In keeping with the post I did on Long, long ago, I decided it would only be fair to post another. In the last post I mentioned that gas was 20 cents a gallon. Some commented, wanting to see gas that low again. Well, maybe after this post, you will not feel that we have it so bad!
During the 1930’s, my husband’s grandmother corresponded with her daughter on penny post cards. I have some of those cards in my possession and thought I would share one with you. Be sure to notice how she was paid!Oct. 21, 1932
Friday. Dearest Darling Mary, Will write you again. I am well and hope you are the same and getting on all rite but am worried over not hearing from you. Don’t know whether you are dead or not or not able to rite. If you are able please write and let me hear from you. We are all upset over you. Afraid something has happened ever since we heard you were sick. But hope all is well with you. I am still at Tonys and tying tobacco for Dawson at 40 cents a day.That helps me some. Am glad I am able to. Maybe that have made over 5 dollars. Thinks that’s good for me don’t you. Bee is going to school now and likes it just fine. Glad he does aint you. Grace said she dreamed about you last night. Said we would get a letter from you today. Hope we will but will send this anyway. If you have not sent one do it at once. I am real anxious to hear from you and come if you ever can and we will do the same. Kelly and little Chalie was here today. Johnnie and all is well. So be a good little girl til we meet. From your loving mother. Parmele NC.
When I married my husband “Granny” was living with their family. He cannot remember when she didn’t live with them. From these post cards in the 30’s we know that she went from one of her children’s homes to another to stay for periods of times.
The Great Depression occurred in the 1930’s. Notice that she said she made 40 cents a day. If she bought a gallon of gas, that would have taken half her day’s work.
The picture posted with this .. is not this actual card. I just wanted you to see how much they could write on those post cards.
9 comments:
I could have never read that card. Very interesting...
My Grandmother saved cards she was sent. Back in her day, there were no phones, so they used to send each other cards to meet for lunch in town on a certain day. It is very interesting to read they way they wrote, & the quaint lauguage styles.
That is so neat.. I ahve some old letters of my grandmothers. I need to get those out and read them. have a great day!
Lucky you to have that card! Times were so hard and yet we complain today about "hard times" I guess it's all relative to the times you are living in.
Because all of my grandparents were gone before I was born, I really appreciate stories, photos and REAL experiences like this - thanks for sharing!
Colleen
Good Morning Ann,
I enjoyed your back in time post again today. I think it is so neat that you have all of those penny postcards. You could always get your money's worth from things back then. That is what I have heard anyway. Things were made alot better and lasted alot longer back then as well. Those were some hard times back then and things are beginning to get that way again now. "THANK YOU" for sharing some more back in time stories with us. I am really enjoying reading about them. Take care my friend and have a great day/weekend. May God Bless You and Yours.
Love & Hugs,
Karen H.
Can you imagine?! 40 cents a day ~ good golly! My Mother-in-Law came across an old diary of her grandmothers. It was written very similar, really small writing and squeezed into any empty spot. I typed it all out for her and it took me almost a month to decipher that tiny writing. So interesting!
I find that so interesting. I ahve a great great grandmother (born just before the 1900s) who stayed in her kids' homes, too---there were 14 to share that responsibility!
Sorry you are getting those SPAM and virus comments. :-((( Do you know how to delete them?
I have to often check the mail box, where notification of comments, come into. -sigh- So I can quick delete weird ones. Bahhhhhhh humbug, hu?
Precious keepsake, that post card.
Yes, in olden days, people used to use every bit of writing surface. I wonder how they read them! I've seen {pictures of} really old letters, where they wrote every-which-way on them. Wow!
Mari-Nanci
Very interesting post, Ann, a piece of history. 40 cents a day...today that would hardly buy a candy bar, it must have been terrible times trying to live off of money such as that. But at least she could make a little bit - in many places people had no way to make money at all.
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