What's amazing about this story is that it is THE quintessential American story prior to the 1980’s. My Russian immigrant grandfather graduated 6th grade, then had to go to work. His first real job was at Edison Labs working on radios. They had backyard transistor radio kits in the 1910’s. Self-taught. He became factory supervisor for RCA building the first televisions prior to the crash in 1929. He said the college boys sent plans down to the factory where he stayed up all night making them work! Does this sound familiar?
I work with immigrants and younger people who haven't a CLUE what kind of world we grew up in. If I tell these stories, they just stare as if it's an impossible Utopian dream.
We're so fortunate to have lived in freedom, even for awhile.
There was a time when you could start at the bottom and work your way up. I started working in a CRT factory at 18. Went to college in my off hours and moved up quickly because I had a work ethic, ability, and most importantly... a pathway. The company promoted from within, encouraged growth and offered many learning opportunities that were free. Few took advantage, but for those of us who did, the world was our oyster.
It was a different world. My children simply can’t comprehend the liberty and real freedom we had.