As a result of keeping the park officially open on a year-round basis beginning during the winter of 1935-36 there was a need for ranger personnel in the park during the winter months. After several years of covering the winter period with temporary personnel, funding permitted appointment of two permanent rangers during the winter of 1938-39. In addition the chief ranger traveled to the park from Klamath Falls on days of expected heavy travel. Nevertheless, Superintendent Leavitt reported that the winter ranger staff was “not adequate to handle checking, road patrols, trail and boundary patrols and numerous emergency calls.” He further stated:
. . . On week-ends of heavy travel of skiers, it was necessary to accept the volunteer services of members of ski clubs to patrol ski trails, and to call on the assistance of ranger personnel from the Lava Beds. The entire ranger staff were able to apply on numerous occasions the Red Cross First Aid training which they received during the fall and early winter months, several serious accidents and numerous minor accidents occurring among the skiers.[14]
By the late 1930s park administrators had determined that a park ranger training school was needed at Crater Lake to promote and develop the professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness of the force. The two men responsible for the idea of the school were Superintendent Leavitt and Chief Ranger J. Carlisle Crouch. Thus, the first such school was held at the park during July 5-20, 1938. Various instructors were brought to the park to share the expertise of their disciplines. These included: William Howland, Superintendent of the Klamath Hatchery; Conrad Wessela, Associate Forester of the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, Division of Plant Disease Control; and J.D. Swenson, Special Agent in Charge of the Portland Office of the Bureau of Investigation. Among the subjects covered at the school were:
History of the National Park Service
History of Crater Lake National Park
Park Organization
Ranger Organization
Checking Stations
Police Protection
First Aid
Forest Fire Protection
Fire Tools
Forest Insect Protection
Forest Disease Protection
Building Fire Protection
Fish Planting
Special Protection
The success of the school led to its becoming an annual event in the park for all rangers, ranger-naturalists, and fire control aids. [15]
In conjunction with the training school Chief Ranger Crouch prepared a “Crater Lake Ranger Manual.” The manual was designed to serve as a reference guide for the park rangers in carrying out their responsibilities. According to the manual, the ranger force was established to ensure that the park was administered in line with the NPS policies. In the introductory portion of the manual Crouch observed:
Some physical developments were, of course, required to carry out the . . . principle[s] of park administration. Such improvements are undertaken and accomplished with a minimum disturbance to the natural appearance of the park. Unnecessary scarring of the landscape; destruction and injury of trees and plants in the course of construction activities; establishment of promiscuous footpaths, and explanation of rules and regulations in terms of park policies are all important for the rangers to keep constantly in mind. . . .
The Park Ranger Organization is predicated upon the broad principles of the National Park Service. In the final analysis, administration of the park, enjoyment of the park by visitors, and in fact all park activities presuppose an adequate and effective plan and execution of protection measures.
The phrases “maintain in absolutely unimpaired form” and “use, observation, health and pleasure of the people” infer a multitude of diversified activities. In the preparation of a manual of operation for the ranger organization it must be acknowledged that each detail of assignments, a ready and stereotyped answer to all inquiries, and a solution for each bewildering situation cannot be included. Reliance must be made upon your own initiative, intelligence and discriminating deductions. Rangers are far more than the “eyes and ears” of the Superintendent. You must interpret correctly and analyze carefully what you see and hear.
