The Verse by the Side of the Road: Burma-Shave

by Legends of America

Though most people of today’s generation have never even heard of Burma-Shave, ask anyone who lived from the 1920s to the early 1960s, and you will mostly likely bring up a few memories and tales from that vintage era.

 
Burma-Shave was a brand of brush-less shaving cream that was sold from 1925 to 1966. The company was notable for its innovative

advertising campaign, which included rhymes posted all along the nation’s roadways. Typically, six signs were erected, with each of the first five containing a line of verse, and the sixth displaying the brand name.

Burma-Shave was the second brush-less shaving cream to be manufactured and the first one to become a success

The product was sold by Clinton Odell and his sons Leonard and Allan, who formed the Burma-Vita Company, named for a

liniment that was the company's first product. The Odells were not making money on Burma-Vita, and wanted to sell a product that people would use daily. A wholesale drug company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the company was located, told Clinton Odell about Lloyd's Euxesis, a British product that was the first brush-less shaving cream made, but which was of poor quality. Clinton Odell

hired a chemist named Carl Noren to produce a quality shaving cream and after 43 attempts, Burma-Shave was born.

To market Burma-Shave, Allan Odell devised the concept of sequential signboards to sell the product. Allan Odell recalled one time when he noticed signs saying Gas, Oil, Restrooms, and finally a sign pointing to a roadside gas station. The signs compelled people to read each one in the series, and would hold the driver's attention much longer than a conventional billboard. Though Allan’s father, Clinton, wasn’t crazy about the idea he eventually gave Allan $200 to give it a try.

In the fall of 1925, the first sets of Burma-Shave signs were erected on two highways leading out of Minneapolis. Sales rose dramatically in the area, and the signs soon appeared nationwide. The next year, Allan and his brother Leonard set up more signs, spreading across Minnesota and into Wisconsin, spending $25,000 that year on signs. Orders poured in, and sales for the year hit $68,000.

Burma-Shave sign series appeared from 1925 to

1963 in all of the lower 48 states except for New Mexico, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Nevada. Four or five consecutive billboards would line highways, so they could be read sequentially by motorists driving by.

This use of the billboards was a highly successful advertising gimmick, drawing attention to passers-by

who were curious to discover the punch line. Within a decade, Burma-Shave was the second most popular brand of shaving cream in the United States.

The first set of slogans were written by the Odells; however, they soon started an annual contest for people to submit the rhymes. With winners receiving a $100 prize, some contests received over 50,000 entries.

At their height of popularity there were 7,000

Burma-Shave During WW2

Burma-Shave signs stretching across America. They became such an icon to these early day travelers that families eagerly anticipated seeing the rhyming signs along the roadway, with someone in the car excitedly proclaiming, "I see Burma-Shave signs!” Breaking up the monotony of long trips, someone once said, "No one could read just one."

Burma-Shave sales rose to about 6 million by 1947, at which time sales stagnated for the next seven

years, and then gradually began to fall. Various reasons caused sales to fall, the primary one being urban growth. Typically, Burma-Shave signs were posted on rural highways and higher speed limits caused the signs to be ignored. 

Subsequently, the Burma-Vita Company was sold to Gillette in 1963, which in turn became part of American Safety Razor, and Phillip Morris. The

huge conglomerate decided the verses were a silly idea and one of America’s vintage icons was lost to

progress. By 1966, every last sign disappeared from America's highways. A very few ended up in museums, including a couple of sets that were donated to the Smithsonian

Henry Neill Elementary School and CHS Class of ’66 by Bob Couser

Of the CHS Class of ’66, many attended Henry Neill Elementary School and are shown below in their 1959-60 6th grade class picture.  Not all of the students featured below graduated from Aberdeen Central High School.  Take a look at these pretty young girls and handsome young boys, see the biography of Mr. Henry Neill and the history of the school that bears his name.  Please share your thoughts, let us know if you recognize mistakes in this report, have fun and enjoy this part of Aberdeen history.

