Ethan Fisher

Mable Blackwells Diary Journal Entry 1: " 1929, December 25th, Merry Christmas! dear diary, Daddy bought me this new diary for me this year. It has a neat lock on it so my brother wont be able to read my secrets. Daddy says bank business is doing Great! We are up another 10% this year! hed say. The big Christmas party with all of daddys friends was really cool. Journal Entry 2: " 1930, January 1st, Happy new year! Daddy has been depressed all this week. I

dont know why. He has been at his work ALL THE TIME NOW! GEEZ! No time to spend with the family? But its ok, he supports us well. A huge loft on a busy street in Manhattan. Lots of toys and we get to go see the orchestra once a week. Hopefully daddy will be home for my birthday next week. Journal Entry 3: " 1930, January 8th, Its my birthday. A lot has happened in the past 2 weeks.

Daddys bank has failed making our family change our life style. No more nonnecessities. Mommy says I have to be a big girl and be mature about the next obstacles that are coming onto our family. I will stay strong, I hope daddy will too. Journal Entry 4: " 1930, February 1st. Things have gotten worse, possessions are leaving the

house. Both of my parents are making sacrices. Daddy has started to sell his fancy car collection, and he has stopped going to work at all. My wish about him spending time with the family more came true, but I think something bad happened at his work. Mom isnt doing to well either, she has sold her nice jewelry.

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Journal Entry 5: " In school we are learning about the great depression. I am starting to get what

daddy is going through. We learned what a stock market crash is. That means that all of my fathers stocks have gone down the drain! His bank has gone to the gutter, I do not like learning about this subject, I am making connections that we are the stereotypical rich-then-poor great depression family. I am starting to get hungry, my rations at dinner have dwindled over the past 2 weeks. Journal Entry 6: " A horrible death has occurred on our family. On Feb. 15th, 1931, Jonathan

Blackwell committed suicide. The whole family is in depression. Mom wont stop crying, my brother John jr. is sick. This depression is not only hurting this family nancially, but now personally. This diary is the only personal object I have left. I will now right into my diary more frequently now. Journal Entry 7: " I have found this diary in the attic, I guess I lost it when we lost the house and I

moved to my distant cousins house. It looks like it has been a couple years since my last entry, and there is only three pages left. My goal is to do a 1 page every year until I am 18. I am now 15, and the depression is still going. I have not seen my mom in 3 years. I hope she is ok, in 1 year (on my 16th birthday) I will check in on this old diary and write down what has happened. " " Journal Entry 8: Happy birthday to me! :) !!! At a family reunion, I saw John jr! He looked so much

like my dad I almost cried. All he needs is a beard and they would be identical. I have

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started to look my mother, I have gone through countless phone directories in the area, but no luck. I am sad to say I am slowly giving up on the search of my mother. " " Journal Entry 9: " Another birthday. What a year a huge accomplishments and surprises. I

thought I did not have to think about seeing my mother anymore. So I have started to get into my writing skills more seriously. I am now a writer in the school tabloid. The biggest thing this year was when I was told to do a spot in the paper on these dumps called Hoovervilles. Poor slums that are huts lled with hungry people with no possessions. I chose to do pick the Hooverville down the street. I see that this slum is very crowded. The interviewee that I choose was a dirty, half-elderly woman. This is what she said. " " Journal Entry 10 this country is a complete and utter disaster. We need a new president

economy...citizens...buyers...sellers..we just need to restart america. 6 years ago... (she started to sob because she was recollecting her past) things were better then. I had a husband, a house, and two beautiful children! The depression killed my husband. I had to send the kids away. I could never see them again. I was crying now too. I had met my mother. This has been decided by fate. Hi mom I cried.