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WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
(RlWljt
1938
john j. Mcdonough
administrator
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
FOR MASSACHUSETTS
OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATOR
JOHN J MtOONOUGH 600 WASHINGTON STREET
ADMINISTRATOR BOSTON, MASS
Maroh 10, 1939
Colonel F* C. Harrington
Works Progress Administrator
1734 New York Avenue, N» W.
Washington, D. C*
Dear Colonel Harringtoni
As State Administrator of the Works Progress
Administration for Massachusetts I respectfully submit
our "Annual Report for 1938".
The following pages summarize the activities,
accomplishments and expenditures of all divisions of the
Works Progress Administration for Massaohusetts during
the calendar year 1938.
I am honored to have the privilege of present*
ing it to you*
John LL McDonough
Administrator
INDEX OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction 5
Division of Operations 9
Division of Women's and Professional Projects.. 21
Division of Education and Recreation 25
Division of Employment 30
Division of Finance 40
Surplus Commodities Distribution 47
Office Management 51
Information Service 55
Federal Music Project 56
Federal Theatre Project 56
Federal Writers Project 59
Federal Historical Records Project 59
Federal Art Project 60
Carens, Newhuryporl; Arthur K. Poole, Taunton; Ed¬
ward A. Coffey, Salem; Dewey G. Arrhamhault, Lowell;
A. C. Murray, Fall River; Anthony J. Stonina, Chieopee;
H. Winslow Brown, Attlehoro; Robert A. Perkins, Mel¬
rose; Alfred Woollarolt, Filch burg; Col. Arthur A.
Hansen, Waltham and William A. Bennett, Worcester
Federal \dministralor Col. F. C. Harrington, who was
then Assistant National Administrator in charge of
Operations was the luncheon speaker during the Ad¬
ministrative Conference held in the Hotel Bradford,
May 5. 1938. Left to right: Ray C. Branion, Regional
Field Representative: Col. Harrington: C. B. Hall.
Director of Operations and Col. John J. MeDonough,
State Administrator
Col. John J. MeDonough,
Stale Administrator
Mayors confer with federal officials. Sealed left to right:
Elmer W. Bahson, Gloucester; Maurice J. Tohin, Bos-
Ion; Edward J. Voke, Chelsea; Col. John J. MeDonough,
Slate Administrator; Ray C. Branion, Regional Field
Representative and T. D. Rowe, Brockton
Standing L to R: John M. Lynch, Somerville; James F.
Annual Report
1938
INTRODUCTION
In order that the general public may have a better
idea of the Works Progress Administration for Massa¬
chusetts and the work it is doing, this report is made.
To appraise properly the problems which confronted
WPA in 1938, one must first consider the economic
situation prevailing in 1937. Long before the end of
1937, WPA city and town officials were acutely aware
of the seriousness of the business recession. Unem¬
ployment was increasing at an alarming rate. City and
town officials were swamped with applications for di¬
rect relief which threatened to ruin their budgets, pre¬
pared early in the year when the full effect of the reces¬
sion could not have been foreseen.
For the purpose of getting a clear and factual idea of
the situation, WPA conducted surveys of unemploy¬
ment in November, 1937, and in January, 1938. The
surveys made by field representatives of WPA revealed
that there were about 250,000 unemployed in Massa¬
chusetts outside the ranks of WPA and direct relief.
This figure was approximately within two per cent of
the figures for unemployment for Massachusetts an¬
nounced later by the National Unemployment Census
directed by John D. Biggers.
As 1937 drew to a close, WPA's policy of re-employ¬
ment was well under way. Just before Christmas,
1937, there were 15,000 workers added to WPA ranks
in time to receive pay checks before the holiday. Ten
thousand more were added within a few weeks.
In January, 1938, WPA was well launched upon an
expanding-employment policy which was to more than
double its ranks. Personnel rose from 58,000 in Sep¬
tember, 1937, to 122,000 in September 1938, and due
to the hurricane and flood the peak of unemployment
at the beginning of November was 133,000.
During 1938 WPA distributed in wages between
$5,000,000 and $9,000,000 a month which flowed into
the channels of business. As WPA rolls increased the
numbers on direct relief dropped steadily from 67,000
employables in January 1938, to 41,000 in October.
During this time there were also about 20,000 unem-
ployables on direct relief.
Although the peak of WPA employment was around
130,000 there were more than 200,000 individuals em¬
ployed on WPA at some time during the year as the
number who left WPA for various reasons during the
year amounted to 97,800. Of this number 27,000 re¬
turned to private employment.
The huge increases in WPA personnel and expendi¬
tures were accomplished without greatly adding to the
administrative staff. Costs of administration were kept
at 2.68 per cent of the total program costs.
For instance, for the first quarter of the fiscal year,
July 1, 1938 to Sept. 30, 1938, the total amount expen¬
ded for WPA in Massachusetts was $27,019,406. All
administrative costs amounted to $685,156.
This is all the more remarkable in view of the fact
that Massachusetts project workers are paid weekly
instead of twice a month as in other states through¬
out the country. During the year the Finance Division
prepared payrolls for a total of 6,065,407 pay checks.
At the close of the year payrolls covered about 140,000
individual checks a week.
During the year WPA expended approximately $97,-
000,000 in Federal funds in Massachusetts.
The WPA did more than keep thousands employed
and general business more active through the spending
of WPA pay checks. Completion of 1818 projects
during the year visibly added to the wealth of cities,
towns, counties and the commonwealth.
These completed projects covered a multitude of ac¬
tivities from the building of stadia, public buildings,
parks, streets, sewers, water systems and sidewalks to
the indexing of municipal records and other white
collar activities.
The 145 miles of sewers, 133 miles of water mains,
314 miles of new streets, 656 miles of improved roads
and innumerable other works built during the year
will remain for generations as assets of the communi¬
ties in which they were constructed. More than 233,000
trees were planted by WPA during the year for road¬
side beautification and the protection of water sheds.
At Westfield, West Springfield and several other
places local and WPA officials dedicated athletic fields
which will provide enjoyment and health-building fa¬
cilities for many years to come. The year saw final
completion of the Lynn Stadium and the completion of
the stadium at Quincy.
During the year the National Guard Camp at
Bourne, largest project of its kind in the country was
further developed and the Commonwealth avenue un¬
derpass in Boston completed. The underpass has done
much to relieve traffic at a badly congested section in
the Back Bay section of Boston.
Considerable progress was made on the new Hun¬
tington Avenue Subway in Boston. This project, will
be continued into next year. An automobile under¬
pass is being built in connection with the subway at
the junction of Huntington and Massachusetts Ave-
enues.
In many instances completion of new roads, water
and sewer systems and other public utilities consider¬
ably increased the values of adjacent real estate. This
has been particularly true of the Crosstown Boulevard
in Springfield which changed a countryside of little
value into a high class residential section.
Added to the busiest year in the history of WPA in
this state was the emergency and instant need for or¬
ganized manpower created by the hurricane, flood and
tidal wave of September 21, 1938. At the height of the
hurricane emergency WPA had 80,000 workers in the
field rescuing and aiding victims, keeping roads clear
of fallen trees for the passage of ambulances, food
and fire trucks and performing innumerable rehabilita¬
tion tasks in connection with the disaster. Again, as
in 1936, WPA workers proved themselves an invaluable
army, ready to combat disaster at a moment's notice.
Although the majority of WPA workers were on
manual projects the accomplishments of those workers
in the Division of Women's and Professional Projects
were extensive. The sewing projects made 5,129,308
garments for men, women and children on relief. The
canning projects produced 1,580,137 cans of food for
the same purpose. Technical and clerical workers car¬
ried on numerous projects and surveys designed to
assist city, town and state governments and preserve
historic documents from oblivion.
More than 27,000,000 participants, young and old,
enjoyed the WPA Recreation Program and thousands
took advantage of WPA Adult Education classes.
During 1938 the Surplus Commodities Distribution
Project distributed more than 170,000,000 pounds of
food valued at $9,500,000; 4,500,000 pieces of clothing
valued at $3,500,000 and 25,000,000 quarts of milk to
families on relief.
Just as man cannot live by bread alone the Federal
Act Projects did their bit in adding to American cul¬
ture as they kept skilled artists, writers, sculptors and
artisans employed at work for which they are best
fitted.
The Federal Writers Project published four books
and contributed Bay State data to many more. The
Federal Art Project completed 23,094 pieces of work.
The Federal Music Project presented four operas and
3018 concerts attended by 2,376,242 and the Federal
Theatre Project gave 1677 performances attended by
522,990.
Pay checks for all these activities to thousands of
WPA employes were accompanied by a brightening of
the economic picture of the state during the year. The
upward swing of WPA employment was paralelled dur¬
ing the last six months of 1938 by a marked improve¬
ment in business conditions.
Surveys by the State Planning Board, the Federal
Department of Commerce and the State Department
of Labor and Industries indicated that, at the end of
1938, business was 7 per cent, better than it had been
a year before and the most rapid recovery in recent
years was in full swing. Industrial employment gained
17 per cent, during the last six months of the year and
electric power consumption had increased 12 per cent,
compared with the year before.
Activity in cotton textile mills had gained about 60
per cent, and shoe production was running 30 per cent,
larger than at the end of 1937. Payrolls between June
and November increased about 20 per cent. The wage
earner was further benefitted during the year by a
drop of about three per cent, in the cost of living.
The year was by far the most active in WPA his¬
tory and one that marked a record of accomplishment
achieved, not by any one person or any one group, but
by the steady day-by-day labor of all WPA workers.
Heads of various divisions of WPA in Massachu¬
setts have made detailed reports of the activities of
WPA contained in this report. A study of these re¬
ports gives one a comprehensive picture of WPA in
this state.
INDEXES OF MASSACHUSETTS ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
1925-27=100
100
10000
5000
JAN J FEB 1 WAR 1 APR 'MAY ' JUN.1 JUL.1 AUG 1 SEP. 'OCT. ' NOV. 1 DEC.' 1 JAN.1 FEB. 'MAR 1 APR.1 MAY 1 JUN.1 JUL.1 AUG.' SEP 'OCT. 1 NOV ' DEC.1
BASED ON DATA FROM ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES Of MASSACHUSETTS FOR FACTORY ORDERS, R L POLK A CO. FOR AUTOMOBILE SALES, F w OOOCE CORP. FOR BUILD¬
ING CONTRACTS; MASS OEPT Of LABOR 1 INDUSTRIES FOR EMPLOYMENT, MASS STATE PLANNING BOARD FOR BUSINESS ACTIVITY; THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK
FOR RETAIL SALES U S. OEPT OF COMMERCE FOR COTTON SPINOLE ACTIVITY AND SHOE PRODUCTION.
Left to Right: Col. John J. McDoiiough; Col. Thomas
F. Sullivan, Administrative Assistant in Charge of Bos¬
ton; Ray C. Branion, Regional Director for New Eng-
land and C. B. Hall, Director of Operations, oversee
' PA workers fighting flood at Crocker Mill, Fitrhhurg.
This photograph was taken a half hour before the
hurricane hit
WPA workers battling raging flood water from the Hours before the hurricane struck on September 21
overflowing Nashua River at the Crocker Mill, Fitch- during a driving rainstorm, soaking poorly clad workers
burg, under the personal direction of Colonel John J, to the skin, workers who fought the flood unmindful
McDonough, Administrator. This photo was taken two of time, danger and personal discomfort
DIVISION OF OPERATIONS
C. B. HALL, Director
The Division of Operations is charged with the task
of carrying out all manual projects in accordance with
sound engineering and construction practice.
Work must be scheduled; materials, equipment and
tools arranged for; satisfactory supervision must be
provided, as well as sufficient inspection. This division
is responsible for the records of the projects with the
exception of financial matters. Workers must be given
every opportunity to earn their monthly security wage.
Safe working conditions must be established and main¬
tained.
It is the responsibility of each local community to
provide sufficient and suitable projects for supplying
continuous employment to those workers in their re¬
spective quotas, as determined by the state adminis¬
trator. The Division of Operations assists sponsors in
every way possible to develop and prepare projects to
meet their needs.
In order to provide the most employment possible
with funds available, it is a function of the Division of
Operations to plan and schedule its work program so
as to maintain an economic ratio of unskilled to the
other classifications of labor. In the course of the year
1938 the Federal Deputy Administrator requested us
to attain and maintain 75% unskilled workers to
25% of all other classifications on manual projects.
For the entire year our percentage of unskilled was
74.28%, and 25.72 % foi all other classifications com¬
bined.
On December 28, 1938, the Division of Operations
carried out 76.1% of the entire state program. During
the year this percentage averaged 76.94%, and for the
month of October equalled 77.7%.
ORGANIZATION
During the year 1938 the state and field offices were
strengthened considerably, not only in numbers, but
in caliber of personnel. Following the policy of en¬
deavoring to advance those in the service who had
given good performance, a number of promotions were
made. In January, 1938, the average number of work¬
ers on manual projects was 55,076; in December, 1938,
the average was 97,000—an increase of 76%. During
the month of October, 1938, the average number of
employees on manual projects was 100,871. Between
December 31, 1937, and December 31, 1938, the ad¬
ministrative staff, Division of Operations, was in¬
creased from 215 to 298 employees. Our state quota in¬
creased during the year 113.55%. To meet this the
Division of Operations administrative staff was in¬
creased 39.4%.
Project Section
This section handles all project applications and
proposals, all work connected with the receipt, exami¬
nation, recording and processing of project proposals
and project applications. Necessary forms for opera¬
tion, are prepared and transmitted. Complete project
files are maintained by this section.
Project Planning
Here are maintained the records of physical accom¬
plishments; an account kept of project reservoir for
each city and town. This unit takes steps to develop
reservoirs when projects are lacking in any communi¬
ties; rescinds all balances on projects which will not
be operated. The clearances of financial statements,
Forms 66, are provided and proper notification sent
to the field.
Inspection and Coordination
This group is comprised of construction engineers
with the necessary stenographic and clerical assistance
to handle the coordination and inspection of state and
federally-sponsored projects; investigate complaints;
render special engineering reports; act as liaison and
coordinators between the state office and the field of¬
fices. All preliminary studies of engineering nature
which require unusual attention are handled by this
section. Projects having limited or conditional appro¬
vals are inspected and, in cooperation with field offices,
supervised by this staff. Foremanship training is car¬
ried out by this section.
Materials and Equipment
In this section is placed the responsibility for, and
the control of, expenditures of federal funds for mate¬
rials and equipment; all requisitions and specifications
are checked and cleared; liaison maintained with the
Treasury Department and proper inspection arranged
for in the field. This unit maintains records and proper
accounting for all other-than-labor expenditures made
by this division.
