Excerpts from the Diary of Theodore W. Daniel,
Emeritus Professor of Forestry,
June 30, 1944. William's thrill of the trip occurred at the U.P. wood
treating plant for ties mostly where he saw and sat in the smallest locomotive that
he had ever seen. Pleased Dean Turner on getting into town after we had made a
turn around the campus to look it over. It is really a lovely place and the
July 5, 1944. Jim Stewart, Supervisor of Cache National Forest picked
me up at Turners'; I had met him, Olsen, Favre, Regional Head of Grazing at
Kiwanis. We went into
July 6, 1944. Drove up the
August 15, 1944. There is really quite a good supply of dendrological material on hand so my predecessor McLaughlin did a very nice job of collecting. But I have no pressing need to write madly for specimens. I was in the midst of getting the material organized when George Kelker asked me to help with the inventory of the forestry property. It took us all the rest of the day. It was a dirty job and we didn't locate quite a few items but the valuable things were all present. The amount of equipment the school has is smaller than meets the eye at first glance. There are no laboratory instruments of significance other than microscopes though there are quite a few good ones in those. Summer camp is pretty well supplied but it isn't first rate equipment . . . Worked on assembling the mess of dendrology material the Home Economics people forced into a closet when they moved into the building.
September 5, 1944. The new Forest Service check list arrived in the mail and it is a marked departure from the old ones. The International Code has been accepted which causes quite a few changes in names. As the authority for many years to come, it is an excellent piece of work.
September 11, 1944. Up at 6:00 and on my way to
September 18, 1944. A group met to discuss the new Clark McNary fire set-up in the Dean's office. I was in work clothes but I sat in on it. There were representatives from the various services--Grazing, Forest Service, Experiment Station, Clark McNary inspector and a couple of others. It was interesting to have the state analyzed for ability to meet the necessary standards.
November 18, 1944. It was really cold this morning and the ground was frozen into a rigid mass that couldn't be worked. Bob and a few boys showed up at eight, so we decided to set up a pile of Lombardy poplar suckers into cuttings for spring planting. We needed over 5,000 cuttings so Bob and I went out to get some more sprouts. We were not very successful for awhile and then we located a few trees with a heavy crop of young ones. We made two trips and have a great many more than we had set as a minimum. After lunch the ground was a sticky mess of mud about 2 inches deep and made big balls on your feet as you walked.
1945
July 2, 1945. After lunch I learned that I was to accompany Dean Dunn on his survey of the state, gathering data on the forests and land use by counties. I was to do the work Floyd wanted and then help the dean. A very interesting schedule was worked out, so I'll see all the best spots in the southern part of the state.
July 10, 1945. Downstairs at 8:30 to meet the Dunns and went to
breakfast. Up to
July 11, 1945. Up and on way down the state early so as to be in Nephi shortly after 9:00. I interviewed the assessor while Dean saw the sheriff. The answers were variations of the same story but more appreciative of Grazing Service for roads and wells.
July 12, 1945. I asked about the Status sheets and they gave me a map
with the alienated land marked on it but it was difficult to be sure of the
areas, so I took my material direct from the land descriptions and could
calculate the area even if my drawings were not too accurate. It was slow work
and I was less than half through with the
July 13, 1945. Found quite a number of errors in the descriptions of
the areas so the clerk brought me the actual status book. It helped a lot and
by using it as a check against the map and the notes . . . I had to finish the
July 17, 1945. [Panguitch] to the Soil Conservation Service office to
spend the morning talking farm forestry in
1946
[The first meeting of the Society of American Foresters after World War II
was held in
September 11, 1946. Registered at the meeting and paid for banquet and trip. Division of Silviculture meetings began at 10:00 so there wasn't much time to visit. We listened to papers and reports all day. Pearson (of S.W.) provoked some heat by writing off the research work done in the past as of no importance and by claiming his findings in the S.W. Ponderosa were the last word in spite of the fact that data from other regions disagreed . . . Baker gave a very pointed paper at the evening session on the need for more integration and less detail in present day research and he always puts his ideas across humorously so everyone enjoyed his criticism.
September 12, 1946. The papers were interesting so everyone had an enjoyable
time. After lunch it was a business meeting of the society and a few points
came up for some argument, especially the disparity between the cost of the
Journal and News. Most felt the News cost too much for its value relative to
the Journal. I spent a good share of my time meeting people and talking to old
acquaintances. President Green of
September 13, 1946. Everyone was up early and had breakfast as the
field trip was to begin at 8:30. The transportation was supplied by the Forest
Service--trucks with benches covered with blankets. There were 11 trucks
holding 15+ and 20+ cars of caravan. We were escorted out and back by police.
