"The Little Rascals"

These unforgettable and adorable "rascals" originally known as "Our Gang" was a pioneering comedy series created by producer Hal Roach that ran from 1922 to 1944.  It focused on the comedic adventures of a diverse, motley group of children, spanning 221 short films in both silent and sound eras which were later syndicated as "The Little Rascals". 

The original of the series was unique because children were the main characters, acting out the "mischief and charm" of childhood.  

Produced by Hal Roach Studios, the series was sold to MGM in 1938.  When the shorts were sold to television in the early 1950s, they were rebranded as The Little Rascals.

It was revolutionary casting as the series was groundbreaking for featuring an integrated cast of Black and white children playing together as peers, even in the segregated South.

The cast frequently changed when actors became too old, leading to several different "eras" of characters including notable actors like Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Porky,  Buckwheat and Stymie.

The films were characterized by natural acting, often instructed to act naturally rather than read lines.

My favorite was Alfalfa played by Carl Dean Switzer (1927-1959 and Spank played by George Robert Phillips McFarland (1928-1993)

"Alfalfa"

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer was one of the most instantly recognizble and popular members of the kiddies stars.  As a comic type, he was indelible.  He truly had (and has, to this day) one of the best comic get-ups in American film history.  Tall and thin, he was always dressed in clothes that were too small (you could see ample amounts of socks underneath his high-water pants), suspenders, bow tie and, above all, everything above his neck .. freckles, wonderful eyes that could bug out, pop and even cross.  And that hair! It was slicked down with goose grease within an inch of its life! It was severely parted in the middle, with a crazy cartooonish cowlick riding the back of his head like a tail!  You just pictured his other fussing, cuffing and combing every morning.  And then there was his voice which was rural and Southern-sounding, always squeaky and cracking.  He would inevitably sing terrible versions of well-known airs such as "I'm the barber of Seville!"

Alfalfa was an extremely funny kid, just a natural and the stark. Iconic clownishness of his costume and persona ranks up there with the greatest in American comedy like Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and Peewee Herman. Alfalfa was easily the most memorable member of the long-lasting "Our Gang" series.

McFarland as "Spanky" in Our Gang Follies 

Spanky

George Robert Phillips McFarland was an American actor most famous for starrring as a child named Spanky in "Our Gang" series of short-subject comedies.  Along with Spanky "Our Gang Follies" featured Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, Darla Hood as Darla, Eugene Lee as "Porky" and Billie Thomas as "Buckwheat". He started his career as a child model. 

Alfalfa and Spanky 

Darla

Darla Hood (1931-1979) was an American child actress best known for her role as "Darla" from 1935-1941.  She became a popular staple of the series, often featured as the love interest of Alfalfa.  She was discovered at age four and appeared in over 50 "Our Gang" episodes.  Outside of the series, she appeared in the feature film "The Bohemian Girl (1936) with Laurel and Hardy. As an adult, she appeared on television shows with entertainers such as Jack Benny and Groucho Marx.  She also did voiceover work including for the "Chicken of the Sea" tuna commercials.  Darla is fondly remembered for her talent and charm in the "Our Gang" series. 

Porky

Eugene Gorden Lee (1933-2005) is most notable for appearing as "Porky" from 1935 to 1939 in "The Little Rascals".  During his tenure in Our Gang", Porky originated the catchphrase "O-tay!" though it is commonly attributed to "Buckwheat". He was Buckwheat's side kick.  

Buckwheat

Lee in "Our Gang Follies of 1938"

William Thomas, Jr.

William (Billie) Thomas, Jr. (1931-1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of "Buckwheat" in the "Our Gang" short films from 1934 untl the series ended in 1944.   He was a native of Los Angeles and had a successful decades-long carer as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation processing negative film reels for motion pictures such as Jaws and for Metrocolor, processing Logan's Run.

Stymie

Beard as "Stymie" in "School's Out". 

Matthew Beard, Jr.

