Professor Hamilton's Diary: Aug. 31, 1935

He takes Gwennie shopping for shoes; Albright College football team is in training

Professor Hamilton and his daughter Gwennie, who was entering second grade, went shopping in downtown Reading for shoes today and ran some other errands. I bet she loved being out and about with her daddy! Here’s an ad for school shoes from a Reading department store, clipped out of the Reading Times of Aug. 30 via newspapers.com.

A sturdy pair of t-straps like these could carry a little girl into the winter. The $1 price tag translates into about $23 in currend money. I would expect that a middle class family like the Hamiltons could afford three pairs of shoes for Gwennie: one for school, one for play, and one for church, the last to be carefully cared for so they could be passed down to Mary Elizabeth. A far cry from today, when kids seem to have a closet full of fancy sneakers!

Anyone remember buying Buster Brown or Red Goose shoes?

This vintage Buster Brown Shoes sign is being offered on eBay for an astounding $1,595!

Professor Hamilton did not seem to take much interest in sports, but college football was gearing up for a new season, including the team at Albright College.

Paid subscribers can read on about training back in the day and the Albright Lions’ demanding coach.