We had President Allen in our truck for most of the trip and then he traded
places with Dean Dunn. He was a jovial fellow and full of jokes. A total of
about 150 were on the trip. We made the trip through the Davis County
Experimental Watershed Area where such disastrous floods had occurred from
1923-1933. The trip was beautifully organized, interestingly described, and
highlighted by a spectacular demonstration of the new fire fighting technique
of smoke jumpers. The lunch was also delivered by air and arrived in excellent
shape . . . The comment of Clepper, Secretary of the Society of American
Foresters,
1947
March 2, 1947. Began conserving my Russian Olives in case my seed isn't good so we take all our trees from the older age class--filling the Naval Ammunition Depot order called for 4,000 Russian Olives . . . The Boy Scouts are holding a Pow-Wow again and I notice that none signed for Forestry. Our demand that they meet the full requirements of the merit badge was too much for the average Utah Scout who seems accustomed to doing little more than paying a bowing respect to requirements.
March 11, 1947. The boys were back from the fire, arriving yesterday . . . It had been quite an experience. The boys had been placed on the hot front two nights in a row and had corralled the fire only to have it get away from the Mexicans during the day. It was 7,000 acres when they finished their first nights work and then it burst across a river and road to blaze up a steep slope with a strong wind behind it, crowning as it climbed through Jeffrey Pine. They headed it again but it broke loose and when they left it was 26,000 acres and still going strong.
1948
January 8, 1948. Art Smith reported on the S.A.F. meeting in Minn. Considerable discussion revolved around the eligibility of Junior membership, who should be elected, only dyed-in-the-wool foresters or wildland managers of any form.
January 21, 1948. Had a letter from Baker and he thought my idea for a national exam a good one but that it wouldn't meet with much approval from the older silviculturists, who feel it an attempt of the younger ones to measure their efficiency. [Despite Ted Daniel's efforts during the year, the national exam idea was never approved].
January 30, 1948. [The first Annual Banquet of the American Society
of Range Management was held January 30, 1948 at the Hotel Newhouse in
January 31, 1948. The meeting was devoted to discussing organization, officers, committee reports, etc. It was interesting to be in at the birth of a new group that will be a very important force in land conservation in years to come. Some individuals wanted to keep the membership to technically trained men but it was voted to give it a broad base as to include any practicing rancher interested in Range Management. The name came up for discussion and some wanted "grassland" in the title but the majority, almost everyone, preferred "Range Management." I got tired of the bickering so I moved "The Journal of Range Management."
March 22, 1948. Took another group of GI farmers out to the nursery and told of the trees. They mentioned the price of lumber in Tremonton and I advised buying their own logs and having them custom sawed.
June 9, 1948. [At summer camp] I checked each crew and its procedure and for the first time some of the boys thanked me for my assistance.
June 30, 1948. Whit Floyd read a speech given by Mulford at the Minnesota Society meeting in which he propounded his idea of the course education should take in the forestry schools. He has come to believe that there should be professional and nonprofessional instruction. To his questions my responses were the same as his and so I got kidded on my being a sliver from the parent stump.
September 13 to September 30, 1948. [Ted and Ione drove through the
December 16-18, 1948. Society of American Foresters met in
1950
November 9, 1950. [A meeting in SLC at Newhouse Hotel]. Koziol gave a
good analysis of the recreation problem and he was followed by Ranger Ken
Maughan who is the honor ranger of the year and goes to
December 14, 1950. Society of American Foresters' meeting,
Washington, D.C. Clepper called a special meeting of Division officers at a
breakfast . . . The Council was interested in our opinions as to what should be
done about divisions--so many were being requested. A council committee in
place of recommending fewer came back with a recommendation for the formation
of two in areas not covered by present divisions. Baker got up and blasted the
idea of divisions--he had voted against them when he was a council member. I
got up as I said as an antidote for Baker from the Silvicultural Division and
mentioned that it was the formation of the Divisions which had stimulated
attendance at the meetings . . . Many agreed with me. Went down
December 15, 1950. The division meetings went off very well. Clepper told me that I'd have to clear the room by 4:00 which would have meant a serious contraction of papers. Then at the last minute it was decided to let us go the distance but not a minute longer. The joint meeting with Forest Economics went off quite smoothly and stimulated a lot of interest. When the meeting started I introduced Mr. Marquis and he introduced the speakers. In the afternoon we had a little late start . . . [In the business meeting] Introduced Baker as the new chairman and he introduced his new officers. My job was over. [At the banquet] Sat with Baker, Lewis and some friends. Favors were some neat cigarette boxes made of about half dozen different woods--no two boxes alike. The program was excellent. Tom Gill gave an illustrated lecture in which some big names in forestry were shown in conventional or rough surroundings in their early life. Dance after supper.
