DAILY LIFE IN A C.C.C. CAMP

Reveille at 6:00AM, the camp leader blew a whistle as he strolled through each of the four (4) barracks to awaken the men. 6:30AM, we fell out doors, and stood at attention in front of the flag pole for roll call, and the daily ritual of raising the American flag.

We returned to the barracks to make-up our bunk-beds, also "wash-up". Monday to Friday was the work week - we dressed in our work clothes of denim. At 7:00AM we marched to the mess hall for our morning breakfast - at 7:45AM a daily inspection of the barracks by a camp officer - we had to have our bunks, foot lockers and clothing gear in a military precision form. At 8:00AM a whistle gave notice to report to our work assignment. This was handled by the U.S. Grazing Service, with a foreman in charge of a 30 man crew.

As we boarded the stake-body trucks for our job site, we were given brown paper lunch bags - the lunch never varied, the same old:

I remember a certain group of Western Pennsylvania boys preferred, especially in the spring time, to make a hot tea at lunch time, from a sassafras root bark which we were able to obtain from the town druggist in Aztec, NM. The boys had a one hour lunch break. Our project of work was building an earth dam for cattle. We completed our days work at 4:00PM. Returning back to camp, we changed our clothing after a shower to ODs.

At 6:00PM we "lined-up" outside the barracks, facing the flag pole for RETREAT. With the lowering of the American flag, we then marched to the mess hall for dinner. Each man ate at his assigned table. Waiters served the food to the tables by the boys who were on a rotated K.P. list.

The Post Exchange was opened to the boys from 7:30PM-9:00PM. Available was soda, candy, etc. We were permitted to buy a $2.00 book of tickets stubs on credit. It was later deducted from our pay on payday which came at the end of the month. Our salary was $30.00 a month, $8.00 in cash to each boy and the remainder of $22.00 was sent home by the government.

It wasn't such a bad deal to receive clothing, bed and board and health welfare in the difficult depression years of our time. I lived and enjoyed everyday of my life in the C.C.C. Camp at Bloomfield, NM.

The Family Pearl Memoir Index Fishing at the Continental Divide