The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-24

Mans Work Easy for Miss
Dorothy Cunningham,
Even in Strike
BY GLADYS CRAIG


"I can't sew, but can make con-
crete" said Miss Dorothy Cunning
ham, of the Cunningham Construc-
ton Company, 1901 Kentucky Ave.
During her business career, Miss
Cunningham has built miles and
miles of concrete roads all over In
diana. For years she was the super
intendent of a construction gang,
and the only woman on the JOB.
"How did you acquire the execu-
tive ability necessary to do mans
work?" she was asked.
- Started In Home Work
"By learning i. to do a woman's
work first" was the somewhat star
ting answer.
"Any woman who learns to man
age a. home successfully is fitted for
business.
.My mother died when I was
about ten years old leaving me to
keep house for the family and rear
nv baby brother. I always have had
heavy responsibilities thrust upon
me-"
Her first experience in the eco
nonic world was as school teacner'
1T got the lowest salary OF any
teacher in the county" she said, her
hlue ewes twinkling with the irish
hurnor which is characteristic Oh
her.
Followed Brothers
"schcol teaching starves you TO
the point where YOU are willing TO
take any kind of job. 1 ran rental
agency on the side to keep from
starving. I've been kicked out OF
some of the best homes in town as
a consequence"
In these days Miss Cunningham
had nothing so unladylike as road
building in mind. Her brothers hao
gone into the construction business
and they decided to rescue stheil
sister from school teaching and give
her a clerical position in their office
"They had more than they could
supervise personally" explained
Miss Cunningham. $50 one day they
asked me if I could make two trips
daily to watch a brick road that
thew were building out Of Martins
vile. The work was moving slowly,
and they told me that if any profits
were left at the finish I could
have it.
Fired Two, Did Both Jobs.
"WeIl, when I looked the job over,
I fired the superintendent and the
timekeeper and filled both jobs my
self. Instead of going down twice
a day, I lived on the job. I had one
strike which I settled by giving the
men more money.
I'm three months the work was
done, and the profits were such that
my brothers thought it would be
safer to take me into the firm"
This was the beginning Of fifteen
strenuous years of road building,
during which time she lived right
on the road. 81 loved it," she said.
IT never lived in a tent. I was al
ways fortunate in finding house
near the road. In those days I
built at night. We had our own
lighting system, and I ran three
shifts and kept time for all three.
Adopts Son
ct never had bit of trouble in
disciplining the men, although many
trying problems came up"
Close confinement to business did
not prevent ample expression of the
maternal instinct"
I'm just like an old settin' hen,
she said. i've got to have some
thing to look after" So she adopted
a fifteen year old boy and sent him
through high school and college. He
graduated from the University OF
Pennsylvania with honors.
"That was the best investment
ever made" she said. "And when
he has no further need of me, I'll
find me another boy to rear, for I'll
never be left sitting in front of the
fire talking to myself"
Il