"Prosperous farmers mean more employment, more prosperity for the workers and the business men of every industrial area in the whole country." ---- Franklin D. Roosevelt
It was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was responsible for the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), putting young men in our country to work and focusing on conservation projects in rural areas. The CCC put almost 250,000 men to work within a three-month time frame. Over nine years (the duration of the program), almost three million men were employed. The CCC was active with soil conservation; construction of campgrounds, trails, and reservoirs; forest fire fighting; and planting more than two billion trees.
This, I learned at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in New York, where I visited last fall. Digressing, my better half and I have become part of an ardent contingent whose aim it is to visit the Presidential libraries and museums nation-wide (there are 13 official, physical library/museums). Thus far our passport is stamped with three official stamps plus one unofficial (President Woodrow Wilson) stamp, which we aim to increase by one next month when we venture to the "Big D" to see "The Boss." We have coordinated a side trip to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.
Back to the task at hand - the local CCC camp - a summary of the early history of Company 4421 at Mt. Hermon, LA, La. SCS-18 was published in the Official Annual of District "E" Fourth Corps Area 1935 Civilian Conservation Corps. This material, and a passel more, was made available to me by Mt. Hermon native and veritable expert on the CCC - Calvin Simmons. In order to assure accuracy, the following is relayed verbatim:
"On Monday, June 3, 1935, a cadre of sixteen men was sent from Company 1493, Bogalusa, Louisiana, to prepare a camp site at Mt. Hermon, La. The camp is located one mile out of Mt. Hermon, a community of about sixty citizens. These people are a fine lot and they like the camp. They consider it an asset to the community and every effort has been made to maintain this good will.
On the morning of July 24, 1935, a group of new arrivals started coming in from the northern section of the state, bringing into existence Company 4421. Men arrived for three days, bringing in a total of one hundred and seventy-five. Lt. Wilfred E. Lessard, Jr., was made Commanding Officer. Lt. Labat T. Fletcher was sent from Headquarters, District "E", as Junior Officer. Lt. J. L. Bailey was appointed camp surgeon. During September, Charles W. Price was transferred from the Springville camp and appointed Educational Adviser. During the months of August and September, David A. Foil, Work Superintendent, and his group of able foremen were appointed to this camp, making a very satisfactory work personnel, and a high degree of harmony exists between the Army and the Using Service.
On Labor Day, 1935, a large chicken dinner was given at the camp and citizens from the surrounding community were invited. U. S. Congressman J. Y. Sanders attended and the occasion marked the naming of the camp, Camp Sanders. At this dinner, the Mess Hall was dedicated 'Melvin Smith Hall' and the Recreation Building was dedicated 'Oscar James Hall' in memory of two of the members who were killed in a bus accident while enroute home on a week-end pass.
Company 4421 boasts of a quartet and a 'hillbilly' band second to none. At the several social functions held at the camp the crowd was always entertained by these two groups. They also contribute largely to entertaining the boys during the evenings when large groups gather in Oscar James Hall and sing songs and dance.
Company 4421 was instrumental in getting an extension of the electric light line from Franklinton, La., to Mt. Hermon, a distance of seventeen miles. The Company also contributed to the beautification of the Mt. Hermon High School grounds. Members built a gravel walk from the school to a point one half mile away for the pupils to walk on going to and from the school. This keeps them off the highway.
The boys have had their share of forest fire fighting. Whenever a call is made there are always more members willing to go than is necessary; all have been more than anxious to do their part to save somebody's home, fence, corn field, or woodland and the people living around here appreciate this desire on the part of the boys to help them."
This historical accounting was dedicated to Melvin Smith, Oscar Jones, and Albert Taylor, who lost their lives that first year. The Camp History published in "The Light House," the camp journal, in May of 1936 and written by Freddie Husser and Marvin Linder noted several changes in personnel. Beloved Lt. Labat T. Fletcher was replaced by Lt. Tillman K. Melton in January of 1936. Then in April of 1936 Camp Commander Lessard, who had been recently promoted to Captain, was replaced by Lt. Robert Q. Newton, who took the top post. He was revered.
And as it wasn't all work and no play, Lt. Newton made a litany of improvements to the CCC camp including construction of an arena used for boxing, social events, and picture shows. And comfortable lounges were added to the recreation hall. According to Husser and Linder, "It is Lt. Newton's aim to make the camp a fitting home for each boy enrolled in this company."
In addition, Husser and Linder emphasized the value of the Using Service's work in preventing erosion. We are ever mindful of the importance to agriculture.
•Stay tuned for next week's conclusion of the CCC, and Camp Sanders.
