My First Job: Ted Schneider

January 25, 2008

My First Job: Ted Schneider

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Now: Retired professional land surveyor

Then: Seattle Times paperboy

How I got the job: Between the ages of 10 and 13, I sold The Seattle Times at Fort Lawton (now Discovery Park) during World War II. I hauled hundreds of papers each day up from the east gate to the mess hall at the crest of the fort where there is a plateau. I sold about 400 papers a day for 5 cents each, making a profit of 2.5 cents per paper. I did this every day from early 1942 through the summer of 1945, when the war ended.

What I learned: If you work hard, and treat people with courtesy and good humor, you will be rewarded.

I sometimes made more in tips, when GIs would give me a dime or quarter for a paper, than I did from the regular sale of the papers. Late in life, at the age of 65, I started my own surveying business. I treated my clients and my employees with humor and generosity and was rewarded with loyalty and commitment. Together with my surveying crews, I surveyed hundreds of telecommunication sites (cell towers) in 25 of the state's 39 counties. I am most happy knowing that I trained a lot of young surveyors, maintained a good sense of humor and passed along a strong work ethic.

Want to tell us about your first job? Fax the above information to 206-382-8879 or e-mail business@seattletimes.com

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