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Month: May 2017

Vintage Photo’s of Student Life: 1920s-1950s

As we all remember (or maybe don’t), school was not just about books and tests it was also about all the fun activities you could do outside of your regular classes. For example, I was in Drama club when I was in high school. I was terrible but I loved being part of something that made me smile and was my choice to be involved in. I also enjoyed the dances because I love to dance and dress-up and I got to do both a few times a year. Win!

Today’s “Vintage Photo Tuesday” is all about this “life outside of the classroom” and features students from various levels of education and schools from the 1920’s-1950’s.

Let’s take a look!

vintage image of students at university of Chicago
Source: University of Chicago Archives

Vintage Photo’s of Student Life: 1920s-1950s

1940s Vintage Photo, October 1949: Paul Macdonald of Gananoque, Ont, 3rd year drawing and painting student, paints semi-abstract still life with fruit while 2nd year ceramics student Nancy Snider, of Islington, Ont, watches.

1940s vintage photo of students in art class studing a painting. October 1949: Paul Macdonald of Gananoque, Ont, 3rd year drawing and painting student, paints semi-abstract still life with fruit while 2nd year ceramics student Nancy Snider, of Islington, Ont, watches.
Source: Library & Archives Canada

Meeting of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Howard University-1946.

1940s Photo of Black Students Meeting of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority at Howard University-1946.

Source: Life Photo Collection

Boys and their portable radio-1948. Lineup outside the Athletic office for tickets for McGill football weekend.

1940s vintage image of 1948 image of young men with a portable radio in suits - Boys and their portable radio-1948. Lineup outside the Athletic office for tickets for McGill football weekend.
Source: University of Toronto Archives Image Bank

1950s vintage photo of Mae Wang, left, and Jeanne Chen enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on a lawn at Our Lady of the Lake University. The two attended the university thanks to a four-year scholarship through an overseas student service.

1950s vintage photo of two young women in traditional Chinese dresses on the lawn at a San Antonio College. Mae Wang, left, and Jeanne Chen enjoyed a relaxing afternoon on a lawn at Our Lady of the Lake University. The two attended the university thanks to a four-year scholarship through an overseas student service.

Source: sacurrent.com

A group of dancing Dentettes in rehearsal for the 1946-47 Dentatics musical review. While I’m not sure what a “Dentette” is at the University of Toronto, I do know it looks like they are having fun.

1940s image of young women in 1940s outfits doing a kickline pose for the camera. A group of dancing Dentettes in rehearsal for the 1946-47 Dentatics musical review.
Source: U of T Archives Image Bank

1950s vintage photo: University of Toronto-Alpha Phi Fraternity – members singing at the piano (1952).

1950s vintage photo: University of Toronto-Alpha Phi Fraternity - women members singing at the piano (1952) in 1950s fashions.
U of T Archives Image Bank

The Athletes Night Big Dance at University of Toronto-1952.

1950s vintage photo of a School Dance at University of Toronto Vintage Image from 1952-The Athletes Night Big Dance at University of Toronto
Source: U of T Archives Image Bank

Editorial staff of the “Hill Top”, the student paper at Howard University-1946.

Editorial staff of the "Hill Top", the student paper at Howard University. 1940s vintage photo of black students.

Source: Life Photo Collection

East York (Toronto) Student Panel-1949.

1940s vintage photo of the 1949 East York Toronto Student Panel
Source Toronto Archives

The Jordan River Revue was a musical variety show written, produced, directed and acted in by Indiana University Students (Source). Here is a group performing “Peas and Beans”, 1946.

1940s vintage photo of student life: Jordan River Revue, "Peas and Beans" ," The Jordan River Revue was a musical variety show written, produced, directed and acted in by Indiana University Students
Source: IU Archives

The Book Nook Commencement was a mock commencement ceremony that took place at the Book Nook, a popular student hangout in the 1920s located at Indiana and Kirkwood Avenue.  A combination soda fountain and bookstore, the Book Nook was known for its music and the sometimes rowdy behavior of its customers.  For many years the Book Nook played a significant role in Indiana University student culture (Source).

