Timeline – 1969 Part 4

Hi and Lois Sunday page color proof, June 9, 1969

For over six decades, Hi has been the primary breadwinner in the Flagston family.  He works as a district sales manager for Foofram Industries, which manufactures fooframs of all types.  His boss is Mr. Foofram, who inherited the business from his father.

Hi commutes to the office, by car, bus or train, with his next-door neighbor Thirsty Thurston.  The two are shown occasionally at their desks or on lunch breaks.  There are also frequent scenes of Hi returning from work, as in the Sunday page above and the daily strip below.

During the early and middle period of Hi and Lois, Lois Flagston was the classic baby-boom mother.  As a stay-at-home mom, she supported her husband, took care of the kids and was active in the community.

In 1980, Lois finally got a job as a real estate agent.  Now she struggles with the responsibilities of raising four children and keeping up with the demands of her career.

The tug of war between Hi and Lois over the rearrangement of their family roles has been a fertile ground for fresh ideas.  Hi helps with the chores and benefits from the money Lois earns while she appreciates the sacrifices he has made.  This sharing added a new dimension to the strip.  It has proven to be the most successful innovation in Hi and Lois since the emergence of Trixie in the late 1950s.

Next week we will be moving to 1970 in our Timeline series, so be sure to check back.

– Brian Walker