Matthew Beard, Jr. (1925-1981) was an American actor. As a child actor, he was most famous for playing "Stymie" in "Our Gang" short comedy films of 1930-1935.  The role was so well-known tht he adopted the name Stymie Beard and was so credited in some later roles such as his 1978 appearance in The Buddy Holly Story.

Baby Patsy and Spanky

Patsy Doris Dittemore

Patsy Doris Dittemore (1934-2013) is fondly remembered for her role as 'Baby Patsy' in the "Our Gang" comedy film series from 1935 to 1940.  Born Patsy Doris Dittemore, her mother passed when she was only nineteen days old.  Her maternal grandparents took her back to their native state of California and legally adopted her, thus changing her name to Patsy Doris May.  Her grandparents began taking to her auditions and at the age of about 20 months old, Hal Roach signed her to a five-year contract to play Spanky's little sister in "Our Gang".  Later, she became one of the Munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz".

Petey, the beloved pup of "Our Gang"

No character in "Our Gang" (later "the Little Rascals") was as instantly recognizable as Petey, the lovable dog with the iconic ring around this eye!  Petey's real name was Pal, the Wonder Dog.  His black eye-ring was partly natural though later perfected with makeup! Petey was more than just a pet .. he was a true scene-stealer, often helping the Gang out of troube (or into it!) with his playful antics.  Whether pulling pranks or simply being adorable, he became one of the most beloved dogs in television and film history.

The Little Rascals's legacy is a cultural cornerstone known for pioneering child-led comedy and depicting integrated, relatable childhood friendships.  It left a lasting impact through iconic characters spawning a 1994 remake. While many original actors moved on to private lives or different careers their childhood roles remain celebrated to this day. The original series and the remake series is remembered for its timeless, humorous and heartfelt portrayal of childhood adventures.

 

May your chocolate Easter bunny be solid. 

And the Peeps in your Easter basket be fresh.

 

Forty-eight percent of Americans say they love Peeps.  Twenty-five percent say they hate them.  But both groups keep buying them every Easter and that is the strange part. Two billion Peeps are produced every year from a single factory in Bethehem, Pennsylvania.  The entire process takes six minutes. 

Before 1953, every marshmallow chick was hand-piped from fabric pastry bags and took 27 hours to dry.  Then one engineer built a machine that compressed the process, but the original chicks had to lose their wings permanently to make it work.

What's your favorite color of Peep?

Happy Easter Weekend

A moment and photo that defies description.

Artemis II

In Greek Mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon.  She personifies our path to the Moon as the name of NASA's efforts to return astronauts and a new wave of science payloads and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface.  When they land, American astronauts will step foot where no human has has ever been before: the Moon's South Pole. 

"Fly Me to the Moon"

NASA has now successfully launched a mission from the Kennedy Space Center from Launch Complex 39B marking the first crewed flight to the moon in over 50 years. 

 Four brave astronauts by the names of Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist) will fly around the moon on a 10-day journey aboard the Orion spacecraft to test systems for future lunar landings.  While the crew will not land on the moon, they will travel around the far side of the moon and go deeper into space than anyone since 1972.  

Reid Wiseman is a NASA astronaut since 2009.  This is is second spaceflight, following a 2014 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Victor Glover is the first Black man to travel around the moon.

Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days) and will be the first woman to make a lunar journey. 

Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to be chosen for a crewed moon mission.

Gregory Reid Wiseman

Artemis II Commander

Gregory Reid Wiseman born November 11, 1975 is an American astronaut and naval aviator with the rank of Captain. He is presently the Commander of the 2026 Artemis II lunar fly-by mission and the first crewed flight around the Moon since Apollo 17.  He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer and systems engineering and from John Hopkins University with a Masters degree. Wiseman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

This trans-lunar injection burn will send the astronauts on an outbound trip about four days, taking them around the far side of the Moon, where they will ultimately create a figure eight extending more than 230,000 miles from Earth.  At their maximum distance, the crew will fly 4,600 miles beyond the Moon.  Instead of requiring propulsion on the return trip, this fuel-efficient trajectory harnesses the Earth-Moon gravity field, ensuring that after its trip around the far side of the Moon, Orion will be pulled back naturally by Earth's gravity for the free return portion of the mission. This is called a "free-return trajectory".

