Office Etiquette (1950)

[@ohsnapitspat6270]

I love watching these old videos about Etiquette ladies take notes.

[@johnsullivan6203]

This is about the same time period that my mother was a secretary/typist. She started in a typing pool with many other young women and all they did all day was type correspondence. While the dedicated typist is a rare beast today what this film shows about etiquette in the workplace is timeless.

[@Filiomena]

Know your job. Enjoy it. Enjoy the people around and be considerate of them. Be considerate of your bosses. I can use this advice today.

[@corner559]

+Filiomena So true! Times have definitely changed, but advice like that holds true through the ages.

[@mikepeterson764]

They guy with the newspaper under his work, that's the old version of having facebook open underneath your work program.

[@Miss65boo]

If more people followed basic etiquette in the workplace, it would be far more pleasant. Just because this was filmed over 50 years ago, the basic rules should still apply. I recall learning to type on a manual typewriter, it was hard on the finger tips! The teacher would go up and down the aisle saying "ASDF JKL;" over and over while we tried to keep our fingers on the home row (the letters on the keys were blacked out". But if it hadn't been for that class, I would be typing like my sister, with three fingers and going very slow!

[@RioMadeira]

8:22 Johnny darling!!!!! I miss you so much already, though it was only last night that we said boo-boo and goodbye at the station. What a sweet goodbye that was! I'll remember it for a long, long time. But the memory won't do for the real thing for very long, so darling, darling, come back soon. I want so much to see you again, very, very soon. So darling, do come back just as fast as you can.... and don't you dare forget your lonely little kitten. With gobs and gobs of love, SNOOKY

[@craigellis3596]

Those were the days! My mum was an office secretary (not the boss' secretary) before I was born, and the typing class at the start were just so typical of the 1950s. That application form certainly was a lot different to the ones we had in the 60s Britain, trust me. My first job was as an office clerk part-time, and the application form was in table form.

[@laminage]

I must say it was very nice that the Girls took her out The First Day. It's never easy to be the New Person at an Office or even School.

[@ccaruso8293]

laminage no it's not easy

[@laminage]

Yes. I sometimes cringe to see how much things have changed.

[@janetcraft]

Did anyone notice the opening shot as the girl student was typing? She was typing, "All work and no play makes Sally a dull gal."

[@rocketgrunthyunho]

Omfg!

[@JohnnyV_Val]

More like homerow keys and similar but different words that can be easily missed typed or spelled

[@grandmasue5832]

"The quick brown fox just came over to greet the lazy dog." Uses all the letters.

[@zexith]

maybe because they had a form of "class" or standard in speech or something because then they used words that are simplified now i remember that there was an article in yahoo( i know probably unreliable) that a 8 year old's written letter to the president was more structured and rich in vocabulary that it was better than most high school students of today

[@supertrouper]

yep. thanks for agreeing with me. College is the new high school. You need college even just for entry level clerical work. Even a secretary certificate is not enough. Also employers prefer people with Bachelor's Degrees to do clerical work relating to what the company does. From what I have heard from other people, employers won't even look at your resume's work experience if you have no college listed.

[@mine2394]

Now employers are looking for those with masters degrees for such jobs. Bachelors degrees aren’t enough anymore. I’m just glad I only did high school. I work in a warehouse and those with bachelor degrees are doing the same thing I’m doing. At least I don’t have to worry about paying off debt.

[@NikitaMaria]

The advice here is still relevant.

[@AlisonBryen]

Yes I know...I was expecting a terribly sexist escapade...but it was really quite informative and relavent! !!

[@raybon7939]

What a dream world no arguing. No hyper.

[@Applecompuser]

One of many parts of the problem is the mass media which portrays poor behavior 24/7. I know the older tv can be tacky at times, but i think it would be better for children to see less acting out and adult content. Thanks for posting this.

[@sarahlizabethk]

Jimmy's "Do WHAT?" made me laugh.

