Evan Call Family

Historical Context

This letter, dated October 29, 1931, was written by Rosa "Vivian" Call, from Logan, Utah, while she was apparently away at school. It is a powerful artifact of the Great Depression in Utah, a state that was hit harder by the economic collapse than almost any other in the nation.

The context of the letter can be understood through three primary lenses:

1. The Economic Crisis in Utah

By late 1931, the "gloom" the writer mentions was a daily reality.

The Depth of the Slump: While the 1929 crash is famous, the economic bottom in Utah didn't hit until 1932–1933. At that point, unemployment in the state reached 35.8%, the fourth highest in the U.S.
Student Hardship: The writer is likely a student at Utah State Agricultural College (USAC). Her mention of "receiving absolutely no outside help" and living on "money from what books I have sold" reflects the desperate measures students took to stay in school. Some students in Logan famously lived in sheep camp wagons on campus because they couldn't afford housing.
Job Scarcity: Her struggle to find a winter job highlights the saturated labor market where even educated individuals were competing for manual labor or commission-based sales of "everything imaginable."

2. The LDS Missionary Experience

Evan was serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during a unique historical window.

Financial Sacrifice: During the Depression, families—not the Church—funded their missionaries. For the writer’s family to keep Evan in the field while they were "down in the dumps" and Maxine was ill shows a profound level of sacrifice.
Pre-Welfare Era: This letter was written five years before the formal LDS Welfare Plan was established (1936). At this time, members relied on local Bishop’s storehouses or government relief.

3. Social and Emotional Impact

The letter captures the "emotional depression" that accompanied the financial one.

Family Strain: The mention of Maxine’s illness and the mother’s infrequent writing suggests a family under significant stress. In 1931, medical treatment was an expensive luxury, and the writer's offer to take care of Maxine so she could see a doctor was a significant gesture of sisterly support.
"Ain't That Sumpin'?": The postscript about the football win over Wyoming isn't just small talk; sports were a vital, low-cost morale booster. The Aggies' victory provided a rare moment of local pride in a year defined by scarcity.

Logan Utah
Oct-29-31

Dearest Brother,

What a charming letter! I feel ashamed to feed you my gloom when I really haven’t anything to worry about. I am at least within calling distance of home—but you, I guess we hardly realize how far you are away from us.

But Evan, as long as anyone is very busy they don’t have time to brood—and brooding is what can get anyone down on the world, and themselves too—especially if conditions are not just as one would have them.

How is my missionary anyway? I suppose that I will always be writing to some missionary—ha, (one of our fondest dreams

is to have you home again— Evan I don’t wish to disillusion you, but home never seems the same to me any more. I feel like I imagine a married son or daughter would feel returning. Rather independent.

Mother wrote me that Maxine still didn’t feel much better—I was already down in the dumps of course I can’t help but be worried, so I fired a letter right back—even offering to take care of her down here for a while so that she could get some doctor treatment—that has been at least two weeks and I haven’t heard a word from them. They—I should say Momma—has written me twice since I come down.

I don’t know whether you fave [fav] my letter than

that or not. Of course you know that I’m receiving absolutely no outside help this school year. So they just don’t bother to write at all. But here I go again—always talking about myself.

I haven’t a job this winter as yet. Of course I get board and room. I’ve just been attempting to live on what little I earned and saved this summer and money from what books I have sold. Well anyway the depression is sort of getting me "down".

Well dear enough of that I could probably go rambling off the rest of the evening about myself. Say I wouldn’t make a very entertaining companion would I? Always thinking I’m getting the worst of things.

I think you are certainly developing Evan, in more ways than one. It can’t help but be a grueling experience in a way but, one of infinite value. I wish that we could all have something of corresponding value. Of course too much school—as a mission wouldn’t mean a great deal. In fact it is just serving time. It’s all within one’s self. The power to make a deep friendships, the power of being happy—

By the way you haven’t found your "ideal" among any of your missionary friends or investigators?

Well dear, write—I can appreciate your need for letters too.

Always the same

Your "Sis."

The Utah Aggies beat the University of Wyo. last Saturday. Now ain't that sumpin'?

The "Utah Aggies" game mentioned in the letter was the matchup between Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University) and the University of Wyoming.

As she notes on Thursday, October 29, 1931, the game took place the previous Saturday:

Game Details: October 24, 1931

Result: Utah Aggies 12, Wyoming Cowboys 0
Location: Laramie, Wyoming (Corbett Field)
Significance: This game was Wyoming’s Homecoming, and the Aggies’ shutout victory effectively spoiled the celebration for the home crowd.

Historical Context

The Rivalry: This is one of the oldest rivalries in the West, now known as the Bridger’s Battle. At the time of this letter, the Aggies were in the middle of a dominant decade-long winning streak against Wyoming (1927–1937).
The Teams: The 1931 Utah State team was coached by the legendary Dick Romney (for whom the USU stadium was later named). They finished the season with a strong 6–2 record.

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