Civilian Conservation Corps Resource Page

The Colorado Whoopenhollars: Living a Good Life Despite the Great Depression

2009-06-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

If we look deep enough and consider all that was happening during the 1930s, it becomes clear that one of the primary accomplishments – if not a goal stated outright - of the CCC was the preservation of families and family livelihoods.

Remember that enrollees were required to send all but a few dollars of their $30 monthly pay home to their needy family. FDR and his advisors realized that money accumulating in an enrollee’s footlocker, deep in some forest in Arkansas or Colorado, wouldn’t do the economy much good. For thousands of families, that additional $25 meant the difference between paying the rent and being tossed into the street. The allotment sent home by a son meant food on the table.

While we’ll never know every CCC enrollee story, we’ve got a good grasp of camp life and the work that went into insuring that the family received the monthly allotment. But what of those who remained at home while the young enrollee shipped out to work in a park or forest far from home? We have some of that story through the eyes of the enrollees themselves because they’ve often told of how important that monthly allotment was to their parents or loved ones. But what about the families of the men who ran the CCC camps? What about the foremen and supervisors from the National Park Service, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service? What did the creation of the CCC mean to their families?

The Colorado Whoopenhollars, a newly released book offers a glimpse of what it was like to be waiting at home while a father is far away working as a supervisor in the forestry camps of the CCC. The full title of the book is The Colorado Whoopenhollars: Living a Good Life Despite the Great Depression and in it the reader is transported back to a small Colorado town in the 1930s. Through personal recollections, letters and the shared memories and experiences of her four brothers Jean Rutherford Duaine provides a close look at small town life during the Great Depression and just as importantly, she offers an insight into how a father coped with the long months of forestry work that kept him from his wife and small children.

The first section of the book is literally a guided tour of Georgetown, Colorado as the author remembers it from the 1930s. We’re introduced to an extended but tight knit family struggling to look after each other in the midst of a national economic crisis. In addition to siblings, parents, grandparents and uncles, we meet friends and neighbors from town – many of whom are as close as family. Woven through this narrative is the continual longing of a youngster for her daddy, William Rutherford, who is miles and miles away working for the U.S. Forest Service.

The latter portion of the book contains the texts of the letters that Bill Rutherford wrote to his children during his long absences; but these aren’t really just letters, they’re the story of five youngsters – the Whoopenhollar kids (named Billy, Frank, John, Jean and Glenn after Rutherford’s own children) and their hair raising adventures in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains. A careful reader will come to realize that a longing for loved ones burned in the heart of both the family at home and the forest ranger working in the forest camp far from home.

Part family history, part historical record, part children’s story, The Colorado Whoopenhollars will appeal to readers of all ages. Moreover, despite the national desperation and hardship of those times, the story is upbeat and full of the author’s love of a special time and place.

While not directly related to the Civilian Conservation Corps, The Colorado Whoopenhollars offers a rare look at how the families of this era coped with the long absences of sons, brothers, husbands and fathers while they were away working in the CCC. More importantly perhaps, the book offers a glimpse at one father’s heart warming effort to remain connected to his kids back home.

For more information visit:

The Official Colorado Whoopenhollar website

Disclaimer:Jean Rutherford Duaine is my mom. I couldn’t be more proud of her for writing this book and my enthusiasm probably makes me a biased source but there you have it.

Phoenix Unveils Arizona's Second CCC Worker Statue, 50th in the United States

2009-03-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

The program kicked off shortly after 1 pm, February 21st at the South Mountain Environmental Education Center with opening introductions by park staffers P.J. Conover and Kim Keith. Mr. Conover, Recreation Coordinator and Facilities Manager expressed excitement over both the positive turnout as having both the dedication of the CCC Worker Statue and the formal opening of the Grand Canyon, National Park Service traveling exhibit. Mr. Keith, Park Manager, spoke of his new found appreciation for the CCC, gained as a result of his work at the park, amid so much CCC history.

