Living in the 1930s

I was born in South Dakota in 1928, but moved to Plainview with my parents, Walter and Lenita, in 1930, when they bought the Plainview (Nebraska) Bakery from Sam Johnson. Though hard times had really begun in the late '20s, they became progressively worse in the 1930s, and it was of the decade of the '30s that my earliest memories were formed. I really believe that all who lived through that trying period in our nation's history carry scars that will be only erased by death.

After World War I, America entered into a rosy period of optimism. New inventions, such as the airplane and radio gave people a giddy sense of confidence -- anything was possible. Land prices, commodities, and stocks all went up, up, up. Even dyed-in-the-wool conservative savers took their savings out from under their mattresses and invested it, very often in the stock market, about which they knew very little.

Unfortunately, that happy period did not last forever. In 1928, Plainview had four banks. Nine months later three of the four had failed, and six in Pierce County. For a period of nearly six weeks Plainview had no banking service at all.

Then, in late 1928, a group of Norfolk men, led by J.W. Ransom, president, Ben Saunders, cashier, and Leonard Larson, assistant cashier, opened the reorganized Plainview State Bank. Saunders and Larson were assigned to run the bank in Plainview.

In about 1932, when banks throughout the country were failing right and left, there was a rumor that the PV State Bank was about to fail. There was a run on the bank. Women screamed, as they held their checkbooks aloft, attempting to withdraw their life savings from the bank.

Ben Saunders and Leonard Larson were truly good men, and they were able to talk to people, and reassure them to some extent, and keep some semblance of order, until an armored truck could arrive from Norfolk with cash enough to pay off all the customers. When people were sure they could get their money, the panic subsided. People left their money in the bank, and went away assured -- for a while at least.

The next day, Ben Saunders came to the bakery. He shook my dad's hand, and thanked him for not joining in the run on the bank. Later, dad said that he had so little money in the bank that it would not have made much difference if he lost it all. "I don't know what I would have done if I had had a lot of money there," he said.

The Plainview News reported on conditions in the '30s. "... days of wind, during which large amounts of real estate were changed around without the permission of the owners. Dust storms blackened the sky to the extent that street lights were turned on in the middle of the afternoon." In 1931 a temperature of 89 degrees was reported as something of a record. In succeeding years 100 degree-plus days were commonplace.

Plainview reduced its electric rates in 1931, and again in 1934. Mail volume fell off to the extent that Plainview was reduced to a third class Post Office. Half the postal clerks lost their jobs. Drought conditions made yields miniscule, yet corn brought only 10 cents a bushel -- many farmers burned their corn for fuel.

Federal programs, after Franklin Roosevelt was elected, helped some, through a series of alphabet agencies -- the CCC, NRA, and the FERA, among others. Plainview's Foy George Band Shell was a WPA project. Pierce County received a grant that enabled the purchase of a carload of insect poison to combat an invasion of grasshoppers in 1933.

The simple fact in the '30s, was that most people had little or no money to spend. Commerce during the week was almost at a standstill in Plainview. More than half the week's business was done on Saturday and Saturday night.

Dr. L.A. Johnson had his office next to the bakery. Frequently, my dad dropped in at his office in the afternoon for a little chat -- usually uninterrupted by patients. One time, when I went along, Dr. Johnson showed us a chicken that a patient had brought him, in lieu of cash, to pay for his office call.

Jack Pubanz, who managed the lumber yard, was a special friend of dad's. Often the two got together in the afternoon for a few rounds of horseshoes, or a game of chess -- and the inevitable conversation about when it would rain, and how to get more business.

These were the conditions that confronted Walter and Lenita when they launched their bakery business in Plainview in 1930, selling bread at 10 cents a loaf, to people who could scarcely afford even that. I can only imagine the misgivings and fears they must have had in those early years. Yet, they took pains to shield me from those hard times. Fortunately, we always had enough to eat. Everyone was poor. That's just the way things were. I accepted that. I thought I had a pretty good life -- and I did.

Life went on in the '30s, despite the Depression and widespread hardships. Everyone was in the same boat, so people helped one another. They made their own fun, and looked for entertainment that didn't cost very much.

Radio was the universal entertainment medium, and everybody tended to listen to the same programs. A movie, for 10 or 25 cents was a mini-vacation from the cares of the world. For that money one got a feature film, a B picture, a cartoon and a news reel.

Attendance at school functions was good, for school plays, operettas, even speech debates. Friday night band concerts were an eagerly anticipated occasion. Plainview had good sports teams. Folks loved to watch the teams and talk about them during the week.

But baseball was the king of sports. Every town had its own "Town Team," as did the rural communities, around their country churches, like Eden Valley, or Stark or Crawford Valley. Talent was quite evenly scattered among the various teams, leading to spirited competition. (It was only later that recruiting of star players by the bigger towns came into play. The level of baseball improved, but the smaller teams lost their better players and soon went out of business.)

Dances were popular, with music provided by local musicians. The Old Opera House, the home for amateur theatricals, was also a popular place for dances, as was the haymow in George Dufeck's barn and other barns throughout the countryside.

Churches had activities for all ages. Rev. Kramer, at the Congregational Church had us all, who were in his youth group, aspiring to be magicians. We practiced long and hard for the show we gave to the public (90 percent of whom were Congo Church members).

Church suppers were social occasions for the community, while at the same time raising money for church projects. Each fall the Congo Church held a "Wild Game" Dinner. The men hunted the game -- pheasants, quail, rabbits, even squirrels and raccoons, and the women dutifully cooked it. The meals were popular and interesting -- and surprisingly good.

Miniature golf was a nation-wide fad. Plainview had a course on the vacant lot by Wilson's Store, on Locust Street. Fun for the whole family!

Contract bridge was a new card game. People played in homes, or on their front porches, and Marathon sessions for bridge tournaments were held at the Opera House.

From the Plainview News: "And yet, with all the troubles, people will say, 'We had a good time in the '30s; it seemed that hardship brought people closer together'."

We're greatly indebted to our Nebraska ancestors who prevailed, despite much hardship, in the '30s. They left us a great legacy, and great memories. They were a hardy, resilient lot in the Dirty Thirties. I believe we still are today!