[@JohnnyV_Val]

My dad said that.. he was born in 52 or 54.. was "Do What??" Like an inside joke or a catch phrase like "you go girl", "where's the beef?" Or "dont go there" "TMI, to much info".. He also said "Monkey Wards" instead of Montgomery Wards

[@Knockouts_Republik]

It really sounded scripted

[@marybaldwin2633]

It was interesting to note there were black students in Miss Burcell's class. Didn't see any of them in the office, but to have them in secretary school alongside the white students in the video is somewhat surprising for 1950.

[@jceess]

+rkb100100 Are you fucking kidding me? Mary was commenting on the fact that racism was very prominent in the 50's, and how she was surprised to see black students integrated with whites. Racial integration in education didn't happen on a mass scale until the 60's. Not only are you a self-righteous race-carder, but you are so stupid that you can't even figure out why someone would bring up race in this context. Disgraceful.

[@jceess]

***** So first you're acting like a typical liberal race-carder, now you're claiming racism in the 50's wasn't a big deal? What the fuck??? You are all over the place.

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

+rkb100100 Did you miss history class? Racism was so prominent in 1950s America it's almost laughable.

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

*****​ apparently you missed many history classes if you aren't aware of racism in the 50s. Are you assuming that I have aliases?

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

*****​ I disagreed, so clearly I'm trying to swindle you. Good logic 8/10.

[@Homewrecker47]

Surprising! There are actually a few black extras in this one!

[@GINGERALER]

@supertrouper not true. People with a Bachelor's probably don't want to be stuck in an 'office job' and you don't need one to work in an office; A high school diploma is sufficient for many office jobs and to be an admin assistant, a certificate is all that's needed.

[@dancingscavenger]

Wow! I love these vintage info clips! Perfect for this history buff. I agree it should be "Shaggy Rocks"

[@Moionfire]

nanlisa administrative assistant courses are taken at community colleges across the country rather than stand alone colleges. They are actually common. You can get an associates degree or certificate in it. But yes computers has drastically cut down its need.

[@supertrouper]

it depends on the employers. however a lot of office support positions ask for college degrees these days. There are still some office positions requiring a high school diploma, but a lot of college people with also work experience are applying for those jobs too especially in this bad economy that employers are preferring them over high school people. The only way to get into office work positions without college is being older and having so many years of experience.

[@MlleElephant]

i love how 90% of the comments on the first page are paragraphs

[@biancanascimentoantonio7728]

I love this vídeo, its so interesting!!!

[@rocketgrunthyunho]

If only there was some sort of soundtrack to this thing.

[@supertrouper]

it's true many college people don't want to be just doing office work. Even if high school people get office work jobs, the pay is lower and very little chance of promotion because a college person will get the promotion. today most office support workers especially the younger generation have college education. mainly the older having many years experience are doing office work with no college education, but even many of those older folks are now going to college to keep their jobs.

[@nanlisa]

I would say up until the 1980's, there were secretarial training schools. And there were even secretarial courses in high schools. Nowadays, and this is my personal opinion, they have gone the way of the dinosaur.Tye typewriter, shorthand, and dictation is gone. Everything in the office is now automated. And secretaries are now referred to as "administrative assistants. Come to think of it, there's very few office support jobs around today. Everything is either in health care or high tech.

[@Knockouts_Republik]

I think the word secretary sounds classy and sexy at the same time

[@supertrouper]

Back in the 1950s, having a high school diploma was already enough for doing office work and it was a very extremely pink collar job at the time. Nowadays, a Bachelor's degree has become the new academic standard to be able to have an office work job and most clerical related workers hold college degrees.

[@alpzerlaken]

It because office these day have computer not a typewriter which is simple to use

[@Stardust_7273]

Ugh, I could never work in an office without a backspace button. Imagine having to start all over on something because of one mistake.

[@myradrealityshow]

raerae1281 oh tell me about it haha, my teacher in high school told me that they used to have this special white out for mistakes, except everytime she used it her teacher would make her do it again :p

[@JohnnyV_Val]

2 words "white out"!

[@spottheborgcat6523]

I miss these days. I wasn't born until the 1960's, so I didn't start working myself until almost 1980. But the etiquette of the day had already started to wear thin.

[@techsupport1294]

10:00 is such a classy way of saying that lmao

[@Deviant_Brii]

The ladies are so glamorous! I want to be that way haha.

