An Ideal Boy
October 3, 2012 1:40 PM Subscribe
Blast from the past: scans of posters from schools in India. That's all.
I didn't want to put the business link in FPP, but the company that made (most of) these is still in business and still making these posters.
posted by vidur at 1:53 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by vidur at 1:53 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
The first rule on the Junior Red Cross Rules of the Health Game is, if I can read the small print correctly "Be regular in going to latrine."
I long for the days when that was my choice.
Wait... still though, good rule.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012
I long for the days when that was my choice.
Wait... still though, good rule.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012
Love that the USA is represented by some squalling wretch and her ball-thieving brother. It's the most accurate depiction of my childhood, so that seems about right.
posted by phunniemee at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012 [5 favorites]
Why is the USA kid SCREAMING HER HEAD OFF?
posted by The Whelk at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 1:55 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
What is up with Himachal Pradesh kid and that baton and brown suit? Cricket, or fascism?
posted by Mister_A at 2:00 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister_A at 2:00 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
They seem to be running out of steam near the end and glomp them all together under "South Indian"- what obvious discrimination in choices. And how random, why are Punjabi boys in random shorts and shirts. Has there been any contribution to these posters by an intelligence?
posted by infini at 2:01 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by infini at 2:01 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Most of these are self-explanatory but I really want to know what's going on behind TO TAKE LAW IN HANDS.
posted by griphus at 2:02 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by griphus at 2:02 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
I like how France is about to smite you dead with her flowers.
posted by elizardbits at 2:03 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by elizardbits at 2:03 PM on October 3, 2012
I hope they're not still making the People Of The World one. Negroes = yikes.
posted by Specklet at 2:06 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Specklet at 2:06 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I liked the bit with "igloos" under "Our Houses". Are igloos very popular in India?
posted by jb at 2:11 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jb at 2:11 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I hope they're not still making the People Of The World one. Negroes = yikes.
It says most of them are from 1936.
posted by sweetkid at 2:13 PM on October 3, 2012
But why do you need to identify birds by their wings only? It's not like they shed them. Also, that duck is definitely a pigeon.
posted by steganographia at 2:14 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by steganographia at 2:14 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Technology in India is proven here to be well ahead of the curve, as the computer in "Electrical appliances" possesses an uncannily accurate Windows 8 interface.
posted by Wordshore at 2:17 PM on October 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Wordshore at 2:17 PM on October 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
I appreciate that in the Women On Work poster, they delineated between House-wife (cooking work) and House-wife (mother), and that it was presented as an occupation. Too bad there isn't a year on that one, it seems like it was maybe made in an interestingly transitional time.
posted by Mizu at 2:27 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by Mizu at 2:27 PM on October 3, 2012
The kid from Himachal Pradesh has the best outfit, and also has a stick with which to smite. Obviously the winner.
posted by aramaic at 2:27 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by aramaic at 2:27 PM on October 3, 2012
Gargle after every meal.
The Egyptian kid is rocking the 3000-year-old look. The pictures of the kids are all funny/terrible, but at least the rest of them are showing traditional dress from the past few centuries.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 2:29 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
The Egyptian kid is rocking the 3000-year-old look. The pictures of the kids are all funny/terrible, but at least the rest of them are showing traditional dress from the past few centuries.
posted by Pruitt-Igoe at 2:29 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I love the implied warning in the Family Chart one that while small families are sedate and happy, if you have a large family, Fred Astaire will choreograph fights between your children.
posted by darksasami at 2:31 PM on October 3, 2012 [6 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 2:31 PM on October 3, 2012 [6 favorites]
That mason is moonlighting as a weaver.
posted by Segundus at 2:36 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Segundus at 2:36 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Man how do make a completely wrong illustration for the country you just broke up with in 1947? Intentionally?
posted by legospaceman at 2:38 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by legospaceman at 2:38 PM on October 3, 2012
Man the Women at Work poster is so much more progressive than it seems at face value.
posted by legospaceman at 2:41 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by legospaceman at 2:41 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I love the implied warning in the Family Chart one that while small families are sedate and happy, if you have a large family, Fred Astaire will choreograph fights between your children.
I like how there aren't actually that many more people in the large family, it just feels that way.
posted by Acheman at 2:55 PM on October 3, 2012
I like how there aren't actually that many more people in the large family, it just feels that way.
posted by Acheman at 2:55 PM on October 3, 2012
Women On Work poster
Especially the doctor and computer operator. The men's version lists a lot of textiles work but no service type work (or being a doctor) except, maybe the "artist."
posted by porpoise at 2:56 PM on October 3, 2012
Especially the doctor and computer operator. The men's version lists a lot of textiles work but no service type work (or being a doctor) except, maybe the "artist."
posted by porpoise at 2:56 PM on October 3, 2012
It says most of them are from 1936.
