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)

The contract of April 5,1922, with F. J. Heiberger to furnish badges and collar and sleeve insignia had not been filled a year later with respect to the sleeve insignia, creating a shortage of these items within the park system. Difficulties with a subcontractor delayed completion of the order until November 1923, when Heiberger sent the sleeve insignia for the director and assistant director.

Ranger Patrol along Riley Creek, 1924, Mount McKinley National Park. As this image indicates, rangers used many different methods to patrol the nations parks. NPSHPC - DENA/29-1

Ten Mounted Rangers in Yosemite National Park, About 1924. Left to Right: William Henry "Billy" Nelson; Herbert R. Sault; Walter R. Silva; John W. Bingaman; Charles B. Rich; Charles F. "Charlie" Adair; John H. Wegner; Henry A. Skelton; Clyde Boothe, Forest S. Townsley, Chief Ranger NPSHPC - HFC-YOSE/909

Assistant Director Cammerer in Mesa Verde, 1925. NPSHPC - YOSE/RL-7429

The uniform regulations required all officers to wear breeches with their uniform, but when Acting Director Cammerer ordered a forestry green whipcord uniform from Sigmund Eisner in September 1923 he specified long trousers. A privilege of rank, no doubt.

When Cammerer received the $38.25 bill for his uniform he thanked Eisner for the "special discount," even though Eisner's price list carried the same uniform for $37.00. He may have ordered a shirt, hat, or something else but it is not recorded. [17]

In early 1924, bid requests for more badges and insignia were sent to Henry V. Allen of New York and Heiberger. Heiberger alone responded and was awarded the contract despite having taken 19 months to fill the 1922 order. The instructional sheets of the contract contain full-size drawings of the sleeve insignia, including a new "unclas-sified" insignia consisting of two oak leaves on a branch within the circle. The insignia for the "Park Physician" and "Park Naturalist" with their awkward lettering beneath the circle had been so unpopular that employees in those positions elected to wear the unclassified insignia. Consequently these insignia were not included in the new contract. The unclassified sleeve insignia was to be worn by any uniformed employee not otherwise covered in the regulations. The new sleeve insignia were received by the Park Service at the end of June. [18]

In the summer of 1924, it was noticed that temporary employees were retaining and wearing their USNPS collar insignia after terminating their service. This came to the attention of Acting Director Cammerer when Jack Weightman, though no longer an employee, had "been coming into the office off and on always wearing the National Park ranger suit, which gives the impression that he is still a National Park man." Cammerer issued a memorandum stressing that departing employees had to return all insignia. [19]

Ansel F. Hall, 1920's. Hall was chief naturalist of the National Park Service, 1923-1930. Courtesy of Virginia Best Adams (Mrs. Ansel Adams)

In March 1925 Ansel F. Hall, chief naturalist of the National Park Service, requested "a distinctive insignia for the Park Naturalists and other men engaged in educational work." He forwarded a "water color sketch" of a design and suggested that "this insignia be adopted as the emblem of the Educational Branch of the Service." This sketch was not among the correspondence, but from Cammerer's reply it would appear to have included an eagle. Hall's design may have been too complicated to be embroidered, for in September Cammerer sent him two samples of proposed Park Naturalist insignia for his consideration. One contained a bear's head and the other a bird, each superimposed over the three oak leaves used for the chief positions. After considerable correspondence, it was decided that the bear's head was the most attractive design but that it did not look well with only two oak leaves for subordinate naturalists. It was decided that both chiefs and subordinates would have three oak leaves with the bear's head superimposed; chiefs would have a light green (same as circle) 2" bar beneath the circle with "Chief Naturalist" on it. Temporary ranger-naturalists would have the bear's head surrounded by sequoia foliage like the rest of the rangers. [20]

In June 1925 Acting Director Cammerer recommended to the secretary of the interior that section 17 of the uniform regulations be amended. "As the regulation now stands, additional uniform equipment is furnished at cost prices," he wrote. "This equipment makes very good souvenirs and it has been found that certain employees, particularly temporary rangers, are willing to pay the cost price for them." He considered the metal USNPS collar ornaments government property that should be used for official business only and should be issued with a deposit like the badge. Assistant Secretary John H. Edwards approved the amendment: "Any additional collar ornaments will be furnished for official use upon the deposit with the superintendent or custodian of the cost price, the amount to be refunded upon the return of the additional collar ornaments. Badges and collar ornaments are to remain the property of the Government."

These are the two sample brassards sent to Ansel Hall. Hall selected the bears head. Attached to the bird patch is Halls' correction to the shape of the bear's head.

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