Photo at top shows outside view of the Walker Museum ... - webapps8

Photo at top shows outside view of the Walker Museum, Walker, Minnesota.(Story on page 29.)Below, Austin Sarff, Walker artist, works on one of the displays in themuseum. Mr. Sarff designed beautiful backgrounds for the many exhibits.

So proudlyit stands.On Saturday July 5th, 1947 theWalker Museum located at Walker,Minnesota was officially dedicated.Headed by the Walker Civic Band, alarge group of interested citizens whohad observed the progress of themuseum for years—were on hand tohear Mr. Carl Moen of the MinnesotaDepartment of Conservation dedicatethe project. The program was heldin front of the Conservation Buildingin which the museum is housed.Mr. Moen delivered an address onthe true meaning of conservation andlauded the Walker Museum as an advancementin its cause. He then presentedthe Museum to Mayor Fred S.Grindall who accepted it in behalf ofthe village of Walker.Master of Ceremonies at the DedicationService was Daniel DeLury,Walker attorney and one time memberof the State Legislature. In 1935,largely through his efforts, the ConservationBuilding was built, and underhis guidance the Museum projectfirst came into being.The Conservation Building itself isa rustic styled structure. It is flankedand fronted by well kept lawns onwhich were planted the native conifers.An attractive Rock Garden atC. A. PLATTNER is manager of the NorthernMinnesota Publishing Company at Walker,Minnesota.The Walker MuseumC. A. PLATTNERits rear is one of the show places ofWalker and draws visitors back yearafter year. The upper floor of thisbuilding houses all of the offices ofthe Cass County Welfare Departmentas well as an office for the Bureau ofEntomology and Plant Quarantine.During the war, the main floor wasdonated by the village for use by thevarious ration boards and furnisheda central meeting place for all theemergency boards necessary for wartime controls.The museum room proper is approximately50 x 60 feet. The wallsand sides are fronted with exhibitswith a center circular enclosure housingfour major exhibits. An aisle often feet between the center displaysand the sets along the walls enablesobservers to get a truly perspectiveview of wildlife in its native habitat.First exhibits were installed by theState Department in 1938. Thesewere Deer and Beaver exhibits builtby Artist Austin Sarff of Walker, whonot only arranged the specimens butdesigned the setting and painted theappropriate background in oils.During the war years, work andinterest in this project was abandoned.In the fall of 1945 the Walkeron Leech Lake Chapter of Izaak assumedthe financial responsibility ofsecuring the money for the comple-29

30 THE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERtion of the museum and entered intoa contract with Austin Sarff to completethe Museum exhibits. Headedby John McQueen and C. J. Bridgeman,president and secretary of theWalker Club, the task of securingsponsors from civic groups and individualsgot under way.Walker was indeed fortunate inhaving an artist of Austin Sarff's capabilitiesas one of its citizens. Hehas not only planned the various setsbut actually built them, secured thespecimen wild life, scoured the woodsand marshes for the requisites offlowers, logs, trees, bushes, boggrasses and other materials to furnishnatural backgrounds. He painted thebackgrounds with oils showing anartistic talent which we believe hasgiven us panoramas for the exhibitsequal to those of any museum in thecountry. Sarff is his own severestcritic. If a set was completed anddid not measure up when appraisedby his keen eye, we have seen himrip it out and start again fromscratch.The center circular exhibits have(1) Winter Deer Scene (built in1938); (2) Predator Exhibit (finishedrecently); (3) Summer DeerScene (nearly completed); (4) ForestDisplay—sponsored by the U. S.Forestry Service and expected to becompleted this fall.As one enters the front door, theexhibits starting from the left are;Bob Cat Display; Beaver Exhibit;Northern Fishes; Winter Wolf Scene;Minnesota Song Birds; Natural DuckHabitat with ducks and other shorebirds on the set. On the back wallare eight minor exhibit cases. One ofthese shows the state flower, anotherRaccoon. The other six are not yetcompleted.The summer bear scene is an outstandingdisplay with a mother bearand two cubs in their setting of logs,rocks and a background with a runningstream and woods.Another unique display is a beautifulpanel of ducks in individualpairs. This was sponsored by theWalker Izaak Waltonites for $320.00.This summer a tourist who was a cafeowner out of the state was so intriguedby this display that he madea formal offer of $1000.00 for it tomove to his place of business. Theoffer was refused.Excellent specimens of the Baldand Golden Eagles overlook the otherdisplays.A large stone fireplace in the museumwhich easily accomodates afour-foot log, has a 20-point moosehead mounted over its mantle. Alsoattention-compelling are two mounteddeer heads. The two bucks diedwith locked horns in combat andwere mounted with the horns stilllocked.Including a summer deer scenenow being completed and sponsoredby the Cass County Board of Com-

THE WALKER MUSEUM 31missioners, a total of $3320.00 has Club requested and received permisbeenraised to date. Another $800 of sion from the Village Council ofwhich there are already pledges of Walker to use an adjoining room$400.00 will complete the exhibits. ( ai so connected with the Museum),All exhibits and sets will be finish- ^ which they plan t0 place theired this fall or early winter. The Vil- display of earl Chippewa Indianlage Council plans to have an infor- ffi Relics and Dress.mation center located there next sum- , , ,mer with an attendant there at all Walker acknowledges with sinceretimes to permit all visitors to view the appreciation the splendid cooperationmuseum. Noteworthy of mention is and contributions from the Minnesotathat local schools of the county plan Department of Conservation, the U.on bringing students to the museum S. Fish and Wildlife Service and theto study local natural history. U. S. Forestry Service in making ma-Recently the Walker Ladies Civic terials and specimens available.CONSERVATION ON THE AIRA series of fourteen broadcasts, Following Conservation Trails, sponsoredby the Bureau of Information, Minnesota Department of Conservation, designedfor general school and public interest, may be heard over KUOMevery Friday afternoon from 2:15 to 2:30 PM, 770 on the radio dial.It is one of the ten programs comprising the Minnesota School of the Airintroduced on the air waves October 2, with the first broadcast entitled TheConquest of the Wilderness.Study guides to assist teachers and individuals in this study of Minnesota'sconservation movement are available. Requests for this material should besent to radio station KUOM, Minnesota School of the Air, or to THE CON-SERVATION SCHOOL HOUSE, Room 631 State Office Building, SaintPaul. The broadcast schedule is as follows:October 10—Conservation for Survival; October 17—The Earth's Life Layer;October 24—Water—Minnesota's Liquid Gold; Oct. SI—Minnesota—Land ofOpportunity; Nov. 7—Days of Paul Bunyan; Nov. 14—Nature's Food Factories;Nov. 21—The Enemy at Our Door; Dec. 5—Fins, Furs and Feathers;Dec. 12—Lefs Go Fishing; Dec. 19—Living Room for Wildlife; Jan. 9—Minnesota'sTreasure Chest; Jan. 16—Eyes That See and Ears That Hear; Jan.23—Guardian of Our Natural Heritage.