Mr. Keith then turned the ceremony over to Michael Smith, President of CCC Legacy Chapter 44 based in Phoenix. Mr. Smith welcomed those in attendance, and specifically recognized the CCC veterans in the audience. Smith noted the place that the work and legacy of the CCC has alongside not just the wartime service of the New Deal generation, but also alongside that largely forgotten humanitarian effort, the Berlin Airlift that came so soon after the carnage of the war. Smith noted that no other nation could have turned its efforts so quickly and seamlessly from saving its own youth, to fighting a war across two oceans and then quickly back to saving a former foe in time of crisis, with a compassion that only comes from having suffered yourself.

Smith then introduced Bob Audretsch, recently retired National Park Service ranger from Grand Canyon National Park. Ranger Audretsch helped spearhead the CCC exhibit and symposium at Grand Canyon in 2008 and it was in part due to his effort that that same exhibit has now traveled to South Mountain Park were thousands more visitors will see and enjoy it. Mr. Audretsch presented a detailed and interesting account of the work of the CCC at Grand Canyon along with a history of the national CCC program. Audretsch pointed out that in all the years that the CCC worked at Grand Canyon, not a single enrollee was killed in a work related accident, despite the dangerous nature of their high angle work building trails and improvements in the Canyon and on its rims. Audretsch also alluded to the fact that, in much of the work of the CCC, heroism was an everyday thing. Audretsch then turned the program back over to Kim Keith who asked everyone to file out into the courtyard for the official unveiling of the statue.

With the crowd now gathered around the statue, Michael Smith read a letter from CCC Legacy President Joan Sharpe acknowledging the special day and pointing out that this statue is the 50th such statue to be dedicated in the United States. P.J. Conover then asked Jack Duncan, Vice-President of Chapter 44 to step forward to assist with the unveiling of the statue, which was done to enthusiastic applause. Smith then spoke briefly about the history of the Chapter 44 statue projects and noted that in the case of both of Arizona’s statues – Colossal Cave and South Mountain Park – the primary funding came from CCC veterans, proving the point that if you want a job done, call on a CCC boy. Smith noted specifically the generous contribution from Chapter 44 Vice-President Jack Duncan, whose donation funded the South Mountain statue. Jack Duncan then stepped forward and offered some personal reflections on the legacy of the CCC and specifically the struggle to make certain that the story of the CCC is told honestly and correctly in the future. Jack noted in particular his own effort decades ago as he worked to set a local history teach straight regarding the work of the CCC.

The members of Chapter 44 then stepped forward to have their picture taken with the newly dedicated statue and everyone was asked to stay for refreshments and to view the traveling CCC history exhibit. It is estimated that there were over 100 in attendance for the event.

The staff at South Mountain Park have developed a wonderful web page devoted to the work of the CCC at the park and nationwide. You can access that page here.

Arizona Dedicates Its First Civilian Conservation Corps Worker Statue!

2008-12-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

We couldn’t have asked for better weather or a more enthusiastic group in attendance to celebrate the dedication of Arizona’s first CCC Worker Statue on October 25, 2008.

As always, J.J. Lamb and the staff at Colossal Cave put together a terrific event with a slate of speakers that included historians and researchers, local elected officials as well as a rousing portrayal of President Franklin Roosevelt, remarkably performed by James Goodin.

Colossal Cave’s CCC connection runs deep. To quote the text of the dedication program: “Colossal Cave Mountain Park owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps. From 1934 to 1937 two CCC companies, 0858 and 2851, worked at what is now Colossal Cave Mountain Park…Inside the Cave, they widened passages, established trails, installed handrails and lighting, and enlarged the entrance. Above ground, they constructed the magnificent hewn-limestone retaining wall and headquarters buildings.”

Following remarks by guest speakers, Arizona’s first CCC Worker Statue was unveiled by Gerald Johnson, CCC veteran and Colossal Cave Mountain Park Director Martie Maierhauser. It was Gerald Johnson’s generous initial donation in 2004 that got Arizona’s statue campaign rolling and ultimately, an additional donation from Mr. Johnson insured that the statue would be a reality. It is safe to say that without Gerald Johnson, the statue dedication would not have taken place in this, the 75th anniversary year of the CCC.

The statue will stand near the entrance to the visitor’s center where all who visit the Cave will see him, standing proud, a reminder of a simpler but tougher time in our history when sometimes all you had to show for a day’s work was a new set of blisters.

