Letters to Rodney: A Story of a Young Man's Experience in the Civilian Conservation Corps

"Letters to Rodney" is a true life narrative of a young man coming of age during The Great Depression (1929-1939). The story begins on his father’s farm, in rural western Maryland, when Rodney is sixteen years old. It continues as the young boy travels to Harrisburg, PA to live with an uncle and then progresses to tell Rodney’s story of finding work in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The narrative contains illustrations from farm life as well as historical events, and is worked around actual letters written by his father to Rodney after he left home. It progresses year by year with historical reference to the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his plan to help his impoverished nation. Through FDR's New Deal (expansive conservation projects that still stand today and are enjoyed by the public) hope was restored. Young men and women were given the opportunity to work, thus learning new skills and contributing to rebuilding the United States. There are countless stories of struggling families during the era of The Great Depression. This story is meant to preserve the experiences and personal struggles of the small, rural farmer during those years as well as one young man who found himself coming of age in a time when the future looked bleak. This is the one image of the Depression era that is vivid: few jobs and little hope for struggling families. The story is developed by weaving examples of a hand-to-mouth existence and work ethic. "Letters to Rodney" contains timeless lessons in the values of having a family, perseverance, citizenship and joining together to create solutions during trying economic times. This narrative story was written and illustrated by the daughter of the main character, Rodney, as a tribute to her father and his family and for educational purposes. Recommended grades 6th through 12th