Summary
Highlights
During the Great Depression, a typical family included a father, mother, and several children. Fathers would leave for work if employed, and children would attend school, often walking or taking a bus. Mothers usually managed household chores like laundry and ironing, often by hand.
The radio was the most common form of entertainment, offering various programs throughout the day, from soap operas for mothers to adventure shows for children and evening programs for the whole family. Board games like 'Sorry!' and 'Monopoly' also gained popularity, providing an escape from economic hardship.
Most families in the 1930s had very little money, with average weekly take-home pay around $17, and some earning as little as $7. Doctors made about $60 a week. Product prices reflected these conditions; a men's shirt cost about $1, a washing machine $33, and a milkshake a dime, while roasted peanuts cost a penny.
Due to financial constraints, many families considered once commonplace services as luxuries. Haircuts were done at home, and dentist or doctor visits were reserved for serious conditions. Some women even gave birth at home to save money. Families mended old clothes and shoes, and hand-me-downs became common even among the previously affluent.
The Great Depression led to unprecedented unemployment rates, with up to 25% of the population (13-15 million Americans) jobless. Businesses advertising six positions might receive over 15,000 applications. Those unable to find work often became 'hobos,' illegally riding trains to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Even those who kept their jobs saw wages slashed by as much as 60%. Fathers who once held important positions were reduced to searching for food in dumpsters. Food became scarce, with cabbage soup a common meal, and some families resorted to staggered eating schedules. To save heating costs, families heated only one room, using wood, coal, or corncobs. Many shared homes, and some children were sent away or forced to leave home to find work.