Goofus and Gallant Teach History and Ethnography—Petty Theft and Fruit Handling

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On this date in Round and Square History 

28 April 2013—China's Lunar Calendar 2013 04-28
28 April 2013—Ruptured Civility: Introduction
28 April 2012—La Pensée Cyclique: Mulan Granet (b)
28 April 2011—Lectures: Knowledge Blooming

[a] Highlights Magazine, January 1961

You probably didn't see this coming. Here is one of the oddest pedagogical experiments in the twentieth century, and it makes the Republic of China (on Taiwan) primary school readers look almost tame in comparison (well, sometimes). It began as early as 1936, depending on the hoary sources you investigate. By 1948, it was a part of Highlights magazine for children, and I got my copy every week (several decades after 1948, I might add) at Randall School in Madison, Wisconsin, back when the Badgers lost eighty percent of their football games. 

This series will teach us a great deal about culture, society...and history. I lived some of it. I would be lying if I said that I didn't aspire to be Gallant...even as I recognized the stupid lack of irony in all of these unreflective adults-writing-for-children-DIDACTIC posts. Still, throughout my childhood, I aspired to be Gallant.

[b] Pawprint RF

And off they go, for another round of late-Eisenhower, early-Kennedy administration sociality (this includes the "anti-" kind that has been honed to a fine buff by Goofus).

So Mrs. Amundsen down the street (adults call her "Thelma") misplaces her purse. Even if you're Goofus, you probably will return it to her...but not without rifling through it to find all sorts of things the neighborhood might be talking about, even into the Carter administration. 

What was that...? Never mind.

Really, Goofus. Never mind.

And don't even think of touching the paraphernalia of daddy's patriarchy. Oh, my.

But Goofus can't keep his paws off the grocery store fruit, either. Well, fruit isn't a particular problem, and gemüse isn't, either. They can be washed, at least after a fashion. 

[c] Move Along RF

Remember that G&G are teaching us ethnography and history. Times have changed.

The problem is that the way we think of grocery stores today is much more "plastic" than in 1961. Today, the meat is wrapped; so is the cheese.

Candy usually comes in wrappers.

And do you really want snot-nosed Goofus groping your Milk Duds?

I thought not.

[d] Hands Off, Goofball RF