This Guilford class photo dates to 1933. My mom is third from the left, in the first row of standing girls. She graduated from high school in 1937, so she would have been in the 8th grade here. Her high school class only had about 35 kids in it, and there are about 45 kids in this photo, so I think this must be more than one class. I'm struck at how nicely dressed the kids are, and this was in the midst of the Depression. I'm sure everyone wore their "best" clothes for the school picture, but they also look happy and healthy. Whatever was going on at home at this time, whatever economic distress their parents were feeling, must have been kept from the kids as much as possible. My mother never got over her "Depression" mindset, though. Throughout her life she never wasted money, hated seeing people flaunt their wealth, and always looked after those with less, making sure those with the least in our community had decent healthcare and food for their tables.
And a Younger Class During the Same Period
Perhaps the same year as my mother's photo at the top of this post, her younger sister, my aunt Hoohoo was in the 1st or 2nd grade, in a school across the Green from my mother's. Hoohoo is in the bottom row of seated girls, 2nd from the left, wearing a dark "flounce" in her hair, and an outfit with a decorative V collar. Again, I'm struck at how "normal" these kids look, at one of the worst economic times our country has ever seen. This was the period of time, though, when Hoohoo was drawing on brown paper bags, cut up and flattened out by her mother, instead of fancy drawing pads. Times weren't easy, but it's clear everyone tried to shield the hardships from their children.
"Paperbag Dreams," created from one of Hoohoo's Depression-era drawings done on a brown paperbag, instead of drawing paper. The photograph is a school photo of Hoohoo at the age she was when she did this charcoal drawing. My piece is on plywood and has paint, tissue paper, silver foil, and dried leaves, in addition to the original drawing. 24" x 24".
I love those old school photos, Casey, thanks for sharing. I wasn't a child of the depression but it was talked about a lot and I was young during WWII, and remember my brother's letters home when he was serving overseas in the U.S. Navy.
ReplyDeleteIn those olden days, kids for the most part got to be kids, no 24-hour TV news cycle, you had to read it in the paper or hear it on the radio. So most of us were spared the bad news and our days consisted of playing and in California that meant being outdoors all day and just making sure "we were home before dark". Play was an important part of our lives.
You're probably right, Annie. That's nice to think about, allowing kids to be kids as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteLOVE THE PICTURE.I CAN'T GET OVER HOW YOU NEVER SEE KIDS OUTSIDE PLAYING. WE WERE ALWAY OUTSIDE WITH OUR FRIENDS DOING OUR THING. I WAS SMALL DURING WW2 BUT I REMEMBER IT WELL. MY BROTHER QUIT SCHOOL AND WENT INTO THE NAVY AT 17. DAD HAD TO SIGN FOR HIM TO GET IN. HE WAS SO HAPPY TO FIGHT FOR HIS COUNTRY. HE WENT IN A BOY AND CAME OUT A MAN.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
GRANNY
Indeed, it *is* striking how well all the kids are dressed. Love the wild knee socks on some of the little boys! And so many are wearing Buster Brown shoes! I was born after WWII but my mom still made me wear Buster Browns! LOL
ReplyDeleteLove the photos AND your observations, Casey! Also, your painting!
Katie
From what my parents told me, high school was a lot more like college in those days in terms of academics and professionalism (including dress code). Today it seems you can't get a decent job without a PhD but you can walk around high school with your underwear sticking out of your pants, lol.
ReplyDeleteWe had school clothes and play clothes. Always coming home from school and changing before going out to play.
ReplyDeleteI remember a girl in H.S. getting suspended for wearing a black bra under a white blouse and her name wasn't Madonna.