Liaison Unit
This is a small section charged with the responsi¬
bility of adjusting all matters between the Division of
Employment, Division of Finance and the Division of
Operations. This unit also receives, checks and clears
requisitions for supervisory personnel and handles all
travel matters.
Safety
The safety program for the entire state is carried
out by the State Safety Consultant and his field staff.
Additional comment will be made in a subsequent part
of this report.
SUPERVISION AND INSPECTION
This group of construction engineers is engaged
principally in coordination, engineering investigation
and reports, and general supervision of field work.
Below is given a tabulation of some of the functions
of this section.
WPA form 310, revised cleared
(Notification of start of work and to set up encum¬
brance) 3664
Review of field engineers' reports 24900
Special engineering investigations 640
Investigation of operating division
complaints 225
Inspection and coordination of limited or
conditionally approved projects 88
Coordination of projects sponsored by
Massachusetts state departments
18 projects 74 locations
Coordination and supervision of Federal
projects 35
Coordination of state-wide Emergency
projects 1 project 355 locations
Coordination of state-wide Rehabilitation
project 1 project 288 locations
Coordination of state-wide Fire Hazard
project 1 project 136 locations
There are eight field offices set up with the minimum
of administrative personnel in the heavy employment
centers. Their locations and territories of coverage
are as follows:
Boston—All work in the City of Boston.
Brockton—All of Norfolk county, five towns of Bris¬
tol county and 14 towns of Plymouth county.
Fall River—Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket coun¬
ties; upper part of Bristol and Plymouth counties.
Lowell—Five cities and towns of Essex county and
upper part of Middlesex county.
Medford—Part of Middlesex county which includes
a large part of Metropolitan Boston.
Salem—Nearly all of Essex county and part of Suf¬
folk county.
Springfield—Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and
Berkshire counties.
Worcester—All of Worcester county.
There are also four sub-offices located in Pittsfield,
Greenfield, Hyannis and Fitchburg. At these points
there are stationed one to three field engineers and
clerical assistance when necessary.
The organization as a whole demonstrated great
flexibility during and immediately following the hurri¬
cane, tidal wave and flood of last September. Remark¬
able speed was shown in getting operations under way
and carrying them out under the most trying condi¬
tions.
As of January 1, 1939, there were 1,074 manual
projects in operation. During the year 1938, 1,818 pro¬
jects were completed.
The number of cities and towns operating projects
as of January 1, 1939, was 337; towns not operating
—14.
There are several hundred letters in the files from
every section of the state commenting most favorably
on the assistance given by the WPA forces under
emergency conditions.
Although our state quota more than doubled during
the year, the field forces were able to meet the expan¬
sion as rapidly as assignments could be made.
PROJECTS
During the year the Division of Operations has in¬
creased its project reservoir almost $30,000,000 to a
sum total of $126,000,000. The project section, in the
twelve-month period, examined and processed to Wash¬
ington 2,555 applications for a total federal man-
months of labor of 1,537,489. These applications were
made up as follows:
10
WPA Funds:
Labor $ 99,150,852.00
Other than labor 4,514,095.00
Total Federal Funds $103,664,947.00
Sponsor's Funds:
Sponsor's Pledges 37,828,304.00
TOTAL $141,493,251.00
Forms 301, applications to apply against blanket
projects, constituted a large part of the work of this
section. During the year 3,003 Forms 301 were ex¬
amined and cleared for operation against blanket pro¬
jects. Two hundred eleven work projects were rejected
and returned to field offices as being ineligible; 5,978
releases for operation (701-R Forms) were issued.
Of the applications sent to Washington only 13 were
disapproved. An analysis shows that five of these were
either superseded or were federal withdrawals. Nine¬
ty-nine and seven per cent, of applications forwarded
to Washington received final approval.
The above figures do not include three statewide
projects which were processed at our request by the
Project Control Division in Washington. These were:
a project for flood emergency, original limitation
$600,000, plus two supplements of $500,000 each —
total limitation, $1,600,000. Fire Hazard Reduction
project under the sponsorship of the State and the
United States Forest Service, Presidential limitation,
$2,809,096: Rehabilitation and Reconstruction project
with a Presidential limitation of $5,000,000.00.
PROJECT RESERVOIR
In order that there may be continuous operation of
the program it is necessary to maintain a reservoir of
manuel projects throughout the state. As of December
31, 1938 there were 1,974,929 man months of work ap¬
proved at an estimated value of $125,969,128, as fol¬
lows:
Available
Not Started Balance Total
Totals $36,786,248 $82,578,437.84 $119,364,685.84
Approved
in Wash¬
ington 6,604,443.00 6,604,443.00
Grand
Total $43,390,691 $82,578,437.84 $125,969,128.84
In the various cities and towns throughout the state
this provides operations in each community ranging
from six months to two years.
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
All purchases of materials and rentals of equipment
for the Works Progress Administration from federal
funds were made by the Procurement Division of the
Treasury Department. This arrangement proved high¬
ly satisfactory to the Division of Operations. Every
effort has been made to impress upon the cities and
towns the fact that purchases and rentals from federal
funds are entirely out of our hands. During the past
year we have had no difficulty in securing complete
Hurricane Destruction, Petersham
Hurricane Destruction, Somerset
Hurricane Destruction.
Northampton
Hurricane Destruction, Wareham
Hurricane Destruction, Fairhaven
Hurricane Destruction, Barre
compliance with specifications of materials purchased,
both with regard to quantity and quality.
During the year 3,126 requisitions cleared through
the materials and requisition section. The total amount
of federal funds involved was $3,551,778.94. The num¬
ber of man-months of labor on the projects for which
these requisitions were passed was 1,006,467.
SAFETY
Our safety program has shown a most gratifying
improvement; both minor and lost time frequencies
have been declining during the year even though our
quota has been doubled.
This improvement is due to several reasons. The
State Safety Consultant has been able to secure the
complete cooperation, not only of his own staff, but of
the field engineers and supervisors. Coverage and
methods of reporting have improved. First aid work
has been brought to a more satisfactory state.
It is natural that in such a large program there
would be some accidental deaths. During the year 1938
there were 11 cases of deaths by accident. This means
there was a frequency of .089 per million man-hours.
For the last six months of 1937 the national average
per million man-hours was .16. For the first three
months of 1938 the national average was .13. This is
the last report available.
Cost of the safety work for the entire year was
equal to $.034 per man-month of labor.
Beginning in August first aid classes were under¬
taken by the Safety Section to provide certified first
aid on each project, two thousand and fifty attended
the series of classes undertaken in 1938, of which
1,160 received the required certificates. At the present
time a second series of classes are being held, at which
there has been an attendance of 1,597.
FOREMANSHIP TRAINING
A course of foremanship training was carried out
during the year. A total of 1,340 classes were held
with an 83% average attendance. Certificates were
issued to 2,758 foremen and supervisors and candidates
for supervisory positions. The good effects of this
training were increasingly noticeable throughout the
year. The better understanding of this program made
it possible to meet extreme conditions without confu¬
sion. The importance of the selection and training of
proper supervision can best be visualized from the
following figures: At the end of 1938, there were 1,118
employees in the supervisory classifications. In addition
to these supervisors, there were 3,857 foremen for
approximately 97,000 manual workers.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS
The day before the hurricane of Sept. 21, 1938, the
Operations Division was preparing to combat a flood
emergency created by a week of rain. WPA crews,
organized to combat a flood approaching the propor¬
tions of the 1936 flood, formed a nucleus for the 80,000
WPA workers mobilized within 48 hours to cope with
the unprecedented emergencies caused by the disaster.
When the hurricane struck there was $600,000 in
Federal funds immediately available for emergency
projects. This was rapidly supplemented by $1,000,000
bringing the total to $1,600,000. When emergency op¬
erations were completed there was a balance of $7,-
110.40 unemcumbered.
Shortly after the disaster struck Massachusetts,
National Administrator Harry L. Hopkins and Col.
F. C. Harrington, WPA Chief Engineer, arrived in
Boston by airplane from California to confer with
New England Governors, WPA and municipal officials
concerning rehabilitation. Thousands of WPA workers
were clearing roads of fallen trees, buttressing dikes
with sand bags, transporting food and medicine and
performing dozens of other tasks calling for imme¬
diate attention.
For the vast reconstruction and rehabilitation pro¬
gram a project was approved with a limitation of
$5,000,000 for the restoration and repair of public
property damaged or destroyed by hurricane, flood
or tidal wave.
Rapid rehabilitation was facilitated by allowing
State Administrator John J. McDonough to authorize
individual work projects which did not carry a total
cost of more than $10,000, without first getting ap¬
proval from Washington. This so speeded operations
that 880 work units were operated during the emer¬
gency in 293 cities and towns of the state. Some of
these projects were released for operation within an
hour after being submitted.
At the end of the year $4,891,183 had been released
for operation.
Much reconstruction and rehabilitation was done
under regularly approved projects. Local communities
have been very cooperative, in general, in shifting
operations from the reconstruction project to regular
projects, when the work could be performed under the
regular project limitations.
FIRE HAZARD REDUCTION
A condition of gravest danger was created through¬
out a large portion of the state by the leveling of for¬
ests. Under the technical supervision of the United
States Forest Service we have been making every
effort to reduce the fire hazard wherever that agency
declares a hazard to exist, by clearing strips along
roads and highways and cutting and clearing fire
lanes.
Man power was built up as rapidly as possible. At
the end of 1938 approximately 9,600 workers were
engaged on this work.
The fire hazard program is unquestionably one of
the greatest operating problems we have to face for
a number of reasons. In the first place the most serious
conditions occur in locations where there is little if any
available labor. The very magnitude of the task itself
is more than we could cope with; no matter how many
men were assigned to the Forest Service project, it
would still be impossible to eliminate the danger of
fire which will be most critical at or near the first of
April. Under project limitations we can only clear
strips along roads or cut fire lanes under the direction
of the Forest Service where proper easements or re¬
leases have been obtained. In the case of forest fire,
the work we are now doing would be of value only in
establishing means of communications and barriers
which might be widened quickly. The greater part of
the danger lies in the masses of fallen trees in areas
which we cannot clear under our regulations.
The most serious areas are located at 30 to 40 miles
from heavy employment centers. This involves a per¬
plexing problem of transportation, which is all the
more difficult because we are operating on security
hours. Job efficiency is not improved by having workers
spend from two to four hours every work day in
busses. Another obstacle is the fact that most workers
are being transported from high-wage areas to lower
ones, thus arousing a certain amount of discontent.
It is also difficult to have sponsors cooperate in sending
men from high wage rate areas to the lower ones.
Aside from the above mentioned difficulties, joint
responsibility has not proved to be a successful ar¬
rangement. The Forest Service has no funds available,
and under our limitations we cannot supply the needs
and meet requirements of the Forest Service, even
though perfectly justifiable. This lack of funds has
seriously retarded the Forest Service in working out
plans of action, and in the technical supervision of
work.
The first three months of operation of this project
have not proved to be satisfactory. It is my opinion
that the fire hazard reduction work and the timber
salvaging should both be handled under direct appro¬
priation to the Forest Service. We could supply labor
as on any other federal aid project. Dual responsibility
would be eliminated, efficiency increased and opera¬
tions would not be limited by the restrictions of the
Emergency Relief Appropriation Act.
OPERATING PROBLEMS
The principal difficulty of the past year has been
that of job supervision. Most of the complaints re¬
ceived were traced back to poor supervision.
Consistant effort has been made to select the very
best men available for supervisory positions. More
study on the part of the local authorities would prove
of tremendous benefit, not only in savings for the cities
and towns, but in the elimination of public criticism
and the production of more public improvements
through increased efficiency.
As a result of this lack of proper planning, critical
conditions developed during the year in many com¬
munities not only due to the lack of projects, but to
the failure of sponsors to supply materials and equip¬
ment. In many localities increased efficiency of opera¬
tion has resulted in the more rapid usage of materials
than was anticipated.
The financial condition of the cities and towns made
it difficult to secure the necessary sponsor's funds for
the prosecution of this work-relief program, particu¬
larly in those communities which had reached the
limits of their borrowing capacity.
The unexpected rise in unemployment during 1938
brought about increases in quotas far greater than
those for which plans had been laid, consequently there
was a general disturbance of local budgets.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
The greatest efforts will be put forth during this
year to improve both job and general supervision.
This means insistance on the best possible qualifications
and the weeding out of men who cannot produce rea¬
sonable efficiency on their respective jobs.
It will be a definite policy to refuse to overman any
job. The past year has seen such extreme and unusual
conditions that leniency was shown which no longer
can be permitted.
It is planned to redouble efforts to develop outstand¬
ing projects of constructive nature which will reflect
to the greatest possible credit of the local communi¬
ties. A definite, yet flexible, schedule of operation is
expected to be worked out by each community and we
intend giving the fullest cooperation toward that end.
Plans have already been laid, although in the pre¬
liminary stage at this time, to carry out some advanced
classes so that supervisors, engineers and even execu¬
tives may be given the opportunity to improve them¬
selves.
Every effort will be made to put more responsibility
on the supervisors or superintendents of the projects.
It is planned to give preference to the Fire Hazard
Reduction project and place as many men as possible
at the disposal of the Forest Service at all times. How¬
ever, no matter how much we do, there will always be
areas in which we cannot supply the men and meet the
needs of the situation.
14
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Interior, during Construction of Huntingtc
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enue Subway
Commonwealth Avenue Underpass, Boston
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
FOR MASSACHUSETTS
DIVISION OF OPERATIONS
REPORT OF PHYSICAL ACCOMPLISHMENT
FOR THE YEAR 1938
Improve-
Improve
Item of Work
Unit
New
menta
AIRPORTS
No.
1
2
Runways—Turf
Sq. Yds.
....
582,066
Air Beacons
No.
1
....
BRIDGES & ROADWAY
CULVERTS
No.
99
202
BUILDINGS
No.
101
1,321
BEACHES
No.
2
....
CABLE CONDUITS &
OVERHEAD WIRES
L. F.
261,375
....
CEMETERIES
No.
11
8
COMMUNICATION
SYSTEMS
Fire Alarm Lines
Lin. Ft.
74,193
134.439
CURBING
Miles
86
244
DAMS
No.
3
....
DOCKS, WHARVES &
PIERS
No.
1
10
DRAINED AREAS
Acres
22,799
....
Ditching
Lin. Ft.
456,890
....
