Saturday, October 24, 1936

ALICE AND HELEN BOTH EARN $9

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Very cool.

Did usual Sat[urday]s work.

Did cleaning up stairs this

P.M. — Alice and Stanley here

for supper.

Helen + Alice each rec'd

their checks for $9.00 for week's

work.

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It isn't until 1938 that Congress passes the Fair Labor Standards Act which established a federal minimum wage of 25 cents per hour. In 1936, the United States is still in the midst of the Great Depression. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis reports that the average income in 1936 was $474/year (or about $9/week).

Earning $9 each for a week's worth of apple sorting must have felt pretty good to Alice and Helen. Helen was still living at home in October of 1936 and Alice was married with two children.

To give you an idea of what $9.00 might have afforded Alice and Helen, below are images of advertisements with prices that were published in the October 22, 1936 edition of the Lowell Ledger (the week they received their checks).