In 1939 there was a world's fair in New York, and among other things, television was shown. While television had been used in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, US companies were now ready to make it available in the US. While many were still out of work as a result of the Great Depression, things seemed to be looking up somewhat by 1939. An indication of this is the number of ads in the 1939 annual from local businesses.
1939 was still a time when the US heated mostly with coal, although by the end of WWII there would be a switch to gas and oil, which was both clearner and more convenient. War clouds were gathering in Europe, and Japan was starting a rampage through much of Asia. Few in the US cared much about the problems of the rest of the world, and even fewer imagined that in two more years there would instantly be full employment in the US, as well as involvement in a major war.
In the mean time, some members of the class of 1939 were likely hired by the GM stamping plant on Allen Road ( later, 36th Street ), while others went to college, or sought other kinds of employment. Many located in the Godwin area, and their children also attended Godwin.
The cover of the 1939 class annual.
Left click on the image for a larger image.
The entire 1939 class annual is presented below. To view the pages, 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.
If anyone has any other photographs pertaining to the class of 1939 they'd like to see included here please contact me.