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Date: | Thu, 29 Sep 2005 18:24:32 -0500 |
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According to Barlow's book The Vanishing American Outhouse:
"Vents often doubled as symbols for gender identification. Luna, the
ancient crescent shaped figure, was a universal symbol for womankind. A
moon, sawed into a privy door, served as the "Ladies Room" sign of early
innkeeping days. Sol, a sunburst pattern, was cut into the men's side of
the outhouse. These symbols were necessary because in Colonial times only a
fraction of our population could read or write."
page 4.
While "popular," Ron Barlow's book (1992, Windmill Publishing Company, El
Cajon, CA) is an invaluable aid for the privyologist.
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