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.
According to the manual the Crater Lake ranger force consisted of twenty persons. These included:
1 Chief Park Ranger
2 Permanent Park Rangers
13 Seasonal Rangers
3 Fire Guards
1 Fire Lookout
The living arrangements of the rangers, as outlined in the manual, provide an interesting commentary on what it was like to reside in the park. Unmarried rangers assigned to headquarters duty or who worked from headquarters were housed in the Ranger Dormitory. Married rangers assigned to duty at headquarters were furnished “insofar as possible, tent accommodations.” Married rangers assigned to outlying stations occupied the furnished quarters, while single rangers assigned to such stations were provided with tent quarters. The park furnished a bed, mattress, chest of drawers, and bath facilities for $5.00 per month. Meals were to be obtained at the government dining room “at approved rates, usually at a cost of about $1.20 a day.”
The majority of the manual was devoted to a detailed explanation of the duties and responsibilities of rangers. These duties were outlined under the following categories:
Checking Station
Forest Protection
Public Contacts
Public Campgrounds
Headquarters Assignment
Traffic and Highway
Police Protection
Winter Activities
Wildlife Activities
General and Special Patrols [16]
Increasing visitation, more extensive diversified use, and year-round operation of the park created added demands on the ranger force at Crater Lake. In January 1940 Chief Ranger Crouch prepared a report on “Ranger Protection Requirements” for the park and made recommendations for increasing the efficiency of the ranger force.
The first issue to be addressed in the report was that of “protection facilities.” At the time the only ranger station in the park was located at park headquarters. In addition there were three “entrance” or “checking” stations–Annie Spring (11 miles from south boundary and 7 miles from west boundary); North (8 miles from north boundary); and Lost Creek (3-1/2 miles from east boundary). Operations at these stations included fee collection, visitor registration, gun sealing, checking in and out of deer killed outside of the park, regulations with respect to dogs and cats, truck weights and sizes and their control, and information services.
