The Encyclopedias

The Encyclopedias

Jiminy Cricket taught me how to spell encyclopedia, but Warren Winslow taught me how to sell them.  In January of 1968 I got a job teaching sixth grade in Groton Connecticut. I had no training but I also had no money having blown it on an expensive honeymoon the month before.  I thought I had a good job lined up but it fell through and I had no reserves.  I did have a Bachelor’s degree and it turned out that was all I really needed since the school was in a bind.

I learned a lot over the next six months, including the fact that teachers are only paid when they are teaching and I was looking at a long payless summer.  This is where Warren came into my life.  I saw an ad in the local paper inviting teachers to come to a lunch at a local motel to learn how to make money over the summer. Free lunch and the chance to get a paycheck proved to be great lures for this fish.

Seven teachers showed up for lunch, and the four experienced teachers left right after dessert. Warren then began to work his crowd of three promising us the opportunity to earn as much as three hundred dollars a day in commissions selling The World Book Encyclopedia. We learned how wonderful these books were, how many schools had them in their libraries, how many homes had them as tools for learning, and most importantly, how much we would earn with each sale.  There were budget plans for all income groups who really cared about their children’s education so money shouldn’t be an issue and really shouldn’t be discussed in too much detail. Instead we were to focus on up selling since there were all kinds of options for the buyer.  Better binding, gold leaf lettering, four kinds of bookshelves, each more expensive than the other, and most importantly, how to sell automatic upgrades every two years.

Warren was good, very good.  He wasn’t a showman, he said he was a teacher just like us until he realized that he could still be involved in education but make more money with World Book. He dressed like a teacher, had the voice and patience of a teacher and most importantly kept talking about the good these books could do for the families that purchased them.  By the end of the presentation I was hooked and as I loaded my car with the sample volumes, various wood samples of the bookshelves, brochures, contacts and price lists, I was convinced that I was on the road to riches at the tender age of twenty-two.

Warren encouraged us to sell in our neighborhood since we were known there and it would be easier to get in the door. By neighborhood, he really meant to have us go to the homes of our students, which at first I thought was not such a hot idea, but Warren said that we would have much more credibility selling to parents that knew us.  As I write this I still can’t figure out why I would have listened to him, but the thought of getting money by doing good clouded my judgment.

My first visit was to the home of Jimmy McCabe, a student of mine who was heading to junior high. He had five siblings, one in each of the grades and his sister, Janie, was going to be in my class in September. (Yes, all of the kid’s first names began with J) I knew all of these kids, they were uniformly polite, and smiling examples of what good parenting can do. They all tended to wear the same clothes over and over but they were always clean and neat and they all had good lunches.  The parents had moved from the Ozarks in February and their house reflected the same concern for their kid’s appearance. This wasn’t a cold call, I had phoned to ask if I could come over, so perhaps the house was cleaned for me, but I had the feeling it was always like this.  Mrs. McCabe was a string bean of a woman with sinewy arms and legs, dressed in a simple dress, with simple shoes. Mr. McCabe was her male equivalent and it looked like he had spent a lot of time in working outdoors.

Their first concern was that I was there to talk about the kids school work and I immediately told them that on the contrary Jimmy was an excellent student and I was looking forward to having Janie in my class in September.  I was offered lemonade and a seat and I proceeded to pitch product.  They sat there polite and listened without any questions or comments until I was done.  Mr. McCabe then said he would like to buy the entire set, including the book shelve.  I was stunned beyond belief and quickly filled in the order form and had him sign the contract.  Mrs. McCabe did not look as happy as her husband, but I attributed that to her being uncomfortable with a teacher in the house.  We all shook hands and the kids came to say goodbye and I was off to the car with a big smile on my face knowing that on my very first pitch I was about to make one hundred dollars for forty minutes of work.

I almost reached the car; I was really quite close to getting away from what I was now thinking was the scene of the crime.  For the first time in this process it finally dawned on me the enormity of my mistake.  Of course Warren wanted us to pitch the parents of our students. The parents didn’t know that I would respect and take good care of their children whether they purchased the books or not. I was applying undue pressure to these good folks and I didn’t ever realize it.

I turned around knowing that I was mentally shredding my hundred-dollar day, and knocked on the door of the house.  Mrs. McCabe answered, a bit red eyed, but managing a feeble smile. I asked if I could talk with them for a moment and was ushered into the living room were we assumed our positions.  I told them that it occurred to me that perhaps there was a better way for the kids to have access to these marvelous encyclopedias.  I let them know that our school library was getting a set just like the ones they were about to purchase and that this set would be updated every year.  I told them that if any of the kids wanted to stay after school to use the library, I would stay with them until they could be picked up or I’d bring them home. (I didn’t know at the time that teachers couldn’t transport students, but it never came to that).

The relief that showed on their faces was immediate and this time Mrs. McCabe gave me the most radiant smile I had seen in a long time.  I handed the contract back to Mr. McCabe and told him to rip it up.  I shook hands with both of them and finally got to the car, happier than I had been in a long time. 

Warren Winslow did not share my happiness as I returned the samples, brochures and contract forms. He told me I was making a big mistake, that he knew I had what it takes to be a good salesman and that I should reconsider.  I told him what I thought of him and his company and their sales tactics.  Suddenly, he didn’t think I had what it takes.  He was wrong again!