The following excerpts are from the April 1938 CandleLight newsletter of Civilian Conservation Corp Company 1592, which built Ouabache State Park from eroded farmland.
Page 4: BARRACKS NEWS NO.3
“Oscar” came in the other night from town and found his bed-cloths had mischievously shrunk. Ha, ha, ha.
POEM - “Long Live Co. 1592”
Camp Life’s the best of all,
Fine in the summer
It can’t be beat
And the sun so sweet.
Work, swim and eat,
Play ball, and stand retreat.
When I’m home I’m happy,
But I still long for Co. 1592.
Page 6: UNIVERSITY OF THE CCC MOTION PICTURE MACHINE OPERATORS
Dean Maurice Mondary, Instructor, has reported that the following men from a large class have completed satisfactorily the course in Motion Picture Operation: Alva Stacy, Thomas Shaw, Melvin Lehman, George Dugan and Mike Goddard. These enrollees will be given a chance to operate the machine at the next camp night program.
FIFTH CORPS COMMENTS ON CAMP PAPER RATING
“This is an excellent issue. The cover shows a lot of work and is one of the best of its type I have seen, The Candlelight, in addition to excellent picture features, is well written, has good coverage, and is neatly made up.”
The above comments were given this company on its fine February issue of the camp paper. The Candlelight was given an “A” in rating.
Page 10: DISPENSARY NEWS ROOKIES GET LAST SHOT
The rookie enrollees received their final typhoid inoculation April 29, and they took all three like men. Despite the warning the needle was not as long as it was told to be.
Page 11: ADVENTURES IN EDUCATION
Carl fooled around building and painting a model airplane.
Now he is employed in the finishing department at International Harvester Co. (Ft. Wayne, IND).
Page 12: THE TECHNICAL PAGE
THE JOB By Supt. D.W. Hammond
... Nothing that you have ever done or will ever do surpasses or will surpass in importance your present work here from the standpoint of worthwhileness and usefulness. Doing your bit in restoring and conserving this country’s natural resources, and making through study and effort, a place beautiful and useful that was devoid of value, ugly and desolate is a real job, and confidentially you are the boys who can do it.
ABOUT THE CCC
CCC Co. 1592 was located at the Wells County State Forest and Game Preserve near Bluffton, Ind., now Ouabache State Park, from July 6, 1935, through January 1941.
Young unemployed men during the Great Depression could enroll for up to two years to not only work on conservation restoration projects but also attend evening class and receive specialized on-the-job-training. For their hard work, they received three square meals a day, clothing (wool uniforms and boots), shelter, $5 “pocket money” monthly (equivalent to $97.19 today) and $25 was mailed home monthly to help their family (equivalent to $485.96 today).
The legacies of their sweat and hard work are the trees, Kunkle Lake, the firetower, bison enclosure, Lodge, shelters and other structures on the property. Don’t forget to stop by the CCC Memorial Statue near the southeast side of Kunkle Lake.
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