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Vintage KSDK: Meet St. Louis' first female mail carrier

We dug back into the archives and found this interview on July 19, 1964, with Barbara Gleason, our area's first female mail carrier

ST. LOUIS — This week's Vintage KSDK takes us back 57 years ago this week when reporter Chris Condon interviewed St. Louis' first female mail carrier, Barbara Gleason.

“What do you like about it most?” asked Condon.

“I like working outside and people are nice,” said Gleason. “I like it.”

“You run into anybody who didn't like the idea of female postman?” asked Condon.

“Oh, once in a while,” said Gleason. “A man said to me he’d  like to take a housekeeping job, seeing as I got a man's job.”

"What about the great problem of postman, generally dogs?” asked Condon.

“Yeah, one came nipping at me a little bit,” said Gleason. “I told him to quit it.”

“What about weight?” asked Condon. “This should be great for taking off pounds especially in this very hot weather.”

“Well, it's surprising but I gained 10 pounds,” admitted Gleason.

“Do you eat while you're walking the route?” asked Condon.

“I don't, but it just raised my appetite and I gained 10,” said Gleason. “I'm losing. I lost about three pounds now."

"You've had three weeks now. You think you'll stay with it?” asked Condon.

“I sure will," replied Gleason.

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