forestry school in the United States. - ScholarsArchive at Oregon ...

The Beginnings 13
The governor constantly urged economy on the legislators and the San
Francisco Chronicle headlined a story on state finances with "The General
Fund will be Drained by the End of the Financial Year." Perhaps this
economy-mindedness was the reason why the Assembly failed to act.
The Jepson-Stubenrauch lectures
On the heels of this defeat, Wheeler arranged for summer lectures by
Pinchot at Berkeley and by Jepson and Stubenrauch at Idylwild, Mt. San
I acinto. The circular announcing the Idylwild session stated:
"The course will consist of 10 lectures by each of the instructors.
Dr. Jepson will treat the subject from the botanical standpoint, explaining
and illustrating the biology of trees, with special reference to their life
history and botanical characters; he will also describe the trees and forests
of California. Professor Stubenrauch will deal with the economy of the
forests, their uses and abuses, silvicultural methods and problems of afforestation
and reforestation."
The Jepson-Stubenrauch lectures got headlines in both northern and
southern California newspapers.
The San Francisco Chronicle, which had not spoken out earlier in the
year on behalf of the School of Forestry bill, said on May 11, 1903:
"The University of California is making a noble effort to fulfill its
whole duty to the State. . . . Its latest departure is in the establishment of a
summer school in sylviculture.
"It is hoped funds will be found for carrying on University work both
in forestry and sylviculture on a scale which the importance to our people
demands... . and it is hoped that the University will be able, as its authorities
desire, to establish and maintain forestry and sylvicultural stations in
all typical districts of the State."
The southern California newspapers gave generous coverage:
The Pasadena Daily News headlined a story on August 8, 1903: "First
School of Forestry West of the Rocky Mountains."
The Los Angeles Express wrote on August 11, 1903: "Southern California
owes President Wheeler and these professors . . . a debt of gratitude
for having made this section the field for this pioneer work. . . . In this course
they have been assisted by T. P. Lukens of the United States Department of
Agriculture and Ralph W. HoEmer of the Government Bureau of Forestry."
The Pasadena Evening Star declared on August 12, 1903: "Dr. Walter
Lindley, who is an enthusiastic friend of the forests, cannot be given too
much credit for his untiring efforts in cooperating with the Department of
Agriculture at Washington and with the faculty at the University of California,
ultimately overcoming all obstacles and establishing a summer school
of forestry. . . Dr. Lindley intends to make the forest school at Idylwild a
permanent feature."
Publicity of this kind had little effect on state legislators. In 1905, a
request for $25,000 again was approved in the Senate and killed in the
Assembly.