Economic Perspective
This is a photo of Dick Clark pouring the milk through a strainer into a milk can. (Campbell)
There are plenty of things that have changed during the early 1900’s and today’s economy. Today there is a minimum wage that is set for employers to pay their employees (Clark S., 2012). During the early 1900’s, minimum wage didn’t even exist, and people, farmers, made their living selling the meat they raised or milk that was produced (Clark A.,2012). In the 1950’s there were 50 working farms (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011). As of 2011, there are only 15 working farms in the area of Berkshire (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011). Back then, farmers lived off their land and had everything that they needed. Today, farmers are selling their land and working away from the home because they are having difficulty paying the land tax (Clark A., 2012).
In the early 1930’s, the world was going through an economic decline, known as the Great Depression (Clark S., 2012). Even being a small town, Berkshire had felt the pressure a little bit but luckily people were living off the land and didn’t rely too much on money (Clark A., 2012). The town had plenty of businesses that were thriving, along with farmlands that were producing and selling, and no one ever lost their home (Clark A., 2012). My grandmother and grandfather, who were both alive during this time, told me that many people, who have lost their homes/jobs, walked the railroad tracks that went through Berkshire knocking on doors looking for food (Clark A., 2012). Although my grandmother and grandfather’s parents helped those who came to their doorstep; they would never let them in (Clark A., 2012). My grandmother said they did it as a safety precaution (Clark A., 2012).
In comparison to today, we are also going through a sort of depression (Clark S., 2012). Our jobs are diminishing, while the cost of living is increasing, and people are losing their houses/jobs (Clark S., 2012). Today, people aren’t able to find work because the jobs are so scarce and are being sent overseas (Clark S.,2012). Hopefully we will recover from this and become a thriving country once again.
Over the years, there has also been a variety of businesses, besides farming, that prospered or still prospers in the small town of Berkshire. In the late 1800’s, Berkshire had a barber shop, which later became the house for the first fire department (Hunt & Stoughton, 2009). In the early 1900’s, there was the Berkshire Inn, E.L. Freeland General Store, the Free Delivery Carriers, and the Berkshire Creamery (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011). In the late 1900’s , there was the Red & White Store, Lynch’s General Store, Berkshire Post Office, the Seely Feed Store, and a garage repair shop (Hunt & Stoughton, 2009). As you can tell, businesses in Berkshire have been declining but there are some that still open for business. The reason for that is because people who live in Berkshire are working in different counties that have jobs available (Clark S., 2012).
There are also some economic differences between the past and the present Town of Berkshire. For starters, the cost of living has increased due to the taxes. During the 1940s, the cost of going to a movie was $.25 and ice cream cones were only $.05 (Clark A., 2012). My father also remembers the price of bread and coke being 5 cents (Clark D., 2012). The Patch Brother’s Company also sold tools and lumber for a reasonable price back then. An adjustable wrench was $1.98 and a pair of pliers was $.75 (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011, p. 206). Today, those prices are much higher.
To go see a movie today, it would the cost an average of $6.00, which means the cost of an ice cream cone has also gone up (Clark S., 2012). These aren’t the only prices that have been raised, milk/food and the gas price have also gone up since 2004 (Clark S., 2012). Over time, our country’s prices will continue to rise and fall, depending on the demand. People today are more dependent on vehicles and unfortunately it will never be like it was during the early to late 1900’s (Clark S., 2012).
In the early 1930’s, the world was going through an economic decline, known as the Great Depression (Clark S., 2012). Even being a small town, Berkshire had felt the pressure a little bit but luckily people were living off the land and didn’t rely too much on money (Clark A., 2012). The town had plenty of businesses that were thriving, along with farmlands that were producing and selling, and no one ever lost their home (Clark A., 2012). My grandmother and grandfather, who were both alive during this time, told me that many people, who have lost their homes/jobs, walked the railroad tracks that went through Berkshire knocking on doors looking for food (Clark A., 2012). Although my grandmother and grandfather’s parents helped those who came to their doorstep; they would never let them in (Clark A., 2012). My grandmother said they did it as a safety precaution (Clark A., 2012).
In comparison to today, we are also going through a sort of depression (Clark S., 2012). Our jobs are diminishing, while the cost of living is increasing, and people are losing their houses/jobs (Clark S., 2012). Today, people aren’t able to find work because the jobs are so scarce and are being sent overseas (Clark S.,2012). Hopefully we will recover from this and become a thriving country once again.
Over the years, there has also been a variety of businesses, besides farming, that prospered or still prospers in the small town of Berkshire. In the late 1800’s, Berkshire had a barber shop, which later became the house for the first fire department (Hunt & Stoughton, 2009). In the early 1900’s, there was the Berkshire Inn, E.L. Freeland General Store, the Free Delivery Carriers, and the Berkshire Creamery (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011). In the late 1900’s , there was the Red & White Store, Lynch’s General Store, Berkshire Post Office, the Seely Feed Store, and a garage repair shop (Hunt & Stoughton, 2009). As you can tell, businesses in Berkshire have been declining but there are some that still open for business. The reason for that is because people who live in Berkshire are working in different counties that have jobs available (Clark S., 2012).
There are also some economic differences between the past and the present Town of Berkshire. For starters, the cost of living has increased due to the taxes. During the 1940s, the cost of going to a movie was $.25 and ice cream cones were only $.05 (Clark A., 2012). My father also remembers the price of bread and coke being 5 cents (Clark D., 2012). The Patch Brother’s Company also sold tools and lumber for a reasonable price back then. An adjustable wrench was $1.98 and a pair of pliers was $.75 (Hunt & Stoughton, 2011, p. 206). Today, those prices are much higher.
To go see a movie today, it would the cost an average of $6.00, which means the cost of an ice cream cone has also gone up (Clark S., 2012). These aren’t the only prices that have been raised, milk/food and the gas price have also gone up since 2004 (Clark S., 2012). Over time, our country’s prices will continue to rise and fall, depending on the demand. People today are more dependent on vehicles and unfortunately it will never be like it was during the early to late 1900’s (Clark S., 2012).
(Hunt, 2009)
(Hunt, 2009)
