I ran across this reprint of a 1943 article published in Mass Transportation Magazine that gave me a chuckle. Times have certainly changed; we like to think for the better. The eleven tips in this article prove the point.
I especially like, “Older women who have never contacted the public…are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy,” and “…’husky’ girls - those who are a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.” The latter reminds me of advise from my grandfather: “Marry a fat girl. They’re less likely to run around on you,” and “Marry a girl with small hands…” But that’s another story.
Before you’re too critical of the managers and supervisors of 1943, remember that it was war time and the majority of male factory workers had enlisted or been drafted and were stationed away from home. To keep the factories running, women were hired to fill the jobs formerly performed by men. Managers and supervisors of the day had little, if any, experience supervising and training inexperienced female workers, so articles like this one attempted to help guide their dealings with their new workforce. It was new and awkward for everyone, workers and management alike, and a testament to our determination to support the war effort that we were able to pull it off!
Click on the thumbnail image of the article and give it a read. For those of you old enough to remember WWII, it’ll be a walk down memory lane. For those of you too young to remember, it’s a piece of history that shows just how far we’ve come.