The crew will endure the high-speed, high-temperature re-entry through Earth's atmosphere before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California where they will be met by a recovery team of NASA and the Department of Defense personnel who will bring them back to shore. 

 

In late 2022, the uncrewed Artemis I mission successfully orbited the Moon.  The Orion spacecraft spent six days in a "distant retrograde orbit" which consisted of a large loop 40,000 miles above the lunar surface before returning to Earth, covering over 1 million miles in total. 

 Prior to the launch, the astronauts gave farewell gestures as they walked out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to cheering crowds where they shaped their hands into hearts and waved goodbye to their families before departing for Launch Complex 39B.  

The mission is the first crewed lunar flight in 53 years.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

Rest assured .. Neil Armstrong is aboard Artmeis II.

 

Twenty Miles to Boston Store

Erie, Pennsylvania 

Boston Store

Circa 1960s

This is one of the brass Boston Store plaques that appeared on either side of the Boston Store entrance doors.  The one pictured is privately owned.  Another plaque is on display at the Watson Curtze Museum in Erie.  The owner of this plaque is always on the look out for the other two.  

The Boston Store in Erie, PA, a prominent downtown department store, installed iconic black-and-white mile marker signs on 15 major roads leading to the city in the 1930s.  Originally made of cypress, then redwood and aluminum, these markers listed the listance to the store to aid with rural deliveries and serve as brand marketing. 

The Boston Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

 October 24, 1996.

The signs originated from the store's deliversy dispatch office on French Street to measure the distance to rural customers.  In 1971, most signs were removed due to the Highway Beautifications Act, but they had already become beloved local landmarks.  

Many residents requested or kept the signs as souvenirs with some placed far away to show the distance such as a sign in St. Paul, Minnesota noting "932 miles to the Boston Store".  The store was a major hub and the signs are remembered by many.

I recall one of these signs on Route 20 between the PA/NY Stateline and Ripley, NY.

Other signs were located at Route 20 (West Ridge Road/Main Street, Route 5 (East and West Lake  Road), Route 8 and Route 98. Markers were found throughout Erie County including Fairview, Millcreek Township,, Harborcreek and East Springfield. One well-known marker was located on West Lake Road near the 16-mile point.  Another was noted at the corner of Millfair Road (formerly Townline Road) in Fairview.

A local company, Lake Shore Industries still uses the original pattern to make replicas for private homes. The Hagen History Center maintains archives and artifacts related to the Boston Store.  They occasionally display original signage and markers as part of their Erie County history exhibits. Some local residents still have original signs on their property or in garages.  For instance, a notable original sign has been spotted on a home on Jones Road in Greene Towship.  There is at least one original sign kept in the museum at the Watson-Curtze Mansion property in Erie.

If  you'd like a marker for your location from the former Boston Store made by Lake Shore Industries, here is the contact information ..

Address:  1817 Poplar Sreet P.O. Box 3427 Erie, PA 16508-0427

Phone:  (800) 458-0463 or (814) 456-4277

Lake Shore Industries can create custom cast aluminum signs using the authentic historical specifications.  If you happened to find an original sign that is peeling or faded, they also offer a refinishing service to restore it with a durable baked-on enamel.

Custom cast alumium signs such as the authentic Boston Store mileage sign replicas from Lake Shore Industries typically cost between $90 and $400 depending on size and finish.

This is one of the wall fountains with decorative tile work throughtout the Boston Store.

