Although it is noted Al was a steamfitter, he was not employed at the time of the census and had not been for 40 previous weeks. I'm sure that was a very difficult economic time for the Sullivans. The census additionally reports that he was employed for only 26 weeks in 1939 and had earned $2,200 during the year ending December 31, 1939. $2,200 (using the CPI, about $34,500 in 2010 dollars) was a very decent salary for 26 weeks of work in 1939.
Al and Nell owned their home which was valued at $3,500. Their tenants, Robert and Agnes Hutchison, lived on the first floor and paid $45 per month rent. I remember my Mother telling me that Robert Hutchinson was also unemployed at some point during the depression, but in the 1940 census it states he was working as a teacher in the public school system. When the Hutchisons moved from 18 N. Latrobe in the late 1940s, the McIntyre family moved in and stayed until 1967.
The census reports Al completed four years of high school. He attended St. Ignatius High School (St. Ignatius College Prep today), which was called St. Ignatius College at the time. In 1894, St. Ignatius College enrolled 400 students, most were first generation Irish, as was Alex. This is the same school his grandson, Laurence McIntyre, attended nearly sixty years later. To my amazement, Nell only had an eighth grade education. She sure was smart for only having attended elementary school. For those of us who knew her, I don't think one of us would have guessed she hadn't had more education.
Although Nell and Al were only 2 months apart in age, when they reported their age to the census taker, somehow Al suddenly became five years older! In April of 1940, Al would have just turned 60 the week before and Nell would have been two month shy of 60 but she reported her age as 55! Ah, the female privilege!
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| 1940 US Census, Chicago, Illinois; ED 103-2329, page 2B |
Source: National Archives, 1940 US Census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, ED 103,2329, page 2B, T627.
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