Stepford teens

I picked this little charmer up on eBay a while back--published in 1959, it was a collaboration between the editors of Co-Ed magazine and Gay Head, a social expert, I guess you'd call her, who must have developed her howitzer-like breeziness in a desperate attempt to drown out the endless jokes about her name.

I also happen to have an issue of Co-Ed, from December '58, and a dreary specimen it is, too.

Both are prime examples of the real harm home economics did to this country (if you haven't read Laura Shapiro's books, I recommend them--see the links to the right). But we'll get to that in a minute.

Don't you just love this "party"? Wouldn't you feel smart and clever and gosh-all with-it if you were there? Wouldn't you be begging someone to just shoot you in the head?

If I had Photoshop I would be able to tell you the titles of all the records they have on the floor, but alas, no. All I can make out is the last part of one name, "--lanetz." Must be Andre Kostelanetz. Spaceagepop (http://www.spaceagepop.com/kostelan.htm ) says "Percy Faith, Ray Conniff--even Liberace--are names one naturally associates with easy listening, but they were entertainers, creators, who liked to spice things up, to toss in a surprise now and again. But Kostelanetz's goal was a pristinely perfect and consistent product, with no rough edges, no striking sounds, nothing to deter from a seamlessly smooth musical experience."

That sounds perfect for this gang. Party perfect!


Here the young lady in blue has a slightly more natural expression. Sadly, now that she's smiling in a remotely human manner, she reveals an unfortunately long nose. Pompador-head over there is just staring at it. The two of them are trying heroically to gloss over the awkwardness with food.

Good luck with that, kids.


This is what passed for party food in 1959: Peanut Butter Dipsies. If you're too stunned to click on the recipe, I'll give you the main ingredients: Peanut butter, mayonnaise, hard-cooked eggs, pickle relish, salt, and bacon. Oh, and "30 small round-shaped pieces bread." Get it? It's egg salad with peanut butter.

And only in the 50's would a recipe based on peanut butter, mayonnaise, pickle relish, and bacon call for additional salt. You can tell these kids are going to drop dead of thromboses before they hit 45. Which is probably a blessing, given the kinds of marriages they are likely to end up in.