1930's Lifestyles and Social Trends | Saga of the CCC

Poem

By: John D. Guthrie

Date: 1942

Source: Guthrie, John D. Saga of the CCC. Washington D.C.: American Forestry Association, 1942, 11–45.

About the Author: John D. Guthrie was a member of the United States Forest Service. He collected and published poems about forestry and the Forest Service. He wrote Saga of the CCC in 1942.

Introduction

Franklin Roosevelt's immediate objective upon taking office on March 4, 1933, was providing relief to the needy. One of the most popular New Deal programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The aim was to put young unemployed men to work on much-needed conservation programs.

Roosevelt proposed the CCC on March 21, 1933. It was signed into law on April 5, and the first recruit enlisted on April 7. The first camp began operation on April 17. By July, some 275,000 "boys" were at work in 1,300 camps...