Above: A woman takes aim in a WPA archery class in San Francisco, ca. 1935-1943. The Final Report on the WPA Program noted that the "WPA recreation projects provided leadership and instruction in recreational activities of many kinds, supplementing existing public services of local communities. The aim of this work was the year-round operation of a varied and well-balanced recreation program, including social, cultural, and physical activities, for adults as well as young people" (p. 62). Today, we've become fat, and perhaps less social too. Maybe we could use a new WPA to bring us together and also get our muscles moving. In 2016, conservative commentator David Brooks wrote: "solidarity can be rekindled nationally. Over the course of American history, national projects like the railroad legislation, the W.P.A. and the NASA project have bound this diverse nation." Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Above: On this WPA project, somewhere in northern California, ca. 1935-1943, students learn how to make archery equipment. Photo courtesy of the National Archives.
Above: A WPA poster, advertising recreational programs in archery, dancing, drama, and more. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment