The Omaha guide., 1935-03-23

Carolina, and Mississippi, each have
two Negro CCC camps.
South Carolina and Tennessee, and
the District Of Columbia have one CCC
company, apiece, composed entirely
Of colored enrollees.
"The Civilian Conservation Corps
was authorized On March ST. 1888, BY
an Act of Congress, explains Director
Fechner, land was put into operation
by the Emergency Conservation Work
organization. It was originally COM
posed of 250,000 men IS to 25 years
of age and approximately 28,125 war
veterans and $4,000 experienced
woodsmen. Later, $4,000 additional
enrollees were authorized as a relief
and drought measure. Then $4,000
Indians were taken in, and 5000 9TH
ers were added to the number from
the territories made up the full
strength. These 367, 900 or SO young
men are living in 1,728 camps located
in every State in the Union, Alaska,
Philippine Islands, and Hawaii. The
barracks camps are maintained and
operated largely by Reserve Officers
Of the United States Army, while the
work carried on in the country's for
ests and parks by the CCC is super
vised by the Department Of Agricul-
ture, the Department of the Interior,
and in a few instances by the War De-
partment.
early in the life of the CCC in
structions were forwarded to the COM
handing generals of the nine Corps
Areas, into which the country has
been divided by the War Department
for Army administrative purposes,
directing them to do all they could
to encourage men to study educational
subjects in which they were interested.
AS a result, the Corps Areas Gem
manders made a study Of the eduea-
tional situation and took steps to pro-
i'd such instruction as was pract.ca-
bic to give the men. In many camps
an extensive educational program was
arranged which gave the enrollees an
opportunity to study a wide variety
Of subjects. Some camps used all
their officers and supervisory person
mel as well as qualified enrollees for
teaching purposes.
In some instances as many as
twenty or twenty-five courses were il
a single camp. A limited number of
motion picture machines was intro
duced into the camps and
ments made to show the films of edu-
cational value. These films were pre-
pared by the Forest Service of the
Department of Agriculture and the
National Park Service of the Interior
Department and dealt principally
with forestry and outdoor subjects.
after the President had discussed
the educational activities of the camps
on several occasions with educational
authorities and members of the Emer-
gency Conservation Work organiza-
ton, decision was reached in. Deem
Der, 1888, to provide a more compre-
hensive and unified educational pro-
gram for the CCC. A plan produced
jointly by the Office Of Education Of
the Department of the Interior and
the War Department was approved
by the President and put into effect
early in 1884.
These men, together with thous-
ands of other men of the CCC are
taking advantage of the educational
opportunities now offered the young
sters who enroll for six months of
healthful outdoor work in the Civilian
Conservation Corps" continues Mr..
Fechner. Reports reaching my office
are to the effect that a substantial
numbr of the men who make up the
enrolled personnel Of the conservation
corps devote some part Of each week
to lettering their education. Ele-
mentary and high school courses are
the most numerous. Many enrollees
are taking business subjects, forestry,
agriculture, and college courses.
"The primary aim Of each Of these
men is to fit himself to become a self
sustaining member Of society when he
leaves the forest camps"
Each enrollee receives an allowance
Of $50 per month and his keep from
tn government regardless of his race,
creed, or color while employed on
these socially constructive projects in
the CCC program. Approximately
$25 of this amount is allotted each
month for the upkeep of the enrollee's
family as part of the bargain.
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