“And how long would an average worker have had to work in order to save that much money?”
The Median American income in 1956 was $3,600
I was in high school and had my first job making $.76 an hour typing collection letters for the credit department in a clothing store or a manual typewriter. Only reason I was able to get the job was because I had taken two years of typing in high school and had won an award for 80 wpm error free. Then the store owner discovered I also knew shorthand so I took dictation from him on Saturday morning and then typed his letters on Saturday afternoon. Did well and was given a raise to $.95 an hour. At least in school back then we learned how to do something that would help us get a job.