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Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Acme Card System Co." Another look at the Acme record-keeping system. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size.
A lovely woman, but I most enjoyed the comments here today.
It looks as though they hung their Ethernet wire across the ceiling and dropped it down near Ms. Acme's cubicle. I can't tell if they are using VoIP or just the LAN because oddly the photo doesn't show her phone or computer.
I remember working with a system like this at the Hesburgh Library in 1995. Ahh, the satisfying "Thnik" as I pulled out a tray of cards, the quiet 'flp flp flp" as I found the right one, and the amazement at how other clerks could make all their check marks exactly the same. Mine were always a little misshapen.
Those aren't buttons. She obviously got a Bedazzler for Christmas!
Henry lost another button off his vest. He will do anything to be near his crush, Miss Hortense.
Miss Scratchwell tabulates the number of snags and stray threads attending her testing of the Acme Spare Button Dress ("Never Suffer the Embarrassment of a Missing Button! Be a Hero to Your Friends In Need!") while supervisor Pinchworth looks on approvingly.
My mom had enough sense to keep her button collection in a jar so they wouldn't ruin the furniture.
We were still using it or a similar one which we called cardex at Maritime Air Command HQ, RCAF, in the command personnel shop in 1966.
Howard stood, longing, just beyond the doorway. He'd asked Ava to compile all the "L" files, asked her twice that very morning.
Howard's soul, his very spirit depended on the efficiency and rational organizaiton of the Acme Record Keeping System.
But as Ava went through the index, she never once looked up, never acknowledged the lilac-scented, lavender file cards placed for her discovery. Licentious. Libido. Libertine. Lust. Lithe. Lydian. Lilith, the demon spirit! LOVE. All for naught... each card, a cry, an impassioned plea, simply collated, indexed and filed away, out of sight, in the dark drawer, like the dark cavern of his longing.
Once again, Howard would have to return to his office, stoking his unrequited passion by thinking of the buttons... oh, the buttons. One button, two buttons, three buttons... buttons...
Item: 1 ea, corpse, male, well-dressed, free-standing
Location: vestibule A, right side
And was she constantly worried about losing one?
Love that dress. Probably home-made ... note the sleeves just short enough to let her work with the Card System.
"As Angela worked on the card index system in the lonely office she was painfully aware that Roger, with his blurred face and large ears, was regarding her intently from the doorway. However, she remained calm, knowing that one blow from her mighty fist would dissuade him from any of the saucy manoeuvres for which he was notorious."
Serious overproduction in fastener section. Until further notice, all employees to be paid in buttons.
Even in this pre-computer era, could one refer to this woman as a "knowledge worker"?
I think she might require an intervention for her fastener addiction.
Miss Acme must have been a sales person for Acme Buttons and Notions Emporium, Inc. She looks like a walking, talking sample card.
Very interesting details on the dress. Buttons everywhere!
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