If you were around in 1934, it was a whole different world.
Unemployment was more than double today's high numbers, and men flocked to Eastern Washington for construction jobs at Grand Coulee Dam. President Roosevelt spoke to a cheering crowd of 20,000 at the construction site, accompanied by his wife and two of his sons.
A crooner from Spokane was on his way to immortality. Bing Crosby's old friends could see him in four new movies that year, playing a college student, a forest ranger, a sailor and - in a case of art imitating life - a radio star. He had a national radio show and hit songs like "June in January."
Spokane Police were using radios for the first time and buses were starting to replace trolleys. But a drivers' strike interrupted public transportation for a time, leading to mob violence in Spokane.
And in October of 1934, a group of educators started Spokane Teachers Credit Union in a classroom at Lewis and Clark High School. By the end of the year, the credit union would have 120 members with an average savings balance of $35 apiece.
Cash deposits went into a shoebox. Members pulled a cord attached to a bell to let volunteers know they were waiting to get into the school building. Summer service was limited to 90 minutes on Wednesdays.
LC's home economics class would occasionally bake treats for credit union board meetings. But sometimes, it was Board President Ernie McElvain who provided cookies and brewed the coffee.
In celebration of our Diamond Anniversary, we've got some special things planned this month. And, yes, one of them involves cookies - it's part of our heritage, after all.
The fall issue of OSI features a 75-question trivia quiz about the year 1934. You'll find challenging questions about pop culture, the economy, politics and law and order.
For one quarter only, in honor of our anniversary, STCU is providing a special rates our First5 Savings Accounts. Check out the details.
Drop by to any of our 14 branch locations on Tuesday, October 20, and enjoy a free cookie on us. They're in honor of Ernie.
And any day that week, you might find our tellers and other staff dressed a little differently, in costume, perhaps, or wearing jeans and T-shirts that normally wouldn't meet our dress code.
For instance, on Monday, they'll be wearing the colors and logos of their favorite high school or college. That's to honor our education roots.
And on Wednesday, they'll be wearing clothes from any period in our past. So, you might be assisted by a teller dressed in a zoot suit, a tie-dyed shirt, a leisure suit or a poodle skirt, for instance.
It's OK to gawk.