CCC 75th Anniversary Writing Contest Winners Announced!

2008-04-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

The score sheets are in and the results have been tallied! Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy Chapter 44 is pleased to announce the winners of the Civilian Conservation Corps 75th Anniversary Writing Competition. Individual winners will be notified by mail and all entrants will receive an acknowledgement of their work and a token of appreciation from CCC Legacy Chapter 44.

The winners are:

First Place Winner: J. Bankhead
The Civilian Conservation Corps: Important To America Then and Now

Second Place Winner: K. Neithercutt
Civilian Conservation Corps

Third Place Winner: A. Bancod
Civilian Conservation Corps: The Start

First Honorable Mention: T. Zaman
The History of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)

Second Honorable Mention: K. Kottmer
The Spirit of the CCC

Third Honorable Mention: S. Syed
The Civilian Conservation Corps and Their Effect on Social America

Our thanks go out to all who put forth the effort to research and write a paper on the Civilian Conservation Corps. We hope that through this project some of you may come to a lifelong interest in the history of the CCC and that when the 100th anniversary rolls around in 25 years, you will be the young scholars who write a new page in the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

A special thank you also goes out to Mrs. Nelson at Alhambra Traditional School who has the distinction of having the most students enter the competition. Mrs. Nelson’s effort greatly improved the nature of the competition and brought the story of the CCC to youngsters who might not have otherwise learned about this important New Deal program.
Once the awards are presented, the three winning entries will be published in the quarterly newsletter of CCC Legacy Chapter 44, copies of which will be mailed to the winners.

The Birth of the Civilian Conservation Corps

2008-03-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

With our elected officials frequently deadlocked over seemingly petty squabbles that prevent meaningful legislation from being passed, it seems astonishing that the legislation creating the Civilian Conservation Corps sailed through congress in less than three weeks. The seeds of a work relief program with a focus on conservation of both young lives and natural resources were alive in Franklin Roosevelt's mind years before his inauguration as president. Indeed the following timeline outlining the first significant events leading up to the creation of the CCC on March 31, 1933 dates back as early as 1910. For an outstanding account of not only the creation of the CCC but numerous aspects of its operation between 1933 and 1942, see John Salmond's book The Civilian Conservation Corps 1933-1942: A New Deal Case Study. In the meantime, here's a quick thumbnail sketch of the birth of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

1910
Franklin Delano Roosevelt takes over the family estate at Hyde Park and immediately begins a reforestation effort.

1931
Roosevelt sponsors an amendment to the New York constitution giving the state government authority to acquire and reforest marginal lands with funds created from the sale of bonds.

1932
Roosevelt adapts a reforestation program for use in unemployment relief.

July 2
In accepting the Democratic presidential nomination, Roosevelt proclaims that he has, “a very definite program for providing employment…,” through the establishment of a conservation program.

1933

January
James Couzens, a Republican senator from Michigan fails in his attempt to pass a Senate bill authorizing the use of the Army for unemployment relief. Though a failed effort, Couzens’ measure introduces the concept of military involvement in relief efforts.

March 9
Meeting with advisors, including the Secretaries of the interior, agriculture, and war FDR diagrams his plan to put 500,000 men to work on conservation-related projects. He asks them to prepare draft legislation, requesting they complete the task by days end. Roosevelt is given a draft document at 9 that evening and further discussion is conducted immediately.

March 14
Roosevelt sends a memorandum to the secretaries of war, interior, labor and agriculture, asking them to form “an informal committee of the Cabinet to co-ordinate the plans for the proposed Civilian Conservation Corps.”

March 15
At his third press conference since being inaugurated president, Roosevelt expounds on the proposed forestry work program, including the proposed wage of $1 a day. Roosevelt explains that swift action on the matter is a foregone conclusion.

March 21
Roosevelt’s message concerning the “Relief of Unemployment” is sent to the Congress. In this message Roosevelt outlined a three-pronged attack on the problem, with the first effort being, “the enrollment of workers now by the Federal Government for such public employment as can be quickly started and will not interfere with the demand for, or the proper standards of, normal employment.”

