Imperial Valley press., 1934-04-14

"This camp is the boys camp"
Karl L. Schneider, recently ap-
pointed director of the Federal
Transient Camp here stated yester-
day afternoon. cit does not belong
to me, to the other managers nor
to anyone else but to the boys
themselves, he continued, adding
that the sooner the men themselves
realize this fact, the sooner the
morale of the camp rises.
Schneider. who has spent over
26 years of his life in welfare work
has just come from Los Angeles to
take over the dictatorship of the
local camp succeeding j. G. Spen-
Ger. A short conversation with the
new director convinced the inter-
viewer yesterday afternoon that he
knows his business thoroughly. He
has a deep and fundamental in
sight into the psychology of man
kind brought to him from his life
long experience in his work and in
this and many other ways is en-
inently fitted for the task he has
undertaken here.
He pointed out that so many peo-
pie have a wrong impression re-
garding the relief camp. Many
persons believe, he said, that it is
haven for tramps and hoboes. A
quick smile flashed across his face
-"They are entirely wrong in
that he said. 1.-The camp gives
men a chance to keep on their feet,
and contains large number of
men who previously were self-sus-
tanning but are now stricken by
adversely due to the present econ
omic conditions" he stated.
1t is the intention of the new di-
rector to introduce vocational class
es for his boys just as soon as the
present routine is sufficiently set
tied to warrant such a procedure.
A series of such classes is now be-
ing outlined and they will be in
PRODUCED gradually starting late
this summer.
Recreation for the boys is abso-
lutely necessary, Schneider pointed
out and to further this, every eff
fort is being expended. The recre-
alton hall has been furnished with
a piano and other musical instru-
mentS for the use of the men. A
pool table, donated to the camp by
MeSSrS. Kearns and Groebl also
serves to enable the men to while
away many of their free moments.
Athletics Encouraged
Equipment for horseshoe pitch
ing, volleyball baseball and indoor
ball gives the men an opportunity
to indulge in those sports. A ring
has been erected on the grounds in
which those pugilistically inclined
may try their luck.
Earl Poole is in charge of ath-
letics for the camp while Stanley
BigeloW has been secured to coach
the boys in dramatics with a view
of staging several plays at some
later date.
A remark which showed that
Schneider understands his men and
particularly the conditions under
which they must work here. was to
the effect that he has ordered straw
hats for his boys. In explanation
of this he said that he has been
stressing in his reports to his SUI
periors the fact that we have I'M
usual climatic conditions in the
valley particularly with the APP
proach of summer. "Since the men
must work outside great deal"
he said, cit is only right that they
should be as comfortable as pos
sible and the straw hats will help
to secure this end'
This camp is for single men who
have been in California less than
year and also state single homeless
men. They work on the grounds
erecting the various buildings which
are needed for the establishment
and are also engaged in building
some 40 cabins for the transient
family camp to be located just
north of the city on Eighth street.
They are kept busy in cleaning the
yard and also in seeing that all
equipment used is always in first
class condition.
A concrete floor is to be installed
in the main bunkhouse soon, the
work to be done by the men them
selves. When this is completed,
number of double-deck steel hunks
are to be installed, The first night