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February 1941. Belle Glade, Florida. "Migratory laborers playing checkers in front of juke joint during slack season for vegetable pickers." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
You know times are hard when your checker pieces are bottle caps.
I notice that instead of using regular red and black pieces to play checkers, also known as draughts, each player is using (beer?) bottle caps. The left side is with caps facing up, and the right with caps facing down.
Anyone notice the mystery hand sticking out from behind the black gentleman second from the right? Also, what does that little boy have tucked under hit right arm? Finally, bottle caps for checkers pieces!
It's a General Electric I-14, converted to a socket type using a kit made by Westinghouse for the purpose. Prior to 1934, meters were either located indoors, high up under the eaves, or in a "doghouse". The socket type was and is weatherproof and much more convenient, and some utilities chose to retrofit all installations immediately.
The I-14 is readily distinguished from the later I-16 and I-20 by its brake magnet, the silver thing that is shaped like a butterfly.
I know of at least one I-14 which remained in revenue service until 2009, and I use a 1922 I-14 to track the energy consumption of the air conditioner in my utility room.
It appears they are playing checkers with bottle caps! I haven't heard about that in many years. I did it myself as a kid, turning them over was a king thing.
"You want RC or Orange?"
Wonder if someone painted the board by hand...
Using bottle caps for the checker pieces!
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