By Christopher B. Daly
This would just be a silly (possibly exploitive, age-ist, etc) piece, but for one thing: I got my start in journalism delivering newspapers. I had a paper route for 8 years, six days a week, delivering the Boston Globe in my neighborhood in West Medford, Mass.
Started when I was 10 and finished when I graduated from high school. As I recall, I managed to save a significant chunk of college tuition in the process. And, I saw a lifetime of sunrises. Still hate to get up early and get going in the morning.
I still think newspapers made a mistake by getting of paperboys and (-girls) and replacing them with adults who drive around in cars. I have tried for 20 years to get my adult paper-delivery person to get my paper up onto my front porch. No luck. When I was a kid delivering papers, I had to ring every doorbell on my route every week — talk about staying in touch with your customers. It was the original social network. If they were unhappy about my service, they let me know.
Come to think of it, I learned most of what I know from doing that paper route. Kids should have the chance. Down with grown-ups!
Prof Chris Daly's Blog 
Hey Chris,
I have shared those very thoughts about how they phased out kids from delivering the newspaper. It was such a good “job” to have as a kid, or at least I thought so.
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Agreed. I don’t know how kids are supposed to get started. In my neighborhood, all the lawn-mowing and snow removal is done by adults, along with the paper delivery. Those were the only ways I had two nickels to rub together back in the day.
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