FIELDS & COURTS
Athletic Fields
No.
19
35
Handball Courts
No.
4
...
Tennis Courts
No.
51
12
Golf Courses
No.
3
2
Rifle Ranges
No.
3
....
Artillery Ranges
No.
1
....
Parks & Playgrounds
No.
53
276
Band Shells
No.
1
....
FIRE LANES
Miles
194
9
FISH HATCHERIES
No.
....
3
GRADING OPERATIONS
Clearing & Grubbing
Acres
10,251
....
Finished Grading
Acres
1,085
....
Shoulders
Miles
156
....
Irrigation
Acres
12
Slopes, Berms & Terraces Lin. Ft.
9,404
....
Roadside Beautification
Miles
304
....
GUARD RAIL, FENCES
& WALLS
Lin. Ft.
158,608
2,084
GUTTERS PAVED
Miles
33
7
LANDING FIELDS
No.
1
2
LEVEES & DIKES
Lin. Ft.
250
244
MATERIALS &
EQUIPMENT
Concrete Curbing
Lin. Ft.
10,685
....
Crushed Stone
Cu. Yds.
22,169
Firewood
Cords
1,967
Bituminous Paving
Tons
13,375
....
Item of Work
Unit
New
ments
MARKERS
Highway
No.
270
....
Airway
No.
32
MATERIALS SALVAGED
Brick
M
160
....
Lumber
Bd. Ft.
20,000
....
PARKING AREAS
No.
5
....
PESTS DESTROYED
Moth Control
Acres
95,662
....
PIPE LAID
Sewer
Miles
145
15
Water
Miles
133
2
Consumer Connections
No.
1,741
....
Gas
Lin. Ft.
1,040
....
PUMPING PLANTS
No.
3
....
RESERVOIRS &
STORAGE TANKS
No.
12
6
ROADS, STREETS &
DRIVES
Miles
314
656
SIDEWALKS & PATHS
Miles
551
16
SIGNAL BOXES—FIRE
No.
....
786
SKATING RINKS
No.
8
....
STADIUMS &
BLEACHERS
No.
10
2
STREAM BED
IMPROVEMENT
Gauge houses No. 4
Riprapping Sq. Yds. 7,842
River Banks Miles 7
SWIMMING POOLS No. 4
TRAFFIC CONTROL
Lines Lin. Ft. 95,000
Markers No. 2,448
TRANSPORTATION
Car Tracks Removed Lin. Ft.
Subway Tunnels Lin. Ft.
TREATMENT PLANTS No.
TREES & SHRUBS
Planted No. 233,030
Removed No. 103,003
WALLS & FENCES Lin. Ft. 41,307
WELLS No. 196
FLOOD & HURRICANE Man-
EMERGENCY Months 23,727
DISASTER REHABILI- Man-
TATION Months 38,520
FOREST FIRE HAZARD Man-
REDUCTION Months 15,120
.... 30,200
1,750 75
2 7
5,254
LOST TIME
FREQUENCY
massachusetts works progress administration
DIVISION OF OPERATIONS - SAFETY SECTION
40
minor
frequency
COMPARISON OF MONTHLY frequency ■ no of injuries per million
LOST TIME FREQUENCY man hours of exposure
FOR 1938 from figures available january 1,1939
ALSO
COMPARISON OF MONTHLY
MAN HOUR EXPOSURE
800
COMPARISON OF MONTHLY
MINOR ACCIDENT FREQUENCY
FOR 1938
COMPARISON OF MONTHLY 700
657 MAN HOUR EXPOSURE
0-1
jan feb mar apr may june july aug sept oct nov dec
jan feb mar apr may june july aug sept oct nov dec
manual-unskilled 55 9%
20 2%
HIGHWAYS
m
'Z & *
%&*■
" ' ' ' - x '' '
WPA Landscaping R.O.T.C. Section, Fort Devens, Aver „ «■»*» •* ?« *
- ,*'* *~'W'
AEKINISTRATION BUILDING
INFIRMARY
INNER 4 OUTER ROADS OF QUADRANGLE
OFFICERS' LATRINES
ENLISTED MENS* LATRINES
ACCESS ROAD TO ROUTE 28
MAIN ENTRANCE RD. TO SAHDWICH-FAIMOUTH ROADS
AIRPORT
SEWERAGE DISPOSAL WORKS
WAREHOUSES
LOCATION OF 200,000 GAL. WATER TANK
PARADE GROUND
CCIPANY STREETS 4 TENTING AREA
WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION FOR MASSACHUSETTS
MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY RESERVATION
NATIONAL GUARD CAMP
BOURNE,MASS.
Sponsored by
MASSACHUSETTS NATIONAL GUARD
Westfield Airport
East Boston Airport After WPA Construction in 1938
DIVISION OF WOMEN'S AND PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS
MISS ELEANOR IIAYWARD, Director
The Division of Women's and Professional Projects
is responsible for the development and operation of
projects on which women and professional people may
be suitably employed. Many families must rely on
women for their principal means of support and many
professionally trained people, both men and women,
have been unemployed for considerable periods of
time. The training and abilities of these groups of peo¬
ple vary greatly so that the types and number of pro¬
jects within the Division vary in proportion.
During 1938 the number of operating projects in¬
creased from 562 to 855. The total number of people
employed — increased from 16,989 to 22,096. At the
same time, the administrative personnel increased from
80 to 94.
Projects operated by the division are divided into
two principal groups—those organized primarily for
women—and those to employ both men and women.
The first group—the Production and Service projects—
expanded in nearly all types.
Production and Service Projects
In order to help field and project supervisors im¬
prove the quality of their work, a series of meetings
on Foremanship Training were held during June, July
and August for the field and area supervisors. At the
close of those meetings, a program was laid out for
the ensuing season. This program is being carried out
by the area and field supervisors with the project
supervisors, with good results shown to date, especially
in "good housekeeping", and proper use and care of
equipment.
The number of sewing projects remained nearly
constant, varying from 149 to 145. Employment also
remained nearly constant, varying from 8,869 to 8,891.
Some 14,397,976 yards of cotton cloth were made into
5,129,308 garments for men, women and children.
These garments included layettes, underwear, dresses,
shirts and trousers.
During the year, responsibility for conditions in
First-aid Rooms was delegated to the state supervisor
of the nursing projects, who has succeeded in bringing
these rooms to a high standard.
Immediately, when the flood and hurricane struck
New England September 21, arrangements were made
for the women to work over-time to make sandbags,
and cotton flannel sheets and underwear. Eight thou¬
sand four hundred twenty-one sandbags; 12,181 sheets;
34,233 cotton flannel sleeping garments; 16,805 men's
shirts and 2,005 work trousers were made to meet the
emergency. The women on the projects responded
readily and generously to the call for over-time.
CANNING
The number of canning projects in the state during
1938 remained nearly constant but the employment
increased from 400 to 457. A total of 1,580,137 cans
of food stuffs were produced during the year, of which
272,313 were canned apples and apple sauce. The
apples were purchased by the Federal Surplus Com¬
modities Corporation from farmers whose crops were
blown from the trees by the September hurricane.
Ninety thousand cans were bought from federal funds
in order to help out the emergency, although cans are
usually provided by the sponsors.
The number of Housekeeping Aide projects has in¬
creased from 38 to 81. Employment has also increased
from 463 to 1,049. These workers go into homes of
needy families where emergencies exist and assist with
cleaning, laundering, cooking, mending, and the care
of children. In motherless homes they teach some mem¬
ber of the family, wherever possible, to assume the
responsibility of housekeeping.
SCHOOL LUNCHES
The School Lunch projects remained relatively con¬
stant in number, varying from 7 to 8 with 44 units,
and from 235 to 270 workers. An average of 4,393
lunches were served each day. Many of the food stuffs
came from the Federal Surplus Commodities Cor¬
poration. Needy children who are fed on these projects
show a greater gain in weight than is to be expected
from their normal growth. After the hurricane, work¬
ers on Housekeeping Aide projects assisted some
School Lunch projects in serving meals to refugees.
During the year, 20 projects for cleaning and reno¬
vating public buildings were developed and 373 people
were working on them at the end of the year.
The Household Workers Demonstration project,
which is state-wide, has had an average of four units
in operation throughout the year. Ninety-nine women
have gone into private employment after an eight-to-
twelve weeks' course in the fundamentals of household
management. In December, because of the impossibility
of making new assignments on certified workers, the
practice of training unpaid enrollees was begun.
The Nursing projects decreased by 60 persons be¬
cause there was a demand for nurses in private em¬
ployment.
PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL PROJECTS
This group of projects employs both men and women
(the so-called White Collar projects) and also showed
growth during the year. The number of projects in¬
creased from 327 to 562 and the employment from
6,578 to 11,038. Roughly, this group of projects can
be divided into research and statistical, engineering,
and other clerical and service types.
Since in their very nature research and statistical
projects vary greatly and cover a wide range of sub¬
jects, it is difficult to summarize their accomplishment
except to say that the number of projects increased
from 62 to 114, and the employment from 1,004 to
2,272. A number of the projects, such as the Analysis
of Spectroscopic Data and the Survey of the Water
Resources of the State are too large undertakings to
be completed within a year. But progress is being
made and reports issued on work completed to date.
A Study on Alcoholism has been completed and
Studies on Diseases of the Brain and Vitamins have
been started. The data collected by the Byrd Expedi¬
tion are being analyzed.
Since Massachusetts has some of the oldest records
on vital statistics in the country, it is natural that
there should be a number of projects for indexing,
and where the records are old, badly worn, or nearly
illegible, for copying birth, marriage and death records,
to make them more readily accessible or to preserve
them.
Projects for tabulating statistics on fires and acci¬
dents are numerous as are those for improving asses¬
sors' records. A project for modernizing and indexing
the naturalization records is nearly complete. A traffic
survey for the City of Boston is well under way. A pro¬
ject has been started recently for compiling service
records of railroad employees for the Railroad Retire¬
ment Board.
During the year engineering projects increased in
number and in people employed. At the end of the year
there were 81 projects and 2,134 employed. A great
deal of emphasis has been placed on local control sur¬
veys where the accuracy is very high. This type of
project takes a long time to complete but when com¬
pleted furnishes thoroughly accurate base maps for
such activities as assessor's block maps, surveys of
underground structures, and the like.
The work during the last year has been of such high
grade that Massachusetts has been asked to furnish an
exhibit showing the evolution of this type of project
and the various steps from making triangulations,
running traverses, making computations and adjust¬
ments, to drafting maps.
WHITE COLLAR PROJECTS
The miscellaneous white collar projects have also
increased during the year. They now number 365, and
6,597 people are employed on them.
Projects such as the reclassification of the total book
collection of a large city library requires a considerable
period of time but certain large sections have already
been completed.
Eight Braille projects are engaged in transcribing
general literature and text books into Braille and in
constructing models which may be handled by the
blind to show proportions and construction of things
which the blind might not otherwise comprehend.
A state-wide Veterans' Graves project is gradually
taking over the work of locating and mapping veterans'
graves and of making card files of veterans' records,
some of which work was in process under local pro¬
jects.
Codifications of local ordinances and state laws af¬
fecting cities or towns or their various departments
are being carried on as are projects for the Annotation
of the Law of Property and of the Law of Torts. Health
projects for both Medical and Dental Care are being
continued.
Inventories of city-owned equipment are being made
in a number of locations. General records projects in¬
clude the installation of new personnel, hospital, fire
or police records, or the cleaning, sorting and filing of
records so that the sponsor may dispense with obsolete
material.
Project Analysis By Type and Funds Involved
Below is a table showing total number of projects
submitted to Washington for approval during 1938,
broken down by type of project.
Type
Federal
Funds
No. of No. of
Projects Persons
WHITE
COLLAR 215 6,500 $4,065,209
Engineering 156 4,949 3,393,746
All Other 703 17,585 10,979,341
Sponsor's
Pledges
for Material
$269,325
252,048
1,320,504
Total 1074 29,034 $18,438,296 $1,841,877
PRODUCTION AND SERVICE
Production 173 11,442 7,175,043 1,799,801
Nursing 19 93 80,810 15,446
All Others 134 2,971 1,538,199 242,933
Total 326 14,506 $ 8,794,052 $2,058,180
GRAND
TOTAL 1400 43,540 $27,232,348 $3,600,057
It is interesting to note that after about the first of
April, the man-year cost of almost all types of projects
was reduced.
Below is a statement of projects in reserve to supply
continuity of employment or expansion if necessary:—
WHITE COLLAR
No. of Federal Sponsor's Federal
Projects Funds Funds Man-Months
251 $3,674,092 $536,145 46,173
PRODUCTION AND SERVICE
No. of Federal Sponsor's Federal
Projects Funds Funds Man-Months
51 $577,323 $162,503 9,077
The reserve for Production and Service projects
(projects primarily for women) is in reality larger
than it appears, since most of these projects are con¬
tinuous in nature and generally are readily rewritten
before funds are exhausted.
22
Above: Nursery School.
Boston
Left: Household Training, Brockton
Below: Furniture Repair Project,
Arlington
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Reading Proof, Braille Project, Watertown
i
Household Training, Brockton
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Boston Library Project
DIVISION OF EDUCATION AND RECREATION
CARL ROGERS, Director
The year 1938 was the first full year in which the
Recreation and Education Programs have operated as
a separate division. Up to May 1, 1937, these two pro¬
grams had been incorporated as part of the Division
of Women's & Professional Projects.
The question has been raised as to why these two
programs—the Education Program and the Recreation
Program—employing a relatively small number of per¬
sons, should be given the status of a separate division.
Although these two programs employ a small percen¬
tage of persons of the total number employed on the
WPA in Massachusetts, these programs reach, through
their activities, thousands upon thousands of persons
not in any way connected with the WPA,
As in all WPA projects, the primary purpose of the
State-Wide Education and Recreation projects is the
employment of those persons certified as in need by
the local towns and cities. We therefore insist that the
first requirement of applicants for employment must be
need, and their inability to find other employment.
One of the unfortunate characteristics of the relief
load in Massachusetts is the large number of profes¬
sionally trained persons that have had to resort to
public assistance of some type. The WPA Education
and Recreation programs, therefore, should first be
judged by the opportunity which they provide for pro¬
fessionally trained persons to obtain work in fields for
which they are qualified.
The second purpose of both these programs is the
providing of educational or recreational services to the
communities.
Their success can be judged in terms of the number
of persons throughout the State who have used the
opportunities provided through these programs.
RECREATION PROGRAM
The WPA Recreation project is a state-wide project,
sponsored by the State Department of Public Welfare.
