1934: LABOR DAY IN THE HEART OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION

I would have been 1 year old in September of this year of 1934. We lived at 100 Beal Street on the corner of Sylvan and Beal, and later moved to 144. Of course, I don't recall living in the Beal Street neighborhood, but brothers Bud and Len certainly do. Brother Len tells of the many times he pulled a wagon from Beal Street to Liberty to South Olden, all the way to the Giant Tiger store on North Clinton Avenue to pick up our "commodities;" a not too sophisticated name they gave to "relief" (today's welfare) recipients. Note that each item on sale in the ad above included "Easy Terms." Back then, the desperate merchants would pay 25, 50, or maybe a dollar a week to pay for the merchandise.