http://my.hsj.org/Portals/2/logos/__TFMF_rfrlwoic0ewogdrz2qepwue5_19c48dd4-327e-4b70-ad2b-2d0bd19c1e63_0___Selected.jpg en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:03:06 GMT 15 By Sarah Rae Nasca
Standing at the end of the conveyor belt putting assorted groceries into plastic bags, Will Sheller calculates his pay for working the past eight hours. Only 54 dollars will be added to this week’s paycheck. Although Will feels his economic situation is bleak, others remember a time that was much more desolate. Helen Shultz, a child of the Great Depression, remembers a time when there were not enough crops on the farm to feed the family during winter. White Bear resident and great grandma of Erin Yankovec, Shultz was about seven years old during the 1930s. She and her six brothers and sisters grew up on a farm in Fairchild, Wisconsin. “We grew all kinds of food and saved it,” Shultz said. “We were simply more self sufficient.” Junior Will Scheller works at Festival Foods as a bag boy three to four times a week for just about minimum wage. Some of his paycheck goes into a college fund; some goes towards various store bought items. “I plan to take one course a year for college,” Will said. “That way, I only pay for one course at a time. It will take ten years, but I won’t have huge loans to pay back afterwards.” During the Great Depression, college was not an option to anyone. Shultz’s graduating class was about 18; she was related to most of them. She never attended college, and didn’t learn to drive until the age of 42. “There were no universities around,” Shultz said. “It is a very small town, only about 500 people.” As far as family money is concerned, Will’s family has certain priorities to live up to. Nearly half of Will’s father’s yearly income goes towards paying off debt, while some of his mother’s goes towards a family vacation. “We normally save up for a week long vacation,” Will said. “Any extra savings we get year round, but that might not happen this year.” Shultz has never experienced a family vacation. They never saved any money because there was never enough money to save. All the money the received was spent on necessities like milk and eggs. “A farm is seven days a week.” Shultz said. “I never needed a day off anyways.” During the holiday season, families look forward to opening presents, no matter the celebration. Will believes that in many families, the amounts of presents are slowly decreasing. Some parents have resorted to letting kids pick out their own gifts, or asking specifically what they want. “My parents get me gift cards and money to buy my own presents,” Will said. “It is nicer because I get what I want.” While teenagers of today are happy with gift cards and money, children of the Great Depression were happy with any gift they received. “One Christmas, I remember I got a dust pan and I broom,” White Bear resident Helen Shultz said. She was about seven years old during the time of the Great Depression. “I was so very happy.” Will believes that we are currently experiencing an extreme economy downfall. However, Shultz thinks that we could never come close to a collapse of the stock market again, with “all the power and control our government has”. ]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:22:44 GMT