Lifes not fair

[RoosterFetcher]

OMG!!! $15/hr when I walked beans it was huge to get paid $5/hr. I thought it was a huge deal to get to ride the bean buggie...lol!

[SDJIM]

Joined the Air Force in 1968 and got into a new high tek electronics school and the comment was--WOW you can do your 4 years and get a job that pays $8000 a year. I retired from that same job (working for a contractor for the AF) 2 years ago---was getting paid $32.65/ hr thats about $68,000 per year--yes times have changed. Bought a brand new 1970 Ply. Road Runner durning that enlistment--for $3200 --bought a 2008 Tundra 3 yrs ago $ 29,000---yes times have changed.
Every thing cost more and wages are a lot higher--but did they keep up--thats the question

[UGUIDE]

Makes washing dishes at Perkins for $2.55/hour when I was 15 look pretty good compared to the hayin boys

[jmac]

I never walked beans but in the late 60's and 70's I detasseled corn in 90 or higher temps from sun up to sun down, for 2.05 an hour. It was the cats meow at the time. If I had to do it today, I'd just Light that field on Fire. Amazing what Time and Know how will do for you.

[blackcloud27]

$15 an hour!!!!!!!!!!!! for bean walking. he aint worth more than a buck fifty. when i was young if we got done by the fourth of july we could go to the local drive in for supper. that meal was our pay. i could get a hamburger fries and a root beer float. couldnt get a cheeseburger because that cost 15 cents more

[FCSpringer]

Originally Posted by UGUIDE

Makes washing dishes at Perkins for $2.55/hour when I was 15 look pretty good compared to the hayin boys

I noticed the silky soft dove dish soap hands.

[captaincoot]

No dish pan hands here. I had 18 stitches in one finger said I had the skin of a rhino. She bicthed about every stitch. Said I had the pain threshold of a yak She forgot to num the area.

[blackcloud27]

Originally Posted by captaincoot

No dish pan hands here. I had 18 stitches in one finger said I had the skin of a rhino. She bicthed about every stitch. Said I had the pain threshold of a yak She forgot to num the area.

she didnt forget to numb it she numbed your brain. it just hasnt wore off yet

[mnmthunting]

I worked with carpenters in the early 60's for a buck and a half an hour.
Evenings and weekends stacked hay in the neighbors barns. Farmers waited patiently for my brother and I to get done with our day jobs
Farmers wanted to pay only a buck, but HOLY CRAP did those Wives put on a feed.

There was no sitting around playing games for us boys, we learned how to work.

I just finished shingling my house. Shingles $24 a bundle = $96 sq. Labor ME.

That same brother and I got our contracting business going with the help of a hail storm. Insurance claims, did one house for the insurance company, they liked our work habits. We made $$$$$ $100 per sq, tear off, haul, all labor and material furnished. No mater the roof and style.
We knew how to work.

[Beretta12]

I detassled corn from 5th-8th grade. The company didn't use machines like some people get to ride in now, we just walked fields. Was told to stay home on days inspectors were coming out though because of child labor laws. I hated every minute of that. It was 90 degrees and I wore a scarf because the corn leaves cut me right at my neck. You slowly got soaked as you made your way to the end of the field at 530 am. By the time you ended the first round you were dripping wet which lead to chaffing later on in the day. It was the only work I knew of at that time though so I did it.

I think I made about 7.25 an hour but coming home with a $300 check after a couple of weeks was huge at that age. Rogued beans for about the same. Much easier work though, nothing was above the knee and you could talk to your buddies.

I would ride the rack or put hay in a loft 100 times over before I would detassle again-- Not that kids today even have the option. The company I worked for and many others switched from child labor to 'immigrant' workers. An easy choice as I imagine they're much more efficient.


Edit: That wasn't that long ago either- I'm only 21 now.