1 J—IjJ *» \
/ DOCUMENTS v«/> »V, '
ROOM
Northwestern
University
LA
ORK
Ou t 4^ •%» wU
MERICA
2,500,000 WORKERS
Two and a half million men and women from the relief rolls are at work all over
America on 90,000 WPA jobs.
The thousands of community improvements they are building were originated and
requested by local officials of their communities.
Local officials and the WPA had to find the kinds of jobs which the destitute
people in each community could do.
Since 80 percent of the employable people on relief rolls are unskilled, WPA
has put the bulk of its money and manpower on public construction work needing
little machinery and materials, but paying a high ratio in direct wages. Many
communities get a higher type of construction by putting up local money for ma¬
terials. Local contributions total nearly 20 percent.
INCREASING NATIONAL WEALTH
WPA workers are improving 130,000 miles of neglected farm-to-market roads,
lifting millions of farm families out of the mud. They are building or repairing
thousands of bridges and viaducts, paving hundreds of miles of streets and alleys,
sidewalks and curbs.
WPA workers are building or repairing 6,201 schools, as well as 5,338 other
public buildings.
WPA workers are building or improving 5,722 parks, playgrounds, and athletic
fields.
WPA workers are carrying out 3,783 flood control or other conservation projects.
WPA workers are extending and improving 5,384 sewer systems as well as
2,545 water systems.
WPA workers are building or improving 551 airports and landing fields. They
also are air-marking thousands of cities and towns so that they may be identified
from above.
In 2,788 communities WPA is doing other needed work to improve sanitation
and health.
WPA IN PICTURES
_cft) Vocafion-
I Training for
landiccpped
ersons. These
4en are Blind.
Bridge Construction and Repair
Water and Sewer Systems Constructed and Improved
Engineering and Surveys
* * -» •««
School Lunches for Thousands of Undernourished Children
1 30,000 Miles of Farm-to-Market Roads Improved
MaKing Clothes for Families on Relief
3 3^ /
"WHITE COLLAR" AND PROFESSIONAL WORKERS
In addition to this vast construction program, useful work had to be found for some
750,000 professional, technical, and clerical unemployed—"white collar"
workers—largely unsuited to physical labor.
Local officials again used ingenuity. Thousands of WPA clerks are repairing
library books and rare old documents, revising jumbled public records, conducting
studies and surveys of taxes, land, resources, and many socicl problems. Their
work already has recovered or saved millions of dollars in local revenues.
Unemployed engineers are advancing the country's basic mapping program.
Architects are measuring all historic buildings, that they may be restored if de¬
stroyed. Scientists are hunting new secrets of health and comfort on research proj¬
ects in dozens of great universities. Teachers are leading a great revival of inter¬
est in education, and the field of recreation is being widely expanded through
projects for community organization of leisure.
While thousands of disemployed writers and research helpers are compiling a
complete guide to the United States, other thousands of disemployed artists are
producing a host of native murals for schools and other public buildings. Actors
and theater technicians are maintaining themselves by developing a national
drama, musicians by teaching and playing the best of America's music for the
enjoyment of all.
WOMEN
More than 400,000 women are fighting the decay of idleness at manifold tasks.
They are sewing millions of garments for the destitute, nursing the sick, cooking and
serving hot lunches to undernourished children, and teaching the science of home-
making.
100 MAYORS
The questions (1) whether the American people prefer work to the dole and (2)
whether WPA community improvements are satisfactory to the cities in which they
are being built, were answered recently by the United States Conference of Mayors
in a report to the President.
Mayors of 100 leading cities, with a total population of some 25,000,000,
compose the Conference. Excerpts from their verdict:
"There has been a great deal of promiscuous and misinformed talk recently
concerning the character of the work being conducted under the WPA.
"The integrity and permanent usefulness of the city projects which have been
approved by the Federal Government need no apology from anyone. These are
the cities' own projects. Honest and impartial analysis . . . will reveal that
practically every project represents a useful and, in most cases, a permanent public
improvement.
WORK VERSUS DOLE
"Finally, it is apparent that the city officials of America will never consent to
abandonment of the work principle in giving relief assistance. The dole, based
upon idleness and groceries, has no place in our American scheme of society."
WPA has received hundreds of similar expressions from other local school, park,
city, and county officials in all parts of the nation who have sponsored improvement
projects or observed the work first hand.
WPA invites any interested citizen to inspect the projects in his home locality.
work WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
HARRY L. HOPKINS, Administrator.
pnocRnm
U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
SCHOOLS
AIRPORTS
ROADS
WATER SUPPLY
CONSERVATION
PLAYGROUNDS