PLEASE SIGN  HERE IN INK

Mrs. Frank Alonge

A decorative stairway in the stairwell

"The first escalator I ever saw was in the Boston Store.  It was the old wooden kind and it made quite an impression on me.  I still remember the clackity clackity sound it made."

"Lots of shopping memories with my mom there.  I especially remember a beautiful red Easter coast with a white collar.  It was so pretty and I felt so special to have something just just for me."

"Meeting under the clock or in the mezzanine which later became a department called "The Loft". My Mom worked there for over 20 years.  A great store."

"The store was positively it!!!!"

 

Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its advertising gimmick of posting humorous rhyming poems on small sequential highwasy roadside signs.  

Burma-Shave Tube and Box

Circa 1940s

Burma-Shave was introduced in 1925 by the Burma-Vita company in Minneapolis, Minnesota owned by Clinton Odell.  The company's original product was a linament made of ingredients described as having come "from the Malay Peninsula and Burma" (hence its name).  Sales were sparse and the company sought to expand sales by introducing a product with wider appeal.  Sales increased and at its peak Burma-Shave was the second-highest-selling brushless shaving cream in the U.S. though sales declined in the 1950s.

The Burma-Shave sign series first appeared on U.S. Highway 65 near Lakeville, Minnesota. The signs were originally produced in two color combinations: red-and-white. Burma-Shave signs were removed after 1963 when the company was sold to American Safety Razor Company, as faster interstates made the small, sequential signs unreadable and obsolete.  Rising maintenance costs, changing advertising trends and the 1965 Highway Beautification Act contributed to their disappearance.  Only a few originals remain, mainly in museums.

As highway speeds increased, drivers could no longer read the famous six-signs, rhyming advertisements. How many signs were there?  Roughly 35,000 signs, nationwide.  The cost of leasing land from farmers and maintaining the signs became too expensive. Interesting to note:  One complete set is housed in the Smithsonian National Museum of AmericanHistory with others in museums like The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn Michigan, the Forney Transportation Museum in Denver, Colorado and the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanaoke, Virginia. 

There are nostalgia replicas re-installed on Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona as a nod to roadside history.

A preserved set of U.S. Route 66 signs promoting Burma-Shave.

Burma-Shave rhymes often blended humor with driving safety and lighthearted digs at "old-fashioned" shaving methods.

In the last year for the signs, most of which were repeats, including the final slogan, which had originally appeared in 1953:

"Our fortune / Is your / Shaven face / It's our best / Advertising space / Burma-Shave"

 

Special Promotional Messages

"Free offer! / Rip a fender off your car / Mail it in / for a half-pound jar / Burma-Shave"

A large number of fenders were received by the company, which made good on its promise.

"Free - free / a trip to Mars / for 900 / empty jars / Burma-Shave"

Arylss French, owner of a Red Owl grocery store did submit 900 empty jars.  The company at first replied: "If a trip to Mars / you earn / remember, friend / there's no return." Then Burma-Shave, on the recommendation of Red Owl's publicity team, withdrew the one-way offer and instead sent Mr. and Mrs. French on vacation to the town of Moers (often pronounced "Mars") near Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. 

Frederick C. Mennen of LaPorte, Indiana a chemist, inventor and industrialist is credited with developing the product in 1958.  Mennen began mareting Jiffy Pop in 1959.

American Home Products purchased Jiffy Pop from Mennen that same year.  Alvin Golub, a pharmacologist, perfected the product and within one year it reached the national U.S. market.  In 1976, the stage magician Harry Blackstone, Jr. was endorsing what the television-commerical jingle called "the magic treat .. as much fun to make as it is to eat". 

Original Jiffy Pop packages used a plain, bright aluminum pan. 

Known for it interactive "magic" experience, it was often popular in the 1960-1980s. The old-fashioned popcorn that expanded in a foil pan on the stovetop was introduced in 1959.  It consisted of kernels, oil and flavoring inside a disposable aluminum pan with a metal handle and a heavy foil lid that puffed up into a bubble as the corn pops.