Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2021/Fall/Section018/Arthur J. Moore

Overview

Arthur J. Moore was interviewed in 1939 as a part of the Federal Writers’ Project. He worked odd jobs throughout his life in order to make money.

Biography

Early Life

Arthur J. Moore was the seventh son among 16 siblings. As a child, he lived a normal farmer’s lifestyle along with his enormous family. As a kid, his family usually had enough money to live comfortably. Arthur lived close enough to the town to get limited schooling. He went to school until seventh grade and attended two terms of college.

Adult Life

As an adult Arthur J. Moore spent his years working many jobs. He regretted not completing his education and getting a stable job. Throughout his career he was able to make enough to support himself and eventually his wife and 2 kids. Arthur was eventually able to afford a house for his family but lost the house when he could not pay the loan after a series of salary cuts. After losing his house he lived a quiet life. Arthur’s kids grew up and attended school and eventually started working as well.

Social Issues

Lack of Education in The South

The Great Depressions in the 1930s was a catastrophic time for the United States. Many people were out of jobs and were not making enough money to support their families. One of the biggest effects of the Great Depression was the decline in education. “The crisis was more acute in the South and the Southwest, but by the beginning of 1934, almost 20,000 schools nationwide had been closed down. The crisis was so pervasive that students were required to bring their own supplies and, in some extreme cases, even pay for tuition.” The decline in education quality made pursuing higher education less appealing and caused many people to focus on starting their careers instead.

Lack of Government Involvement

The Government during the great depression was struggling to function. The government was trying to implement policies in order to prevent banks from failing. The government tried to implement programs in hopes of helping the economy return to normal. Despite their best efforts they were not able to completely manage everything that was happening. Furthermore, towards the end of the Great Depression, the world saw the start of World War 2. This led to the government further reducing their focus on the citizen’s everyday lives. Many governmental agencies such as the National War Labor Board saw, “the shortage of labor during World War II caused sharp increases in wages.” This caused many businesses during this time to fail. Such issues are regulated by the government but due to the many issues during the time the government was not able to prevent them.

Bibliography

1. Bernanke, Ben S. “Non-Monetary Effects of the Financial Crisis in the Propagation of the Great Depression.” NBER, January 1, 1983.
2. Konkel, Lindsey. “Life for the Average Family during the Great Depression.” History.com. A&E Television Networks, April 19, 2018.
3. Lynch, Matthew. “Comprehending How the Great Depression Influenced American Education.” The Edvocate, September 2, 2016.
4. Schumann, Richard E. “Compensation from World War II through the Great Society.” Accessed October 14, 2021.
5. Wheelock, David C. “Download Limit Exceeded - Citeseerx.ist.psu.edu.” Accessed October 15, 2021.