Diving Board Follies

Before a federal law was enacted some decades ago, people would wantonly lie or sit on diving boards, preventing others from practicing their diving skills or enjoying a refreshing splash in the water. Thankfully those days are gone and we can all enjoy free access to diving boards everywhere, since scofflaws will now see their swimming privileges revoked and may face time in the slammer.  O.K., not really, but there have been sillier laws. Did you believe it for a minute?

Anyway, here are some cards showing early perpetrators. Shocking, isn't it?  While the husband blocks access to the diving board, his wife attempts to prevent another hapless swimmer from climbing the ladder to get out of the pool. These people are a menace.

There's nothing children love more than swimming pools, but this poor child may be out of luck, under the threatening gaze of  Zelda and Dottie, both intent upon blocking her access to the pool.

Here are the backs of the cards in the same order:

Cherub with Phone

Since when do cherubs talk on the phone anyway? Well, at least it's not a cell phone.

It must be hard to type on a textured card like this, but it didn't stop Anna Calway, who was writing to her friend Nancy Davis in Merrifield, New York.  Only at the end did she add a couple of handwritten words, including: "Don't mind how this is written" on the side.

Good Luck Tobacco

This is another one of those metamorphic trade cards, again circa 1880.  Fold the bottom down and the picture is transformed:

Here's the back, which is not in the best shape:

And finally, here's some information on Cotterill, Fenner, and Co. from The Industrial Advance of Dayton, Ohio - Historical, Statistical, Descriptive Review, published in 1889 :

COTTERILL, FENNER & CO.

North Star Tobacco Works, East Second Street.

            In the rapid development of the industries of Dayton during the past quarter of a century, the manufacture of tobacco has been advanced to a prominent position, and in the van among other enterprises stands the old established and reliable house of Messrs. Cotterill, Fenner & Co.  The business was founded in 1855, and after an honorable and successful career of nearly a third of a century today enjoys the highest reputation for the production of the best quality goods in its line.  The premises occupied cover an extensive area, 100x200 feet in dimensions, upon which is located the main factory, a building four stories high and built of brick, in addition to a two-story frame structure adjoining.  Steam power from a forty horse power engine is used to operate the machinery and appliances, which are of the very best and most modern character.  Employment is given to sixty-five operatives.  Messrs. Cotterill, Fenner & Co. manufacture a variety of smoking and chewing tobacco, but their leading specialty is the celebrated North Star chewing tobacco, which is highly popular throughout the country and is staple with the trade.  In the manufacture of this tobacco the greatest care is exercised in the selection of the leaf, to insure quality and uniformity, and each process is critically supervised.  The result is the production of a chewing tobacco that for purity, quality, and flavor is seldom equaled and never excelled.  The goods are sold in all sections of the United States, and four traveling salesmen are constantly on the road.  The members of the firm are Messrs. A.C. Marshall, G.H. Gorman and H.Z. Marshall.  The liberal policy upon which this business has been and is conducted and the amplitude of its facilities rank it among the first of its contemporaries.