Description
This scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings brilliantly hand-colored in watercolor by Susanna Bruff, and pasted onto pages
of a discarded catalogue. Each clipping is an issue of a popular comic strip entitled Ethel, which was drawn by Ethel Hays and syndicated in the 1920s. Using the daily adventures of flapper Ethel, each comic is a
commentary on the changing role of woman in 1920s American society. Topics covered by the comic strips include: advances in
technology such as telephones, electricity, and refrigeration; changes in fashions, hairstyles, and cosmetics; equal rights
and representation for women in society; increasing participation in sports and traditionally male activities; developing
changes to courtship and marriage; and the emerging culture of flappers. The colored comic strips appear in no order, but
larger full-page newspaper clippings of the comic are folded and pasted in near the end of the book.
Background
Susanna Bruff was born in Holtville, Imperial County, California, the first child of a struggling farmer and his wife. Her
father was trying to grow lettuce but in the absence of adequate transportation it was impossible to get his produce reliably
to the markets in Los Angeles and San Diego. About 1925, the farm was bankrupt and the family moved in with Susanna's mother's
mother, who lived in Santa Ana, California. Susanna graduated in English from Scripps College in Pomona and married a college
Professor, Stephen Cartland Bruff. Susanna and Stephen had three children, Barbara, Dana, and Stephen. Susanna passed away
in 2001.
Restrictions
The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with
the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections
is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be
submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission
is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available
for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including
but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials.
Availability
This collection is open for research.