Charles F. Riebe papers
Abstract
The Charles F. Riebe papers (dated 1964-2010, undated; 2.3 cubic feet, 7 boxes, 2.68 Gigabytes) comprise photographs, papers, and realia that offers a comprehensive view of the founding and development of the National Park Service Job Corps Conservation Centers during the mid 1960s.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Charles F. Riebe papers
- Date
- 1964-2010, undated (inclusive)
- Creator
- Riebe, Charles F.
- Extent
- 2.3 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Career education -- Kentucky.
- Mammoth Cave (Ky.) -- History.
- Occupational training.
- Young men -- United States -- Social life and customs -- 20th century
- Great Onyx Job Corps (Mammoth Cave, Ky.)
- Job Corps (U.S.)
- National Park Service (U.S.)
- Riebe, Charles F.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged by format into three series: Audiovisual, Papers, and Realia.
- Preferred Citation
- 2022ms024 : [identification of item], Charles F. Riebe papers, 1964-2010, undated, University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Charles Fred Riebe, Jr., born on July 25, 1934, in Missoula, Montana, and raised in Chinook, embarked on a remarkable journey marked by his commitment to conservation and education. He pursued his academic endeavors at Northern Montana College and Montana State College, majoring in civil engineering. It was during his college years that Riebe crossed paths with Beverly Hoehn, whom he married in 1956.
- In 1958, Riebe began his professional career as the Assistant Park Engineer at Glacier National Park, where his passion for environmental stewardship began to flourish. His dedication led him to the National Park Service Western regional office in San Francisco in 1963. It was during this time that collaborative efforts between the National Forest Service, National Park Service, and the United States Department of Labor culminated in the development of vocational and educational programs at Civilian Conservation Centers across the nation.
- Riebe's pivotal role unfolded when he was chosen as the inaugural center director of the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (GOJCCC), nestled on Flint Ridge within Mammoth Cave National Park, near Cave City, Kentucky. Assuming the directorship on March 5, 1965, Riebe spearheaded the completion and the operation of the center until August 18, 1968. His tenure as Director witnessed the graduation of countless Job Corpsmen.
- In 1968, Riebe transitioned from his directorial duties to pursue further academic endeavors at the University of Maryland and contribute his expertise at the National Parks Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. Eventually, Charles and Beverly established their residence in Colorado, where their shared commitment to environmental conservation continues to resonate.
- Notably, Riebe undertook the task of collecting interviews with numerous early Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center leaders for an oral history project, thereby enriching the collective understanding of the program's inception and evolution.
- Resources: Newspapers.com. "Marriages: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Riebe", Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls Montana), April 8, 1956. https://www.newspapers.com/article/great-falls-tribune/139412138/.
- Newspapers.com. "Riebe to Be Transferred", The Missoulian (Missoula, Montana), June 24, 1963. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-missoulian/139409584/. Newspapers.com. "Center Chief Named", The Courier-Journal, March 21, 1965. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal/139409646/.
- Newspapers.com. "A look At The Great Society - And How It Grew", Daily Press (Newport News, Virginia), December 12, 1968. https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press/140028375/.
- Newspapers.com. "Jobs Center Director Leave Post This Week", The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky), September 3, 1968. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal/141115145/.
- Scope and Content
- The Charles F. Riebe papers (dated 1964-2010, undated; 2.3 cubic feet, 7 boxes, 2.68 Gigabytes) comprise photographs, papers, and realia that offers a comprehensive view of the founding and development of the National Park Service Job Corps Conservation Centers during the mid 1960s. The collection is rich in correspondence, publications, administrative materials, and firsthand accounts, providing invaluable insights into the early years of the Job Corps programs.
- The collection encompasses a diverse range of documents, including informative booklets, reports from governmental agencies, and newspaper clippings that illuminate various facets of the Job Corps initiatives. Additionally, it comprises day-to-day administrative records such as directories, lesson plans, memos, and correspondences exchanged between the National Park Service Headquarters and other Job Corps sites, offering a detailed glimpse into the operational aspects of these centers. Notably, the series includes reports authored by Charles Riebe, which offer vivid accounts of disputes among Corpsmen, thereby contributing to a deeper understanding of the culture prevalent at the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center.
