YOSEMITE - Npshistory
YOSEMITEVOLUME XXXIX - NUMBER 7JULY 1960Dr. and Mrs. C. M . Goethe1920 - NATURE GUIDE SERVICE - 1960
A FREE SERVICEBY T H E G O V E R N M E N TNATURE GUIDE FIELD TRIPS8 A. M. Daily from Camp Curry.4 P. M. Daily from Camp Curry9:30 A. M. Daily from Yosemite Lodge.4 P. M. Daily from Yosemite Lodge.SPECIAL TRIPS FOR CHILDREN8 A. M. Daily from Yosemite Lodge.4 P. M. Monday, Wednesday and Friday from Camp Curry.A n Early Nature Guide Program.
y osemiteN A T U R E NOTESSince 1922, the monthlypublicationof theNational Park Service and the YosrmiteNaturalHistory Association in Yosemite NationalPark.John C. Preeton, Park SuperintendentDouglass H. Hubbard, Park NaturalistRobert F. Upton, Associate Park NaturalistPaul F. McCrary, Assistant Park NaturalistHerbert D. Cornell, Junior Park NaturalistKeith A. Trexler, Park Naturalist TraineeVOLUME XXXIXJULY 1960NO. 7A 40th ANNIVERSARYDr. Carl RussellFormer Superintendent, Yosemite National ParkIn this day of staggering travelrecords we are prone to be so concerned with current problems as toforget some of the struggle and success of the past. Generally, this is avirtue. However, an anniversary occurs this year which should be marked.Forty years ago the "Nature Guide"idea was introduced into the National Park Service. Out of it hascome a distinctive interpretive program which last year served some10 million people in the nationalparks and historical areas and astill bigger total in state parks. It ishardly necessary to explain that thiswork has its good effects upon public appreciation of parks and theprotection of our national heritage.The man responsible for bringingthe Nature Guide idea to Americais Charles M. Goethe of Sacramento,who with the late Mrs. Goethe priorto World War I observed natureguiding being done at Switzerland's"Lake of the Four Forest Cantons".Regarding this Mr. Goethe writes,"Repeated visits to Europe, followingthe Swiss experience, yielded morefacts. In Norway, summer resortsfound it profitable to maintain a staffof Nature Guides to serve theirguests. In Britain field trips werecalled 'School Treats'. In Hollandintelligent thinking about profits frombulbs and hothouse fruits was basedon the grower's youthful naturestudies. But more and more I amconvinced that the continued urgeto conduct our overseas studies grewout of that which first impressed us—the Swiss concept of indoctrination ofloyalty—'what one knows best, oneloves best.'Immediately afterthe War the
154YOSEMITEGoethes used their personal fundsin organizing a nature guide program at Lake Tahoe. Again quotingMr. Goethe, "Six resorts ringed thelake. At one, Fallen Leaf, the ownerwas a longtime friend, the late W.W. Price, who had majored in biology at Stanford. He immediately sawthe possibility of what Mrs. Goetheand I were attempting. He convertedreluctant owners of the other fiveresorts to the idea of extending hospitality to the two naturalists whoconducted the Tahoe nature walks.So these naturalists covered the sixresorts, one a day, each week."The naturalists referred to wereHarold Bryant, then with the California Fish and Game Commission,and Loye Holmes Miller, Universityof California, Los Angeles. This wasin the summer of 1919, and by greatgood fortune the work was observedby Director Mather. "Going to register, at Fallen Leaf, he passed thecrowded auditorium - and missedsupper. It happened that that evening's lecturing naturalist was Dr.Miller. He had rare ability to call wildbirds. His talks on their musicpacked Fallen Leaf auditorium thatnight. Folks stood outside the windows. Seeing this popular outpouring induced Stephen Mather to asktransfer of our experiment to Yosemite National Park." Regarding thetransfer Dr. Miller writes, "Mr. Mather asked me to confer with him onthe subject of Nature Guide work inYosemite and urged me to come atonce to the Valley. It was late in theseason and I had spent most of myfree time for the year . . . I thereforeurged Mr. Mather to wait until 1920for the inauguration of an officialNature Guide Service. He agreedand we parted with a definite planfor 1920."The definite plan for 1920 sawHarold Bryant first on the job. Dr.Miller arrived soon afterward. Between them they offered the first public interpretive work of the NationalPark Service. In 1921, Miller andBryant again combined their efforts.Enid Michael joined them as rangernaturalist. Ansel Hall, a year-aroundranger in Yosemite, had been busyassembling the collections for a Yosemite Museum which was openedto visitors at this time. By 1922 a ParkNaturalist Department was formally—Photo by Russell
