1935; CCC workers digging a ditch in Maryland

He is now in the C.C. Camp

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Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

“Andy Orville Bozzel is the son of Mr. And Mrs. George Bozzel. He was born in Andover, VA in Wise County, November 24, 1922. His education is limited, he having completed the fourth grade. He quit school in 1937 on account of lack of money to send him on. He lives a mile from school. He has lived in Appalachia [the town in VA] for the past five years. He seems to be a bright youth but not anxious to study in order to succeed.

Spirit of CCC poster

“He is now in the C.C. Camp and is receiving thirty dollars per month. Of that amount twenty two is sent home to his parents. He got to go to the C.C. Camp by his mother taking him to the welfare office and asking that he be signed up. Since going to camp he is completely self supporting. He has been there only a short time. I received this information from his mother. His mother told me that she asked him if signed up to go to night school in Camp and he answered, “You know I did for I want more education.”

“The mother works out when she can get it and is sole. The father works not at all, although he used to be a good worker and provided well for his family. He is letting drink get the best of his manhood. The father is 46 years old and the mother is 38 years old.

“There are no magazines or daily papers come to their home. I have known the children to have to go to school without breakfast. They have received aid from the Relief. He [Orville] spends his leisure time in reading, going to movies and playing ball. He is not a church member and does not attend church.

“The yearly income of family is $180.00.”

Maude R. Chandler
October 2, 1939

From a collection of approximately 1,300 Work Projects Administration/Virginia Writers’ Project life histories, social-ethnic studies, and youth studies that were written by agency staff members between 1938 and 1941, housed at the Library of Virginia

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4 comments

  1. I am an Appalachian woman. My father and Mother bought an old CC camp; 4 room no pumping, house in the Southern section of Big Stone Gap,VA. As a youth, My father worked in the C C Camp just to make ends me before going to War at Peril Harbor. This man story is much like my dad’s.But dad never when past 8th grade if at all went. Mom totally opposite; a socialistic woman who finish high school in Scott county and worked at Eastman. I was looking for something on CC Camp houses since many were sold to people like my parents.Do you know any stories about those houses? I remember that in 1973 that old home finally got a”facelift” of sorts. It needed to be torn down long before my parents became parents. It could hold two people but a family of seven was not suitable. I could write a story on it and I should. Thanks for the story on Appalachian culture my dad lived. I lived it through him even though it could have been a better life.

  2. This article is about my father Andy who was a fine man. He retired from the Army and left this world 7 years ago. He was a wonderful dad. I love him and his entire family, who were poor, but loved each other. This article sickens me as there are some untruths in it.

  3. Connie, I was sorry for you after reading your comment. I know from experience how a “retelling” of what may seem like the distant past can be anything but distant to us – then adding insult to injury is EXTREMELY infuriating. I am sorry such a skewed vision of your father was written by a WPA writer. Thank you for sharing.

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