This one is fairly short on words but quite long on responsibility.
The Great Depression hurt many Americans, including my family.
Without going into details, my father went from being an A&P Store manager and Commander of the local American Legion Post to taking any job he could find to feed his family.
Being born in 1939, I came along late in my parents’ life. My six sisters were all born in the 1920s.
My father was born in 1894 and only finished six grades of school when he was obliged to take a 55-hour a week job in a shoe factory, at a nickel an hour.
With that small amount of education, Daddy did alright for himself until the Great Depression.
Education, My Sisters, and Me
In the 1930s, it was not unusual for girls of sixteen to quit school and get a job to help feed the family.
But it was unusual in my family. In fact, impossible. Daddy wouldn’t hear of it. Daddy’s children were going to graduate from high school and that was that. No argument.
Daddy wasn’t a man to preach about many things but he preached education. I can’t tell you how many times I heard, “Get an education, son. They can take a lot of things from you but they can’t take your education.”
My parents never owned a home and they didn’t own a car after 1929.
All six of my sisters and I graduated from high school. Two of my sisters and I graduated from college. We all ended up owning our homes and two cars.
A Lesson in Responsibility
When my second-youngest sister, Virginia, was in high school, she took a part-time job as a clerk in a five and dime store on Saturdays.
This is a story Virginia told me.
One day, Virginia, quite foolishly, said to Daddy, “I’m not going to work as hard at that store any more.”
Daddy asked, “Why not?”
Virginia answered, “I only make 33 cents an hour and I found out that old woman makes 50 cents.”
Daddy said, “That woman has probably been working there for a few years. Did you agree to work for 33 cents an hour?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Do they pay you for your work?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Daddy looked at Virginia and said, “Either do you job or quit with a two-week notice.”
One must understand that our family could have really used that extra couple of bucks a week. But no matter, Virginia was either going to do her work or quit.
Money was important, but what was more important was that Daddy’s children learn about responsibility.
By the way, Virginia kept her job.