YOSEMITEcreated with Hall in charge, - a forerunner of a program which quicklyspread to all major scenic parks witha counterpart in historical areas.Recently Ronald F. Lee reported,"Today the total park staff of permanent interpreters numbers over300, and our seasonal staff over400-700 in all. Last year almost 10million visitors heard talks by theseinterpreters or took conducted walkswith them." Lee reminded his listeners that the National Park philosophy is still challenged by thosewho advocate the use of park landsfor commercial purposes. "Thesethreats will grow as our multiplyingpopulation presses ever harder. To155preserve the parks requires everdeepening understanding and appreciation of their irreplaceablevalues. Toward this end a vital program of park interpretation can contribute a great deal."It is timely to salute Mr. Goethe onthis his 85th birthday (March 28) andquite appropriate to recognize at thesame time that the interpretive program launched by him and by Mrs.Goethe 40 years ago has indeedmatured to become the highly significant conservation force visualizedby them. May he take joy in witnessing the evidences that a young generation of interpreters is prepared tomake the work everlasting.Ansel F. Hall demonstrating snakes to Yosemite visitors in 1923.
156YOSEMITENATURE STUDY IN NATIONAL PARKS INTERPRETTVE MOVEMENTDr. C. M. GoetheAs to National Parks' NatureStudy's roots, a couple of observations may first be worth reflection.This, because such interests maybegin in very early childhood.Writer's Australian-born father had2 years with his family's black-fellows in the Never-Never. The party,no firearms, lived by boomerangs.This nature-contact gave him deepnature-insight. Mother's influencewas colored by her Huguenot ancestry. These deeply religious folkreally live such biblical texts asSolomon's "Go to the ant, thou sluggard", also Jesus' "Consider the'lilies." Thus writer's boyhood, evenearliest years, were saturated withNature lore.Followed volunteering of us-2* withSacramento Orphanage Farm Nature Study classes. These 18 years'actual teaching made us receptive towhat then happened in Switzerland:We planned to climb, roped to Swissguides, Uri Rotstock. Enroute, on aFour Forest Cantons lake's steamer'sdeck was a teacher. Her class hadsome 20 children. They were to makea minor ascent. This to inculcate loveof country by learning about itsbirds, wildflowers, the Why of scenery. Fortunately, we both spoke allSwitzerland's three languages. We.became fascinated with this teacher's skill. We were invited to jointheir Rigi Kulm climb. Impressed, weasked for further particulars.We were told of an organizedSwiss movement, were given itsPresident's address. He received usvery kindly, gave us numerous canny suggestions. One was to makeseparate studies of the nature studytechniques of some 5 European nations. He said each was colored byits peculiar national psychology. Headvised our returning to America between each study. Otherwise, atleast, a considerable interval. Thisto digest what we saw.1. Germany. He commented itsnature study education was tied tooverwhelming German ambition todominate world markets. He said"You will find its industrialists deepin biological research. They alsoknow the boy that can catch thecolor flash and identify, say, a bullfinch from a greenfinch or a chaffinch is one to be sent to some commercially strategic Oriental port Yokohama, Shanghi, Singapore."2. Norway. Here again, naturestudy was linked to increase of profits, i.e. to attract British tourists.3. Holland. Here he declared Holland's worlds foremost positionbreeding "Dutch bulbs" was basedupon their knowledge of what wenow call "Genetics".4. Britain. With much of worldleadership in both Life and EarthSciences, we found a deepseatedchildren's desire for "school treats".An out-of-door's picnic of a naturestudy field excursion was made anincentive for good homework.5. Denmark was, however, themost convincing of all this seriouseducator's suggestions. Deeply impressive was their teaching blindchildren wild bird music. We accompanied them on expeditions to RoyalDeer Park, Klampenborg. Deepestdent, however, was testimony of*Dr. Goethe refers to himself and wife as " u s - 2 " .
