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1969
1969 Jacksonville School Students Write Letters about NPS’s Insignia – To 18 Jacksonville Elementary School students, a “representative government” isn’t just something to read about in textbooks.
Past students of Larry Smith’s fifth grade class have been notified that their efforts last spring were instrumental in influencing the National Park Service to retain the arrowhead and buffalo as the service’s insignia.
The 10 and 11-year-olds “constituents” flooded Oregon senators and Department of Interior officials with letters requesting that the National Park’s symbol remain unchanged after the department announced plans to change the insignia to coincide with an attempt to change the department’s image.
The new insignia showed “stylized hands, palms together, holding resources”. The students’ interest in the change was aroused last school year when they were asked to write to the department of the Interior to obtain information about the different national parks in the country. They noticed that some of the material received was the original “buffalo” symbol printed on it, and some of the folders featured the new emblem.
During the spring term, some additional publicity material explaining the new symbol arrived at the school. Students objected to the change from the familiar buffalo. “Somebody spoke up and asked ‘why not write Washington, D.C?’” Smith recalled. It was a student-initiated idea, and “I just guided them to the departments they could write to.”
“Students had studied letter writing earlier in the year,” he said. Therefore, the student suggestion to write letters was a “natural step.” Students addressed letters to George B. Hertzog, national park director; Secretary of the Interior Walter Hickel, and Oregon Sens. Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood.
Students received “five or six” individual replies from each of the senators. In their letters, 17 students opposed the change and one student favored the proposed change of insignia. He was encouraged by Smith to write letters supporting the change.
Sen. Hatfield notified the students in May that he had forwarded their letters to the Department of the Interior.
Sen. Packwood explained in his reply that the change in emblem was a “policy mater” and if enough people indicated dissatisfaction, the Department of Interior would be more or less required to change it back. Packwood also said he had forwarded selected letters to the Department of Interior.
When the decision to keep the buffalo insignia was made last summer, Packwood again wrote individual letters to the students and sent a copy of the letter notifying him of the change which he had received from the assistant director of national parks.
The exact date of the policy change is not known, but according to Ken Mak of the BLM, Medford Office, Secretary Hickel reported on Sept 17 in a speech that he had “saved the buffalo.” “As far as the influence of the school,” Mak said, “I can’t say what the effect was, but the “stylized hands are out, and the buffalo is in.” (From the Mail Tribune)
1969 The NPS acquires ownership of the Historic Crater Lake Lodge, as the result of the Lodge Company relinquishing ownership as a new 30-year concession contract is renegotiated. The new contract is the longest concession contract in the history of the National Park Service. As one employee said, “The Lodge Company owners must have some powerful friends high up in the government.” The NPS plans to tear down the old lodge and build a new one in Munson Valley. The conversion of the Steel Circle residents into lodges and motels is being strongly considered in the Park’s Master Plan.
April 1969 Elva Michael of Portland begins employment as Ranger Secretary and Information Desk person. Elva brings with her a new era of staff sociability. Her social skills were amazing.
June 1969 Tom McDonough, long-term seasonal interp ranger begins his career at CLNP. Tom works most summers as the lead seasonal. As of 2016 Tom is still working summers.
June 23 1969 The Klamath Falls Cluster Office is established, along with a General Superintendent to oversee the management of Crater Lake National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument, Lava Beds National Monument, and John Day National Monument. Donald M. Spalding is appointed as General Superintendent. Paul Larson, Chief Ranger, becomes, the “area manager” of Crater Lake but sometimes Paul is referred to as the “Acting Superintendent”. This name crisis lasts for 13 months.
I’m very sorry to pass on the news that Paul Larson passed away peacefully today (July 11, 2011) at 2:00pm.
Farewell, good friend. Alan
I remember Paul Larson from my last two seasons at Crater Lake
(’67-68). Paul served as the first I&RM manager (Interpretation and
Resources Managment) at CRLA. He worked directly for Supt. Don
Spaulding, who in turn succeeded Supt. Len Volz. At the time, Buck
Evans served as Chief Ranger, Richard McPike Brown as Research
Biologist, and Bob Bruce as Chief Naturalist.
My condolences to Paul’s family and friends, Owen Hoffman
August 5 1969 Corps of Army Engineers limnologist, Doug Larson, lowers a white Secchi Disc (one meter in width), 45 meters down into the Lake, establishing a World’s Record for temperate Lake visibility. (See entries for:)
From Doug Larson – January 23, 2006 – Our maximum Secchi reading at Waldo Lake between 1968 and 1999 was 40.5 meters, obtained by Salinas and me in July 1999. I think Gary Larson’s crew has obtained deeper readings at Crater Lake using a 20 cm disk. You might check with John. I’m not aware of greater Secchi readings at other lakes in the world. So it’s possible that Crater Lake holds the world’s record for 20 cm Secchi disks. My 1969 reading at Crater Lake (44 meters) was obtained with a 100-cm disk. Doug.
August 17 1969 Tina Bassett, 14 years old of Grants Pass, Oregon, falls to her death while short cutting the Cleetwood Lake Trail. Tina, the daughter of Oregon State Representative Sid Basset (R-Grants Pass), was walking down to the boats with an older woman. Upon hearing the boat engines running, Tina expresses fear that the two of them might miss the boat. Tina asks permission to hurry on ahead. Approaching two fishermen ascending the trail, the girl inquires if there is a shortcut down to the dock. One of the men suggests that she cut on down along a rocky ridge directly above the dock. Soon after walking out on the rocky ledge, Tina slips and falls to her death in full view of the loaded Lake launch. An Oregon State Patrolman is quickly to her side, administering first aid, but the girl soon dies of a broken neck. (Story from the author.)
August 27 1969 Second major car clout in Mazama Campground.
Summer 1969 Ranger staff mans the summer Information Desk at Park Headquarters until midnight for the first time. 24 hour Park patrols are also instituted for the first time.
Fall 1969 Old stone Fire Hall torn down in the Maintenance area. The 35 year old building sat next to the present Fire Hall. Some of the stones were the size of a small car.
September 6 1969 Hunter kills buck near Steel Circle, within full ear-shot of Park Headquarters. The hunter’s gun is confiscated and ends up spending the night in jail. He thought that since he had passed Park Headquarters, he was out of the Park. (Story from the author.)
September 9 1969 Rescue of Ole Van, who was critically injured after falling into Annie Creek Canyon while attempting to take a picture. Van sues the Park, claiming that the bank on which he was standing gave way. (Story from the author.)
September 11 1969 Third major car clout in Mazama Campground. The total loss for the season is over $4,400.
September 12 1969 Man dies of heart attack in restroom behind the Cafeteria Building.
Labor Day 1969 A mother bear and her two cubs are destroyed by rangers near Arant Point. The mother had become too dangerous and bold. Her cubs were killed because they were too young to survive without their mother.
October 24 1969 A pickup camper rolls into Annie Creek Canyon killing the driver, Cecil Armstrong, and critically injuring his passenger, Gerald Brazille. The passenger spends the night trapped in the canyon before being rescued. The two young men were from Portland and Grants Pass. Their vehicle slipped on black Ice. Gerald spent four months in the hospital recovering from his injuries.
Season 1969 Annie Spring Campground closed after being used for over 100 years.
Visitation 1969 544,932 visitors
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