The courtesy and cooperation shown by the Commis¬
sioner of Public Welfare in sponsoring this project is
acknowledged here.
Each town or city participating in this program
sponsors a project to be applied against the state-wide
project. The sponsor may be the Recreation Commis¬
sion, if there is one, the Park Department, the School
Committee or the Executive Office. The project is sub¬
mitted in the same way as other WPA projects, but are
approved or disapproved in the state office. In this way,
although the project is called a state-wide project, no
recreational activities are conducted except in those
towns where the local authorities have shown a desire
to sponsor and contribute to such a project.
One of the cardinal principles in the operation of
this program is that of community responsibility. To
this end, the WPA, while paying for the wages of the
persons employed on local recreation projects, requires
that the sponsors of these projects provide all costs of
materials, facilities and equipment. In this way the
town or city has a direct financial responsibility in the
work of the project.
In January of 1938, there were 81 locally sponsored
projects operating in 93 towns and cities. These pro¬
jects employed a total of 1900 persons. In these 93
towns and cities, activities were carried on in 650 cen¬
ters which were operated solely through WPA person¬
nel. In 101 other centers WPA projects assisted other
public or privately employed recreation staffs.
In December, 1938, there were 92 locally sponsored
projects operating in 104 towns and cities. These pro¬
jects employed a total of 2281 persons. Personnel em¬
ployed operated 581 different centers and assisted in
244 other centers.
Participation
It was pointed out above that one criterion of the
success of this program would be the number of per¬
sons who took the opportunity to use the services of¬
fered. Total participation in the program for the whole
year was 26,710,000. The highest number of partici¬
pants in any one month was 3,471,216 reported for the
month of August.
Types of Activities Conducted
Our reports show that the heaviest participation is
in the various athletic activities offered. These activi¬
ties, of course, are seasonal, ranging from baseball in
the spring and summer to indoor games in-the winter.
The main emphasis during the year 1938, however,
has been in the so-called cultural activities. Too many
persons still think of recreation in terms of sports,
games and various athletic activities. Although the
importance of these activities in any program can
never be minimized, a well balanced program will offer
many other types of activities. Our program is planned
to offer recreation for boys and girls and men and
women.
Music
The organization of bands, orchestras, and choruses
under the leadership of our workers has been highly
successful in many of the communities-, 784,851 par¬
ticipants attended these activities during the year.
Drama
One of the oldest forms of recreation is found in the
amateur stage. The writing, acting and staging of plays
and pageants by members of the community has found
a large place in our program, and 559,358 participants
enjoyed this form of recreation during 1938.
Arts and Crafts
The urge to make something with one's hands has
found its place in the hundreds of different types of
handicraft work done throughout the state. Boys and
girls and men and women have come into our centers
by the thousands, have found well equipped shops, com¬
petent instructors and have enjoyed their leisure time
constructing something that is of practical value and
which they can take back to their homes or give to
their friends. During 1938, 1,752,488 participants at¬
tended classes for the purpose of enjoying this phase
of our recreation program.
Discussion Croups
The discussion of topics of current interest to the
community, to the state and to the nation has always
been a form of recreation. In many towns and cities
today the old "cracker-box philosopher" is found meet¬
ing with his friends, discussing in our centers topics
which he and his friends have selected, or listening to
discussion leaders who have been brought in by our
recreation leaders for that purpose. The aim of the
program is to provide activities which any or all in
the community may enjoy.
Training
A few years ago many people branded as visionary
the idea that a recreation program could be operated
by persons taken from relief rolls. The experiences of
the last four years have shown that not only was the
idea good, but that it could successfully be put into
actual practice.
A few years ago the idea of an extensive public re¬
creation program was a vision in the minds of but few
men who were branded as idealists. Some private
agencies, and practically all of the churches, had suc¬
cessfully provided recreation programs for their mem¬
bers. But the field of public recreation, although it had
had a start in many places during the last 25 years, is
still to be scratched in most of the communities in
which we are operating today. The number of trained
recreation leaders is pitifully small.
Obliged to take our personnel from the relief rolls,
and not having a large professional staff from which
to draw has meant that if we were to be successful we
had to train our own employees. The greater part of
the energy of the administrative and supervisory staff
has been directed towards training during the year
1938. Training is a part of the every-day job on most
of the projects; through the means of conferences,
through visits of persons on the administrative and
supervisory staffs, through access to private and pub¬
lic agencies who were very willing to cooperate in
helping us train; and through swapping of personnel
from project to project we have kept a minimum
amount of in-service training on the project through¬
out the year.
More formal training has been conducted through
Institutes held during the past year.
A series of three-day institutes for a period of eight
weeks was conducted in the spring of 1938. Another
similar series of institutes was held during the fall of
1938. In February of that year, four selected instruc¬
tors were sent for a week's training session held in
New York City. In April project supervisors and their
assistants met for three days in Boston. In July, ten
of our leaders benefited from a scholarship provided
for them by the Wellesley Institute for Social Progress.
Finally, consultants of the Washington Regional
Staff were of great assistance in various phases of
training.
It is our conviction that our success in the future
will be in direct ratio to the success of our training.
Finances
The WPA has expended for all recreation programs
in Massachusetts a total of $2,189,349.00 during 1938.
26
A total of $7,952.00 has been spent by the WPA on
non-labor expenditures; most of this $7,952.00 was
expenses incurred in the training of our personnel.
The sponsors have reported to us that an aggregate of
$274,490.00 has been contributed by the towns and
cities for such costs as materials, equipment, heat,
light and rent of centers. This is 11% of the total ex¬
penditures and represents the communities' financial
responsibility in this program. The sum of $2,189,-
349.00 was the cost of employing an average of some
2100 workers during the calendar year. It could be said
that the results of the expenditure of this sum of money
would be justified in that these 2100 workers did re¬
ceive compensation for employment, and through this
had the wherewithal to provide food and housing for
themselves and their families. It also should be remem¬
bered that this $2,189,349.00 was the labor expense for
giving recreational opportunities to the 27,000,000
participants who enjoyed the program.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
For the past five years, a new type of Education pro¬
gram has been conducted jointly by the State Depart¬
ment of Education and the Emergency Relief Admin¬
istration, and continued through the Works Progress
Administration. This program was new, in that it pro¬
vided opportunities for education for adults not avail¬
able through the regular public school system. It also
established Nursery Schools for children of pre-school
ages, which functioned as a preparatory class for kin¬
dergarten and first grade.
This program has had the State Department of Edu¬
cation as its sponsor from the beginning, and operates
on a state-wide basis through the local superinten¬
dents of schools, as co-sponsors.
Adult Education
During 1938, 200 teachers, all certified for relief,
have been given employment on this project, in a wide
range of subjects, according to the needs of the com¬
munity and the skills of the persons qualified to teach.
The professional qualifications of these teachers are
approved by the public school officials before being
assigned to the project. A few of the many diversified
subjects taught in these classes are civics, commercial
subjects—stenography, typewriting, office machines,
common school subjects, English to foreign-born
adults, shop work in wood and metal, languages, ad¬
vanced mathematics, music, dressmaking, millinery,
arts and crafts.
Vocational Education
An added impetus was given Vocational Education
during the year through the inauguration of two new
types of training courses,—one in related training for
the NYA, and another for administrative employees
in the WPA state and district offices.
In March 1938, the Division of Education initiated
a Vocational Training program for youth employed
under the National Youth Administration program for
Boston. The general objectives of this training pro¬
gram were: to increase efficiency of the NYA workers
at their project tasks; to provide the NYA workers
with exploratory experience in a variety of occupa¬
tions; to provide the NYA workers with training in
■eati00'
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Recreation,
ealion, Satem
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Skating R'nK'
Cro*d Viev
Exhibition Frame Built by the Somerviiie WPA Wood
Carving Project
their selected occupations in order that they might
better train themselves for private employment.
The active cooperation of part-time volunteer
teachers from neighboring educational institutions and
the cooperation of settlement houses and municipal
agencies in providing classroom space was of great
assistance.
An average of 1255 NY A workers was accommo¬
dated. At no time was there less than 90% of the
NYA workers, in the district served, registered for
courses. Each registered worker took an average of
2.1 courses. A total number of person-hours atten¬
dance throughout the fourteen weeks term was
20,420.
The second term of this training program was ini¬
tiated on October 3rd, to run for a period of twenty
weeks. A total of 103 courses, in 41 different subjects,
are being offered.
Significant figures on the second term of the Related
Training may be submitted as follows: A total of some
1500 NYA workers are being served by this program.
During the period October 3 to December 31, a total
of 24,626 person-hours attendance was recorded.
Plans for a third term for the spring of 1939 are
now being formulated.
Thirty-two teachers have been assigned to work
with boys of CCC Camps during the past year, and
have been successful in carrying out a broad educa¬
tional program, including recreation for the enrollees.
3384 enrollees attend these classes.
STATE-WIDE RECREATION PARTICIPATION
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1000
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1938
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JAN. FEB. MAR APR MAY JUN. JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Vocational Classes for WPA Administrative Employees
At the state office, eight courses were offered ad¬
ministrative employees of the state and district offices.
Elementary subjects, common to Civil Service exam¬
inations, business English, mathematics of accounting,
shorthand dictation, shorthand dictation and review,
elementary typing, advanced typing, elementary office
machines, were the subjects in which classes were or¬
ganized. 1034 registrations were received out of 1637
employees. There was an average attendance of 609.
The first semester started October 24th and continued
for 10 weeks, with good attendance and favorable re¬
actions from the employees to both the teachers and
courses.
The second semester has been revised slightly in
order to make the courses better suit the needs of the
employees. Nine teachers from the WPA Education
project in Boston conduct these classes, under the
supervision of the co-sponsor, the Boston School De¬
partment and the sponsor, the State Department of
Education.
First Aid Courses for WPA Timekeepers and Foremen
In August of last year, a course of instruction was
given for WPA timekeepers and foremen throughout
the state, for the purpose of preparing them for Red
Cross certificates. Teachers selected had Red Cross
teaching certificates and each conducted a ten weeks
course. At the end of the period, the students who have
not missed more than one class are given an examina¬
tion. Arrangements with the Red Cross provide that
those with a passing grade will be given a certificate.
Nine teachers are employed with an attendance of
2,067.
Nursery Schools
Nursery Schools have proven to be the most popular
of all the classes carried on in the WPA Education pro¬
gram. This is natural, if the classes are well operated,
as there is tangible and visible evidence of the benefits
to the children, to both the parents and public school
officials who receive them after graduation from the
Nursery School. Direct evidence of this popularity is
the acceptance, without protest, of the responsibility
for all non-labor costs, including food by the local
town and city officials. In spite of this added cost, there
is a constant demand to open more units.
During 1938, five hundred persons have been em¬
ployed on the Nursery School Project, with an enroll¬
ment of more than 6,000 children.
The month of August was devoted to a teacher train¬
ing institute, held at The Nursery Training School
of Boston. The full facilities of this school, and its
equipment, was given to the Nursery School project
for the training period.
All Education projects are under the sponsorship
and professional responsibility of the State Depart¬
ment of Education. The local projects operate under
the immediate jurisdiction of the local school author¬
ities, acting for the sponsor. The responsibilities of
the sponsor and co-sponsor include the qualifying for
professional fitness of all personnel to be employed on
the projects.
Following are the statistics on the three Education
projects for the year 1938:
Teachers
Enrollees
Classes
Adult
200
17,547
952
Vocational
49
3,743
170
Nursery
495
5,339
155
29
DIVISION OF EMPLOYMENT
GEORGE H. COTTELL, Director
The Division of Employment is divided into six (6)
sections as follows: Intake and Certification, Records,
Assignment, Labor Scheduling, Labor Adjustment,
Labor Relations. The duties of each section are briefly
outlined as follows:
Intake and Certification Section
Throughout the year, the Intake and Certification
Section has continued to meet its responsibility of
guarding WPA rolls against persons ineligible, from
a relief point of view, for employment on the WPA
program. Its staff consisting at present of 49 senior
and junior social workers and 71 interviewers, to¬
gether with 39 clerical workers has approached this
problem on two fronts.
The social workers have worked constantly with the
344 local certifying agents throughout the state, who
initiate certifications which are the basis of all relief
assignments. During 1938, 122,872 certifications
passed through the Intake and Certification Section
and were approved; 3,614 were rejected because they
did not meet specified standards of eligibility.
Supervised by social workers in the state office, 75
junior workers have devoted their entire time in the
field to the investigation of WPA workers with a view
to determining continuing need for relief work. Visits
in the homes of the workers and a careful checking of
assets and outside earnings of all members of the
family have been the methods used in reviewing relief
status. In 1938, these interviewers made calls in the
homes of 70,291 WPA employees. A total of 74,861
cases were investigated and of these 5,304 were recom¬
mended for release to make way on the rolls for per¬
sons whose situations represented more urgent relief
needs.
During the past year, the Intake and Certification
Section has played a part in the distribution of federal
clothing allotted to Massachusetts. A total of 50,890
garments was allocated to the cities of the state in
December to be distributed among persons receiving
relief and in need of such supplementary assistance.
It has been the responsibility of this section to approve
all recommendations made by the local welfare depart¬
ments before the clothing was issued by the Surplus
Commodities Service.
As social workers, the staff has been called upon to
meet various social problems confronting WPA work¬
ers and applicants. Twenty four thousand three
hundred and forty four persons have come to its doors
during the year to talk over individual problems. Of¬
ten these problems are concerned with employment;
many times they are concerned with other problems
that come from a restricted income.
RECORD SECTION
The Record Section receives and files all certifica¬
tions of eligibility, work records and cancellations of
WPA workers. The case records are arranged -by
municipalities and by names within the municipalities.
30
After a case is certified as eligible for work by the
local welfare agency through the Intake and Certifica¬
tion Section of the WPA all records of subsequent
work history for this worker are kept in the Records
Section.
The active section of the work history file contains
all cases currently eligible working or awaiting assign¬
ment. January 1, 1938 there were 76,449 eligible cases.
December 31, 1938, there were 136,734 eligible cases.
There were, in addition, at the end of the year ap¬
proximately 42,750 inactive eligible cases. All cases
which have become ineligible for assignment are
moved to the dead file section at the Army Base, Bos¬
ton, where approximately 200,000 cases are filed.
Requests for cases from files average 10,242 per
week. The average turnover per week is 12 per-cent
of the case load.
Occupational record forms giving the work history
of each individual in private employment prior to ap¬
plication for WPA work during 1938 amounted to
83,075.