It says "Many of the posters are from the Indian Book Depot, which was established in 1936..." There's nothing about when the posters themselves actually date from. Plenty of them contain URLs and/or email addresses in the fine print; others, judging by their content, are from the late eighties at the very least.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:58 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
It says "Many of the posters are from the Indian Book Depot, which was established in 1936..." There's nothing about when the posters themselves actually date from. Plenty of them contain URLs and/or email addresses in the fine print; others, judging by their content, are from the late eighties at the very least.
posted by Sys Rq at 2:58 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Oh boy oh boy oh boy.
These are going up all over my house. (I have two boys to bring up).
posted by Catch at 3:15 PM on October 3, 2012
These are going up all over my house. (I have two boys to bring up).
posted by Catch at 3:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Maharashtra drive like this and Kerala drives like THIS!
posted by dr_dank at 3:16 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by dr_dank at 3:16 PM on October 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Grab the prizes!
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 3:40 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Great Big Mulp at 3:40 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is awesome. I've had the Bad Habits poster hanging in my office for years. It was given to me by a friend years ago. I always wondered what the context was.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 3:53 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 3:53 PM on October 3, 2012
It's interesting to me that in two different "Children of India" posters, the Christian child is depicted carrying a guitar.
posted by roll truck roll at 4:18 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by roll truck roll at 4:18 PM on October 3, 2012
I want to wear t-shirts with these designs.
What's going on with Monkey and Two Cats? Cats seem to be skulking away, saying "Fuck this monkey. Let's blow."
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:58 PM on October 3, 2012
What's going on with Monkey and Two Cats? Cats seem to be skulking away, saying "Fuck this monkey. Let's blow."
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:58 PM on October 3, 2012
It's interesting to me that in two different "Children of India" posters, the Christian child is depicted carrying a guitar.
Ugh -- so many bad guitar masses in the 70s.
Begone, foul memories!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:59 PM on October 3, 2012
Ugh -- so many bad guitar masses in the 70s.
Begone, foul memories!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 4:59 PM on October 3, 2012
What's going on with Monkey and Two Cats? Cats seem to be skulking away, saying "Fuck this monkey. Let's blow."
Here are two of those stories as I vaguely recall:
Here are two of those stories as I vaguely recall:
Two Cats and the Monkeyposted by vidur at 5:09 PM on October 3, 2012 [8 favorites]
Two cats happen to grab a large piece of bread at the same time. As they are fighting over who gets to keep it, or how to divide it equally, a monkey comes along and offers to divide it equally in return for a small piece of bread. The monkey breaks the bread into two pieces and weighs them on a scale. As one piece is heavier, he eats a part of it as his fee. Now, the other piece is heavier, so he eats a part of that. This continues till there is no more bread left. The monkey runs away and the cats are left hungry.
Moral of the story: Resolve your issues peacefully, or others will take advantage of the discord.
Union is Strength
An old man on his deathbed is very disappointed that his sons are constantly fighting with each other and don't live together in harmony. To teach them a lesson, he asks each of them to bring him a stick. He then ties the sticks together as one bundle and asks them to break it. After they are done trying unsuccessfully, he unties the bundle and hands a single stick to each of them and asks them to try again. Obviously, the sticks are now easily snapped. The old man tells his sons that if they don't stay together in harmony, their enemies will break them individually with ease.
Moral of the story: Stick together with your friends/family, or else..
Yes! I first saw these posters on The Sneeze, but I had no idea there were so many. I'm disappointed this house poster didn't include the dreaded shaky house though (scroll down).
posted by gueneverey at 5:15 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by gueneverey at 5:15 PM on October 3, 2012
Specklet: I hope they're not still making the People Of The World one. Negroes = yikes.Apparently you're unaware that this used to be a perfectly acceptable and respectful way to refer to dark-skinned people of African descent.
Great, now I have to be the one to break it to you: the "CP" in NAACP isn't an initialism for "African Americans".
posted by IAmBroom at 5:25 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
These were cool, thanks for posting them.
posted by Diablevert at 7:00 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by Diablevert at 7:00 PM on October 3, 2012
I meant that the depiction of Negroes was a stereotype, sorry if my comment was confusing/offensive.
posted by Specklet at 8:35 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by Specklet at 8:35 PM on October 3, 2012
Body parts chart coyly handwaves anything to do with reproductive bits.