[@krox477]

Times were so simple back then 😊

[@Stardust_7273]

What happened to cursive? I LOVE cursive, it's so classy. And my handwriting looks like crap compared to my cursive, lol. They don't teach it in most schools now, and I ask myself, "How the hell are these kids going to even learn to write their signature?" SMH

[@alib1149]

I read an article recently which was talking about the new practice of teaching typing instead of running writing. Ugh!

[@Stardust_7273]

Ali B We need both... I learned both growing up and I need both as an adult.

[@Redelmopaint]

My cousin said that they only enforced cursive in elementary school..

[@samanthadorn6893]

+Dannyelle Himawari Same here. I remember the teachers requiring us to write in cursive in the later elementary school grades. It is useful in some aspects and at least I know how to read cursive writing

[@Stardust_7273]

Samantha Dorn I'm grateful I can read cursive. And write cursive. I mean, it's used for signatures.What, are future generations just gonna print their names? LOL

[@paddy9449]

I FAILED in typing!!!!!

[@fob1xxl]

You won't learn anything from today's younger generation except how to get away with doing less or shoving it on to someone else for them to do. No one takes pride in their work. I've worked for 3 large Savings and Loans Companies and one Public Utilities Company. I'll agree that management used to be better. They truly VALUED the employee. People WANTED to come to work because of how they were respected AND treated. The BEST Boss and place I"ve "EVER" worked was for BART LYTTON of "LYTTON SAVINGS AND LOAN". He was pure magic ! It was in the late 60's and while everyone was telling the younger generation to get a haircut and shave off those sideburns and mustache, he was saying, "Wear what you like, have long hair, and sideburns. As long as you're clean, I'm fine with it! I want my employees to want to come to work and feel happy that they're there. A happy worker, is a productive worker. He was right ! No one was ever taking days off because they hated their job. I was just 23 when I was hired as a stock clerk in the purchasing Dept. In two years, I became Assistant Purchasing Agent for about 13 branches. Some of my fondest memories as a young man was working there.

[@rhorizon]

Play by the rules, girls, and someday you might get that big promotion to secretary!

[@cdream5414]

I love cursive writing.

[@weerobot]

Good Advice.

[@helenahayes6150]

I wished I lived back then. I would have liked to be one of those girls in the office.

[@magdalenak9498]

your grandest aspiration is to one day rise to the rank of secretary?

[@helenahayes6150]

Well, believe it or not, I'm a qualified lawyer in Australia and there are no jobs, and even if there were I dont know I'd like the cut throat work environment in which all your office colleagues compete against each other. I'm by nature a kind person who likes company of other people. I sometimes thought I wouldnt mind just being a secretary and having a normal "ordinary girl" life.

[@nnovatakaren5515]

What's wrong with that?

[@magdalenak9498]

Nothing is wrong with that at all, it's just unusual, most secretaries these days have promotion opportunities (PA, administration, management) that they aspire to. Whereas in the 50s it was more like 'type until you get married, if you're very career oriented you might be a secretary one day'. It's still a good job it's just more commonly viewed as a step on the ladder these days.

[@nnovatakaren5515]

Mugduhlena Kuzluwskae wow, I didn't know they offered promotion opportunities in other countries. I agree it's unusual.

[@WAQWBrentwood]

Is it just me, Or did dames look more swell in 1950? Just Sayin.

[@shieldsup2076]

And if this were 1950 you would say women looked better in 1890....yawn

[@johnsullivan6203]

Yes, they are the Bees Knees.

[@nanascorner1806]

Oh, I definitely agree. They sure did look swell, indeed. Clean, classy hair and makeup. Clothes were so much more lovely and made better.

[@dariawells7438]

This is sort of a bad scenario, since the girl already has an "in" by being a student of Miss Purcell's. Usually, people going into jobs are total strangers who have to "prove themselves" a bit before being accepted. The girl may not have been greeted so warmly without this recommendation.

