Historic Hood River
Sack Lunch?
6-25-2024
Notes
Alva Day took this odd class portrait in December 1938. At first glance I assumed each student had a sack lunch, but those bags look awfully full for a sandwich and apple. Also, the image has a 3:40 PM time stamp, so it’s a bit late for lunch. The sacks seem to have come from a box labeled “Closset and Devers Golden West Coffee.” The coffee comes nine 2 lb. jars to the box, and it doesn’t look like there are jars in those sacks. Any guesses? Whatever is going on, it’s a charming portrait.
L. E.
I would have thought maybe coffee beans, but,
in the January 23, 1922 Morning Oregonian there is an add featuring Golden West Coffee. It shows a can of coffee, not coffee beans.
The add says…Ocean-going vessels bring us the choicest coffees through the Port of Portland.
Oregon men and women blend, roast and vacuum pack this coffee in cans made and lithographed in Oregon.
Oregon men distribute the packed coffee to hundreds of Oregon stores……
I don’t know what is in the sack, maybe a can of coffee, but it was interesting reading Portland’s coffee history. Thanks Arthur.
https://lifeboostcoffee.com/blogs/lifeboost/exploring-the-coffee-community-of-portland-oregon#:~:text=In%201883%20the%20Closset%20%26%20Devers,founded%20the%20Boyd%20Tea%20Co.
Arlen L sheldrake
interesting period of male pant styles. Arlen
nels
Since all the sacks/bags are the same size, and there some boxes to the right that are labeled Golden West Coffee, I wonder if that is coffee gifted to the students for their families. Quite a gift in that was recession times.
Will
We do PTO fundraisers for HRMS selling coffee. Could this be the precursor?