Western Union was a very prominent part of peoples lives back in the 40s than it is today. In fact after I returned to Roswell there was a big telephone strike. We were so busy we worked our tails off and made tons of money for the company
But back to Sprinfield and school . Mrs Craighead was a tough old bird you actually came into her class scared to death you would be late. We soon learned to be at the door before she was. And of course no gum, sit up straight and alert. and anything else she could think of to have you quaking in you boots. We hated that class but good!! Didn’t learn much until she, as I said previously, changed into a fairy godmother. Then we were well trained. She taught counter interplay with the customer. Smile, be pleasant , and helpful. And know all the rules no matter what you were asked you knew all the answers. We handled a great deal of money sending money orders. So you can see her class was very important.
Mrs Buchanan taught the mechanics of using teletype machines. They were a bit bigger than a typewriter. For me that was a constant frustration not having learned typing in High School. You see there was a ledge that you put down so you couldn’t see the letters. I did learn [All good men, and The Quick Brown Fox] those of you who took typing should know what I ’m talking about. To this day I can see the fingering on that but if your hand was not in the correct place because you couldn’t see it as mine always was you were out of luck. I graduated as a Counter Clerk. Shucks…
Mrs Buchanan was a rather strange women . She called Lubbock Lublock . One of the girls was from there. A habit she had gave cause for the class clown [ME] to do her thing. We sat at long tables that had a ledge about 6 inches above the table to hold the teletype so if you did anything with your hands she couldn’t see it. It was her habit to start every new sentance with the phrase ” all right, now then. After a while you dream abut it in your sleep. She lectured every day before our typing began. One day I counted the all rights and the now thens with the stricks and the line across the 4. One hundred in a class period. Yes, it was very tiring to all of us.
In Counter class we were asked to write a short paragraph on honesty, another on courtesy there might have been more I dont remember. You won .50 cents but you couldn’t win twice. I won on courtesy. My room -mate asked if I would write one for her on honesty. Why sure I agreed man talk about honest! Well it won, never thought a thing about it except she never offered to share the dough nor did she thank me. But I decided I was paid simply winning again. Dishonesty if I had been a Christian then would have been written all over me . I wonder how I would have reacted. Most likely I never would have written it for her in the first place. but who knows.
One day in typing we had to type out a number of telegrams in so many minutes, then you took the tape which was less than a half inch wide and wind it up in a figure 8. It had your name on it and then was placed in a box until the next day. I have no idea what happened my tape was gone and Mrs B would not believe I had one in there. That was learning day for actually putting a telegram together. Very important day she must have given me one to work with I remember doing it. What made these machines unuque you could send and receive at the same time. As the tape comes out of the machine the girl sits at the left side of it with a round amber bottle about 4 inches long . She threads the tape along the top of the bottle which holds water , the tape has glue on it. With your left index finger with a metal cutter on it you draw the tape across the paper and cut it off at the proper place. The top line of every telegram has the same information on it. This will give you an idea B SMAO15 PD =TDSM PEABODY MASS 30 925AME=1959 DEC 30 AM 8 09 If you used too much water you had a mess . The recepient came on next line with the address indented below. then the message and senders name underneath. There was a tab on the bottle that you opened with one fingure and prayed you didnt get too little or too much water, Sometimes the cutter was so gunky it wouldn’t cut. Glenn just asked why they used stop in the message all I can figure they hadn’t figured how to get periods and so fourth in the machines yet. They were working on a better machine all the time I worked for the company. Ok this ought to be enough for now. Have a great week . Love to you all Mom and Grandma
