Day 1 - Oostburg School District

There were many different fads that came from the 1920’s. Radio shows were very popular
and a new type of entertainment in the 1920’s. Families used to gather around the radio to
listen to such shows as Abbott & Costello, Amos & Andy, and Death Valley Days. But they
slowly faded after television was invented. Peter Pan peanut butter was introduced in the
1920’s and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches became a very popular food item. Swing
dancing also arrived in the 1920’s. It was a type of dance that everybody was doing. Also
bright red lipstick could be seen on women. The very vibrant red was in style. Dance
marathons were a big thing in the 20’s. People loved to dance, especially the Charleston, Fox
trot, and the shimmy. Dance marathons were something everyone went to every weekend.
The longest dance record ever recorded was a record of 3 weeks of dancing! In 1927 the
famous candy PEZ was invented. Initially it was marketed as a tasty alternative to cigarettes
for adults attempting to quit smoking. Also the cloche hat was often worn as a daytime
necessity. It was a small hat often worn with short hair and almost reached the eyebrows. It
was also decorated with a small pin or ribbon in the front. The Flappers were also a big fad in
the 20’s. They weren’t afraid to take risks and were very giddy. They came to an end when
the Great Depression hit. The Conk hairdo was another fad. It originated in the 1920's and
was popularized by Cab Calloway. Started by the African American males trying to straighten
their hair, the conk was the end result. Flagpole sitting was one of the biggest fads in the
1920’s. It was started by Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly who was a professional stuntman. He did it
on a dare in 1924, and it soon caught on nationwide. It became a spectator sport, and he
eventually set the World Record at 49 days with a crowd of 20,000 people watching. However,
when the Great Depression hit this fad came to an end.
Today some of these fads are still used. Today there are many radio shows throughout the
world that are very popular for people to listen to. If its news, sports, or entertainment, it is
still a bit hit today. And peanut butter is still in major use today. It is used as an ingredient for
a recipe or still used as a peanut butter jelly sandwich. Swing dancing is around today yet. It
is used for movies or plays and you can take classes for you to learn. Bright red lipstick isn’t
found on very many women today, but you can find it on the celebrity women quite often at
an awards show or any formal occasion. PEZ candy is still found today. More than 3 billion
PEZ candies are consumed each year and are sold in more than 60 countries around the
world but the candies have become almost a secondary item serving as an accessory for the
dispensers of which more than 300 have been issued. As you can see many fads from the
roaring 1920’s can still be found today.