The Godwin class of 1930 is six months into the Great Depression by the time of graduation. While the stock market did recover a great deal after the initial shock of October 29, 1929, this at best provided a reprieve. The US economy was starting a four year slide, which would, at it's worst, see 25% of the potential work force out of work. Because of this businesses of all kinds saw shrinking revenues, and as a consequence tax revenues at every level shrank, and with that school budgets. The effect on the Godwin Heights area was probably as dramatic as anywhere else, and this had to affect school activities of every kind.
While 25% of the potential working population was out of work, 75% was not, and the Godwin area did continue to grow, but perhaps more slowly for a while. Many families in the area still farmed, and survived during the Great Depression, but certainly did not prosper. Families lost their homes, and moved in with other relatives. This must have caused the student body to change some, if not necessarily shrink or grow on balance.
So while the class of 1929 graduated in seemingly prosperous times, it was in fact a fool's paradise. Graduates of the class of 1930, were probably not real clear about what was beginning to happen, but everyone had to be wondering by June of 1930.
The class of 1930 was half as big as it had been in 1927, when the then freshman totaled 25 students. Some of this very likely had to do with people losing their jobs, and needing every family member to do something.
Perhaps a final warning sign, the 1930 version of "The Acorn" is 26 pages. The 1929 version is 48 pages.
The cover of the 1930 class annual "The Acorn."
The bottom right reads "Godwin Heights High School 1930"
It is mentioned on page 4, in the dedication, that the 1930 edition of "The Acorn" is the "second annual 'Acorn.' " Whether this is true is not clear for now. There was a 1927 Godwin annual, but I have not seen it. Nor is it clear for now how many annuals there were between 1927 and 1936.
The entire 1930 edition of "The Acorn" is presented below. To view pages of The Acorn, simply left click on the page numbers. Each page has been scanned at about 150% of its original size in order to make some of the details easier to see. You might have to move the image around in your browser in order to see it all. Be sure to make your browser full screen size for easier viewing.
Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of each page; comments and notes are included on some of the pages. Use the "Back" button on your browser to return to the main menu. People should consider contacting me if they have additional information, or comments. Page 1 and 2 seemed to be the front and inside cover - annual pages start with page 3.
If anyone has any other photographs pertaining to the class of 1930 they'd like to see included here please contact me.