Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2021/Fall/Section017/Herbert Crow

Overview

Herbert Crow was a 25 year-old white male who lived alone after divorce. Herbert lived during a period when the uneasy atmosphere of World War II swept across the country and the society was still recovering from the Great Depression. He was one of the low-income labor who struggled to survive in this time of transition. His interview was conducted by Ethel Deal and Dudley W. Crawford in 1939.

Biography

Childhood

Herbert Crow was born in Banks County in 1914 and moved to North Carolina with his family. Most of his family members worked in the cotton mill. His family were so poor that they were despised by other workers in cotton mills. Herbert's sisters never had a chance to go to school and neither did Herbert's parents. As the only member of his family to have ever received education, Herbert was tired of studying and still quit school at the age of 17.

Adult life

Herbert got his first job in the cotton mill and worked there until the year of 1939. Herbert wasn’t pleased with this job which made him spend all his days grubbing in the mill. Herbert did think of joining the army. Although US was not directly involved in the war at the time, there was an atmosphere of anxiety and apprehension across the country. Under such atmosphere, Herbert hesitated and chose to stay working in the mill because of fear. Luckily, Herbert found a new job as a prison guard and already worked there for 6 months at the time he received the interview. He preferred it much more than the previous work, even if the job got him corns on his feet “as big as quarters” from standing so long. Describing himself as not ambitious, Herbert talked about his two wishes, which are also wishes for most young adults at that time: a well-paid but not too hardworking job, and a smooth car.

Social Issue

Economic issue in The Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression that took place mostly during the 1930's, beginning in the United States. It was the longest, deepest, and most widespread depression of the 20th century. In a short period of time, world output and standards of living dropped precipitously As for the United States, The Great Depression lasted from August 1929 to June 1938, almost 10 years. Over one-fourth of the labor force in industrialized countries was unable to find work in the early 1930s. While conditions began to improve by the mid-1930s, total recovery was not accomplished until the end of the decade. Herbert Crow grew up during the Great Depression. Although he didn't talk about it's impact on his family's economic condition, he described his family as "didn't have a decent rag to put on" at the time they moved from Banks County. This was a reflection of their economic status during The Great Depression.

Education in The Great Depression

During the Great Depression, education in America was greatly impacted. Many schools faced budget cutbacks, which made schools especially the public ones struggle to operate. Without the financial support, schools lack of money to hire sufficient teachers and reduce the class sizes. Education was highly valued by American society before the Great Depression, but the limited funds changed the way many American families' thought about education — "it was a luxury that could not always be afforded." Grown up during the Great Depression period, Herbert Crow was the only person who to have ever received education. Many low-income American families with multiple children like the Herbert's family could only afford only one child to go to school. As a potential consequence of the challenge in education, the population of the worker in labor intensive industries increased. In the year of 1939, the American society was still recovering from the impact of The Great Depression. During this period of time, it was still difficult for people in labor intensive industry to find a job and the average wage was still low.

Bibliography

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Bindas, Kenneth J. Modernity and the Great Depression: The Transformation of American Society, 1930-1941. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2017.

Fraser, Steve and Gerstle, Gary. The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order, 1930-1980. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020. https://doi-org.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/10.1515/9780691216256

Bureau Of Labor Statistics. Handbook of Labor Statistics. 2. 1941 ed. Vol. 2. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1942.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112018120003&view=1up&seq=2&skin=2021

Amadeo, Kimberly. “Great Depression Timeline.” The Balance. Accessed October 19, 2021. https://www.thebalance.com/great-depression-timeline-1929-1941-4048064.

Koning, Lydia. “Education in the 1930's.” Medium. The Thirties, December 9, 2015. https://medium.com/the-thirties/education-in-the-1930-s-bc0e4b94fb2d.