1960
August 29, 1960. [An International Congress in
August 30, 1960. Up to campus to eat then to first general session
where McArdle introduced multiple use as the keynote talk of the Congress. It
was responded to by
August 31, 1960. The last general session on the role of forestry in
world economics was fairly interesting as several good ideas were expressed. At
noon I checked all the papers that I wanted and handed the list to the document
section. They will have them ready tomorrow . . . Whit Floyd is invited to the
reception tonight by the President of the
September 1, 1960. I went to the Forest Economics meeting where they were discussing the conversion of old growth timber. It was interesting especially to hear Mason describe his experience with the development of forestry in the NW. His life spans the whole era of forestry from Schenks' first arrival in 1896? to date. A Frenchman described conversion of coppice to high forest so when there was a moment for questions at the end of all the prepared papers I asked why they would convert when they needed pulpwood since coppice produces more cellulose than high forest. The answer missed the point because they only use conifers for pulp apparently but he gave a long answer anyway. Everyone went on field trips in afternoon and Whit and I made the rounds of the exhibits. I took pictures of our exhibit which Whit had located and some of the machinery especially the mobile 90' spar tree on a truck . . . Whit suddenly remembered that he and Virginia had a date for a big dinner with Thad Box's group. The group was ending its tour and Whit was to give out certificates.
September 2, 1960. Went to hear the sections on Genetics . . . The other papers were mostly dealing with ease of moving breeding stock across national boundaries and certifying seed. Had lunch with the Sudanese . . . Heard Tropical Forestry and it had some good points for our silviculture too and I got a better idea of their problems . . . Met Benson, a Liberian forestry professor and we talked under the stars. I looked up and by accident saw the satellite of Echo I moving through the sky. He was happy to see it. He invited me to an African reception.
September 3, 1960. There was the ceremony of Planting the International Grove. It was beautifully organized with a Boy Scout carrying the countries' flag, a Girl Scout carrying the shovel and the Chief Delegate walking in between. The ceremony was understandably long because every word had to be said three times. The afternoon meeting was on arid land.
September 4, 1960. Bitterlick wanted to know about the identification of our western species. We wandered around the campus until we found most of the common western species. We found a couple of relics of the Alaska-Yukon exhibition of 1908 behind Anderson Hall. One was a single stick of timber 18" by 18" x 156 2' sawed the same year. The other was a perfectly smooth and square timber 4 2' x 4 2' x 75'+ that had been hand hewn.
September 5, 1960. I ate breakfast with Hans Leibundgut's son. We
talked of his plans to make a dictionary of forestry terms. I mentioned the
little dictionary the U.S. Forest Service had issued in the late >30s but he had never
seen it. Gordon Watts was sitting next to me and I wondered if he knew the name
of the author. I remembered it as Roesner. He knew the book and had one which
he never used. He offered it to me for Leibundgut and Leibundgut was happy to
get it. I had an old Sudworth of the Pacific Slope Trees for Leibundgut that I
had been saving for him. I brought it to him as well as R. R. Reynolds paper on
unevenaged Loblolly and Shortleaf. A day of papers and most of them
interesting. The resolution in silviculture got out of hand. [There would be a
Special Session on Wednesday, but Ted Daniel left for
November 14, 1960. Society of American Foresters' meetings in
November 15, 1960. Sat through a day of listening to silvicultural
papers and asked a number of questions. They were not strong contributions for
most part but Earl Hodgkins had a good paper that I can use in
November 16, 1960. I took a cab to the Agricultural South for a visit
to the Forest Service offices . . . Stopped to say a few words to Harper, head
of research and he mentioned there was a chance of building a research unit at
1970
October 8, 1970. Drove into
October 9, 1970. Don Womack provided the identification of the many
species that we ran into. I bought a can of sterno so we could burn off the
bristles on prickly pears. We went down
October 10, 1970. A sedan and Wagle's car gave room for the group. We
stopped at various points along the way to
October 11, 1970. [Arrived in
October 12, 1970. The morning was highlighted by a keynote talk by F.E. Smith that presented facts in a new focus . . . In the afternoon we had G. DeBell give the political activity of the Earth People. He made everyone think and most of us agreed with a lot of what he said--he was primarily against the fetish of business, continuous growth and its consequences. N. B. Livermore tried to counter DeBell's book--Environmental Handbook--and in the process he took a blast at educators . . . In the question period, I said "You seem to imply that politicians should be better paid than educators."
