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May 1942. "Southington, Connecticut. Schoolchildren staging a patriotic demonstration." Which includes Synchronized Stationary Bikes. Photo by Fenno Jacobs for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Those nifty bikes were probably purchased just one block down the road at the Western Auto store, right across the street from the movie theatre where I worked as a projectionist.
I like how many of the design elements on the girls bicycles echo those of the car in the background.
Also, saddle shoes in '42? I thought that was a '50s thing. I guess they had a good long run.
[Saddle shoes (and bobby-soxers) were a Forties phenomenon that had its genesis in the Thirties. - Dave]
That boy in the striped shirt is the only person looking directly at the three riding beaus, but is he looking at the riders or their machines?
Of fully loaded "pre-war" Elgin bikes. Skip tooth chain and rear mount dropouts. Racks, lights, skirt guards, rear drop stands & tanks.
The fancy Elgin bicycles the sisters have can be found in a 1938 Sears catalog for $30.95.
The two girls have very similar facial features. I think they may be sisters. I would love to have those bikes!
... thought the little girl to herself with the patriotic flag blowing in the soft Summer breeze.
I love the skirt guards on those bikes. I know a gal that wears dresses on her bike that has clear skirt guards lashed to her rear fender (mud guard). Biking is not just a sporting event in Minneapolis.
One like that would have kept me from going over the handler bars more then a few times on my old Schwinn in the 50's
I thought this scene looked vaguely familiar. From a different angle. And in color (even the car with the distinctive chrome on its fenders (a 1942 Buick as identified by Zcarstvnz) can be seen in both shots) - https://www.shorpy.com/node/3473
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