Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-24
Schools of Forestry.

| Durlng the last Visit TO this city o1
Capt. Seth Bullock, forest supervisor
he expressed to Journal reporter his
wish that the department Of forestry
might be taken up at the School oi
Mines. He said he had already spoken
Of the matter to Professor Cook, Of the
Spearfsh Normal aud hoped to see Presi.
dent Slagle while here but did not get
to it as he was here only oyer night.
He thought if the matter could be
brought to the attention of the state re.
gents Of education something might be
done about it. The Department of the
Interior prefers to employ upon the
forest reserves under its control grad.
yates of forestry schools which have
been established in connection with a
great many eastern institutions of learn.
ing.
Several of these forestry schools have
already been established notably at Yale
college. The special course in forestry
covers about two years, after which the
students who successfully pass the re.
quired examination are-1eligible to ap-
pointment in the forestry division at a
salary of $l25 per month. Two grad.
yates of these schools were sent to this
section last year, and while they are no
toriously deficient in that practical
knowledge which comes from long as
sociation with this region, they are
nevertheless on the government pay roll
and will doubtless remain so.
Capt. Bullock says that young men
who have been raised in this section are
better adapted to this special service
than are the young men in the eastern
states, whose environments have pre-
cluded that practical knowledge about
this particular region which is 80 essen
tial in the makeup of good forest
ranger. The qualifications of "head
ranger" are thus set forth in the in
structions from the intoTior department.
"Head rangers will be required to pass
an examination tending to show their
qualifications, experience and efficiency
in forest surveying, timber estimations,
scaling, logging, the methods and princi-
Piles ofgeneral forestry, and ready knowl-
edge of our forest trees.
The foregoing shows explicitly where
in the young men who haye long resid.
ed in this region are better adapted for
this class ofwork. The proposed schools
of forestry are practically a new branch
in the civil service, and while to some
extent experimental, will no doubt prove
all that the promoters have anticipated.
The profession of forestry is becoming of
great Importance and presents spen.
did field for active and ambitious young
men who desire respectable and reput.
able out door occupation. Government
forest reserves are being established in
all the western states and in our recent
ly acquired insular possessions and if we
can but educate our home boys there
will then be no excuse for the govern
ment inaicting upon the people of the
western states carpet baggers with for
estry educations.
A recent circular issued from the in
terror department relating to the qualifi-
cations, privileges and duties of ordinary
forest rangers, says: There will be
three classes of forest rangers exclusive
of head rangers. as follows:
Class l, with salary of 800 per
month.
Class 2, with salary of SIS per
month.
Class 3, with a salary of $50 per
month.
Rangers Of class l, are expected to be
familiar with work in the woods; to be
able to locate land and timber; to esti-
mate and scale timber; to follow and
run out survey lines, and to direct and
report intelligently on the ordinary work
of the reserve.
For rangers of classes 2 and 3 no
special qualifications are required; but
they must be able bodied, sober, and
industrious men, fully capable of COM
pretending and following their instruc-
tions.
Appointments to positions as rangers
of classes and will be made by pro.
motion from class 3 whenever the SER
vice of the lower grades warrants such
promotion, to the end that good service
may lead to better pay.-Rapid City
Journal.