Part 2
By Eleanor Rogers Gittens, PhD CU-1941
On April 12, 1945 while at work a feeling of dread came over me. Try as I might I could not shake it. Bad news was in the offing. Was my son sick? Did something happen to Lyle? I left work and hurried to my mother-in-law’s home. There was my son, as happy as a lark. Then it must be my husband. As I left Mom’s to return to work, I saw people pouring into the streets. President Roosevelt had just died. I shared the country’s grief, but was relieved that my husband was ok.
The War is Over
Japan surrendered and my husband had enough points to muster out of the army. I had found a small apartment for myself and my son, and a job as secretary for a suite of five Harlem lawyers… none of whom could afford a full time secretary. Two of them later became judges.
Three months after the surrender my husband came home. We tearfully embraced, as our 18-month-old son growled unhappily “take your hands off my mommy”. We were finally beginning our marriage. The depression had not ended and my husband was finding it difficult to land a job. He took every available civil service exam. He also had trouble dealing with how much the cost of living had changed since he was last a civilian….a $2.00 Stetson hat now fetched $20.00. We struggled to pay the rent. Finally in December of 1950 he was hired by the New York State Department of Labor where he rapidly moved up the ranks. Getting Paid and Loving the Work
I began work as a school secretary with the NYC Board of Education, received my masters degree, and became a junior high school English teacher. During the turbulent sixties, I directed a poverty program that taught tractor trailer driving.
In 1970, the City University of New York opened a new community college whose main focus included internships as part of the curriculum.
I was part of the initial hire. I developed internships with major corporations that often ended up as permanent jobs for the students. One of my clients was Disney World; I had placed many students there, and had to visit them at least once during their internships.
Part 3 Coming Next Week
