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Helping others was key to surviving Depression
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Published: March 2, 2009
What I remember most about growing up during the Depression is that everyone helped each other.
I was born April 12, 1925, at 210 Water St. The house burned in late 1927 and we moved to the Bailey Duplex Apartments on Broad Street while the replacement was being built. My dad, Oscar Mills, had the large house built where lawyer offices are now. We lived there and my dad had his business, Mills Electric Shop, there also.
During the Depression, he lost the property and we moved several times before he could buy another house. I remember that we had what we needed, he did electric work for people, and we traded for what they had. I remember people in the county would pay with vegetables and my mother would work up the meat from hogs. We always had money to take to church.
Every week a worker from the Salvation Army came by Mills Electric Shop, which was on Court Street, and my dad made sure he was given some money.
My mother was a member of the Community Club and she and other members went in South Statesville and asked people if they were not going to have a garden, would they let someone use their garden spot. My sister, Elizabeth, who was three years older, and I went with them. My mother would always cook food if someone came by asking for something to eat.
There was a man and his wife who had helped with our garden and housework. Their daughter died and they did not have the money to pay for the funeral, so my dad made the payments. They were so appreciative and were so good to us; my brother, sister and I loved them. The clothes Blanch ironed looked so good. In later years her daughter taught me to iron.
I remember my mother and other mothers would bring their children to each other's homes. They would bring something to sew or knit, then they would play bridge. We children would have a good time playing games.
One time at our house we played "barber shop" and cut each other's hair. We did not use any style. We almost cut all the hair off of the youngest girl. I don't know what happened to the others, but my sister and I got a whipping and my mother really knew how to whip.
I hope that people will help others during this hard time.
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