Lindsay Schmittberger interviews her Grandmother

Lindsay: Where did you live during the Depression?
Gram: We lived in Chelsea, Vermont.
Lindsay: What was your father’s occupation?
Gram: He was a farmer.
Lindsay: Did you get to spend a lot of time with your father or was he out working a lot?
Gram: I was always with him! He would drive me to school in our horse-drawn wagon every day. That saved us a lot of money on gas. Back then gas was one dollar for five gallons. Can you believe that? We would pick up some of the kids on the way and charge them ten cents per mile that we drove them. I got to put the money in my bank.
Lindsay: Do you recall the conditions of the Great Depression?
Gram: I do. For us, it wasn’t so bad because we were farmers. I can imagine life in the city was worse. The farmers had it made.
Lindsay: How so?
Gram: Well, let’s see…I remember everyone was really friendly. No one hesitated to help another out in the neighborhood. We all helped fix a friend’s roof one time. We didn’t have carpenters and roofers and all that back then. We all just helped out.
Lindsay: That sounds like a nice place to live.
Gram: It was! And when we used our phones, we had what they call “party lines.” A switchboard operator would connect you. Your calls weren’t very private like they are now. You could hear others talking. I remember one time; I was talking on the phone and I said “Well, I will tell you when everyone stops listening in on my call!” Then I heard “click, click, click.” Everyone hung up! (laughs) It was funny!
Lindsay: (laughs) Wow! Now I know your family had their own food because you were farmers, but what about electricity? I can imagine that being expensive.
Gram: We didn’t have electricity because it was expensive. We used our battery powered radios for entertainment and getting the news. We didn’t have a fridge, so it was hard to keep things cold. We had an ice box though. We mostly used that.
Lindsay: What did your family do for fun?
Gram: We would listen to the radio. It was charged by a windmill that we had out back. Or we would play cards and board games. Or sometimes we would go down to the town hall where they had roller skating every once in a while.
Lindsay: Do you see any similarities between the Depression and the economic downturn we are experiencing now?
Gram: Not really. Well, I guess so. Back when I was young, the banks went out. Now I see the stock market. I think that is somewhat similar.
Lindsay: How did the Depression change your life?
Gram: It didn’t really have much of an effect on my life because I was so young at the time. But I am sure that it changed my parents’ life