Evening star., 1935-09-15
W.P.A. TO COMPILE.
u. S. BAEDEKERS'
5-VoIume Relief Project to
Aid Tourist "Discover
America"

pliers. map makers and clerical work.
ers are to be enlisted from the relief
rolls to publish the American Guide-a
set of American "Baedekers" which
will enable Americans Ito discover
America" Harry L. Hopkins, w. P. A.
administrator, announced yesterday.
The new guide book will be pub
lished in five volumes corresponding
to five natural regions of travel in
the United States. Mr.. Hopkins said
1t would furnish wholly useful and
hitherto unperformed service for the
citizens Of the country and also yield
productive jobs to white collar work.
ers for whom it is difficult to find
good projects. The work will take 10
months to finish.
No such manual has been available
for the United States since the Bae-
decker Guide of 1909 which was pre-
pared prior to the age of widespread
travel by automobile Even such a
large city as New York has no COM
prehensive guide book to its amazing
variety of cultural, educational and
economic resources of interest to both
tourists and residents, the w. P. A.
stated.
OF the five volumes one will COM
prise the Northeastern region of the
country extending from Maine and
Massachusetts, west to Illinois and
Wisconsin. West of Chicago travellers
normally take one or two routes. either
through the North Middle Western
States to the Pacific Coast or through
the Southwestern States to Mexico or
Arizona. Each of these sections will
have its own guide. The Pacific Coast
States, including Nevada and Utah,
will also comprise one region, and
the Southeastern States another.
Travellers going from New York to
New Orleans or Florida will be able
to obtain information Of interest to
them from one guide book.
Administration of the research and
editorial preparation of the guide will
head up in Washington. Control Of
the field force of writer's and other
workers will be vested in II regional
supervisors, who will also direct the
work in each Of the States in which
other State will have supervisor and
a staff of writers, taken from the re-
lief rolls, working in every city hav-
ing a population of over 10000
Smaller localities and rural sections
will be covered by field trips.
The project has already enlisted the
support of many national organiza-
tions. Among those which have ex-
pressed interest and willingness to CO.
operate are the American Automobile
Association, American Forestry Asso-
citation, American Geographical So
ciety National Recreation Association,
Foreign Language Information Serv-
ice, American Planning and Civil As
sociation, Appalachian Trail Confer
ence, American Nature Association,
American Historical Association, and
Science Service, which represents the
National Research Council; the
American Association for the Ad-
Vancement of Science and the Ma
tional Academy of Sciences. Various
Government departments have also
signifed their willingness to offer
counsel and furnish valuable informa-
ton. Notable among them are the
National Park Service and the United
States Geological Survey.
The American Guide is intended es-
pecially to serve travellers of modest
means. For this reason routes of
travel will be indicated not only for
automobilistS but also for persons
wishing to see America from its riv-
ers, canals and small streams, and for
mixers wishing to follow mountain
trails. Suggestions will be given for
those who may desire to observe typ
ical manufacturing and agricultural
processes at factories or on farms
where visitors are welcome. Facts will
also be compiled regarding interesting
sights in the foreign quarters of large
cities.
Festivals to Be Described.
Colorful festivals, which are held
In all parts of the country at some
time during every year, will be de-
scrlbed. Examples are the Portland
(Oreg) rose festival, the New Orleans
Mardi Gras, the Santa Fe fiesta, the
Easter dawn service at Miami Beach,
Indian ceremonials and the Bach mu-
sic festival at Bethlehem, Pa.
The influence of racial groups on
the life and customs of different COM
munities will be traced. Information
will be provided on hunting and fish
ing seasons and methods of obtaining
licenses. Biographical notes will be
compiled about noted citizens who have
lived in various localities at one time
or another. Unique library and mu-
scum items will be listed, attention
will be directed to churches and public
buildings where distinctive architec-
tural and art work may be studied:
experimental theaterS and schools will
be described briefly, and all manner
of historical landmarks, national
parks, hotels, mineral springs, geo.
logical wonders, irrigation projects, |
low-coSt housing developments and
model factories will be described, |
Where unusual developments in nat
ural science, such as the colonies
established by beavers and prairie
dogs in certain parts of the country,
may be seen, these will be called to
the attention of tourists.
In the process of compiling the ma
terial for the national guide books, a
mass of information will be uncovered,
in States and localities, which cannot
be used in its entirety. All of this
material will be left with local Of
fcials or deposited in municipal Ii
braries. 1t is expected that most
States and many cities will avail
themselves of this opportunity to pre-
pare their own guide books after the
work on the national guide has been
completed.