During the 50s, when television was a new phenomenon in our house, the local channels of 5, 9, and 12
offered live programming for kids as well as adults. The Big Wheels Club was broadcast on WCPO-TV,
Channel 9. Hosted by a man named Red Thornburg,. kids were asked to send in letters stating what they
wanted to be when they grew up.

Although I really didn't know what I wanted to be at age 10, I knew that I liked to write and the only
work I was familiar with relating to writing was my dad's job as a printer. My letter stating that I wanted
to be a printer was selected with three other contestants, who were invited to be on the Saturday
morning show with Red Thornburg to determine who would be the “big wheel” for the day. The main
prize was a chance to experience the actual job, along with many other gifts.

One could say it was an original reality show but I only remember that the program was televised at the
Coca-Cola Bottling Works on Dana Ave. Some of my Girl Scout troop members and my sisters were there.
After being interviewed by Red, each contestant had to demonstrate how they would do their chosen job.
In my case, there was a small device, probably a mimeograph machine at the time, and I simply had to
turn a crank. Suddenly, it seemed like a whole roll of paper came off the press. My finished product was
a paper that I was asked to hold up, on which was printed in large letters,“Sneeze and cough in your
hanky!”

Because of my great printing demonstration, and with all of my friends in the audience, I was chosen by
my score on the applause meter as the “big wheel” for a day. I received many gifts, including a dress of
my choice from the Fashion Frocks company. Other prizes were notebooks and pencils, a kickball, and a
supply of Coca-Cola. The grand prize was being driven in a limo to the US Playing Card Company in
Norwood where I was able to see the entire process of printing. I felt like a celebrity, being taken around
the plant by the president of the company. I also received some of their products, including enough
playing cards to play poker or any other card game for the rest of my life. Because I had a trading card
collection, and as card games such as Devil, Crazy Eights, and Rummy were favorite past times for kids
in the 50s before computers and video games, my prizes were considered to be very valuable.
Being chosen to be a big wheel made an impression on me, including the realization that I did not want
to be a printer after all. My interests were not in the mechanical aspect of the printed word, but in the
creative process of writing.

That's when I first started to think about being a writer. And after landing in the Children's Convalescent
Home at age 12 following a bout with acute polio, I offered to edit a newsletter called the Convalescent
Chitchat for our Friday night teen clubs. I would use the hit record titles of the day to write stories about
our little in crowd of eight teens who got together on Friday evenings to listen to popular music. Later
attempts at writing included reporting for my high school newspaper and various newsletters in college.
Now that I have retired from my profession, I have found my passion in a writing/support group called
Women Writing For a Change , which encourages my creative spirit

My sisters brought back the TV experience several years ago when they presented me with a memory
book on my birthday entitled “Big Wheel Turns 50.”