Today, most Americans study the Depression and assume that it affected every American to the point of poverty. Children of the era are depicted in popular culture as poor, malnourished, deprived of basic needs and deserving of a better life. When researching about the Great Depression, one expects to find examples of these children. However, those who did grow up in the Depression tend to look back on their childhood with fond memories.2 Not every child felt these heavy consequences of the Great Depression. Some families may have only had to cut back on a few expenses, add an additional income, or take in boarders to alleviate the effect on the family. Those who remained unaffected did not have to change their lifestyles as drastically. Ronald Van Stockum spent his teenage years in the depths of the Depression, allowing the economic times to affect his attitude and outlook on life. The Depression leaves lasting marks on Van Stockum that are apparent in his daily diary entries from 1929-1937, even though it does not affect the family in the way that most people have studied in the past.