Cheaper by the Dozen (Cheaper by the Dozen, #1)

by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr.

One reason he had so many children—there were twelve of us—was that he was convinced anything he and Mother teamed up on was sure to be a success.

Each child who wanted extra pocket money submitted a sealed bid saying what he would do the job for. The lowest bidder got the contract.

cheaper by the dozen,

Skipping grades in school was part of Dad’s master plan. There was no need, he said, for his children to be held back by a school system geared for children of simply average parents.

THE DAY THE UNITED States entered the first World War, Dad sent President Wilson a telegram which read: “Arriving Washington 7:03 P.M. train. If you don’t know how to use me, I’ll tell you how.”

“I’ll admit, Gilbreth, that your children don’t get sick very often,” Dr. Burton said, “but when they do it messes up the public health statistics for the entire state of New Jersey.”

Someone once asked Dad: “But what do you want to save time for? What are you going to do with it?” “For work, if you love that best,” said Dad. “For education, for beauty, for art, for pleasure.” He looked over the top of his pince-nez. “For mumblety-peg, if that’s where your heart lies.”