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First Job.
elubsme
Member Posts: 2,191 ✭✭✭✭
In 1956 I was 13 years old and had a paper route with 110 - 120 customers, it varied. Six days a week I and a helper folded and threw the Williamsport, Pa. Sun Gazette on porches rain or shine. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons We collected 36 cents from our subscribers. When the price went to 42 cents you shoulda heard them complain!! Some even quit! And that my friends is how I bought my first deer rifle a Winchester ( was there any kind?) in .32 Special because it was more powerful than the 30-30 and My Uncle Al had a .32. I still have the 'ol girl and the 310 Lyman dies Pop bought for me for Christmas.
Comments
Admirable.
1959, I had my 1sy paper route. you were 'supposed' to be 12 to have a route but I was only 11 and they couldn't find anyone else.
Same here. Mid 50's also. About the same size route. On Sundays almost 200. By the time I finished route it was time for breakfast and off to school. I rolled papers first and could shove them in boxes as I was flying by on my bike. My dog Zero use to Ride Shotgun as I called it. He would guard me from dogs that did not like me on my bike. I had large baskets front and back to carry Sunday papers. Never will forget one older lady on last third of my route would once in a while on super cold mornings or rare snow storm tell me to park my bike and she carried me around in her 50 Mercury. She always gave me a Silver Dollar for a Christmas tip.
On week ends I cut grass and repaired mowers for some of my paper route customers. ------------Ray
PS: As I recall, I got to keep a dime from my daily customers.
I was thinking the other day about my first real job in a textile mill and my part time job now since I retired.I make more in one day now than I did in a month and a half on my first job,but back then you could buy a new pick up for little over $2000. And now I don't think you can buy a new pick up for less than about $60,000 so everything works out about the same.
Got up at 5 in the morning so I could catch the bus by 6 to go pick different fruits and vegetables during the summer. Was 9 or 10 at the time.
Yep, we folded our papers first and put them in our bicycle baskets. It was much easier to peddle down the sidewalk and toss them on the porches. In bad weather Mr. & Mrs. Updegraff allowed us to fold our papers on their enclosed porch.
I lived in the country growing up back in the late 60's and early 70's. Once I was old enough, I started walking beans, bailing hay, and mucking out barns for all the neighbors. I remember earning money so I could go to Scout camp and keep myself in shotgun shells and arrows ! When I was 15, I was able to do more work for the neighbors and thus more money. A good day was putting in 8 hours and getting handed a 10 dollar bill at the end of the day.
The fall of 1974 I bought an Ithaca 37 12ga. and a case of shells with some of my hard earned cash. 148 dollars and some change.. Life was good !
That is awesome. My cabin is 30 minutes Northeast of Williamsport. I know that area well.
One of the neighbor kids had the paper route I went a Long a few times it was only a few blocks route
He would tell some of the older ladies it was collect day fairly often and show them his book they had not paid basic Lied to them and would pocket the money helping his pay and brag about it .
My first real job i was 16 it was at local grocery store about two blocks from my parents house 1.35hr but soon after min wage went to 1.60 woo-hoo
I kept the job untill I was 19 or 20
I Was asst manager and then night manager produce manager and way more responsibility than I would have imagined
I remember at 17 or so they gave me a rase to 125.00 week salary and the combination to the safe. I would pack it so full of money some nights I would have to hide some in the office .
It was more money than I had ever seen or held at one time. odds are some nights more than my dad made in a year I would guess
The thought of even taking a dollar never crossed my mind
my parents did a great job on me being honest and respecting your job
My the memories i Had a lot of great times and countless stories from that time and job
Bought my first car 65 mustang it was like new spent a lot of time and money on it wish I had it now
Also started buying guns
Then along came girls and my hobbies went to the back seat in more ways than one lol
I quit the store and started working construction more than doubled my weeks pay did that for 13 yrs and my body is paying for it now .
Following hay baler to keep bales from rolling down hill into next wind row, 12 years old it think.
Forked out the cow manure from the barn stables, payment, model 700 BDL in 7mm magnum. 55 years ago.
I drove truck in the wheat fields during harvest for my first 'real' job, 1972. I could barely see over the steering wheel but was unloading combines 'on the go' then I'd park the truck and the farmer would drive them to the silos in town. In the morning I'd help grease and fuel the three combines and the 5 or 6 trucks and then we'd go at it 'till sundown.
Dad kept us busy at a young age. At 11 he got me working a ten hour Saturday in a tranny shop. That was ok then. I kept everything clean and sometimes removed and replaced bolts.I could pick the transmissions up, but was pretty small. He said he didnt mind the $5 a day but feeding me was expensive. He was a horse guy and later worked at his house. He was known around Fla in the horse biz, where he soon moved. Died several years back. Great mechanic.
I was the "basket boy" at our local public swimming pool at age 13. 50 cents an hour?? Not sure. That was 63 summers ago. At this point that is ancient history!!😁
My dad started a greenhouse business back in 1952. Kind of what I would call an enclosed "Table Farmer". I was somewhere in the middle of 11 siblings and you all know why farmers had a lot of kids back in the day! I learned to carry a water bucket soon after learning to walk! Garden hoses were not even in the equation for a guy like my father who worked all through the Great Depression to help out his family and we just happened to have a nice flowing creek in the back yard!
Seems like I've been working for so long, it never really felt like work most of the time and trying to remember my first paying job is more of a blur than a true memory to me.
Did you ever go to Barons Sporting Goods store in Duboistown? I also worked for him when I turned 15. Every body loved Baron. He was quite a character. He got his name from Baron Munchausen for all the stories he told. On Friday nights there was always a gathering of story tellers. Great memories.
Not that I recall. I have been to so many gun and sporting good stores up there, but can't recall all their names.
My first job was picking apples, for 10 cents a basket, at Ridenbackers farms. I was 13. At 14, I went to work at my dad's gun store, Fellowship Gun room. Reloaded shotgun shells, swept the floor and stocked the shelves. In my spare time, I trapped for fur and delivered newspapers. Money was tight, and worked for everything we wanted. No free rides for us kids. Taught me the value of a dollar.
I stocked shelves at Kenny's market in Peoria back in '56 for $0.65/hr. I thought I was rich.
Will add in
over all what i have read on here every one had the desire and or need to do better all have good work ethics And commitment to a goal
And don't expect something for nothing and instant gratification as too many do today
It's too bad many of the young people today do not have that desire or feelings on life
Yes I know some do as many post about family and friends on here not afrad to work or put in the time studying
I know I am nobody but I still tip my hat to all of them It's good to see the country is not complete lost