Between “Splits and School” | Grandma’s Stories

Oct 3rd Between “Splits and School”

When, I started to work for the Telephone Co., which was downtown – for me –, it was like having your cake and eat it! Why would I say something like that??? Ordinarily – you have to have some important business to take care of, and that would bring you to the downtown area – because in the 1940’s and 1950’s – every neighborhood had all the “MOM and POP” types stores for anything you could be in need of. Every neighborhood had a Church and School and all within walking distance.

So, for me to work in the “heart” of downtown – working the split shift was just my “cup of tea” for exploring and finding out what was better in the stores downtown as compared to what the stores in our neighborhood, had to offer? There were three (3) large department stores – and each one had a better calling card – depending on your needs. Famous-Barr was the choice store for me. Every purchase you made, you would receive “Eagle Stamps” which as collected in books – you could redeem for money applied to a future purchase – and when – I get the chance to save a dime – I’m hooked! The best part is that – you could get double stamps on “TUESDAY” – which was the day for me to shop!

What caught my eye was the department where they sold everything that you could possibly want and or need for the person interested in sewing of any kind! One interest I had was in crocheting and doing embroidery and I found myself in this department more often during my off work time – the daily “SPLIT-SHIFT” – gathering patterns and needles and thread and all kinds of terrific ideas of what I would like to learn to do.

The best part of this department was – they had a woman sitting at a table making and or working on different ideas – basically to show you the “customer” “how –to- do it” and that was for anything that you wanted to make! I had found a “HAIR-Pin Lace Scarf” pattern – that just looked beautiful – but I never made anything with the “HAIR-Pin” hoop – and this lady would spend hours at a time just showing me “HOW TO DO IT” and I was able to make the most beautiful Hair Pin Lace scarf – which I still have today! In the afternoons of my split shift time – I would walk to the Famous-Barr store and kept track of the time for me to walk over there – so that I would know how much time I would need to walk back to work – I did not want to be late for the evening half of work time to finish my day‘s work at the Telephone Co.

Once , I had the hang of doing the crocheting or whatever I was working on – found that the Telephone Co. had a very nice Lounge and also a nice Break Room – suitable for me to work in peace and quiet and complete what I was doing. Also, there were a couple of other workers who were working on similar ideas and crafts – so it gave us all a nice time to compare our projects and get other ideas as well as build a better friendship with the gals we are working with! I was learning – working and enjoying every minute working in the big downtown Saint Louis, Missouri and recommend for others to have fun while working, too!