Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-09-16

Americas No. l "job-huntreSs, "
who has had Is jobs in 30 states
during the past eight months, is
sojourning temporarily in Mon
tana. Slim, silvery-haired Lyra
Ferguson of Reeds, Mo-, is well
on her way towards her goal of
having held 81 jobs in 81 weeks
by the time the first day of 1910
rolls around. From the rock-bound
coast of Maine to the sunny shores
of California, she has journeyed,
seeking, finding, but never holding q
JOB more than a week, If she can
help it.
No plain publicity seeker this, but
a serious minded woman who is out
TO learn all she can about employment
throughout the United States, the con-
ditions under which working people
live, all the various industries and the
different jobs people hold in these in
dustries. The material she secures viii
be incorporated in book which she
will begin writing as soon as her trek
over the country Is concluded.
Lyra is also picturetaker, and In
the 30 states visited since Jan. /, she
has taken colored moving pictures of
the outstanding interests of each state.
The movies will be shown at schools
and at club-sponsored programs next
year, and on the South American cruise
to Chile awarded her for her interest
in life and people by the Grace steam
ship line of New York.
Travels in Car
Miss Ferguson drives her own car
and pays her own travelling expenses.
Arriving at her destination she seeks
work, taking employment without pay,
If she cannot land a Salaried position
Her Montana job was that of cooks
helper at CORTLAND Du Rand's IA
nous mecca of dudes" the Big Elk
ranch, at Martinsdale. She proved to
be a first-class kitchen helper for it
wasn't the first time her strange lob
trotting" tour had landed her in
culinary department. During her dude
ranch employment, Miss Ferguson was
treated to a special showing Of the
only wild game water rodeo In the
world, put on annually at the ranch
by du Rand, noted trainer Of wild
animals.
Here Miss Ferguson snapped buffalo
trained elk saddled with an Indian
and elk teams drawing loaded
wagons. She pronounced Montana
scenery and interests "the most I'M
usual In the entire country"
In her job itinerary, Miss Ferguson
has done everything from acting as
booking agent for dance group and /
Gen. Smedley d. Butler, to construct !
ing a rock garden at the Matinicus
Rock lighthouse, IS miles off the coast |
Of Maine.
The latter was her most isolated"
position and also the most interesting. I
She built q miniature garden minus |
the customary dirt, and her job lasted |
IL days, not by choice but by chance,
as she was marooned on the light |
house by the high pounding seas of the |
Atlantic ocean. Finally reaching San |
Francisco she secured a job at the |
worlds fair, and during her brief So
Iourn made the longest free telephone
can when she talked with Lighthouse
keeper and Mrs. r. L. Fletcher of
Matiniclls Rock.
A most versatile person, Miss Fer
yuson has worked in a pen plant at
Fort Madison, Ia, in chocolate fac
DRY in Pennsylvania, in a peanut
packing plant in Virginia, and in a
salmon packing plant in Oregon. She
polished silver at the Hotel Monticello
n LOngview, Wash, and has labored Il
n logging camps and general stores.
And take it from Lyra, who knows,
Jobs are hard to gel" She attributes