[@Sorvea]

Not so. Some companies like hiring from certain schools because of their reputation. When I worked for Covenant Transport, they much preferred to hire drivers that got their CDL from Chattanooga State, because they wouldn't issue you for your CDL unless you made a 95% on your driving test, even tho the "legal" line was 80%

[@Sorvea]

Certain salons are like that to. They have a reputation to uphold, and they want to hire only the best, so they look from the best schools.

[@ccaruso8293]

Daria Wells it demonstrates the power of networking

[@TheObservationlounge]

@@Sorvea That proves Daria Wells' point. If the prospective employee _doesn't_ come from that school (Chattanooga State), they would have to prove themselves _twice_ as hard as those who do come from there. Those from the school could still have to demonstrate their aptitude/ability, but could enjoy a better 'degree of benefit, from the doubt'.

[@inkey2]

thats right....my wife has a 4 year college degree and a year degree from a legal secretarial school to be a legal secretary. If a company can get a college grad for the same price as a high school grad they will certainly grab the college grad

[@cr3861]

All this short needed was the MST3K bots! "Hello, Mr. Arnold's office; yes sir, Citation in the 5th at Santa Anita, I'll make sure he gets the message, thank you, good-bye."

[@CEOkiller]

She reminds me of Peggy Olsen from Mad Men

[@laminage]

I wouldn't be surprised if she watched some of these Old School Movie Lectures. When Rooney Mara was going to play Therese Belivet a Dept Store Clerk in "Carol" she listened to Old School Tapes on how to be a Proper Employee. She couldn't believe how much things had changed since the 1950's. I Miss Typewriters. I feel you are more careful with your spelling and you didn't have spellcheck.

[@nickmad887]

Good video

[@alvinaganci9278]

People had so much class then. What the #*%! happened?!

[@JB1994]

Your use of veiled profanity is one such example.

[@alvinaganci9278]

Yes, and that was my intention.

[@msatxgault560]

This small list may be of some help ... 😉 (list is in no specific order) 1. 😠Office politics set in when we demanded equality 2. 😎Diversity & cultural differences spoke up 3. 😓Age & gender difference wasn't thought of until "after" demanding equality 4. 😘Sexual harassment wasn't taken serious until EEOC 5. 😒Employment Civil & Human Rights became a huge demand & big hit 6. 😐Employers created handbooks/manuals as an attempt to confuse employees 7. 😗Battle of the same sex (mainly young females) for attention 8. 😬Older generation hatin' on the young females 9. 😩Longer hrs; more work; no empathy; no recognition, favoritism; office cliques & no raises 10. 😈Crooks hired & disguised as Human Resource personnel 11. 😇DOL ousted crooks from #10 This is just a minute fraction of a small dent of a tiny percentage ... I hope that made sense ...😕 😊

[@kitsunefire1]

+Alvina Ganci They REALLY didn't. This is just a "perfect" world scenario. People in the 50's were just as fucked up as we all are today. The only difference is they were so scared to not conform, and today we all try to be our own person and the internet lets us see everyone

[@alvinaganci9278]

I know they were just as screwed up as we are today, not always able to keep up to standards; but at least they had them!

[@tinasmith1391]

It's amazing how much life has changed since 1950.

[@leeedwards541]

funny how fully it still applies

[@Bulbie7]

You have quite the collection, shaggy locks. It's been very interesting working my way through them. Thank you.

[@joo9750]

The supervisor is Nora's mother in "How do you know its love?" (1950)

[@yootoob1958]

Jeepers! That's swell!

[@goldilocks3991]

I noticed, Beatgirl! Outrageous! (That's the 50's)

[@Sorvea]

"Writing personal letters" AKA Facebook.....

[@gldni17]

If she'd payed more attention, she could have learned how to cheat the system carefully like everyone else, but that doesn't go well with the film's message.

[@CofuciusSays]

I am really enjoying these old educational films, lol. But seriously, I am.

[@LucisFerre1]

Office etiquette. Conform. Wear a plain suit the first day. Suppress any urge to be an individual. Eat at your desk. Lunch breaks make the slave master's angry.

[@Wantin2Learn]

short hand can be tough

[@BeauSC4Ever]

Is it just me, or did she look VERY resentful when she said, “I had made a mistake, of course...”..???

