That Poor Kid

I bought this snapshot at an antique store yesterday for 40¢. On the back it identifies the clowns by their first names ("Steve", "Dick H", "Mitch", "Jim S", "Geo N" and "Les") and the unfortunate and I think entirely traumatized child is identified only as "TB Boy at Glen Lake". Glen Lake was a tuberculosis sanitarium in the western suburbs.

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Comments

pirate johnny says:

That clown on the left is scary! This reminds me of Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

y entonces says:

"TB Boy" probably got cured of his tuberculosis but likely carried the emotional scars of this visit for years after this.
There is no date on the picture but it looks like 1960s to me, although I didn't know the Glen Lake San was still open in the sixties.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

ModernDayGilligan says:

Great history lesson!
It's got me intrigued - now I'm off to learn more...
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

HOARYHEAD says:

I have an unexplainable fear of clowns so an incident such as the one depicted on the postcard would push me over the edge; maybe something like this happened to me in the past and I've pushed into my subconcious!
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

y entonces says:

The thing about clowns is, it seems like most people think they're scary. In fact, I'm not sure I know anyone who does not think they're scary.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

ModernDayGilligan says:

I don't think they're scary!
Weird, but not scary.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

bfelice says:

not sure they are scary. except for mitch there. something about those eyebrows. say is that a combination whoopee cushion/rubber chicken in the imposter emmett kelley's hand
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

pirate johnny says:

I just remember being at parades when I was a kid and clowns would show up and do unpredictable/weird things. The only one in the picture I would trust is "Jim S" because he looks "normal." (for a clown anyway)
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

y entonces says:

When I think back, I knew they were supposed to be funny and loveable, and so I told myself they must be funny and loveable even though I didn't feel that way myself. One of those childhood adaptive/conforming mechanisms.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

A-Wix says:

Maybe they were sending in that squad of clowns to scare him to death.
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

teruterubouzu says:

Oh, that poor little boy. This photo is so disturbing!
Posted 44 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken with a HP psc1310.
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Taken on May 13, 2006
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That Poor Kid

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pirate johnny says:

y entonces says:

ModernDayGilligan says:

HOARYHEAD says:

y entonces says:

ModernDayGilligan says:

bfelice says:

pirate johnny says:

y entonces says:

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