Ostracized as dumb okies, the children of dust bowl migrant laborers went without school. Weedpatch migrant camp officially known as the arvin federal government camp, the migrant worker center was most notably featured in john steinbecks novel the grapes of wrath. Got nice toilets an baths, an you kin wash clothes in a tub, an theys water right handy, good. They laid a 14inch pipe between weedpatch camp and the school. A migrant camp once home to dust bowl refugees now. Mar 03, 2014 it is one mile from weedpatch and two miles from lamont. The costs are minimal so a few dollars per person should cover you. Jerry stanley describes the plight of the migrant workers who traveled from the dust bowl to california during the depression and were forced to live in a federal. Dust bowl festival to celebrate history entertainment. Many found refuge in camps operated by the federal government with the most famous of these camps being the arvin farm labor supply center. The true story of the school at weedpatch camp by stanley, jerry 9780517880944. Steinbeck called it the weedpatch camp in his book, and thats the name that stuck, even though there was another, smaller camp in a real place called weedpatch elsewhere in california. It is one mile from weedpatch and two miles from lamont.
Eual seay, 87, poses for a family snapshot in front of a dust bowl truck on display at the 30th annual dust bowl festival held saturday at sunset school and sunset labor camp near weedpatch. Administration fsa built labor camps consisting of permanent buildings with running water such as schools and libraries. Camping by yourself can be one of the most rewarding experiencesif you know how to do it right. Oct 18, 2011 on october 15, 2011 the modesto, california cast of children of the dust bowl, a multimedia readers theater production, were invited to perform the program at the very site where the story took. Dust bowl festival a country mix of music, food and local. The most famous of these camps was the arvin farm labor supply center, now. Vineland school was near the camp and therefore the arvin federal school became the second school in the district. Dispatches from the weedpatch camp by thomas conner 05192014 nonfiction. The camp still aids migrant workers and is 1 mile 1. Weedpatch school showed the okie children that some people really cared about them and that they. The national endowment for the humanities also has an excellent dust bowl education site for grades 35 featuring. Aug 31, 2009 shelton may have left the camp half a century ago, albeit to live just a few miles up the road, but weedpatch lives on today as a temporary shelter for mexicans and hispanic americans who arrive.
The children who lived at the weedpatch camp and attended the. Gradually word spread in the larger community about the success of the weedpatch school. Dispatches from the weedpatch camp this land press. Several historic buildings at the camp were placed on the nat. In canadas alpine national parks, a crisp lateseason road trip offers one last chance to camp the northern range before winter settles in august 2, 2018 february 21, 2020. I attended the dust bowl festival at sunset school in weedpatch, ca and i saw this picture ahs class of 56. To limit the spread of the coronavirus, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Okies disappearing from dust bowl festival, replaced by. Weedpatch school was a truly remarkable school built on. Weedpatch camp bakersfield 2020 all you need to know. It ended its run in october at sunset middle school, which was built next to the camp.
Livingston county news okies disappearing from dust bowl. The dust bowl festival at the historic weedpatch camp. New faces emerge in old stories of migrants agriculture. At the front of the hall is the camps old sound system. He was allowed to set up an emergency school for the children from the weedpatch camp and makeshift migrant camps, but the emergency designation was good for only five years, so all the buildings. Weedpatch school was a truly remarkable school built on hope in a time of despair and prejudice that allowed these unfortunate children. Weedpatch school produced so many important people and valued citizens in the state of california that it was considered an integral part of the state. They would talk over it and everybody in the camp knew everybodys business, says 73yearold sharon garrison. Archival vintages for the grapes of wrath national archives. Located practically next door to sunset school is the arvin farm labor supply center, locally called the labor camp, best known as the migrant labor camp featured by john steinbeck in the grapes of wrath.
This camp was a government rescue center for distressed migrant workers fleeing the oklahoma dust bowl during the great depression. Huell learns that many okies fled the dust bowl in their jalopies with signs reading california or bust. San joaquin valley, one of which became known as weedpatch camp. The federal migratory school joined the vineland school district in 1944. Hart in 1959,when he was honored at a local track meet on the field where he played with the camp kids. Dispatches from the weedpatch camp this land press made. Several historic buildings at the camp were placed on the national register of historic places nrhp on. Nov 10, 2019 weedpatch camp, also known as sunset camp, was built by the works progress administration in 1935, operated by the federal government, and housed about 300 people. The most famous of these camps was the arvin farm labor supply center, now known as the sunset camp or weedpatch camp, located just south of lamont. Read common sense media s children of the dust bowl. Library of congress at the beginning of john steinbecks perennially popular and still controversial masterwork, the grapes of wrath, two dedication lines appear. It was the same camp in the desert near bakersfield, california, that steinbeck described. Like many pejoratives, the word okie has been reclaimedparticularly within the borders of its namesake stateas a proud regional identifier.
