We could use another round of this. The poster for Girls do you want a job: first view appears to be "stripper". PRobably isn't but can't figure out what else it could be.
I would prefer to have the free market hire and trained these young people to learn a trade. Instead of terraforming with picks and axes, they could have been building tools of the industry and tractors and backhoes which would have done the work of a hundred men with no need to rest.
The government does all things poorly. Always have and always will.
Of course i knew of the CCC and the outdoor work they did. But your story gave it a history, a reason, and an understanding I had not known. Thank you!
And FYI, my grandson Jesse joined AmeriCorps in 2019. It helped him find himself and provided a background and basis for the career in serving children, health, and nutrition he is pursuing now.
I don't write many essays any more, but because of my mother's and son's involvement with the program, I got very interested in it and was pleased to see there are smaller version still alive and well.
In 2007 I drove the length of the Pacific Coast Highway alone, and seem to remember that parts of it were built by some similar government projects, and by prisoners? My memory is fuzzy though. It was a lonely yet beautiful, introspective, and cherished drive.
Yes! I believe a good long section of the Pacific Coast Highway was built by prisoners from San Quentin, whose sentences were shortened in exchange for their labor. I believe they also help build the famous Bixby Bridge, south of Monterey.
Haha! No, we were visiting Carmel for the weekend! I live in Texas now. Although I’ve lived all over California at one time or another, including San Francisco and Sacramento.
My mom used to say that when Franklin Roosevelt died, people didn’t know how we would go on without him. He was the only president she had known at that point.
I sort of agree with her. After Roosevelt everything just went downhill, except for the one minor blip of JFK. Why? What has happened to America's statesmen? On all sides, all I see are greedy, ineffectual liars. .... Oh. excuse me. I didn't mean to say that out loud...
Are you the Sharron Bassano who has education books on Amazon? 🤗 I ordered Janice Walton’s book on Amazon after learning a lot from her Substack posts, and I figure many people who write on Substack must be published authors.
Yes, Karen. In the '80sand '90s I wrote several books for teachers and students of English as a Second Language. All are out of print now, but there are always a few floating around on Amazon and eBay. My novel Bartle Clunes is available on eBay.
Wow, very impressive!!! 😍 I had an experience of English as a second language in a different form, while tutoring in a housing project, I heard the kids often using Ebonics phrasings. Rather than criticizing their English as bad English, the more enlightened tutors recognized Ebonics as a legitimate form of English and tutored standard English as a second language to them, honoring both languages equally.
What a great experience. Ebonics is a dialect. It has its own, very regular, grammar and vocabulary. Standard American English is truly a second language for some of our Black communities.. Good for you for being part of the educational process that gives them the option.
Randomly, in an old poetry book from a thrift shop, I just found a poem whose title caught my attention: “An Elementary Classroom in a Slum” by Stephen Spender. (the word “slum” seems politically incorrect, with its connotations. But when I use the phrase “housing project”, maybe that sounds stereotyping, too) Nice lines about books:
“And show the children to the fields
and all their world...
to let their tongues
run naked into books, the white and green leaves open
Many years ago, I had an 18-year-old client who signed up for the CCC. Her parents were getting a divorce, she was graduating from high school didn't want to go to college, and had no place to go. She loved the CCC, it became her new home during a tough time.
My grandpa was in the ccc. I don’t know any more than that and so wish I did. Remarkable impact.
Glad to hear it! I'll bet it was I time he never forgot.
Our grandson Ryle was just discussing opportunity this with his mother this past week!
I would love to hear more about how that goes!
We could use another round of this. The poster for Girls do you want a job: first view appears to be "stripper". PRobably isn't but can't figure out what else it could be.
Looks like she is holding a pair of scissors, so maybe a seamstress? I couldn't find a large clear copy of the poster. Sorry.
I would prefer to have the free market hire and trained these young people to learn a trade. Instead of terraforming with picks and axes, they could have been building tools of the industry and tractors and backhoes which would have done the work of a hundred men with no need to rest.
The government does all things poorly. Always have and always will.
The government did this extremely well.
They sure did. It was a well thought out program and it not only taught skills, it raised self-confidence.
What a great reminder of the importance of these programs and their lasting impact.
