New Deal Agencies: WPA--Projects


Figure 1.--This WPA project was an arts program for children at the Sacramento Art Center, one of many Federal sponsored Community Art Center. It was part of the WPA Federal Art Project. The photograph is undated, but was probably taken in the late-1930s.

There were 1.4 million different WPA projects. Much of the WPA involved physical labor and construction, but was not limited to these areas. WPA projects included: highways and building construction, slum clearance, reforestation, and rural rehabilitation as well as prohrams to employ actors and artists. Construction projects included roads and bridges. There were also government buildings, libraries, and schools. There were many projects in the National Parks where the CCC was also active. One notable project was National Airport in Washington, DC. There were many service projects, including school lunches and kindergartens. Many children with unemployed fathers got their most important meal of the day at school. Most primary school children in the 1930s went home for lunch. The number of elementary (primary) schools offering school lunches as a reslt of WPA sharply increased. WPA was not only for laborers, but also artists, sculptors, writers, musicians, and authors. As a result, there were plays and concerts--even circuses. The WPA culture efforts were particularly novel for the Federal Government. The Federal Writers' Project produced a wide range of booklets and engaged in a range of academic activities. They prepared state and regional guide books. The Project also deaveled into a variety of archives, organizing them and indexing newspapers. There were also sociological studies and historical investigations. The Federal Arts Project employed artists to decorate public buildings, including post offices, schools, and other public buildings with murals, canvases, and sculptures. Musicians were employed to organized symphony orchestras, and community singing. The Federal Theater Project experimented with untried performance modes, and scores of stock companies toured the country with repertories of old and new plays. This brought stage performances to communities which had only been exposed to theatrical performances through books and radio. Some plays had a strong political focus which proved controversial.

Physical Labor and Construction

Much of the WPA involved physical labor and construction, but was not limited to these areas. WPA projects included: highways and building construction, slum clearance, reforestation, and rural rehabilitation as well as prohrams to employ actors and artists. Construction projects included roads and bridges. There were also government buildings, libraries, and schools. There were many projects in the National Parks where the CCC was also active. One notable project was National Airport in Washington, DC.

Service Projects

There were many service projects, including school lunches and kindergartens. Many children with unemployed fathers got their most important meal of the day at school. Most primary school children in the 1930s went home for lunch. The number of elementary (primary) schools offering school lunches as a reslt of WPA sharply increased.

Federal Cultural Programs

WPA was not only for laborers, but also artists, sculptors, writers, musicians, and authors. As a result, there were plays and concerts--even circuses. The Federal Writers' Project produced a wide range of booklets and engaged in a range of academic activities. They prepared state and regional guide books. The Project also deaveled into a variety of archives, organizing them and indexing newspapers. There were also sociological studies and historical investigations. The Federal Arts Project employed artists to decorate public buildings, including post offices, schools, and other public buildings with murals, canvases, and sculptures. Musicians were employed to organized symphony orchestras, and community singing. The Federal Theater Project experimented with untried performance modes, and scores of stock companies toured the country with repertories of old and new plays. This brought stage performances to communities which had only been exposed to theatrical performances through books and radio. Some plays had a strong political focus which proved controversial. These were among the more cointriversial WPA projects,in part because many of the cultural literati had left wing views and wanted to exporess thoise views as paet of their government-financed work. The WPA culture efforts were particularly novel for the Federal Government. Few saw the contradiuction between freedom of speech and government financed propagation of political ideology.







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Created: 4:33 AM 11/1/2011
Last updated: 2:44 AM 6/12/2012