Readers Comments:
My father's picture is on page 84. He died April 23, 2008 at the age of 98. This was his favorite book.
Richard C. Fiocchi
Ladd, IL
8/11/09
My wife and I recently spent the night at Giant City Park and bought a copy of your book about the CCC. It’s a beautifully crafted and written book and I read it in one sitting. The pictures are especially interesting; you have a remarkable collection of letters and photos from the depression years.
We have enjoyed many structures built by the CCC throughout Missouri and Illinois seventy or more years ago. It makes me wonder whether all the billions we are spending now to recover from the recession will have similar lasting value in the future. Thanks!
Dick Bischoff
5/28/07
What a pleasure and a blessing it was to have you share your father’s story with us! May God’s blessings continue with you as you do your life’s work.
Kristen Madison, Older Adult Ministry
Prime Timers
First United Methodist Church
Carbondale, IL
4/3/07
My hometown is Golconda, IL located on the banks of the Ohio River. My father, Arthur Glen Truitt, was born into abject poverty in rural southern Illinois near Simpson. After the CCC, he worked the rest of his life with the Soil Conservation Service in Pope and Hardin counties of Illinois. I want to thank you for the talk you gave on the CCC last Saturday at Boerner Botanical Gardens. What a treat to hear you on the 75th anniversary of the signing of the act establishing the CCC. With heartfelt thanks for rekindling an important piece of our heritage.
Bob Truitt
Professor Dept. of Pediatrics
Medical College of Wisconsin
3/22/07
Thank you for being a part of our “Third Saturday” event focusing on many of the Depression-era public works projects. The event attracted about 160 guests, all of who stayed for several hours to take in as much of the program as possible. Thank you for the excellent displays, Powerpoint show and conversation with our guests. Your casual approach and extensive knowledge created the opportunity for our guests to get the most out of the day. Thanks also for the book, Soldiers of Poverty. It is wonderful. I’m about half-way through it. It is so well written that I feel I have an insider’s view of the times and the opportunities the CCC program created for young men. Again, thank you so very much for your time and talents to help make this local history program a very special community event.
Robert Harker, Museum Director
Sheboygan County Historical Society & Museum
Dear Ms. Schueller:
Just finished reading THE SOLDIERS OF POVERTY. Really enjoyed the
book. I picked it up at the lodge at Giant City State Park at Makanda.
Coincidentally I picked it up May 25, 2008, and as you know the day
Mike Kerkes was sworn into the CCC.
Terry Canupp
Cape Girardeau, MO
Dear Mary,
I took your book The Soldiers of Poverty with me to the Florida
Keys in February. I had no trouble finishing it while waiting at
airports and lounging on varioius beaches. Good Job! You held my
interest all the way through. The way you interspersed stories along
with historical fact made everything come alive. It was ironic,
that I was reading about the tragedy of the CCC men that perished
in the hurricane when their train got swept off the tracks. I was
sitting at the spot just outside Key Largo looking at a portion
of what remains today of that abandoned railroad.
I have never been to Giant City. But, I will go now! I just have
to see first hand some of those projects you described. I'm saving
your Copper Falls book for another quiet time when I can enjoy it
to the fullest.
Congratulations for a job well done. You wrote about a time when
our government engaged the resources of great people to undertake
worthwhile projects., We could all be proud of what our country
and its people were accomplishing.
Norman Aulabaugh
Orfordville, WI
Dear Mary,
We so enjoyed hearing about The Soldiers of Poverty on March 3,
2008. Your illustrations were very enlightening. The "cut over"
forest blew me away when you said all of northern Wisconsin and
the UP looked that way.
I hope that you will be able to tell many more audiences about the
men of the CCC.
Sincerely,
Nancy Langlas
Suburban Woman's Club of Wauwatosa
Hi Mary,
Thank you again for the great presentation yesterday. I'm so
pleased with how it all turned out. I think it was a case of right
speaker, right topic, right audience, right day.
All best,
Kathy Miner
Director of Educational Programs
UW-Madison Arboretun
Madison, WI
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