The office of the Virginia State Administrator was established as part of the Federal Civil Works Administration (1933) and continued under that organization's successors: the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (1934), the Works Progress Administration (1935), and the Federal Works Agency's Work Projects Admnistration (1939). The WPA and its state offices were abolished on June 30, 1943.
Located in Richmond, Virginia, the function of the State Adminstrator was to manage work relief programs supported by federal funds within the state. The work of the office was carried out through functional divisions located in the state office, as well as through district offices in Norfolk, Roanoke, Marion and Richmond. The State Administrator reported to a regional office, as well as to the central administrative offices in Washington, DC.
It was the State Administrator who signed the project applications that were sent to the central administration. Each application was a request from a state or local governmental agency for the federal funds specifically required for labor and nonlabor costs in addition to sponsors' funds needed in carrying on the projects. After project applications had been approved by the central administration in Washington and by the President, it was the State Administrator who, in agreement with the sponsor, initiated operations on each project by assigning supervisors and workers to the project and authorizing the expenditure of federal funds. The State Administrator was responsible for making sure that all conditions required by law or by regulation were properly met. The distribution of employment quotas within the state, the apportionment among projects of the toal Federal contributions to nonlabor costs, and the appointments of administrative and supervisory personnel within the state were other important responsibilties of the State Administrator.
In 1942, Russell S. Hummel was State Administrator.
From the description of Agency history record. (National Archives Library). WorldCat record id: 145406798
