passion in life must be to play basketball.Considering only this image, and the accompanyingset of assumptions it involves,we have immediately limited ourunderstanding of the person. For in fact,the mere attribute of height (form) doesnot ensure the presence of the other importantingredients of attitude and grace,just as necessary to an athlete's success asto the health or success of an organization.The Impact of AttitudeSo let's talk about attitude and itsrelevance to the healthy organization.Like form, attitude is part of the culturebuilding process. The founders of anorganization assume there will be a consistencyof attitude over time in keepingwith their own and appropriate to theform they have chosen. But times changeand so do attitudes; resisting such changeaffects the health of the organization. Infact, changing attitudes may actually encouragehealth. As an example, basketballhas been struggling to accommodatechange. The raging debate about the acceptabilityof the three-point line exemplifiesa resistance to acknowledgingthe value contributions of "smaller' individualsin contrast to what hasdeveloped as a sport centered around the"big man." Questions arise: should thefield of play be altered7 How will this affectthe intent of the game? Allowingchanges could introduce new dimensionsof form, attitude, and grace, new dimensionsthat, curiously enough, reinforcethe original dream. The founders' dreamcan remain intact even though things appeardifferent, if the people contributewith a passion for the mission. The compensatingfactor of attitude (the passion)may make the difference.The Final IngredientWe have considered form, the appropriatenessof judging big over small.We have considered attitude, the passionor the passionlessness of doing. Manycombinations of one with the other willpromote healthy endeavors.This brings us to grace. How does itfit into the evaluation of organizationalhealth?Grace, in this sense, is demonstratedby how the work is executed. Gracefulexecutions of the will-to-work occur,given suitable form and the right attitudeor passion. A passion to achieve thedream promotes graceful executions,uniquely appropriate to the time. Gracealso has something to do with movingbeyond the practiced, the routinebehavior, and with adjusting form andattitude when a new challenge is presented.Grace comes forth so naturally it eithermay go unnoticed, or it may be acclaimedas miraculous, unbelievable. Itprovides a smooth transition from a comfortable,acceptable form to newer, moredynamic responses to change. When opportunitiesarise, the spontaneity of graceis needed to capitalize on them. As mycoach often said, "when challenged, onebad pass will lead to another; sometimesit is better to slow the play and look patientlyfor alternative solutions." In otherwords, when challenged, respond withgrace.The <strong>National</strong> <strong>Park</strong> <strong>Service</strong>, given itsrelatively clear vision of the founders' intent,is sometimes bound by a tendencyto hang onto images of past forms, pastCivil War TriviaEd BearssChief Historian, WASO1. What was the first national militarypark and when was it established?2. How many of our presidents servedin the military during the Civil War?Name them.3. Two of the men destined to holdthe nation's highest elective office servedin the same regiment. Who were they andwhat was the regiment?4. How many black soldiers wereawarded the Army's Medal of Honorduring the Civil War? Who was the firstblack soldier to be awarded the nation'shighest decoration for valor and at whatbattle was it awarded?5. Who was the highest rankingNative American soldier in the ConfederateArmy? The Union Army? Whatnations did they represent?attitudes, and concepts of what constitutes"graceful" endeavors. On theother hand, the <strong>National</strong> <strong>Park</strong> <strong>Service</strong> hasan unmatched record of excellence,because it has expressed its enduringvalues fearlessly, encouraged a passionladenattitude about achieving the organization'smission, and perpetuallydisplayed grace when grace was needed.I can only suggest that the health ofour organization rests in our willingnessto "expand the field of play." We mustexperiment with new forms for the times,examine the source of passion behind adifferent attitude, and encourage agraceful response to the differences inpeople and to changing conditions.6. In the Civil War a number ofwomen "swapped brooms for muskets"and sustained this deception for months.One of the best known of these served inthe Army of the Potomac and the otherin the Army of the Tennessee. What weretheir names prior to entering the service,their names on enlisting, and units?7. Name the Confederate general whofought with the Union forces at FirstManassas.8. Name the youngest Union battledeath, where he was killed, and his age.9. What Union regiment was knownas the Greybeards, and what was thename and age of the "oldest Yank"among them?10. Who was the oldest Confederatesoldier? What was his age?