October
13, 1970. Went to the morning meeting which began with the pros and cons of
adopting the metric system in forestry. More talk on the environment . . . At
the Cal supper in evening there were 60 men and wives and Zivnuska told of the
spring events after the invasion of Cambodia where forestry students took a
leading role in the protest--prevented radicals from destructive action,
maintained classes and in general acted like responsible but disturbed
citizens.
October 14, 1970. [The USU breakfast] had 32 . . . All but one had
graduated or got a second degree since I got to Logan . . . Larry Davis
described changes and gave a short talk on some of the trends and sat on the
tendency to increase culture at the expense of professional training. I
attended the Forest Management session and it had papers on the problems the
Forest Service faced in meeting the objections of the public to its management.
I was amazed at their handling of the
October 15, 1970. Went to the Forest Soil meeting. Three of the four papers were about soil classification to aid in various decisions but Steinbrener of Weyerhaeuser had slides and a tape to describe what the company and he were actually accomplishing. In 8 years, 3/4 of the area involved was done, a total of three million acres . . . It permits prediction of what he called economic potential classification.
1980
October 5, 1980. [In
October 7, 1980. The [USU] alumni had gathered where I asked and at 7:30 we migrated to an empty exhibition area. Box came too. We had 20 to 25 show up at the Cal Alumni luncheon at noon. Then I went to the silviculture group session.
October 8, 1980. Went to luncheon. Professor Fritz received the Wm.
Schilch Memorial Award. The program lasted until 3:20. I won the
centerpiece--of cones . . . We loaded into 4 vans for the ride to
October 9, 1980. Fred Johnson led the parade and it was a parade as
we had 6 vans, pickups and cars. It was a demonstration of habitat types. We
were on the north slope most of the time and it was chilly. There were some
contrasts of regeneration on north and south facing slopes, using clearcutting
and planting, seed trees, group cuttings. We ate at the top of the ridge with a
huge block of state lands to the east--Forest Service and State exchanged
sections to block up the Secs. 16 & 36 of many townships from 1911-1926.
Drove to the fire tower on top of
October 10, 1980. We toured another section of the
1990
July 26, 1990. [SAF meetings to be at
July 27, 1990. [Field trip]. Loaded the vans for drive to
July 28, 1990. Drove to Game Commission land in Centre Co. where Paul Confer of the North Central Division was the forester and talked about how the Game Comm. Lands were managed to favor game over 1 MM acres in the state . . . We drove to look at how the habitat was being improved for grouse . . . To Fulton Co. where the District Manager of Glatfelter Pulpwood Co. showed us the results of his management in the oak type. He had left 50% of the best trees for seed trees--sprayed to remove competition where reproduction wasn't present, removed it when reproduction was established . . . Yellow poplar the major competition.
July 29, 1990. Had another guided tour in the oak type by Bureau of
Forestry personnel . . . N. red oak were coming above the ferns after 3 weeks .
. . Later, returned to
July 30, 1990. M. R. Deland, Chair of Environmental Quality, read a letter from President George Bush and then his speech on protecting environment and species with a sop to foresters that actions shouldn't create economic problems. The Awards luncheon was overflowing . . . The afternoon session tried to answer the theme of the convention "Are Forests the Answer." . . . J. Kathy Parker was definite that the answer was "No." Jan G. Laarman had examples that could be interpreted as "maybe." . . . At 7:00 I went to hear Joe Chapman speak to the USU alumni. Mary Lu Roskelley gave me caps with the Natural Resources logo for each forester. 31 had signed up but not all made it.
July 31, 1990. At 11:30 the silviculture group met again with papers on environmental impacts, global trends, regional trends in "Deforestation, reforestation and afforestation," then carbon budgets of alternative silviculture strategies. A lot of work went into the papers and indicated that huge increases in forest area would have only a small impact on CO2 reduction in atmosphere. Only reducing fossil fuel would really help. The business meeting was on 1991 program.
August 1, 1990. I spent the morning in the D-2 Session. It covered
new perspectives, endangered species, urban-rural interfaces, changing climate,
air pollution and stress.
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Editor's note: Pictured here at the dedication ceremonies are Doc Daniel and his former wife and long-time companion Ione Bennion. |
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2000
April 1, 2000.
May 6, 2000. The 107th commencement of
August 21, 2000. We were in
Theodore
W. Daniel, 96, died on Friday, July 30, 2004, in
The following is a link to USU's home page for the