The CCC solved two issues with one task. It was meant to restore and conserve the forests, national parks, and farmlands all across the nation. They were essentially making the country look nicer. With that, they tried to get money to many of the people that needed it as well.
It also provided jobs for unemployed, young men. The main requirements for being in the CCC was that the man was in between the ages of 17-23 but was later changed to ages 17-25, a citizen of the United States, unmarried, not on probation or under conviction of a crime, and was unemployed and needed a job to maintain his family. If the man was a war veteran, age and marital restrictions were void. Pay for each person was $30 a month, with about 90% going immediately to each of the workers' families. This pay rate was decided by President Roosevelt himself.
The CCC was not only young men that were unemployed; on April 14, 12,000 reservation Indians were enrolled in the CCC, they had no restrictions on age or marital status. By the end of the CCC, an esitmated number of 88,000 Native Americans were employed. Many lived at home rather than in the camps. Then on May 11, Roosevelt authorized the enrollment of 25,000 war veterans; these veterans were selected by the Veterans Administration to work in camp these veterans camps also had no restrictions on age or marital status. So what started out as a program for unemployed youth became a program that had Native Americans, African American,and War veterans.
The camps were run by the army and administered by the labor department. Typical enrollment length for each person was six months. People can re-enroll if their work was satisfactory, but they can also be discharged at the end of the six-month period, and be provided transportation back home.
Each state had at least one camp, and New Jersey had a total of nine camps. In total there were 1,437 camps. The camps provided three meals a day, a place to sleep, and clothing, therefore the health of the CCC members was excellent. On November 22, 1933, it was approved by Roosevelt to provide the CCC enrollees with education so that once they leave the CCC they have skills for other jobs as well. It was decided that a director of CCC education would be chosen by the Office of Education who will then in turn choose advisers for each of the camp divisions who will then provide educational programs in the camps. Some camps even had their own library.
Newspapers and magazines were provided for the CCC members as well. The newspapers were written by CCC members themselves. This newspaper was called the "Happy Days." The articles would be about the work being done at each camp, programs and events that happened or just random articles that provided entertainment.
It also provided jobs for unemployed, young men. The main requirements for being in the CCC was that the man was in between the ages of 17-23 but was later changed to ages 17-25, a citizen of the United States, unmarried, not on probation or under conviction of a crime, and was unemployed and needed a job to maintain his family. If the man was a war veteran, age and marital restrictions were void. Pay for each person was $30 a month, with about 90% going immediately to each of the workers' families. This pay rate was decided by President Roosevelt himself.
The CCC was not only young men that were unemployed; on April 14, 12,000 reservation Indians were enrolled in the CCC, they had no restrictions on age or marital status. By the end of the CCC, an esitmated number of 88,000 Native Americans were employed. Many lived at home rather than in the camps. Then on May 11, Roosevelt authorized the enrollment of 25,000 war veterans; these veterans were selected by the Veterans Administration to work in camp these veterans camps also had no restrictions on age or marital status. So what started out as a program for unemployed youth became a program that had Native Americans, African American,and War veterans.
The camps were run by the army and administered by the labor department. Typical enrollment length for each person was six months. People can re-enroll if their work was satisfactory, but they can also be discharged at the end of the six-month period, and be provided transportation back home.
Each state had at least one camp, and New Jersey had a total of nine camps. In total there were 1,437 camps. The camps provided three meals a day, a place to sleep, and clothing, therefore the health of the CCC members was excellent. On November 22, 1933, it was approved by Roosevelt to provide the CCC enrollees with education so that once they leave the CCC they have skills for other jobs as well. It was decided that a director of CCC education would be chosen by the Office of Education who will then in turn choose advisers for each of the camp divisions who will then provide educational programs in the camps. Some camps even had their own library.
Newspapers and magazines were provided for the CCC members as well. The newspapers were written by CCC members themselves. This newspaper was called the "Happy Days." The articles would be about the work being done at each camp, programs and events that happened or just random articles that provided entertainment.
The following link is another digital copy of a "Happy Times" Issue
http://digilab.browardlibrary.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/ccc&CISOPTR=898&REC=1
More than 150 types of work was provided by the CCC. Some of these kinds of work include reforestation, wildlife aid, flood control, emergency rescue work, conservation of soil, forest improvement and protection, rehabilitation of ranges, recreational development, reclamation, and erosion control. One simple accomplishment the CCC made was the planting of hundreds of millions of trees. These jobs added millions of dollars to the wealth of the nation, and successfully made the nation realize the importance of the conservation of nation.
The CCC program was abolished in July of 1942 by Congress. By that time more than 2.5 million men had served in more than 4,500 camps across the United States. In total they had planted over three billion trees.
CCC Projects
The CCC program was abolished in July of 1942 by Congress. By that time more than 2.5 million men had served in more than 4,500 camps across the United States. In total they had planted over three billion trees.
CCC Projects
Interview with John Livesy
Question: Who was able to join the CCC?
Answer: "You had to be 21 years old to join. There were no women allowed."
Question: What did the CCC do for the men that joined?
Answer: "People got money by working for the CCC which made them happy. Most of the money was sent home to their families but they were able to keep some of it."
Question: Where were the majority of CCC camps?
Answer: "Most of the work was done out west where there was more land to conserve."
Question: What did the camps do for the members?
Answer: "They provided for the members giving them three meals a day, a place to sleep, and clothes. They were treated well."
Answer: "You had to be 21 years old to join. There were no women allowed."
Question: What did the CCC do for the men that joined?
Answer: "People got money by working for the CCC which made them happy. Most of the money was sent home to their families but they were able to keep some of it."
Question: Where were the majority of CCC camps?
Answer: "Most of the work was done out west where there was more land to conserve."
Question: What did the camps do for the members?
Answer: "They provided for the members giving them three meals a day, a place to sleep, and clothes. They were treated well."
Here are a few YouTube videos describing the CCC:
These two videos describe what it was like for the young men in the program and how it helped them, what they did and how they did it:
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2BkeNUDRQ&feature=channel
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojiuQJt18pw&feature=related