Research and Education
in the National Parks

National Park Service Research and Education in the National Parks

PART I
THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN THE NATIONAL PARKS

LECTURES—CAMP-FIRE TALKS

Through the medium of lectures and camp-fire talks, much valuable information relative to the historic and scientific features of the parks is disseminated. The talks are given by members of the educational staff in the hotels and lodges, in community houses, at the camp fires in the public automobile camp grounds, in the museums or at such specialized places as the Old Faithful Geyser of Yellowstone and at the bear-feeding grounds in many of the parks. Such discussions touch on all phases of park educational work, including geology, vulcanology, zoology, botany, history, and numerous other more specialized fields. The lectures and camp-fire meetings conducted by the naturalists are all informal and usually end in valuable discussion resulting from questions raised by the tourists.

FIGURE 12.—A lunch counter for bears only, located in Sequoia National Park. Throughout the tourist season crowds of people assemble at this feeding ground to watch the "dinner party." In most parks, where bears are common, arrangements have been made by the Park Service so that the great carnivores may be observed without danger fo visitors. Frequently talks about the hears are given ranger naturalists in attendance at the feeding grounds.

Among the naturalists serving in the parks there are many who can tell the interesting stories of geology and biology with great success. The evening talks are becoming more and more popular, as demonstrated by the constantly increasing attendance. (See figs. 13 and 14.) Visitors are anxious to learn more about the parks which they have traveled so far to visit. The need is for highly trained men, who can in simple, enthusiastic manner portray to the public the scientific features and leave an understanding of the great truths best exemplified in the park.

FIGURE 13.—An evening around the camp fire in Yellowstone National Park. A ranger naturalist is telling of his experiences with game animals. The listeners are keenly interested for they have seen many animals during the day and wish to know more about them. ©J.E. Haynes.

An interesting innovation in Yosemite and Mesa Verde programs has been the special Indian presentation. Local Indians give their native dances, play their games, and sing their tribal songs.

A series of lectures by outside talent also has been tried. Unfortunately, the LeConte Memorial Lectures under the auspices of the Extension Division of the University of California have been discontinued because of lack of funds. A series of lectures on the "Past, Present, and Future of the Giant Sequoia," by Dr. Ralph W. Chancy, was offered in July, 1929, at Sequoia National Park under the auspices of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

FIGURE 14.—The evening camp-fire talk in Yosemite conducted by the part naturalist. The program, always informal, begins with a short talk on the natural phenomena of the park and ends with the naturalist annswerinng questions. As many as 3,000 persons have been known to gather around one of these camp fires.

MUSEUMS AND OBSERVATION STATIONS

Museum development has received considerable attention in the past few years with the result that many of the national parks and monuments have natural history or historical museums, even though the exhibits are not as yet adequately housed in every case. Three of the national parks have more than one museum building each. Yellowstone has five, Yosemite three, and Grand Canyon two. The national monuments are not so well served, only a few of them having temporary housing facilities for exhibits.

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Last Modified: Sat, Feb 16 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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