A Century of Progress
by William Fill

The 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair was called A Century of Progress because Chicago had officially become a city in 1833. But whatever they called it for me it was a summer job. I was about to finish my junior year at the University of Chicago and could use some extra cash.

Sears & Roebucks, as it was known back then had an exhibit at the Fair and needed ushers. I was hired as the head usher with a staff of six or seven others. The actual displays in the building must have had some interest to visitors but the first-aid station and the free restrooms were the main attractions.

The entrance to the Fair was at the beginning of The Avenue of Flags. The first buildings were administrative units then came our exhibit followed by those for other countries, companies, etc. The only real action was at the Czechoslovakian exhibit at the far end. From there a free open-air bus was available for those that wanted to ride to the midway area.

Prohibition ended in December 1933, and was preceded on April 7 of that year permitting the sale of 3.2 beer (and wine). Chicago’s new mayor Edward Kelly declared a special day at the Fair called Mayor Kelly’s Free Beer Day. Special stands were set up along the Avenue of Flags to dispense the free beer.

With all the beer anyone wanted the public restrooms were busy even though they had pay toilets. Those in need could come to the Sears & Roebuck building with free restrooms. And come they did, in droves from early in the day to closing at nine at night. We had two rooms for women upstairs and one for men on the first floor. Two stairways led to the second floor one on each side of the main floor and circling toward the center as they reach the second floor. A person coming to the top viewed the restroom on the other side of the area causing the lines to cross. On Mayor Kelly’s Free Beer Day the lines started on the main floor, up the stairs and… oh, oh, we need more ushers where the women’s lines cross upstairs! The facilities for the men were comparatively serene. Instead of a door the entrance was open with a short wall just inside to block the view. The inside of the wall was covered with a mirror. Occasionally a desperate fellow would look back and see his reflection. Not recognizing the image – well every so often we had some cleanup problems.

The Fair was extended for a second year and became what is commonly known as the 1933/1934 Chicago World Fair. For me, personally it provided me a job for the summer after my senior year at the University of Chicago. The job at the fair not only provided a pay check but being there was interesting, exciting and fun. Found a way to make a few bucks on the side, too.

Except for Mayor Kelly’s Free Beer Day alcoholic drinks were not allowed at the Fair, not only in 1933 during prohibition. However in 1934 beer was OK but not other alcoholic drinks. Some people brought in liquor anyway, and some already in the fair could order from an outside liquor dealer. Since the liquor dealers would not come into the Fair the customer would have to leave the Fair and pay to reenter. Those who worked at the fair had unlimited passes. As I was head usher at the Sears & Roebuck exhibit not far from the entrance to the Fair, it was easy for me to slip out, pick up a package and come back in, for a fee, of course. Oh no, I was not a bootlegger!

The special attraction for one evening was a sky diver who would land on the roof of the administration building’ just across from our exhibit. The Avenue of Flags was crowded with watchers. Bright spotlights spotted the diver who wore a reflective aluminum jump suit. We watched excitingly waiting for his parachute to open. Open, open now, we silently pleaded, as the diver fell closer and closer to the roof of the building but it appeared he was going behind the building... Suddenly the spotlights were doused and all was black. The parachute never did open.

Not far from the south end of the Avenue of Flags was the Science and Industry exhibit. On my lunch or dinner break I would visit some of the displays there. The mathematics and human reproduction displays were attractive to this college kid. Another was the display showing how the new replacement for silk was made. A glob of chemical stuff was being forced through a tiny hole to become a thread that could be weaved into a cloth. This new thread and cloth was called Nylon. The entire exhibit, with many more attractions became the Rosenwald Museum of Science and Industry located at 59^th and the Outer Drive in Chicago. This is an excellent place to visit for an afternoon, a day or often.

The second year of the Fair was easier for me. I knew the job, knew the people I worked with and felt secure in my position. Some evenings my boss, Mr. Sullivan, nicknamed Sully, and I would head for the midway for a bit of R & R. We would first stop at the Czechoslovakian exhibit at the south end of the Avenue of Flags and drink some beers at dime a mug.

The Czech waitresses would sing and dance and at intervals would invite the customers to join in. A chorus line of sorts would form and sing and dance to the Czechoslovakian national anthem. Sully and I enjoyed participating. When we had tanked up, so to speak, we headed for the bus to the midway.

First thing after we got on the bus Sully embarrassed all of us by shouting out “Where’s the men’s room?” and other silly comments. The bus was free, an open air trailer so the driver was in the pulling vehicle and could hear nothing of the foolishness. We rode to the midway and visited other exhibit spots with floor shows of a sort and nursed beers at a quarter a glass. Sully was taller than six feet with long arms. The entertainment was usually away from the bar and with every ones back to the bar Sully would reach behind and pour some ones beer into his or my glass. When he or I were questioned he stood up to his full height and asked in a stern voice “What’s the trouble here?”

One evening the big boss came to our exhibit and asked if we would like to see a show at the Fair. We didn’t hesitate and were almost overwhelmed when he suggested seeing Sally Rand, the fan dancer. We had not been in to see the show, but standing outside we had heard the enticing music. The fan dance show was too expensive for us, but we guessed the big boss was on expense account. The three of us went directly to the bus stop, skipping Czechoslovakia, took the bus and got off in front of the renowned fan dance place. We were seated facing the stage and the big boss ordered three beers at one dollar per bottle.

Sally Rand was dressed in a whole-body paint of a light bronze color, a total paint job and nothing else. She shielded her self with huge red feather fans. As I tried to get a peek at and interesting part of her torso it was covered by a fan before I really saw what I imagined was there. Sally moved the fans rhythmically to the music as she moved gracefully from one side of the stage and back again. My I eyes were glued to the performer, but at one point when Sally seemed to look directly at the big boss I glanced over saw his face was almost as red Sally’s fans.

Of the ten to fifteen employees at the Sears & Roebuck exhibit all were male except the nurse who held forth at the first aid station and all were white except the janitor. The first aid station was a space if it own. One night when Sully and I slept over in the two first aid cots we were told in no uncertain terns to never do that again! All of the males were white except the janitor. There were many times when the head usher and the janitor had to work as a team. On Mayor Kelly’s Free Beer Day the janitor and I were an indispensable couple. He lived in Chicago but spoke with a very thick southern accent. His family, he said, came from a plantation in Mississippi. Together we developed a genuine companionship. One day he asked in his thick southern dialogue if I had ever had “sweet tater pie”. I had no idea what he was talking about. He volunteered to bring such a thing for the employees to sample. My sample of the pie hit my taste buds like they had never before been awakened. What a great taste! To this day I am very fond of “sweet tater pie”.

It has now been seventy-five years since the Fair but to me it was like yesterday.

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