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Interview with a Retro Stewardess
On my way home to Minneapolis for the holidays, I read this terrific New York Times article by Ann Hood on the good ol' days of flying."I put on my apron with my name across the top, and I smiled at the people who had saved up their money, put on their Sunday best, and chosen T.W.A. It was not so long ago that flying had that civility, that glamour, when flying through the sky really felt like something special."
Having just braved the modern airways, I sat down with my mom, Barbara Scott (formerly Barbara Center), who was a stewardess for American Airlines from 1967 to 1977. You know, back when they were called "stewardesses." That's Mom in the picture, on the left.
Annie Scott: Whoa, Mom, check out that eyeshadow!
Barbara Center Scott: Well the other girl's is like that, too. Don't make me sound like a floozy.
AS: Okay. So, Mom, what did you think of that article?
BCS: I thought it was a tad Pollyanna-ish. It was not always glorious. It was sometimes awful.
** To read the rest of the interview, click through the gallery below. **
Gallery: Interview with 60's and 70's stewardess Barbara Scott
Filed under: History, Photos, Stories, United States, Airlines, Transportation
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
paul Dec 25th 2008 12:41PM
Your mom was hot.
Isamelia Jan 31st 2009 8:10AM
That is funny about the eyeshadow--I have a "flying with eyeshadow" story. I flew for Eastern in the 70' and 80's. On one all nighter from SFO to MIA I decided to apply my new eyeshadow, in the middle of the night, when all pax were sleeping. I had just bought it on my layover along with other makeup--F/A's love new make up! So in the darkness of the night I went to work to expertly apply this new exciting shade of probably, purpely-fushia, let's say. Oooo---aaaah--so pretty! Kind of glittery and glamourous in the soft light of the first class galley, I thought. A few hours later the sun was coming up and the Atlantic ocean was starting to glimmer as softly as my new eyeshadow, just outside the slowly opening window shades. All was well, but as I started to serve the coffee to the awaking passengers before landing one hispanic gentlemen glanced up at me and quickly had a horrified expression--"sure, you can have 10 sugars, I thought", as I positioned the sugar bowl closer to him. Then he pointed up to his eyes and looked at me sternly yet confused--"oh well I thought, maybe he wants sunglasses",
as I continued my coffee gig. Right before landing I went to my jump seat and wanted to check my lipstick before final approach. With the bright morning light now streaming in the emergency exit door I was also horrified to discover in the mirror that my expertly applied eyeshadow now appeared as if I had used a dark fusia magic marker all over my eyelids. I have never applied eyeshadow in the middle of the night since.