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A CCC Enrollee a Day Kept Depression Away

By Deniane Gutke Karchner

(continued)

Time Well Spent

CCC camp picture taken in Blanding circa 1935. ( San Juan Historical Commission photo)

After lunch CCC enrollees worked until about four o'clock, depending on the project. As far as hours went, if there were "goldbrickers" who wouldn't work, they spent all afternoon finishing a two-hour job. On the other hand, if they got a job done early, they were given that time to do what they wanted. (Montella)

One popular way for a CCC enrollee to spend his free time was in recreational trips to scenic areas around San Juan County which provided not only entertainment but education.

Foreman Phil Hurst took his group out to Natural Bridges, and he related this story::

Out under that big bridge--well, it's almost unbelievable unless you get down under it. We had the whole raft of them. They were seeing who could throw that high, but this one boy--I never forgot it. He sat just like that, looking up at that bridge, I think for ten minutes without ever moving. Finally he said, 'By golly, you know, any man that can sit here and look at that and not be a better man afterward has something wrong with him."

Fern Watkins, Ray Mosser, Georgan Burtensahw, and Blacky Reidy outside the Blanding South LDS Chapel. (G. Burtenshaw photo)

Statements such as these weren't uncommon, for the boys were experiencing many things they had never seen or done before. Fern Watkins, whose father Julian Asa Laws was a foreman, recalls three CCC enrollees visiting her barn one time. They were staring at a cow (having never seen one before) and when it stepped toward them, they took off. (Watkins) Many enrollees did not know how to use an axe or any other equipment, but they learned. Many continued in the work they learned in the CCC as a career.

Instructional classes were held once a week after supper, where a foreman explained the next job. Through this, CCC enrollees learned safety and got a feel for the job before they started work. After classes ended, many enrollees continued their education in the library where they read up on current events or enjoyed a classic.

CCC enrollees also spent free time in competition with other camps and the communities in baseball, basketball, or boxing. Montella remembers when the CCC boys received brand-new wool uniforms to play baseball. When it rained and ruined them, they were all afraid to report to the captain. But, when the captain saw them all, he just laughed. (Montella 15)

The CCC's enjoyed baseball, and they generated a new level of competition as they instigated tournaments in Blanding. Back: Tony DeAngelo, Pete Demider, James Albertano, Frank Basil. Front: Joe ?, Toddy Wozniak, Willie Certonio, John Geruic, Bo Montella. Team was identified as CCC-32-41. (Frank Montella photo)



Mike "Gans" Camberlango. His father was a professional boxer who went by the name of Gans. Mike helped organize most of the boxing matches that the CCC boys had.

Once a week, many CCC enrollees spent time with a chaplain at a religious service, or tried to stay away from the chaplain wanting him to attend. Keele remembers Catholic chaplains going throughout the barracks Sunday morning, asking, "Are you Catholic?" If the enrollee said, "yes," they would make him go. Amazingly, there were not many conflicts between the different religions represented in the CCC. One night a week they had some kind of religious service, where a church came in with a speaker and a few musical numbers. Foreman Hurst felt they made great efforts to make it as elevating as they could. (Hurst 26.) Sometimes different denominations tried to convert each other. Keele related an experience one of the lieutenants, Jake Ranisky, had with the LDS (Latter Day Saint) missionaries. Jake was a Jew, and the local missionaries were trying to convert him. Keele recalls Ranisky's remarks to them as "Well, I like your religion; I think it's good. But, if I ever get guts enough to get rid of this one religion I got, I won't never take up another one!" (Keele 15.)

Not all of a CCC enrollee's free time was spent well. Many times there were disagreements that had to be settled by disciplinary actions. The most popular way the authorities handled differences in the CCC was to have the boys fight it out. If enrollees disagreed, they gave them boxing gloves and told them to settle it. Usually this worked. Other forms of punishment included the brig, which was literally a jail cell, and KP duty.

Boys from Ohio who were in the CCC's. Jim Cook, Anthon Bayles, and John Wilson. 1935. (Donna Wozniak photo)

Though some problems arose, a CCC enrollee's free time was generally beneficial. Enrollees learned to play instruments and sing, participating in several jam sessions. Montella remembers they had jam sessions even if there were no instruments. They would play with hangers on a truck for drums if necessary. Once CCC enrollees decided what sort of work they liked to do best, they spent a lot of time developing the interest into a trade that would be beneficial to them later. By the time the CCC enrollee's head hit his Army cot at night, he had a day worth remembering.

A CCC Enrolle a Day Kept Depression Away continued

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Last Updated July 22, 1997 by Janet Wilcox