Evening star., 1934-07-08


- ington Monument had not yet been
completed a young graduate of
n Western university came to the
National Capital. In his pocket was
appointment, one of the earliest issued by
the Civil Service Commission, giving him entry
to the Government service an assistant pro-
fessor of meteorology.
. That, in brief, is the story of how Charles
Frederick Marvin begun career unique in
Federal annals which goes beyond the bounds
of personal accomplishments in its interest and
significance. And this despite the really broad
volume of DR.. Marvin's achievements, which
include service during more than 20 years as
chief of the Weather Bureau and presence on
duty during all but total of 80 working days
in so years of constant employment by the
Government.
DR.. Marvin's work a Federal meteoroogist
has been so prolonged and SO intensive that his
observations and conclusions about that bafiing
but important thing called "the weather" may
be accepted as being virtually those of Uncle
Sam himself. In fact, the history of Govern
ment activities holds few parallels for this
in which an individuals activities in single
field of endeavor more than span the life OF
Federal unit which has long supervised opera
tionS in that field
1T is interesting to note that DR.. Marvin IS
! to retire, in a year that already has
been marked by the coldest February recorded
in Washington and which now finds large por-
tions of the earths surface affected by severe
drought conditions. And in this same year
South America now is experiencing exceptional
Winter conditions.
The weather almost seems to be presenting a
series of unusual features as a climax to the
active career of the man who has been paying
close attention to 1t in a professional and
scientific manner during five decades. This
intriguing situation serves to attach added
interest to statements made by DR.. Marvin. as
his departure from Federal service impends,
concerning subjects such as the so-called
weather cycles and the possibility that condi-
tionS in the skies now are different than they
were in "grandfather's time"
When he arrived in Washington, with the
thrill of graduation still fresh within him, DR..
Marvin went forthwith to four-story building
in G street northwest, which was surmounted
by IL poles to which vanes wind d-measuring
devices, rainfall indicators and other instru-
ments used by men who really have weather
eyes" were attached. The building housed head
quarters of the chief of the Army's Signal
Service, the agency which is the governmental
ancestor of the Weather Bureau.
At that time only a few years had elapsed
since the Government first had undertaken to
receive synchronous weather reports from sta
tions throughout the country, to publish results
of observations based upon those reports and
to display cautionary signals at American ports.
Meteorology, very young science at best was
still in its days of comparative infancy. The
service had developed to the point where 366
stations had been established throughout the
United States, these being in charge Of 19 Off
GERS and 500 enlisted men of the Army Signal
Corps.
1t was in that environment definitely tinged
with the military. that the Marvin attention
first centered itself officially upon the arrivals
rf he n
their causes and caprces. When a few years
later the weather Bureau was, established
separate unit operations were transferred to
the fortress like structure at Twenty Fourth
and M streets northwest in which DIR. Marvin
has had his base of duty during all the inter-
yening years.
HISCUSSING questions about the weather in
- the light of observations and experience
gathered during those years that have passed,
DR.. Marvin last week outlined many facts and
conclusions that hold interest for those OF us
who look at the skies through the eyes of
laymen.
Here is one of the questions upon which the
veteran meteorologist centered some OF his
comment: Does the weather follow some sort
of schedule, known only in the regions
our heads, which brings droughts, cold spells
and excessive rainfalls upon us at regular in
tervals?"
Scientists long have been intrigued py tnat
query and by the possibility of obtaining an
answer to it. Meanwhile, the rest of simply
have waited patiently for driblets of knowledge
10 come from those who peer professionally at
the heavens, weather records and meteorological
instruments.
DR.. Marvin presents conclusions, based upon
scientific research, that are supported in unique
fashion by results of the seemingly unscientific
business of tossing four dice more than 500
times and rolling 200 steel balls into V-shaped
troughs. He has found no evidence to bolster