Also: Noodles/Macroni/Pasta. Different?
posted by zadcat at 8:46 PM on October 3, 2012
Also: Noodles/Macroni/Pasta. Different?
posted by zadcat at 8:46 PM on October 3, 2012
Yesssss. I am really fascinated by weird old-timey pseudotaxonomies like those in many of these posters.
posted by threeants at 9:37 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by threeants at 9:37 PM on October 3, 2012
I find it interesting that the people are frequently portrayed to be light-skinned -- or, at least, lighter than I'd expect (see, e.g., here). Did the pigments fade over time, or...?
posted by tickingclock at 9:55 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by tickingclock at 9:55 PM on October 3, 2012
I find it interesting that the people are frequently portrayed to be light-skinned -- or, at least, lighter than I'd expect (see, e.g., here). Did the pigments fade over time, or...?
Part of that is probably the scan quality, but mostly it has to do with my fellow citizens' obsession with "wheatish complexion".
posted by vidur at 10:18 PM on October 3, 2012
Part of that is probably the scan quality, but mostly it has to do with my fellow citizens' obsession with "wheatish complexion".
posted by vidur at 10:18 PM on October 3, 2012
What is a salsa wrap? I want to know. I'd also like a recipe.
posted by blessedlyndie at 10:33 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by blessedlyndie at 10:33 PM on October 3, 2012
The woman in "Beauty" looks horrified. Some sort of subliminal women-oppressing move, no doubt!!
posted by Xere at 11:25 PM on October 3, 2012
posted by Xere at 11:25 PM on October 3, 2012
I think the Expressions one is issued as a reference sheet for Bollywood directors.
posted by rh at 12:47 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by rh at 12:47 AM on October 4, 2012
I found a lot of these posters useful. Like the ones with the leaves and bird wings.
I also learned that kite flying is a terrible hobby.
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 12:56 AM on October 4, 2012
I also learned that kite flying is a terrible hobby.
posted by Ms. Moonlight at 12:56 AM on October 4, 2012
I don't really understand how one would pick up the "bad habit" of playing with electricity. Especially the way the child in the picture is doing it.
posted by lollusc at 2:46 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by lollusc at 2:46 AM on October 4, 2012
I like it that the poster for "Beverages (Hot & Cold)" has an entry for "mocktail".
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 3:04 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 3:04 AM on October 4, 2012
Oh man, I had totally forgotten about these -- they were also printed in smaller size in the back of some old Indian children's books and magazines that my parents used to give me. This totally pulled out some really deep childhood memories! I feel like some of them are the Indian equivalent of Goofus and Gallant. Thanks for posting.
posted by bluefly at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by bluefly at 8:17 AM on October 4, 2012
Nepal, Texas?
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:54 AM on October 4, 2012
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 11:54 AM on October 4, 2012
Wow. That poor kid from Maharashtra has to go to school dressed like he works at a Baskin-Robbins. I'd be so pissed, especially being right next to the kid from Nagaland. LOOK WHAT HE GETS TO WEAR TO SCHOOL! A skirt, all that Jewelry, a feather headress AND he gets to carry a sword as long as his leg! No fair, I'd be demanding my parents move. Seriously.
Plus, I just keep thinking of an updated version of the children of the world with Honey Booboo for the American entry.
posted by Mcable at 2:18 PM on October 4, 2012
Plus, I just keep thinking of an updated version of the children of the world with Honey Booboo for the American entry.
posted by Mcable at 2:18 PM on October 4, 2012
I also learned that kite flying is a terrible hobby.
Heh. Kites are normally flown from rooftops (which are typically flat). Also, kite string is frequently (perhaps even usually?) coated with ground up glass, because what is kite flying without kite fighting? Then you have people running after kites that have been cut loose, totally oblivious of traffic. Or you have kids falling off rooftops. More recently, you have people reinforcing their kite strings with wire and then electrocuting themselves and others.
So there are serious reasons for disapproving of kite-flying (all this comes to you from someone who has flown kites in Lahore since she was seven).
Mostly, though, I think the idea is that flying kites is frivolous and associated with idlers, and therefore not something studious school children are supposed to be interested in. See also, all kinds of games that are played in the streets (gilli danda, pitthoo, etc.), plus chess, cards, and billiards/pool.
posted by bardophile at 11:00 AM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
Heh. Kites are normally flown from rooftops (which are typically flat). Also, kite string is frequently (perhaps even usually?) coated with ground up glass, because what is kite flying without kite fighting? Then you have people running after kites that have been cut loose, totally oblivious of traffic. Or you have kids falling off rooftops. More recently, you have people reinforcing their kite strings with wire and then electrocuting themselves and others.
So there are serious reasons for disapproving of kite-flying (all this comes to you from someone who has flown kites in Lahore since she was seven).
Mostly, though, I think the idea is that flying kites is frivolous and associated with idlers, and therefore not something studious school children are supposed to be interested in. See also, all kinds of games that are played in the streets (gilli danda, pitthoo, etc.), plus chess, cards, and billiards/pool.
posted by bardophile at 11:00 AM on October 7, 2012 [1 favorite]
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posted by xingcat at 1:48 PM on October 3, 2012 [1 favorite]