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 Last
week we took a look at the issue of public safety in Bay County,
particularly focused on beach safety and our lack of life guards. In
reviewing the site, the article has provoked significant dialogue. Lo
and behold the topic shows up this week on the front pages of the News
Herald. Unfortunately we are hearing the same drivel that it can't be
afforded. How about this "what if"? What if the hotels attached a $1
"beach fee" to every tourist checking in, and applied those dollars to
paid lifeguards on our beaches. If we truly have 300,000 spring
breakers alone, that could very nearly pay the cost of full-time life
guards during peak season. Too many folks are spending their time
objecting to the notion of providing improved safety on our beaches
instead of exploring solutions. Unfortunately we place more value on
preserving logger head turtle nests and hatchlings than we do on human
beings. Go figure. I'll come back to this topic in the future to see if
the ball is rolling.
But
that's old news. This week I'd like to think about how we are
short-changing our youth with regard to our failure to teach them the
value of work and self-sufficiency.
When
I was a kid, getting a work permit under the age of 16 was right of
passage into adulthood. At age 12 I had a rural paper route. I pedaled
my bike about 3 miles (round trip) delivering the Daily News to my 40
customers. That was a 7 day a week job, year-round through all kinds of
weather. I bought my papers, delivered those papers to my customers,
and collected from those customers on a weekly basis. Most of those
customers were responsible to pay their bill and some were generous
with a small tip. Unfortunately, with the job came a few customers that
I had to hound for the $.60 a week to continue their paper delivery. I
got stiffed a few times. For this effort I made about $6.00 a week. Not
bad for a 12 year old. Minimum wage standards didn't apply to us kids,
and that was good thing.
After
about a year and a half, I sold my route and moved on to caddying at
the nearest country club. I bought a three-speed English style bike to
make my 5 mile one-way trip a little easier. From age 13 to 16 I went
to the course almost every day. Starting with a single loop, I earned
$3.00 including a $.50 tip. After a month or two, I graduated to
carrying doubles and usually made $6.00 in the 4 hour period that it
took to play 18 holes. That's $1.50 per hour when minimum wage was
about a dollar an hour. Some days I was able to get out twice and bring
home $12 for the day. In 1965 that was a good day for someone under 16
years old.
In
today's world, we don't have the luxury of caddy's at most country
clubs. A beginning caddy carrying a single bag could expect about $12
for 18 holes. That's $3 an hour and most kids expect to make the
minimum wage. If they carry doubles, they could make as much as $6 and
hour. Not bad for a kid.
There
are other opportunities for young people to learn a decent work ethic.
As a community, we're missing the boat in failing to provide that
opportunity and as parents, we are too interested in giving our kids
"allowances" instead of insisting they go out and learn how to earn
their spending money.
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