Days of Old:

 

I find it sad that there are no longer paper boys as that was a time when young boys could learn a lot about business with practical application. Possible what we thought was good money back then ($15.00) dollars a month would be roughly worth around $152.00 today. I imagine folks today, age 12years old and up would  think $15.00, a month was a ridiculous sum of money. Children today probably get more than that in allowances from their parents.

I had a paper route of 125 customers that I delivered newspapers to each day of the year. Sundays was early morning and the other 6 days was afternoon. I had to go about 1/2 a mile to get my newspapers and then to carry them back to my route, fold them and deliver them. I walked that routine every day carrying from one bag to 4-5 bags.  It kept me fit and strong. Then I had to deliver them to all my customers. 

On Saturdays I would go to each customers house to collect the weekly fee  and every two weeks I would have to turn it in to the newspaper. That also required a walk downtown to hand it over in person.  

Having a paper route taught me responsibility by having to deliver the newspaper to my customers each and every day all year long and on time. Putting the newspapers where they would be protected from the rain and wind and snow had me outside in all kinds of conditions. It taught me the value of money, how to keep records, how to budget, hard work, record keeping, how to to interact with 125 customers all with different expectations and personalities. I kept the route for 6 years, and it gave me a good foundation for life and what comes as an adult. 

It also kept me healthy as I was delivering newspapers in the rain, cold, blowing snow, heat and wind. It was something that kids today do not get to experience and it was a solid building block for my future. When I enlisted in the military I had a considerable leg up on the other recruits who lacked a similar experience.