The personnel of the Records Section and case load
during 1938 were as follows:
Personal Case Load
January 1, 1938 47 76,449
December 31, 1938 78 136,734
ASSIGNMENT SECTION
The assignment and transfer of all WPA workers is
the responsibility of the Assignment Section.
The total number of assignments and transfers dur¬
ing 1938 were 617,508 consisting of 351,021 assign¬
ments and 266,487 field transfers. For every field trans¬
fer a similar record is necessary in the Record Section.
WPA Terminations Issued for Outstanding Reasons
Continued absence
10,982
Deceased
431
Failed to answer questionnaires
3,900
Insubordination
1,400
Jury duty
465
Refused work relief
38
Refused labor assignment
75
Refused private employment
73
Trouble makers
30
Physically unfit
1,502
Incompetent
754
Running for political office
37
PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT
During the past year, 27,001 persons notified their
timekeepers in accordance with established procedure
that they were leaving the program for private em¬
ployment.
In addition to this figure, it is to be considered that
individuals leaving the program for reasons unknown
and who are terminated in employment after seven
days absence from the project, may well be considered
as having left for private employment although there
is a very strong likelihood that other reasons are in-
Recreation at WPA-Built Municipal Pool, Greenfield
Building Treatment Pool for Crippled Children,
Templeton
- 4th Municipal Pier, New Bedford
Tufts Park Swimming Pool, Medford
After WPA
Benefit Terrace, Worcester
F
After WPA
Ethan Allen Street, Worcester
After WPA
Thorndyke Road, Worcester
After WPA j
Lovell Street, Worcester
After WPA
Tower Street, Worcester
Evening Concert
by Federal Music Project at WPA-
Built Lynn Stadium
Athletic Field Stands, Koekport
eluded. For the purpose of comparison, however, this
figure is considered as equivalent to private employ¬
ment and, therefore, should be included in any esti¬
mate of losses and gains under this subject.
Private Employment Acceptances
1938—Entire Year 27,001
1938—Left for Reasons
Unknown 10,982
1938—Combined Total 37,983
1938—Returns from Private Employment 12,602
1938—Net Loss to the Program 25,381
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT BY MONTHS
AND LABOR TURNOVER
1938
JAM FER MAR. APR MAY J UN JUL AUG. SEP OCT NOV DEC
It appears desirable to call attention to the fact that
it was February 20th, 1937 that the volume of private
employment acceptances started to rise. In 1938 the
volume started to increase April 2nd and held con¬
sistently to a fairly large figure all through the sum¬
mer up to the date of the hurricane when private em¬
ployment acceptances more than doubled. During the
latter months of the year, a large number of losses due
to the hurricane occasioned by temporary private em¬
ployment returned to the program in consistently large
numbers to the extent that for two individual weeks,
the number of returns exceeded the total number of
persons leaving for private employment.
WPA Form 413, Report of Outside Income
This form was put into use August 1, 1938 and
covers the report of income by each individual em¬
ployed on the program for the quarterly period ending
September 30th. Special comment is made with regard
to the analysis of forms covering outside earnings of
WPA workers as follows:
Total persons submitting WPA Form 413 were
123,160. (This is less than the total employed in the
state due to the fact that many persons left the pro¬
gram for temporary private employment directly fol¬
lowing the hurricane and no "413s" were required of
the substituted persons.)
Average outside earnings per person reporting in¬
come for the quarter was $24.59 or an average of
$8.19 per month.
Average outside earnings per person working on the
WPA was $4.80 for the quarter or $1.27 per month.
The highest county average per person reporting
income was in Nantucket—$40.67 for the quarter. The
same county had the highest average per person work¬
ing, $29.90 for the quarter. The period covered was
during the season of highest summer resort activity.
The lowest record is in Suffolk county where the
average per person reporting is $26.39 for the quarter
and only $1.29 per person on the WPA rolls.
An analysis shows 103,275 reporting no outside in¬
come whatsoever while 19,042 persons reported out¬
side earnings and 843 did not report due to temporary
absence from the program.
With 91,508 persons employed in the 39 cities, the
total income of those persons reporting private em¬
ployment applied against the total number employed
shows an average earning of $2.50 per person for the
quarter with total gross earnings of $228,848.45.
With 31,652 persons employed in 316 towns, the total
income of those persons reporting private employment
applied against the total employed shows an average
earning of $7.56 per person for the quarter with total
gross earnings of $239,331.06.
SUMMARY OF CASES CERTIFIED AND ELIGIBLE
FOR CERTIFICATION
FOR WPA WORK AS OF DEC. 31, 1938
Receiving Relief and Certifiable 15,268
Not Receiving Relief and Certifiable 24,255
Certified and Awaiting Assignment 9,502
TOTAL 49,025
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES
1. Procurement of work qualifications from persons
newly assigned to WPA projects
Perhaps the most outstanding function of the As¬
signment Section in 1938 may be considered the pro¬
curement of a completed statement from each new
person assigned to the program since November 1937,
the establishment of each worker's usual and alternate
occupation and the coding of the usual occupation for
file of the worker's 144A card in the Records Section
file. For this purpose a group of ten personnel men
experienced in this work were employed who were
assisted by a clerical group varying from three to six
persons. From March 1938 to December 31, 1938, this
group reviewed and classified 83,075 cases.
2. WPA project workers eligible for Unemployment
Compensation Benefits
In January 1938 WPA roles were checked for per¬
sons eligible for Unemployment Compensation Bene¬
fits. A card was made out for every worker in the State.
3. Cancellation of Eligibility of all Persons Receiving
Over $100. a Month
35
During the summer of 1938, Washington established
a policy that any person receiving over $100. a month
and employed on a relief project would be considered
as a non-certified case and any individual previously
carried as a certified worker was to be automatically
cancelled as to eligibility. As a result of this order,
1390 cases were cancelled and continued in employed
on this revised basis.
4. Examining Boards
In 1938 as a result of complaints by unions that men
were employed at individual skills who did not possess
that experience in private employment, the adminis¬
trator authorized the establishment of Review Boards
throughout the state to investigate any such cases
complained about and render a report to the Employ¬
ment Division. Unqualified persons were demoted.
These review boards consisted of a representative of
the Operating Division concerned on WPA, a repre¬
sentative of the union and a representative contractor
employing that type of labor. A majority decision was
considered final as to an individual's qualifications.
During the year the various review boards through¬
out the state proved their worth by their impartial
decisions. The Employment Division is at all times
ready to receive and consider complaints.
NEW ENGLAND HURRICANE
Greatest emergency to confront the Assignment Sec¬
tion of the Employment Division in the history of
WPA in Massachusetts came during September when
the hurricane, flood and tidal wave of Sept. 21, 1938
created an unprecedented situation. The manner in
which the Assignment Section promptly met and coped
with the emergency is a tribute to the flexible organ¬
ization of the section and its efficiency under pressure.
The sudden demand for the immediate employment
of thousands of men on hurricane emergency work
found insufficient certifications available for their em¬
ployment normally in the areas affected. Immediate
instructions were given to area officials of the WPA
to employ as many able-bodied workers as were needed,
or could be obtained for emergency work without re¬
gard to restrictions.
The Assignment Section and Operating Division
rushed agents to the stricken areas in the Connecticut
Valley, Worcester, Fall River and Buzzards Bay
hardest hit by the storm, to assign workers on the spot
without formal certification. In many communities
every able-bodied man was put to work.
Workers were assigned principally to emergency
projects to which assignments had to be made, forest
fire prevention and the innumerable tasks of storm re¬
habilitation. During the emergency the Assignment
Section of the Employment Division operated on a 24-
hour-a-day basis at state headquarters and the area
offices throughout the state.
To further complicate the problems of the Assign¬
ment Section, thousands of WPA workers answered
the sudden demand for workers in private employment
as a result of the storm damage. For weeks after the
storm there was an acute shortage of electricians, car¬
penters, stone masons, brick layers, cement finishers
and other types of skilled labor. This hampered many
regular WPA projects as well as emergency and re¬
habilitation work.
During the first week in October 1305 WPA workers
left for private employment. The number dropped to
904 the following week and increased to 1104 the week
ending Oct. 22. The peak was reached the last week in
October when 1497 left for private employment.
Subsequently we received high returns from private
employment continuing until the week ending Dec. 10.
LABOR SCHEDULING
The duties of the Labor Scheduling Section are as
follows:
1. Control of numbers employed in each munici¬
pality.
2. To serve as information center on wage rates,
effective all over the state.
3. Authorization of non-certified and above securi¬
ty wage employes as applied to all agencies operating
under the Appropriations Act of 1938.
Allocations have been prepared for each municipal¬
ity by the State Administrator who may be employed
on local and state-wide projects. This control rests
with the Labor Scheduling Section.
WAGE RATES
WPA Form 401 (Requisition for Workers) is re¬
ceived in this section from the Operating Division,
asking for the approval of workers who are charged
to projects operating on WPA. It is then checked for
accuracy of occupational title, wage classification and
wage rate. In 1938, this section checked 54,758 forms
401, involving the transfer of 296,629 workers.
PREVAILING HOURLY WAGE RATES
Administrative Order No. 65 states that: The rates
of pay for "project employees paid on an hourly basis"
shall not be less than the prevailing rates of pay for
work of similar nature in the same locality.
The Labor Scheduling Section, complying with the
above order, contacts the State Department of Labor
and Industries to determine what the prevailing hourly
rate of pay is for certain occupational titles used on
manual projects.
On wage rates, not established by the State Depart¬
ment of Labor and Industries, the Labor Scheduling
Section contacts, through questionnaires, private em¬
ployers, asking them to submit their wage schedules,
showing what hourly rate of pay is prevailing in that
industry. When these questionnaires are returned to
the Labor Scheduling office, they are separated into
their respective groups, namely, manufacturing or
white collar. Then the figures are all assembled and an
average hourly rate is determined for a given occupa¬
tional terminology.
Before a change in wage rates or occupational title
is established the Labor Scheduling Section sends to
Washington, a request for a change in the occupational
title or wage rate. A change will not be made effective
Before WPA:
Endicott Road, Arlington
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After WPA
Endicott Road, Arlington
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Retaining Wall and Cut-Off, Oxford Roadside Beautification, Fore River Bridge, Quincy iH
Beautification, Hope Cemetery, Worcester »
until Washington approves the new terminology or
wage rate.
Approximately 440 occupational titles with 20,000
individual wage rates affecting 351 cities and towns
have been prepared and are in effect at the present
time.
NON-RELIEF WORKERS
Prior to July 27, 1938 the number of certified work¬
ers was 99.224 per cent, of the total number employed
on WPA projects. The Appropriations Act requires
that 95 per cent, must be certified workers.
Under a ruling placing all workers receiving above
the security wage rate on a non-relief basis 1700 super¬
visory employes were transferred from a relief to a
non-relief status. Even with this increase in non-relief
cases the program was still being operated with 98.22
per cent, certified workers at the end of the year.
SPECIAL ADJUSTMENT SECTION
In the state office the Employment Division main¬
tains a Special Adjustment Section. Whatever the state
of the program, whether quiescent or active, the need
for adjustment has so far been steady, due in part, to
the size of the program, to complexities and misun¬
derstandings in the community, to human nature as
embodied in persons on or needing work relief. This
year, the record shows 9971 problem letters and 9303
individual interviews.
Outside agencies worked with, include public insti¬
tutions, Public Welfare, Veterans' Organization,
Family Welfare, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and
other private agencies and medical resources of every
kind. The technicalities of WPA become involved with
the ordeals of individual and family life, with death,
sickness (mental and physical) behavior problems,
problems of personality and all "the changes and
chances of this mortal life."
Cases are referred to the Adjustment Section by the
outside agencies already listed and by the departments
named within the program but a large proportion of
clients come directly to us as an interviewing section
to which they have the right of direct approach. In
general each year brings a group that is largely new.
LABOR RELATIONS SECTION
The Labor Relations Section has the general respon¬
sibility of executing labor policies and continuance of
satisfactory relations on projects.
WPA recognizes the right of workers to organize
and bargain collectively and select representatives of
their own choosing for the purpose of adjusting com¬
plaints and grievances.
Administrative officials, project supervisers, or their
agents are not permitted to interfere with, restrain, or
coerce WPA employees in the exercise of their right
to organize or act collectively through representatives
of their own choosing.
No Labor organization is recognized by this Admin¬
istration as a sole bargaining agency for WPA work¬
ers. Any labor organization may present grievances or
petitions in behalf of its own members.
No person employed by or seeking employment with
WPA can be denied the benefit of the works program
because of his affiliation or non-affiliation with any
union, league, council, or other association.
All complaints and grievances pertaining to the op¬
eration of projects that affect the worker are first sub¬
mitted to the foreman or supervisor. If this decision
is not satisfactory, the complainant can appeal to the
labor adjustor.
The personnel is comprised of four supervisors of
labor relations, 12 labor adjusters and necessary cleri¬
cal staff located in the area offices.
From the decision of the labor adjustor the worker
or his representative can appeal to the State Director
of Employment. In event that the decision of the state
administrator is not acceptable to the complainant, the
matter may be appealed to the Assistant Administrator
and the Labor Consultant of the Division of Employ¬
ment in Washington, D. C., for review.
Approximately 8500 complaints have been adjusted
by the labor adjusters throughout the state. A brief
analysis of the complaints show that they are similar
from all sections and are outlined below:
1. DISCRIMINATION
a. Religious
b. Political
c. Racial
d. Labor organization activity
2. Discharge without justification
3. Assigned at wrong classification
4. Incorrect wage rates
5. Dual employment
6. Unfair and abusive treatment of foreman and
Supervisor
7. Interference with right to organize
8. Workers failure to receive total security wage
because he was prohibited from making up
time lost on account of sickness, injury,
weather, or other unreasonable conditions.
Of the number of complaints of political discrimina¬
tion that have been submitted, in not one case has the
complaint been substantiated by facts. In other words
the right of the worker to vote for whomsoever he
pleases, regardless of party affiliation, has been pro¬
tected.
Of 200 complaints appealed from the decision of the
labor adjusters to the state office, only two have further
appealed from the decisions granted by the state office
to the assistant administrator in Washington. In both
cases, where the appeals were taken to Washington,
the decision of the state office was sustained.
All divisions of the Works Progress Administration
in this state have maintained harmonious relations
with and have obtained the confidence of all local
unions and their officers affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor, Congress of Industrial Organiza¬
tion, Workers Alliance and a large number of inde¬
pendent organizations throughout the Commonwealth.
