Across The Fence: FDR's New Deal and the CCC

On March 4, 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn into office as the 32nd President of the United States. His controversial 12 years in the presidency would garner him the reputation of being one of the three most effective leaders of the nation, a distinction he holds along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Immediately after his election he called a special session of the U.S. Congress and began outlining and implementing his "New Deal," intended to pull the United States out of a deep and devastating economic depression.

Twenty-three days later – on March 27 as part of that "New Deal" – Roosevelt introduced the Civilian Conservation Corps bill to both houses, which they approved and passed on March 31. Executive Order 6101 was signed establishing the CCC, and Robert Fechner was appointed as director.

The establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps was perhaps the most popular government program ever established and was likely the fastest ever implemented with the first enrollee being inducted on April 7. The first CCC camp, Camp Roosevelt, was organized in Virginia at George Washington National Forest.

Roosevelt's purpose in establishing the CCC was two-fold. One, it would provide employment for some of the more than 20 percent of unemployed American men and two, the program would help to insure the maintenance and preservation of America's foremost natural resource, the forests and other public lands. In his address to Congress, Roosevelt exclaimed, "...the forests are the lungs of our land [which] purify our air and give fresh strength to our people."

The program, which at the time was also called "Roosevelt's Tree Army," was available to any unemployed, unmarried, male citizen age 18 to 26. Candidates would have to be in good health and able to perform rigorous manual labor. Enlistees were required to complete a minimum of six-months service and could re-enlist for additional six-month terms for up to two years. Soon after beginning the program it was decided to make the opportunity available for unemployed veterans as well and established veterans only camps. Administration of the program required the cooperation of the U.S Departments of Labor, War, Agriculture and Interior with an Advisory Council of one representative from each department.

At that time, unemployment in the U.S. was greater than 20 percent, soup kitchen lines stretched for blocks, banks and businesses closed their doors, and men would gladly work a 10- and 12-hour day for the sum of $1 or less. The Civilian Conservation Corps promised three meals a day, furnished adequate clothing, clean comfortable shelter, productive work, and $30 a month for a 5-day work week.

From those monthly earnings, the young men could keep $5 for their personal needs and the other $25 was sent home to their parents and siblings. For those in need, the CCC was a godsend and the pay was equivalent to a small fortune. Camp directors, supervisors and skilled laborers, who taught the necessary skills, were paid from $36 to $45 per month.

It was established that there should be no more than 300,000 active enrollees at any one time. However, three months into the program, by July 1, 1933, there were 1,463 camps, 250,000 enrollees including 25,000 African-Americans, 28,000 veterans, 14,000 American Indians and 25,000 LEMs (Locally Experienced Men). By the end of August, the number of enrollees had reached more than 500,000 in a total of 2,900 camps throughout the U.S.

During the years of CCC programs, 1933-1942, a total of 200,000 African Americans were enrolled. There were 143 camps, supervised by prominent African-American leaders and educators, all receiving equal pay and equal housing. Originally the CCC camps were integrated, but public opinion of the times prevailed and the camps were soon segregated.

A separate division of CCC was established for Native Americans and provided employment for nearly half of the male heads-of-households on the South Dakota, reservations. These camps built schools and conducted extensive road building operations on and near the reservations. The work also focused on reducing erosion and improving the value of the Indian lands by building dams, seeding eroded grasslands and planting shelter-belts.

In the later years of the program, beginning in 1941, the National Defense Vocational Training Act enabled Native Americans involved in the CCC program to train for employment with the U.S. government. Of the 85,000 Native Americans who served with the CCC, 24,000 also served in the U.S. military and 40,000 left the reservation and took jobs with businesses supporting the war effort.

As the number of enrollees grew, so did the scope of projects undertaken by the CCC.

