happy? – Feb 7 (American Literacy ends)

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happy? – Feb 7 (American Literacy ends)

07 Feb 06 - 08:03 AM (#1663686)
Subject: happy? – Feb 7 (American Literacy ends)
From: Abby Sale

Philip Morris (Cigarettes) buys the Burma-Shave company;

The roadside signs and (therefore) Literacy In America end

2/7/1963

(per Patrick Kincaid's Today program, 1988)

There were 600 rhymes, in 7,000 roadside locations beginning 1926. The Verse By the Side of the Road by Frank Rowsom, Jr, Stephen Greene Press, 1970 (contains all the signs)


          His tenor voice
          she thought divine
          till whiskers scratched
          sweet Adeline
  
          The Queen of Hearts
          now loves the Knave
          the King ran out of
          Burma Shave!
                  thanx Jon Gicker
  
          As you travel on though life, brother
          Whatever be your goal
          Keep your eye upon the donut
          And not upon the hole
          Burma shave
                  thanx David Plambeck
  
          Hinky-dinky
          Parley voo
          Cheer up the face
          The war
          Is thru
          Burma-Shave