Edison had an unusual knack to identify talent in others. When he moved to Menlo Park in 1876, he had recruited some highly talented people to work with him. Many of them remained with him for the rest of their lives. Those hardworking youngsters were often fresh out of studies. Edison called them ‘muckers’, as none of them would hesitate to get their hands dirty with hard work. Working with Edison was a great learning experience for them, as Edison involved them in building prototypes and testing out his ideas.
By the time the laboratory complex at West Orange was built, Edison had become very famous; technical people from different places in the U.S. and Europe came, hoping to work with the legendary inventor. If Edison had a bright idea, work at the laboratory would extend late into the night. The muckers sometimes had to face their boss’s sarcasm and ridicule.
However, they did not mind. Most of them felt as electrician Arthur Kennelly said, “The privilege which I had being with this great man for six years was the greatest inspiration of my life.”
Picture Credit : Google
