This Day in History May 15, 1930

By Ruth on May 15, 2013 in history

I honestly don’t go flying much any more, but this is probably indicative of just how much things have changed in the airline industry. On this date in 1930, Iowa native Ellen Church became the first airline stewardess (remember when they were called that?). She was aboard a Boeing Air Transport from Oakland, CA to Chicago, IL. Interestingly, it was 61 years to the day that the Women’s Suffrage Association had been founded. The requirements for “sky girls” was really quite strict:

under 25
no taller than 4’5″
no more than 115 pounds
registered nurse
load the luggage
help with mechanical maintenance
push planes back to the hangar

You know, if they tried anything like this today, people would be up in arms! Granted, I think these requirements are pretty pathetic, but those were the days of the “friendly skies.” Oh, and by the way, the first “stewardesses” earned $125 per month. Ellen Church went on to serve this country in WWII as a captain in the Army Nurse Corps, and she even earned an Air Medal. This was after a car accident had grounded her from continuing her career as a stewardess. I tell you–this woman is someone I would like to know more about. She is an inspiration to me! She defied the odds, and she paved the way for other women in the work force.

For more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Church

http://www.iptv.org/iowapathways/myPath.cfm?ounid=ob_000186

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/chasingthesun/innovators/echurch.html

http://famousdaily.com/history/ellen-church-first-airline-stewardess.html

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RuthView all posts by Ruth

“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly.” — Franz Kafka Ruth is an inspirational entertainment journalist who instinctively sees the best in all and seeks to share universal beauty, love and positivity. She is an artist who leads with her heart and gives readers a glimpse of the best of this world through the masterful use of the written word. Ruth was born in Tacoma, Washington but now calls Yelm, Washington her home. She lives on five acres with her parents, a dog, two miniature goats, cats and a teenage daughter who is a dynamic visual artist herself. Ruth interviews fellow artists both inside and outside of the film/television industry. At the core of all she does is the strength of her faith.

Tags: airlines, Ellen Church, flight industry, history, Iowa, stewardess

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7 Comments

bn100 May 15, 2013 Reply

that does sound strict
aprila May 15, 2013 Reply

wow they had to do a lot of stuff I had no idea and the money they earned is ridiculous
Giveaways 4 Mom May 15, 2013 Reply

This is a very interesting and informative post.
dana May 15, 2013 Reply

this is incredible to learn about, I believe my 12 year old will love to read this post as well!@
- Author
  
  Ruth May 15, 2013 Reply
  
  I think my daughter would like to know about it, too. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Savannah miller May 15, 2013 Reply

I never knew any of that! I always though I was short at 5′ 2″ but even I wouldn’t be little enough to have been a stewardess we wont mention I was no where near light enough either lol
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  Ruth May 15, 2013 Reply
  
  I was shocked to discover that those little ladies had to do all that heavy work in their uniforms and those little pumps they always wore. Can you imagine?