[@dkro9634]

I’m here to sample the video

[@ljubinkohercegovac9896]

Nothing says "good work" to your secretary like a firm open palmed slap on the behind.

[@kissy28c]

omg office work before computers. :)

[@stinkriverstudios]

Shaggy Locks? Should be Shaggy ROCKS!! Thanks again pal, keep em coming!

[@BeauSC4Ever]

MOST. IMPORTANT. CLASS. EVER...

[@Jemalacane0]

It might help in forming an accurate description to the police in case she goes postal on her first day of business. Moreover, I'm sure guys are asked for their height and weight, probably for the same reason.

[@jacktheripoff1888]

I think the sentiment was, "Look, the Soviet Union has the A-bomb now, we could have an atomic war at any second, and that duck and cover advise from Bert The Turtle is bullshit and we know it. If we get bombed we're toast. So we might as well be as polite as we can, while we can." And incidentally, I think one of those women in the typing class just kept typing, "All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl."

[@TheQtipp]

Conform, Obey, Consume.

[@JB1994]

Just what you do now. At least they were conforming to a more polite society.

[@BunWackettBuzzard]

+Pranx Haha, you sure showed him, I agree with you. OP your an idiot.

[@michellerjackson5776]

❤

[@mine2394]

These days it’s more like no smart phone during work.

[@inkey2]

not these days............the economy is so bad college grads are taking jobs they never dreamed they'd have to take

[@debrahubbard01]

there is a place I would love to work, but they won't even look at the aplitcation of someone without a college degree! funny thing is, it's a child-care center!

[@cyr112]

Jimmy is very nosy!

[@Sorvea]

Every office has a Jimmy ^_^

[@JSmith2501]

'treat others as you want to be treated' seems like a bad thing to tell a group of coeds.

[@paddy9449]

Some of the jobs I had SUCKED!!!! People were such A-holes

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

The comments are what makes these videos.

[@SEGUNDA7FEIRA]

penmanship aah... Keep political views and religious views to yourself. No eating at your desk. No dress-down Friday or any day for that matter. Leave personal matters at home. Celebrate birthdays and baby showers off company property. Professionalism at All time while on company property.

[@kingalow1]

Nowadays - you can't possibly know all of your work or the technology you're supposed to be an expert on & 99% is likely not enjoyable.

[@DannyOhana]

The men in the typing class are aspiring writers, the women are training to be secretaries. ;-)

[@laminage]

+Daniel Ohana Yes but remember they did their Writing on Typewriters but so many of them used just Two Index Fingers.

[@DannyOhana]

+laminage As long as those gals know it's only for long enough to find a nice fella and get married.

[@laminage]

Ha! Ha! Kind of reminds me of what Joan said to Peggy on the Pilot Episode of "Mad Men".

[@MerleOberon]

The college curriculum in high school required typing classes then.

[@alpzerlaken]

People in the 50s are like Japanese what the hell happened to America

[@goldilocks3991]

Robot Roll Call.

[@hardtechnoboy]

So it was still okay for a boss to grab his secretary's ass back then too?

[@brianmcdonald9502]

Yup the good old days.😉

[@jackmurray2446]

Before my time but enlightening. Back when girls were girls and men were men.

[@kitsunefire1]

+Jack Murray And now we can be anything we want~

[@LearnEnglishESL]

Film's old but the idea isn't! All like to be shown courtesy at offices or any place! "We, verily, have chosen courtesy, and made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto Him." "Well is it with him that adorneth his temple therewith,.." - Baha'u'llah

[@Jemalacane0]

Hahahahahahaha! :D

[@Stardust_7273]

Everyone looks the same...

[@carolyngrayber74]

Wow just fill out an application and hired on the spot. Today in your dreams if you even get a response to the zillion online apps sent in.

[@iamjustamomdoingthebestica6999]

So what they ment by "be curtiuse to your employer" was to expect and allow him to sexually hurass you openly. 🤔😐😑😒

[@kellylynneden1977]

shaggy would you email me please?

[@apples-girl9210]

No wonder the Hippies had to come & loosen up their stultifying act!

[@pig199fly200]

I doubt she was raised in a barn