How many of us remember the days of the “Great Depression?” Probably quite a few! Luckily, I was just a kid back then and I know my parents tried to shield me from such dire facts, but here is Bill Jackman, who is younger than me—he seems to know quite a bit about it. So, here are quotes from his book:
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was set up back in Depression Days, like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) for people on hard times. There were many people with no jobs, no work, no food for their family, no banks, foreclosures on loans, no roof over their heads, no money to buy clothes. Wow, this depresses me just to write about it!
So a plan was set up by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt during depression times to help those in need. There were two sources, the WPA which worked in the cities and the CCC which worked out in areas farther from home. Pay was the same—$15 a month, or a half dollar per day. The CCC also gave room and board. Barracks were built for workers to live in all over the country. It was a Federal Government project to put America’s unemployed back to work, giving them somewhat of a living wage, which was enough to make a difference. It’s hard to imagine 50 cents a day being called a wage!
The barracks may not have looked like much, but it was a roof over one’s head, food on the table and sheets on the bed. It may have been cold and uninsulated, but they kept a fire going 24 hours a day with a good supply of wood. It was a warm place for all those talented workers. I’m sure good warm wool blankets kept the men warm too, and imagine they hated the trip out back in the early mornings. But you knew you were still alive and your system hadn’t frozen up!
So what did the barracks look like—mainly like big garages with a small door, wood floors, many windows with no curtains, no insulation-just outside boards unfinished inside, with an old pot-bellied stove in the center for heat. Imagine there was a cook stove in a corner, long counters and dishpan. Maybe some picnic tables in a row and rows of bunk beds along the wall. The ice house was out back where food was kept. The men probably washed up in the barracks from water heated in a tea kettle, as when it came out of the pump, it was a bit on the cold side!
You have to remember these programs were set up by the President for all the states and the barracks were built by carpenters that were in the CCC too. What kind of work did they do? They built picnic areas with sturdy tables, scenic overlooks, state parks. One example, the picnic tables out on Lilac Way, between Minneapolis and Robbinsdale. How many times had you enjoyed a big family picnic out there? At Duluth they built a rest area just before going down in to town—think it was called Thompson Park Scenic Area. In the town of Garrison, by Lake Mille Lacs, there was a wall, behind a big walleye that the CCC built—and all that for 50 cents a day!
What did these men do for fun? They would frolic and play on weekends and go to a back country bar, or even to a bar or saloon in town. Have a bottle of beer-beer cost 50 cents a bottle—now there goes a day’s wage! But the bottle was called a picnic bottle and held a half gallon of beer. When they went to local saloons, many of these men were musically talented and they’d bring their guitars, fiddles, harmonicas and accordions and play for free. Along with them, the locals had a good time and sometimes beer was given free in appreciation. Back in the barracks the men played cards and wrote letters to loved ones. If I remember right, a stamp cost a penny.
So what happened to those barracks? In 1942 the war broke out and many of the CCC and WPA men went overseas fighting for our country. The barracks again were used, this time for German prisoners of war. They were also put to work, with security of course, because there was a lot of work to be done—logging, farming, etc. They were taken out in groups to do these tasks until the war was over. They were given good meals, a place to stay and treated well. Like the CCC they were paid for their time as workers.
Then, saving their money, some of them liked it so well they wanted to stay. They became citizens of the U.S., sent for their families, bought property and continued to live here and raise their families. Of course, they were out of the barracks now and you can see how those barracks had a double life!
Note: Thanks to Bill Jackman for letting me use his story!
On a sad note: Bill Jackman, a very kind, industrious and talented man has passed away. He not only wrote a small booklet about his early experiences living in Camden, but he wrote articles for the Behind the Victory Flagpole column in this paper and did the sketches.
He devoted his life to making other people happy. His days were spent in his cabin in Outing, Minnesota making toys and presents out of wood with equipment scattered all over the kitchen and main room. He claimed it was a sawdusty mess, but he loved it, as well as feeding the wild life that surrounded his cabin. All the toys were given to anyone he deemed in need, aside from leaving many of the things he made in libraries.
Bill was born on the Fourth of July, 1936 and lived at his folk’s house at 4110 Queen Ave. N. He had only sisters, and attended Loring Elementary and Henry High. When married he had four children and had several different occupations, including school bus driver for Robbinsdale for 30 years. He passed away on December 10, 2013, after living in a residential care facility for a couple years, and will be sorely missed by many. The Henry website has more stories from Bill; go to_ henry.mpls.k12.mn.us/billjackman_56 _returns_to_henry.html.
Barbara Meyer Bistodeau