1979: Lure of cash draws teens to Indiana cornfields

HAMILTON COUNTY — High school students gathered in the parking lot of Carmel High School long before the sun came up 45 years ago. The tired teens weren’t there for class. They were there to collect a paycheck.

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The gig was detasseling corn and the pay was just $2.90 per hour.

But it’s work the teens were willing to do for a little extra cash.

“My parents are going in half for my clothes and I wanna help them out,” one girl told WRTV reporter Karen Layton. Another boy said he was there to get money for a car.

Layton observed a positive disposition among the teens.

“I'm noticing everybody seems to be pretty cheerful at this hour,” Layton said. “Can you tell me why?“

“Because we're so tired, we don’t know what we’re doing,” one girl said.

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School buses arrived at 4:30 a.m. to transport the teens to the cornfields. Most packed a lunch in preparation for the long day ahead. While some failed to finish the job, those that did also learned a valuable lesson, according to Alan Baird of Tipton.

“They're more adjusted of what life's all about, because when you go through this mud and water and can stay with it, they have to be really sound [and] determined kids in order to keep up,” Baird said.

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First-timer Beth Logan said she didn’t mind the work and she learned something about herself.

“I don't have to have hand-me-outs from my parents,” Logan said.