- Furthermore, the Papers series includes materials extracted from two binders containing transcriptions of interviews conducted for a National Park Service oral history program focused on the formative years of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers. These interviews provide firsthand narratives and personal insights, enriching the historical record and shedding light on the experiences and perspectives of individuals involved in the early stages of the Job Corps programs.
- The audiovisual series comprises photographs of the United States Forest Service Job Corps Conservation Center's sites, projects, corpsmen, leaders, and program supporters shortly after its founding in 1964. Additionally, it includes visual recordings of the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers 40th Anniversary Celebration in 2005.
- The Realia series, undated, contains a bronze-coated medallion plaque featuring the emblem of the Job Corps in the center, surrounded by the inscription "Great Onyx Job Corps Conservation Center" along the outer edge. Furthermore, this series includes a homemade weapon confiscated by Charles Riebe from a corpsman, constructed of a hollow pipe and a single link chain adhered together with electrical tape. These artifacts offer tangible glimpses into the history and culture of the Job Corps Conservation Centers.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Audiovisual, 1965-1968, 2005
Scope and Contents
The Audiovisual series, 1965-1968, 2005, comprises photographs of the United States Forest Service Job Corps Conservation Center's sites, projects, corpsmen, leaders, and program supporters shortly after its founding in 1964. The series also includes visual recordings of Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers 40th Anniversary Celebration 2005.
Photographs, 1965-1968
Photographs from James Corson, District Field Supervisor, 1966 January
Cumberland Gap Job Corps Conservation Center, 1966 January
Buildings, 1966 January
Buildings and flag pole, 1966 January
Parked car, 1966 January
Small house with carport, 1966 January
Trailers, 1966 January
Trucks near slide, 1966 January
Wood carved bowls and miniature totem poles, 1966 January
Vehicles and building, 1966 January
Building construction site, 1966 January
Great Onyx Job Corps Center, 1966 January
Parked cars and building, 1966 January
Parked vehicles, 1966 January
Rebar and metal frame of building, 1966 January
Trucks and garage, 1966 January
Cement blocks near garage, 1966 January
Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, 1966 January
Tremont Job Corps Conservation Center, 1966 January
Building, 1966 January
Building, parked cars, and road, 1966 January
Man walking in road and buildings in background, 1966 January
Middle Prong Little River, rocky bank, and trees, 1966 January
Road and trailer home in background, 1966 January
Basketball court and buildings, 1966 January
Negatives: Corson expedition to other Job Corps camps in National Park Service areas, 1966 January
Six Center Tour, 1966 January
General photographs, 1965-1968
"Certificate of Appreciation" being presented to (William) George Meany, National President of the AFL-CIO by Edgar Henderson, President of Great Onyx Job Corps Center corpsmen student group presenting the plaque. Back Row from left to right - 3 unidentified Corpsmen; Charles F. Riebe, Center Director, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave National Park standing directly behind (William) George Meany; Paul Clark, Corpsmen Work Supervisor/Trainer and group chaperon to Convention, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky; Unknown Corpsman. Front Row from left to right - Unidentified AFL-CIO member; William Price, AFL-CIO Mid-Atlantic Region Liaison Officer assigned to the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center; unidentified Corpsman; George Meany, National President, AFL-CIO receiving the plaque; Edgar Henderson, President of Great Onyx Job Corps Center corpsmen student group presenting the plaque; 2 unidentified…
"Certificate of Appreciation" being presented to Governor of Kentucky, Louie B. Nunn by a state staff member. From left to right - Unidentified state staff member, Governor Nunn, Robert (Bob) Gables, Chairman of the Kentucky Republican Party and Kentucky Parks Commissioner during Governor Nunn's administration., 1968
"Certificate of Appreciation" being presented to Joseph Lewis of the AFL-CIO by Edgar Henderson, President of Great Onyx Job Corps Center corpsmen student group presenting the plaque. Back Row from left to right - Paul Clark, Corpsmen Work Supervisor/Trainer and group chaperon to Convention, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky; Unidentified AFL-CIO official, may be Joe Joy, Job Corps Liaison AFL-CIO Mid-Atlantic Region; 3 unidentified Corpsmen. 2nd Row from left to right - Charles F. Riebe, Center Director, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave National Park standing directly behind William Price; 3 Unidentified Corpsmen. Front Row from left to right - William Price, AFL-CIO Mid-Atlantic Region Liaison Officer assigned to the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center; Joseph Lewis, Secretary-Treasurer of the Union Label and Service Trades Dept. (ULSTD) of the AFL-CIO receiving the plaque; Edgar Henderson, President…
