tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post6047584426826656602..comments2023-10-12T06:58:26.451-04:00Comments on Mary's View: Once upon a time, there were Secretaries.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-53783793112468739862010-09-28T07:15:13.291-04:002010-09-28T07:15:13.291-04:00Thank you for the info. It sounds pretty user frie...Thank you for the info. It sounds pretty user friendly. I guess I’ll pick one up for fun. thank u<br /><br /><a href="http://digitaldictation.com.au/" rel="nofollow">digital dictation</a>Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07840057303118285087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-27262469422741573082010-07-08T21:37:38.049-04:002010-07-08T21:37:38.049-04:00Thanks, Anon. Wishing better circumstances for yo...Thanks, Anon. Wishing better circumstances for your group. During budget crunches, big corps nail upper management while small educational institutions nail the support staff. BIG mistake ;-)Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-72821793790310670512010-07-08T14:47:31.476-04:002010-07-08T14:47:31.476-04:00Mary, I was searching the internet for pricing on ...Mary, I was searching the internet for pricing on an Antigue Secretary and ran across your piece. Not to say you are antique, lol. <br />What memories it brought back to me... Unfortunately, it also touched on present times. With the cuts in funding, our school corporation is cutting hours, days and holiday pay of our secretaries. Eighteen plus years does not make a difference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-32070426413771941212010-05-23T09:26:21.428-04:002010-05-23T09:26:21.428-04:00This is beautiful, splendid writing. And I am gla...This is beautiful, splendid writing. And I am glad you don't let the premise of a nature blog stop you from writing outside of the box. After all, it is nature that roots us and allows us to explore like a kite unleashed but still held firm in a child's hand. You are a goddess of the most extraordinary kind. You have a remarkable way of telling a story that crosses so many boundaries. Please don't ever stop telling your stories. We need them.TR Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00595967532391171082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-60357391340582456342010-05-03T19:46:08.260-04:002010-05-03T19:46:08.260-04:00Mary, you brought back a lot of memories for me!Mary, you brought back a lot of memories for me!JeanMachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14536421799031706759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-48027412730424274032010-04-25T16:48:44.800-04:002010-04-25T16:48:44.800-04:00Honey. You need to submit this somewhere.
Amazin...Honey. You need to submit this somewhere.<br /><br />Amazing Mary. My God. What a eye-opener for we cloistered women who never had to deal with the culture of the corporate world in those day.<br /><br />But I'm tallying the life skills you had to develop to get by.<br /><br />Rich. Very rich.<br /><br />Do you ever hear from those people from the past? Do any associations survive the rigid pecking order of the 9 to 5 world?<br /><br />Great piece, Amazing Mary!<br /><br />PS. I can imagine your feelings about your mother and the great injustices of her day.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00548755592157386484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-26037343970051760922010-04-24T22:31:41.550-04:002010-04-24T22:31:41.550-04:00Oh, I do remember White-out. It was like cement af...Oh, I do remember White-out. It was like cement after you had it awhile. Remember (gasp!) CARBON PAPER?<br /><br />Anyone remember the TV show Private Secretary with Ann Southern? <br /><br />I learned shorthand, but found that my typing was faster than my shorthand. LOL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-60848663105743804402010-04-22T00:43:58.503-04:002010-04-22T00:43:58.503-04:00I spent 2 years learning Gregg shorthand, then wen...I spent 2 years learning Gregg shorthand, then went on to vocational school and had another year of ABC shorthand. Graduated...first job... dictating machine!!!! Three, count them, three years of shorthand!! Worked for an elementary school. Made coffee once...he never asked for another cup!cindynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-79809589923998155432010-04-21T19:30:28.263-04:002010-04-21T19:30:28.263-04:00Those were the days, my friend.
