The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-20

building the town will eventually be amorzed by the rents
despite the low figure that charged each householder for
the use of a home and electric current.
When the Norris Dam completed next year and the
workmen have moved to another project, IVA is
IL over 1or l once employees ana cenCra engineering SCa
If any detail in community planning was left out when
Norris built, could not find it. Even the sidewalks
the highways by under passes
"A Norris child walk mile to school by himself in
the morning and never once have to cross street. my
guide told I'VE thought that long
building this town, might just well do it right.
II ME population ranges 14OO to 3OOO depending
upon the number OF men needed to work on the big
dam The people are about the type that would move in
any construction job in the neghborhood Men from the
mountains and sharecoppers from the Valley lands are
in about equal proportion The majority Of them have
lived before in cabins poems of either the coal
companies or the cotton planters.
Their wages run from cents an hour for unskilled
labor up $110 for the highly skilled and 51a hour
day sx-day week is the rule.
average day the ordinary resident:
He works his 5 hour shift with lunch period
back to comfortable home eats and then has the rest
of the time to himself. He may drop to the Credit
Union Bank and deposit his wages
Then perhaps he will drop the library the
ing picture theaer After that he may work for hour
in his garden If he to- he may to trade
shop where he learn carpentry, metal work any
of a number of other handicraft.
MANY of the families who moved into Norris had
1V1 practically furniture at ALL They are using the
athes and other equipment in the trade shop to make
their furniture.
Tucked away in of building is a small
textile shop with This cooperative enter
prise operated by half dozen and who went
strike in the national textile wakout last year and
who got their jobs back They will make rugs, dra
pereS and bath mats at extremely reasonable
prices for Norris people.
There effort to force Norris residents to take ad
vantage of these various opportunities There is of
the self-conscious "uplft The facilities for human i'm
provement all there available and welcome to all
There is plenty of play. I groups of pitching
horseshoes and playing baseball During the winter the
town of Norris produced five basketball teams which sue
cesuly took some of the toughest opponents in Ten
neSSee.
But all of the human advantages not limited to
the dam who live in the town of Norris
Men must be employed to patrol and service the forests
the Norris reservoir BASIN There will eventually be $50
them They must keep the trees in proper shape and
fire hazards because the forest roots tend to alb
sorb the rainfall like sponge. thus regulating the flow of
into the reservoir and preventing the erosion of soil
which would the reservoir bottom to silt up.
Il ACH of these workers is given comfortable home
IL and piece Of farm land large enough for him to
work profit. He pays rent but gives iva 100 days
year his services. He receives dollar day while he
is working. The rest of the year he may spend as he