THE JOB MARKET

My Campbell Soup employment, beginning in May, 1946, was a pick-up from two prewar jobs. My first job, after high school, was as a delivery man for as stationer's company. My second job was at the shipyard. Now I was beginning job number three (see blog SOUPS ON)

My soup job was as an assistant machine operator on a labeling machine. The main responsibility was to remove jammed cans without losing a finger or two. It must have been O.K., because I still have my original ten fingers! I knew that once the canning season was over I would probably be unemployed, so I was busy looking for the next opportunity. As it happened, the opportunity came looking for me, and here is how it happened.

My late sister-in-law worked in the national office of a cigar company. She learned that the sales office was looking for an administrative assistant, no experiencee necessary. With my permission, she placed my name in as an applicant.

The applicant had to have one significant qualification; he had to be Protestant, that's right, Protestant! The owners of the company were Jewish, and the sales department was mainly Roman Catholic. The owners said that a Protestant was needed to "balance" the department. I got the job. Can you imagine a company in today's business world having that kind of a requirement?

Ruth and I hurried to buy a suit (my first, ever), which seemed to be made of burlap, because every third day the pants had to be pressed to maintain a crease. Whew!

More, later.