Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History 

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

“Back to School” Through the Ages
S

ince this is the JN’s “Back to 
School” issue, a long-stand-
ing annual feature, I thought 
I should do my part by 
presenting some helpful 
content from the past to 
properly get the kids ready 
for school this fall. Using 
just the search term “back 
to school,” I found 1,547 
pages with relevant con-
tent in the JN and Jewish 
Chronicle in the William 
Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History.
To be sure, not all the mentions in the 
Archive deal with getting the kids ready 
for their return to the classroom … and 
creating some peaceful space for Mom 
and Dad during the day! Some entries 
are society news bits regarding college 
students returning to campus. Others 
are not about the traditional concept of 
back to school. For example, an adver-
tisement from the Jan. 25, 1924, Detroit 
Jewish Chronicle for the Detroit Institute 
of Technology promoted “practical 
instruction” in various skills such as 
pharmacy, business programs and engi-
neering. Perhaps a bit, or maybe, seri-
ously discriminatory by 2023 standards, 

the ad emphasized “evening classes at 
the ‘School for Men.’” It had a clip-out 
coupon for your convenience (conve-
nient if you were a man, I guess).
The first bonafide “Back to School” 
ad that I could find was one aimed at 
Mom. Anticipating her “being burdened 
with extra heavy washings,” the Palace 
Model Laundry wanted everyone to 
know that it would be happy to help 
with washing clothes, especially “until 
the family settles down to the fall sched-
ule” (Sept. 24, 1925, Chronicle). A very 
nice offer, indeed (for a fee, of course).
Several other ads stood out from the 
hundreds of back-to-school pitches. 
In just one of many ads over the years, 
United Dairies wanted you to know that 
“Milk Brings the Family to Attention … 
with Extra Energy.” This version has an 
interesting graphic of Dad, Mom and 
son saluting a bottle of milk while not-
ing that the U.S. needs strong families 
(Sept. 10, 1943, JN). This ad was pub-
lished during World War II. 
“Young Detroit Goes Back to School” 
— but apparently not before a trip 
to Windsor, Ontario. The Boystown 
Girlstown Youth Center in that city — 
“Air Conditioned for Your Shopping 
Comfort” — had all the clothes your 

kids would ever need for school, from 
skirts, dresses and sweaters to blazers, 
shirts and topcoats (Aug. 22, 1947, JN). 
Of course, closer to home, Hudson’s 
claimed to send “Them Right Back to 
School;” Right meaning Hudson-style 
high fashion, of course (Aug. 20, 1948, 
JN).
But what about school supplies? No 
problem, just “Shop Sentry for Mini-
Prices on School Supplies.” This Detroit 
drugstore chain could meet every need, 
from pencils and crayons to paper and 
(for teachers, I assume) “100 ct. aspirin” 
(Sept.1, 1967).
Finally, the JN cover from Aug. 20, 
2020, tells another story that parents 
with school-age kids would just as soon 
forget. The image of Spiro Farber says 
it all — he’s wearing a mask because the 
nation was in the grip of COVID-19 
when school began that year. That was a 
tough, tough “Back to School” year for 
kids and their parents. Hopefully, one 
never to be repeated.
The lesson for the day, readers, is a 
simple one — the JN is there for you 
when it’s “Back to School” time. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, 
available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

70 | AUGUST 17 • 2023 

