What a difference a few decades has made!
(Ladies Home Journal – May 2011 Issue)
In honor of May Day, I began searching for images of a vintage maypole and I happened across an old cover of The Ladies’ Home Journal. Considering the demise of many print publications, it struck a cord to acknowledge the history behind what was considered one of the “seven sisters” of magazines, for women, and the longevity the publication has sustained. (And to think it began before women had the right to vote, too!)
(From Wikipedia - “Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States. It is currently published by the Meredith Corporation.” Think also, Better Homes and Gardens and Traditional Home magazines publishers.)
(Jane Addams)
I was fascinated to learn, not only did the magazine address domestic details; at the turn of the 20th Century, they addressed domestic social issues with articles from Jane Addams, the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, a leader in the women’s suffrage movement and who devoted a great part of her life to the peace movement. This had to be a bold move on the publisher’s part, as she was not a shrinking violet type.
(Yes, times have changed; meanwhile, there are still many of the ageless topics which resonate with the LHJ readers: home, happiness, family, friends, food, keeping healthy, etc.)
Some of the solutions may be more advanced and the discussions more open . . . and thankfully, some colorful covers . . . but as the old saying goes, “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”
Happy May! Enjoy the dance! ~ Wanda
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