Notable IU alum musician and composer Hoagy Carmichael was a frequent patron (Seen below at the piano, 1939), and it is said he composed his most famous songs, Stardust, at one of the Book Nook booths.

Hoagy Carmichael at the Book Nook University of Indiana 1939 Vintage Image
Source: IU Archives

Dorm Life at the University of Chicago, 1950’s.

Further Reading: Vintage Photos of Dorm Life in the 1920s-1960s

1950s vintage image of Dorm Life at the University of Chicago 1950s
Source: University of Chicago Archives

Hanging out in the dining hall with friends and cokes-1940’s University of Chicago.

Hanging out in the dining hall with friends and cokes-1940's vintage image of student life at the University of Chicago.
Source: University of Chicago Archives

I’m now going to end this week’s VPT with the most outstanding vintage student life image..ever! It is from the 1920’s at the University of Chicago. WOW! what style!

1920s vintage image of two women in 1920s fashions and young man in 1920s college fashion talking together outside of the University of Chicago
Source: University of Chicago Archives

I hope you enjoyed this week’s ‘Vintage Photo Tuesday’. Share your favourite image in the comments section below.

Further Reading:

Have a super day friends!

Liz

Jean Veloz-Icon of the Swing Dance Community

Vintage image of famous swing dancer / lindy hopper, Jean Veloz in a 1940s hairstyle.
Source: Jean Veloz

In the Lindy Hop world Jean Veloz is an icon (an American lindy hop dancer and actress, best known for her roles in 1940s and 1950s musicals. She innovated a style of swing dance that was “silky smooth”, now known as “Hollywood style) and so as we approach ‘World Lindy Hop Day‘ on May 26th, I think it’s a good time to share with my readers the story of Jean and her swing dancing success.

ABOUT JEAN (born March 1, 1924):

As a teenager in the 1940’s Jean Phelps (her maiden name) and her brothers Bob and & Ray would invite friends over to their living-room and practice the popular dance of their generation, the Lindy Hop or also know as the Jitterbug (to the white dancers).

Video: Take a look at the famous 1937 movie, A Day at the Races that is recognized by many as one of the greatest Lindy Hop clips in history featuring ‘Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers’.

Further Reading: ‘What is the Lindy Hop & Where did it come from?’

Jean and Ray got so good together that they decided to enter an area-wide Jitterbug contest in Santa Maria, winning out over a total of 500 dancers.

1940s vintage photos of Jean veloz with  a photo of her brother and a news clipping about being winning Jitterbugs. Jean is wearing a stunning 1940s hairstyles with hairbow.
Source: Jean Veloz

The Phelps family moved to Los Angeles in 1942, which allowed Jean and her brothers the opportunity to dance at the LA hotspots. In 1943 Jean entered a contest at American Legion Stadium in Hollywood, where the prize was a Screen Actor’s Guild membership card and a dance cameo in the movie Swing Fever starring Kay Kyser and Marilyn Maxwell. Jean won the contest, her SAG card, and the opportunity to dance with Lennie Smith and Don Gallager in the feature-length movie (Source).

After the success of Swing Fever, Jean’s career took off and she went on to dance in several movies:

20th Century Fox’s Swingin’ On a Tea Garden Gate starring Peter Lawford (Dance Partner: Chuck Saggau).

1940s vintage photo of swing dancers Chuck Saggau & Jean Veloz dancing together for a movie in 1940s fashions.
Source: Rustyfrank

1943’s MGM’s Jive Junction (Dance Partner: Bob Ashley).

The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945) starring Jack Benny as the angel Gabriel (Dance Partner: Dean Collins). NOTE: I cannot seem to find a video of the dancing.

But one of her most popular films for Lindy Hoppers around the world is the 1944 short film “Groovie Movie“, as it’s a great study of the early years of the Lindy Hop. Here is Jean, Arthur Walsh, Lenny Smith, Kay Vaughn, Irene Thomas and Chuck Saggau in this little gem.

Outside of starring in movies Jean and her brother Ray entered many dance contests in the Hollywood and Los Angeles areas.

