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 YEAR: 1973
 ITEM: Paraphernalia
 COMPANY: LaSalle Extension University
 COUNTRY: USA
 IN OUR COLLECTION: Yes
RARITY: Not rare   Click here for further information on our rarity scale Information on the rarity of this item is unknown.

Matchbook with matches

 

Matchbook with matches that was advertising a mail order course for Computer Programming! The front of the matchbook read,

Learn Basic Computer Programming at Home
Experienced Men Earn $7,000 - $12,000 per year
The back of the cover presciently claimed "115,000 more programmers needed by 1975"!!

Programmers were notorious smokers...well, to be fair, almost half the adult population smoked cigarettes in the 1970's (about 42%).1 So it wouldn't be surprising to see an ashtray and book of matches next to most computers of that time. In fact, the famous "Sage Weapons Director" which was used to locate and, hopefully, intercept missile attacks, had a built in ashtray and lighter right next to the screen.


1https://www.nytimes.com/1976/06/16/archives/percentage-of-adults-smoking-cigarettes-declining.html





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