Henry Neill Classmates, 1959-60 (left-to-right)

Top Row: Mary Ann Wolf, Tom Putnam, Karen Christensen, Matt Baumann Principal, Mrs. Losinger Teacher, Sally White, Jerry Jensen

2nd Row: Dick Johnson, Geneva Raymond, Al Breaw, Linda Milstead, Rick Albrecht, Randy Dollinger

3rd Row: Ella Inman, Luther Nelson, Sandy Shaeffer, Francis Robinson, Sharon Wheeldon, Betsy Lamont

4th Row: Jim Caffrey, Darlene Ketterling, Dolly Blylie, Clarence Thiery, Florence Petlig, Shirley Zeller, Rita Olson

 Henry Neill School

Henry Neill School: 1215 6th Ave SE, Aberdeen SD

In the early 1930’s, the need for an additional elementary school in Aberdeen was driven by a growing population.  With the incorporation of the Morning Heights Addition to the city of Aberdeen and the rapid increase in the high school enrollment, public schools' classroom capacity was patently insufficient.  Henry Neill Elementary School was constructed and opened in August, 1931 at 1215 6^th Ave SE.  The new school served the area of Jackson Street from the west to Roosevelt Street to the east, and 4^th Avenue SE from the north to 9^th Avenue SE to the south.

  

The Henry Neill school was built for $63,000.  Construction began in April 1931, and the completed school was ready for occupancy five months later on August 20th.  It was one of the few school buildings in the state that had been financed without a bond issue.  With an enrollment of 221, the school had eight classrooms in the original section, a modern and well-furnished office, a kitchen, a conference and rest room, a gymnasium-auditorium, a nurse’s room, shower rooms, storage rooms, and janitor’s quarters.  The classrooms were described as large, well-lighted, and have been planned to accommodate all the student’s activities.  Following its’ initial construction, a north addition was added in 1952, south addition in 1958, east addition 1965, and a new gym in 1979.  This provided a total of 36,899 square feet for all activities.

However, over the ensuing half-century as the city’s educational needs changed, the citizens of Aberdeen were faced with monumental challenges.  These issues included a declining overall school population, the need for a new high school, and the cost of maintaining seven elementary and two junior high/middle-schools.  The projected costs to upgrade Henry Neill Elementary alone in 2000 was estimated at $2,486,377.  The Aberdeen School District decided that a new high school was going to be built regardless, and it was essential to close two elementary schools, Henry Neill and Howard-Hedger.  This was the recommendation from a 40-plus member Facility Equity Committee as part of a long-range plan for K-12 public education presented to the Aberdeen School District.  Henry Neill Elementary School was closed in 2001.

Henry Neill Biography

Henry Neill: 1849-1933

Henry Simpson Neill, Sr., born March 26, 1849 in Perthshire, Parish of Kingcardine, Scotland, remained there with his parents until the family emigrated to the United States, leaving Glascow on May 7, 1859.  Initially, the family settled in New York state, but in 1860 they relocated to Portage, Wisconsin, the county seat of Columbia county, where he attended and graduated from High School.  Following his general education, he was a school teacher until age 23, and later attended Thayer College in Kidder, Missouri from 1872 to 1876.  He enrolled at Beloit College in September 1876, graduated July 3, 1878, and taught District School in Caledonia, Wisconsin in the Winters of 1878 and 1879.  He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on May 17, 1879.   In September, 1879, he started teaching high school in Portage but resigned in December 1879 when he was elected County Superintendent of Schools, a position he held until 1881. At that time, Mr. Neill was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), a religious and political fraternal organization.  He later joined the Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.), another fraternal benefits society.

His father John passed on June 23, 1880 at age 75.  Henry married Isabella Grace McMillan of Poynette, Wisconsin on March 15, 1882 in Portage, and in the Spring of 1882 they relocated to Dakota Territory.  They had two children together.   Henry’s first son died at age 1 in 1883.  Henry’s wife Isabella passed on May 23, 1888 at age 30, after 6 years of marriage.  Mr. Neill and his family resided in Big Stone City, South Dakota from 1884-1888, where he was involved in the newspaper business as a partner in the publication of the Big Stone City Herald.  Later he was engaged in similar work in Milbank and Madison.  He attended many Dakota Territory conventions as a delegate from Grant county and later represented Roberts and Duel counties.  He was elected as a senator representing the eastern counties and briefly served as Lieutenant Governor for the Dakota Territory.

