Investing in Human Capital
Our greatest
task is to put people to work. This is no unsolveable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished
in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would threat the emergency of war, but at the
same time, through this employment, accomplishing greatly needed projects to stimulate and reorganize the use of our national
resources. - Franklin Deleno Roosevelt (see
FDR First Inaugural)
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| FDR's first hundred days in office were a flurry of activity, with 15 major bills signed into law. |
President Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) in his first hundred days of office
wanted to keep his election campaign promise to help "the forgotten man" from the existing widespread unemployment
of the Great Depression. He offered the country a New Deal and he dealt our people a good hand.
FDR was, personally interested in preserving the environment and providing temporary employment for
the nation’s youth and veterans. Legislation to establish the U.S. Civilian Conservation Corps was introduced on March 21, 1933 when he wrote to the 73rd Congress and asked them to create a new law for emergency unemployment
recovery for youth adults, war veterans and Native Americans to work on saving our nation's devastated natural
resources. FDR called the program the Civilian Conservation Corps and the name stuck. He envisioned temporary
employment of 250,000 young adult men, to be employed on conservation and other public work projects on our public lands and watersheds. “It is essential to our recovery
program . . . the first of these measures . . . can and should be immediately enacted. I propose to create a civilian conservation corps to be used in forestry, the prevention of soil erosion, flood control and similar projects . . . but also as a means of creating future national wealth. . . . More important,
however, than the material gains from their labors will be the moral and spiritual value of such work. More important,
however, than the material gains from their labors will be the moral and spiritual value of such work."
The president himself, shepherded
the legistlation through both houses. ( See the selected draft legistlation, legistlation, and executive orders. ) It was signed into law 10 days later
and that introduced an amendment prohibiting discrimination on enrollee selection based on race, color, or creed. Over
the next nine years, over 4 million young men, military, Native Americans and War Veterans were put to work reclaiming the
country’s natural resources.
The men lived in government camps, food, transport, and clothing were provided, were provided with education and vocational
training, the Army supervised the camps, and paid most of the men a dollar a day and they were required to send 83.3 percent
of their pay of $30 back to their families. (What cost $30 in 1933 and now would cost $451.48 in 2007.)
Watch Ken Burns PBS Documentary Episode of the CCC "the Great Depression" on the right side of the page on Americas Best Idea
- the National Parks
In the midst of an economic catastrophe and then a world war, the national parks provide
a source of much-needed jobs and then much-needed peace; the park idea changes to include new places and new ways of thinking.
It was remarked in many newspaper and newsreel
editorials that "The primary purpose of the program is not to get work done but to provide work for the men who need
it." Nevertheless, the program supervisors saw and prepared for this major labor source. They also provided
humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters in congruence with the American Red Cross.
In the early years of WW2, the 77th Congress over the opposition of President Roosevelt,
cut government funding to the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Enrollees in the 20th Century CCC program were
limited to single young men ages 17- 28 and the average age was 18-19 years. Two exceptions to the age limits were veterans
who had separate camps and Native Americans who had special CCC programs on or near their reservation.
The CCC program enabled those who fall in
the cracks in their education and were enabled to elect educational and vocational on the job training under their supervisors.
In the evening, they recieved up to 2 hours of coursework in courses from basic literacy to college level
courses under the guidance of certified teachers called Educational Advisors.
The "We Can Take It"
Boys and gave America a tangible legacy off their work and they helped make the CCC the most popular government
program in American History and where the backbone of our Greatest Generation.
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WRITTEN HISTORY LINKS
Records of the Civilian Conservation Corps [CCC]
The CCC Years, Pennsylvania DNCR
Roosevelt's Tree Army Michigan's Civilian Conservation Corps
History of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado
CCC Enrollee
Oath
(Upon entering the
CCC, each enrollee subscribed to the following oath. It is a contract between the enrollee and the U.S. Government, and should
be lived up to in each respect.)
I, _______________ , do solemnly swear that the information given above as to my status is correct.
I agree to remain in the Civilian Conservation Corps for the period terminating at the discretion of the United States between
..................... unless sooner released by proper authority, and that I will obey those in authority and observe all
the rules and regulations thereof to the best of my ability and will accept such allowances as may be provided pursuant to
law and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. I understand and agree that any injury received or disease contracted
by me while a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps cannot be made the basis against the government, except such as I
may be entitled to the Act of September 7, 1916(39 Stat. 724) ( an act to provide compensation for employees of the United
States suffering injuries while in the performance of their duties and for other purposes), and that I shall not be entitled
to any allowances upon release from camp, except transportation in kind to the place at which I was accepted for enrollment.
I understand further that any articles issued to me by the United States Government for the use while a member of the Civilian
Conservation Corps are, and remain, property of the United States Government and that willful destruction, loss, sale, or
disposal of such property renders me financially responsible for the cost thereof and liable to trial in the civil courts.
I understand further that any infraction of the rules or regulations of the Civilian Conservation Corps renders me liable
to the expulsion therefrom. So help me God.
From: "Your CCC Handbook For Enrollees" Happy Days Publiching Co., Washington , D.C.
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CCC Camp Information (1933-1942)
Average
number of camps operating in U.S. per year: 1,643
Total number of different
camps: 4,500
Highest elevation of CCC camp: 9,200 feet above sea level in
Colorado
Lowest elevation of CCC camp: 270 feet below sea level, Death Valley,
Calif.
Camp locations: Every state in the Union, plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands
Total cost: $3,000,000,000
Approximate cost per enrollee per year for food, clothing, overhead, and allotments to dependents:
$1,000
Allotments to Dependents: $662,895,000
Number of people directly benefited from enrollees’ checks: 12 million to 15 million
Value of Work in 1942 Dollars: $2 billion
Miles
of roads built: 125,000
Miles of telephone lines strung: 89,000
Miles of foot trails built: 13,100
Farmlands
benefited from erosion control projects: 40 million acres
Stream and lake
bank protection: 154 million square yards
Range revegetation: 814,000 acres
Firefighting days: More than 8 million
Number
of enrollees who died fighting Fires: 79
Overall death rate: 2.25 per thousand
State parks developed: 800
Public campground
development: 52,000 acres
