(Taken from the Teutopolis Press dated November 3, 1999. The student authors were seventh grade students at Teutopolis Junior High School with Mrs. Marjorie Wiessing as their teacher.)
The Great Depression
by: Angie Willenborg
The Great Depression was the time when all businesses were closed down and many people lost employment, homes, and farms. the Great Depression started in 1929 with the Stock Market Crash. Sophie Hartke was born on February 12, 1912. Sophie Hartke was 17 when the Great Depression started. Sophie lived on a farm southeast of Teutopolis.
Sophie's father's job was farming. Her mother helped her father with the farm and worked around the house. Sophie's daily chores were helping on the farm especially at harvest time, collecting corn shucks, raising chickens, milking cows and working in the garden. Sophie was 18 when she was employed at Desota Motor Company in Effingham. At her job, Sophie was paid $10.00 a week. Sophie recalled that adults were paid a dollar a day.
Even though many people lost their employment, homes, and money, Sophie's family seemed to have enough money during the Depression. Her family owned a large farm to grow what they needed. When it was summertime, they canned food for the winter. Other people got along by being hired by farmers for a dollar a day. Although children didn't have jobs to lose, they were affected by the Depression also. Children and teens found employment to work and raise money for their family and parents.
There were many different varieties of costs during the Great Depression. Sophie recalls the costs of food during the Depression. For example, eggs were 22-24 cents a dozen; the "Teutopolis Press" was $1.00 a year. Gasoline was 15 cents a gallon. The main foods her family ate were beef, chicken, eggs, and milk. Although Sophie's family had most items they needed, they bought some items, such as flour and sugar. Sophie's family didn't have to worry about food during the Great Depression.
Sophie knew many people who lost their jobs during this tragic event. About a fourth of the people in the U.S. lost jobs. Some people moved west to California or moved to big cities to find employment. In the New Deal many people worked in government programs. Some programs were construction and electric service.
Sophie's family used flour and feed sacks to make clothes. She said that people now have too many clothes. The majority of Sophie's clothes were hand-me-downs. Sophie's family bought very little items of clothes.
Many people didn't buy clothes but they bought material and sewed it together. Sophie's mother went to stores and changed long coats to short coats. She also ripped adult clothes apart to make other clothes.
Sophie's family had some modern items. Her family had a Plymouth car that cost $599.00. Sophie's dad had John Deere tractors for their farm. They had electricity in 1930 and they had a telephone too. Sophie's family bought many items for the farm and house, such as a stove, refrigerator, a thrasher for the farm and a vacuum.
Many banks failed and people lost all their money. Sophie recalled that one of the banks was Crews State Bank in Montrose. Many hoboes, homeless men, went looking for money and food. Hoboes seldom passed Sophie's home. when they did, her family gave them ham, bread, butter, and jelly. Her family also gave them jobs to work at the farm or they just gave them some clothes.
Times were difficult during this tragic event, but Sophie's family still managed to celebrate Christmas. Many children received one or two gifts. They usually were clothes or gloves. Sophie's family decorated their small tree with popcorn and school made ornaments. Her family had just a Christmas tree and the Holy Crib inside her house at Christmas time.
Sophie knows that the Great Depression changed they way people her age live their lives now because the Depression showed them how to conserve better. She especially remembers that Dr. Weber pulled a tooth for a dollar. I especially think that some people now barely could survive during the Depression the way Sophie described it.
The Great Depression
by: Alan Probst
"My family was one of the lucky families, because we had enough money and supplies during the Great Depression," Esther Hardiek said. The Great Depression was the time when business was slow and many jobs were lost. The Great Depression started in 1929. When the Depression started, Esther was fifteen and she lived at 101 West Walnut Street in Teutopolis, where she still lives today. The Great Depression was harsh for many people.
During the Great Depression, her father owned and worked at a seed business in Dieterich. Her mother was a homemaker. She had many chores to do at home, including washing the dishes, housework, and working in the garden. In 1934, she started to work at the seed business for her father. Many children had to find a job at a early age to help support their family. Many adults were unemployed and the workers were paid very little. Many families had hard times finding jobs.
Esther's family had enough money, but many families did not. Many families did not have enough money so they grew things they did not have. Many people did not have jobs, so she and other people gave people some food or other supplies. The unemployment rate rose to one-fourth of workers which caused people to have a little money. Many individuals helped others when they were in need.
During the Depression, her family ate mostly potatoes, bread, chicken, eggs, pork and vegetables. Her family bought flour, sugar, salt and lard at the grocery store whenever they needed it. Her family had a very large garden in which they grew potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, peas and onions. She ate mostly park and chicken which they butchered themselves. Because she had a big garden and a lot of pork, her family did not have to worry about a lack of food. Many people did not have enough money to buy or grow food so other people gave food to them. People had many hardships to go through.
Many people lost properties of their own including farmland, homes and farms. If people lost their homes they could move in with relatives or friends. There was a program called "The New Deal" to help people find jobs. Many people worked in "The New Deal" program. Workers built the original sanitary sewer system in Teutopolis which was part of "The New Deal." Many people lost possessions because of the Great Depression, but "The New Deal" helped many individuals.
Esther only had a few dresses during the Great Depression. She had one good dress to wear to church and to special occasions. She had one or two old dresses to wear during the week. Esther wore many hand-me-downs including dresses and coats which she got from her sisters. Many children wore hand-me-downs during the Depression. Her family bought some shoes and coats at Weber's store in Teutopolis. Many people had to hand sew their clothes because they did not have enough money. The Depression was difficult for many people.
Esther's family had a car during the Depression. They had a large Studebaker. Her family had electricity during this time and they also had a telephone. Her family only bought a few items, but they bought all their furniture. Many families were lucky to have a car and other special items.
Many banks in cities were shutdown because of the Depression. There were more banks shutdown in the cities than banks in this area. Nearly forty percent of the banks in the United States were shutdown according to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia. If people lost all of their money from the banks, the government would give a very small percentage of the money back.
Esther met hoboes often during the Depression. She fed them a little bit of what she was going to have for supper that night. Then they left.
During Christmas time, Esther received a few gifts including oranges, popcorn and possibly an item of clothing. Her family put a Christmas tree up every year during the Depression. They put ornaments, strings of popcorn and cranberries on their tree.
Many people that lived during the Depression are more conservative because they know how times can be tough. They also are more generous because they shared to help others who had nothing. People were very generous to help other individuals during the Depression.
Younger people do not appreciate how good things are today because the did not live during that period. That time was more difficult than today. Young people have an easier life in 1999 than the people did during the period know as "The Great Depression."
