They Gave Us the C.C.C.

18 ARIZONA HIGHWAYS NOVEMBER, 1935. They Gave Us the C. C. C.

By REX KING U. S. Forest Service THE Civilian Conservation Corps, of all the social adjustment experiments which have come out of the depression, has probably received the least criticism. The value of the camps to the boys, from a sociological viewpoint, is easily recognized by the average person.

The boys are given a fair wage, healthful, cheerful surroundings, vocational training and whatever form of elementary education they desire and can absorb. Probably the most important phase of this mind and body building program is the training in citizenship, resulting directly from living in a disciplined group, where life is a systematic, well ordered, and the law is respected.

A great deal has been written about those values, received both by the boys and the nation as a whole, and they are recognized by the majority of persons. Much less, however, has been said about the actual value of their work to the local communities in which the camps are established.

This is probably true because the jobs accomplished by the boys are done, in most cases, away from the main traveled roads, and back where the general eye of the public fails to penetrate. The jobs are carried out quietly and they are seldom spectacular enough to deserve much "space" in local publications. But their importance in the present day scheme of conservation is tremendous.

There may be some persons who believe that the jobs provided for the CCC are merely temporary in nature and found simply to keep the boys busy. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

An excellent example of what actually goes on "behind the scenes" may be taken from the activities of the U. S. Forest Service in Arizona.

For years the local Forest Service has foreseen many important jobs that should be done to improve the Na'ional Forests and further the interests of conservation. Due to lack of funds, the accomplishment of these jobs could be realized only at a very slow rate of speed. The actual plans had long been made, but the necessary money and man-power needed to carry out these And No Single Factor in the State Has Done So Much in So Little Time.

plans were lacking.

When word was received that labor would be had from CCC Camps, plans were taken from the Forest Service files and consulted. Jobs, locations, and necessary estimates were all only a matter of a short time. When the camps moved in the preliminary planning was finished and the projects were ready for the actual beginning of the work. Blue prints were made, specifications and standards set up, road grades run-out and staked, and all other preliminaries completed.

Many of the boys, when they arrived in camp, knew little of the actual technique required for the Forest Service projects as outlined. It was necessary to train them in the special uses of the different tools and machinery, fit one group for one kind of work, and another group for another kind of work. Then they were placed under the direct supervision of experienced Forest Service foreman, who had at heart, both the training of the boys and the accomplishment of their work.

Producing timber is much the same as producing any other crop from the soil. Of course it takes longer, but it is necessary to use just as much work and management in this line as the production of any other agricultural crop. With this idea in view many CCC boys were designated to timber stand improvement work, and since the camps were first established in May and June of 1933, they have covered, in the state, over 19,000 acres. They also spent about 11,626 man-days fighting forest fires; 39,453 acres were covered by tree disease control, and over 5,000 acres of insect control. There are estimated about 65 different types of work which CCC boys have done. All of these jobs were accomplished under the supervision of the Forest Service.

As a part of the fire protection system, 510 miles of telephone line has been built, and numerous fire lookout towers and guard cabins have been erected.

During this same period, 785 miles of various types of roads and about 156 miles of trails have been constructed. Many additional miles of maintenance work has been carried out in conjunction with the regular building program.

In selecting from the plans, the roads and other improvements to be built by the camps, the ones chosen were those which were most needed and could not have been constructed for many years to come if ordinary funds had been relied upon.

The large, high standard road projects have been avoided because they can be built by ordinary methods of contract labor. In all cases of CCC work, attempt is made to avoid doing work which can be done through employment of older, local men.

As a step in furthering proper range management on the National Forests, 583 miles of fence has been erected, and many stock watering places have been built.

As a part of the watershed management over 55,000 erosion check dams and flood control dams have been constructed in addition to the other jobs (Continued on page 26)