The men usually arrived at camp malnourished and hungry, often coming from difficult backgrounds with limited access to food. For example, Otis Miller, who came from a large family of sharecroppers, described their situation as living on just one rabbit a day. However, upon arriving at the camp, their circumstances changed positively. The men gained weight and improved their health, with Otis noting that they gained about 15 pounds each, and they were able to enjoy full meals regularly at the camp.
The Civilian Conservation Corps
(paragraphs 3-6)
The Men of the Corps
3 In 1933, thousands of young men came to serve in Franklin D. Roosevelt's conservation corps. They came from all over America--from the cities, small towns, and farms. These men opted for long days and hard, dirty work, living in quasi-military camps far from home. They earned money to send to their needy families, received three square meals a day, and escaped from idle purposelessness by contributing to the renewal and beautification of the country.
4 When they arrived at their camps, enrollees received two sets of blue denim work clothes. They also received a renovated army olive drab uniform for dress purposes. At first, the uniforms tended to be too large for the thin, young enrollees. Because Roosevelt believed that shoddy clothes weakened morale, he ordered a special, spruce-green dress uniform for the men. The CCC members followed a tight, military-style schedule, and began working in camps all over the United States. They earned $30 a month. They each received $5 for themselves and were required to send the rest of their earnings home to their impoverished families.
5 The men usually arrived at their camps malnourished and hungry. Otis Miller was one example. He came from a large family of sharecroppers who lived on one rabbit a day. Otis joined the CCC before he turned 16 years old. He described the men's situation as follows: "We were about 100 pounds when we arrived. It wasn't long before we gained 15 pounds apiece. You could eat a full meal there."
6 The full daily schedule emphasized on-the-job training. The goal of the training was to produce efficient, intelligent workers who might find gainful employment elsewhere after leaving the CCC. About 10 percent left that summer, but when the time came for a second enrollment, about 175,000 of the original men renewed for a second six-month term.
How did the men usually arrive at camp? How did this change when they were there? (paragraph 5)
1 answer
3 answers