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STORY INDEX Population of Indiana's
northeast counties Tracking railroads: Longtime area auto dealers have 'seen it all' Amish continue long-held
traditions Cars accelerate lives of Noble County residents The price of cars: How much did it cost to drive one off the lot? Electric Interurban connected area to Fort Wayne, beyond LaGrange residents rally to save historic brick streets U.S. 6, Ind. 3: Kendallville's routes to growth Agriculture ever-changing, advancing in Noble County Comparisons: How far did the dollar stretch? Growing onions, peppermint made 'scents' in early 1900s The Gaby farm: A changing culture impacts 4-H County fair continues to be a big social event Thriving through the times: Downtown Kendallville adapts to a century of changes Dekko's philanthropy remains a 'valuable resource' Rinkel family still at the wheel of Greenfield Hills Commerce nothing new to Shipshewana: Town thrives as one of fastest-growing tourist areas in state Making do during the Great Depression: Retired hatchery owner recalls tough times, bright moments Mill a 'Star' business in Ligonier: Firm has been grinding wheat into flour for 113 years Elmer E. McCray had a major impact on Kendallville Richard R. Cole has long legacy Female executive has seen many changes in workforce Working women: From assisting war effort to competing in global markets Wolcottville a center of commerce, industry in 1800s Mongoquinong area was early LaGrange County commercial center 'The cheapest hired hand we ever had.' Electricity made life brighter, easier down on the farm Monument company's history set in stone Historic Corn School dates back to 1906
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Making do during the Great Depression Retired hatchery owner recalls tough times, bright moments By JOE POTTER
KENDALLVILLE - Times were tough in Kendallville and the surrounding area during the Great Depression years of 1929-1939, according to retired Kendallville businessman Vern Steckley. He should know. Steckley worked his way through college during the early years of the Great Depression and then went to work for his father's feed mill and hatchery during the later years. Steckley earned a bachelor of arts degree in chemistry from Indiana University, Bloomington, in 1934. He majored in chemistry because it was considered to be "a growing field" at that time, Steckley said. Steckley paid his way through college by washing dishes, mowing yards and, for his last semester, working in the college library, sorting periodicals. He earned his board by stoking a boiler in the basement of a sorority house on the campus. He had planned to go to work outside of Indiana, Steckley said, because the economy was considered poor here since it relied so heavily on farming and other agricultural interests. The crash of the New York Stock Exchange in 1929, when fortunes were lost in a single day, is generally regarded as when the Great Depression began, according to Steckley. However, there was a depression in the area's agricultural areas before the stock market crashed, Steckley said. But he had some time to kill between the end of classes and his graduation ceremony, so he returned to Kendallville to stay with his parents "because it was cheaper to stay here than in Bloomington," he said. While in Kendallville that week, his father, George Steckley, founder of the Steckley Feed Mill & Hatchery, told him he was short of help and asked him to drive 300 baby chicks down to Fort Wayne each day, Steckley said. He learned how to identify the sex of chickens. That was a skill that Americans had only recently learned from the Japanese. After receiving his chemistry degree, Steckley decided to forego a career in chemistry, which could have earned him the then-commanding salary of $100 per month. He decided, instead, to go into the feed mill and hatchery business with his father. He was involved in the business from 1934 until 1980, when he retired. "I never regretted not going into chemistry," Steckley said. Times were so tough during the mid- to late-1930s, Steckley said, that his father had to reduce the work hours of his six employees. The business was open Monday-Saturday. Each of the men would work four days each, rather than the normal six, so none of them had to be laid off, Steckley said. Steckley remembers when the Citizens National Bank of Kendallville, of which his father was a director, closed during the '30s. "There was a big line of people standing outside the bank, reading the sign that was put up. It closed just a few days before (President Franklin D.) Roosevelt declared the bank holiday. When the auditors came in and checked the books, they said there was no reason that bank should have been closed," Steckley said. Several other Kendallville, Albion and LaGrange area banks also closed - some permanently - during the '30s, according to articles published in The News-Sun at that time. Some of the banks that closed included the Farmers State Bank in Albion, the cashier of which committed suicide; the Noble County Bank & Trust Co. of Kendallville, a former officer of which committed suicide and several other officers of which were indicted in connection with its failure; the South Milford Bank; and the Farmers State Bank in Wawaka. Some other Kendallville area people, who were not connected with banks, also reportedly killed themselves because of financial concerns, according to articles published in The News-Sun. "It was pretty nip and tuck," Steckley said. He recalled that groceries "were extremely expensive" then. One of the more amusing things Steckley said he remembers about the Great Depression years was how his father saved money on his electric bill after the city, which then owned the electrical utility, refused to give him the same discount it was giving other area businesses. George Steckley bought an electrical generator and installed it at his business. It was used to produce electricity during the day when the business needed the most power. George Steckley continued to purchase electricity from the city, but only the far lesser amounts he needed for the nighttime operations of his business. His father rejected an offer city officials made to discount his electric rates after they saw how much money they were losing because of the generator having been installed, Vern Steckley said. All was not bleak in Kendall-ville and the surrounding area during those days, according to Steckley. He bought his first house during the Great Depression for $2,200. That was about the average price for a house then, Steckley said. Steckley's father built a new building for the feed mill and hatchery business during the 1930s. Other area businesses, including the Strand Theatre and the Breyer Ice Cream plant, also made improvements or expansions, according to articles published in The News-Sun. Also, there was an expansion at the Watters & Portman factory that was in the 500 block of North State Street, which had manufactured wheels for baby carriages, during which several new employees were added. The business began manufacturing baby carriages. Berhalter-Hutchins Funeral Home opened a new funeral home and a new furniture store in the 200 block of South Main Street. The Morris 5 and 10 Cents to $1 Stores Inc. opened a new store in Kendallville. And Flint & Walling Inc., one of Kendallville's oldest and most well-known industries, added a modern new galvanizing room to its plant at 95 N. Oak Street. |
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