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 1949: "A federal law banning lonely hearts club advertising from all magazines, periodicals and newspapers was urged Thursday by the Delaware House of Representatives" Lonely Hearts Ad Ban Sought - 1949 Romance and Dating
 Apparently, dating services or personal ads a la 1940s were not the way to catch a spouse...Dubbed "Lonely Hearts Clubs" they received a lot of bad press and attracted con artists who took advantage of the lonely, their hearts and their pocketbooks.

"Such advertisements have been the means used by unscrupulous persons to lure other persons away from their own communities to further acquaintance begun through correspondence encouraged or induced by advertisements"
 

Brenda - Will You Step Out With Me Tonight?

Miss Olivia Gramley Wed to Ronald E. Belcher.

Miss Olivia Gramley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gramley, Louisiana, Mo., became the bride January 19 of Ronald E, Belcher, son of Mr. and Mrs. W P. Belcher, of Clark. The single ring ceremony was performed by the Rev. Bert Stover at his home in Macon.

 The couple were attended by the bridegroom's parents.

The bride wore a black and white check suit. Her corsage was of American beauty roses.

 Mrs. Belcher wore a gray, suit and a corsage of red rose buds.

 The bride is a graduate of Louisiana High School. She graduated as a registered nurse from the Mercy Hospital Nursing School in Quincy and served as a member of the 23rd division of the U. S. Army Nurse Cadet Corps and served in the Philippine Islands.1

She is now employed at the Woodland Hospital.

Mr. Belcher is a graduate of Sturgeon High School and of Moberly Junior College. He is employed by the Alton Railroad Company as a carpenter. The couple are living in Moberly for the present. 1947

 

1 "Father says your mother's right she's really up on things - before we married Mommy served in the WACs in the Philippines"

RETRO-SPECTIVE THE DECADES PAST:

Romance and Dating in the 1940s (or how to become a housewife in the 40s)

I don't know whether it is my imagination or not, but there seems to be a lot more comics and jokes about marriage and courtship in the 1940s than in the following decades.

1948 Comic Strip - This Funny World
"The job pays less, but there are three unmarried men in the office"
1948

1946 Side Glances - By Galbraith - Mother Giving Bride Marriage Advice.

"...And so, considering the national reason for sex morality, we want our civilization to run up grade. We have learned by memory and our study of history, that in every case where the restraints upon sex morality have been let down too far, and where indulgence and moral liberty have become too easy there have followed a breaking down of the whole nation so involved.

The result of lack of restraint is always followed by widespread disease and weakened moral fiber which, in time, breaks down the moral health of the whole nation. Therefore the national reason for moral restraint should be considered by every individual each person, man or woman, who steps aside too far from the reasonable moral code, contributes his or her share to the weakening of the national structure..." Oakland Tribune - July 4th, 1940

1949 Cartoon Strip - No TitleHere's the making of a 1940s - 1949 to be exact - "Catfight" as our rather clueless male shows up with a busty blond from Switzerland.

He is teaching her "Jive Talk" apparently what the hip slang of the late '40s youth was called...

Our Swiss Miss says to Hilda "Greetings, OK Chick! Drop Dead Twice" - Hilda is not amused and declares "Them's Fighting Words"!

But Swiss Miss apologizes, then caps the whole thing off by advising Hilda to "Turn Green, Marlene! Your face is showing!" Are you rolling on the floor laughing?



Christmas Dance at the Girl's Latin School (GLS), Boston Massachusetts in 1948. As the name implies, the GLS was a girl's school, so the handsome gents had to be imported. In fact, it was not uncommon for the ladies back then to attend dances with their brother...

1940 Newspaper Photo of a Bride and Her Two Attendants.

1940 Newspaper Photo of a Bride and Her Two Attendants.

 

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PENNY by Harry Haenigsen - 1946

1946 PENNY Comic by Harry Haenigsen Frame One - Dating in the 1940s.

1946 PENNY Comic by Harry Haenigsen Frame Two - Dating in the 1940s.

1946 PENNY Comic by Harry Haenigsen Frame Three - Dating in the 1940s.

1946 PENNY Comic by Harry Haenigsen Frame Four - Dating and Courtship in the 1940s.

Dance Tonight Lowell Cotton Club - Bernie Larkin's Orchestra, Admission 40 cents.
How to meet the man or woman of your dreams in the 1940s!