A Forbes Magazine article from May 2025 highlighted how innovative teenagers pursue summer employment. Many created their own successful side job opportunities providing more than just gas money. For today’s ambitious entrepreneur’s, downtime is no time to waste.
However, as I look back growing up in the early 1970s, trying to find summer work in the Lehigh Valley wasn’t really all that different than today. Back then, parents and teachers told us to “Get off our tails and get a job.” Finding summer work still comes down to good old fashion hustle, work ethic and a willingness to sacrifice a little fun for some extra cash.
In February of 1972, a summer job opportunity presented itself to my friends and me when we skipped school and went out for breakfast at the former Howard Johnson’s restaurant off of Airport Road and Route 22, known then as The Thruway. Afterwards, we saw a sign across the street that read, “Summer Hiring.” We walked in, applied and were hired on the spot.
The company was called SteelStone, located at what is now Airport Shopping Center/Mall. It was a business that made concrete stone shapes used on the facing of new houses. We’d strip them out of molds and place them in cardboard boxes. If you reached a certain quota you could leave early. We never did, except when we feigned illness.
According to the Forbes article, “Unlike previous generations … today’s young people can craft side jobs perfectly aligned with their skills and interests.” My skills for ripping fake stones out of a mold thankfully never aligned. But I did find that mindless work comes in handy sometimes. It was simple, easy and made for good pocket change.
The author did add, “Beyond financial benefits, these experiences build essential work habits and professional capabilities that last a lifetime.” One difference today: convenient online apps yield a wide range of job prospects similar to the ones I experienced from adolescence through college — newspaper delivery boy, lawn mowing, parking lot attendant (Seventh and Hamilton, now PPL Center), landscaper, roofer, construction worker, gas station attendant, dishwasher — each job having its own positive and negative influence. Here’s hoping youthful diligence continues to spawn cultural, economic and community success.
I wasn’t the only sibling in our family to work. My sisters too, had summer and weekend jobs. All three were college athletes and worked as waitresses at the iconic Allentown eatery on Sixth and Linden — Elliott’s Diner. My two older sisters waited tables for many of The Morning Call staff reporters who came in for lunch.
But, it was my younger sister who worked at Elliott’s the longest. I texted her recently, asking if she recalled any people or experiences of working downtown that shaped the way she views life. The question must have struck a joyous chord because she responded quickly and with heartfelt memories of Allentown in the 1970s. I could hear it in her words — a fondness for city landmarks that no longer are there like the big three department stores: Zollinger’s, Leh’s, and Hess’s.
She continued with colorful commentary of the clientele that frequented the diner. There was Stanley who lived in his car, Doc Weaver who made her cut open his English muffin with a fork so it would absorb more butter. She mentioned the lady who always wore a white poodle skirt with a fir fringe. And there were members from the semi-pro Allentown Jets basketball team, Charlie the cook and Goldie the street walker plus others.
However, the story that stood out most involved our dad who would often pick her up from work. Parked and waiting along Linden Street, a prostitute stepped into the car with him and wouldn’t get out. Talk about a good laugh driving home.
“I learned a lot at the diner” my sister said, “How to waitress … how to talk to people and just that there were people way different than the middle class folks we grew up with.”
And as times change, new opportunities arise for the next wave of young summer job seekers. My advice? What was told to us — “Get a job” … any job.
This is a contributed opinion column. John Schmoyer is a retired U.S. history/American government teacher and department chair at Northwestern Lehigh School District. The views expressed in this piece are those of its individual author, and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of this publication. Do you have a perspective to share? Learn more about how we handle guest opinion submissions at themorningcall.com/opinions.