Saving In The CCC

On April 5 1933 the Civilian Conservation Corps was created by executive order 6101. It allowed a number of people who were unemployed and probably would not be employed to hold a job. It allowed all unmarried, unemployed male citizens between the ages of 17 and 28 to be eligible to apply for work as junior enrollees, with the stipulation that a substantial portion ( $25) of each man's basic $30 monthly allowance would be sent home to his dependent family.  The idea was they would be trained to find a civilian job once they left the CCC.  A CCC Camp was established at Westover, Maryland to clear and create drainage ditches.  The camp had a monthly newsletter called “The Somerset Sun.”  A 1936 edition of it had a short column about saving money.  Now those young men were only receiving $5 a month so today it is hard to think about saving anything out of that amount. 

In the article it is suggested he saves one dollar a month, spends two dollars a month on a canteen book and budget the remaining two dollars out to fifty cents a week for his needs and enjoyment.  Wow, growing up in the 1950s we were always told to save 20% of our income which is what the CCC is suggesting.