Teaching lessons about the Depression

When I turned to the picture of Anthony DiFranco's father while he was in the Civilian Conservation Corps [Rediscovering Dad, Act 2, Feb. 2], I did a double take.

I almost thought I was looking at a picture of my dad and his fellow soldiers sitting in a field while he served in Italy during World War II (the big one, as Archie Bunker was fond of saying).

When I read the caption and then the story, I had to smile, as one of my dad's brothers also served in the CCC when he could not find a job during the Great Depression, although I believe Uncle Leo was assigned to the forests of Washington state.

It is a sad commentary of the times to see how many people now have no idea about President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps, and all the good work this organization did around the country.

History or social studies classes need to include something about the Great Depression and how FDR's New Deal programs managed to give jobs to people who truly wanted and needed to work during that hard and harsh economic period in our history.

If nothing else, students would learn that hard times do happen, but we can rise above them. I applaud DiFranco for all his efforts to not only know his father's true character more deeply, but also to educate people today about this wonderful program.

Diane C. Hunter, Plainview