More specifically, Roosevelt uttered what may be the most often quoted phrase in connection with the Civilian Conservation Corps:
I propose to create a Civilian Conservation Corps to be used in simple work, not interfering with normal employment and confining itself to forestry, the prevention of soil erosion, flood control and similar projects. I estimate that 250,000 men can be given temporary employment by early summer if you give me authority to proceed within two weeks.
Roosevelt went on to state:
More important will be the moral and spiritual value of such work. The overwhelming majority of unemployed Americans who are walking the streets and receiving private or public relief would infinitely prefer to work. We can take a vast army of these unemployed out into healthful surroundings.

Following the President’s message at bill entitled “The Relief of Unemployment Through the Performance of Useful Public Work and for other Purposes” was introduced into both the Senate and the House.

Labor leaders quickly condemn the plan for its wage and recruitment provisions and because of the involvement of the Army.

March 22
Roosevelt calls members of the Senate Committee on Education and Labor, and the House Committee on Labor to the White House where he explains his CCC plan in more detail and attempts to allay the fears expressed by organized labor and members of the Socialist party.

March 23-24
Joint Senate and House hearings begin in an atmosphere of cooperation possibly due to Roosevelt’s evening meeting at the White House the night before. Presiding over the hearings is Senator David I. Walsh, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Labor. Walsh prods the proceedings forward in an effort to adhere to Roosevelt’s stated desire.

Among those testifying at the Joint hearing is Chief forester Major Stuart who testified at length regarding the need for forest workers. Stuart also makes a successful bid to broaden the program’s scope of work to include not just national forests but also state and private forests. Without such a change, Stuart argues, there will have to be a transfer of men from east of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountain region where 95 percent of the public domain is situated. (With 70 percent of the unemployment located east of the Mississippi, it didn’t make sense to transport men westward to give them work.)
Secretary of Labor, Miss Frances Perkins also stresses the programs aim of work relief when questioned about the proposed $1 a day wage for enrollees. She explains that most of the workers are expected to be young, single men and that the CCC should not be viewed “in the sense of providing real wage-producing employment.”

Army chief of staff, General Douglas MacArthur testifies that there will be “no military training whatsoever,” with the military restricting its participation to gathering the men selected by the Department of Labor, outfitting the men, giving the men a physical examination and physical conditioning before transporting them to their camps where they would be turned over to the Department of Agriculture.

The next witness is William Green, president of the American Federation of Labor. Green attacks the program on three points: regimentation of labor, low wages and funding. To Green the mandatory allotment and the involvement of the military “smacked of fascism, Hitlerism, of a form of Sovietism…” Green argues that the CCC wage of $1 a day would establish that as the national wage for workers. Other labor representatives also testify and the hearing adjourns on a far less optimistic note than it convened.

March 27
An amended S. 598 is reintroduced into the Senate. In response to the objections raised by labor, it was agreed that the focus should be on the two aspects of the program for which there were no objections from any side: the chance to perform forestry work as a means of relieving unemployment and the use of unobligated funds to pay for the program. The re-submitted bill merely authorized the President to work in the public domain, perform reforestation and employ unemployed citizens to perform the work.

In the House opposition to the bill is more robust and broad based. Despite indications from labor leaders that the $30 monthly wage would not be contested, an effort was launched to set the pay scale at $50 a month for single enrollees and $80 a month for married enrollees.

March 28
The senate bill is passed by voice vote over dwindling opposition, with minor amendments and in part because of the continuing efforts of Senator Walsh.

March 29
The House considers the bill amended and passed by the Senate on March 28th. Representative Connery stood to protest the proposed wage and dramatically announced that once again, labor leaders had again changed their position and now opposed the bill. Still another faction stood to argue that the measure imparted nearly dictatorial powers on the president and would lead a majority of the population believing that “it is the Government’s duty to put them on the pay roll.”

Nevertheless, the intent of the bill receives wide support in the House, with many recognizing it as focusing on relief of unemployment, not wage control. Representative Thomas G. Cochran of Missouri, stated that he disliked many of Roosevelt’s proposals, but admitting that “…I do like the way the President of the U.S. is trying to meet this emergency…”

Like Senator Walsh in the senate, Representative Robert Ramspeck, a Democrat from Georgia, carries the torch for the bill in the House, emphasizing the emergency nature of the legislation and its important relief function.

