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SIGN LANGUAGE
To The Best of Our Knowledge
from Wisconsin Public Radio
"The bearded lady/tried
a jar/she's now/a famous movie star/Burma-shave." Jingles
like that could be found on signs across America's highways
between the 1930's and the 1950's. In this hour of To
the Best of Our Knowledge, the story behind the legendary
Burma-Shave advertising campaign. Also, the evolution of
those small plastic car-plaques, the Jesus fish and the
Darwin fish.
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SEGMENT 1:
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Architect Lisa Mahar is the author of
"American Signs: Form and Meaning on Route 66."
She tells Anne Strainchamps the signs started out plain, but
became grandiose neon monuments by the 1950s. Mahar says she
prefers the classic simple ones. Also, Bill Vossler
is the author of "Burma-Shave: The Rhymes, the Signs,
The Times." He tells Jim Fleming where the classic rhyming
signs came from, and reads several examples. |
SEGMENT 2:
| Susan Burch
teaches at Gallaudet University and is the author of "Signs
of Resistance: American Deaf Cultural History, 1900 - 1942."
She tells Jim Fleming about the "oralist" movement
which required the deaf to learn sign language and lip reading.
Also, Tom Lessl conducted a study of the Darwin fish
emblem some people slap on their cars. He tells Steve Paulson
it seems to have little to do with evolution but represents
a rejection of fundamentalist Christianity. |
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SEGMENT 3:
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Frederic Spotts is the author
of "Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics." Spotts
tells Jim Fleming that Hitler saw himself as a painter and
was forever wounded by his failure to impress the artistic
establishment. He became an orator almost by accident and
dreamed of founding a great city to be the center of Aryan
culture. |
Cassette copies are available
at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 03-05-04-A.
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Books:
- Susan Burch, Signs of Resistance: American
Deaf Cultural History, 1900 - 1942 (NYU Press)
- Lisa Mahar, American Signs: Form and Meaning
on Route 66 (Monacelli Press)
- Frederic Spotts, Hitler and the Power of
Aesthetics (The Overlook Press)
- Bill Vossler, Burma-Shave: The Rhymes,
the Signs, the Times (North Star Press of St. Cloud/Bill Vossler
Books 1-800-476-8599)
Music:
- - "Route 66 Theme"/Nelson Riddle
from the CD box set, "The Beat Generation: Volume One"
(Rhino/Wordbeat) http://www.rhino.com/
-- "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66"/Nat King Cole
from the CD, "Nat King Cole: Capitol Collector's Series"
(Capitol)
-- "Girl on the Billboard"/Del Reeves
from the CD, "Truck Driver's Boogie: Big Rig Hits, 1939-1969"
(Diesel Only) http://www.dieselonly.com/
-- "The Rainstorm"/John Davis
from the CD, "John Davis Plays Blind Tom" (Newport Classic)
-- ""Water in the Moonlight"/John Davis
from the CD, "John Davis Plays Blind Tom" (Newport Classic)
-- "Darwin"/John Wesley Harding
from the CD, "Swings and Roundabouts" (Way Out Wes,
Ltd./wow4)
http://www.wesweb.net/recordings/d4/index.html
-- "Tristan und Isolde Prelude"/Maestro Lorin Maazel,
Waltraud Meier and the Berlin Philharmonic
from the CD, "Lorin Maazel Conducts Wagner" (RCA Victor)
-- "Scherzo" from Anton Bruckner's "Symphonie No.
4 in E Flat Major 'Romantic'"/Claudio Abbado, conductor and
the Vienna Philharmonic
from the CD, "Anton Bruckner, Symphonie No. 4, 'Romantic'"/
Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado (Deutsche Grammophon)
Distribution dates:
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Questions and comments can
be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org
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