Remembering the Sears, Roebuck Catalog

I am a collector of Sears, Roebuck catalogs. I refer to them often, especially when I’m trying to remember what life was like back when I was a kid. Now, with the Sears, Roebuck’s catalog long gone, and many Sears’s stories closing, I am doing some reminiscing. I dug out a 1940 Spring and Summer catalog (cover picture above). I have an original, and what fun it is to page through it and see what life was like in the last year of the Great Depression and just ahead of World War II. The 1940 catalog had 1,042 pages.

Some featured items. A cast iron and steel “efficient coal-wood” cook stove--$42.95. A David Bradley “Steel-Frame,” four and ½ foot cut, horse-drawn hay mower--$69.90. A David Bradley horse-drawn “power dump steel hay rake”--$34.90. A ten-inch, horse-drawn walking plow--$13.75.

In the women’s clothing department: “Young and Carefree Fashions…The Story of 1940”: Blouse--$2.98, Skirt--$1.98, complete outfit--$4.79. “Slim-Waisted” dresses--$3.98 to $5.98. “Health Arch Shoes, Walk Every Step in Comfort”--$1.98 a pair.

For the men: “For spring the bright idea is gabardines in stripes.” A two-piece suit--$18.95. Hat--$2.95. Shirt--$1.49. Socks—25 cents. Shoes--$5.00.

For book lovers, four pages of books. Two pages of Holy Bibles, ranging in price from $1.00 to $4.79, one with a genuine leather cover. Two pages of everything from a Webster’s Dictionary ($3.50) to “straight-shooting” Zane Grey novels for 69 cents each. Anything you would ever want or need on these catalog pages.
THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Want a window on the past? Page through an old Sears, Roebuck Catalog.

ANNOUNCEMENT: My “Telling Your Story” Writing Class at The Clearing in Door County is set for July 19, 9-4. Call 920-854-4880 if you are interested in attending. The class usually fills, so you may want to reserve a spot sooner than later.

ANNOUNCEMENT: In April—my newest book available: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Wisconsin: Nature’s Army at Work. Wisconsin Historical Society Press. (A History of the CCC in Wisconsin.)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

April 7, 1:00 p.m. Woodson History Center, Marathon County Historical Society, 10 McIndoe St, Wausau, WI. Launch of Civilian Conservation Corps in Wisconsin.

April 11, 6:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Mid-Wisconsin launch of Civilian Conservation Corps in Wisconsin.

PURCHASING BOOKS AND DVDs:

Order your signed Apps books and DVDs from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.
www.wildroselibrary.org

Books for Thinking About Spring

Living a Country Year (Check writings about spring)

Garden Wisdom (Time to begin planning for the upcoming garden season)

Old Farm Country Cookbook (Try some of spring recipes)

Cold as Thunder (A look into the future)

The Civilian Conservation Corps in Wisconsin: Nature’s Army at Work. (Preorder, www.jerryapps.com)