The Childhood Years

What was it like to grow up during the 1920s and the Great Depression?

Many families enjoyed economic prosperity during the optimistic 1920s. With rising incomes they became consumers, able to buy such modern conveniences as electric refrigerators and other appliances. They were more mobile, driving more family cars on better roads. The widespread ownership of radios connected people with a wider world, decreasing the isolation of rural families. Fashion reflected a more independent, modern outlook, particularly for women as they donned shorter skirts and bobbed their hair.

Prosperity came to a screeching halt for many Americans on "Black Tuesday," October 29, 1929 – the day of economic panic that marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

Facing the greatest deprivation Americans had ever known, families had to learn to get by. They did without luxuries and, in some cases, necessities. They used and re-used clothing and other items until they were worn out. As they struggled to make ends meet, they used ingenuity and discovered inner resources that helped them to survive the harsh years of the 1930s.

Farm families had gotten an early taste of economic hardship during the 1920s as prices for farm products and the value of farmland, on the decline since World War I, continued to fall. With the Great Depression, many families lost their farms and migrated to urban areas in search of work and aid from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal government programs.

With record unemployment, children competed for jobs with their elders in an effort to make a contribution to their families. Children of the 1930s were subject to child labor reform measures of the 1920s, which limited their workday to 8 hours, and provided guidelines for employment of minors. Many children were self-employed, collecting junk to sell or doing odd jobs for neighbors.

In spite of hard times, children found creative ways to have fun, enjoying many of the toys and games kids have today, but with homemade elements. Favorite pastimes included going to the movies, playing sports, and enjoying popular board games.

School attendance was mandatory for children aged 7 to 14. Many rural children did not have the opportunity to attend high school. For some, work on the farm prevented further study. For others, the distance to the nearest high school and a lack of transportation kept them from earning a diploma. Apart from the "3 Rs," children of the Greatest Generation were taught manners, frugality, and patriotism – characteristics that would serve them well in the difficult years to come.

Citations:

• Analysis of State Child Labor Laws. New York City: National Child Labor Committee], 1928.
• Drake, Robert M. A Prideful Recollection of the Old CCC. The Minnesota Volunteer, July-August 1983, p. 3-9.
• United States Department of Labor; Morris, Richard B., Editor Bicentennial History of the American Worker. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office], 1976.
• Black Tuesday. Wikipedia.com, April 24, 2006.
• The Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum, 2006.
• Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States. Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum.
• New Deal. Wikipedia.com, July 29, 2006.
• Alphabet Agencies. Wikipedia.com, July 15, 2006.
• Young Citizens League, Minnesota Chapter, Notebook, 1948-1962. Minnesota Historical Society Manuscripts Collection.