For no particular reason, with one month to go before I reach 79, I decided to hit up 'something-dot-gov' and look at my lifetime earnings. My first paying job, at age 15 in 1958 was working at the YMCA Day Camp and I made a total of $8.00 for the eight-week summer season - that worked out to a dollar a week, but I got to go to camp for free!

The next year I worked both at the YMCA and at the McDonald's 'On The Waterfront' in Beverly, Mass. My combined earnings in 1959 was $44.00.

The first McDonald's in Beverly, Mass - on the Waterfront at the end of Rantoul Street, which had a large population of Italian immigrants, including my family, during the 1940s through the 1960s.

In 1960, still working the two jobs plus still going to High School, I hit the big time, making $292.00.

In my last year of High School, 1961, I was really rollin' in the dough, raking in exactly $1,074 dollars! That big increase came from the YMCA Summer Camp and NOT McDonalds.

The pay at McDonalds was always 35 cents an hour. It did not go up during my time. The interesting thing about the 35 cents was - it was equal to the price of a McDonald's meal - 15 cents for the hamburger, ten cents for the fries, and one more dime for the soft drink!

Over the next few years, I continued to work part time while attending The Huntington School in Boston, followed by Grahm Jr. College, Kenmore Square, Boston, where Gary LaPierre of WBZ, and Andy Kaufman of Mars, were also students.

Bill Russo - 1961 - Beverly Mass. High School

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Bill Russo

- Born 1943

- Died: Not Yet, But I'm Workin' On IT!