Okla-homey
4/8/2009, 06:34 AM
April 8, 1935: WPA established by Congress
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7131/wpausaworkprogramx.jpg
74 years ago today, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal."
In November 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Governor Roosevelt of New York was elected the 32nd president of the United States. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1933, Roosevelt promised Americans that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and outlined his New Deal--an expansion of the federal government as an instrument of employment opportunity and welfare.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7682/wparoadproject.gif
WPA highway project
In April 1935, the WPA was established under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act, as a means of creating government jobs for some of the nation's many unemployed. Under the direction of Harry L. Hopkins, the WPA employed more than 8.5 million persons on 1.4 million public projects before it was disbanded in 1943.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/769/wpanewdealwpa.jpg
The program chose work that would not interfere with private enterprise, especially vast public building projects like the construction of highways, bridges, and dams. Almost every community in America has a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency. Expenditures from 1936 to 1939 totaled nearly $7 billion.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9349/wpa514pxwpadone.jpg
Although its scale was unprecedented, the WPA never managed to serve more than a quarter of the nation's unemployed. Its programs were extremely popular, though, and contributed significantly to Roosevelt's landslide reelection in 1936 because it actually resulted in tangible new facilities and infrastructure for the nation, and quickly put a quarter of the country's unemployed on the end of a shovel in exchange for benefits.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4863/wpa3b49016r.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2623/insane7zo.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7131/wpausaworkprogramx.jpg
74 years ago today, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal."
In November 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Governor Roosevelt of New York was elected the 32nd president of the United States. In his inaugural address on March 4, 1933, Roosevelt promised Americans that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself" and outlined his New Deal--an expansion of the federal government as an instrument of employment opportunity and welfare.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/7682/wparoadproject.gif
WPA highway project
In April 1935, the WPA was established under the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act, as a means of creating government jobs for some of the nation's many unemployed. Under the direction of Harry L. Hopkins, the WPA employed more than 8.5 million persons on 1.4 million public projects before it was disbanded in 1943.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/769/wpanewdealwpa.jpg
The program chose work that would not interfere with private enterprise, especially vast public building projects like the construction of highways, bridges, and dams. Almost every community in America has a park, bridge or school constructed by the agency. Expenditures from 1936 to 1939 totaled nearly $7 billion.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/9349/wpa514pxwpadone.jpg
Although its scale was unprecedented, the WPA never managed to serve more than a quarter of the nation's unemployed. Its programs were extremely popular, though, and contributed significantly to Roosevelt's landslide reelection in 1936 because it actually resulted in tangible new facilities and infrastructure for the nation, and quickly put a quarter of the country's unemployed on the end of a shovel in exchange for benefits.
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4863/wpa3b49016r.jpg
http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/2623/insane7zo.jpg