This is an oral history interview with Howard Arant in Medford on November 30, 1988.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Ashland [Oregon] in 1912 and lived in the valley all my life. I spent some years in Klamath Falls, but basically it has been in the Rogue River Valley. I lived in Ashland, Talent, and Prospect, and since 1950 I’ve been in Medford.
What is your educational background?
I went to school in Ashland for first and second grade. We then moved down into the Talent area and I went to school there until seventh grade. In 1927, we moved to Prospect. I graduated from high school at Prospect in 1931. I attended Southern Oregon Normal School, which is now Southern Oregon State College, in the years of ’31, ’32 and ’33. I was within one quarter of graduating there.
How did you get your first job at Crater Lake? What were your duties?
From 1928 until 1932, I worked in the park service at Crater Lake National Park in the summertime while I was going to high school and college.
The major projects that I worked on were road construction, roadside beautification, and clearing brush and debris from the roadside and making the park more beautiful.
How long did your employment last each year?
My experience with the park service was confined to the years 1928 through 1932. After ’32, I went to Klamath Falls and was endeavoring to find employment where I could work the year round. In 1933-34, that was not easy. Finally, I did get to working full time in Klamath Falls at various jobs. I worked on the railroad for a while. I drove a construction truck for a while. I had so many jobs that I can’t even remember how many there were.