I've known so...Those were the days, my friend.<br /><br />I've known so many secretaries who've been the reason I even bothered to go to work some days--they were friends, mentors, mothers, and co-conspirators, teaching me more about big bidness than any college course ever could.<br /><br />And man, I'm blown away by your mom's typing speed. I can type about 95 wpm on a good computer keyboard; that old manual typewriter would reduce me to tears!dguzmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01811101661607351661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-33611729345961410332010-04-21T18:48:50.253-04:002010-04-21T18:48:50.253-04:00Mary, my how the world has changed! I remember se...Mary, my how the world has changed! I remember seeing seperate listings in the want ads when I was young as "Jobs for men" and "jobs for women." That would never be tolerated now! I do miss calling an office and talking to a real person though. BTW, I flunked out of typing in high school.Kathie Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10377224759599266209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-78098361925660141262010-04-20T22:49:06.751-04:002010-04-20T22:49:06.751-04:00There are so many things I love about this post. I...There are so many things I love about this post. I read it on Sunday, then thunk upon it till now. My mom went back to work in the secretarial pool at LaSalle College a few years after Dad died. Her brother was the Chairman of the English department there, but she was by no means a shoo-in for the job. I remember her brushing up on her her rusty shorthand and typing skills (she'd been to business school), doing exercises and timed typing tests. She got the gig, and went from the pool to the Psych and Math departments, where she made friends, and, for some strange reason, represented a threat to one female professor who resented the presence of a smart secretary (though Mom was by no means the only one. But since her big brother was the Chairman of the English Department, Day and Evening Divisions, the biological connection was undeniable.) <br /><br />She then became the departmental secretary for the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Brother Muldoon found Mom indispensable. "Mare! Where's my (fill in the blank)?!?" "Mare? Did you see my (whatever the hell it was he couldn't find)?" "Mare?! How do you spell...?" <br /><br />Secretaries, or whatever they're called now, are, like nurses, the keys to the Unviverse. And they STILL don't get paid or appreciated enough. So thanks, Mare. From me, and from Mom, AKA "Mare?!?!?"Catbirdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08817359455864023690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-34069866300547756432010-04-20T07:31:02.661-04:002010-04-20T07:31:02.661-04:00Great post Mary. I was never part of the corporate...Great post Mary. I was never part of the corporate world but can identify with Jayne's comments about nurses and doctors. We no longer have a "secretary" in our department at the hospital and we are each responsible for our own letters, faxing, copying, messaging.Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15892804871759397018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-79812015422858235592010-04-19T23:05:00.883-04:002010-04-19T23:05:00.883-04:00Agree, Anon!Agree, Anon!Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-17317169458161380762010-04-19T13:55:50.982-04:002010-04-19T13:55:50.982-04:00I don't have a secretary, and I'm not the ...I don't have a secretary, and I'm not the boss. I'm somewhere in between. Nonetheless, the office boss expects me to chip in for his secretary's card and gift on Admin. Prof. Day. And then his sccretary will expect me to chip in for the boss's card and gift on Boss' Day. I just wish they'd get rid of these so-called holidays. All their good for is making money for Hallmark. Afterall, shouldn't we appreciate everyone every day?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-20785673907996603232010-04-19T12:45:51.815-04:002010-04-19T12:45:51.815-04:00THAT was wonderful!! HA, many related things can b...THAT was wonderful!! HA, many related things can be said about many trades... IMAGINE when busdrivers were having a problem with a child and they stopped and kicked the child off! ..and parents didn't call and say ,"my Johnny didn't do anything"PJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00104319952137455099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-40494881941104640182010-04-19T08:56:20.051-04:002010-04-19T08:56:20.051-04:00I was a legal secretary / paralegal for seven year...I was a legal secretary / paralegal for seven years and there was everything you mentioned here - ugh. Then I became an engineer because I was tired of the boob/ass grabbing, etc. etc. And working for a female lawyer - the freakin' worst thing of my life. I will never work for a woman again.NatureWomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04272529400065960820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-29981111422112060282010-04-19T07:21:14.376-04:002010-04-19T07:21:14.376-04:00Wow, did this ever bring back memories. Great wri...Wow, did this ever bring back memories. Great write up. Great read. I can tell your bosses were mightly blessed to have you around and you were (are) worth more money.Lisa at Greenbowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07743973292900758183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-79956689010522747792010-04-19T06:44:11.045-04:002010-04-19T06:44:11.045-04:00I could write this same post about being a nurse i...I could write this same post about being a nurse in the early 80's. Jumping up to always give the MD your chair in the nurses station, AND hauling his charts around for him as he made rounds, following behind him like a puppy dog. Ack.<br /><br />Secretaries/Adm. Assistants are the difference between a successful place of employment and a chaotic work environment. You RULE!<br /><br />(Loved the memories of Mrs. a-Wiggins!)Jaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14057094040409159429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-82413013016841073222010-04-19T05:18:24.871-04:002010-04-19T05:18:24.871-04:00Caroline, that's sweet to talk about Tess that...Caroline, that's sweet to talk about Tess that way.<br /><br />Donna, I've had a few female bosses and none of them were a pleasure to work for/with. One of them was a terrible nightmare. I'll take a male boss, thank you ;-)Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040099513110890878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-60589086927986145462010-04-18T23:22:36.129-04:002010-04-18T23:22:36.129-04:00Oh, yes--I remember those days. Almost as surreal...Oh, yes--I remember those days. Almost as surreal as your experience was being a woman boss. Some of "my" secretaries didn't want to work for a female boss. Interesting how the gender dynamic works out in that context.<br />And, I am proud to say, that in one job--mid 1980s--I was "dictating" but into a central word processing recording. The men in the office still called in the secretary AND her book to take dictation. I thought that a colossal waste of time--tying up two people for one job.KGMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05165941950953938943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35675426.post-86201736904482151582010-04-18T22:03:41.880-04:002010-04-18T22:03:41.880-04:00Bless you, Mary for being that Office Goddess! I d...Bless you, Mary for being that Office Goddess! I don't know what we'd do without our Tess...she is secretary, friend, mom to every student, nurse, and everything else you remember doing.<br />We are treating her to a trip to our favorite greenhouse, a gift from the staff, it isn't enough, but she'll love it and I'll get to visit her garden later this summer and sip a glass of iced tea and have a great time seeing what she has added.Carolinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09646529544107229536noreply@blogger.com