The Honeywell Institute, being new, depended upon their own sales personnel to attract a ready market. One of the recruiters, fresh out of college was a young man with the kind of social skills required to cinch a deal. They had a fancy brochure to back them up, explaining that the staff consisted of "seasoned computer professionals." The words hit me hard one day when I found my coffee mug encircled with them. I took the whole matter with good nature, but at the same time I wondered just what kind of graduates the colleges in 1970 were turning out. Private information let me know that this fellow did not pass the computer programmer aptitude test, although the Institute was nice enough to test his wife, who ranked well. Thus the free tuition for salesmen went to one spouse.
Already I thought of going back for a proper Masters. At Iowa I left with classes completed but no dissertation. The university had no one knowledgeable with my proposal (to write a manual for ESL teachers). This time, I was ready to start a graduate program (GRE intact) but it would be in vocational guidance, since I had no teaching certificate. At Roosevelt University in the College of Education, most of my fellow students were Chicago public school teachers where counseling would bring them higher on their career paths.
When the Honeywell experiment was canceled, due to adverse business conditions in 1973, my supervisor and I were hired at a commercial school similar to how ITT Tech is considered today. Here is where ageism fits. First, inflation was raging. Without even asking, I received substantial raises every year just to maintain the same standard of living. The bookkeeper in me hinted that with more years of service, the firm was ready to price me out of a job. But I also recognized that my employer needed someone to counsel students in accordance with professional requirements. Thus, I could possibly hold my job while doing something which seemed worthwhile. I could walk a few blocks after work to Roosevelt. And I could pay my own tuition, knowing all along that IRS would reimburse me for tuition and books as long as my employer stated that the courses were pertinent to my job. I spent money and time and then gained some money at tax time.
The rules aren't the same now. Perhaps those who fit somewhere in the Baby Boomer generation are able to scour their choices easier than I did. But the desire to work until we want to quit is always present. Perhaps it's subtle, but underneath is the knowledge that a young worker will be around for more years at a lower salary than someone like I would have been. Until recently, part time for senior citizens was acceptable because they might have a guarantee of health insurance. (After we retired, we were hard put to find any coverage except possibly a major medical policy.)
I see ageism as being a subtle type of bigotry. Grandparents are to be revered, of course. However, others' grandparents who want to work are just in the way of jobs for TwentySomethings. Oldsters can mumble how "kid nowadays" don't have the skills they do and are only interested in the money. I think everyone will lose if we don't look forward to what may come across the country. As I mentioned, inflation was our worry. I see it coming in a year or so, again. Credit cards will charge more. In essence, be prepared for price hikes and hope there will be a way to trade services with friends and family.
Most of all, disregard TV and radio comeons. It's the likes of them which starts the snowball effect. Remember it was not a tsunami until the banks had wrung the little guy dry.