The original community hall the site of church services, dances and potluck dinners the post office and the library still stand. Weedpatch camp, also known as sunset camp, was built by the works progress administration in 1935, operated by the federal government, and housed about 300 people. A migrant camp once home to dust bowl refugees now shelters. Please consult government travel advisories before.
Arvin farm labor center weedpatch camp bakersfield ca. Housing authority, which administers it as the sunset labor camp to assist migrant farm workers. Huell visits this historic camp, later immortalized in john steinbecks grapes of wrath, and talks with both the okies who grew up there and the latinos who now call it home. In 1937 this camp housed approximately 300 people in one room tin cabins and tents. The school offered benefits that werent available in other schools in the region.
Weedpatch californias gold 601 huell howser archives at. Weedpatch californias gold 601 huell howser archives. Jerry stanley this true story took place at the emergency farmlabor camp immortalized in steinbecks the grapes of wrath. It still teaches the children of the migrant workers who live at the camp. Ostracized as dumb okies, the children of dust bowl migrant laborers went without school until superintendent leo hart and 50 okie kids built their own school in a nearby field.
The california compulsory school law forces these children into our schools but it does. An earthquake destroyed weedpatch school in 1952, but it was rebuilt and is now known as sunset school. Nov 19, 2019 weedpatch camp, also known as sunset camp, was built by the works progress administration in 1935, operated by the federal government, and housed about 300 people. Leo hart won the office of superintendent for the school district, leased 10 acres of land beside the camp, hired the best teachers, and started weedpatch school in 1940. Dust bowl festival a country mix of music, food and local history. At the 17th annual dustbowl festival saturday, visitors can hop on a shuttle at sunset school and tour the adjacent weedpatch camp, which opened in the 1930s to house migrant. Conclusion the true story of the school at weedpatch camp.
Sunset school, weedpatch, a free event with music, food booths, crafts, memorabilia, car show, tour the camp buildings book signings and more. Several historic buildings at the camp were placed on. Weedpatch camp was built by the works progress administration wpa south of bakersfield. Leo hart, head counselor in the kern county high school district, had been in the unites states army in wwi, had a lung and kidney removed due to tuberculosis, and had earned a masters degree in education, and he knew that the okie kids just needed some caring and education. The earthquake of 1952 destroyed the onestory brick building at vineland school and all but one of the original buildings on the weedpatch site. This true story took place at the emergency farmlabor camp immortalized in steinbecks the grapes of wrath. Nearly a century ago, however, californians spat the term toward the poor migrant families whether they were actually from oklahoma or not rolling in acro. She was born in the weedpatch camp, also called sunset camp, in 1946.
It is now known as the sunset camp or weedpatch camp, and is located just. Weedpatch camp children of the dust bowl the true story. Jerry stanley describes the plight of the migrant workers who traveled from the dust bowl to california during the depression and were forced to live in a federal labor camp and discusses the school that was built. Between 19521957 the district reconstructed the two schools buildings and renamed weedpatch school as sunset school. The true story of the school at weedpatch camp quiz jerry stanley this study guide consists of approximately 24 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of children of the dust bowl. Weedpatch dust bowl memories ted landphairs america. Okies disappearing from dust bowl festival, replaced by latino. Out of options, they often ended up at the weedpatch camp, a federal labor and living camp for migrant workers in kern county. From tips to gear to mind tricks, heres everything you need to camp solo like a pro july 23, 2019. Weedpatch camp also known as the arvin federal government camp and the sunset labor camp was built by the works progress administration wpa south of bakersfield, california in 1936 to house migrant workers during the great depression. My mom was also the school librarian for sunset school and my dad worked there as a custodian until he retired. The kids were able to learn practical skills like airplane mechanics and farming. View all restaurants near weedpatch camp on tripadvisor. Arvin federal camp and sunset labor camp, which later became known as the weedpatch camp to provide affordable.
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