GRIT information so I don't totally hijack Kim's thread

[fredvon4]

The thread Kim stared referenced selling GRIT and a few of us chimed in that we too sold the Paper/Tabloid

I suspect a lot of forum members may not know what GRIT was

Grit was a familiar newspaper in small towns across the US for over a century. By the time of its 50th anniversary in 1932, 400,000 people bought the newspaper each week, increasing to 500,000 by 1934

I sold it twice a month from 1965 to 1967 to about 50 "customers" for a dime an issue that I got to keep 4 cents from neighbors in Joliet Il and Fridley MN

Quote from the publisher editor around 1900

"Always keep Grit from being pessimistic. Avoid printing those things which distort the minds of readers or make them feel at odds with the world. Avoid showing the wrong side of things, or making people feel discontented. Do nothing that will encourage fear, worry, or temptation... Wherever possible, suggest peace and good will toward men. Give our readers courage and strength for their daily tasks. Put happy thoughts, cheer, and contentment into their hearts"

During the first three-quarters of the 20th century, Grit was sold across the country by children and teenagers, many recruited by ads in comic books from the 1940s to the 1970s. Approximately 30,000 children collected dimes from more than 700,000 American small town homes during the 1950s when the publication still carried the subtitle, "America's Greatest Family Newspaper." A comical ad in Richie Rich comic books aimed to recruit more young salesmen, suggesting that Richie's father, Richard Rich, got his start as a businessman selling Grit

[Kim]

Picked it up in late '67 or so.  It had gone up to 15 cents an issue with my keeping a nickle.  I also had about 50 customers in our town of 400 or so.  Every Friday, two brown paper-wrapped bundles arrived at the post office downtown, and I'd bust open a bundle on the sidewalk out front, loading them into my Official GRIT Newspaper Bag.  They always sent extra copies above what I ordered, and I'd usually sell them right there.

Something REALLY unusual, by today's standards anyway, was that I sent them their money in cash!  They provided a piece of slotted cardstock to hold the coins, stuffed into an envelope sized for the paper money.  I don't recall there ever being a problem with them nit getting there money.

There were lots of tips, usually quarters I was told to keep, and I'd often ride my Stingray back home packing a load of Halloween-Grade treats.

A great time for a kid !