Changes

The WPA employed a maximum of 3.3 million in November 1938. Worker pay was based on three factors: the region of the country, the degree of urbanization and the individual's skill.  It varied from $19/month to $94/month.  The goal was to pay the local prevailing wage, but to limit a person to 30 hours or less a week of work.  

The WPA employed a maximum of 3.3 million in November 1938. Worker pay was based on three factors: the region of the country, the degree of urbanization and the individual's skill.  It varied from $19/month to $94/month.  The goal was to pay the local prevailing wage, but to limit a person to 30 hours or less a week of work.  

==NYA==

==NYA==

The ''National Youth Administration'' was the WPA's youth division. Work study projects provided jobs for high school and college students.  Unlike the CCC it enrolled women. The NYA ran training programs--even alternative high schools run outside the public school system--to provide training in skills that would not compete with labor unions.  

The ''National Youth Administration'' was the WPA's youth division. Work study projects provided jobs for high school and college students.  Unlike the CCC it enrolled women. The NYA ran training programs--even alternative high schools run outside the public school system--to provide training in skills that would not compete with labor unions.  

[[Image:Nya2.jpg|thumb|320px|NYA employment; this WPA poster was not well proofread, as the first line shows]]

[[Image:Nya3.jpg|thumb|320px|NYA employment]]

[[Lyndon Johnson]] was the NYA director in Texas, Aubrey Williams was national director; Mary McLeon Bethune, Director, Division of Negro Affairs .

[[Lyndon Johnson]] was the NYA director in Texas, Aubrey Williams was national director; Mary McLeon Bethune, Director, Division of Negro Affairs .

Reporters visited one site in Arkansas:<ref> Lindley and Lindley (1938) pp 92-93</ref>

Reporters visited one site in Arkansas:<ref> Lindley and Lindley (1938) pp 92-93</ref>

:"in Russellville, Arkansas, 31 NYA boys... are working on a complete campus for out-of-school, unemployed Arkansas youth. We saw some of these young men building dormitories and a supervisor's house. The plans call for four dormitories to house 96 youth, a recreation hall, a dining hall, athletic grounds, and, adjacent to this campus, a poultry house, barn, and machinery repair shop. The boys may also choose work and related training in auto mechanics, power plant operation, or diversified agriculture. In these four Arkansas Resident Centers that we visited, boys and girls do NYA work 100 hours a month to earn $25 each, of which they pay $18 for board and room and 50 cents into a co-operative medical fund."

:"in Russellville, Arkansas, 31 NYA boys... are working on a complete campus for out-of-school, unemployed Arkansas youth. We saw some of these young men building dormitories and a supervisor's house. The plans call for four dormitories to house 96 youth, a recreation hall, a dining hall, athletic grounds, and, adjacent to this campus, a poultry house, barn, and machinery repair shop. The boys may also choose work and related training in auto mechanics, power plant operation, or diversified agriculture. In these four Arkansas Resident Centers that we visited, boys and girls do NYA work 100 hours a month to earn $25 each, of which they pay $18 for board and room and 50 cents into a co-operative medical fund."

[[Image:Nyagirls.jpg|thumb|275px]]

[[Image:Nya2.jpg|thumb|275px|; this WPA poster was not well proofread, as the first line shows]]

   

   

The WPA had numerous conservative critics unlike the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was quite popular.  One of the principal criticisms was that the program wasted federal dollars on projects that were not always needed or wanted.  A relic of this criticism survives today in the form of a satirical observation that WPA workers were hired 'to rake leaves in the park.' White-collar WPA projects in particular were often singled out for their sometimes overtly left-wing social and political themes. One criticism of the allocation of WPA projects and funding was that they were often made for political considerations.  Congressional leaders in favor with the Roosevelt administration, or who possessed considerable seniority and political power often helped decide which states and localities received the most funding. The most serious criticism was that Roosevelt was building a nationwide political machine with millions of workers. The [[Hatch Act]] of 1939 outlawed political activities on government time.  

The WPA had numerous conservative critics unlike the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was quite popular.  One of the principal criticisms was that the program wasted federal dollars on projects that were not always needed or wanted.  A relic of this criticism survives today in the form of a satirical observation that WPA workers were hired 'to rake leaves in the park.' White-collar WPA projects in particular were often singled out for their sometimes overtly left-wing social and political themes. One criticism of the allocation of WPA projects and funding was that they were often made for political considerations.  Congressional leaders in favor with the Roosevelt administration, or who possessed considerable seniority and political power often helped decide which states and localities received the most funding. The most serious criticism was that Roosevelt was building a nationwide political machine with millions of workers. The [[Hatch Act]] of 1939 outlawed political activities on government time.  