We have received splendid cooperation from the pub¬
lic officials through the Commonwealth with whom we
have had contact, and also from the other divisions of
the Works Progress Administration.
DIVISION OF FINANCE
EVERETT E. GILLIS, Director
A report of the Finance Division for the year of
1938 must, of necessity, refer back to the consolida¬
tion of the district offices, which took place in July
1937. The tremendous task of consolidating and merg¬
ing the flow of documents, the records and the per¬
sonnel of the many small units in the division, was
well under way, but there remained considerable uni¬
fication to be accomplished at the end of the year 1937.
The beginning of 1938 saw the Finance Division
organized and the unit, as a whole, functioning
smoothly.
The following figures give a comparison of project
expenditures and administrative costs for the entire
Works Progress Administration for Massachusetts
during the year 1938:
Labor Other
PROJECT FUNDS $90,853,854.00 $3,535,805.00
"Other" includes
materials, supplies,
equipment, rental, etc.
ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS $2,228,692.00 $ 365,804.00
"Other" includes rent, light,
supplies, office furniture and
fixtures, travel, etc.
TOTAL $93,082,546.00 $3,901,609.00
Administrative expense represents 2.68% of the
total expenditures for the year.
Due to increased efficiency and the installation of
improved methods the Finance Division has effected
a considerable saving in administrative costs. For the
year 1939 it is our hope that a still greater improve¬
ment can be made.
PAYROLL DEPARTMENT
In the Payroll Department all files have been merged
on a state-wide basis, control of time reports and pay¬
roll flow has been made absolute, and the speed and
accuracy with which time reports are audited and
payrolls prepared have shown constant improvement.
The paid payrolls, since the beginning of the program,
have all been refiled in a uniform system. Any desired
information is readily available. The following figures
are taken from daily average reports showing the in¬
dividual production in the unit:
AVERAGE DAILY PRODUCTION
Names Per 7 Hour Day
Payroll
Timesheet
Payroll
Proof
Period
Auditors
Typists
Readers
Dec. 1937
364
259
510
Dec. 1938
560
427
941
Production
196
168
431
Increase
54.8%
6-5%
84.5%
During the year, payrolls were prepared and sub¬
mitted to the Treasury Accounts office, covering 6,-
40
065,407 names. The Treasury Disbursing office pre¬
pared and mailed checks to all of these individuals.
These 6,065,407 checks represented in wages to pro¬
ject employees, $90,853,854.00.
Out of the total checks mailed, only 4,347 (approxi¬
mately one out of every fifteen hundred) were re¬
turned. The majority of these checks covered persons
who had moved and had neglected to inform the time¬
keeper of the change in address. Other checks were
returned because the persons for whom they were
intended had died or had moved out of the state with¬
out leaving a forwarding address. In these cases pay¬
ments were made as soon as possible.
Massachusetts is the only state in the country pay¬
ing its project employees on a weekly basis. At the
close of the year our state quota was approximately
125,000 persons. This figure, however, does not in¬
clude persons on NYA projects or those persons being
assisted by the Student Aid program, payrolls for
whom are prepared in our Payroll Unit; nor does it
reflect the thousands of workers who receive more
than one check during a week because of transfers
during the pay period. In other words, at the close of
the year, we were preparing payrolls covering ap¬
proximately 140,000 individual checks a week.
A regular pay day schedule has been established
so that on a given day each week, and every week,
each worker receives his or her check on the day
scheduled for the particular payroll section in which
that person is employed. Under the old District Office
set-up, many complaints and criticisms were received
because workers did not feel sure at any time that they
would receive their checks on the day they were due.
This condition has been entirely eliminated.
As has been the custom of the past two years, all
checks payable on federal holidays were mailed in ad¬
vance so that all workers due to receive checks on
Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving, Christ¬
mas or New Year's, actually received them at least
one or two days prior to the due date. This, of course,
necessitated the advancing of payroll sections and
considerable overtime on the part of payroll depart¬
ment employees. It is of interest to know that during
the flood and hurricane emergency, many payroll de¬
partment employees who were taking annual leave,
voluntarily returned to duty to do their part in meet¬
ing the emergency.
TIME CONTROL
This unit is responsible for the handling of all time
records in the field. It is the duty of supervising time¬
keepers working in the field under a supervisor of time
control, to supervise the preparation of timesheets,
instruct timekeepers in their duties and see to it that
timesheets are delivered to state headquarters prompt¬
ly so that there will be no delay in workers receiving
their checks.
| Payroll Typists, Finance Division
Records Section, Employment Division
General Office View, Finance Division, State
Headquarters
Hospital at State Headquarters
Switchboard at State Headquarters
Stale Street Sidewalk, Springfield East Street, Lenox
During the past year schools were conducted through¬
out the state under the supervision of the Time Con¬
trol Unit for the purpose of better instructing time¬
keepers in their duties. Approximately 3600 timekeep¬
ers attended these schools.
In connection with time control work, this report
would be incomplete unless some mention were made
of the services rendered to project employees during
the flood and hurricane.
During this emergency, as soon as it was possible
to get to a town by any means whatsoever, the route
was telephoned to state headquarters where it was
charted on a map. In many instances where bridges
and roads were washed out or where automobile traff¬
ic was impossible because of fallen trees and masonry,
supervising timekeepers used whatever means of
transportation was possible. In some instances boats
were used, in others, trucks, and in more than one case
the automobile in which the supervising timekeeper
had been riding, was abandoned and he continued his
tour of duty on foot.
Relay courier service was maintained between state
headquarters and the field offices. The courier would
bring the timesheets to Boston, arriving at ten or
eleven o'clock at night, where a sack of checks would
be awaiting him. He would immediately start back
with the checks, arriving at Springfield around four
o'clock in the morning, where checks destined for
points beyond Springfield would be taken by other
couriers and delivered to the postmasters in time for
delivery to workers on the same day.
Except in the one case where checks destined for
the western part of the state had been mailed on the
day of the hurricane and could not be recovered from
the post office, all workers received their checks on
their regular scheduled time.
Supervising timekeepers also did much towards or¬
ganizing crews of men to aid in clearing roads and
many other similar tasks to aid in eliminating hazards
at the earliest possible moment.
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
In the Accounting Department the currently oper¬
ated project registers were placed on a machine ac¬
counting basis. This resulted in more accuracy on
current project accounts, fund and budgetary con¬
trols, reduced departmental costs and increased
efficiency. All project accounts, including those taken
over from district offices, which were not in balance
with Treasury Accounts, have been reconciled. A sys¬
tem of current reconciliation by appropriation, with
the State Treasury Accounts Office, was installed. Each
week the operating divisions are informed as to the
financial status of each project under their superve-
sion.
A control of unliquidated obligations covering
"Other Than Labor" charges was devised in order
that the current condition would be known in detail
at all times. This control had enabled this administra¬
tion to keep the amount of frozen funds at a minimum.
Out of approximately 13,500 accounts which were
closed and on which the balances were rescinded since
the inception of the program, approximately 9500
were completed during the year. New accounts were
opened on 4937 work projects which started operating
during the year.
Project registers, covering approximately 12,000
closed or inactive projects, have been indexed and for¬
warded to the WPA Records Section at the Army
Base, Boston.
A system of statistical accounting has been estab¬
lished whereby varied information on WPA and spon¬
sors' expenditures is available.
A Property Accounting Unit was established for the
purpose of maintaining current and accurate inven¬
tory records for all projects having material purchased
out of federal funds.
The Accounting Department, upon request, fur¬
nishes cities and towns throughout the state, with in¬
formation covering expenditures of federal and spon¬
sors' funds, and the value of surplus commodities dis¬
tributed. This information is used in preparing city
and town reports and is always available.
TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT
In the Transportation Department travel vouchers
are paid more quickly than ever before and exceptions
to payments by the General Accounting office are prac¬
tically nil. In low number of exceptions taken by the
General Accounting Office Massachusetts is close to
the top of the list throughout the country.
REPORTING (Statistical Department)
The reporting system of the Works Progress Ad¬
ministration is based primarily upon the following
functions: To provide current operating information;
to provide data for inclusion in a report of the pro¬
gress of the program submitted to the Congress; to
provide a history of the various activities of the pro¬
gram.
From the inception of the WPA until December,
1937, the responsibility of preparing these reports
rested with the Area Statistical office at New York.
This work is now done in each state. It is from this
unit that information is given to cities and towns as
to the earnings of residents in the respective cities
and town employed on the program.
COMPENSATION DEPARTMENT
All matters pertaining to injuries of project em¬
ployees, where lost time is involved, must be handled
through the Compensation unit. Essentially, it is the
purpose of the Federal compensation program to pro¬
vide proper and adequate medical relief for injured
employees and to elfect prompt payment of disability
compensation benefits when they are due. In this re¬
spect, the Massachusetts administration has yet to
be censured for its failure to meet the needs of injured
employees within the limits prescribed by law.
The following table shows a comparison for the
years 1937 and 1938:
Case Load
1937
1938
Total Claims Handled
12,348
19,101
Analysis
Compensation cases
1,573
2,134
Medical expense (No lost
time)
10,775
16,967
Average number "ACTIVE"
cases at close of month
2,105
1,077
MEDICAL EXPENSE AND
RELATED
DATA
Total amount vouchered by
private physicians and
hospitals $141,419.00 $265,551.00
Average medical cost
per case
11.45
13.97
Treatment at Government
Medical Facilities
Hospital days (U.S. Marine
& Naval Hospitals)
7,200
9,618
Treatment and examina¬
tions (Out-patient)
10,414
16,084
ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS
Payroll, rent, travel,
etc. $101,597.00 $ 81,315.00
Administrative cost per
case 8.71 4.27
A study of the above figures will reveal that an in¬
crease in volume of 54 c/c has been experienced in case
registration for the year 1938 over 1937. This increase
WPA EMPLOYMENT BY MONTHS
COMPARED WITH
CASES ON DIRECT RELIEF
1938
150
125
2
Z
1100-
0
1
t-
z
75-
50
44
is reflected proportionately in the separate classifica¬
tions, i.e. "Compensation Cases" and "Medical Ex¬
pense (but no lost time) Cases".
For the year of 1938 a total of 685 claims were
handled, which involved the liability of a third party.
In cases of this type it is required that extensive in¬
vestigations be made and the Government's interests
be protected to the end that reimbursements will be
made for such items of expense as are assumed by the
Government, this, of course, upon receipt of settle¬
ment by our claimant from the responsible party.
Medical cost for our workers during 1938 was
$13.97 per case, whereas the report of the Industrial
Accident Board of the State of Massachusetts shows
an average of $21.47 per case for the year 1937, which
is the last report available.
A further study of costs shows a source of admin¬
istrative expense of approximately 43/100 of 1%
against total payroll payment. This would indicate a
total cost of approximately 50c for each $100.00 unit
of payroll expenditures.
BUSINESS MANAGER-AGENT CASHIER'S UNIT
This unit is attached to the Finance Division for the
purpose of serving the Federal Theatre and Music
Projects in handling their admission receipts and to
assist in the preparation of contracts between the
federal projects and sponsors and in the purchasing
of materials and supplies for use of these projects.
DISTRIBUTION OF TOTAL EXPENDITURES
1938
SERVICES, ETC. ON PROJECTS HEAT, POWER,ETC.
$3,478,691 $2,544,100
3.66% 2.68%
Parking Space, Fernald School, Waltham
9tmt;
Fire Escapes, City Hall, Revere
Walk and Sea Wall, Stage Fort Park, Gloucester
Sea Wall, Winthrop
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SURPLUS COMMODITIES DISTRIBUTION
JOHN C. STALKER, Director
The Surplus Commodities Division of Massachu¬
setts is set up to assist the Federal Surplus Commodi¬
ties Corporation in disposing of surplus agricultural
products which are purchased in order to aid farmers
and consumers.
In addition to the commodities received from the
Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation, there
were distributed through this department all goods
produced on WPA Production projects. There was
als< distributed ready-made clothing which was pur¬
chased from garment manufacturers by the Works
Progress Administration.
Surplus commodities are available to persons in the
care of public and private relief agencies which in¬
clude dependent aid, aid to dependent children, old
age assistance, aid to the blind, WPA security wage
employees, and border-line cases. Although all of these
cases are eligible for commodities, they are not per¬
mitted to receive these commodities until they have
received a certification card from either the public or
private agency certifying to their need. Agencies cer¬
tifying these cases to receive surplus commodities are
required to give these commodities in addition to any
aid which cases in their care may be receiving. Under
this plan, the commodities distributed do not affect
commercial sales, and therefore benefits both the far¬
mer and the consumer.
During the year 1938, over 170,000,000 pounds of
food commodities were distributed in Massachusetts,
the fair retail value of which was approximately
$9,500,000.00.
The distribution system in Massachusetts utilizes
300 distribution centers, manned by WPA personnel, to
which relief clients come for their allotments of com¬
modities, and 129 communities too small to warrant
the establishment of a regular distribution center and
which are, therefore, served by home delivery truck
service.
In addition to the food commodities, the Surplus
Commodities Division has distributed over 4,500,000
pieces of clothing, produced by the WPA sewing units,
having a retail value of over $3,500,000.00; over
50,000 pieces of federal clothing, donated by the
Works Progress Administration, having a fair retail
value of $858,000.00; has distributed to sewing units
over 16,000,000 yards of cloth; and over 213,000
pounds of raw cotton; the distribution of over 25,-
000,000 quarts of fresh milk through approximately
70 milk distribution centers.
There are 30 warehouses in the state; each ware¬
house serves an average of 12 distribution centers,
receives clothing weekly from the sewing units in this
district and distributes a fair assortment of garments
to each distribution center.
All textiles for the sewing units are shipped to the
principal warehouse at the Army Base in Boston,
where a special project prepares for shipment of tex¬
tiles for each sewing unit.
Some of the high lights covering the activities of
the Commodities Division during 1938, are as follows:
The greatest number of quarts of milk delivered dur¬
ing one month was 3,311,248, delivered during the
month of December to 70,794 families. During the
month of October, 1938, an average of 110 pounds of
food commodities per family was distributed. Over
7,000,000 orders of food were distributed during the
year 1938. A total unduplicated number of families
which have received food commodities at some time
during the year is estimated at over 250,000. The total
number of clothing orders delivered to recipients dur¬
ing the year is estimated at 740,000.
