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4 Volume 73 Number 1
15 February 2021
left school at 16, Grade Ten. ( I did like being in which came about 10 pm. My job was to set up
the midst of pretty girls; my previous schools the sub-headlines and the advertising page
were boys only, so that was something.) Of part- blocks. This job involved working with molten
time jobs I remember while attending Western lead: one had to be careful.
Canada High were Pin Boy at the local bowling al- It was fascinating to watch the linotype operators
ley, and delivery boy for a Calgary commercial at work with their tap, tap, tap as the little brass
printer. There was no automatic pin setting ma- letters fell into place. Larger fonts were set by
chine, so brave boys jumped down into the pit; hand; these varied sizes were held in ‘cases’,
reset the five pins, and then quickly got out of the which slid out about waist high. Unlike a typewrit-
way (Note: this was 5 pin bowling, very Canadi- er keyboard the letters were arranged from A in
an.) I think I got 75 cents/hour. left top corner to Z in the lower right corner, not
very efficient.
The stationery deliveries
used a special bike; regular This scene was to be my
wheel at back and a smaller undoing. I had been there
one at front with a huge about a year when what
basket on it. This somewhat seemed like a good idea at
dangerous job was ok until the time was to use my
winter came; it was hard to lunch time and re-set the
stay upright on icy roads. more common fonts in
As well, there were minor typewriter format. I fin-
jobs to do inside the print ished three of the more
shop. I think I got paid common cases and it was
about $5/week. time to go home; as well,
tomorrow was my day off.

Having cleverly left school I told no one of my brilliant
at 16, I now looked for full- scheme; I wanted it to be
time employment. I got a a surprise.
job as a lens grinder; a Which it was. Apparently,
small outfit, the owner and chaos ensued. My day-off
two journeymen, and now replacement, ‘Old Charlie’,
me. It was a non-union job had a stress attack. The
and paid $17.50 a week paper was late hitting the
plus the promise of a free streets, and all sorts of dif-
pair of glasses at the end of ferent fonts were put to
a year. I was there only a use. The foreman was
few weeks when a golden waiting for me next even-
opportunity arose. The ing. In a fairly calm man-
man who sold Dad our ner, considering the cir-
house, an ex-RCAF pilot, By age 24 Len was pulling an oar. cumstances, he asked, A,
worked as a linotype opera- did I do it ?, and B, why? I explained my theories
tor for one of the two Calgary newspapers, The thinking he would be pleased. He wasn’t, but his
Albertan, a morning paper. The other paper, The manner softened a bit. He pointed out type had
Calgary Herald, was an afternoon paper. This man been set this way for about 500 years, since the
told Dad that the foreman of the composing room time of Gutenberg. Turned out, the owners want-
was looking to take on an apprentice. So, I was ed blood, so someone had to be fired. I was sad
scrubbed up and presented to him next evening. to go as I liked the work. I apologized to ‘Old
The interview went well and I was hired, a six Charlie’, who was still a bit grumpy. I missed the
year program, starting at $23 a week (a union roar of the giant presses, and never got to use
shop). I gave a week’s notice to the lens grinder ‘Second Coming’ type, letters so big that the
boss who found it hard to take that my starting words, WAR ENDS filled up the whole front page.
wage at The Albertan exceeded his long-time It was last used 8 May, 1945, V—E Day.
wages. The work was interesting, and I learned
something new every day, and there was a certain Not everything was positive about a night shift
camaraderie amongst the crew at the lunch break, job. Most of my limited income went to buying

http://www.noabc.com/