People fool around even in wartime. It’s their nature.
Bonus: I walk past this pencil sharpener every day. It might well be original library equipment.
-
Recent Posts
RSS Feed- I Didn’t Think I Could Be Surprised Anymore
- Turkey Day, 1927: Rice v. Baylor
- Exit, 2023
- “Ida’s One Heck of a Librarian,” 1964
- Friday Follies: I Hope That’s Not Overdue, circa late ’60s
- “Campos urge bike security,” 1981
- “Science and Engineering in Houston,” 1969
- Public Relations and Hugh Scott Cameron, 1949
- Another One From the Class of 1927’s 50th Reunion
- A Surprise From the 1917 Football Season
Archives
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
Blogroll
- Anecdotal Evidence
- Bayou City History
- Briscoe Center for American History (University of Texas)
- Houston History Association
- Rice Athletics Blog
- Rice Campus Photographer Corner
- Rice Centennial Celebration
- Rice University Baseball Players Association
- Shorpy historic Photo Archive
- Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies Blog
- What's new online at Woodson? blog
- Woodson Research Center home
Email Subscription
Join 472 other subscribersCategories
Meta
The sharpener has been replaced in the last 10 years. Not sure how old the stand is…
No kidding? It looks ancient!
The stand is totally impractical unless the base weighs 100 pounds. You need a solid mount to an immovable object – like a steel drafting tabletop. Otherwise the sharpener is going to move around under the cranking gyrations and leave your rock hard Staedler HB-1 imperfectly pointed.
BTW – that unit is far younger than the Apsco Dexter Model 3 in service at our house. I wouldn’t even try to sharpen something without it clamped to a workbench…
It’s also turned 90 degrees out of a practical orientation.
No room to crank between it and the wall.
You’ll be bruising your elbow with it like that…
Also, who empties the shavings??
The guy on the left’s shirt looks rather non-regulation.
Is the midshipmens cap his or the tall guys?
He has collar insignia too, but – that tie…
Is he holding a Kodak 1A?
A lot of cameras in the years between 1910 and the late ’30s looked like that.
Kodak pre-WWII reflex cameras were famous for reducing to “vest pocket” size, and could be accessorized with the “Autographic” back that allowed you to write info onto the film margins at the time of shooting through a cool window.
If this was a ’40s Kodak, it would be smaller (shirt pocket) and show more bright silver metal…
I have to admit that the first thing that caught my eye was where the young lady’s hand was located.
I must admit: I had NOT noticed.
Oy vey, I’m getting old.
🙁
He’s holding her hand with his left hand and has his right hand on top of his left hand.
I believe one’s interpretations of the 3 smiles of these people could serve as a sort of Rorschach Text.
The hedges might be a better telltale of the taken date that the Naval uniform, tie styles or the camera…