I’m pricing some vintage books I’ve collected over the years in preparation for selling them on Ebay. Since I don’t know how to sell things on Ebay, I should say I’m pricing old books. When I picked up one of them up a few days ago, an advertisement for the Proctor House and Cottages fell out. The rates were from $21 to $35 a day. From the women’s clothes in the pictures, I’m guessing the brochure was printed in the Twenties.
Inside the brochure was a separate card entitled “Jews and Gentiles” that stated “Please read carefully.” Here is the message.
We started in the summer tourist business thirty years ago. Experience has convinced us that it is not good policy in a small summer resort to cater to both Jews and Gentiles, not only for our benefit but for theirs as well; so as the greater part of our friends and acquaintances are among the Christians and as our business has been almost entirely of the latter class we have decided, while we have no dislike for the Jews, to cater only to the Gentiles. Therefore we ask you to accept it in the spirit in which it is given and abide by our decision and
Oblige,
The Management of the Proctor House
Since the note says nothing about African-Americans or Asians, would they be accepted? What about old white guys with really bad attitudes?
A sad and sorry thing...I wonder how it turned out for them. I wonder if their kinfolk fought and died in WW2.
ReplyDeleteBack then more Jews kept strict kosher and eating when traveling was a real problem if the trip was too long to bring food from home. This led to development of the "Borscht Belt" resorts which had the separate kitchens and obeyed dietary restrictions. There may have been more practicality than prejudice in the Management's decision.
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