Nature Guides of 1926. L to R - Rett, Harwood, Ruhle, M i c h a e l , M c L e a n , Russell, Bryant.Danish teachers working for higherdegrees. Their examinations werenot based upon answering questions.They were on what they had succeeded in imparting as evidencedby their pupils' subsequent compositions.After these field studies, madewith sufficient intervals to digestfindings, we noted that in every casethe observed country was a monarchy. Thus, certain factors unsuitable for a republic like U.S.A. Welabored several years trying to adaptabove to American youngsters. Wesimultaneously started saving moneyfor what later became dubbed our"Tahoe Laboratory."We asked University of Californiato recommend two scientists forsame. Fortunately, Fallen Leaf'sowner, the late W. W. Price was cooperative. Majored in biology atStanford, he saw the possibilities.We had selected 5 other resortsringing Lake Tahoe. Those fiveothers dubbed the scheme as "nonsense". Mr. Price persisted until heconvinced them that here was morethan a contribution to American culture. It actually was commerciallyan advantage for their Lake Tahoeresorts.Our strategy was once weekly ateach resort a daytime Nature Studyfield excursion. This was to be followed by a lecture. Returns were tofollow each succeeding week. TheUniversity recommended to us-2, Dr.Harold Bryant, Dr. Loye Miller. Thisadvice seemed Providential. Eachentered heartily in the plan. Dr. Bryant had invented nature games suchas barkfeeling, flower-smelling forhis children. Dr. Miller, veteranpaleoornithologist, combined his professional knowledge in zoologywith a remarkable ability in music.
158YOSEMITEHe was amazingly skillful in callingwild birds.The incident that later resulted inmoving our "Tahoe Laboratory" toYosemite became intertwined withplans of the late Stephen Mather fora National Park System. He toldwriter story of his borax investments.These sold, he said he had some 5,000,000. He had gone to writer'sfriend, then President Woodrow Wilson. He told him he dreamed of aNational Park System, estimatedcost 50,000,000. Mr. Mather said"Congress at first will be appalled.It would require some 5,000,000private money "pumppriming". President Wilson, himself a former college president, with rare vision,agreed.Everything ran smoothly untilManhattan's Commercialized Viceexploiters found that the Mather planwould destroy their scheme to utilizeYosemite's background for a giganticMonte Carlo. Fought out in Congressional committee, Mather finallytriumphed. This, only to learn thathis enemies had sufficient power tohamstring him by deleting futureappropriations.Mr. Mather told writer he was verydepressed when said news finallycame to Yosemite. He felt his dreamwas ended. He said he, on his tripsfrom San Francisco over the Tiogato his borax properties, had learnedto adore Yosemite. He declared it,to him, was as sacred a cathedral asChartres, Canterbury, Cologne. Hedeclared he then felt so completelydefeated, he felt physically unableto make his overland train connections, Sacramento to New York. Hedecided to go to Sacramento via theTioga by way of Tahoe. Reachinglatter point at dusk, he stopped forovernight at Fallen Leaf Lake.At its little auditorium, just beforehe reached their office, he noticedan assemblage. The meeting hallwas so crowded, folks trying to listenstood outside doors, windows. Dr.Loye Miller was lecturing on howhe called wild birds. Mr. Mather saidthat, with his own knowledge of politics at Congres, he immediately sawhere was a way of victory over hisOpposition. With it he still couldtranslate his National Park Systemdream into actuality.This, in midsummer 1919. In October, writer received a telegramfrom Mr. Mather, then a completestranger. It invited him to a Christmas Party he was giving his University of California class. It was aclass reunion. Writer, not a memberof that class, decided to wastebasketthe telegram. Mrs. Goethe said "Youcertainly must attend. There is something important in this." When laterwriter met Mr. Mather, latter said"Forget our festivities. Take the telegraph key. Do not leave it until Mr.Bryant, Dr. Miller both pledge tocome to Yosemite in 1920." That wasthe beginning of National Parks' Interpretation.The Mather political strategy was:"When folks, after 1920 field ercursion, or at any compfire talk, express appreciation, the Ranger Naturalist was to explain Washingtonhappenings. Then he was to say: "Ifyou want a part in this war, sendeven as little as a postcard to bothyour Senators, your Representative."These poured into Washington cinching the victory.For a few years the Yosemite effortwas privately supported by Mr.Mather, Mrs. Goethe, and writer.Later it, taken over by Government,has continued ever to expand. AfterMr. Mather's passing, fortunately Mr.Horace Albright became Director. Noone else then had such insight intoMr. Mather's plans.
