By JACK M. WILLIS
Journal Correspondent

The Scottish poet Robert Frost penned these words over 250 years ago, "Owad some Power the giftie gre us to see oursels as ithers see us!" This was the purpose of relatives, dignitaries and co-laborers gathering at Louisiana State University of Alexandria on Saturday, November 10, 2001 to pay homage to a group of veterans of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Over 150 CCC veterans, friends, relatives, holders of political office, and LSUA faculty assembled in the Barbara Brumfield Caffey Annex for a program of reminisce, nostalgia and recognition for a job well done many years ago.

The idea of a statewide reunion of CCC vets was the brainchild of Dr. Anna Burns, Director of the Bolton Library on the LSUA campus. She is currently compiling a history of the Civilian Conservation Corps' many accomplishments in the State of Louisiana. She is in the process of putting on microfilm, copies of yearbooks issued through the years that various CCC personnel managed to preserve, along with current names and addresses of those she can obtain. She is also taking oral testimonies of what are still vivid memories of events and experiences during a dark economic time in American history. This was a traumatic time when young men left the family homestead or farm for the first time. This was the era of the Great Depression.

So on Saturday morning November 10, 2001, they began to assemble...Veterans all.... some came using canes, one ambulated with the aid of a walker, several were hard of hearing, and many had to be aided by a significant other. These were the men once clad in khaki green and later tan, and now some were wearing suits and sport coats. Some affected overalls or denim with Velcro tennis shoes or cowboy boots. They now had roots in areas of North, Central or South Louisiana, but they came...

Grady Johnson came from his home in Haughton. He was stationed at a Camp #5504 at Leesville, then Oregon and later California; Emanuel Monkusky also from Haughton was stationed in Pennsylvania and New Mexico; Daniel Guidry from Breaux Bridge was stationed at St. Landry and then transferred to Olla; Joe Marler was stationed at Pollock. He was later shipped out to Oregon.

The above are just a few of the names and eventual destinations of those that came to LSUA on Saturday, and their various duty stations demonstrated their versatility in adapting to a new world order suddenly confronting them.

It all began on March 21, 1933, just 17 days after the inauguration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Faced with the dilemma of 13,600,000 unemployed citizens, he presented to Congress his proposal to help relieve distress, to build men, to accomplish constructive results in our Federal, State, and private forest properties by formation of the Civilian Conservation Corps.

He said"...Not a Panacea for all the unemployment facing the United States, but an essential step during this emergency..."~ Franklin D. Roosevelt ~

And they came from all sections of the United States. The CC's as they were known colloquially, was open to young men from ages 17 to 28. They could enlist for six months and renew six-month enlistment for up to two years. In return, they received room and board, clothing, free medical benefits and $30 per month; $25 of which was sent home to their often-needy families. In the nine year period the CCC was in operation, over 3,000,000 men would eventually find financial relief through this Federal Agency. In actuality, the CCC was never formally done away with; funding for it's operation and maintenance was shifted to financing the war effort. The U.S. Congress could still resurrect it today with restoration of operational funds.

The CCC Reunion program got underway about ten o'clock with the call to order by Dr. Anna Burns.The Call To Colors was presented by a fine, sharply coordinated group of Cadets from the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program at Camp Beauregard. Mr. Richard Billings, Rapides Parish Police Juror, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Appropriate remarks were then delivered by the following dignitaries; Ms. Holly Rabalais, Miss LSUA; Ms. Oberia Price, Friends of LSUA; Mr. Charles Charrier, Historical Association of Central Louisiana.

Mr. Lynn Neff, Supervisor, Kisatchie National Forest, followed by CCC video presentation by Mr. Jim Caldwell, Public Relations, Kisatchie National Forest then presented an all too brief History of the CCC.

Then there was a segment of memory presentations of personal vignettes from their days in the CCC. Presenters were "Cuz" Odis Miller, Joseph Heath, Daniel Guidry and Dr. Ed Carothers, Retired from the Forestry Dept. at La. Tech.

Phillip Jones, Secretary of State Parks and Recreation, Paul Frey, Louisians State Forester, Louisiana Deppartment of Agriculture and Forestry, and Sherman Roberts, former Mayor of LeCompte, La. made brief remarks.

Prior to a luncheon furnished by Rapides Sheriff William Earl Hilton, prayer and brief remarks closed the meeting by Police Juror Richard Billings. His memorable statement in part was...." We would like to thank you men here today, and to those that couldn't attend, because you symbolize Heroes and History. Many of you simply changed from one khaki uniform to another, and helped to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. You are indeed, the "greatest generation", for which we are indeed grateful. It is only fitting that on this day, the day before Veteran's Day, that you came, and you served. For that, we salute you!"

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