The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-22

tional park movement is the
Invest cause which is not primarily a cause grow
ing out Of the great war. Our entrance into war
in 1917 caused temporary postponement of the
plans then well under way for the organization OF
this association. In its place the National Parks
Educational committee was formed to hold the
ground already gained and to organize the asso-
citation at a prOpitious time. The committee has
done its work and the National Parks association
is now doing business, with headquarters in the
Union Trust building, Washington, ID. G.
The purpose of the association is splendidly
patriotic. Wholly Independent of the federal gov
eminent, 1t will closely cooperate with the ma
henal park service, the new bureau of the depart
ment of the interior established by congress to
administer the national parks.
IT is nonpOlitical and one of it's purposes is to
keep politics out of the national parks.
1t stands for the outdoor life, for recreation amid
scenic beauty; for "See America First - for the
development of the national parks as great
economic assets of the nation; for keeping bill
lions of American dollars at home-before the
way something like $500, 600, 600 a year was spent
by American tourists abroad in sightseeing, of
which Switzerland alone got more than $2OO,OO0,-
600.
Yet, Notwithstanding these many activities, the
main purpose of the association is educational. 1t
says to the people Of the nation who are to use
these public Fairgrounds:
DE you know that our national parks are ma
lures great laboratories and seums-t the
splendid SpectacleS which our national parks
present are not only wonders not merely
scenery but also the conspicuous exhibits of a
passing stage in the eternal progress of creation
that they show us, upon a mighty scale, the proc
esseS by which she has been and is making Amer
ica-that you may double your pleasure in these
spectacles by comprehending their meaning and
that an intelligent study of them will introduce
yeu to a new and wonderful world? Let us know
America, and let us really know it. Let us know
It's natural as well as it's national history. Let us
differentiate and distinguish and appreciate.
Then only shall we know"
The purposes Of the National Parks association
may therefore be concisely summed up thus:
To interpret the natural sciences which are illus
trated in the scenic features. fora and fauna Of
the national parks and and circulate
popular information concerning them in text and
picture.
To encourage the popular study Of the history,
exploration, tradition and folk lore Of the national
parks and monuments.
To encourage art with national parks subjects,
and the literature Of national parks travel, wild
life and wilderness living and the Interpretation
Of scenery.
To encourage the extension of the national parks
system to represent by consistently great examples
the full range of American scenery, flora and
fauna, yet confined to areas of significance so ex-
traordinary that they shall make the name ma
tional park an American trademark in the cOmpe-
tition for the worlds travel; and the development
of the national monuments into a system illustra-
tive of the range Of prehistoric civilization, early
exploration and history, land forms, American
forest type, wild life, etc.
To enlist the personal services Of individuals
and the cooperation Of societies, organizations,
schools. universities, and institutions in the cause
Of the national parks and monuments.
The National Parks Educational committee con-
sisted of 25 members. Charles ID. Walcott, .secre-
tapy of the Smithsonian institution, was chairman.
The vice chairman was William Kent, former
congressman from California and the donor of
Muir Woods National monument to the nation.
Henry E. F. mcfarland Of Washington was chair.