Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Fall/105i/Section 52/George Harmon Kirby

Overview
George Harmon Kirby was a hard-working man living in Jacksonville, Florida. An interview was conducted through the Federal Writers Project between 1936-1940.

Early Adulthood
Kirby was born in a small town in North Carolina called Togo. He had a long-time family friend who eventually became his wife. When Mr. and Mrs. Kirby got married, a wave of excitement spread throughout their community. They soon gave birth to their first child, William. Kirby and his wife engaged in a community of committed workers. This group would work all day and night on cotton gins and in the fields. The word "tired" was rarely used during Kirby's early adulthood. Kirby's hard-worker mentality originated in this small town (Togo).

Career
In 1918, Kirby moved his family to Jacksonville, Florida to work at a Traction Company. He stayed committed to this company as a bus driver for over 20 years. The Traction Company initially paid Kirby 48 cents an hour. This salary has increased to 53 cents, but decreased to 41 cents per hour due to company financial issues. Although Kirby has experienced a fluctuated salary, he takes full pride in the company that he works for. He believed that his job was a great place to work with several benefits. Kirby had the privilege to provide for his whole family without income contributions from his wife. Along with Kirby's dedicated work was his smart money habits. Kirby always assured that he had good credit. Several appliances in his home were paid from credit installments.

Fatherhood
Kirby and his wife had three children -- two daughters and one son. Kirby was beyond proud of his children. His oldest, William, had graduated from every school that he attended. William also learned from his father's financial success as he had purchased several luxury items. Kirby's daughters, Genola and Rachel, are also stellar students who have invested in self-made hustles. Kirby was a loving father, especially to Rachel as she faced multiple health issues. Kirby not only planned for his children in the present, but he also considered how he could best provide for him in the future. He worked to keep their home tidy and valuable for his children to one day inherit.

Accessible Healthcare in the 1930s
In the 1930s, effective medicine was not accessible to all. Top medical procedures were considered an intangible luxury to most. Many hospital beds were not occupied as people were forced to deteriorate in their own homes. Several people experienced health conditions due to the lack of professional medical care. These illnesses would have to be ignored due to the lack of proper help. According to research, the study of disease begins in the 1900s. Not many modern medicine techniques were existent during this time. In addition to the vintage medical methods is The Great Depression. With unemployment skyrocketing, all priorities are shifted away from healthcare advancements. Seeing a doctor was simply too expensive for many families during this era.

Declining Enrollment of Women at Universities
An article named "Citizenship for the College Girl" examines the factors of why female enrollment decline during the 1930s-1940s. "Many women did not go onto college, and instead remained housewives", says the "Education of Women" article. The opportunity for education was not the same for men and women during this time. During the 1930s, almost 60% more men had earned college degrees compared to women. During a time when the country was focused on The Great Depression, little incentives encouraged women to get their education.

It wasn't until the 1940s when there was a rise of women in college. Harvard University became the first institution to hold co-ed courses. This was the start of women integrating into the professionalization movement, along with men.

Impacts of the Great Depression on the Bus Industry
Many busing businesses experienced economic hiccups. According to Economic History Services, "Many small carriers went out of business when passengers and ticket sales declined as unemployment grew and most Americans could not afford to travel." This led larger busing companies (like Kirby's) to experience an altering cash flow and shortage. To help aid this issue, the federal government issued the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to regulate these economic struggles of transportation companies.