There were no less than 300 project types under 10 separate classifications. Structural projects included bridges, service buildings and fire lookout towers. Transportation projects covered forest trucking trails, secondary roads, foot trails and even airport landing fields. Erosion control received major attention with the construction of dams, terracing and re-vegetation of eroded ground. Flood control included construction of irrigation canals, drainage and dam maintenance and repair. Forest protection and conservation included firefighting, fire prevention and disease control along with thinning, planting and nursery operations.

A large effort was made in developing recreational areas for public camping and recreation around lakes and ponds. Range management and wildlife preservation were important projects and CCC crews provided emergency relief during natural disasters.

In Nebraska there were a total of 34 companies (that would equal about 6,800 men) that completed more than 60 separate projects. In the Panhandle, there were camps at Fort Robinson, Minatare, Gering, Valentine, Bayard, Bridgeport, Mitchell, Hay Springs, Chadron and several other locations.

Nebraska native Charles E. Humberger was a CCC leader. At 87 years of age, in 1994, Humberger wrote a brief account of his time in Company 762 and recorded his recollections of service. Humberger enrolled with the CCC at the beginning and in his memoir wrote, "...there was little if any work available, and it was in 1933 that I sought refuge with the CCC. I was living on a farm near Fairbury, Neb. The Great Depression was upon us, many banks had closed, prolonged drought and dust storms were beginning, and there was no work available."

Humberger enrolled on June 6, assembled with others who had enrolled at Beatrice, Neb., and was transported to Fort Crook near Omaha. At the fort, camp consisted of several lines of canvas tents for shelter and straw stuffed sacks served as makeshift mattresses.

All recruits were given a physical examination and a series of immunizations before being issued their WWI, surplus uniforms. "We were indoctrinated with the basics of sanitation, housekeeping, formations, marching, and discipline. This initial introduction to discipline, rules, and regulations was entirely new to the enrollees, and for most it became the turning point in their lives and careers. They would become aware that self-respect and dignity were important elements in living and further enriched when they bestowed full respect for the rights and privileges of their associates,"

Humberger's company's first assignment was to Chadron State Park where guest cabins were built, improvements were made to the swimming pool and picnic areas. Roads and trails were constructed and a water supply system was installed. All work was done with picks, shovels and other hand tools.

From Chadron, Company 762 moved to the Sand Hills at Mumper, Neb., near Crescent Lake where they built roads, improved wildlife habitat, and made needed repairs of buildings and other facilities at the refuge. The Company provided an economic boost to the town of Alliance and Oshkosh where supplies were purchased for the projects and the company's men spent their $5 a month.

After completing the Crescent Lake project Co. 762 was sent south to Red Cloud to build dams and ditches for watershed conservation after which they moved back north to build a camp near Gering and work on the Scotts Bluff Monument in the spring of 1935. On the east side of the Gering Canal the Company built a semi-permanent camp with adobe blocks.

The camp was a model layout that included automotive, blacksmith, welding, and woodworking shops. The project lasted for nearly three years, building the Mitchell Pass headquarters, installing water, sewer and electrical systems, landscaping, and constructing picnic areas. The Summit Road alone took many thousands of man-hours using picks, shovels and wheelbarrows to move the earth as it wound its way to the top.

In 1938, Company 762 was mustered out of the CCC program and Humberger was appointed as park ranger at the newly completed Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Here in the Panhandle, the CCC built the lighthouse and picnic areas at Lake Minatare, shelters and other stone work in The Wildcat Hills, built the Alice Lake irrigation flumes and many other irrigation and soil conservation projects around the region.

From 1933-1941, the CCC had employed nearly 3.5 million men who planted 2.5 billion trees, protected from erosion 40 million acres of farmland, built 125,000 miles of road, created 800 state parks and 52,000 acres of public campgrounds. Their works still stand today, monuments to the hard work, determination and pride of young men, our fathers and grandfathers, who chose not to give up during the worst of times.

M. Timothy Nolting is an award-winning Nebraska columnist and freelance writer. Email him at [email protected]