The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was the child of poverty and neglect, but it lived in honor and died because of World War II. It was a pseudo military operation and taught skills for a lifetime. In addition to vocational education, there were obvious benefits such as discipline, work habits and proper relationships.
To attack the depression, the CCC was created by the Unemployment Relief Bill under its founder, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. By executive Order 6101, dated April 5, 1933, the Emergency Conservation Work was officially activated which became the Federal Security Agency in 1939.
The CCC's twin aims were to alleviate the critical unemployment situation among American youth and to curtail the destruction of America's natural resources. A typical CCC camp consisted of 12 wooden buildings; mess hall, four barracks with capacity for 50 men, officer's quarters, garages, tool houses, supply building, and bath houses. Such camp existed on the east side of DeRidder, Louisiana, at a site where the present Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Inc. (beci) is located on Highway 171 South. Men, mostly 17 and 18 year olds, received vocational and on-the-job training at the camps. Thousands completed elementary and high school and illiterates were taught to read and write. Locally, mechanics classes were taught which trained Dan Dugas for a vocation that was useful to him throughout his working years. Locals who had signed up and were assigned to the DeRidder camp were: Teddy Eaves, Louis Burge, Owen Slaydon and Dan Dugas. All worked 8 hour days, 5 days per week for $30. per month. At the time, cigarettes could be bought for 14 cents a pack and theater tickets sold for about 15 cents. Inasmuch as young men were needed in the armed forces, World War II led to the termination of the CCC. On July 2, 1942, some six months after the Pearl Harbor attack, Congress enacted legislation that provided for the disbandment of the CCC. Thus, the Corps was officially dissolved on June 30, 1943. By then, almost 3 million men had gained experience in the CCC program. Supervisors, who were Regular Army or Reserve Officers, had gained invaluable experience in organizing and training men that would serve their country well during the war.
To attack the depression, the CCC was created by the Unemployment Relief Bill under its founder, President Franklin D. Roosevelt. By executive Order 6101, dated April 5, 1933, the Emergency Conservation Work was officially activated which became the Federal Security Agency in 1939.
The CCC's twin aims were to alleviate the critical unemployment situation among American youth and to curtail the destruction of America's natural resources. A typical CCC camp consisted of 12 wooden buildings; mess hall, four barracks with capacity for 50 men, officer's quarters, garages, tool houses, supply building, and bath houses. Such camp existed on the east side of DeRidder, Louisiana, at a site where the present Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Inc. (beci) is located on Highway 171 South. Men, mostly 17 and 18 year olds, received vocational and on-the-job training at the camps. Thousands completed elementary and high school and illiterates were taught to read and write. Locally, mechanics classes were taught which trained Dan Dugas for a vocation that was useful to him throughout his working years. Locals who had signed up and were assigned to the DeRidder camp were: Teddy Eaves, Louis Burge, Owen Slaydon and Dan Dugas. All worked 8 hour days, 5 days per week for $30. per month. At the time, cigarettes could be bought for 14 cents a pack and theater tickets sold for about 15 cents. Inasmuch as young men were needed in the armed forces, World War II led to the termination of the CCC. On July 2, 1942, some six months after the Pearl Harbor attack, Congress enacted legislation that provided for the disbandment of the CCC. Thus, the Corps was officially dissolved on June 30, 1943. By then, almost 3 million men had gained experience in the CCC program. Supervisors, who were Regular Army or Reserve Officers, had gained invaluable experience in organizing and training men that would serve their country well during the war.
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