Flag-Girls Along Highway

It’s interesting to look back at things which are common place today to see how they were presented in the newspapers of the past. In 1970, when four women started work as flag persons, it resulted in an article in the Lethbridge Herald:

“Protect Passing Motorists
Flag-Girls Along Highway

Motorists who have driven through the construction on Highway 3 past Coalhurst have probably seen the four sun-baked girls who are flagmen (or should it be flag-girls) along the route.

Working hours for the girls are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., give-or-take a half hour. Kathy Wilson of Lethbridge says the $2.50 per hour plus overtime, makes the long hours, heat, dust and tedium of the job worthwhile.

Although the girls are the color of dark chocolate and claim to drink gallons of liquids every day, they still look alert and cheery to passing motorists.

Another of the girls, Diane Kozenko, said, people are very considerate of them. One woman stops nearly every day and gives them jugs of rootbeer, pop or ice water. Many other passers-by also contribute cool drinks to the thirsty flag-girls.

Besides the occasional motorist who doesn’t obey the signs, the girls claim the drivers only hail a passing shout of ‘hi’ or ‘how’s the heat?’

Applications for employment were made through the provincial Department of Highways.” (10 July 1970 Lethbridge Herald)

The photograph shows an unidentified flag person working near Coalhurst.