Evening star., 1937-05-02
5OVERNMENT CAMPS TEACH YOUTH NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
|C. &C. ACHIEVEMENT LAUDED
Unanimous Approval Given Corps Record of Human
Rehabilitation and the Salvagng of Natural Resources
Has Won 1t Permanence

This is the one particular New Deal
agency which has virtually the unani-
nous Endorsement of Congress and the
citizenry.
Before the President had COM
pleted his first day in the White
House he had roughly blocked out in
pencil the skeleton of an organization
which would unite under one leader
ship the resources of four of our great
governmental departments-War, La
Dor, Agriculture and Interior-in a
courageous enterprise for the conser-
vation not only of our youth, but of
our long-neglected natural resources"
Representative Jennings Randolph,
Democrat, of West Virginia said.
Howard w. Oxley, director of c. c.
c. camp education, points out that
more than 100000 American youths
each year are enrolled in the corps,
which provides each of them with a
ladder of achievement up which he
may climb to position Of gfater
employability and citizenship. II un-
employment and loss of courage were
due to failure to fortify himself
against such conditions eaAier in life,
the c. c. c. gives him an opportunity
to work, learn trade and make up
some of his educational deficiencies.
Learn TO do by doing" is the c. c. c.
slogan.
The C. c. c. program was initiated
hyy
1888, when he sent message to Con-
gress asking for passage of legislation
which would permit him to take vast
army of young men from city streets
and rural homes and give them
healthful work in the forests. A bill
carrying out the Presidents recon-
mendatlons was made law Just 10
days later. Then, in another five days
an executive order was issued creating
the office of Emergency Conservation
Work and naming Robert Fechner of
Boston director. In this same order
the Secretaries Of War, Interior, Az
riculture and Labor were instructed to
assist the director in selecting the
men. establishing and operating a Ma
tlon-wide chain of forest camps and
supervising the work program
! Director Fechner's task was 10 exc
cute the program and coordinate the
activities OF all departments. Under
mis- direction the Labor Department
selects the men, the War Department
enrolls them, sets up and operates the
camps and feeds, clothes and looks
after the men the Departments of
Interior and Agriculture recommend
work programs to the director and
supervise all work, except few prof.
ects which are under supervision of
the War Department. The United
States Office of Education acts in an
advisory capacity to the War Depart
ment on all educational matters. The
director Of C. C. C. camp education,
appointed by the United States COM
( missioner of education, supervises the
work Of camp and corps area educa-
tional advisers, recommends programs
and text books and in other ways
unifies the educational program.
EADERS in Congress declare en-
phatically that never before in
the Nations history has any unit of
the Government more promptly and
more efficiently carried out its work
program-especially a task so un-
precedented, of such magnitude, di-
rectly affecting so many lives (morally
as well as physically and pregnant
with limitless possibilities for better
citizenship, salvaging of natural re-
sources. salvaging human beings bv
taking them of the dole and restoring
their self-respect, courage and ambi-
ton. They are ready to give new
lease of life to the c. C. C. and It's five
major detectives:
Cd To give employment to hun
dreds of thousands of young men who
were unable to find jobs through or
dinary industrial channels.
CD To start the Nation on a sound
conservation program which would
conserve and expand the country's
timbered resources.
(3) To provide assistance to thou
sands OF families dependent upon
public relief for support.
ca To stimulate industry through
| FN Va SAPPiANS, ClC.
(5) To build up the morale and
physique of the youth of the land, to
develop better citizenship, prepare
them through educational work, train
ing on the job and other means to
find and maintain a place in the in
dustrial world.
| G. c. G. boys have fought the three
greatest enemies of the forests-fire,
insects and disease.
By their efforts thousands of public
camp grounds have been developed as
a part of Nationwide recreation
program. State park areas have been
increased by more than TOO 1000 acres.
Erosion control programs advanced
by the c. c. C. have benefited millions
OF acres of farm lands. Government
officials estimated a minimum of g.
00,0Oo,O0O tons of soil material wa,
annually washed out Of fields and pas
lures. causing farmers a loss OF not
less than s40O,00O,000 annually.
The life in the camps and the work
in the outdoors have proved beneficial
to the young men, Director Fechner
reports. Their morale has been
strengthened. Invigorating work in
the outdoors. nourishing food, regular
hours, supervised recreation, comfort
able and sanitary living quarters and
medical and dental treatments have
produced immediate improvement in
their physical condition.
Elimination of illiteracy has been
primary objective in the educational
program. More than $4,000 men have
been taught to read and write; more
than 100000 have been better ground
ed in grade school subjects; more than
400 900 have taken high school sub
jects; $4,000 have pursued college
courses. Systematic instruction on the
job has been provided, while the en-
rollees are actually engaged on work
projects in forests, parks and fields.
More than so per cent Of all the C.
c. c. boys are now receiving such
l