To know more about how it was like for Baltimore during the 1929 Depression, I couldn't get a better source than some one who actually experienced this critical time. She is a friend of my family who in which has so much experience on Baltimore's history. Mrs. Anne Veditz is ninety nine years old and with in four days will become a centurion. A centurion is who when some one has lived for a century. A remarkable achievement because you don't hear too many people living that long especially in this day and age.
At age twenty Anne Veditz experienced the 1929 Depression in north west Baltimore. She lived on Pimlico Road at intersection of Quantico Ave. It was a time in which, she experienced various situations most people couldn't handle. The year before this chaotic time in Baltimore history her mother passed away. During the Depression Anne's thirteen brothers and sister in law moved in with her, father, and sister. She had to go at nights towards getting her high school education. Ms. Veditz had to endure alot especially in a hard time of purchasing food and items. As the interview went on, she explained that being able to go home wasn't safe because security was sketchy at best. Paricularly in which this chaotic time every body was just about desperate and in need.
One of the questions, I asked her, was transportation difficult? Yes, it was difficult for her to get on buses and street cars not quite as available. She had to go through Baltimore's law being strict because of the Depression. The police according to Anne were on the streets in neighborhoods making it hard to be out. The reason because of crime going up at the time and alot of uneasiness on who to trust. There were curfews in placed but, she couldn't remember exactly the time. The job situation very hard for people to keep there jobs. Some Baltimoreans had to take jobs working in laundry mats. Ms. Veditz her self worked in Regal laundry office at Gilmore and Mosher Street off Fulton Ave.
I also asked her, how difficult was it for kids to attend school? She responded with kids being afraid in finding away to school and back home. Anne her self had to take three buses just getting back and forth getting there. That was at night getting to school. Another questioned, I aked was there a money shortage? Yes, with money going towards paying for bills and the city just trying to survive.
The One question, I thought was important, how long did it actually take for Baltimore to fully recover from the Depression? Anne said that in 1936 things were not much better. She was married in 1934 and her husband them both combined making only thirty five thousand dollars. It wasn't until a year later she and her husband were able to purhcase there own house with car. She also explained that purchasing groceries was even harder. Anne and her Husband were able to visit Hollins Market but purchasing vegetables and groceries was aloud seven dollars and fifty cents or eight dollars. The hard part for her she was only making twelve dollars a week paid board eight dollars and balance.
I asked Ms. veditz this question. In your opinion, what advice would you give if any body had to go through a similar situation? I wished, I could have completed my education before going to the work force. What she trying to say get your education first before getting your self deep into the wrong job.
I thought this question really brought forth a real good interview. Looking back if you could change any thing, what would it be? Equal rights for all and enforcing the law & order for all citizens. Anne recalls shops on Gay Street had the front glass windows and doors broken. The inside of stores looted. Some merchants could not recover and had to close there business.
I couldn't asked for a better interview than that especially at her age able to rememmber the information, she did. Some times the best kinds of information on history comes from the elderly. Particularly people who have so much to offer us future generations not in forgetting about the past but learn from it.
At age twenty Anne Veditz experienced the 1929 Depression in north west Baltimore. She lived on Pimlico Road at intersection of Quantico Ave. It was a time in which, she experienced various situations most people couldn't handle. The year before this chaotic time in Baltimore history her mother passed away. During the Depression Anne's thirteen brothers and sister in law moved in with her, father, and sister. She had to go at nights towards getting her high school education. Ms. Veditz had to endure alot especially in a hard time of purchasing food and items. As the interview went on, she explained that being able to go home wasn't safe because security was sketchy at best. Paricularly in which this chaotic time every body was just about desperate and in need.
One of the questions, I asked her, was transportation difficult? Yes, it was difficult for her to get on buses and street cars not quite as available. She had to go through Baltimore's law being strict because of the Depression. The police according to Anne were on the streets in neighborhoods making it hard to be out. The reason because of crime going up at the time and alot of uneasiness on who to trust. There were curfews in placed but, she couldn't remember exactly the time. The job situation very hard for people to keep there jobs. Some Baltimoreans had to take jobs working in laundry mats. Ms. Veditz her self worked in Regal laundry office at Gilmore and Mosher Street off Fulton Ave.
I also asked her, how difficult was it for kids to attend school? She responded with kids being afraid in finding away to school and back home. Anne her self had to take three buses just getting back and forth getting there. That was at night getting to school. Another questioned, I aked was there a money shortage? Yes, with money going towards paying for bills and the city just trying to survive.
The One question, I thought was important, how long did it actually take for Baltimore to fully recover from the Depression? Anne said that in 1936 things were not much better. She was married in 1934 and her husband them both combined making only thirty five thousand dollars. It wasn't until a year later she and her husband were able to purhcase there own house with car. She also explained that purchasing groceries was even harder. Anne and her Husband were able to visit Hollins Market but purchasing vegetables and groceries was aloud seven dollars and fifty cents or eight dollars. The hard part for her she was only making twelve dollars a week paid board eight dollars and balance.
I asked Ms. veditz this question. In your opinion, what advice would you give if any body had to go through a similar situation? I wished, I could have completed my education before going to the work force. What she trying to say get your education first before getting your self deep into the wrong job.
I thought this question really brought forth a real good interview. Looking back if you could change any thing, what would it be? Equal rights for all and enforcing the law & order for all citizens. Anne recalls shops on Gay Street had the front glass windows and doors broken. The inside of stores looted. Some merchants could not recover and had to close there business.
I couldn't asked for a better interview than that especially at her age able to rememmber the information, she did. Some times the best kinds of information on history comes from the elderly. Particularly people who have so much to offer us future generations not in forgetting about the past but learn from it.
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