Anatomy of a Boys’ Life Magazine from December 1966

I came across one of my uncle’s old Boys’ Life magazine in a box of old mementos.  I took a gander through it and found some interesting points that I thought I should share with you all.  The advertising is what struck me as most significant.  In it there was an abundance of gun ads.  Mind you, this magazine is targeted for boys from age 11-18.

The physical size of the magazine is almost as big as our modern newspaper, being 10.375 inches wide and 13.25 inches tall compared to our Cincinnati Enquirer, which is 10.5 inches wide by 14.5 inches long.  It was a monthly publication and sold for $0.25 a copy individually or $3.00 a year by subscription.  The magazine consists of one hundred pages, including front and back cover.  Inside the front cover is a Coca-Cola full-page ad with Santa Claus sitting at a small bureau with a glass bottle of Coke in his hands.  In the small print above the ad is a notice, “America pauses to see “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on CBS-TV, December 11, 7:00-7:30 EST.”

The magazine consists of: several articles by guest writers; regular features, such as Hitchin’ Rack, Hobby News, Gifts & Gimmicks, Stamps & Coins, and Think and Grin; Cartoon Features, such as Pee Wee Harris, Stories from the Bible, Campfires from Philmont Scout Ranch, The Tracy Twins, a first aid info-comic,  and A True Story of Scouts in Action; a few fiction pieces; and many special feature articles.  The list of editors and contributors has Lyndon B. Johnson as Honorary President on the top of the list.

The film review section mentions several movies that honestly, I don’t really remember.  The first is “Gambit” by Universal Studios starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine.  The next is “Follow Me Boys” by Disney.  It is the story of a Scoutmaster and his troops from the 1930’s.  “The Bible” by Twentieth Century Fox is described as a wide-screen spectacular starring John Huston.  A fast action recommendation is “The Fighting Prince of Donegal,” by Disney starring Peter McEnery.  Honorary mention at the end is “How to Steal a Million” by Twentieth Century Fox and “Gentle Ben,” by Ivan Tors.

There is an article called Science written by Harold Schmeck on page eight.  This is an interesting defense of vaccinations.  It talks about the smallpox epidemic in the early 1900’s and how even though we don’t see many cases today in America, it is still prevalent across the globe in many other countries.  The difference is that we are vaccinated.  Schmeck states how measles should become a rarity in a few years due to the advancements in medicine.  He finishes up talking about polio and how we almost got this under control and new cases are very rare.  I copied the final paragraph below.

“But, like smallpox, polio has not vanished.  It is just held at arm’s length by vaccines.  Public health doctors would like to wipe it out altogether.  They believe they could – if everyone would take the vaccine.  Twelve years after the vaccine first appeared they still haven’t persuaded everyone of its value.  There was a bad epidemic of polio last summer in Texas, among children who had not been given the vaccine – new proof of something Americans should have learned from smallpox half a century ago: Vaccines are lifesavers if you take them.  They are useless if you don’t.”

U.S. Chess Champ Bobby Fisher has the first of his bimonthly features titled “Checkmate.” It was a nice addition.  I wonder how many young boys read this and identified with him.

“I learned to play chess when I was six from my older sister, Joan, in Brooklyn, N.Y.  I liked other games like Monopoly and Parcheesi, but I found chess was much more exciting because it presented a greater challenge – there was no factor of luck involved.  It was more difficult than other games.”

Here are some notable ads for your amusement or trip down memory lane.  Kodak Instamatic Camera and Kodak film.  “Drop in film… pop on flashcube… Flash! Flash! Flash! Flash!”  General Electric Walkie Talkie the “modern version of the ones used in World War II,” only $19.95 per pair.  The Norelco Electronic Educational Kit with the headline, “What’s Bill doing?  Having Fun!  Putting together a 3-transistor radio.  Later he’ll take it apart and then make an electronic organ, or a burglar alarm, or an intercom, or a light meter.  23* different projects in all.  All without soldering.”  A three-page ad for the Aurora Model Motoring Racing Set.  This is the customizable electric track car-racing game.  They offer lots of accessories and many different models of cars to buy.  The X-acto hobby kits, “Even if you don’t think there’s a Santa Claus, ask him for an X-acto gift set.  Someone will get the message.”  The Risk board game by Parker Brothers, “He conquered the world in one afternoon!”  Murray bicycles showcasing the 10-Speed Phoenix, Wildcats, Le Mans 3-speeders, and Astro Flight with dual headlights.  Chapstick shows a picture of a soldier’s helmet and the words, “Our fighting men in Vietnam protect their lips with ‘Chap Stick.’  You need the same protection.”  Tasco provides a gamut of optical gifts with telescopes, microscopes, gun scopes, and binoculars.  Vox guitars and amplifiers states, “Vox is the sound – the sound at the top.  Like the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Paul Reveres and the Raiders.  If you want to sound like the sound at the top, buy Vox.  That’s what’s happening.”

