Q Dear Miss Abigail: Heeeeelp! I’m less than five feet tall and I’m already fourteen. How can I get taller without subscribing to these Internet programs. The prices are high and I don’t think I can afford it. My younger brother is taller than I am and I’m ashamed because I’m sooooo small. Please help. […]
Category: Health
Strange Beliefs About the Menses
Dr. Edward Podowsky’s Sex Today in Wedded Life was written “for the average man and woman,” in the guise of this fictional tale: “This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. William Carter who, at the very beginning of their married life, sought and obtained sexual information which proved of the utmost value to them in […]
Wherefore Art Thou Puberty
Q Dear Miss Abigail: I have an embarrassing question. I am sixteen and I haven’t gone through puberty yet. What’s wrong? Do you know? Please, I hate it! Thanks. Signed, Justin A Dear Justin: Don’t be embarrassed, young man! I believe that Gladys Cox, author of Youth, Sex, and Life,can help ease your teen angst. According […]
Mother Knows Best
Q Dear Miss Abigail: I’m going through puberty and I don’t know how to talk about it with my mom, yet me and my friends talk about it all the time. Is it wrong? What should I do? Signed, Deeply Confused A Dear Confused: I’m sure your friends have interesting things to say about puberty, […]
Your Teeth, Keys to Beauty
This weekend, while you all are out having a grand old time, I’ll be getting all four of my wisdom teeth extracted. With this obviously on my mind, I located the following tidbit from Gayelord Hauser’s Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. I’m certainly not going to turn down any painkillers on Saturday, but it sure does […]
Don’t Blink Hard When You Blink
This one just had to be shared. It’s from How to Improve Your Sight. It was written by Margaret Darst Corbett ~ “authorized instructor of the Bates Method’ ~ whatever that is. 1953: Don’t Blink Hard When You Blink Check your eyelid habits. Many people do not blink enough. Failure to blink the eye stints the […]
The Care of the Skin
Recently I got to thinking about skin and sweat and stickiness and then showers and baths and soap and…ah…sweet! How could Inot think about it with all this miserable Washington, D.C., heat? Some further thoughts on the importance of our skin are brought to you this week from Youth, Sex, and Life, written by Gladys Cox. […]
My Boyfriend Has B.O.!
Q Dear Miss Abigail: I really hope you can help me, because this is driving me up the wall. My boyfriend, who I love very much, has no idea of personal hygiene. He stinks, yet isn’t bothered by it. How can I kindly persuade him to wash before my nose runs away? Signed, Lydia A […]
How Well Are You Groomed?
This selection comes from a fabulous home economics book sent to me by my friend Helen in Kansas. She searched the region for an addition to Miss Abigail’s collection, and I must say she found the perfect text. 1936: How Well Are You Groomed? Following are some questions to be considered in judging whether or […]
Eye Exercises
My eyes, my eyes, my aching eyes. This week has been particularly tiresome on them for some reason, so I did a bit of reading to help those babies out. The following tips are from Helena Rubinstein’s The Art of Feminine Beauty. I don’t know about you, but I feel better already. 1930: Eye Exercises Either […]