So interesting   Peter Pappas !  And I always thought it was because of the long exposure.  I suppose one could hold a smile for that long. 

Why didn't people smile in old photographs?

Here's an interesting story from Upworthy. "Why didn't people smile in old photographs? It wasn't just about the long exposure times."

"If you've ever perused photographs from the 19th and early 20th century, you've likely noticed how serious everyone looked. If there's a hint of a smile at all, it's oh-so-slight, but more often than not, our ancestors looked like they were sitting for a sepia-toned mug shot or being held for ransom or something. Why didn't people smile in photographs? Was life just so hard back then that nobody smiled? Were dour, sour expressions just the norm?

Most often, people's serious faces in old photographs are blamed on the long exposure time of early cameras, and that's true. Taking a photo was not an instant event like it is now; people had to sit still for many minutes in the 1800s to have their photo taken.

Ever try holding a smile for only one full minute? It's surprisingly difficult and very quickly becomes unnatural. A smile is a quick reaction, not a constant state of expression. Even people we think of as "smiley" aren't toting around full-toothed smiles for minutes on end. When you had to be still for several minutes to get your photo taken, there was just no way you were going to hold a smile for that long.

But there are other reasons besides long exposure times that people didn't smile in early photographs." ... for the answer check out the article 

"Why didn't people smile in old photographs? It wasn't just about the long exposure times.

  photography    Art/Music    9 - 12    6 - 8    3 - 5    Social Studies/History  

Very cool topic!   I have a box full of playbills and other play programs packed with programs from many past years.   I treasure that collection of memories and performances.  There is a magnificent 50's era house in my community that has a bathroom "wallpapered" in a collage of Playbill and other theater programs. A member of the family was in the theater business.   

  Soline Holmes , I was fascinated by the Playbill design changes throughout the years. As you have already described, there are all sorts of directions for a teacher and librarian to take Playbill, from art lessons to history to theater and more. While the Library of Congress does not appear to hold a Playbill collection, it does hold all sorts of Broadway-related primary sources in multiple formats. Here are a few for starters:

Sheet music - A Broadway Honeymoon (1913 - great lyrics!)

Audio recording - Broadway Rose (1920)

Exhibition - Al Hirschfeld, Beyond Broadway (2000-2001)

Film - Street Scene on Lower Broadway (1902)

Engraving - Crossing Broadway (1870)

So many possibilities! 

Playbill Celebrates 140 Years!

This month, Playbill is celebrating 140 years.

I have a collection of Playbills, so I really enjoyed this timeline of Broadway Playbill covers over the years from 1884 until today.  

To mark the occasion, Playbill has created four different designs for each Broadway show that is currently running.  Audience members will get one of four designs.  

So, if you make it to any Broadway shows this month, please post a photo of your Playbill as a comment.  (And/or get an extra Playbill for me!)

To incorporate this into the classroom/library, you could have students design their own Playbill for a favorite book or movie.  What font would they use?  What images would they use to represent the story?  

Playbill is trademarked, but, for a small fee, using Playbillder, you can create your own Playbill using the Playbill logo.  I use this for our third grade Women of Character play every year.  It is easy to use and fill in, and it creates a professional-looking finished product.  

Bravo, Playbill!

  Art/Music    Pre K - 2    3 - 5    6 - 8    9 - 12    13+    Library    English/Language Arts    Playbill    Theatre    Theater  

Playbill Celebrates 140 Years!

This month, Playbill is celebrating 140 years.

I have a collection of Playbills, so I really enjoyed this timeline of Broadway Playbill covers over the years from 1884 until today.  

To mark the occasion, Playbill has created four different designs for each Broadway show that is currently running.  Audience members will get one of four designs.  

So, if you make it to any Broadway shows this month, please post a photo of your Playbill as a comment.  (And/or get an extra Playbill for me!)

To incorporate this into the classroom/library, you could have students design their own Playbill for a favorite book or movie.  What font would they use?  What images would they use to represent the story?  

