According to blog friend Jacqueline T. Lynch, whose post on the CCC in western Massachusetts should be required reading for anyone interested in the corps, a “class photo” of this type may be somewhat unusual. I had the opportunity of sharing this photo album with Jacqueline when we had a chance to meet for lunch in Chicopee, Massachusetts during my recent cross-country trip.The photo has faded with age, as have quite a number of images in the album. Still, it shows the men generally in what appear to be high spirits. There are also a few interesting nicknames—“Homebrew,” “Pirate” (yes, that’s my dad), “Cop” & “Black Jal” (or should that be “Black Jack”—I don’t suppose we’ll ever know). I suspect the man called “Needham” was nicknamed after his home town (Needham, Massachusetts), but it could be a surname.
I’d love to see a contemporary version of the CCC employed to work on public infrastucture projects—the condition of many roads & bridges in the U.S. are really quite woeful—but sadly, in our current political climate any such “radical” idea would probably have very little chance of success. I do know that the people I’ve known who were working class young adults under the Roosevelt administration all believed very much in his programs & credited him with pulling the U.S. out of the Depression. I also know that some folks from that time who were from wealthier backgrounds despised Roosevelt. These days I hear from some conservative folks that Roosevelt prolonged the Depression—I’m not an economic historian, but I can say this was not the belief of the working class folks who actually lived thru it.
There is a CCC legacy in several programs, mostly serving teens & people in their early 20s. Those who are interested can read more about them on Wikipedia’s CCC page (toward the bottom) or at Wikipedia’s National Civilian Community Corps page. I’m pleased to say that my home state utilizes one of those organizations, the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps.
Please be sure to check out other Sepia Saturday participants at this link!
Terrific picture! Love those nicknames.
ReplyDeleteThanks Willow! Glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, John. It's a funny thing about those nicknames (and I think we might have briefly discussed this), that the folks of that generation all seemed to have wacky nicknames. I can remember once my parents wanted to send flowers to the funeral of an old friend, but when they called the florist, they suddenly realized they didn't know the first name of the deceased. They had called him by his nickname for 40 years. I think they eventually thought to look it up in the phone book.
ReplyDeletemy friend lee could fix the fade right up! he's fixed a number of my old pics and wants to teach me, but as of now i'm resisting as i know if i start tweaking old photos i may never leave the computer.
ReplyDeletei too love to see how nicknames change with the era.
happy sepia saturday
Great Photograph.
ReplyDeleteYes, It's Often forgotten (by The Rich) That It's The Working Class Who Actually Do The Work!
One of the great things (and there are many) about Sepia Saturday, is the variety of posts we get to read. I really enjoyed this one, along with the unusual photograph.
ReplyDeleteHi Jacqueline, Mouse, Tony & Martin
ReplyDeleteJacqueline: Yes, I think we did, you're right--that story about your parents & the nickname really sums it up! Always glad to give a shout out to your excellent blogs.
Mouse: I'm pretty basic when it comes to PhotoShop, but yes, I understand your resistance!
Tony: As the song says, "We have fed you all for a 1,000 years." Thanks!
Martin: Sepia Saturday is great--I really enjoyed your post today with the cool shades! Thanks.
There are many theme days and this one is a great idea. My daughter insisted that some of her wedding pictures be done in sepia. There is a nostalgic charm about it.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul: Yes, it was started to Alan Burnett of News from Nowhere & Kat Mortensen of Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes, & is quite popular. I happen to have quite a few old photos of my fathers dating to the 1930s & have been posting them here for quite some time. I agree that the real sepia tone photos can be very beautiful--great idea for some wedding shots. Thanks for visiting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a coincidence just said on my site how odd nicknames are. Find your blog really informative and I like the way you talk about your Dad and how he fared during the Depression, although I am not really familiar with that time in US history. As I say it's interesting keep it up. Love the Photos.
ReplyDeleteHi Bob: Glad you're enjoying it! Thanks for following & commenting.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more about the CCCs. I wish everyone felt the same way. The CCC was a very important part of my fathers life, which I posted about a few weeks ago on Sepia Saturday. It was also an important part of our country's history and recovery.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree, they all seem i high spirits.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time it seemed everyone had a nickname. I wonder what ever became of that habit?
I really enjoyed reading this little piece of history and the accompanying photographs. The nicknames really are an interesting part of that generation. I have an uncle who was called Buddy all his life. It wasn't until he died that I learned his name was really Walter.
ReplyDeleteThis is simply fabulous. I can imagine all these guys working together and the camaraderie. I also wish there was an active CCC now.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that said, "Black Joe".
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that I looked at every single one EXCEPT "Pirate" when I was looking for your dad. (I wonder why my mind excluded that one?)
That is such a fantastic picture to have in your possession. Those names are classic!
It is an interesting set of photos of the workers. The CCC is an interesting history as we had workers create sidewalks in the town, and around my corner block.
ReplyDeleteHi everybody!
ReplyDeleteBarbara: Thanks! Yes, I remember your post. One nice thing about Sepia Saturday is the chance to get some history out there on the net!
Barry: That's a good question--I wonder what has changed.
Nana Jo: That's interesting--I had an uncle who's name was Walter, but everybody called him Bob!
Christine: Thanks! I think an updated CCC would be a very good thing.
Kat: Of course you're right--it's Black Joe--tho the "e" is a bit defective. I'm really happy to have this photo (& the others)!
My family all had nicknames too - I wonder why they were so popular in those days? They connote a level of familiarity that people perhaps aren't so comfortable with now. Maybe they are a little too revealing? Like... what did Cop do to earn that moniker?
ReplyDeleteGreat post...love that photo.
Hi McHargue: I wondered about "Cop" too! I think you may be on to something about why nicknames have faded.
ReplyDeleteFantastic photograph (and words to match). Your posts on the CCC have been most interesting - opening up a chapter of American social history that I was not familiar with.
ReplyDeleteHi Alan: & thanks! As conservative voices grow more strident in the US, I think it's important to get the history of successful social programs out there, & I appreciate Sepia Saturday as an opportunity to do so. & I very much like the fact that I can share this with friends from the UK, Canada & elsewhere!
ReplyDeleteVery unique, colorful entry!
ReplyDeleteHi Silver Fox: Thanks!
ReplyDelete