Interview with Helen Costa, by Scott Lockman

I interviewed my great grandmother Helen Costa. She was 14 in 1930 when the Depression began. Her birth date is August 23, 1913 and was born in Proctor, Vermont. She grew up mostly in Vermont and the moved to Manhattan, New York around the 1950’s.
Life for her during the 1930’s was difficult. My great grandmother had to take care of five sisters and take responsibility raising her mother’s children. She had to make sure that all of her sisters were ready to go to school and fed on time. Every morning they would receive the Hungarian newspaper. About twice a week, the bakery would come to the house and that how they would get their bread. Everyone in the neighborhood had a garden and grew vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and potatoes. In the 1930’s the whole community was mostly in the same predicament as neighbors including food and money.
The depression caused a limited source of food. The food available was ham, chicken; eggs and sometimes she would make beef stew. Almost everyone owned a pig which is where they got their ham from. My grandmother said she would wake up in the morning around five and hear the squeals of her family killing a pig. This was done early, so her family was able to start on lunch early and it would be ready for lunch or dinner. Everyone had chickens, and when the chickens no longer laid eggs, they would kill and eat the chickens and make chicken soup. This was about the only food that was available to people in the depression during the 1950’s.
In Vermont, her neighbors were not as bad as the ones in New York. The neighbors in Vermont weren’t as close as the neighbors in New York. She never really had any problems with neighbors in Vermont. Her neighbors in New York were the worst. All hours of the night she would hear the neighbors making noises, slamming shoes, and doors. They would also have card games until two in the morning, and never had any consideration for others.
There weren’t too many things to do for fun around the depression. When there were things to do there would sometimes be contests. My grandmother was actually in a contest, and it consisted of twenty five women. The contest was based on beauty, and who had the most points won. My grandmother ended up coming in twenty third. Also, there would be some small parks, and they would walk around with friends in groups meeting guys. There were small amusement parks that only had bumper karts, and a lot of games like darts. The only games they would play with their time were and marbles and hopscotch.
She didn’t have too much trouble with her neighbors growing up in Vermont and New York. Where she grew up was very noisy especially at night. Vermont and New York never had the population they have today. There were les jobs and not as many buildings. Vermont made mountains into neighborhoods and New York built more buildings. Another way it changed is the ways of transportation. Many used to walk and now take cabs, cars, and subways.
The great depression affected everyone and was difficult for most. It was difficult for her to find food and her family always ran out quick. Everyone had to give hand me downs for clothes because there was no money to buy any. Depression is what every person had in common, along with feeling overwhelmed. One of the worst parts of the depression was the KKK because they slowly started to emerge in come together as a group. Having the KKK was the last thing everyone needed. They didn’t like blacks and hated people for their religion. My grandmother had to stop schooling at either grade to help her mother take care of her sisters. Every where they went they walked and never had money to pay even if a ride was found. In a way she was a second mother to her sisters. She can’t recall anything about the WPA or FWP.
There was some ways that my great grandmother would try distract herself from problems during the depression. She tried to cope with the depression by always trying to stay busy. When she couldn’t cope she would cry a lot. She stayed busy by working and hanging out with friends. Living in the depression did affect the person she is today.
My great grandmother was affected by the depression. The depression made her more appreciative of what she has today such as food, money, cloths, and family. When she buys food she gets food she needs, nothing that is unhealthy. She doesn’t care too much how clothes look, as long as they do the job of keeping her warm and comfortable. Last, she is glad to know if she needs anything there is family that will help. During the depression everyone was busy and never had money to spare in case of emergencies.