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Dust Bowl Life: "I'd Rather Not Be on Relief"
The words of "I'd Rather Not Be on Relief" by Lester
Hunter was written in 1938 in the midst of the Dust Bowl
Disaster. The humiliating aspects of Dust Bowl Life is
reflected in the lyrics of the song and the views of the
people that were experiencing the problems of the Dust
Bowl disaster. Lester Hunter was a migrant from the Dust
Bowl who was forced to move from his home and travel to
California in a desperate search for a new life, a new
home and a new job. Lester Hunter, like so many other
Dust Bowl migrants, did not want charity, they wanted to
work - hence the title "I'd Rather Not Be on Relief".
The poem was turned into a song by Dust Bowl migrants at
the Shafter FSA Camp in California in 1938.
Dust Bowl Life: The Dust Bowl Disaster
The Dust Bowl was a disaster of epic
proportions. It began with a drought in 1930 and the soil
in the prairie states turned to dust. Crops were
literally blew away in "black blizzards". The dust storms
destroyed 100 million acres of land in the 'Dust Bowl' and resulted
in 3 million farmers becoming unemployed, losing their
homes and forced to start a new, uncertain life in
unaffected states such as California and Florida.
Dust Bowl Life: The Migrants
It is estimated that 200,000 migrants from
the prairies states headed for California. Lester Hunter
was just one of those migrants.
Dust Bowl Life: Roosevelt's New Deal
Lester Hunter expresses his views of the welfare
and relief programs initiated by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt in his 'New Deal' in his poem. Roosevelt's
'New Deal instituted the 3 R's - Relief, Recovery and
Reform. Lester Hunter believed that the government's
welfare programs were simply short term solutions to
long term problems.
Dust Bowl Life: Interesting Primary Source Document
The lyrics to "I'd Rather Not Be on
Relief" by Lester Hunter is an excellent primary source
document that can be used by teachers and student
studying the history of Dust Bowl life using words of a
man who experienced the ordeal first-hand, and his views
of Dust Bowl life.
Dust Bowl Life: Print the Lyrics
Just right click on the picture to print a
copy of the lyrics. You will be surprised at the real
meanings behind the lyrics of this seemingly amusing and
inoffensive song.
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Dust Bowl Life reflected in the lyrics of
"I'd Rather Not Be on Relief"
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Dust Bowl Life: Verse 1
Dust Bowl life is reflected in Verse 1 by
just one word - "rags". This simple word conveys the
destitution and plight of the migrants. The word "rags"
conveys dire poverty, and the threadbare and tattered
clothes worn by paupers. Lester Hunter contrasts the
migrants predicament of being reduced to wearing rags as
"the rest of the world goes neat". The type of housing
the migrants are reduced to living in are described as
'lean-tos' and 'tents' and he makes it clear that
migrants, such as himself, are going hungry.
Dust Bowl Life: Verse 2
His overriding issue of not wanting to be
on relief extends to working on the WPA. The WPA was the
Works Progress Administration, a government program
introduced in 1935 that paid people to work on
government public works construction projects. Lester
Hunter was a farmer, not a construction worker and
believed the labor resource provided by the migrant
farmers would help the Californian farmers to become
more prosperous. And again, the proud man made reference
to his clothes "wearing patches".
Dust Bowl Life: Verse 3
Verse 3 conveys the numbers of the
migrants who arrived in California "swarm of bees" and
the reaction of Californians to the migrants. The lyrics
state that "The migratory workers are worse of than a
bum". Established citizens in California, frightened by
the arrival of so many migrants attempted to prevent
their entry into the state, establishing a border
patrol, dubbed the "Bum Blockade," at major rail and
road crossings. Traditionally cheap, temporary Mexican
labor had been used by the farmers in California. It is
clear in the reference to "gypsy workers" that the Dust
Bowl migrants, like Mexican workers, were treated like
second class citizens.
Dust Bowl Life: Verse 4
In Verse 4, Lester Hunter makes it clear that he
is not asking for "luxuries". A reference to the rapid
rise of consumerism in the 1920s. He talks of being
"bound to raise the dickens". No, it isn't a typing
error for 'chickens'. The word "bound" meaning being
obliged, determined or resolved combined with the use of
the idiom "raise the dickens" meaning protesting in an
angry and forceful manner. He is worried about the
coming winter months when agricultural work completely
runs out and how he will feed his family.
Dust Bowl Life: Verse 5
The last verse reflects Lester Hunter's
view of the future. The slang phrase "Chuck a crack"
means making a mighty attempt to make things better
before the winter sets in. He's decided that the way to
do this is to join the "C.I.O.". The CIO stands for the
Congress of Industrial Workers, a labor union, which was
founded in 1935. The CIO split from the AFL American
Federation of Labor (AFL). The CIO was much more
aggressive in organizing unskilled workers, who had not
been represented before, and increasing their bargaining
power with employers.
Facts about
Dust Bowl Life in the
Great Depression
For visitors interested in the history of
the Great Depression refer to the following articles:
Dust Bowl Life - President Herbert Hoover Video
The article on the Dust Bowl Life provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Herbert Hoover video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 31st American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933.
Dust Bowl Life
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Interesting Facts about Dust Bowl Life for kids and schools
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Summary of the Dust Bowl Life in US history
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The Dust Bowl Life, a major
event in US history
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Herbert Hoover from March 4, 1929 to March 4, 1933
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Fast, fun facts about the Dust Bowl Life
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Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Herbert Hoover
● Herbert Hoover Presidency and
Dust Bowl Life for schools,
homework, kids and children
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