Statistics for the period April, 1934 through Decem¬
ber, 1938, show that 310,995,036 pounds of food com¬
modities, having a fair retail value of $23,357,008.39,
were distributed to recipients in Massachusetts; 23,-
392,196 pieces of clothing and household articles, hav¬
ing a fair retail value of $22,305,037.07, were distri¬
buted ; 66,302 mattresses, having a fair retail value of
$860,465.00, and 113,376 comforters, having a fair re¬
tail value of $503,007.75, were distributed. The total
value of commodities distributed during this period is
$47,025,518.21. An average of $6.00 worth of food
commodities was distributed per family during the
month of November, 1938. The high point in the case¬
load during 1938, is 210,000 families. An analysis of
the caseload for the month of December shows that
37.72% were welfare cases; 36.04% were WPA cases;
15.14% were border line cases; 8.44% were Old Age
Assistance cases; 2.40% were Mothers' Aid cases; and
0.26% were Aid to the Blind cases. It is interesting to
note that the 39 cities in Massachusetts comprise
76.63 % of the state caseload, whereas, the 307 towns
comprise the balance, or 23.37%.
This department has in its custody 1,301,208 square
feet of space which it is occupying for distribution
centers and warehouses.
We have private spur tracks at our warehouses
capable of handling 101 carloads of commodities in
one day. In addition to these private spur tracks, we
have allotted for our use public team tracks capable of
accommodating 264 cars of commodities per day.
A few of the items of equipment furnished by the
sponsors are 452 desks, 452 desk chairs, 156 type¬
writers, 856 office chairs, and many other types of
equipment having to do with distribution work which
are too numerous to enumerate, such as racks, coun¬
ters, scales, etc., having an approximate value of
$75,800.00.
The sponsors contributed to the operation of the
Surplus Commodities Division for twelve months
$658,824.39. The Works Progress Administration con¬
tributed in wages $1,311,763.32, which makes a total
of $1,970,587.71 and shows the sponsors as having
contributed 33.43 per cent of the entire cost of operat¬
ing the project.
During the summer months, through the acceptance
by this division of the Farm-to-Market program which
was a means of distributing surplus fresh vegetables
grown in this state, Connecticut and Rhode Island
(lncidently, Massachusetts was one of the few states
in the union to attempt this program) a total of 19,-
734,608 pounds were distributed to the cities and
towns in the state. These vegetables consisted of beets,
carrots, cabbage and tomatoes which were distributed
with a minimum amount of spoilage.
During the period following the hurricane disaster
of this last September, this division in cooperation
with the Federal Government and local Farmers' As¬
sociations arranged for the distribution of 6,573,053
pounds of fresh apples. These apples comprised of
windfalls resulting from the hurricane which caused
hundreds of thousands of apple-bearing trees to be
overturned.
This division has distributed during the past year
25,142,860 quarts of milk, which reached a daily aver¬
age of 125,000 quarts a day during the last three
months of the year 1938. This milk is distributed to
all types of welfare cases, YVPA and borderline cases,
and in addition to school nursery projects, institutions
and public schools, for the benefit of those children
who cannot afford to pay for milk during the school
hours. This milk is given to the recipients without any
charge, except that of a bottle deposit for which a re¬
fund is made to them. In most cases, the welfare de¬
partment pays the processing and delivery costs for
welfare cases. WPA and borderline cases, pay this fee
upon receipt of milk at the distribution center. This
division has not spared any expense in order to make
this milk accessible to all who are eligible to receive
it. A total of 30 additional milk stations have been set
up in the city of Boston alone to accommodate milk
recipients.
CLASSIFIED LIST OF TEXTILES RECEIVED AT
THE ARMY BASE FROM
JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER, 1938
Broadcloth
1,876,023%
Birdseye
376,173
Chambray
1,181,139%
Cottonade Suiting
323,7751/2
Cotton Tweed Suiting
195,422%
Cotton Twill Suiting
312,978
Corduroy
1,5611/s
Covert
607,404%
Dimity
112,506%
Denim
413,813%
Flannel
2,236,529
Gingham Checks
311,668%
Gingham Plaids
195,406
Hickory Stripes
198,607%
Khaki Twill
429,164%
Lawn Prints
151,484
Muslin
822,082%
Nainsook
258,841 %
Pajama Checks
1,025,745%
Percales
Pique
Plisse Crepe
Prints
Sheeting
Silesia
Whipcord
TOTAL
1,409,576
322,565«/2
691,6521/2
1,637,211»/4.
429,1901/4,
306,602%
879,9171/2
16,707,0421/g Yards
FOOD COMMODITIES
DISTRIBUTED
Commodity
Quantity
Apples, Fresh
6,573,053
pounds
Butter
1,932,746
pounds
Eggs
92,178
dozen
Fish Chowder
34,410
pounds
Canned Fruit
259,582
cans
Dry Skim Milk
502,954
pounds
Fluid Milk
25,142,860
quarts
Pea Chowder
34,150
cans
Pears
915,921
pounds
Prunes
2,661,420
pounds
Rice
4,329,488
pounds
Graham Flour
2,492,006
pounds
Lima Beans
239,980
pounds
Cabbage
12,085,801
pounds
Fresh Tomatoes
871,991
pounds
Beets, Fresh
2,186,633
pounds
Fresh Green Beans
205,387
pounds
Fresh Carrots
1,476,198
pounds
Wheat Cereal
668,502
pounds
Fish, Frozen
1,094,737
pounds
Potato Starch
540,557
pounds
Shortening
907,235
pounds
Vegetable Soup
956
cans
Dried Beans
4,190,496
pounds
Canned Vegetables
868,750
cans
Oranges
17,891,950
pounds
Canned Peas
2,348,053
pounds
Dried Peas
590,104
pounds
White Potatoes
17,733,042
pounds
Dried Apples
792,080
pounds
Celery
1,581,926
pounds
Sweet Potatoes
4,165,325
pounds
Wheat Flour
21,360,962
pounds
Grapefruit Juice
2,667,676
pounds
Raisins
2,921,284
pounds
Fresh Mixed Vegetables
2,572
pounds
Fresh Prunes
305,516
pounds
Dried Peaches
173,027
pounds
Evaporated Milk
273,330
pounds
Corn Meal
51,741
pounds
Flounders
3,500
pounds
White Bread
32,651
loaves
Doughnuts
2,276
dozen
Coffee Rolls
877
dozen
Tea Rolls
1,208
dozen
Brown Bread
540
loaves
Cake
1,365
loaves
48
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OFFICE MANAGEMENT
FRANK D. O'NEIL, Manager
All matters pertaining to the general maintenance
of offices for the state headquarters and area offices are
handled in the Office Management Department. This,
in general, consists of such items as space, electricity,
telephone, telegraph, dictograph, water coolers, clocks,
etc. All requisitions covering expenses for these mis¬
cellaneous items are issued and approved in this office
and necessary records kept of all formal leases and
contracts.
Records are kept of all actual invoices, together
with issuance of all forms necessary and incidental to
preparing invoices for transmittal to the United States
Treasury Procurement Division for payment. This
activity also consists of the general supervision of all
moves and changes in department set-ups for space;
also, details involved in connection with telephone
moves and changes for both state headquarters and
various field offices.
Detailed records are kept of all requisitions issued
for administrative expenses in addition to the above
items, such as supplies for the Supply unit, miscellan¬
eous items such as furniture, office machines, etc., for
the Inventory Unit, and all items necessary and inci¬
dental to the operation of the WPA Production unit.
File copies are kept of all requisitions, formal con¬
tracts, etc., covering services such as electricity, tele¬
phone, dictograph, water coolers, space, clocks, etc.
Stale Headquarters—600 Washington Street, Boston.
WPA activities now occupy space at 600 Washing¬
ton Street, Boston, on the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th
floors, together with basement space for storage.
Several moves were made in the various divisions,
the major move being made in June, 1938. The Opera¬
tions Division, which was located on the 5th floor, was
moved to one part of the 3rd floor, thereby putting
this particular division into a more efficient operating
position. Office Management was transferred to the
other side of the 3rd floor, putting all divisions to¬
gether. This particular move gave the Finance Divi¬
sion and Employment Division the necessary expan¬
sion for maximum efficiency for proper functioning of
the respective departments. This change also involved
moving of approximately 100 telephone stations, to¬
gether with approximately .30 sets of switch keys for
these various lines.
State headquarters also maintains a very efficient
and necessary hospital unit, in charge of a graduate
nurse. A recreation room has also been established
for women employees for use during recess and lunch
periods.
Area field offices are maintained at: 18 Oliver Street,
Boston; Medford City Hall, Medford; Broadway and
Dutton Street, Lowell; Old Town Hall, Salem; 1290
Davol Street, Fall River; 71 Center Street, Brockton;
253 Main Street, Hyannis; 1 Assonet Street, Worces¬
ter; Fox and Elm Streets, Fitchburg; 1597 Main Street,
Springfield; Old Court House, Greenfield and Mill and
Hawthorne Streets, Pittsfield. A CCC office is located
at 838 Summer Street, Boston.
Switchboard — State Headquarters
We have at state headquarters a 3-position, multiple
switchboard, consisting of 39 trunk lines and approxi¬
mately 205 inside stations which are now active. We
also have direct lines to 18 Oliver Street, Medford,
Lowell, Salem, Fall River, Worcester, Springfield,
Army Base and the Park Square Building, Boston.
Leave
Office Management keeps a record of all leaves of ab¬
sence—sick, annual, military and leave without pay—
as well as a record of all overtime worked and com¬
pensatory time taken in lieu thereof. Time sheets are
checked daily, so that an accurate record may be kept
of attendance of employees on the administrative pay¬
roll. All matters pertaining to personnel are handled
here.
INVENTORY AND MAINTENANCE
During the year 1938 complete physical and finan¬
cial records were kept on approximately 15,000 items
of office furniture, equipment and appliances repre¬
senting an investment of federal funds in the amount
of approximately $410,000.00. The following figures
on a few of our major items will present some idea of
what this task means:
(a) TYPEWRITERS AND APPLIANCES
1739 typewriters
Federal funds invested $123,812.10
430 adding and calculating machines
Federal funds invested $ 69,580.94
338 miscellaneous mechanical appliances
Federal funds invested $ 22,404.79
The above items are periodically checked and serv¬
iced when needed.
(b) OFFICE FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT
2078 desks, varied types
Federal funds invested $63,123.21
5011 chairs, varied types
Federal funds invested $25,450.04
1351 tables, varied types
Federal funds invested $19,642.22
1692 four drawer letter size filing cabinets
Federal funds invested $32,234.13
MAINTENANCE
The maintenance department originally was organ¬
ized to protect and keep in workable condition all of¬
fice equipment and appliances purchased with federal
funds for CWA activities. The development of the
ERA and then the WPA resulted in increases in the
amount of equipment necessary to function efficiently.
This, in addition to its many added activities, automa¬
tically caused the functions of the maintenance de¬
partment to become more varied and important. This
department executes all of the following: carpentry
work, furniture repairing, furniture finishing, furni¬
ture polishing and electrical work and the manufac¬
turing of such accessories as: shelving, ventilators,
coat-racks, book-racks, desk trays, sorting-racks, etc.
They are also required to build and erect all partitions
and counters.
As an example of the fact that it is partially self-
sustaining:—previous to 1938 we purchased several
hundred of the ordinary pine transfer cases for the
storage of inactive records at a cost fluctuating from
$1.55 to $1.95 per case (the latter price quoted in
1938). During 1938 this department has produced
1,500 pine transfer cases in addition to their other
duties at approximately $1.04 per case, effecting a
saving of $1,365.
Another accomplishment of special notice included
the moving, setting up and functioning without the
loss of an hour by the department of the Intake and
Certification offices throughout the entire state. This
move started on Saturday and continued day and night
until the following Monday morning when the various
offices were in their places functioning normally at
9:00 am. The Cambridge area office, one of our largest,
was moved from Cambridge to Medford without the
loss of an hour's work on the part of the Cambridge
personnel. The Springfield office headquarters change
of address was handled in the same way.
Educational classes are operating every night in the
week excepting Saturday. These must be set up and
equipped daily by this department after 5:00 p.m. and
all equipment removed and offices rearranged ready
to operate at 9:00 a.m. on the following day.
A Research Library is maintained and its files con¬
tain about 80,000 pieces of diversified material.
Production Unit
This unit was originally located at the Park Square
Building, Boston, Massachusetts. However, it was de¬
cided that inasmuch as there is such a direct contact
between State Headquarters and this unit, it was
moved to 600 Washington Street.
During 1938, multilith reproduction of forms totaled
10,227,610 copies, involving 13,319,635 impressions
were made. The photographic laboratory develops neg¬
atives and produces prints. Copies of the Works Pro¬
gress Bulletin are printed here.
FORMS AND SUPPLIES
An average of 3,000 pieces of incoming correspon¬
dence mail is received daily in the mailing room. These
are sorted, opened, time-stamped,-routed apd delivered
via a constant interdepartment courier service. Out¬
ward mail averages 2,800 pieces daily. This is col¬
lected, checked, sealed, sacked and delivered to the
Post Office, together with all special delivery, regis¬
tered, air mail and parcel-post packages. This repre¬
sents the handling of approximately 1,770,000 pieces
of correspondence mail during 1938, exclusive of in¬
terdepartment service.
The 1938 mailing requirements of this administra¬
tion were as follows:
765,000 Penalty Envelopes (Used at Head¬
quarters)
110,000 Letterheads (Used at Headquar¬
ters)
1,840,000 Penalty Envelopes (Used in the
field)
260,000 Letterheads
590,000 Penalty Postcards
All form requirements, exclusive of Washington
forms, are reproduced at headquarters. Bulletins, in¬
structions, forms, etc., necessitated a 1938 monthly
average of 535,000 mimeograph and multigraph im¬
pressions, in addition to 24,000 "Ditto" process copies.
The September release of the Schedule of Hourly
Wage Rates, issued by counties, required the prepara¬
tion of 2154 stencils, and involved 1,032,550 sheets
of mimeographing.