There was an ad for the National Guard that I found very interesting.  The Seal of the President of the United States was used as its centerpiece.  The fact that they mention the Militia is noteworthy.  Does the Guard bring that up today?  I don’t know, but it is my guess that MSM would frown on an ad like this.  It contains too much Conservatism.  It goes against the grain of equality.  Call me old fashioned and dated, but personally, I like it.

“Six of our boys made it.  Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Harrison, Roosevelt, Truman.  Great presidents.  Each a National Guardsman.

Since 1636, the National Guard and its predecessor, the Militia, has helped to make ordinary men exceptional and exceptional men great.

In the Guard a man is trained to follow so that he may learn to lead.

He earns authority by respecting it.  He learns that decisions, great or small, right or wrong, in battle or in business or government, are made by mortal flesh and blood-men like himself.  He becomes decisive, confident of his own value.  No matter what or who he is, he gets an equal chance in the guard.

Is the Guard really that great?  Can it bring out the very best in a man?  We have the Presidents to prove it.  Find out about your National Guard.  Fill in the coupon, clip it and paste it on a 4¢ postcard for faster delivery of your National Guard Information Kit.”

The most noticeable thing that struck me was the gun ads.  Perhaps because I would not expect to see any in a magazine for children under 18, nowadays.   I joined my first Boy Scout Troop when I was eleven years old.  We met at our local Isaak Walton lodge where we would monthly shoot .22’s and go over gun safety.  It seems we are afraid of guns today.  Fear comes from ignorance.  And, I’m sorry, but just because you saw somebody shoot a gun, it does not make you an expert on guns.  On the gun issue I am pro second amendment.  I think that owning a gun is a privilege that we as Americans have.  We should have armed citizens that have whatever weapons are necessary to overthrow a tyrannical government.  I know we all do not agree on this.  Anyhow, I digress.  Below are the ads contained in the magazine.

• Page 23 full-page ad for Crosman BB and .22 rifles, with the tag line “Barrels of Fun!”
• Page 54-55 ad for Winchester .22 rifle spanning both pages with the title, “What to tell your wife when you buy her son a 22.” (See the answer below)
• Page 58 ad for Remington’s .22 automatic rifle.
• Page 65 ad for Remington .22 automatic rifle, pump action .22 rifle, and pump shotguns available in multiple gauges.
• Page 100, or back cover, full ad for Daisy pellet and BB guns. Shows a picture of a family of five, with all three boys of various ages sporting new rifles for Christmas.

The following is the quotation from the ad on page 54-55.

“Suppose you want to give a Winchester 22 to your 12-year-old.  But the wife says, “It’s too dangerous now.  Wait till he’s older.”  What do you tell her?

First, tell her exactly why you think a boy should learn to handle guns early.  Tell her he may not get a chance later.  And too many kids grow up thinking guns are toys.

Tell her a boy’s hankering to shoot and go hunting is perfectly normal.  Something he’s born with.  A part of his American tradition.

(What’s wrong with a boy wanting to be another Davy Crockett or Dan’l Boone?)

Tell her what it’s like for a boy in the woods with a 22.  Tracking his first rabbit.  Outwitting a fox.  Sitting very still under a squirrel tree.

These are the things a boy will remember all of his life.  And if he misses them now, he’ll never have a second chance.

Tell her that state conservation programs even encourage hunting to help maintain the balance of nature.

And the National Rifle Association conducts a shooting program to teach youngsters gun safety and sportsmanship and how to handle guns.

Finally, tell her that when an old time hunter like you has a boy who wants to hunt, it’s his obligation to teach him all he knows about guns, game and the ways of nature.

And buy him a Winchester.

And take him hunting.

Why a Winchester? Because at Winchester we still believe 22’s are real guns.”

This paper was something different.  When I saw the magazine, I just felt that it was calling me to share it.  There it was, sitting in an old dusty box for years.  I come along, pull it out, peruse its pages, and compare and contrast it with what I see today.  Then I present it to you, and it is like it lives again.