Thank you. I agree.
I would have rather been involved in these programs than pursuing a "higher" education.
Now you're talking, James Ron! A plumber and a carpenter are never out of work. Tech workers are a dime a dozen... sorry to say.
Thank you, Sharron, for this beautiful reminder of this history.
Glad you liked it, Karen. Thanks for your comments!
Of course i knew of the CCC and the outdoor work they did. But your story gave it a history, a reason, and an understanding I had not known. Thank you!
Glad you liked the info Wade. CCC was a hell of a good deal during the great depression.
And FYI, my grandson Jesse joined AmeriCorps in 2019. It helped him find himself and provided a background and basis for the career in serving children, health, and nutrition he is pursuing now.
Hooray! Good for him. He was planning ahead, wasn't he!
Absolutely fascinating, Sharron - what a terrific read!
I don't write many essays any more, but because of my mother's and son's involvement with the program, I got very interested in it and was pleased to see there are smaller version still alive and well.
In 2007 I drove the length of the Pacific Coast Highway alone, and seem to remember that parts of it were built by some similar government projects, and by prisoners? My memory is fuzzy though. It was a lonely yet beautiful, introspective, and cherished drive.
Yes! I believe a good long section of the Pacific Coast Highway was built by prisoners from San Quentin, whose sentences were shortened in exchange for their labor. I believe they also help build the famous Bixby Bridge, south of Monterey.
I drove over the Bixby Bridge last weekend!
Now that's a coincidence! You live in the Bay Area now?
Haha! No, we were visiting Carmel for the weekend! I live in Texas now. Although I’ve lived all over California at one time or another, including San Francisco and Sacramento.
But not originally from California or Texas, right?
Actually, Mrs. Wolf and I were both born in L.A. and lived there most of our lives. We moved to Texas 4 years ago.
Sharon, thank you for enlightening all of us readers! Beauty in the dark days!
It makes me sad that we have no one in government any more, that I can see, with vision.
My mom used to say that when Franklin Roosevelt died, people didn’t know how we would go on without him. He was the only president she had known at that point.
I sort of agree with her. After Roosevelt everything just went downhill, except for the one minor blip of JFK. Why? What has happened to America's statesmen? On all sides, all I see are greedy, ineffectual liars. .... Oh. excuse me. I didn't mean to say that out loud...
Are you the Sharron Bassano who has education books on Amazon? 🤗 I ordered Janice Walton’s book on Amazon after learning a lot from her Substack posts, and I figure many people who write on Substack must be published authors.
Yes, Karen. In the '80sand '90s I wrote several books for teachers and students of English as a Second Language. All are out of print now, but there are always a few floating around on Amazon and eBay. My novel Bartle Clunes is available on eBay.
Wow, very impressive!!! 😍 I had an experience of English as a second language in a different form, while tutoring in a housing project, I heard the kids often using Ebonics phrasings. Rather than criticizing their English as bad English, the more enlightened tutors recognized Ebonics as a legitimate form of English and tutored standard English as a second language to them, honoring both languages equally.
What a great experience. Ebonics is a dialect. It has its own, very regular, grammar and vocabulary. Standard American English is truly a second language for some of our Black communities.. Good for you for being part of the educational process that gives them the option.
Randomly, in an old poetry book from a thrift shop, I just found a poem whose title caught my attention: “An Elementary Classroom in a Slum” by Stephen Spender. (the word “slum” seems politically incorrect, with its connotations. But when I use the phrase “housing project”, maybe that sounds stereotyping, too) Nice lines about books:
“And show the children to the fields
and all their world...
to let their tongues
run naked into books, the white and green leaves open
The history theirs whose language is the sun.”
"...let their tongues run naked into books..." Lovely!
Many years ago, I had an 18-year-old client who signed up for the CCC. Her parents were getting a divorce, she was graduating from high school didn't want to go to college, and had no place to go. She loved the CCC, it became her new home during a tough time.
That's a great story,Janice. The camaraderie and solidarity of purpose must have served her very well at the time.
Nah, looks like a nyloned stocking leg with frou frou cancan skirt at the top. Women wouldn't stand for that, so I must be wrong eh?
Yep. A woman holding scissors. If you enlarge your screen view, you can see it.