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4-2264 FEDE...'-l..A.L WORKS .:iGE1ICY WORK PROJEC'.'i?S iul1':INIS'::RATION For Release to Morning Papers Tuesday, August 26 , 1941 WPA ESTABLISHES NATION-WIDE PROGRAM FOR DEFEIJSE F.ECB.EATION CENTERS A program to provide trained WPA leaders for the operation of recreation centers in military and industrial defense areas was announced today by Howard 0~ Hunter , Commissioner of Work Proj ec ts. The plan is embodied in a $5,000,000 nation-wide WPA project ap::'.)roved by the President and sponsored by the Federal Security .Agency, which has been charged.with the coordination of recreational activities under the defense program. 'J) The :project has been certified by the Secretary of War as important to national defense and will operate in close conjunction with public and private local agencies and military a~thorities. A quota of 5,000 of the 25.000 workers on the W:PA Recreation Program has been made available through this project for employment where ~he Fede:c~a.1 Security .Agency requests t h eir services in leisure-time activities . 350 areas have been designated by the FSA for cLefense recre~,tion 2.ctiv-i tics . Many of the workers will assist commu.ni ty agencies in opc::·at~ng recreation centers in to;,ms near military reservations an.a. in ux1scttlod, c:i:panding industrial communities. Others will ·bo omployod on mi li tnry r osc1 va1 tions under d:i.rection of military authori tics . • Their number will inclucio directors and leaders for sports , entertainments , social events , cr2.fts n:i.1d informal rocroation e.ctivi tics and :personnel to conduct information and hos::_::-i t2.li ty services for soldiers. 11 Tho WPA has been :providing recreational op:portuni tios for si:: yoc..rs , working closely with local a.YJ.d State government P.gcncies :'.nd cor.unu...YJ.i t~,- or§;,:.ni z-~.__ tions," Mr. Hunter said. 11 During the last yoe:r we have boon comp lomm:ti:1£; :.m d su:p:plementing the local recro 0,tion forces in defense arc0s ruid porforni ng :rc<l_uosted. services on military sites~ "lfow our cooperativc program hc.s bcon extend0d. to t}':o na'c; ion::.l level especially needed.. Mili tnry c:llthori tics h...·wo freq_uontly endorsed. those no1 vicoo, 1 feeling that adequate and supervised leisuro-ti~e activities o.r~ n...~ im~ortant factor in morale. 11 TJ.10 extent of WPA participation is ox:-pcctcd to va:r;/ among tho coj_']_tors from virtually complete operation in some to the assistance of a few i~1PA rccro~ , tion workers in others, depending on tho nooc..s a11.d f:-.1.cilitios of tho conu;n.,ni-:;:,. ' Digitized by NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY Original from oooOOOOOooo NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
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