Learn A Trade
During these difficult economic times when none of us can take job security for granted, learning a new skill can be the key to being indispensable at the workplace. With that in mind, and as part of an ongoing series where crap that I find in abandoned buildings gets posted on the internet, I offer you this instructional filmstrip from 1942 on how to weld aluminum, found in a pile of garbage at Washburne Trade School.
This filmstrip was the product of the Jam Handy Organization, the leading producer of industrial and educational films from the late 1930′s onward. Now that mid century aesthetics and imagery have once again become popular, there has been a resurgence of interest in Jam Handy films. Many of them are now available online–a good introduction is the selection available at the Internet Archive. Auto industry propaganda, cigarette ads, bridge building, the wonders of plastic, and the miracles of electricity are just a few topics covered. If nothing else, they serve as a quirky reminder of the large role manufacturing and industry used to play in the United States.
As to the current state of the Jam Handy headquarters at 2900 E. Grand Blvd. in Detroit, well…the building is abandoned. Big surprise. There is a recent photo of the building at DetroitFunk.com. Click on the link, it’s the second shot from the top.
Enough gibberish…enjoy the filmstrip:
Thanks to Tim for pointing me to the DetroitFunk.com photo.