1961 Sex Science journal: How much sex freedom in marriage?

Well, thank heavens we figured out the answer to that one.

1944 sex pamphlet (includes puppies).

In the pilot of our beloved show, Peggy Olson goes to the wink-wink-nudge doctor to get herself on the pill. (The man’s lack of instruction re: pill usage may have contributed to Peggy’s unfortch situation in this season, methinks.) As she waits for him to show up, she peruses a small pamplet, seen above.

“Your Wedding Night” stems from a tradition of sex-education pamphlets dating back to 1900; a woman named Ida Craddock published a series of religious-themed informational pamphlets for young women. One of them, entitled “The Wedding Night”, begins with verse: “Oh, crowning time of lovers’ raptures veiled in mystic splendor, sanctified by priestly blessing and by the benediction of all who love the lovers! How shall we chant thy praise?” (Peggy chooses to chant it with Pete Campbell.)

Other fun tips from the pamphlet:

* Do you wish to be truly a man upon the wedding night? Then forego both tobacco and alcohol upon that occasion and for a long time previously

* Do not, upon any account, use the hand for the purpose of sexual excitation at the bride’s genitals. There is but one lawful finger of love with which to approach her genitals, and this is the male organ. (No fingerbanging on the honeymoon!)

* ‘But she might never want it?’ My dear sir, you must be indeed lacking in manhood to be unable to arouse sex desire in a bride who loves you with even a halfway sort of affection.

Clearly, 1900 and 1960 are not the same thing, and though possibly Craddock’s information may have carried over, the tone of Peggy’s pamphlet is probably a little more the Medical Journal of Urology  and a little less Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

• footnote - by Natasha Simons

Other popular — coupon friendly — department store slogans:

*We Keep Busy Being Brooklyn’s Store (Abraham & Straus)

*Nobody But Nobody Undersells Gimbels

*The Thrifty Store for Thrifty People (Snellenburg’s)

Nobody but nobody gets ‘discount-y’ on Menken!

Finally!

A reason discuss Rachel Menken.

You’d figure with names like Neiman-Marcus or  Saks the idea of a Jewish department might lend itself to upscale associations — not if you’re from Brooklyn!

Mencken and her retail dynasty’s branding crisis (“Not wanting to be another Jewish deparment store”) closely resembles that of Kleinfeld’s department store. Based in Bay Ridge since 1941, Kleinfeld’s became the epicenter for discount bridal wear in the borough. It was run by  a father and daughter team named Jack and Hedda (Chosen People, naturally.).

Hedda, a Viennese Immigrant and eventual owner of Klienfield’s, said this about their out-of-Manhattan location:

“People would say, ‘Why did you stay in Bay Ridge?’” she recalled. “It is because we had the best working staff. It was a classy labor market. The seamstresses and the sales people had very high standards but didn’t like the idea of traveling to the city everyday, so they came here and they had an outlet for their talents, and it was very good for the reputation of the store.

But then in 2005 Klienfield’s abandoned Brooklyn for the city. Hedda’s description of the store could have come right of Menken’s (incredulous) pitch to Don.

The new Kleinfeld location will be dramatically more spacious and elegant, but one thing that will not change is our focus on our customer, which is the magic behind Kleinfeld.”