"Certificate of Appreciation" being presented to Secretary of Labor, Willard Wirtz by an AFL-CIO official with members of a girls Job Corps Center looking on. From left to right - Unidentified Job Corps woman enrollee, Union presenter (this may be Job Corps Liaison, Joe Joy), unidentified onlooker, Secretary Wirtz and unidentified Job Corps woman enrollee., 1968
"Certificate of Appreciation" being presented to Senator Joseph Clark, Pennsylvania by William (Bill) Price, AFL-CIO Mid-Atlantic Region Liaison Officer assigned to the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center. From left to right - Unidentified, may be a member of the AFL-CIO or Senator Clark's staff; William Price, Senator Joseph Clark, possible unidentified member of Senator Clark's staff, 1968 July
Charles F. Riebe, Center Director, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky in his office, 1967 June
Cumberland Gap Job Corps Conservation Center front of center, 1966 February
Frenchburg Job Corps, Stanton Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest, Corpsmen constructiong a low rock-arch sill, Middle Fork of Rock River Restoration, 1966 June 3
Frenchburg Job Corps, Stanton Ranger District, Daniel Boone National Forest, Corpsmen constructiong, 1966 October
Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (GOJCCC). As part of the work program, the Center was allowed to accept and commit to job and projects for private and governmental organizations in the surrounding communities. This photograph is a picture of the officials involved inspecting the progress on a project GOJCCC was working on for the Masonic Lodge and Kosair Shrine Temple in Louisville, Kentucky. The project involved building a steel framed trailer to be used as a float in parades. lso an officer the Kosair Shrine Temple to see if At the time the center didn't have a project to use welding equipment for training and provided a great education and job training opportunity for the corpsmen in addition to finding out more about community activities. Those involved in the inspection are from left to right - Kenneth Goslin, Architect, National Park Service Office, Washington, D.C.; Columbus J. Hyde, Asst. Chief of Police and Potentate of Kosair Shrine Temple, Louisville…
Group picture of some who attended the convention and visited the OEO booth/exhibit. Back Row from left to right - Paul Clark Corpsmen Work Supervisor/Trainer and group chaperon to Convention, Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky; unidentified Corpsman; unidentified Corpsman; Charles F. Riebe, Center Director Great Onyx Job Corps Center; Edgar Henderson, President of Great Onyx Job Corps Center corpsmen student group; Willard Wirtz, US Secretary of Labor; unidentified Corpsman; Front Row from left to right - William Price, AFL-CIO Mid-Atlantic Region Liaison Officer assigned to the Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center; William (Frank) Schnitzler, Secretary-Treasurer AFL-CIO, assistant to AFL-CIO President George Meany; Harry Boyer, President Pennsylvania AFL-CIO; unidentified Corpsman; unidentified AFL-CIO official; Harvey Benbow, Great Onyx Job Corps Center Corpsman., 1968
Wellfleet, aerial view of Camp Wellfleet at opening for Job Corps, circa 1965 April
Wellfleet, workers at Wellfleet shoreline, Massachusetts, circa 1965
Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (GOJCCC). Aerial Picture taken in 1968 showing the entire center and staff housing development. Top left corner from left to right - Sewage disposal system lagoons, Athletic Field, football, baseball, recreation sports and assembly area; Utility building at top and gymnasium directly below it; Top center right - Center Campus, dormitories, recreation building, education building, cafeteria (messhall) building, dispensary building, administration building, supply storage building, entrance building. Bottom center right - Staff housing area., 1968
Videos, 2005
Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, 40th Anniversary Celebration, Saturday, September 11, TRT: 1:55:00, 2005
Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, 40th Anniversary Celebration, Sunday, September 12, TRT: 2.00.08, 2005
40th Anniversary Celebration of Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers: "Empowering Youth, Enhancing Communities and Natural Resources", TRT: 35:00, 2005
Papers, 1964-2010, undated
Scope and Contents
The Papers series, 1964-2010, undated, comprises correspondence, publications, and other administrative materials relating to the founding years of the National Park Service Job Corps Conservation Centers. It includes booklets, reports by government agencies, and newspaper clippings about the Job Corps programs. The series also includes day-to-day administrative papers like directories, lesson plans, memos, and correspondence with National Park Service Headquarters and other Job Corps sites. Notably, there are reports filed by Charles Riebe about disputes among Corpsmen, offering vivid accounts of the culture at Great Onyx Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center. Finally, the Papers series includes papers removed from two binders. The papers are transcriptions of interviews conducted for a National Parks Service oral history program focused on the initial years of Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers.