YOSEMITE159THE NATURE GUIDE MOVEMENT IN NATIONAL PARKSDr. Loye H. MillerProfessor (Emeritus)University of California at Los A n g e l e sIt is difficult sometimes, to s a yjust w h e r e , w h e n or h o w a greatm o v e m e n t b e g a n . As a small boy, Il e a r n e d from m y big "joggerfy book"that the Mississippi River b e g a n inthe small Lake Itasca u p in the northcountry a n d that w a s O.K. with m ein the little desert s c h o o l h o u s e ofRiverside Co. It satisfied the teacherw h o w a s v e r y b u s y with all eightg r a d e s in o n e small schoolroom. Butm y mental horizon grew a s well a smy b o n e s a n d muscles so I c a m eto know of the Ohio River, the Missouri, the Yellowstone, the C a n a dian, the Red - — all parts of the Mississippi. Just b e c a u s e some fellowsaid that the little trickle of w a t e rrunnig out of lake Itasca w a s Mississippi to the exclusion of all thoseother streams, w e s e e m to h a v e accepted the dictum of o n e moccasinfooted traveler a n d ruled out allthose w i d e r a n g i n g Mountain Menw h o p u s h e d their w a y to the ultim a t e p a s s e s of the Rockies. The Mississippi in m y natal Louisiana w a sv e r y definitely the Mississippi—butw h e r e it b e g a n , I'm not so sure.Something like the b e g i n n i n g of agreat river system is the b e g i n n i n gof the Nature G u i d e Movement. Didit begin in Yosemite forty y e a r s a g o ?G o e t h e h a d b e c o m e interested y e a r searlier while traveling in Europe.Bryant h a d b e n doing c o m p a r a b l ework in Berkeley a n d the Bay Region; while I h a d d o n e the s a m e inLos A n g e l e s , the S a n BernardinoMountains, in Berkeley, Yosemitea n d the Tahoe A r e a since 1898. Tob e sure w e met in Yosemite in 1920.Yes. But John Muir w a s there a generation before us (see Russell's " O n eH u n d r e d Years in Yosemite", p p 138140) a n d I k n o w not h o w m a n yothers c a m e a l o n g in b e t w e e n .Bryant a n d I reported for duty inthe s u m m e r of 1920 but there w a s nosuch thing a s a Park Naturalist. W ew e r e merely a p p o i n t e d a s tempora r y R a n g e r s a n d a s s i g n e d to speciald u t y a s Naturalists for which w ew e r e best suited, though at times w ew e r e entrusted with the responsibility of "Traffic C o p s " w h e n thingsb e c a m e congested out in front of theold h e a d q u a r t e r s at Sentinel Village(and they did e v e n in those days).The b r o a d - m i n d e d Director "Steve"Mather w a s a great lover of Yosemite a n d strove valiantly to preventthe beautiful v a l l e y from b e c o m i n gthe " C o n e y I s l a n d " that s o m e commercial interests w e r e trying to m a k eof it. He threw all his weight (inspiredpartially b y Goethe) into a counterm o v e m e n t of e m p h a s i s upon the natural b e a u t i e s of the park. I stronglysuspect that the modest s a l a r i e s oftwo " t e m p o r a r y r a n g e r s " c a m e outof his o w n pocket.I know not h o w long it took butthe p r e s s u r e continued a n d ultimately the b u d g e t provided for "Park Naturalists" a s such a n d their appointment w a s extended to provide a y e a rround service. Better still, a n e w office w a s c r e a t e d in W a s h i n g t o n a n dBryant w a s p l a c e d there in c h a r g eof Nature Education to b e extendeda s r a p i d l y a s possible to all thep a r k s . I salute my former c o l l e a g u e s
160YOSEMITEMather, Goethe a n d Bryant now a s Isee Park Naturalists in all the National Parks a n d M o n u m e n t s a n dfeel justified in taking pride that Ih a d a small part in the b e g i n n i n gof a great movement. That tinystream that issues from little LakeItasca h a s b e c o m e a nationwidesystem r e a c h i n g out over the severalcontinental divides to include theHudson, the Columbia, the Coloradoa n d the Rio G r a n d e .Bird walks have been a popular feature of the Yosemite interpretive program since 1920.Former Park Naturalist Bert Harwell conducted this group of 101 persons along the MercedRiver in 1936.—Anderson, NPS
