The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-05-14

and recognized as a sincere an
day declared in a letter of resil
supervisor in the Butte area,
that she could no longer re-
main a party to the perversion
of the national program.
Her letter of resignation reciting
in detail the criticisms her trained
and sympathetic understanding has
found to lie at the door of the state
administrator is printed in full below:
Butte, Montana, May IA, 1871
Mr.. ]. b. Love, State Administrator
National Youth Administration
Helena, Montana.
Dear Mr. Love:
| am writing this to offer my res.
ignation as Area Youth Personnel SUI
pervisor in the Butte area. Since my
reasons for resigning are of public in
terest | am making this an open let
ter, and will set forth my reasons
herein in the hope that they may help
> clarity some of the matters now
cnder discussion among progressive
groups and unions throughout the
state. l wish my resignation to be-
come effective at once.
When | came to work in the NYA
was very enthusiastic about the or
ganization and its work. l had heard
about the NYA through press releases
and had studied some phases of the
program in the Social Work Labora-
tory at the State University, where
it is the practice to make students
familiar with the aims and purposes
of all social agencies. | also read the
bulletins of the American Youth Com
mission and the NYA National Ad-
Tisory Committee. These bulletins,
the speeches of Mr.. Aubrey Williams,
and the procedures under which NYA
operates led me, and 9th
ers, to believe that the National Youth
Administration was an agency which
was designed and operated to serve
the best interests of youth. | still
think that the national policies of
~ L II Ill III Will LnO DCoL
interests of youth and that the ma
tional officers are making a fair and
honest effort to build a program
which will really offer youth an OPP
portunity for desirable work expert
ence, democratic participation in dis
of NYA policies, participa-
lion in program planning, and practice
in desirable self expression. | can no
onger believe that the Montana NYA
program is in harmony with these OBJ
ectives, nor is it possible for me any
onger to delude myself with the idea |
hat there is possibility of reform |
)r change under the present admins
ration. Rather, feel that to remain |
n the organization would place me in |
he position of endorsing a program |
hat actually works against the best |
interests of youth.
Apparently the only interest many
If the people in the Montana NYA
lave is to hold their jobs. While |
Lm at this | feel that | might as well
lame names and at least try to bring
'uL oOAiiC Va LILO ilOol unlOi ifdDlo
of intelligent administration.
My first establishment came when
dr. Cougill, Mr.. Ulberg, and Mr. Sic
'ert informed me that only the best"
oys could be accepted for our resi-
ent project. l was termed Stupid
ociologist" when / maintained that
had interpreted the program as be-
1g for all needy youth. | quote Mr..
aubrey Williams as source of my
stupid" beliefs: ours are not show
rejects. Our program is not for the
right boys of the community only.
'ur whole thought is to adjust our
rork to the level of the youths ca
acity. Former Justice Brandeis gave
lie that idea. He said the youngsters
this country were not all of the
anne level of intelligence, of phys
Iue, and that any program that didn't
Ike that into consideration is going
, miss the mark. We have never
tempted to measure our work by the
lings we constructed, but by what 1t
ID for the boy and girl. There is
D loss Of status for failure at given
Lsk. The entire program in Mon
ina seems to be operated on the
asis that only the best youth should
: served. The only two boys was
yer able to get into the resident prof.
It's who were not high school grad
ates were two boys recommended by