My Dad often told stories of his first job when he was 12 sweeping floors, washing windows and cleaning spittoons in a country barber shop in rural Indiana. I think he said he made something like 35 cents a day. Not much pay for work as nasty as spittoon upkeep. These days I doubt you could hire someone to do that for $35 a day.
Like most Dads subjected to misery as children, he was happy to have the work. :)