Adults Quote by Robert A. Caro
““As one 1935 study put it, boys and girls who were 15 or 16 in 1929 when the Depression began are no longer children; they are grown-ups – adults who had never, since they left school, had anything productive to do; adults in the embittered by years of suffering and hardship. The President's Advisory Commission on Education was to warn of a whole lost generation of young people.””
About This Quote
The quote highlights how the Great Depression forced adolescents into premature adulthood, stripping them of education and productive opportunities, creating a lost generation.
In simple terms: Youth thrust into adult hardship
Key Takeaway
Economic crises can derail a generation’s development
Themes
Historical impact
Socioeconomic hardship
Education disruption
Generational trauma
Policy warning
Mood
Somber
Reflective
Urgent
Type
Historical observation
Social commentary
When to use this quote
- Post‑1929 youth facing poverty
- Students leaving school early
- Families coping with hardship
- Policymakers addressing education gaps
Key Concepts
Great Depression
Youth unemployment
Adultification
Lost generation
Practical Applications
- Designing social safety nets for young people
- Creating adult programs for displaced youth
Questions to Reflect On
- How might modern crises produce similar generational gaps?
- What policies could prevent a 'lost generation' today?
![“He [an earnest young reporter] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be art, the object of children's books is to whip the little rascals into shape.” quote by Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2cf/katherine-paterson-2365_adults_he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-s_6101.jpg)
