Curtiss Family Information

David went to school in Basset through 12th grade. Graduated in 1934 at the depth of the depression. There was no work, so they decided David would go to school at UNL. David rode the train from Basset to Fremont, then caught a bus from Fremont to Lincoln. Went down to the University at Lincoln on the train by himself - scared to death - he had hardly been ten miles away on his own before. Herbie had made a reservation for him at the YMCA where he used to work when he went to school. David and a roommate lived there for the first year on the 3rd or 4th floor. At the end of the school year, David went back to Basset. Next year Gene went down with Dave and they rented a room in a house. Third year they had a little apartment with a kitchen. Then they rented a pretty nice brick apt downtown for $40 a month split 4 ways. David and Gene got a small amount of government assistance - about $10 a month - they had to work it off at 30 cents an hour. They also got $20 a month from Herbie.

Great depression lasted almost from 1930 to 1940. If you found any work, they would only pay $1 a day. The best jobs paid 30 cents an hour for a 10-hour day. One year the boys rented some lumber from the lumberyard and set up a booth at the fair - worked hard selling hamburgers, etc. They made $100 each, which was a tremendous amount of money.
 
 

Curtiss Family Info