A summer time job during high school was a great way to earn some financial independence, pay for your first set of wheels, and put away dollars for college. For many, it was the first time that we interacted with the world outside the shelter of our home. Most of us learned valuable, life-long skills as a result of that work. Others discovered what they absolutely didn't want to do when they grew up! Anyway, share some of your memories and how they impacted your life after Dayton Christian...
Wow.. that has been a few days ago. Lets see, Dennis and I used to shingle roofs every summer from the age of 16 with a High School Teacher from our Church. I also used to work with my Uncle and do small construction jobs that required working with cement. WOW... those were the days!!! I bought my first motorcycle at age 16.
ReplyDeleteBabysitting. Well, at least until I fell asleep and the parents couldn't get in their locked house until their child finally woke up and let them in. I was a good sleeper...but hey, at least the house was locked!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember if it was a summer job, or during school, but my first non-paper route job was at the Robo Car Wash and Gulf Gas Station, just off 35, as I recall (I don't remember the exact location). My brother, Paul William Pyle had worked there before me, as I recall. Early in my short tenure there, I was guiding someone into the wash (it had a conveyor that pulled the occupied car through the cycles), and I realized, after hitting the start button, I had forgotten to tell them to roll up their window, and they were about to get blasted by the pre-rinse. I hollered at them, and covered the spray nozzle with my hand - mistake. The pressure was so high that it cut a gouge into my finger, where it was resting on the nozzle. Mostly kept them from getting wet, but learned a lesson about the power of water under pressure that day. Ouch!
ReplyDeletePainting....Believe it or not....One summer Mr. Don Lawrence and I scraped, caulked, primed and painted EVERY window at the whole complex (both buildings and walk way). "Complex" meaning our BELOVED High School on Homewood!
ReplyDeleteI worked at Gold Circle on 725. That job was an eye-opener for me. Heard some new "language", took a break with a chain smoker who smoked thru her breakfast every morning... My favorite part of the job was announcing the special deals over the PA system.
ReplyDeleteI worked at the gift shop at the U.S. Air Force Museum. I loved working there. I learned to appreciate our country's military history -- plus, I meet several interesting people from around the world. It was very interesting hearing some of the visitor's stories and learning about their cultures.
ReplyDeleteI started working at the Village Ice Cream Parlor in downtown Lebanon when I was 15. I was a bus boy, dishwasher and eventually a soda-jerk. We learned how to make real old-fashioned ice cream treats; "Tin Roof Sundaes", "Cherry Phosphates", "Banana Splits", "Chocolate Sodas"...
ReplyDeleteMy brothers Jesse '75 and Keith '77 also ended up getting jobs there as a cook and a cleaner. We also worked with Woody Harrelson of “Cheers” fame. Woody was at Lebanon High School at the time, and he became a singing dishwasher at the Ice Cream Parlor - doing show tunes while comically salvaging scraps from peoples plates!