Delivering a lesson in character.

Byline: Frank Lepore 

COLUMN: Frankly Speaking

When our four children were younger and still in the household, we never did provide monetary allowances for them. Quite frankly, we really were not in a financial position to do so. But, of primary importance, was our philosophy that any such rewards should be earned and not simply distributed haphazardly.

None of the children ever complained. They simply accepted such a philosophy and went about earning whatever funds they needed. For many years, Sunday newspaper routes were the major source of income for most of them. Of course, newspaper carriers in those days were mostly youngsters who went door-to-door braving the elements ... and a few dogs. There were not many leash laws in vogue at that time.

Today, at least in our area, carriers are primarily adults who distribute the newspaper by whizzing by in cars and heaving the newspaper from an open car window onto driveways. I guess it is all yet another advance in technology of some sort and a necessary system today. Still, it seems to have taken away a method of earnings for some youngsters.

I was certainly included in the delivery routes for our children. Prior to their late teens, my children did not have drivers' licenses. Even then, they did not have automobiles until later. Thus, it was my lot to drive them on early Sunday morning routes. At times, I also assisted in distributing a few of the heavy Sunday newspapers. The routes were all on Sundays since all our children were heavily involved in school sports and daily practices and games.

Each of the children was quite different in carrying out the delivery duties. One was an extremely fast distributor. Her Sunday route involved more than 100 customers and she did the route for more than 10 years. She displayed the same speed on the route that she did in the sports she played. She would run, not walk, to the household door, deposit the newspaper and complete the route in record time. She was certainly a pleasure to "chauffeur" around a route.

My son inherited the route and held it until the Sunday morning he graduated from college. He, too, was fast, thorough and reliable, even if somewhat difficult to awaken early on a Sunday morning. At 21, he somewhat reluctantly "retired." But the route paid for an inexpensive car he purchased and for expenses associated with the car.

And then there was my youngest daughter. Today she is a professor at Harvard, a historian and noted author of three historical publications. Even as a youngster, she showed signs of creativity and talent.

But a speedy newspaper carrier she was not.

Actually, she was a "substitute" carrier, who delivered the papers only when her brother or sister was involved in some athletic activity. Truth to tell, she sort of tested my patience. She loves nature, animals and all aspects of the environment.

At every delivery, she would stop and attempt to stroke any animal that was receptive to such attention.

If the customer's yard had beautiful flowers, shrubbery, or a well-manicured lawn, it all had to be admired very, very slowly prior to delivering the newspaper.

What long mornings! It was also tough on the idling car.

A fourth child, our oldest daughter, while not a newspaper carrier, was constantly employed as a babysitter, clerk or working as a bus girl in area restaurants. She always earned her own money and was "self-supporting" at an early age.

Thus, newspaper delivery was really a major substitute for allowances. Collecting payment, however, could be a major headache.

Small payment envelopes were provided for customers and these customers were requested to leave payment weekly in such envelopes.

Many did, but there were always a few customers who neglected to pay and would fail to do so for a few weeks.

Such customers not only cut deeply into overall profits, but also necessitated many return trips to try for collection. A very few never did pay.

However, the Christmas season always provided a welcome delivery time. Many (not all) of the customers gave what was considered generous tips.

A Sunday newspaper route with 100 customers would provide an average of $300 ... funds to carry the youthful carriers for a year.

Personally, I never did regret not providing an allowance for their immediate needs and sort of insisting on newspaper routes or other means of becoming self-sufficient.

Such "employment" became very meaningful and rewarding to them.

I do think it helped develop their overall values ... even if they may not have thought so as I awakened them early on Sunday morning.

I confess that I sort of miss that bonding on those Sunday newspaper routes, but I miss the children more.

Frank Lepore is a freelance columnist for The Record.