Feeding the cards was a terrible job. A card is a wool combing machine which turned the raw wool into fine yarn. The job consisted of filling 20 machines with damp wool in 100+ degree heat. When the last machine was full, the first was almost empty. It was a hot, sweaty job. A rush, rush, rush job working like a fool. Sometimes I would work a double shift. I kept a handkerchief over my nose and mouth to keep the wool from getting into them. I was always coughing while working this job due to the wool infested air. It was the worst job I ever had. The pay was awful as well. I made $1.65 per hour. It was an experience I will never forget. Both of my parents worked in these sweatshops as I did. Only after working in this mill could I really relate to what my parents had to go through just to survive. Both my parents, Camille and Rita Laliberte, worked in the French Worsted mill. I never realized how much hard work my parents endured in order to support our family of 8 children. They came to Woonsocket with a promise of a job and housing. I will always be indebted to my parents and am thankful for my French-Canadian heritage.
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