A job's lessons

The Missouri Youth Service Conservation Corps created in 2000 bears some similarity to the Civilian Conservation Corps that provided so many jobless Americans with meaningful work during the 1930s. Besides a job, the CCC restored a sense of pride to people who had lost so much.

Many of the youths in Missouri's modern-day corps come from poor economic backgrounds. They include teenagers from both the city and the country and from different races.

Last week the group of teens cleared trails at Cape County Park North.

Each first-year worker makes $5.15 an hour, with second-year workers earning a dollar more.

Youths over 17 also can earn a $1,000 scholarship by working more than 300 hours.

One of the youths, a 15-year-old, said he thinks working for the corps is teaching him "how it is in the real world."

Besides teaching how to do a job responsibly, the experience undoubtedly requires that the participants learn how to get along with each other. Both are valuable lessons.