The Finch Formerly Known As Gold

26 April 2007

Help me — rhombus

There's an unwritten law somewhere which says that at least twice a year every magazine aimed at adolescent girls must print a variation of this:

I am a square. I get good grades, know how to cook and sew, wear long skirts, and do as the teachers tell me. I have only one real friend. The others won't associate with a square because they would be teased. What should I do?

The answer is usually something like this:

Try to develop a new image without sacrificing your assets. There's nothing square about getting good grades or cooking and sewing. Actually, it's quite cool. Having one good friend is a very good beginning. You may add one or two more as soon as you begin to dress in a more youthful way. It wouldn't be a good idea to defy your teachers — but be on your guard against being too much of a goody-goody.

(From "What's On Your Mind," American Girl, March 1972. The young polygon is now forty-eight years old. Is she still a square?)

Posted at 8:16 AM to The Way We Were