We have heard down through the years about the GREAT DEPRESSION from our realitives who lived in those hard times. Lets travel back to those times and see how life was really like.
Times were indeed hard for 13 to 14 million Americans who were out of work. That was 25 percent of the workforce. That translated into 30 million spouses and children they were trying to support. People sold apples on the street for pennies, people standing in soup lines, people working at jobs that paid too little but they were lucky to find work. Wages for a years work was very low to say the least. A bus driver made $1,300 a year, teachers $1,200, waitresses $500, dressmakers $800, farm hands $200 and they were lucky to even have a job.
Farmers were the hardest hit during the Depression getting as little as 5 cents a pound for cotton, 5 cent a pound for hogs. If the depression didn't do it the floods and dust storms and droughts done them in. A lot of farmers lost their land that had been handed down throught the years and some moved to find work as migrant workers just so they could feed the family.
Food was tough to find and people couldn't afford to buy without money. Food was a bargin if you had the money. Most meats cost 20 cents a pound, butter was 25 cents a pound, A dozen eggs cost 30 cents, a pound of chesse was 25 cents and potatoes were a whole 2 cents a pound. If you were shopping for furniture a 8 piece dining room set could be bought for $45, 3 piece bedroom set $50, wool blanket was $1, electric iron $2, vacuum cleaner $15, washing machine $45, stoves for $30. Everything was unbelievably cheap in price because people didn't have money to spend.
Clothes were a bargin during those days. You girls could buy all the shoes your heart desired for $1.79 a pair! Dresses were $1.95 and that was the good ones, silk stockings for 69 cents, and a coat for $5.95. Men items were bought for low prices also, an overcoat cost $10, a shirt or tie for 50 cents, $2.00 for a pair of overalls and a pair of shoes for $2.95.
Kids toys were cheap too, a doll buggy cost $2.98, a sled $1.50, tricycle $2.00, a catcher mitt for $1.25, and a BB gun for only 79 cents. Not many people had the money to buy a new car or to afford gas. A new Ford cost about $1,000 and gas was only 18 cents a gallon. A new home for people who could afford it with 3 bedrooms and a 2 car garage went for around $3,000.
Even though times were tough during the 30's people still found time to laugh and have a good time. Things to do were free or very inexpensive. Jigsaw puzzles, card games, radio programs became popular as well as stamp collecting. Popular radio shows were, Edger Bergen, Charlie McCarthy, Kate Smith, Fibber McGee and Molly, George Burns and Gracie Allen and Bing Crosby.
As we looked back on those days would we like to have lived in that time period. As for me it might have been great to live in that time when life was so simple. Oh yeah, I'm taking my computer with me and maybe starting THE INTERNET!!!!