Connery’s proposal to set the monthly wage at $50 fails, along with a last minute effort by Republicans to delay proceedings on a point of order. Only three amendments are adopted, including that proposed by Representative Oscar De Priest, a Republican from Illinois and the sole African-American Congressman. De Priest proposed “that no discrimination shall be made on account of race, color, or creed…under the provisions of this Act.”

The bill is passed by a voice vote.

March 30
The Senate accepts the House amendments to the bill and it is forwarded to the President.

March 31
President Roosevelt signs into law the legislation creating the Emergency Conservation Work (ECW) program.

April 17
First CCC camp is established in the George Washington National Forest in Virginia.

In an article titled “Rizzo Goes To Work,” Time magazine reports that a week earlier, 19 year old Fiore Rizzo reported to the Army Building in downtown Manhattan and reported for duty as the first CCC enrollee.

Important CCC Publications Now Available Online!

2008-01-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

An anonymous guest posted a comment regarding two recent web postings that will be of interest to people interested in CCC history and the information is important enough to warrant a specific post.

In a move that will prove both timely and monumental, John Salmond’s The Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942: A New Deal Case Study has been posted online nearly in its entirety (only the index has been omitted).

Salmond’s book is a recognized cornerstone to the structure that is CCC research and scholarship. In the 1960s John Salmond did first what few (if any) have done better: he wrote the life history of the CCC. Admittedly short on the personal narratives seen in so many books and articles today, Salmond’s book is a study of how the CCC came to be and how it grew and evolved, flourished and eventually fell into decline as the U.S. was nudged closer and closer to participation in a world war. Without Salmond’s initial important research and documentation of the program, most of today’s oral history and personal narrative on the CCC would simply be interesting documentation of life experiences, but lacking important context. Though published in 1967, Salmond’s book is very nearly a primary source document for those seeking an organizational history of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Our anonymous visitor also shared the good news that the U.S. Forest Service history The Forest Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps: 1933-1942 can now be viewed online. Published in 1986, this government publication is especially interesting reading for CCC researchers whose interest is with the work done for the Forest Service. Print copies can be found for sale online and usually run to over $100; having this detailed piece of CCC scholarship available online for free is a huge boon, not simply for people researching the CCC but also for people with a general interest in the U.S. Forest Service.

A huge thank you goes out to our anonymous visitor – we appreciate your help in keeping us up to date on available CCC research material!

John Salmond’s The Civilian Conservation Corps can be viewed and downloaded here:

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/ccc/salmond/index.htm

The U.S. Forest Service book The Forest Service and the CCC can be viewed and downloaded here:

http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/ccc/ccc/index.htm

Keep Visiting!

2008-01-15T18:34:00.001-08:00

The membership of CCC Legacy Chapter 44 send their thanks and best wishes to all of you who have visited and especially to those special few who have done the work to submit an entry for the competition. You'll all be hearing back from us in the next few weeks, once the judging is completed.

Remember the CCC!

The Deadline is Approaching!

2008-01-04T07:12:00.001-08:00

A friendly reminder: Entries for the CCC writing competition must be postmarked January 12, 2008.

Hopefully you are putting the finishing touches on your entry! Initially all entries will be judged for their compliance with the general guidelines for the competition before being passed along to a panel of judges for judging.

Once the competition closes, this blog will convert to a resource page for CCC-related research, without a specific focus on the 75th anniversary writing competition, so we hope that you'll keep it saved as a favorite for future research on the Civilian Conservation Corps!

Holidays Far From Home

2007-12-01T15:49:00.000-08:00

What was life like in a C.C.C. camp during the holidays?

Typically, any enrollee who had earned the privilege and who wanted to would be allowed to go home for the holidays if time permitted and distances were not too great. This wasn’t too difficult for enrollees whose camps were close to their hometown. For enrollees who’d traveled across the country, it might not be possible. Many enrollees in Arizona C.C.C. camps were from Texas, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, so getting home for Thanksgiving or Christmas wasn’t always possible.

To ease the pain of separation from family and loved-ones, most C.C.C. camps prepared special dinners for Thanksgiving and Christmas and held Christmas parties, often “adopting” local children and inviting residents to visit the camps.

Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees performed no work on Thanksgiving and Christmas and a special holiday meal would be prepared and often special menus would be printed up describing the day’s meal, occasionally noting that cigars or cigarettes would be available following the meal. Additionally, a Company roster would sometimes be printed in the menu, to become a souvenir of an enrollee’s time in the C.C.C.

It Wasn't Always About Work In the CCC

2007-11-25T17:59:00.000-08:00

How much free time do you have each week? What do you do with your free time?

Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees generally worked on field projects Monday through Friday, 8 hours a day, and half a day in camp on Saturdays. Evenings and part of the weekend were reserved for leisure time and usually enrollees were allowed to spend their free time any way they saw fit. Most camps offered classes after the evening meal and there was almost always a recreation hall in the camp where enrollees could play games like billiards, ping pong or cards. A camp library was usually stocked with magazines and books and this was usually a quiet place where enrollees could study or write letters home. At least one camp library even had a sign that read, "Have you written home this week?"

Camp Library, Riley Creek Wisconsin. The sign reads: "Do It Now."

Camps that were located close to towns and cities generally had fewer morale problems than camps that were located far from population centers. When a camp was located close to a town or city, the camp commander usually authorized the use of a vehicle to carry enrollees into town on the weekend so they could see a movie or attend a dance. At least one camp commander obtained movie tickets from a local theatre owner and offered them as a reward to the enrollees in his camp.

Most camps also had a camp "canteen" that sold small items like candy bars, gum, tobacco and simple luxury items. The funds raised in the canteen were often used to buy sports equipment for the company or to fund other company activities.

The camp recreation hall and canteen for Company 847, Grand Canyon.

One of the most remote camps was located at the bottom of Grand Canyon, near Phantom Ranch. (This was one of about six CCC camps at Grand Canyon National Park.) Enrollees assigned to the Phantom Ranch camp carried a pool table from the south rim to their camp in order to have some new entertainment in their recreation hall!

Enrollees from Company 818 play croquet at the bottom of Grand Canyon.

What would you be willing to do in order to have something to do in your spare time?

Ideas for CCC Researchers

2007-09-17T08:43:00.001-07:00

Put yourself in their shoes.

There are many ways to go about researching the story of the Civilian Conservation Corps. One way to get started might be to consider certain questions about the program, or to put yourself in the shoes of a CCC enrollee or CCC camp commander.

What was it like for a young CCC enrollee to leave his family and go to work in a CCC camp? What things would a new enrollee need to take with him to camp? What things would a new enrollee be given when he arrived in camp? If you were a CCC enrollee, do you think you would be homesick sometimes? Would you write home to tell your family and friends how you were doing and what you were doing? What would you do when your enrollment in the CCC was over? Would you ask to stay in or ask for your discharge and go home?

If you were a commander in charge of a CCC camp, what things do you think you would have to think about? What potential problems would you face? How would you deal with discipline problems? How would you reward hard work and good behavior? How would you handle trouble between your CCC enrollees and residents of a nearby town?

Put yourself in the place of a resident of a small town that learns it is about to have a CCC camp established right down the road. What questions would you have? Would you want to know if young men from your town could work in the camp? Would you be concerned because "outsiders" were moving in near your town? What benefits would come from having the camp nearby? What might be the potential drawbacks to having a camp established near your town?

These are all things you can consider as you begin your research of the CCC. In the course of your research you'll probably discover how real-life CCC enrollees and camp commanders dealt with these questions. Perhaps in your research you'll actually meet and talk to men who were in the CCC to get their personal experiences from that time.

Civilian Conservation Corps Writing Contest Rules Posted!

2007-09-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

The contest rules have been posted at the bottom of the page for prospective contest entrants. Also, the CCC Resource Blog has been modified to permit posting of comments from visitors. If you have questions about the contest, post them. If you are working on a CCC research project and would like to share some of your story with other visitors to the Resource blog, please post your comments, too.

Word about the contest has been sent out to each of the county school systems in Arizona, either by email or by snail mail. In addition to the rules, which have been added today, more information about the contest will be posted here in the coming days, along with tips about how to research the CCC and things you might consider as a CCC researcher and writer.

