1940s Fun

Most of World War II occurred during the first half of the 1940s and consequences of the war lingered into the second half of the decade leading to the beginning of the Cold War.  The 1940s also witnessed the development of new technologies such as computers and nuclear power.  See below for some fun facts about Centris, the credit union industry, and the 1940s in general:

Centris in the 1940s:

• 842 loans were made to members in 1941 totaling $218,258.  Loans outstanding at the end of December 1941 totaled $118,647. (People paid off their debt quick!)
• Total uncollectible loan losses since the Credit Union’s organization in 1934 were only $71.22. No loans were charged off in 1941.
• Total expenses in 1941 for the credit union were $4,858
• Net earnings in 1941 were $6,171.18

Credit Union Industry in the 1940s:

• By the end of 1940, there were 3,756 federal credit unions
• In 1942, federal supervision of credit unions is transferred to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

General Life in the 1940s:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt is president until 1945
• World War II is in full swing and has a profound effect on most countries around the world, especially Europe and Asia
• There is a shortage of food and other essentials commodities so rationing is imposed by the government
• Rosie the Riveter encourages women to “do their part” for the war effort by going to work in the factories, filing the gaps left by men leaving for the war

• Few people owned a phone. If you owned a phone, the neighbors would come and ask if they could use “the phone” for sixpence.
• In 1942, the Atanasoff-Berry computer is considered the first electronic digital computing device
• More televisions are in use, and the microwave oven is invented, along with Velcro and Tupperware
• Swing is all the rage, Frank Sinatra become our “first” teen idol, and Bugs Bunny is introduced
• Life expectancy is 68.2 for women and 60.8 for men
• 55% of U.S. homes have indoor plumbing now
• There is a shortage of materials, so ankle socks replace nylons

1940s Slang