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Sarris library to pay tribute to Civilian Conservation Corps

2 min read

Michigan-based author Bill Jamerson will present a music and storytelling program about the Civilian Conservation Corps at 3 p.m. May 6 at Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg.

The presentation includes stories, original songs, a video clip from his PBS film and excerpts from his novel, “Big Shoulders.” Jamerson has performed at CCC reunions around the country and at CCC-built parks.

The Civilian Conservation Corps was a federal works program created in 1933 by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Depression.

During its nine-year run, 194,000 thousand men between 17 and 25 served in Pennsylvania. They were paid $1 a day, with $25 sent home to their families each month.There was an average of 74 camps in operation each year in the state.

The CCC planted millions of trees in the Allegheny National Forest and state forests, constructed thousands of miles of roads, built hundreds of bridges and dams, stocked fish, repaired riverbanks, fought forest fires and built more than 20 state parks, including Blue Knob, Hickory Run, French Creek, Worlds End and Raccoon Creek. They also were involved in historic restoration projects at Fort Necessity, Gettysburg and other sites.

The camps not only revitalized the state’s natural resources, but also taught the young men discipline and work skills. Thousands of homeless, destitute and at-risk youth from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh joined the CCC, and, as a result, those cities saw significant reductions in

juvenile crimes.

“Big Shoulders” is a historical novel that follows a year in the life of a 17-year-old from Detroit, who enlisted in the CCC in 1937. He joins 200 other young men at a work camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is a coming-of-age story of an angry teenager who faces the rigors of hard work, learning to cope with a difficult sergeant and fending off a bully.

Some of the songs Jamerson performs with his guitar include “Franklin D.,” written by an appreciative CCC boy; “Chowtime,” a fun look at the camp food; “City Slicker,” which tells of the mischief the boys create in the woods; and “Wood Tick,” which is about the nicknames locals gave to the enrollees.

Former members of the CCC and their families are encouraged to attend and bring photo albums and CCC memorabilia.

For more information, call the library at 745-1308 or visit wwwbilljamerson.com.

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