[[Image:Wpa-dem.JPG|thumb|300px|Democratic National Chairman Jim Farley rides the WPA to victory in 1936 elections as WPA head Harry Hopkins approves, in this anti-WPA cartoon.]]

[[Image:Wpa-dem.jpg|thumb|300px|Democratic National Chairman Jim Farley rides the WPA to victory in 1936 elections as WPA head Harry Hopkins approves, in this anti-WPA cartoon.]]

The WPA's enemies ridiculed the weak work habits it encouraged, by cruel jokes, calling it "We Poke Along," "We Piddle Along" or "We Putter Around."  This is a sarcastic reference to WPA projects that sometimes slowed to a crawl, because foremen on a government project devised to maintain employment often had no incentive or ability to influence worker productivity by demotion or termination.  This criticism was due in part to the WPA's early practice of basing wages on a "security wage," ensuring workers would be paid even if the project was delayed, improperly constructed, or incomplete.   

The WPA's enemies ridiculed the weak work habits it encouraged, by cruel jokes, calling it "We Poke Along," "We Piddle Along" or "We Putter Around."  This is a sarcastic reference to WPA projects that sometimes slowed to a crawl, because foremen on a government project devised to maintain employment often had no incentive or ability to influence worker productivity by demotion or termination.  This criticism was due in part to the WPA's early practice of basing wages on a "security wage," ensuring workers would be paid even if the project was delayed, improperly constructed, or incomplete.   

[[Image:Lean.JPG|thumb|270px|left|The WPA Theatre project produced a play that satirized the common "leaning on a shovel" criticism. ]]  

[[Image:Wpa-Lean.jpg|thumb|270px|left|The WPA Theatre project produced a play that satirized the common "leaning on a shovel" criticism. ]]  

 

==Evolution and termination==

==Evolution and termination==

===Tennessee===

===Tennessee===

It was the same in Tennessee where the WPA was lighting a fire under Governor Browning. <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931436,00.html "People Would Be Shocked!"], [[Time magazine]], Aug. 08, 1938.</ref> Reliefers who were for Browning ­if it could be proved ­were dropped from the payroll. They were asked for contributions ­of two per cent. One man was asked to put up $5. He didn't have it. He was summoned the next day. The collector had decided to reduce his tribute to $3. He didn't have that. He was told to get it. He had to borrow it. Another, assessed twice before, rebelled. "You don't have to pay," he was told, "but if you don't you'll have a hell of a time getting on the WPA." [[African-American]]s on relief were made to put up 25 and 50 cents.

It was the same in Tennessee where the WPA was lighting a fire under Governor Browning. <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931436,00.html "People Would Be Shocked!"], ''Time magazine'', Aug. 08, 1938.</ref> Reliefers who were for Browning ­if it could be proved ­were dropped from the payroll. They were asked for contributions ­of two per cent. One man was asked to put up $5. He didn't have it. He was summoned the next day. The collector had decided to reduce his tribute to $3. He didn't have that. He was told to get it. He had to borrow it. Another, assessed twice before, rebelled. "You don't have to pay," he was told, "but if you don't you'll have a hell of a time getting on the WPA." [[African-American]]s on relief were made to put up 25 and 50 cents.

===Illinois===

===Illinois===

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

===Scholarly studies===

===Scholarly studies===

* [http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/couch.works.progress.administration Jim Crouch, "The Works Progress Administration" ''Eh.Net Encyclopedia'' (2004)]  

* [http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/couch.works.progress.administration Jim Crouch, "The Works Progress Administration" ''Eh.Net Encyclopedia'' (2004)]  

* [http://www.steamships.org/wpa/qanda/index.htm Text and Graphics from 1939 WPA Brochure: "QUESTION'S AND ANSWERS ON THE WPA"]

* [http://www.steamships.org/wpa/qanda/index.htm Text and Graphics from 1939 WPA Brochure: "QUESTION'S AND ANSWERS ON THE WPA"]

* [http://www.steamships.org/wpa/misc/assignment_slips.htm Samples of WPA Work Assignment Forms used in the 1930s]

* [http://www.steamships.org/wpa/misc/assignment_slips.htm Samples of WPA Work Assignment Forms used in the 1930s]

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