During World War II, the question wasn’t if I was old enough to work part-time at the newspaper. The question was “can he spell?” “Does he drive a jalopy that will get him to work?”
Recalled my 16-year-old experience when I read there was a shortage of teen-age workers, especially for summer jobs.
Also read: putting teenagers to work can go a long way toward increasing their earnings later in life and keeping them out of trouble with the law.
The Wall-Street Journal writer got that right. I started working for my home-town daily newspaper when I was in high school. Learned to write ‘copy’ fast enough to meet the deadline.
Haven’t forgotten when I woke up in a Fort Worth hotel and realized the long-distance telephone operator had not completed my night-time telephone call so I could file my sports report. Worried me on the softball team bus returning to Abilene. Knew my fate. Miss deadline, you’re fired.
When we reached Abilene, I discovered that members of the printers union had walked out and the newspaper didn’t publish a morning edition that day.
Three strikes and you’re out. In my case, the printer’s union strike saved me from a missed deadline. Even today, I’ll strain and write this blog ‘copy’ in time for you to read most every Tuesday.
Photo by AgentKPhotography at Shutterstock
