A Mill Girl

Dear Diary,

In the summer of 1963, at the ripe old age of 14, I got my first summer job in this mill.  I worked on the third floor operating machines that took large rolls of plastic and turned them into small plastic bags.  It was often over 100F on the floor and the working conditions were awful.  For all that, I made $1.25 an hour.  Today, the minimum wage is $7.25, not much of an increase in 58 years but in 1963 my $1.25 had the buying power of $10.69 today so I was better off than a minimum wage worker today.  I know I was thrilled to be able to earn my own money for the first time.  We were paid in cash in little brown pay packets on Friday afternoon's. Tomorrow, I will tune into a Zoom lecture on New England Mill girls of the 19th century.  They earn between $3 and $4 a week.  $4.00 in 1850 was the equivalent of $134.00 today.  I think it will be very interesting.