said her cough was "worse than it was."

Oct. 9 Fri. Went to Lyceum. There were very few there but I never acted so in my life as I did then. All of the boys (that is, all that amount to anything) went off, so I had to take up with Mr. MacCormic, but he is better than none and it pleased him. I shall have to treat him cool now in order to keep the same thing from happening again.

Oct. 10 Sat. I read to Alex in the afternoon and the forenoon got my history lesson. Braided my hair in one braid and let it hang down my back and tied blue ribbons on it. Joe and Carrie came and called on me and I went up town with them and then to Carrie's for a little while. She came down town with me and Uncle came in the eve. Everyone thinks I look nice with my hair in this way.

Oct. 11 Sun. Went to Church in the morning and stayed to S. S. Wrote four letters in the afternoon. It is very cold. Went to Church in the evening. Would give all I possess if I could live last Sunday over again.

Oct. 12 Mon. Went to school of course, never had my lessons better. Have company. Pa has got a coal stove. It will be real nice, I think. Carrie N. came down, had a good talk, went part way home with her. Carrie Wilcox called. She is going at the Normal.

Oct. 13 Tues. Joe came down and invited me up there tomorrow afternoon. Mrs. Smith is here. Had a jolly time in school the second hour. Have a complimentary ticket for Hermaines Grand Art Exhibit tomorrow night. Got a long letter from Ida.

Oct. 14 Wed. Went up to Joe's this afternoon. Stopped for Carrie N. Selinda Curtis was there. We spent a very pleasant afternoon. Carrie came down town with me. Got ready and went up to the show with Will. Almost everyone of the scholars were there. It was very nice. A fellow sitting opposite tried to flirt.

Oct. 15 Thurs. Have felt miserable all day. Do not know what is the matter with me. Have got to write an essay on slang phrases. The girls went to the show tonight. I went to bed very early.

Oct. 16 Fri Went up to the Sem. and stayed to the social a little whiel and then went up to the Normal. Had a very good time especially at the Sem. Mr. Mac (Cormick) was very anxious that I should stay this afternoon. Mr. Gay looked and stared at me this afternoon so that I bowed and he did hte same and I shall now all the time [be?] without an introduction.

Thanks for reading; tune in this coming Friday for another chapter!.

Sunday Postin'

Phew. Just finished preparing my book images for my publisher and filled out the ancillary paperwork. Thanks to the excellent scanners at the Archives, it was very easy to prepare 'em, email 'em home and then just burn 'em onto a CD at home. I have 10 CDs (!). They're due October 15, and the manuscript a month later (it's already all written but I'm sure I'll need every bit of that time to edit it and shift some items from blog style to book style). At any rate, I've got a backlog of stuff here on my desk to post on the blog, and I apologize for the lull there, and tomorrow will post some of the high-quality historical oddness you're accustomed to, yessirree. Thanks for your patience.

Another Peek into the Scadin Scrapbook

Today's "Tidbits" offers another look into the beautiful Scadin scrapbook. Enjoy!

Pictures of Carrie Hardy and Family

Thanks to Carrie Hardy's great-niece, Ms. Redfern, we have a special treat today--a series of photos of Ypsilanti diarist Carrie Hardy and her family members. Many thanks to Ms. Redfern for her time and generosity in sharing her personal family photos--that is exceptionally kind! I include Ms. Redfern's captions for each photo.

Carrie in Detroit in front of Rob's house.


Carrie holding weath, I believe for the Funeral of my aunt Catherine. Carrie's niece and my mom's aunt. About 1920.


Carrie's father Henry.


Carrie's father Henry in front of the house on River Street in Ypsilanti. Forgot the address right now, but it is only a few houses down river street from depot town. It's on the right hand side. [223 River? --ed.]


Carrie's brother Rob and her nephew Robert. Around the time of the diary. Robert is my mom's father.


Carrie and her brother Rob, laughing about something. Don't know around what year.

Many thanks to Ms. Redfern for sharing her pictures!