Good Luck!

Other Useful Sources

2007-08-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

While there are not a lot of books that deal specifically with the CCC, there are hundreds of books about the Great Depression and Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, many of which contain references to the CCC and also useful information to help put the CCC program in its historical context. Some authors argue that the New Deal was a great success, while others argue that it was not a success and some argue that the programs of the New Deal prolonged the Great Depression. In using these source materials, keep in mind the author's point of view and their opinion. What is their thesis regarding the New Deal? What main point are they striving to make? Weigh their arguments against other authors and check their sources to see if they've done sufficient research to back up their claims.

Here, in no particular order are a few books that deal with the Great Depression and/or the New Deal:
The Bonus Army by Paul Dickson & Thomas B. Allen
Riding the Rails by Errol Lincoln Uys
FDR's Folly by Jim Powell
The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan
The New Deal in Arizona by William S. Collins
FDR and His Enemies by Albert Fried
Dust Bowl by Donald Worster
The Forgotten Man by Amity Shlaes
The Great Depression by Robert S. McElvaine

This list is not exhaustive by any means and new titles may be added here from time to time so check back occasionally.

CCC Writing Competition Announced!!

2007-08-27T17:43:00.001-07:00

Information packets announcing the Arizona CCC 75th Anniversary Student Writing Competition are being sent out to teachers and educators across the state. The contest is open to Arizona students in 6th through 12th grade. Submissions must be postmarked no later than Saturday, January 12, 2008. If your school does not have information about the contest, you can send a request for information to: armyscout@asualumni.org

Check back here from time to time for any contest updates and new information regarding CCC research. Good Luck!

Books About the CCC

2007-08-14T20:21:00.001-07:00

This list isn't in any particular order and isn't all-inclusive, but it should start you off in the right direction in your CCC research. This blog isn't intended as a way to sell books. You should be able to obtain copies of some of these books at your local library. Other books, especially the government publications can be hard to locate and an interlibrary loan may be needed if you decide you want to obtain a copy of the book in question.

Without question one of the single best books on the CCC is John Salmond's book subtitled "A New Deal Case Study," which is long out of print but which can be borrowed at local libraries and at ASU. Check back occasionally to see if new source material has been added to this list.

Louis Lester Purvis, The Ace in the Hole: A Brief History of Company 818 of the Civilian Conservation Corps (Columbus, GA: Brentwood Christian Press, 1989)

Alfred Emile Cornebise, The CCC Chronicles: Camp Newspapers of the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co. 2004)

John A. Salmond, The Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942: A New Deal Case Study (Durham: Duke UP, 1967)

Peggy Sanders, The Civilian Conservation Corps In and Around the Black Hills (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004)

Leslie Alexander Lacy, The Soil Soldiers: The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Great Depression (Radnor [Pa.]: Chilton Book Co., 1976)

United States, Department of Agriculture, The Forest Service and The Civilian Conservation Corps: 1933-42, FS-395 (Washington: GPO, 1986)

Christine E. Savage, New Deal Adobe (Santa Barbara: Fithian Press, 1991)

Kathy Mays Smith, Gold Medal CCC Company 1538: A Documentary, (Paducah, KY: Turner Pub., 2001)

Larry N. Sypolt, Civilian Conservation Corps: A Selectively Annotated Bibliography (Westport, Conn.: Praeger, 2005)

Robert J. Moore, The Civilian Conservation Corps in Arizona’s Rim Country: Working in the Woods, (Las Vegas: Univ. Of Nevada Press, 2006)

Renee Corona Kolvet & Victoria Ford, The Civilian Conservation Corps in Nevada, (Las Vegas: Univ. Of Nevada Press, 2006)

Where to start....

2007-08-14T20:15:00.001-07:00

There are a number of useful books detailing the history and work of the CCC from 1933 to 1942. Your local library may have some of them, or you school librarian may be able to obtain them for you. Elsewhere on this page you'll find a list of some of the more exhaustive studies of the CCC. Also remember that the CCC story is covered in other books about the Great Depression.

The internet can also be a useful tool for conducting research for your writing project, but remember to use the internet carefully and to always double check internet sources if you can because not everything that appears on the internet is accurate or unbiased.