1950 Press Delivery Boys

In 1952 the Press began using delivery boys on bicycles with a large bag over their shoulder full of the latest edition of the Wayne County Press. The delivery boys had a town route that averaged 5 to 10 miles and delivered around 150 papers. That year, the delivery boys were paid one cent per paper. In those days Cokes were 5 cents and a movie was 35 cents.

Every Monday and Thursday, the delivery boys hurried up to the Press office after school to wait our turn to get our papers. Press staffers were busy rolling the papers and securing them with a little red rubber band. Another staffer kept track of the carrier names and disbursement Off the delivery boys would go on their trusty bicycle while balancing that big bag of newspapers. The trick was to keep moving, while tossing the paper onto the yard of the subscriber. Tossing the paper into the bushes, or onto the roof was unacceptable.

A delivery boy who missed a subscriber was penalized. In those early days, a tally board was on the wall near the back stairs. Delivery boys who missed a paper delivery were docked. The docked money was put into a kitty along with a five-dollar bill. The carriers without any missed deliveries for the month got to split the money from the kitty.

The town residents of Fairfield depended on those bicycle delivery boys to bring the news every Monday and Thursday afternoon. Many delivery boys worked for the Press for several years and kept the same route year after year. The delivery boys took pride in their jobs, streamlined their routes, and perfected their aim. Bad weather such as heavy rain or snow would require the assistance of a family member with a trusty car.

Eventually, times changed. The Press delivery routes were handled entirely by car, with the rolled-up Press tossed out the window. The only way to get The Press any quicker, is to stand in line at the Press office. For over one hundred fifty years people have relied on The Wayne County Press for local news.