(Trivia answers on pg.46 )Oops!Apologies go to three peoplemaligned in the March Courier: toDave Orr, promoted to RegionalDirector, MARO, by a carelessproofreader; and to Bill Alford andRay Herrmann, the spelling of whosenames either lost letters or receivedextra letters that neither seems toclaim on a driver's license or otherform of identification. In addition,E&AA has learned that Robert L.Barrell ot Kailua, Hawaii 96734, hasbeen a Life Member since December1978, and therefore should have beenlisted in the November 1986 Courier.Bob & Emajoy live at 202 PauahilaniPlace in Kailua.14 <strong>COURIER</strong>/May 1987
<strong>Park</strong> BriefsPOINT REYES NS, CA—Point Reyeshas launched a three-pronged programto combat litter and encourage supportfor the <strong>National</strong> <strong>Park</strong> <strong>Service</strong>. The programinvolves reducing maintenancecosts and litter problems within backcountryareas, handled through a garbageand litter pack-in/pack-out program atits four hike-in campgrounds. The parkdeveloped printed litter bags to hand outto all campers, the text on the bags urgingeveryone to help reduce trash in theparks. The bags also convey safetymessages, management philosophies andthe Take Pride in America theme. Signswere also developed and strategicallyplaced to market the program. Part twoof the campaign involved getting parkstaff and community support throughthe organization of two clean-up days.The effort to clean up the Tomales Baybeaches proved so successful, the beachclean-ups have been planned as annualevents. The third part of the program isaimed at young visitors, junior rangers.When a junior ranger collects a bag oflitter he or she will receive a special appreciationaward. Superintendent JohnSansing believes the program hasdeveloped strong community support, inaddition to reducing maintenance costs.He believes it confirms one way inwhich interpretation can be used tosolve resource management problems.Also at the park, a new .5 millionPoint Reyes-Clem Miller EnvironmentalEducation Center is nearing completionand will be formally dedicated May 2 bythe Coastal <strong>Park</strong>s Association, the groupresponsible for the successful fundraisingeffort. Over a two-year period, theassociation raised the necessary funds tobuild the 4,600 square foot facility andfour new sleeping cabins. The buildingreplaces a World War II quonset hut usedfor more than ten years as thecenter's main facility.Don NeubacherRanger Grier Price at the Bear Valley Visitor Center explains to backcountry camper the park'santi-litter campaign.New tour road crossing Skegg's BranchWILSON'S CREEK NB, MO-After five years of planning and construction,the new five-mile tour road atthe battlefield has been completed. Thisroad is the latest step in the growth ofthe park that has included a new visitorcenter; restoration of the historic JohnA. Ray House, Ray springhouse andTelegraph Road; a prairie restorationproject to return native prairie to thepark; and an expanding intepretive programto keep pace with increasing visitation.Before the new road was built,county roads provided the only access;the new route shows more of the park,and helps make the most of the waysideexhibits and historic sites as well asrestore the nineteenth century integrityof the battlefield. It also provides increasedsecurity for the park's culturalresources by limiting the number of outsideaccess points.Harper's Ferry has produced 13 of the17 wayside exhibits, almost tripling thenumber of interpretive stops. By placingspecial waysides at both military andnon-military points on the battlefield(e.g. the Ray Farm and Gibson's Mill),the tour shows the effect of the battle onthe soldiers and on civilians caught inthe midst of a civil war. These waysidesare then augmented by several restoredhistoric structures and by an interpretiveshelter and trail on Bloody Hill.Perhaps the most significant of theserestored structures is the Ray House.Serving as a Confederate field hospitalduring the battle, it is the only housethat survived the 125 years following thewar. In 1983, a combined effort by theWilliamsport Training Center, MidwestArcheological Center, SouthwestMissouri State University, and theWilson's Creek staff returned the houseto its Civil War condition.Dirk Wiley<strong>COURIER</strong>/May 1987 15
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