Category:
Jobs and Occupations

Rosa Hernandez: The Cleaning Lady

When San Diego performance artist Claudio Cano does her act, much of the audience isn’t aware that she’s actually performing, because her performance consists of dressing up as a Latina maid (whom she calls Rosa Hernandez) and sweeping or mopping the floor of art galleries. She notes that people in the galleries will often complain to the front desk about the maid cleaning while they're trying to look at the art, unaware that the "maid" is part of the art.

Cano also sometimes performs outside, where, in her maid outfit, she does stand out more. But even then, she notes, people rarely pay much heed to her, seeming to go out of their way to avoid her.

More info: ClaudiaCano.com, Only Here Podcast

Cano performing at SDSU Downtown Gallery



Performing at Oceanside Pier

Posted By: Alex - Thu Jun 27, 2019 - Comments (6)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Performance Art

The Rewards of Heroism

If there were a Cheapskate's Hall of Fame, the Chicago Board of Education would surely have to be in it. In 1994, after gym teacher Clarence Notree heroically saved a group of children from a gunman who had entered the school gym by shielding them with his body, the Board of Education informed him that he wasn't entitled to Workers Compensation for his injuries because saving children wasn't technically part of his job.

After a protracted legal battle, he did finally get a settlement of $13,447.

More info: NY Times

Opelousas Daily World - Sep 30, 1994



Franklin Daily Journal - Sep 30, 1994

Posted By: Alex - Fri Jun 14, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Lawsuits, 1990s

Bad-Breath Evaluator

Not as bad a job as being a gasmask tester. But still, pretty bad.

The patient sits behind a privacy screen and exhales into a tube. The breath evaluator sniffs the breath coming from the tube and assesses it.

San Francisco Examiner - Oct 21, 1997

Posted By: Alex - Tue May 21, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1990s

Truckers’ Wives United Against Female Truckers

As one of the first female truckers, Edna Ruth Lievsay was a social pioneer. One of her biggest obstacles, however, turned out not to be the trucking company, or the other drivers, but the wives of the other drivers, who refused to let their husbands drive with her, claiming she represented ‘temptation’.

In 1977, 200 of the wives joined together to form a group called “Truckers Families United Unlimited, Inc.” and sued to try to force the company to allow their husbands to refuse to drive with Lievsay. The judge ruled that they had failed to state a valid complaint.

El Paso Times - May 14, 1977



The Tennessean - May 6, 1977



Washington Court House Record-Herald - May 16, 1977


Posted By: Alex - Fri Apr 26, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Gender, 1970s

Testing Cab Drivers

Back in the 1920s, one Chicago cab company had some interesting tests it required its drivers to take. One was a "strength trial for the arms" in which the driver had to hold down a spring with his outstretched arm for as long as he could. There was also a psychological test:

The candidate is required to operate a somewhat complicated series of switches and foot-pedals according to carefully given directions, and while he is doing it, he is given unexpectedly a mild electric shock. The examiner observes to what extent the surprise upsets the equanimity and competence of the driver.

Perhaps Uber should consider similar tests for its drivers.

Popular Mechanics - Oct 1927



Sedalia Democrat - June 15, 1926

Posted By: Alex - Sat Oct 27, 2018 - Comments (7)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1920s, Cars

Gasmask Testers

This was obviously before the creation of OSHA, or its British equivalent.

Los Angeles Times - Oct 21, 1927



Harrisburg Evening News - Nov 1, 1927

Posted By: Alex - Wed Oct 10, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1920s

Happiness Executive

Over in Abu Dhabi, an eight-month-old baby was appointed to a position in a government office as a "happiness executive." Apparently it was believed the presence of the kid might boost morale. Or maybe it was just someone's scheme to save on daycare. Following complaints, officials are now investigating.

More info: thenational.ae

Posted By: Alex - Wed May 02, 2018 - Comments (2)
Category: Babies, Jobs and Occupations

Women are teachable

A guide published by the Radio Corporation of America circa 1943.









Source: imgur via reddit.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Jan 28, 2018 - Comments (6)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, Gender, Women, 1940s

Official fog watchers

I don't know why, but this seems like a very British type of job.

The High Point Enterprise - Feb 6, 1974



image source: onthewight.com

Posted By: Alex - Wed Dec 06, 2017 - Comments (2)
Category: Jobs and Occupations, 1970s

8-year-old Undertaker

It sounds like Duana Grant was a very practical-minded young girl. At the age of 8, instead of being squeamish about death, she was learning how to be a mortician, in preparation for taking over the family business at the appropriate time.

And it seems that her childhood ambitions became reality. When she was older she married Wilbur Elder and helped run the Grant Elder Funeral Home in Arkansas City.

In 1973, her son took over the business, and he ran it until it closed in August 1982.

Duana died in 2002, at the age of 79.

Green Bay Press-Gazette - Mar 12, 1931


She Is Learning To Be Undertaker
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — Death, abhorrent to most children, but to Duana Grant, 8, it awakens only sympathy and a desire to help. Born over an undertaker's parlor and associated with the business all her life, she is learning to conduct a funeral as well as any grownup. Outside business hours, Duana is just an ordinary child, with her school work, dolls, and roller skates.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 04, 2016 - Comments (0)
Category: Death, Jobs and Occupations, Children

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Alex Boese
Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes.

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