Between the years of 1929 and 1939, tragedy struck America. Our great country was hit by The Great Depression, one of the most infamous time periods in history. This tragedy had endless consequences that left Americans and their families in shambles. The unemployment rate soared from 3% to 25%, an estimated 13 million lost their jobs. Those who didn’t lose their jobs, received lower incomes and benefits. People were forced out of their homes and into the streets. Due to these circumstances, it was nearly impossible to keep children in school. Millions of kids were robbed of their education and childhood. Several families needed their children to work as well just so they could have a place to live or food to eat. In the Novel Lila by Marilynne Robinson, Lila is an orphaned young girl. She is growing up during the great depression and never receives a traditional education. Lila was often working alongside her caretaker, Doll. The lack of education during the great depression was one of the most heartbreaking consequences, and, through reading Lila, you can really catch a glimpse of what it was like having to grow up without proper schooling. 

During the Great Depression, funding education was no longer a priority. Countless schools were closed, and in ones that were not closed, many programs were eliminated and salaries were cut. According to an article on Gale, “The Depression and Education” by Judith S. Baughman, “schools cut recently introduced programs such as art, music, manual arts, home economics, physical education, and health”. Just before the depression struck, between the 1920’s and schooling was doing better than ever. Faculty salaries were raised, Junior high and high schools were introduced, and the enrollment of children in school was at an all-time high. Schools were doing so well that the heavy impact of the great depression didn’t significantly hit until 1932.  Several school districts were in debt due to expansions such as these made during the boom years just before the depression. Jobs were lost, people were forced out of their homes and “Twenty years of educational advances disappeared, seemingly overnight”. Doll and Lila survived mostly by the kindness of other people. They never had their own home, and Doll did not have a permanent job. When they moved to Tammany, Iowa, “Doll took a job there so Lila could go to school for a year, long enough to learn how to read and do some figures.” (Lila 41). Because of the way she grew up and the minimal education she received, Lila knew she was different from those around her, and often belittled herself because of her lack of knowledge. She believed others found her ignorant and “…would just be embarrassed at how poor she was, how rough she lived.” (Lila 45). Americans who lost their chance at education during the great depression had a much harder time finding jobs and being an active member of society According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, less than 51% of people who have minimal to no education are able to get jobs. Versus 89% of those who have college degrees. 

As Lila grew up and could no longer depend on Doll, she became insecure and worried. She compared herself to others and felt worthless at times. When she moves to the town of Gilead, she meets a priest named John Ames. Lila takes interest in Ames and visits him at his house. After their meeting, she quickly observes a change in the way people treat her. Lila reflects on it and realizes “Ever since that morning I went to his house and he could see well enough I was on hard times, he’s hardly said a word to me” (Lila 32).  People started stopping Lila on the street and offering her work or a place to live. She understood Ames must have spoken out on her behalf and asked people to help her since he could she was struggling. Instead of being overjoyed and thankful, Lila felt embarrassed and spiteful. She didn’t want Ames to think less of her because of her background, “she wanted him to know she wasn’t such a fool as he might have thought she was” (Lila 33). It has been noted that, especially in today’s society, those with little to no education are treated poorer than ones that have even completed just high school. Due to their desperation for money, a lot of children during the great depression stole money, clothes, food, and other necessities. This habit may or may not have lingered, but the reputation remained. 
