Daddy John and the CCC

Daddy John (Granpa's father) was born in East Texas in 1915.  He had a brother, Ruben, and two sisters, Maybelle and Helen.  (He had more siblings, but they didn't live long.  Daddy John was the oldest of those that did survive.)  His dad was a hard man - but those born in the late 1800's almost had to be.  By the time Daddy John was a teenager, he'd had a whole lot too much of his dad's mean spirit. (Lots of teenagers think that their daddys are mean spirited.)  Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal had put in place the Civilian Conservation Corp, and Daddy John signed up.

It was 1933.  The government didn't do welfare then; welfare wasn't passed by Congress until 1935. Americans believed that one should work for their money.  Congress believed the CCC would "build good citizens through vigorous, disciplined outdoor labor," that this civilian "tree army" would relieve the rural unemployed and keep youth "off the city street corners.'"  Work provided self-esteem which would translate into money, and the work that CCC crews did brought pride to themselves and to all of America to this day.

Managed by the Army, nearly 3 million men went through the CCC during it's nine year existence, and came out quite prepared for an unexpected World War II.

The first CCC to arrive at the Grand Canyon was Company 819 on May 29, 1933.  Daddy John was assigned to the bottom of the Canyon at Phantom Ranch where the Bright Angel Campground now sits.

The supplies came in on the backs of mules or burros; the men walked in and out - unless, of course, there was an accident or health issue.  Then they got to ride out.

Though I can't say that I would appreciate the ride up, flat on my back, wobbling left and right, trusting a stubborn mule ...

(Hey!  Wait a minute!  Isn't that a female sitting on the lead horse??) (Maybe it's an Army nurse?)

Do you see how high this suspension bridge is?


























Well, Daddy John was no shrinking violet.  If he isn't careful, he'll be the next one transported out by a mule!

After the back-breaking work these guys put in,

they needed nourishment.  The Army has always been pretty good at that.

This is the view from the inside - really not much difference between this and the FEMA tents we were fed in during our Disaster Relief deployments to New Orleans.

Now the day is done and there's a few minutes for R & R.

Phantom Ranch, 1930's style!

Daddy John was paid $15 a month for his service, of which he kept a couple of dollars, and the rest was sent home to his parents.  Now, $15 a month may not seem like a lot to you, but A) average pay for unskilled workers in 1933 was ony about $40 a month, B) the CCC provided room and board, too, and C) there were no jobs to be had for any amount of pay no matter how small.  Besides, look at what food cost back then:

Apples (per lb) $.03 Bacon (per lb) $.22 Bananas (per lb.) $.15 Beef, Rib Roast (per lb) $.22 Beef, Round steak (per lb) $.26 Beef, Sirloin steak (per lb) $.29 Bread (20 oz loaf) $.05 Butter (per lb) $.28 Cheese (per lb) $.24 Chicken (per lb) $.22 Coffee (per lb) $.26 Cornflakes (8oz package) $.08 Eggs (per dozen) $.29 Ham (per lb) $.31 Hamburger (per lb) $.10 Hershey chocolate bar $.04

Leg of lamb (per lb) $.22 Meal, breakfast $.25 Meal, lunch $.50 Meal, dinner $.75 Meal, Waldorf Astoria (NYC) Morse Grill $2 Milk (per qt) $.10 Onions (per lb.) $.03 Oranges (per dozen) $.27 Pork chops (per lb) $.20 Potatoes (per lb.) $.01 Rice (per lb.) $.06 Salmon (16 oz can) $.19 Sugar (per lb.) $.05 Tomatoes (16 oz can) $.09 Whiskey (per qt) $1.50 (after 1932) Wrigley's Spearmint or Doublemint gum $.03

Seriously, a meal at the fanciest hotel restaurant in New York City cost a whoppin' $2.00!  Potatoes were a penny a pound.  A package of 5 sticks of chewing gum was only three cents.  Gasoline was ten cents a gallon.  You could buy a set of four tires for $6.35.   You could get an 8-piece set of dining room furniture for $46.50.  So, $15 a month guaranteed wasn't so bad after all.

The CCC program was closed down in July, 1942 because the availability of jobs mushroomed with the need for armaments world-wide.

Nationwide the CCC managed to plant more than 3 billion trees, constructed 28,000 miles of trail, and built 63,000 buildings.  Not bad for a bunch of 16+ year olds, eh!