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Burlington Commission on Human Rights, 1964-1965
At Work in Industry Today Page 3
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for shipment. In a sense, she’s right in the middle of a communications network that links the manufacturing and sales force. Her work requires extreme accuracy, because a wrongly routed message or inaccurate confirmation message could result in the loss of a sizable sale. The job also demands someone who can work quickly under the pressures that abound in this fast-paced operation. Barbara joined GE in May, 1962, after previous experience with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland and the Country Clerk’s office in Louisville. A native of Louisville, she was graduated from Central High School in 1953. She wasn’t fond of secretarial-type work and didn’t care to be a sales clerk for the rest of her life, so she cast her lot with the Navy. Her solid academic background and high test scores qualified Seaman Beasley for advanced training after completion of basic training. Miss Beasley chose the Navy’s Teleman School because, as she out it, “I felt this type of special training would equip me for a good job when my Navy time was up.” She quickly demonstrated her prowess as a teletype operator during the training period, and before she was discharged from the Navy she had worked her way up to a Teleman, 2nd class. As Barbara Beasley suspected when she first chose teletype specialty, her training in this field was a valuable asset. When she applied at GE, the interviewer quickly noted her skilled background and gave her a battery of proficiency tests. She sailed through these with little trouble and before long she found herself in the midst of the appliance business. She started at GE with a healthy increase in pay over her former job and in the two years since her pay has been increased twice. A personable and attractive young lady of 29 (she doesn’t mind admitting it), Miss Beasley represented her department on Appliance Park’s prizewinning float in the 1964 Kentucky Derby Festival Parade. [photo to right] Robert J. Blalock Temporary ‘Progressland’ job at World’s Fair whets his interest in permanent Company position “Dropping out of high school today is just like losing an arm or a leg. In fact it’s getting so you practically need a master’s degree really to get somewhere.” So says Robert J. Blalock, purchasing agent at General Electric’s Progressland at the New York World’s Fair. When he started in April, 1964, at the pavilion, he was a host captain, but he was shortly promoted to the purchasing job- by June 1. As the buyer, every penny spent on the exhibit goes through him – whether it be for uniforms, furniture, maintenance expense or a myriad of other requirements. “The job has been a liberal education for me,” he says. Bob Blalock already has had a formidable formal education, with tours at Central State College, Wilberforce, Ohio; Syracuse University; University of Maryland; and the University of Nancy in France. All but the two-year Central State stint occurred during his seven and a half years in the U.S. Air Force where he served in the Security Service. By adding up his various educational activities, he qualifies as a first-semester senior in college. He hopes to get his degree in accounting and finance from Hofstra University on Long Island by the time the Fair closes in the fall of 1965. “Then, maybe, I can get on one of the General Electric training programs,” he says. “I’ve heard a lot about them since I joined Progressland.” He’s hoping that eventually his language skills will also help him in a Company with business interests all over the world. He speaks French fluently and knows Russian and Turkish. Mr. Blalock’s emphasis on education has been nurtured by his family background. His father is a Baptist minister, with a church in the Bronx. A younger brother and sister attend college om the New York City area. Bob Blalock says: “ I think my parents have dinned education into me since the day I was born (August 24, 1935, in Monroe Country, Georgia).” Since then, he has been getting education of one kind or another almost constantly. His military service, particularly, was conducive to study. But he left the Air Force, as he explains it, “because after seven and a half years of military life I decided it was time to sample the civilian brand of living.” As a bachelor, he wanted a job at the Fair so that he could have time in the winter to go to school. After applying through the New York State Employment Board, he landed with General Electric, his first civilian employer. “I’m glad GE picked me,” Mr. Blalock says. “I enjoy it here.” He finds more variety and opportunity in civilian life than the military. However, racial problems, he finds, are less prevalent in the military. But he adds: “My experience thus far at Progressland has taught me this: Try to look for the best qualities in each person. If you do, you will usually find you get along better.” 3