The unit stocks approximately 500 standard office
supply items. Requirements for 1938 included:
880,000 File Folders
2,034,000 Gem Clips
967,600 Sheets Carbon Paper
2,127,000 File Cards
142,000 Pencils
7,400 Typewriter Ribbons
21,085 Reams of Paper
52
George Wright Golf Course, Hyde Park, Boston
Mt. Hood Golf Course Clubhouse, Melrose
George Wright Golf Course Clubhouse,
Hyde Park, Boston
pu
Sill
ills
«iai
tits
Rebuilt Town Hall, Wakefield
WPA-Built Town Hall, New Salem
WPA Demolition of Ancona Mill, Fall River
Woodmont Street Reconstruction, West Springfield J"
Farm-to-Market Road, Rochester
Boulevard Road Sidewalk,
We6t Springfield
Brick Kiln Farm-to-Market Road, Falmouth
Pittsfield Watershed, Washington
INFORMATION SERVICE
DON SHEA, Chief
Information Service, employing four people, is es¬
tablished to compile factual and photographic data of
all divisions of the Works Progress Administration for
Massachusetts
During 1938, Information Service published 16
Works Progress Bulletins, a hurricane pamphlet, "Dis¬
aster of the Century", a pamphlet on "Certification and
Assignment of WPA Workers", made many reports to
Washington on projects such as the General Edwards
National Guard Camp, Bourne, the Commonwealth
Avenue Underpass, the Lynn Stadium, the East Bos¬
ton Airport, the Medford City Garage, the Spring¬
field Crosstown Boulevard, the Westfield Athletic
Field, the Worcester Street Program and the Hunt¬
ington Avenue Subway. Many reports were also made
on request of local officials concerning activities in
their communities.
Information Service has photographic records of
WPA activity in every community where the program
has operated. On large projects photos are taken be¬
fore work starts, at regular and progressive intervals
during construction and on completion of the job.
Photographs of WPA work are in constant demand
for Washington reports, for engineering detail and for
city and town officials who need them for their per¬
manent record files. Previous to the planning of a pro¬
ject many local officials visit Information Service to
inspect photographs of similar projects conducted in
other communities. Such inspection often determines
the type of project these officials submit for their
towns.
During 1938, one hundred and sixty-four (164)
cities and towns were given, for record purposes,
photographs of WPA work in their localities.
Factual and photographic data was also furnished
many publications at their request.
55
FEDERAL MUSIC PROJECT
WILLIAM HADDON, Director
The Federal Music Project was designed to care for
needy professional musicians and to be of service to
the community. In 1938 1,250 men and women were
employed.
These musicians are at present actively engaged in
39 units; dance orchestras, bands, choruses, symphony
orchestras, opera ensemble, saxaphone sextets, string
quartets, etc.
During the year, 3,918 concerts were presented be¬
fore 2,376.242 people.
The activities of these units have been for audiences
of every description. Hundreds of concerts have been
presented in old folks homes, children's homes, hospi¬
tals, sanitariums, and institutions.
Much work has been done in developing participa¬
tion in state educational activities. During the year
1,593 concerts were given in schools during school
hours to 763,346 pupils.
The State Symphony Orchestra visited the city of
Portland, Maine, in May and again in November for
concerts with large audiences in the Municipal Audi¬
torium. Up to the visit in May, residents of Portland
had not had the pleasure of a professional symphony
concert for 7 years.
The oratorio and opera group of 160 members
(State Chorus and Commonwealth Symphony Orches¬
tra) gave 25 performances of the opera "Carmen"
alone. It has also in its repertoire the operas, "Faust",
"Cavalleria Rusticana", "Pagliacci", "Rigoletto", and
many oratorios such as: "St. Paul", "Hymn of Praise",
"Beatitudes", "Creation", "Redemption", "Elijah",
and others.
In the central part of the state the Worqester Or¬
chestra has been active.
The Springfield Civic Orchestra has developed into
a splendid symphonic group which has been exten¬
sively used by communities in that part of our state.
The summer season has seen federal bands entertain¬
ing from New Bedford to Boston Common and New-
buryport and as far west as Forest Park, Springfield.
It may be mentioned that the Boston Symphony,
alone, has 11 men now employed who were formerly
members of the Federal Music Project. Over 60 musi¬
cians from our Massachusetts projects have been sup¬
plied to major symphonic organizations of the coun¬
try. In order to employ needy teachers a Teaching
Division was formed. This unit teaches an average of
3,156 pupils per week. All pupils must be members of
a WPA or a relief family.
In order to encourage the American composer a
committee of prominent musicians periodically inspect
compositions by native musicians. Thus, the Compos¬
ers' Forum Laboratory committee inspected 140 man¬
uscripts during 1938. To lend further encouragement
to American composers 16 all-American music con¬
certs were presented during this period.
The cost of the Federal Music Project during 1938
was $1,696,107.39. Ninety-seven and one-half per cent
of this sum was contributed by the Federal Govern¬
ment for labor. The remaining two and one-half was
received from Massachusetts citizens for non-labor
purposes.
FEDERAL THEATRE PROJECT
JON B. MACK, State Director
The Federal Theater Project employing 527 people
through its legitimate, marionette and vaudeville
units gave a total of 1,677 performances to an audience
attendance of 532,990 people, in 1938.
From January to May the Federal Theater main¬
tained the Empire Theatre in Salem as a base for its
Boston operations. The highlight of this season was
the participation in a national O'Neil, Shaw and Rice
cycle. In June, the operating base of the Federal Thea¬
ter was returned to the Copley Theater in Boston for
the production of "Created Equal" by John Hunter
Booth. The policy of free performances in hospitals,
institutions and CCC camps was maintained.
An advisory council for Massachusetts was estab¬
lished composed of leading educators, drama critics
and producers. This council meets at round-table dis¬
cussion to the end that a more sympathetic understand¬
ing of Federal Theatre problems may be realized.
Federal Theater representatives have lectured in
every major and practically all minor colleges in the
state to a combined audience in excess of 50,000 peo¬
ple. Lectures were given at Harvard, Radcliffe, Smith,
Mt. Holyoke, Boston College and Yale as well as be¬
fore many other organizations including Rotary,
Kiawanis, Lions and Women's Clubs.
During the summer months a third season was suc¬
cessfully conducted at the Mountain Park Casino,
Holyoke. Springfield and Boston companies alternated
in playing here.
The Fall season was inaugurated in October at the
Copley Theater with the New York production "Haiti"
by William DuBois. On November 2 the classical rep¬
ertoire Company opened at Smith College staging
Marlowe's versions of "The Tragical History of Dr.
Faustus". Following engagements at Mount Holyoke
College, Massachusetts State College and Bridgewater
Teachers' College this play established a record for
Federal Theater receipts during a three week engage¬
ment at the Copley Theater in Boston.
56
Final Scene of "Created Equal", Federal Theatre
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Wood carvers in work shop of the Federal Art Project
Everett Orchestra, Federal Music Project
Beautification. Horn Pond, Woburn
FEDERAL WRITERS' PROJECT
MURIEL C. HAWKS, Director
During 1938 the Federal Writers' Project employing
190 people published four books, prepared material
for eleven other works, soon to be published; contrib¬
uted to eight publications for national and regional
offices and carried on considerable research for future
publications. In addition the writers prepared the first
of 13 historical sketches for radio broadcast by the
Federal Theatre Project.
Outstanding among the many activities of the pro¬
ject was the compilation and preparation of "NEW
ENGLAND HURRICANE", a comprehensive account
of the hurricane, flood and tidal wave of September,
1938, illustrated with hundreds of pictures.
Within six weeks of the disaster the federal writers
had gathered, prepared and published the story of the
hurricane. The book, published under the sponsorship
of Poor Richard Associates of Boston on Nov. 4, 1938,
contains 224 pages, 500 photographs.
"WHALING MASTERS," sponsored by the Old
Dartmouth Historical Society of New Bedford is the
only publication, as far as can be learned, which con¬
tains a complete directory of American whaling mas¬
ters.
Thousands who come to New England will find
"MOTOR TOURS IN THE BERKSHIRE HILLS"
both interesting and helpful. The book is a brief guide
to the beautiful Berkshires which describes tours of
literary, historical and scenic interest. It was pub¬
lished under the sponsorship of the Berkshire Hills
Conference, Inc., of Pittsfield.
"AN ALMANAC FOR BOSTONIANS", was pub¬
lished Dec. 15, 1938. Items selected from the rich his¬
tory of Boston are set forth under their anniversary
dates with announcements of events scheduled for
1939. The book is illustrated by the Federal Art Pro¬
ject with pen and ink drawings.
Completed were the Massachusetts sections of
"COASTAL WATERWAYS", "MAKERS OF THE
CONSTITUTION", "A GUIDE TO THE UNITED
STATES" and "OUTLINE OF AMERICAN ARCH¬
ITECTURE".
The Massachusetts project is preparing a million-
word "Encyclopedia for Massachusetts" in accor¬
dance with a unified plan drawn up at Washington.
Thirteen field workers are compiling material for
"LIVING LORE", "INVENTORY OF MANU¬
SCRIPTS" and "BIOGRAPHIES OF AMERICAN
ARCHITECTS."
Contributions have been made to the following reg¬
ional publications: "The Foreign Press of New Eng¬
land", "The Jews in New England", "Living in New
England," "New England Guide" and "The Portu¬
guese in New England." For the New York Writers'
Project, the Massachusetts writers have contributed
to "Lexicon of Trade Jargon" and "Skiing in the
East."
HISTORICAL RECORDS SURVEY
CARL WENNERBLAD, Director
Since its commencement in May, 1936 the Historical
Records Survey employing 330 people has completed
the following work in Massachusetts:—
Inventories of County Archives—Essex county pub¬
lished; Norfolk county, 75% complete; Worcester
county, 60% complete; Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol,
Franklin, Hampden, Plymouth and Suffolk counties
in progress.
Inventories of Town and City Archives—The ar¬
chives of 87 of the 355 cities and towns of the state
have been listed and checked, and intensive editorial
work is proceeding on 35 city and town inventories in
seven counties. Of these thirteen are virtually ready
for publication. The scope of the work may be under¬
stood from the fact that the inventory of the town of
Braintree will require 200 pages for its 850 record
series. The City of Boston inventory, 50% complete,
already contains listings of 2,500 record series.
Vaults Renovation—One hundred thirty-nine storage
vaults of county, city, and town departments have been
cleaned, and the records rearranged and put in order.
Depositories of Historical Manuscripts—One hun¬
dred fifty-three institutions ranging in size from small
historical societies to those containing 25,000 docu¬
ments, have been listed and their contents described.
The central subject index of this manuscript material
now numbers 10,000 entries. Publications in this field:
Index to the Proclamations of Massachusetts; Descrip¬
tion of the Manuscripts in the Diocesan Libra>~y; Cal¬
endar of the General Henry Knox Papers; Guide to
Manuscript Collections of Massachusetts; Abington
—Boston. (In preparation.)
Church Records Survey—The records of 860
churches have been listed.
Survey of American Portraits—Approximately
8,000 portraits of prominent Americans painted be¬
fore 1825 have been listed: 3,000 in Massachusetts,
3,000 in New York State and 2,000 in the other New
England states. A catalogue of American Portraits
Before 1825—Massachusetts is now in process of pub¬
lication.
Newspaper Indexes—An Index to the Hampshire
County Gazette (1787-1937) consisting of 15,000 en¬
tries covering local news has been compiled and will
shortly be published.
Survey of American Imprints—The Historical
Records Survey is compiling nation-wide check lists
of early printed books, pamphlets and broadsides. The
check lists are to be published state by state and the
catalogue slips will finally repose in the Library of
Congress with copies in the state library of the state
of origin. In Massachusetts, a state-wide project has
covered 105 libraries and historical societies and is
now working in 29 others.
FEDERAL ART PROJECT
THADDEUS CLAPP, Director
The Federal Art Project during 1938 employed 222
people from January through the end of that fiscal
year. At the beginning of the next fiscal year, July
1st, 1938 the quota was increased to 325 people.
During the year, 23,094 pieces of work were com¬
pleted—5,422 of these were analyses of commercial
art materials; 1,932 posters were made; 84 plates
were produced by the Index of American Design; and
128 lantern slides were made. The rest of the work
produced were works of art completed on the Easel
project. These include 4 murals, 824 oil paintings, 679
water colors, 161 drawings, 601 pieces of sculpture,
and 946 prints. Out of this work 2,059 works were
allocated, of which number 1,932 were posters. Of the
rest of the things allocated the most important were
56 oils, 45 water colors, 9 prints, 9 large examples of
woodcarving, and 4 murals.
A total of 76 exhibitions for the year 1938, drew an
attendance of 213,753 persons.
Thirty lectures on art or art history and demonstra¬
tions of technical processes were given. The total at¬
tendance was 3,909 people.
In October of 1938 the project began a program of
art instruction. By the first of January, 1939 22
teachers were employed in 59 classes in drawing,
painting, clay modelling, ceramics, mural painting,
stage design, and craft block prints in 19 boys' clubs,
settlement houses, and other such institutions in
greater Boston. Five hundred and ninety-three meet¬
ings were held in all, reaching some 4,824 people of
whom, approximately, 1,200 have been regular at¬
tendants at our classes.
Apart from these classes an art school has been es¬
tablished at 881 Commonwealth Avenue, project head¬
quarters, the students supplying the non-labor cost of
the art school. There are 15 classes conducted in this
school.
The Research Laboratory of the project, employing
18 persons, which has tested some 5,422 samples of
commercial art produced, has been referred to as a
reliable authority by the Institute of Paints and Var¬
nishes, and its work is considered reliable by the De¬
partment of Restoration and Preservation of Works
of Art of the Fogg Museum, Harvard University, the
leading department in that type of work in America.
Recently, the Research Laboratory has received re¬
quests to do chemical analyses of government-pur-
chased paintings, and the Bureau of Standards is at
the present time co-operating with us in an attempt
to get the results of our research before the manufac¬
turers of artists' supplies.
The Division of the Easel project having to do with
woodcarving employed 28 persons in 1938.
In December, a Restoration Department for the re¬
storation and preservation of works of art was started.
60
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Cooney Road Bridge, Spencer 5
*" Culvert, Waltha
Memorial Field House, North Atlleboro
^ PA-Buill Field House, East Park, Worcester
Chicopee City Infirmary
School Improvements, Wales
Kitchen at Home Farm, Worcester
Before WPA
Ethan Allen Street, Worcester
Before WPA —I
Newton Avenue, Worcester
Before WPA
Thorndyke Road, Worcestei
After WPA
Newton Avenue, Worcester
After WPA
Ethan Allen Street, Worcester
After WPA
Thorndyke Road, Worcestei
- • 4
Before WPA
Benefit Terrace, Worcester
Tower Street, Worcester
Lovell Street, Worcester
After WPA
Benefit Terrace, Worcester
After WPA
Tower Street, Worcester
After WPA
Lovell Street, Worcester
Published by
WORKS PROGRESS
ADMINISTRATION
FOR MASSACHUSETTS
600 Washington Street, Boston
Multilith Process
63
0„v)ct.on o,„
? W. PA.
boston, massachusetts