Margaret Ellen Fox was just 14 years old when she decided to look for a job in the summer of 1974.

School had recently gotten out in her New Jersey community where she and her 11 year old

cousin Lynn Park had an idea.

They were going to take out an ad in the local paper to let the community know they were

babysitters and they were looking for families to help.

So the Freckley faced tween asked her parents if they could place the ad. They reluctantly agreed. They were

nervous for her. But they also knew that she was responsible and was looking for

more independence. Plus their small suburb of Burlington, New Jersey

was safe and quiet.

They basically knew all the neighbors.

She could take out the ad, but it would have to be as short as possible and get the message

across quickly.

These ads in papers charged per word after all.

And so in the June 18th edition of their local paper Margaret and Lynn placed an ad that read

quote experienced teen girls love kids work at your house call and then two phone numbers were listed

I'm sure many of us have been in that situation I know I have when you're growing up the summer can be a great time to make some money, which can give you a little bit of independence.

And for Margaret, who was the only girl in a family of five children, she was ready for that.

But that newspaper would have been distributed to hundreds,

if not thousands of families across New Jersey,

not just in the Fox Family's neighborhood.

You could never really be sure who was picking up the paper,

flipping through the ad section, and deciding to call.

...