Ed Paulson Entry 2 Story 2

Ed Paulson had an interesting and unique experience during the depression. It was interesting to hear about the time period from someone who experienced it rather than reading general information about the time period in a textbook.

One of the statements that Ed Paulson made that caught my attention was, “In small towns out West, we didn’t know there was a crash” This really created an image of the difference in lifestyle and culture between the urban and rural areas of the 1930’s. This was also an interesting point because it showed how there were many other factors that went into the cause of the depression other than the stock market crash in 1929.

A significant quote in the interview was Paulson saying, “If you were looking for a job at a Standard Oil Service Station, you had to have a college degree” This quote emphasized how difficult it really was to find work during the depression.

I found it interesting that Ed Paulson found a way to educate himself without proper schooling. Ed Paulson explained how he continued to progress academically without going to school when he said, “I was going to the library…I got my education there, really”. This was interesting because Paulson remained motivated to become educated and found time to go to the library and read even when he had to focus on the necessities of life such as finding a way to eat.

            A piece of the interview that discussed a significant part of the time period that was not discussed in any our class textbook reading was how, “Everybody was a criminal. You stole, cheated through”. This quote was important as it showed how people did what they needed to survive. This statement also highlights the extent by which people needed basic necessities such as food and clothing.