Alumni Directory: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 1964-1989 (personnel only), circa 1989
Booklet: Earn, Learn, Serve: The Neighborhood Youth Corps, U.S. Department of Labor, Manpower Administration, 1965
Booklet: Step Up to Job Corps, undated
Christmas card: from Cumberland Gap Job Corps Conservation Center, undated
Correspondence: Loan request for Wellfleet Job Conservation Center, 1966-1967
Daily Bulletin: Wellfleet Job Corps Conservation Center, 1967 January
Guide and lesson plans for integrated work and education, undated
Invitation: "Celebration of 40 years of Job Corps", Collbran Job Corps Center, Colorado, 2005 May
James Corson, District Field Supervisor: resignation letters, memo, and travel request form, 1967 January
Journal: American Child, National Committee on Employment of Youth, "The Job Corps: A Dialogue" issue, 1966 Winter
Manual: Implementation Brochure for the Corpsman Advisor Coordinator, Job Corps, Office of Economic Opportunity, 1966
Memo: Assignment of Senior Coordinators and District Field Supervisors of Job Corps, 1965-1966
Memo: Photographic equipment procurement and photo prints, 1966
Newsletter: Job Corps Staff Newsletter, Office of Economic Opportunity, Washington D.C. (four issues), 1965-1966
Newsletter: The Corpsman, published for the Men and Women of the Job Corps, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1965 December 15
Newsletter: The Corpsman, published for the Men and Women of the Job Corps, Vol. 3, No. 24, 1966 December 10
Newsletter: The Corpsman, published for the Men and Women of the Job Corps, Vol. 3, No., 1967 January 15
Newspaper clippings, 1964-1969, undated
Notes: "Corpsmen graduate stories for 40th Anniversary", 2004
Notes: Improvements needed, undated
Organizational chart and phone directory, undated
Press Release: Job Corps Contributes to National Parks, U.S. Department of Interior, 1968 January 14
Report: Wellfleet Job Corps Conservation Center, circa 1966
Reports: Corpsmen Community Conflicts and Misunderstandings, 1966 August
Reports: U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of National Park Service Conservation History, Great Onyx Job Corps Conservation Center, Kentucky, 1965-1968
Research papers: copied for Charles Riebe, undated
Stationary: Wellfleet Job Corps, South Wellfleet, Massachusetts, undated
Address book document, circa 2010
Administrative and management officials interview transcriptions, 1964-1968, Binder 1, 2009-2010
Administrative and management officials interview transcriptions, 1964-1968, Binder 2, 2009-2010
Realia, undated
Scope and Contents
The Realia series (undated) contains a bronze coated medallion plaque containing the emblem of the Job Corps in the center and reads Great Onyx Job Corps Conservation Center around the outer edge. The series also includes a homemade weapon Charles Riebe confiscated from a corpsman. It is constructed of a hollow pipe and a single link chain adhered together with electrical tape.
Great Onyx Job Corps Conservation Center, bronze medallion plaque, undated
Confiscated by Charles Riebe, handmade steel pipe and chain weapon, 15 inches long, undated
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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
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