John is not really dull - he may only need his eyes examined – Vintage Poster Wall Art
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
This vintage poster of John is not really dull - he may only need his eyes examined brings a moment of history to your wall. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.
Choose the framed print, ready to hang the day it arrives, or the unframed print for a frame of your own. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past, founded in 2001, has served tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
John is not really dull - he may only need his eyes examined
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A school-age boy labeled "John" carries the poster's message: a child who seems dull in class may simply need his eyes examined. The Town of Hempstead, on New York's Long Island, sponsored the poster through its health officer, W.H. Runcie, and the Federal Art Project of the Works Progress Administration produced it in the mid-1930s. Federal artists made many public health and education posters during the Depression, often aimed at parents and teachers, and this one turns a common classroom assumption about slow learners into a reason to see an eye doctor. The date stamped on the back, December 1937, shows when it was in circulation.
| Created / published | 1936 |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 print on board (poster) : silkscreen color. |
| Notes | Date stamped on verso: Dec 1 1937. Sponsored by Town of Hempstead W.H. Runcie M.D. Health Officer. Work Projects Administration Poster Collection (Library of Congress). · Federal Art Project sponsor. |
| Subjects | Children--Health & welfare--New York (State)--Hempstead--1930-1940. Children--Education--New York (State)--Hempstead--1930-1940. Eye examinations--New York (State)--Hempstead--1930-1940. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Work Projects Administration Poster Collection |
| Original scan | 2,721 × 4,096 px · prints to 9 × 14 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | 336_John_is_not_really_dull_1936 |
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