Our Lives Never Stay The Same

The years from 1929 when the stock market crashed and the next ten years brought a lot of changes in all our lives. Those who were well-off suddenly found themselves among the poor. The poor found that they no longer had food to feed their children and were forced into soup kitchens for their food. Franklin Roosevelt was elected President and hope began to return slowly. He started public works programs that gave people jobs. At least they were working for a wage. The banks began to reopen. My mother and Dad now had four children and my grandparents to care for. It was hard and my dad worked long hours on the farm just to have enough to feed us and provided only what was necessary to live. We raised a garden, chickens and my Mom baked bread and we would go to town and sell it. In 1934 I went to live with my maternal grandparents and again changed schools. I started my Freshman year in Peru. My grandmother was not well so I went to help her. It meant that my parents had one less child to feed and clothe. I was happy as I did not like the school that I was going to. Also the kids I had gone to school with for seven years were now in High School and I could again be with them. I loved going to school and I had always made very good grades. I soon made many new friends. One of those friends was Mary Jane. She introduced me to her cousin Bob. This was in March of my Junior Year. The economy began to improve and people were being called back to work. I got a part time job at the five and dime store. I made twenty cents and hour. I was rich. Bob and I began to date. We dated through the rest of my Junior year and all through my Senior year. He worked at a grocery store in Bunker Hill and he worked 50 to 60 hours a week for $12.00. Prices were low but we still had very little money. We came out of that time of our lives much stronger and we learned to share and care for one another. I have thought many times that it was God's will that we went through those trying times. It prepared us for what was to come in the 40's. Trouble was brewing in Europe.