Different Worlds

I just got a copy of Life magazine from January 22nd, 1940, because it has an article about Venice Beach in it. Before I even got to the article about Venice, though, I was looking through the letters to the editor, and I couldn't believe them. Here are the first two letters that I read:

HELP FOR THE WPA

Sirs:
In order to assist in the WPA project of mapping women's contours, looking forward to developing a new method of indicating dress sizes (LIFE, Jan. 15), I should like to submit the following equation for the Callipygian Curve:
X=AY2BYEY3
As can be seen, nearly every type of feminine back may be represented by the equation.
Walter J. Seeley, Chairman
Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Duke University

NO PRETTY SCHOOLTEACHERS?

Sirs:
When I was a kid I didn't like to go to school any more than other healthy youngsters. I think I may have found out the reason for this.
Recently, I made a tour of a certain state under the auspices of the Board of Education, giving talks on firearms safety to schoolteachers. At the various meetings I spoke to a total of approximately 1,500 schoolteachers. There were a few men teachers in the group but the majority were women. Of these, they ranged from young girls to older women, for the most part principals. Of the entire group I can recall seeing but four attractive faces. Many of those faces would scare any child.
What happens to attractive schoolteachers? I assume that some good-looking girls take up this profession. Do they marry off quickly and desert the game or are there any good-looking schoolteachers?
Any attractive schoolteachers who wish to prove the point with a photograph may write me. Until I have been convinced otherwise, it is my impression that schoolteachers are not good looking.
Philip B. Sharpe
South Portland, ME

I'm now beginning to believe the whole Kuhnian line about people in different eras living in different worlds.