Wednesday, July 1, 2020 – Let’s take a 15 cent subway ride to the office
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020
The
93rd Edition
From Our Archives
BACK TO THE
1950’S – 1960’s OFFICE
“TAKE DICTATION”
My first office job was in 1967 or thereabouts. I was a Kelly Girl. This was a temporary agency for young women to get into the office work field. I remember the advertisements were completely sexist.
We made sure we looked perfect from the hair-dryer perfect hair, stockings even in summer and working in an office for a week or so at a time. You would hand in your time sheet and wait for another job.
The offices all had secretaries and an office manager (female, not married and no sense of humor)
Bosses were men in offices.
An IBM Selectric typewriter was a status symbol in the office. If you typed a letter, you put the letterhead on top of carbon paper and copy pages underneath. If you made a mistake, you used the roller eraser on the copies and CO-REC-TAPE on the first page.
There was an ashtray on your desk for yourself or visitors to use.
A lady would come by with the coffee cart. You could always schmooze at the water cooler.
You went to lunch. Everyone went to lunch whether 30,45 minutes or 1 hour. I do not remember eating at my desk. For years I worked in an office and we had a full floor of cafeteria and table service. I could bring a guest or go underground to Rockefeller Center for lunch.
Office chat would be who was getting married or having a baby and then decorating their desk on the day before the wedding or leaving on maternity leave.
We left at 5 pm. Rarely, was there overtime or weekend work. No one had a pager, cell phone or other communications devise.
You got back in the subway and home for a restful weekend and no thoughts of your job.
The 15 cent subway ride was hot and sticky in the summer and heat blasting under your legs in the winter.
You had to type 45 wpm and take steno to be a secretary.
Getting a new typewriter was a big event.
Boss got an armchair, you got a “secretarial chair”
Please note pen-set on desk. I don’t think the pens worked by a status symbol in the office.
Water cooler chatter was a great part of the day.
Subway reading I remember Humor in Uniform. Just enough for a commute.
I must have worked in a vacuum. No exciting relationships that I knew of.
WEDNESDAY’S PHOTO OF THE DAY
What is this and where is it located
E-mail jbird134@aol.com
Win a trinket from Kiosk
TUESDAY’S PHOTO OF THE DAY
The atrium of Motorgate
Winner is Alexis Villefane
EDITORIAL
Time to say thanks. We have Covid-19 testing on the island this week. For ages, our neighbors have asked for testing on the island. Ben Kallos’ office and the NYC Health+ Hospitals came through for our community. RIOC has been great in providing amenities and facilities.
Located under the helix (where the farmers market is in the winter) an efficient operation is registering and testing our neighbors.
You will receive the test results in 3-5 days.
The testers will be here Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thanks to the great staff from Gotham Health, part of NYC H+H. They are friendly and efficient. Many of us do not realize that we have an amazing
public health system that caters to all New Yorkers. To take advantage of any of their services you are never asked your immigration status, ability to pay or other intrusive questions.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to be tested.
JUDITH BERDY
jbird134@aol.com
Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c)
Roosevelt Island Historical Society
unless otherwise indicated
RON CRAWFORD (C)
FUNDING PROVIDED BY ROOSEVELT ISLAND OPERATING CORPORATION PUBLIC PURPORE GRANTS
CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE BEN KALLOS DISCRETIONARY FUNDING THRU DYCD
Copyright © 2020 Roosevelt Island Historical Society, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
rooseveltislandhistory@gmail.com
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