I'm sorry, but we don't hire women.

I found this today while trying to clear my mind of the hectic week i've had.
I can't believe the world used to work like this? Bizarre but interesting non the less!

Miss Mary T. Ford
Searcy,
Arkansas

Dear Miss Ford,

Your letter of recent date has been received in the Inking and Painting Department for reply.

Women do not do any of the creative work in connection with preparing the cartoons for the screen, as that work is performed entirely by young men. For this reason girls are not considered for the training school.

The only work open to women consists of tracing the characters on clear celluloid sheets with India ink and filling in the tracings on the reverse side with paint according to the directions.

In order to apply for a position as “Inker” or “Painter” it is necessary that one appear at the Studio, bringing samples of pen and ink and water color work. It would not be advisable to come to Hollywood with the above specifically in view, as there are really very few openings in comparison with the number of girls who apply.

Yours very truly,

WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS, LTD.

I wonder what Mary ended up doing? The letter was written in 1938...
Hmmm... The Mary Ford maybe?

Mary Ford, also known as Iris Colleen Summers (July 7, 1924^[1], El Monte, California – September 30, 1977, Arcadia, California), was an American vocalist and guitarist, comprising half of the husband-and-wife musical team Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits. In 1951 alone they sold six million records.

Or maybe not.