1940s vintage photo of swing dancers / Jitterbug dancers Jean Veloz and Ray Phelps dancing together in 1940s fashions.

Here is a FANTASTIC short clip of Jean and Ray discussing how this famous image above came to be.

In 1946, Jean even danced in the chorus line at the El Rancho Vegas Hotel, working with choreographer Nick Castle for six months (Source).

1940s vintage Postcard of the El Rancho Vegas Hotel Casino and resturant in Las Vegas
Source: eBay

Jean’s fate was about to take another positive turn when famous ballroom dancer Frank Veloz was in need of a partner, after his regular partner & wife Yolanda Veloz retired. Jean became Frank’s new dance partner, performing exhibition ballroom dancing and appearing in a two-week engagement at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco.

1940s vintage photo of swing dancers Jean Veloz and Frank Veloz sitting together at dinner.
Source: Jean Veloz
Frank Veloz & Jean Phelps ballroom dancing vintage ad
Source: Jean Veloz

1950-The Frank Veloz Show airs and runs for 5 years. Jean and Frank did exhibitions of tango, waltz, rhumba, samba, swing and foxtrot, along with teaching these dances on live TV. They interviewed many well-known stars including Liberace, incorporating these appearances into the show (Source).

1950s vintage photo of The Frank Veloz Show featuring Swing Dancer Jean Veloz and her husband Frank dancing ballroom.
Source: Jean Veloz

Jean and Frank eventually were married in 1963 (he had divorced his wife Yolanda in the 50’s) and they remained a happy dancing couple until his death in 1981 from Cancer. Jean stopped dancing until 1992.

Jean and Frank Veloz dancing couple vintage image
Source: Jean Veloz

The Revival of Jean’s Dancing Career:

In 1992 Jean was approached by a Rudy Linan a swing dancer from Vegas who was working on a swing documentary and encouraged Jean to start dancing again.

Swing Dancers / Lindy Hopper Jean Veloz -Famous Dancer
Source: Jean Veloz

After she put her dancing shoes back on, the Lindy Hop/Swing Dance world took notice and she was asked to participate in dance events from coast to coast, year after year.

1996, Jean Veloz was inducted into the prestigious California Swing Dance Hall of Fame as a Golden Star.

California Swing Dance Hall of Fame

Other notable events:

In 2000, all surviving members of Groovie Movie together as Jean, Irene Thomas and Chuck Saggau appeared together again for the first time since the 1940s, with Ray Phelps was along for good measure. In 2004, the group was together again to participate in activities surrounding the dedication of the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Jean, Ray, Irene and Chuck performed along with Swing Dancers Tom and Debra at the Smithsonian Institution in front of hundreds of people.

Jean Veloz swing dancer
Source: Jean Veloz

2014 was a special year for Jean as she celebrated her 90th birthday and how does one do that in today’s world? They go viral! Yup videos of Jean dancing at various places for her 90th birthday surfaced and was seen by millions of people (yup millions). Jean’s name was now known to the world not just to the swing dance community. How exciting!

Here is one of those videos.

Showing no signs of slowing down Jean continues to dance and attend events all over the world. She even was on the TV Show “Little Big Shots: Forever Young” in 2017.

UPDATE (January 16th, 2023): Jean passed on January 15th, 2023 at the age of 98.

LITTLE BIG SHOTS: FOREVER YOUNG -- "Age Ain't Nothing But A Number" Episode 104 --  Pictured: Jean Veloz (center) -- (Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBC)
LITTLE BIG SHOTS: FOREVER YOUNG — “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” Episode 104 — Pictured: Jean Veloz (center) — (Photo by: Vivian Zink/NBC)

I will now leave you one with one last video taken last year as Jean celebrated her 92nd birthday.

I hope you enjoyed learning all about the amazing and wonderful Jean Veloz, she is truly inspiring to dancers everywhere and I hope to one day to grow-up to be just like her.

FURTHER READING: Collection of Vintage Blog Posts on Swing Dance & The Big Band Era & Women of the Big Band Era Everyone Should Know

Liz