Historical Context

This letter was written on March 5, 1933, by Evan's uncle and friend, Marius Anson Call. Fun fact: Marius, Evan's Uncle, is two years younger than Evan. I'm sure this is why Marius signs off as "your uncle" in his letters.

This was during a pivotal week in American history. To understand Marius's comments, it helps to look at the specific climate of March 1933:

The Banking Crisis: Marius mentions the "banking situation" and the local bank not letting money out. This is a direct reference to the National Bank Holiday. On March 6, 1933 (the day after this letter was written), President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared a nationwide bank holiday to prevent a total collapse of the banking system. Marius’s letter captures the local anxiety just hours before this historic event.

The Great Depression: Marius's struggle to find a "vocation" and his attempt at "paper hanging" (wallpapering) reflects the high unemployment of the era. His observation that "there is a lot that should be done if people only had the money" perfectly encapsulates the economic stagnation of the 1930s.