The economic downturn of the Great Depression has been remembered as the worst
economic disaster in American history. The savings of numerous people disappeared very
quickly. Uncertainty about the future led to a desire to keep remaining money as protection.
Banks suffered immediate runs as a result with many of them closing. To salvage the situation,
President Roosevelt declared a bank holiday where banks across the nation would be closed and
evaluated. However, the Daily News Record newspaper in Harrisonburg did not express concern
over the bank holiday. The articles indicated a belief that the economic crisis was not a serious
problem for the town. The greatest impact from the bank holiday appears to be an effort to
demonstrate that there was no impact in Harrisonburg. The efforts of the Daily News Record to
project confidence comes from arguing that the country was emerging from the economic crisis
and that the banks in Virginia had been strong before the bank holiday and were getting stronger.
The Daily News Record used editorials to inspire confidence in the economic health of
the nation. The editors made great efforts to persuade readers that the nation still had a great
supply of wealth to draw upon. The newspaper claimed that the country was far sounder than the
boom time of the 1920s.i Material resources received praise for being unimpaired and making
America as rich as ever before.ii The Roaring Twenties had been a time of sustained economic
growth where increased wealth changed the lives of many people. Comparing the present day as
economically stronger than the Roaring Twenties implied that unbounded wealth awaited the
country. In addition, praising Roosevelt as a confident and courageous leader who understood
how to take command of the economic crisis was an important strategy. The newspaper
commended the president for being a bold and decisive decision maker who succeeded in
evoking a sense of calm and discipline among the American people.iii Convincing the readers that
no reason for future fear existed was the main goal. With such a glowing endorsement of
, Roosevelt, people could be inspired to believe that the nation would continue to improve.
The Daily News Record used news articles as a way to argue that the financial
institutions of Harrisonburg had a history of strength. The newspaper stated that the three
national banks in town had weathered the financial storms of 1933 in splendid fashion to enter
the new year in the healthiest state that had ever been recorded.iv This statement continues the
emphasis on how the economic crisis was on the verge of turning into a powerful market. The
focus merely has been shifted to the local area to give the readers an example that can be easily
understood. A local example provided Harrisonburg residents with concrete evidence of an
economic turnaround that would continue to expand. In explaining how the banks in
Harrisonburg attained such success, the Daily News Record depicted the local banks as financial
institutions that drew confidence from the people and inspired business.v This statement is
important for implying that the banks in Harrisonburg are exceptional for being able to retain
depositors when so many banks failed because of a lack of faith among the people and
businesses that deposited their money.
The Daily News Record also used news articles as a way to argue that the bank holiday
had little effect upon banks in Virginia. A specific example is an article explaining how the bank
holiday presented little cause for alarm in Richmond. The newspaper described the bank holiday
in Richmond as a simple period of waiting where the most important questions in the minds of
people involved minor procedural issues.vi The minor issues were written off as things that could
be addressed at a later meeting in the week.vii This reaction is significant because there is no
sense of urgency in concern to the bank closures. The bank holiday is being treated as an
interruption of the normal routine. The bank holiday is depicted as nothing more than an
inconvenience that is interfering with the important financial needs of people and businesses. At
economic disaster in American history. The savings of numerous people disappeared very
quickly. Uncertainty about the future led to a desire to keep remaining money as protection.
Banks suffered immediate runs as a result with many of them closing. To salvage the situation,
President Roosevelt declared a bank holiday where banks across the nation would be closed and
evaluated. However, the Daily News Record newspaper in Harrisonburg did not express concern
over the bank holiday. The articles indicated a belief that the economic crisis was not a serious
problem for the town. The greatest impact from the bank holiday appears to be an effort to
demonstrate that there was no impact in Harrisonburg. The efforts of the Daily News Record to
project confidence comes from arguing that the country was emerging from the economic crisis
and that the banks in Virginia had been strong before the bank holiday and were getting stronger.
The Daily News Record used editorials to inspire confidence in the economic health of
the nation. The editors made great efforts to persuade readers that the nation still had a great
supply of wealth to draw upon. The newspaper claimed that the country was far sounder than the
boom time of the 1920s.i Material resources received praise for being unimpaired and making
America as rich as ever before.ii The Roaring Twenties had been a time of sustained economic
growth where increased wealth changed the lives of many people. Comparing the present day as
economically stronger than the Roaring Twenties implied that unbounded wealth awaited the
country. In addition, praising Roosevelt as a confident and courageous leader who understood
how to take command of the economic crisis was an important strategy. The newspaper
commended the president for being a bold and decisive decision maker who succeeded in
evoking a sense of calm and discipline among the American people.iii Convincing the readers that
no reason for future fear existed was the main goal. With such a glowing endorsement of
, Roosevelt, people could be inspired to believe that the nation would continue to improve.
The Daily News Record used news articles as a way to argue that the financial
institutions of Harrisonburg had a history of strength. The newspaper stated that the three
national banks in town had weathered the financial storms of 1933 in splendid fashion to enter
the new year in the healthiest state that had ever been recorded.iv This statement continues the
emphasis on how the economic crisis was on the verge of turning into a powerful market. The
focus merely has been shifted to the local area to give the readers an example that can be easily
understood. A local example provided Harrisonburg residents with concrete evidence of an
economic turnaround that would continue to expand. In explaining how the banks in
Harrisonburg attained such success, the Daily News Record depicted the local banks as financial
institutions that drew confidence from the people and inspired business.v This statement is
important for implying that the banks in Harrisonburg are exceptional for being able to retain
depositors when so many banks failed because of a lack of faith among the people and
businesses that deposited their money.
The Daily News Record also used news articles as a way to argue that the bank holiday
had little effect upon banks in Virginia. A specific example is an article explaining how the bank
holiday presented little cause for alarm in Richmond. The newspaper described the bank holiday
in Richmond as a simple period of waiting where the most important questions in the minds of
people involved minor procedural issues.vi The minor issues were written off as things that could
be addressed at a later meeting in the week.vii This reaction is significant because there is no
sense of urgency in concern to the bank closures. The bank holiday is being treated as an
interruption of the normal routine. The bank holiday is depicted as nothing more than an
inconvenience that is interfering with the important financial needs of people and businesses. At
