I haven't written anything since April '85 and here it is Dec 7, 1985 - 44 years since Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and precipitated world war II for the U.S. War in Europe had gone on for several years. many lives were changed drastically by this day - so many young men died - including my Brother Arthur. But life went on. I finished Business school in Columbia and went back to Chester and began work at Thomas and Howard, a wholesale food warehouse. We worked long hours sometimes in Winter from daylight to dark 8:30 to 6 o'clock. Also worked a half day on Saturday. I did varied office work including Secretarial work. I was responsible for keeping the records on sugar purchases - any Co. or person who ordered an unusually large amount of sugar had to be reported to the Bureau of Alcohol Control to be checked out to see if they were making illegal whiskey. Also, I kept a Bank account of Sugar Coupon - everyone had a certain number of Coupons with which to purchase their sugar allotment. The stamps reached us and they were deposited in a bank account and checks written by us to our supplier. Very complicated but it proved to be efficient.
Some people, of course like all times tryed to cheat & made counterfeit stamps. I frequently would recognize these and we would report them. Some people were tried and convicted in court for doing this.
I left Thomas & Howard and worked at Borden Co. They bought raw milk from the farmers locally and processed it into evaporated milk. I typed checks to the farmers and did Secretarial work.
[Krista's note: Part of this jotted-in note of Beth's was cut off the top of the page!!!]
was a good cash crop for farmers, as they were paid monthly for their product.
When the war was over the man who had had my position choose to return to it. (It was a law that no Veteran could be refused his old job when they returned from Service).
I then went to work for Springs Mills as Secretary to the General Manager of the three Chester plants. I worked there until Jan 1950 when I stopped work to wait on the birth of my first child. Harry M. Jr.
I never returned to work outside the home. I have been contented with my choice of Mother Hood - childrearing etc.
Posted by Beth McKeown at December 7, 1985 08:35 PM