Chester Skow was a hobo in the 1930s, travelling by railroad from town to town, hoping to find a job and earn some money. When he did find a job, it was often short-term, and soon he’d be travelling again. As an example of the treatment he received, he tells about arriving in “a small Iowa town” and “knocking on back doors for handouts.”
Walking through a neighborhood, he writes, “I knocked on the door frame of a screened-in porch.” He continues:
A voice from behind the screen said, “Yes?” Looking back, I saw a matronly woman in an apron awaiting my answer.Quickly, I explained that I was hungry and thirsty and that I would be happy to mow her lawn, wash her windows or do just about any task for a sandwich and a cool drink.
The woman told him that he could wash his face and hands while she prepared something. After washing,
The lady motioned me to sit down and then placed a heaping plate of food before me. On it were cottage-fried potatoes, eggs sunny-side up, toast and jam.
Across the United States, ordinary families gave away millions of meals during the 1930s. This was large-scale charity, implemented on a small scale many times over. It effectively helped many people to survive.
Mary Heinlein was a child during the Great Depression, living with her parents in Texas. The family owned and operated a small store. She writes that “when the Depression began, families” traveling from town to town “came to my dad for help.” She continues:
Some families were living in their cars and going without food.One couple arrived at the store with their two little boys. They were tired, hungry, and discouraged. Dad couldn’t give them any money, since he had five children at home, but he gave them food and a place to sleep in exchange for work. The family moved on as soon as the father found a paying job.
The hardships of the Great Depression sparked creativity and inventiveness among the people as they brainstormed different ways to help. People of all ages were involved in charity. Sometimes they formed groups; sometimes they acted alone.
Toni Johnson and her young friends organized an impressive campaign, as she recalls:
When I was 12 years old, there were several needy families in our town of Leonardo, New Jersey. My friends and I wanted to do something to help. So seven of us started a club called “The Secret Helpers.”
The girls raised money. For reference, a loaf of bread in 1935 cost between seven and nine cents. A small amount of cash could feed several people. She continues:
We met once a week and paid 10¢ in dues to buy food for the six or seven families we decided to help on a regular basis.
They were able to purchase “soup from a local restaurant and bread from a bakery.” Delivering the food was tricky. A sense of pride and personal responsibility made it difficult for some people to accept help. The girls found a way:
When we had a box filled with food, we’d put it on the porch, ring the doorbell, and then dash out to the car so our identities would remain a secret.Two of the families had five or more children, so we helped them the most. We heard one of the boys needed shoes, so we found out what size he wore and added those to the box.
Eventually, the secret group organized bakesales and fundraising shows at a school auditorium. The operation continued for several years.
The examples of Chester Skow, Toni Johnson, and Mary Heinlein are merely three out of millions. People made free personal choices to give some of their own time, money, and possessions to help others. That’s how the United States survived the Great Depression.
