Cover Page

Preface

Introduction

Ironing Out the Wrinkles

Photofile

Bibliography

Notes

Appendix A

National Park Service Uniforms Ironing Out the Wrinkles 1920-1932	Number 3
Ironing Out the Wrinkles (continued)

Roger W. Toll with tame bobcat. Toll was superintendent of Yellowstone National Park, 1929-1936. During this period, it wasn't unusual for parks to keep tamed "wild" animals of the area to show tourists. NPSHPC - CACA / WASO - H-165/297

Four rangers at Two Medicine Camp Ground. Arnold, etc. Glacier National Park, 1932. NPSHPC - George A. Grant photo - GLAC/#73A

The annual superintendents' conference was held in April at Hot Springs. Several new uniform items came out of the conference. A raincoat was authorized for the first time. It was to be of a "durable, lightweight waterproof material, doublebreasted, full belted model, with set-in sleeves; color, deep sea green." All ranger badges were to have identification numbers, and new bronze metal badges, serially numbered, were to be issued to fire guards. The length-of-service insignia was altered by adding a gold star for ten years to the existing 1/8" x 2" black braid for one year and silver star for five years. This was necessary because some of the old timers' sleeves were starting to look like constellations.

Meanwhile Chief Landscape Architect Vint was tackling the problem of the new badge. In January 1932 he sent four more designs to Tomlinson. Tomlinson wrote Ross Eakin: "I do not care particularly for any of them. 'B', showing a shield type badge with the bear is, in my opinion, the best of the four designs. However, I like our present badge as it is better than any of these proposed designs . . . . personally I am not in favor of a bear on the ranger badge."

The problem with the badge design seems to have been in its requirements. It had to tell who its wearer was (U.S. Park Ranger); have a number, like police badges; have "National Park Service, Department of the Interior" in legible letters; and have a symbol of some type (eagle, buffalo, etc.). All this had to be in a fairly small, attractive package, with the shield being the favored style. Vint was kept drawing up designs, which were then turned down without anyone offering any real suggestions, except for Albright's request to "consider the buffalo."' (None of these drawings have been found.)

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Last Modified: Thurs, Dec 14 2000 9:30:00 pm PDT
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