Henry Neill married Josephine Christine Holland, of Lake Mills, Iowa, on April 25, 1890 in Albert Lea, MN, and they had four children together.  Henry’s daughter Elizabeth “Bessie” Marguerite was born on October 3, 1894 in Madison.  Henry’s son Henry Simpson Neill, Jr. was born on July 18, 1897 in Wisconsin.  His son Robert Bruce was born on Nov. 24, 1903 in Lake County, SD.

He came to Aberdeen in 1909 after having been appointed Grand Recorder of the A.O.U.W. lodge for South Dakota.  He retained that title for 17 years.  In 1918 Mr. Neill was appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to the local draft examining board for Brown County, which he served for about seven months.  Henry Neill was President and served on the Aberdeen Board of Education for 11 years from 1916-1927.  He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, serving the organization as an elder for many years.  He resigned from both the school board and the A.O.U.W in 1927 due to ill health.  He missed only one meeting during the 11 years he was on the Aberdeen School Board. He explained “I went to the station to meet a friend and completely forgot about the meeting.”  When Aberdeen’s newest school was dedicated in his honor in 1931, he said “I am exceedingly proud and pleased at the honor bestowed on me when the new school in Aberdeen was named for me.”  At that time, Mr. Neill was 82 years of age and said “It is a fine compliment and the last thing in the world I expected.”  During his time on the school board, Mr. Neill had a part in the planning and building of every school in Aberdeen, with the exception of the high school, which was already built.

Henry Neill

Riverside Cemetery Marker

Henry Neill passed away at age 83 on Friday, January 12, 1933 at his home in Aberdeen, 16 fifth Ave SW, and was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Aberdeen.  Surviving him in addition to his widow were three sons, David H. Neill, Minneapolis; Henry S. Neill, Jr., Aberdeen; Robert B. Neill, Bonne Terre, MO; one daughter Mrs. H. W. Conover, Mason City, IA; and one brother Robert Neill, Balaton, MN.  Numerous friends, fellow church members, former associates, neighbors, and relatives paid a final tribute to the life and memory of Henry Simpson Neill, Sr., when they attended services at the First Presbyterian Church of Aberdeen on Jan. 14, 1933.  A prominent member of the Presbyterian faith, Mr. Neill was remembered in a special resolution presented by the church’s board of trustees.  As noted in the Aberdeen Evening News, Jan. 18, 1933, “In fact, so transcendent was his personality and so commendable his efforts in the interests of the local public school system that, since 1916, few thought of the local schools without thinking also of Mr. Neill.”

Travel Back in Time to See Aberdeen as it Really Was

We all remember the scenes from Back to the Future where Marty McFly would jump into the Delorian to travel back to the past. We do not have that ability but with photographs we have the ability to see pictures of Aberdeen both as it was and what it has become today.

Imagine that you are standing on Main Street looking at the west corner of Main Street and Second Ave. S.E.  This is in the late 1800’s before the Citizens Building was built with its roof top restaurant.  

Main Street Then

Now picture yourself in the same location looking at the Red Rooster coffee house and the Citizens building today.

 

Main Street Now

On the other side of the intersection on the east side, picture the Aberdeen Hardware Company that serviced the Aberdeen community back then. Look at all of the employees standing in front of the store and others in the windows above where there were offices to sell Insurance and Real Estate.

 

Main Street corner of Second Avenue Then

  

Around 1945 the building was the home of Buttz Drug and Kinney Shoes.

Main Street Corner of Second Ave Around 1945

Now see the building as it is today. The empty storefront on the corner used to be Natural Abundance before they moved to the old Piggly Wiggly Building.

 

Main Street corner of Second Avenue Now