1. Limited Resources: Due to financial constraints, schools faced budget cuts, leading to a shortage of resources. Class sizes were often large, and students might not have access to textbooks or adequate supplies. Libraries were rare in many communities.
2. Walking and Transportation: Many children had to walk long distances to get to school, regardless of the weather conditions. Some might have used bicycles if available, but transportation options were limited for students. In rural areas, students may have had to rely on horse-drawn carriages or ride animals to get to school.
3. Limited Curriculum: The school curriculum was more limited compared to today. Subjects like art, music, and physical education were often considered non-essential and were neglected due to resource constraints. The main focus was on basic subjects such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
4. One-Room Schoolhouses: In rural areas, many children attended one-room schoolhouses, where a single teacher taught all grade levels in the same classroom. These schoolhouses might have had limited facilities and lacked proper heating or ventilation systems.
5. School Closures: Due to budget cuts, some schools were forced to close down during the Great Depression, especially in rural areas. This disrupted students' education and made it harder for them to continue their studies.
6. Child Labor: In an effort to contribute to their family's income during hard times, some children were forced to drop out of school at an early age to work in various jobs, including farms, factories, and domestic work.
Despite the challenges, some students managed to continue their education thanks to the support of their families and communities. However, the harsh conditions during the Great Depression posed significant barriers to education for children in the 1930s.