YOSEMITE161THE BEGINNING OF YOSEMITE'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMHarold C. BryantFormer Superintendent, Grand Canyon National ParkThe summer of 1920 marks the beginning of the now well-known program of helping the visitor to findand understand the chief features ofthe National Parks.First attempts at stirring the interest of people in the wonder of nature had been by teachers, AudubonSocieties, museums, botanical andzoological societies and hiking clubsbut vacationists in the NationalParks had to go home without having their questions answered. A fewyears earlier, Enos Mills, a resortowner in Rocky Mountain NationalPark, found his guests enthusiasticover his attempt to help them knowrocks, wild flowers, birds and animals and he coined the word "Nature Guide" and wrote magazinearticles and a book about the adventures, encountered in such guiding.Then, in 1919, came an experimentto test the reaction of vacationists tonature talks and trips, conducted atLake Tahoe resorts, which caughtthe attention of Director of NationalParks, Stephen T. Mather. He and afriend, C. M. Goethe of Sacramentourged that a like program be startedin Yosemite National Park. As a result, two university men, Harold C.Bryant and Loye H. Miller, who hadparticipated in the Lake Tahoe experiment, were secured to organizea program in Yosemite in the summer of 1920. Housed in tents andwith a table in the Chief RangersOffice, but armed with enthusiasm,these two men organized a full program of short and long field trips,evening campfire talks, and officehours for answering questions. Bythe end of the summer, there was nodoubt that the park visitor was enthused over an opportunity to learnfirst hand about his surroundings. Areport on the results was publishedin the 1920 Report of the Director ofthe National Park Service. Advocated was a trained naturalist on thestaff of every National Park to administer an educational program.During the winter of 1921, the Director of the National Park Servicearranged a speaking tour to includethe large eastern cities as a means ofpublicizing Yosemite's new program.Those who found profit and e
NATURE NOTES Since 1922, the monthly publication of the National Park Service and the Yosrmite Natural History Association in Yosemite National Park. John C. Preeton, Park Superintendent Douglass H. Hubbard, Park Naturalist Robert F. Upton, Associate Park Naturalist Paul F. McCrary, Assistant Park Naturalist
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Yosemite Nature Notes THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE NATURALIST DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION Published Monthly OL. XVII April, 1938 No. 4 John Muir in Yosemite By C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist Seventy years ago this month That fall he felt done with sheep. hn Muir made his first visit to Yo- Rich in money, health .
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Yosemite Valley and the uncoopera- words the Yosemites were to tive Yosemite Indians. This expedi- grouped with their nearest and m, tion has been described in the first intimate neighbors — Po-ho-nee-ch installment (Yosemite Nature Notes, and Nook-choo, both Miwok, a :. March 1951, pp. 26-28), and the sub- Chook-chan-ce and Chow-chil-I
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Dear Friends of Yosemite National Park, As we embark on our 87th year serving Yosemite National Park, the Yosemite Association continues to be a vital link connecting people to th
Cross Country Ski Center - 8:30am to 4:30pm Skiers Grill - 8am to 4pm Snowflake Room - 8am to 4pm, . Join one of our group cross country skiing classes or schedule a custom . Outside Yosemite Valley PIONEER YOSEMITE HISTORY CENTER Go back to a time of horse-drawn wagons, a covered bridge, and log cabins. A visit
2 CHAPTER1. INTRODUCTION 1.1.3 Differences between financial ac-countancy and management ac-counting Management accounting information differs from
