276 – Depression Behind Us

Mark Jarvis

In 1940, unemployment was 14%, but people increasingly felt the Great Depression was in the rear view mirror. The war in Europe and Asia threatened to draw in the Americans, and the war department was spending huge amounts to increase military preparedness.

Many say 1940 was the year that ended the Depression.

Gallaghers

In the 1940 census, Tom and Mary Agnes Gallagher and their children lived with Henry Gallagher at 333 West Second Street in Junction City. Grandma Ellen Gallagher lived there too. Tom was age 45 and Mary Agnes 35. Henry was age 49, Ellen was 74. Kathleen was age 16, Buddy 13, and Jane 8.

Let’s face it. The house was crowded.

333 West Second Street, Junction City
Census – Henry Gallagher, Ellen Gallagher, Tom and Mary Agnes Gallagher – 1940
Tom, Jane, and Grandma Ellen Gallagher – 333 West Second Street, Junction City – 1940

School

The Junction City Union – February 28, 1940

The Spring semester at school was busy. Kathleen and Buddy made the honor roll.

Buddy won first prize in a story contest.

The Junction City Union – April 23, 1940

Kathleen wrote the Junior Class poem

The St. Xavierian yearbook for 1939/1940 hosted a poem for each class. Kathleen Gallagher wrote the Junior Class poem.

Junior Class Poem – Kathleen Gallagher – St. Xavierian – 1939/1940

Spencers

In the 1940 census, Dan and Marjorie Spencer lived at 209 Adams Street in Junction City. Their two sons were Dan Jr., age 9, and Charles Kendall, age 3. Dan was age 35 and Marjorie 34.

Elsie Turnbull, a maid, age 16, lived with the Spencers.

Census – Dan and Marjorie Spencer – 1940

Hood-Spencer Clothing Company

The Junction City Union – May 7, 1940

When W.A. Bingham had died in 1934, Dan Spencer and Will Hood had bought his clothing store, renaming it Hood-Spencer. It was in the darkest days of the Depression. Five years later in 1940, Hood-Spencer was still in business.

The Junction City Union – December 11, 1940

Summer 1940

In June, Mary Agnes and Jane set out for Sedalia and an extended visit with Mary Agnes’ mother, Josephine Riley.

The Junction City Union – June 13, 1940

Meanwhile, Kathleen Gallagher headed south to Denison, Texas for the summer. She stayed with her aunt and uncle Nell and Jim Gallagher, and her cousins Jimmy and Helen. Helen, 14, and Kathleen, 16, were cousins, but also good friends.

Census – Jim and Nell Gallagher – Denison, Texas – 1940

Lake Texoma was just north of Denison, Texas. The lake provided picnics, swimming, and boating for Kathleen and Helen. They made the most of it.

Summer almost over

With summer coming to an end, Kathleen Gallagher left Denison for home. Helen Gallagher traveled with her, and they stopped in Sedalia, Missouri for a party with cousin Mary McGrath before going to Junction City.

Helen’s father Jim Gallagher was a big shot for the MKT Katy Railroad, so train tickets weren’t a problem for the traveling cousins.

Newspaper articles from Gallagher Family Documents

A new school

Buddy Gallagher – Junction City High School Yearbook – Fall 1940

In the fall of 1940, Buddy Gallagher enrolled in Junction City High School instead of St. Xavier’s.

I don’t know why Buddy transferred schools. If you know, please comment.

The Junction City Union – August 30, 1940

Back at St. X

The Junction City Union – November 22, 1940

In the fall semester, Kathleen and Jane were enrolled at St. Xavier’s. Jane was on the library committee.

The Junction City Union – November 21, 1940

Mary Agnes was on the PTA, as she had been every year. Naturally, she was on the hospitality committee.

1940 hit some high notes

Irving Berlin wrote the song “White Christmas” in 1940. Glenn Miller’s big band had the hit Pennsylvania 6-5000.

WGN Television broadcast the first baseball game – Cubs vs. White Sox.

M&M’s hit the store shelves.

The first McDonalds opened in Pasadena, California.

Top Ten Baby Names of 1940:

  • Mary, Barbara, Patricia, Judith, Betty, Carol, Nancy, Linda, Shirley, Sandra
  • James, Robert, John, William, Richard, Charles, David, Thomas, Donald, Ronald

We shall not flag or fail. We shall fight on the beaches… on the landing grounds… in the fields and the streets… We shall never surrender.

Winston Churchill

And for the Gallaghers

Christmas 1940 found the Gallagher family in good shape. Tom and Henry were both working at good jobs at Fort Riley.

Mary Agnes was on the PTA and managed the household, although there was some competition with Grandma Gallagher.

Kathleen, Buddy, and Jane were all doing well in school. Kathleen would soon start her final semester as a senior.

Things were settled down. There wasn’t as much family disruption as there had been in previous years. Maybe the family could look forward to more of the same in 1941.

Timeline

Sources

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