The Ketchikan miner., 1908-09-26

Thirty nine young graduates of nine American forest schools have lately received appointments as forest assis- tants in the Forest Service and have been assigned to positions for the present field position season. The new appointees are drawn from the various forest schools as follows: |: Yale, IS; Biltmore, ,: University of Minnesota, I; Mighigan Agricultural Collage, 5: Harvard, }: Cornell, l.; University of Iowa, l: and University oi Nebraska, l. They have secured their appointment as result of pass iug the regular civil service exam ,uslous, which is the only avenue to vnploy ment as a forester under the government. In addition to these .radaates of forest schools, fifteen other candidates passed the examina- tion.
 Twenty-two of the appointees are already at work on various national forests, taking part in their admins tration. and seventeen have been as signed to different projects connected with the technical study of sylvicul- ture Forest assistants are men who have completed their preliminary training for the profession of forestry. as the graduates of law or medical college have completed theirs, and are ready to eIter on practical work. Until they have gained experience in their work, however, their positions are necessarily subordinate. They are at the foot of the ladder and must prove their fitness in order to mount higher. The government pays them s1, 600 per year at the start.
 On the national forests, the forest assistant often acts as advisor to the supervisors in charge, who are western men, experienced in all practical matters, but usually without school training in the science of for estry. Or they may be assigned to the study of some particular problem which needs to be investigated in tfe interest of good forest management, and the forest assistant is prepared to do valuable work along this line. To be a good forester, man should com bins something of the naturalist with Ia good deal of the business man. To know how to use forest he must be able to study it. He must have, therefore. the power of observation, a fondness for nature and the ability to penetrate her secrets. And if he is to succeed, he must have good, practi cal judgment and the ability to meet and handle men. He must be resource 1 ful, able to stand for himself, willing 10 undergo the priyations of rough life, ana capable of commanding the respect of rough men, who quickly recognize virility and genuineness of character. but will not tolerate pre- t.nse nor the assumption of superior ity. A forester needs vigorous mind in a vigorous body. He must be the kind that likes to get things alone, and does not give up when things are not going his way. He will have to face difficulties and work out problems far from outside help. relying solely upon himself. He should be hard ope to whip in vest ern parlance.
 The rofessional forester cannot hope for large fees and certain pleas ant surroundings of life which crow distinguished success in some othe I professions. The first prizes which are bestowed on the great lawyer, the eminent physician. are not yet open to him. He must be content without much luxury, he will have to spend a good deal of time out of reach ! of ordinary comforts. He must be wiling to rough it without complaint. eat homely fare, endure prolonged ex- ertion and get along with plain peo- pie. On the other hand, if he is at all fitted for his profession-and few weeks of actual forest work or good summer school work will tell him whether te is or not there is open tc him a very rich reward. Life in the open, in the midst of beautiful. healthful and congenial surroundings, work of unmatched usefulness in any material fields, place of large responsibility and dignity, and with it all fair living. If the forester's temperament is scientific, he will have the joy of the discoverer and or ganlzer of knowledge in rich and almost virgin field, while it be prac- tical, he will have the chance of shar- ing in a national work of prime im- portance to our people both now and hereafter. James J. Doyle.