A Day in the Life

 

More About the CCC

• Introduction to the CCC
• Organization of the CCC
• Who Were the Men of the CCC?
• CCC Camps in Utah
• CCC Work Projects
• The End of the CCC
• 1989 CCC Reunion
• The CCC: Then and Now

"[After breakfast] we would turn over the boys to the park operation at eight o'clock…Our park superintendent in charge of the workforce was a gentleman by the name of Frank Rozelle, who'd been here for a long time and was an excellent, excellent foreman….Our duty, of course, was to turn the boys over…So we had no responsibility as far as the work. But we did pay them." 
-Army Lieutenant Harrison Brothers, who oversaw the management of CCC Camp NP-4 from 1934-1938.



 

Daily Routine

 

ZION 12020. According to Glen Bair, a CCC man stationed in Zion 1933-1934, "We raised the flag every morning, then you would get on the trucks and you would go to work." This image is a snapshot of the flag raising at Cedar Breaks National Monument.

 

ZION 7097E: After breakfast, the men would stand in attention in front of the colors during the raising of the flag before heading off to work. This photo shows the enrollees standing at attention in front of the flagpole at Bridge Mountain Camp in Zion.

Camp life in the Civilian Conservation Corps came with structure and well-defined schedules. The men would be woken up with reveille by army camp personnel at 6 a.m. They would then prepare for the day by showering, engaging in calisthenics, and eating breakfast. At 8 a.m., the CCC enrollees would be handed over to NPS rangers, who supervised their work. Work would last until 5 p.m., with a break for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. Dinner would be served at 6 p.m. and the men would have leisure time until lights out at 10 p.m. In the evenings, Monday through Friday, educational classes and sporting events were offered. The men were given the weekends off to spend as they pleased. This schedule helped the CCC men learn discipline and maintained order within the camps.

 

Left image, 14ZION 12658: The CCC enrolled men completed as much work as possible throughout the winter in Zion, even when there was snow on the ground like in this photo of several men headed to their work site.

Right image, ZION 12659: After work was done for the day, the CCC men used their evenings to relax and spend as they pleased. This photo shows some men reading and conversing outside a camp building.

 

ZION 1907: Easily distinguishable among men in the traditional CCC work uniform, the kitchen staff is seen here in their white aprons and chef hats.

 

ZION 7097B: The mess hall is where the men took most their meals. Cleanliness was emphasized, and the CCC enrollees were all expected to clean up after themselves.

Food

Food was one of the centerpieces of camp life in the CCC. The Great Depression caused numerous problems for the young men of the nation and, prior to enrollment, many of the young men had struggled to make ends meet. It was common for them to join weak and undernourished due to conditions of the times, which included a lack of food, little exercise, limited access to health services, and many felt the weakening effects of mental fatigue and stress from continuous unemployment. At the start of the CCC in 1933, the average length of unemployment was seven months, and the national unemployment rate was 25%.

 

Left image, ZION 12009: The CCC camps in Zion Canyon were lucky enough to have their own bakers. Pictured here is one of the bakers posing outside in the snow with two freshly baked pies.

Right image, ZION 12653: Each man took turns on kitchen patrol duty to assist the cooks in the kitchen. They were all responsible for cleaning up after themselves and washing their dishes. These men are waiting in line to scrub their plates and utensils.

In CCC camps, men received three square meals a day. Breakfast and dinner were served in the mess hall, while lunch was either served in the mess hall or packed and taken to work sites, depending on project distance. Common meals included eggs for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and meat and vegetables for dinner. Because of better nutrition and exercise, men commonly gained an average of 12 lbs. within the first two months at camp.

 

ZION 10750: In order to be a cook with the CCC, some formal training was required. This certificate documents that Dwight Paul Barnard completed 24 hours of instruction to become a cook for Company 962, which was stationed Zion National Park.

 

This image contains racist imagery and does not reflect the views of the National Park Service.
ZION 7094: This Thanksgiving menu was created by the enrollees of Bridge Mountain Camp in 1940. It gives insight into the types of food the men would eat on holidays, such as classic Thanksgiving courses of turkey and potatoes. It also represents the tensions and prejudice of the time through imagery. The drawing on the cover of of this menu shows a Japanese man being imprisoned by an enormous turkey.

Created a year before the United States entered World War II, derogatory images such as this were created because of fear and animosity. These feelings arose in response to reports of international conflicts like the Second Sino-Japanese War.

 

Right image, ZION 12317: Educational advisors were hired at each camp to assist with the coordination of courses. Von Robertson was the educational advisor at Zion, and he is seen here (on the right) with the camp physician, Dr. Clark, and the commanding officer, Lt. Wreal.

Left image, ZION 11986: Many CCC companies established their own camp newspapers. Not only did this provide a way to share information, but it allowed men to practice their writing and communication skills.

Education

The CCC incorporated both formal classroom education and informal on the job training to improve the men’s work performance and understanding of conservation. Although the education program had existed since 1933, the legislation that formally changed the name of the program from the Emergency Conservation Work to the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937 also required 10 hours of educational or vocational courses to be offered each week.

According to the American Youth Commission, the average CCC member had completed only 8 or 9 grades of school, so these courses allowed men to supplement their education. Although these classes were optional, many men participated to enhance their reading and writing abilities or to learn a technical skill that could become the foundation for a career after their time in the CCC. The men also created their own camp newsletters where they documented events including their work, notable world news, departures of camp leadership, and sporting event updates.

 

ZION 15456: The monthly CCC Narrative Reports that were submitted to park leadership from the project superintendents typically included a section on education and recreation. This example from December 1938 shows the enthusiasm for the educational opportunities available at camp.

 

 

Left image, ZION 11982: CCC enrollees had access to activities available in nearby towns, but camps would also periodically host celebrations and events. This flyer advertises one of the many social events that occurred within Zion and it was also open to members of the public to attend.

Right image, ZION 12005: Enrollees would use their free time to explore the area, including the amenities of nearby towns. Here is an image of four CCC men who took advantage of their weekend passes to enjoy a beer in Springdale.

Leisure

During their free time, the men had several choices for recreation and entertainment activities. One of the more popular weekend activities was attending dances. The camp truck nicknamed the “pie-wagon,” would often pick up supplies in town during the week and carry CCC members into Hurricane or St. George on the weekends for dances or other social events. On occasion, the camp would host its own dances and would send out invitations to local young women which advertised music performed by enrollees.

Baseball, basketball, and boxing were popular sports among the CCC men, with rivalries between teams from each of the camps in the park. They also had the trails and wilderness areas in the park available to explore. On Sundays, some of the men attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Springdale.

 

ZION 15933: Playing and practicing music was a popular activity for the young men of the CCC. The camps would occasionally host dances with a band made up of CCC men.

In order for the men to be away from camp for the weekend, leave passes had to be approved by camp leadership. The CCC men were not allowed to have cars (although some men hid their cars in Springdale), so it was common for them to hitchhike into nearby towns to catch the train if they had a pass.