The WPA was established by President Franklin Roosevelt’s executive order on May 6, 1935, and was terminated on June 30, 1943. The agency enfolded and expanded previous work relief programs such as the Civil Works Administration and its Public Works of Art Project, Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA) programs, and the Public Works Administration. The WPA included the National Youth Administration, which offered part-time jobs to high school and college students and other young people from poor families. It also included the Federal Writers’ Project (and its Historical Records Survey), the Federal Arts Project, and the Federal Theatre Project.
Administrator of the Tennessee section of the WPA was Harry S. Berry, a UT trustee, who was helpful in assisting UT to receive funds through the program. Among projects at UT assisted by WPA funding were the following: construction of the Neyland Stadium Armory Addition for the ROTC; construction of Berry Hall; construction of East Neyland Stadium (dormitory and stands); South College renovations; conversion of Carnegie Hall to Austin Peay Memorial Administration Building; construction of Hesler Biology Building; an addition to the central power plant; the addition of six tennis courts on the site of Jefferson Hall, which had burned; workers for the Rhenium Project; and management of large field archaeology projects that resulted in development of new techniques and collection of vast numbers of archaeological specimens.