Vintage Moments: Proper Posture for Wood Floor Cleaning

In this photo from the early 1920s, courtesy of the Cornell University Library, Miss Ruth Kellogg demonstrates correct posture for sweeping wood floors. Originally taken for the women's homemaking magazine The Delineator, this was part of a series of photos featuring Kellogg demonstrating the most ergonomic ways to perform various household tasks, from picking things up off the floor and washing dishes to pulling pans out of the oven and writing letters. Most of the photos were paired Goofus-and-Gallant style, discouraging women from slouching or hunching over their work.