Playbill is trademarked, but, for a small fee, using Playbillder, you can create your own Playbill using the Playbill logo.  I use this for our third grade Women of Character play every year.  It is easy to use and fill in, and it creates a professional-looking finished product.  

Bravo, Playbill!

  Art/Music    Pre K - 2    3 - 5    6 - 8    9 - 12    13+    Library    English/Language Arts    Playbill    Theatre    Theater  

Cartooning for Change: From Seuss’s WWII Satire to Modern Memes

There's a fantastic collection of WWII cartoons by Dr Seuss at UC San Diego Library. I used it for a post on my Substack - The Forgotten Files. I stripped out the politics and turned into this lesson. (I've included a few of the cartoons here. Many more at Dr. Seuss Political Cartoons.)

In the early 1940s, as World War II raged in Europe, many Americans favored isolationism, believing the U.S. should stay out of foreign conflicts. This mindset was championed by groups like the America First Committee, whose prominent voices included Charles Lindbergh. However, Theodor Seuss Geisel—better known as Dr. Seuss—used his talent as a political cartoonist to criticize this isolationist stance. Between 1941 and 1943, Seuss created over 400 cartoons for PM, a liberal New York newspaper, targeting figures like Lindbergh and advocating for U.S. intervention in the war. His cartoons used humor and exaggeration to expose the dangers of ignoring the rise of fascism and urged Americans to recognize the global threat posed by Nazi Germany.

Begin with a discussion about satire. Ask students:

• What is satire? (A form of humor or irony used to criticize or expose flaws in politics, society, or people.)

• Where do we see satire today? (Guide students to bring up memes, political cartoons, TV shows like Saturday Night Live, etc.)

• Explain that while satire has taken many forms throughout history, political cartoons and memes are especially powerful tools for quickly communicating complex ideas through humor.

Share some of Dr. Seuss’s political cartoons critiquing isolationism during WWII. Project these onto a screen or distribute them as handouts.

Provide students with a Cartoon and Meme Analysis guide that includes questions like:

• What symbols are used in this cartoon? (e.g., ostrich, swastika, Lindbergh)

• How does Seuss use humor or exaggeration to criticize isolationism?

• What’s the message of the cartoon? Why is Seuss against isolationism?

• Who is the target of the cartoon’s satire? What political figures or groups are being critiqued?

• How might this cartoon have influenced public opinion at the time?

Example Analysis:

Take the Lindbergh cartoon at top (where Lindbergh pats the small Nazi serpent while ignoring the larger Nazi threat) and guide students through the analysis. Point out the use of irony—Lindbergh is focused on the small, “manageable” Nazi threat while the real danger looms in the background, which critiques his naive stance on fascism.

After the initial analysis, break students into small groups to analyze other cartoons using the handout as a guide.

After discussing the cartoons, transition to a discussion on memes with question like:

• How are memes similar to political cartoons? (Both use humor, irony, or exaggeration to critique people or ideas.)

• How do memes convey political messages quickly? (Memes often use humor and cultural references to communicate complex ideas in a way that’s easy to share and understand.)

• Can memes influence public opinion like Seuss’s cartoons did? Why or why not?

• How do memes function like political cartoons in shaping public opinion?

• Why do you think humor is such a powerful tool for political commentary?

• How can satire, whether in cartoons or memes, be used to both expose flaws and influence change?

Extension activity

Have students create their own memes using a free meme generator or digital tools (such as Canva or Imgflip). They can choose to satirize a historical issue or a modern one. The meme should:

• Use symbols or characters to convey a political or social critique.

• Include humor or irony to highlight the absurdity or danger of the issue.

• Be simple, but convey a clear message (just like Seuss’s cartoons).

Prompts:

• Satirize a current political figure or movement, using humor to expose contradictions or flaws in their message.

• Create a meme that critiques an aspect of American history, like isolationism, using contemporary language or symbols.

  WWII    Art/Music    Cartoons