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for shipment. In a sense, she’s right in the middle of a communications network that links the manufacturing and sales force. Her work requires extreme accuracy, because a wrongly routed message or inaccurate confirmation message could result in the loss of a sizable sale. The job also demands someone who can work quickly under the pressures that abound in this fast-paced operation. Barbara joined GE in May, 1962, after previous experience with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland and the Country Clerk’s office in Louisville. A native of Louisville, she was graduated from Central High School in 1953. She wasn’t fond of secretarial-type work and didn’t care to be a sales clerk for the rest of her life, so she cast her lot with the Navy. Her solid academic background and high test scores qualified Seaman Beasley for advanced training after completion of basic training. Miss Beasley chose the Navy’s Teleman School because, as she out it, “I felt this type of special training would equip me for a good job when my Navy time was up.” She quickly demonstrated her prowess as a teletype operator during the training period, and before she was discharged from the Navy she had worked her way up to a Teleman, 2nd class. As Barbara Beasley suspected when she first chose teletype specialty, her training in this field was a valuable asset. When she applied at GE, the interviewer quickly noted her skilled background and gave her a battery of proficiency tests. She sailed through these with little trouble and before long she found herself in the midst of the appliance business. She started at GE with a healthy increase in pay over her former job and in the two years since her pay has been increased twice. A personable and attractive young lady of 29 (she doesn’t mind admitting it), Miss Beasley represented her department on Appliance Park’s prizewinning float in the 1964 Kentucky Derby Festival Parade. [photo to right] Robert J. Blalock Temporary ‘Progressland’ job at World’s Fair whets his interest in permanent Company position “Dropping out of high school today is just like losing an arm or a leg. In fact it’s getting so you practically need a master’s degree really to get somewhere.” So says Robert J. Blalock, purchasing agent at General Electric’s Progressland at the New York World’s Fair. When he started in April, 1964, at the pavilion, he was a host captain, but he was shortly promoted to the purchasing job- by June 1. As the buyer, every penny spent on the exhibit goes through him – whether it be for uniforms, furniture, maintenance expense or a myriad of other requirements. “The job has been a liberal education for me,” he says. Bob Blalock already has had a formidable formal education, with tours at Central State College, Wilberforce, Ohio; Syracuse University; University of Maryland; and the University of Nancy in France. All but the two-year Central State stint occurred during his seven and a half years in the U.S. Air Force where he served in the Security Service. By adding up his various educational activities, he qualifies as a first-semester senior in college. He hopes to get his degree in accounting and finance from Hofstra University on Long Island by the time the Fair closes in the fall of 1965. “Then, maybe, I can get on one of the General Electric training programs,” he says. “I’ve heard a lot about them since I joined Progressland.” He’s hoping that eventually his language skills will also help him in a Company with business interests all over the world. He speaks French fluently and knows Russian and Turkish. Mr. Blalock’s emphasis on education has been nurtured by his family background. His father is a Baptist minister, with a church in the Bronx. A younger brother and sister attend college om the New York City area. Bob Blalock says: “ I think my parents have dinned education into me since the day I was born (August 24, 1935, in Monroe Country, Georgia).” Since then, he has been getting education of one kind or another almost constantly. His military service, particularly, was conducive to study. But he left the Air Force, as he explains it, “because after seven and a half years of military life I decided it was time to sample the civilian brand of living.” As a bachelor, he wanted a job at the Fair so that he could have time in the winter to go to school. After applying through the New York State Employment Board, he landed with General Electric, his first civilian employer. “I’m glad GE picked me,” Mr. Blalock says. “I enjoy it here.” He finds more variety and opportunity in civilian life than the military. However, racial problems, he finds, are less prevalent in the military. But he adds: “My experience thus far at Progressland has taught me this: Try to look for the best qualities in each person. If you do, you will usually find you get along better.” 3
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