by Lee Pierre
During the depression, the words, Extra! Extra! were regularly heard from boys out peddling papers to help bring money home for their family. The boys stood on sidewalks yelling out “Extra! Extra!” as a way to get people to buy papers. After the depression, paperboys delivered the papers to homes and collected money from subscribers. This traditional role was stopped in the late 20th century. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was amended in 1994 to include newspaper delivery under child labor protections, making it illegal for children under 14 to do the job. Newspaper industries also switched to early morning delivery times making it difficult for children to manage.
Managing a paper route was not just a job but it could also serve as learning experience in customer relationship and entrepreneurship. Also, it is not just a job for males as two females, Gerald Clark and Antoinette Hawkins will attest.
In the 1970s, Clark and Hawkins sold papers to patrons at and around Hotel Roanoke; then walked in the Gainsboro neighborhood – door to door. The Roanoke Tribune office was located on Henry Street and the girls stated that they started from First Street and went as far as 10th Street hitting all the streets between such as Peachtree, Chestnut, Gilmer, Patton, Hairston, Madison, McDowell, and Rutherford, just to name a few. They either asked people passing by, “Would you like to buy a Tribune for 15 cents?” Or they delivered the paper to the front door of subscribers, collecting the subscriptions fees if it was due. Those few years of being a “paperboy” instilled a positive work ethnic for both girls. They were responsible for keeping account of the money (fifteen cents in 1970 is equivalent to $1.25 today). Trustworthiness was also a valuable trait that was learned.
Ms. Hawkins stated, “I remember going to buy a Tribune and was asked if I wanted to sell them.”
She proudly accepted the job requesting her friend, Gerald, join her. So, at 10 and 12, the two set out not knowing that they would be part of history. The first female to have a paper route is not definitively known, as the role was historically male-dominated and children’s jobs were often not documented. The Paper Girls comic series ran for 30 issues from 2015 to 2019 depicted a 12-year-old girl delivering papers in 1988, well after Clark and Hawkins had done so.
Carla Lewis remembers both girls and attested their determination and responsibility while working as papergirls. Lewis, a former librarian, first met Clark at the public library. “She was a regular patron for about eight years. Antoinette would come there to check out books and complete her school assignments.”
Even though Lewis felt that the girls were a little too young to be working, she never discouraged them and admired their willingness to get jobs. “Antoinette always worked to help her family and was truly a workaholic.”
The girls agree that having that first job taught them responsibility as well as how to deal with people. Both have used the experience from their first job as a way of becoming responsible employees.
After five years of delivering/selling papers, the girls were old enough to be hired, and both started working at S & S Cafeteria. Equipped with previous customer service, they were model employees. The two also had a side job of cleaning houses. They would walk with their cleaning supplies and vacuum to clients’ homes.
“We knew how to earn money,” Gerald said.
And just what happened to that money? Both girls helped their family; bought items they needed for school or personal use. Gerald admits to spending some of her money on candy. But what eleven-year-old wouldn’t. Handling money at that age made them both accountable and aware of the importance of saving and planning.
As an adult Gerald worked several jobs, however the job she wanted seemed to satisfy her. She never gave up. She had acquired a job in warehouse, but it was not what she wanted.
Her dream job was to work as a dispatch operator for Roanoke City. In 1987, 911 did not exist. Dispatch calls were taken with a pen and paper. Gerald was hired over the phone after calling several times regarding the job during her down time while working in a warehouse. The 911 Director who hired her stated that anyone who had called as much as she had really wanted the job. Therefore she was successful!
“Selling papers gave me knowledge of how to talk to people and feel comfortable talking to strangers,” Gerald said. “As a dispatcher, you I felt prepared to do the job.”
Antionette agreed with Gerald. “As a child, I learned to be responsible with money and basically how to interact with others, regardless of who they are.”
Using her business sense and experience, Antionette is a successful general manager at Marriott Inn – Washington, DC.
The two girls have stayed in touch since childhood and continue to visit on a regular basis.
