Fourth Annuol Redwood Region Junior Logging Conference

(special to The CALIFoRNIA LUMBER MERCHANT)

The annual Junior Logging Conference, sponsored by the Redwood Region Conservation Council, featured two days of intensive forest, mill and in-camp demonstrations and special instruction in forestry, logging, fire-suppression, e'nd lumber production. Seventy-seven high school forestry stuCents of the Redwood Region and one independent forestry student from Southern California attended the fourth annual conference at Mendocino Woodlands from

IOP PANEI,: (l) Sludenrs or RRJIG observe log scoling techniques by SDF scoler on confrocl scle qf Jockson Stqte Folest; (2) Emonuel Frirz tells 3fudents of iob opporiunities; (3) Robert Grundmon exploins principles of lree forming in the Redwood Region.

SECOND PANET: (l) John P. Sweeley (lefr) inspects seedlings ot the 5DF's Porlin Fork nursery with sludents; (2) Forest Technicion George Dudley exploins growth studies oi the forest os lhe sun burns ofi the eorly morning fog; (3) Dr. Dickinson shows somples of new wood structurql products

IHIRD PANEI: (l) Cecil Judoh rolks lo sludenls on lrqclor lerms, sofety, moinlenqnce ond operolion; (2) Two Follunc students odiust rigging on model of high leod logging show, one of severol models ot ihe RRJLC; (3) Tug-of-wor between high school forestry leoms ended in drow when rope broke.

FOURIH PANET: (l) Evening chow line; Chef Msurice Powers hss cooked for yeors for SDF fire-fighrers; (2) l/lr. Frirz (lefi) ond John Sweeley (.ighr) wirh top studanl3

-Phofos by Rcdwood Rcgion Gonrewalion Council

Aprll D to May 2. This is part of the forestry curriculum in nine high schools of the Redwood Region.

The conference opened Sunday evening, April 29, with the comment of Rudolph Grah of the School of Forestry, University of California, that he was talking to "the luckiest grotlp of high school students in the U. S., since this is the only conference of its kind in America and it had its inception right here at the Mendocino \Moodlands."

Woodbridge Metcalf, retiring extension forester of the University of California, took over as master of ceremonies and introduced J. Harold Robinson of Willits, president of the Redwood Region Conservation Council, who welcomed the students on bel-ralf of the council and told the boys that "even though you don't go into forestry, this is a chance to learn the job of conservation of natural resources and sound forest management torvard a perpetual yield."

John P. S'rveeley of Masonite Corporation, I-Ikiah, conference chairman, said that "this conference has a two-fold purpose: (1) to have a good time together and (2) to learn what makes the forestry program tick."

John Mayfield, a student at Humboldt State College and "alumnus" of the second conference, told the boys that "logging has progressed from the days of the lumberjack with hob-nailed boots, high-water pants and suspenders. Take this opportunity to make the most of the field trips and the in-camp sessions."

Mrs. Mary Lea Griggs of Tacoma, an observer from Washington state, told of their problems in establishing a similar conference in the Pacific Northwest and suggested that the conferences exchange students in the future.

(Carney J. Campion, field representative for the Redwood Region Conservation Council, was subsequently invited to attend the 2nd Annual Junior Logging Congress at the Pack Forest near Tacoma, May 9-11, to give an illustrated report on this conference.) Mrs. Griggs went on to report that tl.rere are but four or five accredited high school forestry classes in the entire state of Washington and that they are looking to the Redwood Region for ideas.

TPL's Kenneth Smith Makes Key Speech

Woodbridge Metcalf then introduced the key speaker of the evening, Kenneth Smith, vice-president of The Pacific Lumber Company, rvho spoke on the subject, "Trees in Your Future," outlining the opportunities for young men in the lumber industry.

Among rtther cogent statements by Mr. Smith was the following, "The evolving tree-grorving and processing organization is going to require an investment of at least $30,000 per employee, as compared r,vith the national average of around $10,000, and it has developed so fast that there is a tremendous need in the industry for men with the abilities and skills required to do the job that is here to be done." (Complete report of Nlr. Smith's talk rvill be printed in an early issue.)

Or-r l{on.lav morning, April 30, the students were divided into groups for participation in the all-day field program and the half-day in-camp and mill tour programs.

The field tour consisted of :

(i) A visit to the Big River Unit of the C. R. Johnson Tree Farms and a taik on tree farming by Robert Grundman, forester for the Union Lumber Company, and chair- man of the field tour program;

(2) A talk on thinning and release growth in a mixed stand of redwood timber by George Dudley, forest technician for the State Division of Forestry, at the Jackson State Forest Thinning Plot;

(3) A visit to the Pygmy Forest where Woodbridge Metcalf explained this unusual soil condition which causes the dwarfing of tree species;

(4) A visit to the Parlin Fork nursery and pole-treating plant of the State Division of Forestry;

(5) A talk on tractor nomenclature, safety, maintenance and operation by Cecil Judah of the Berglund Tractor and Equipment Co., Napa, from the cab of a D-8 "Cat" at Camp t9;

(6) Observation of falling, bucking, skidding, yarding, loading, trucking and scaling of logs in the Jackson State Forest contract sale site of the Pacific Coast Company, with explanations by Gene Sindell, forest technician of the State Division of Forestry, and

(7) Demonstration of a fire-message drop as used by the Mendocino County Co-operative Air-Fire Patrol with Mrs. Meta Pool of Ukiah at the controls of the Cessna and Charles Campbell of the State Division of Forestry m2king the drops on lJnion Lumber Company landing strip.

Tour lJnlon Lumber Company Mill

The half.-day mill tour consisted of : (1) a talk on th,e Union Lumber Company's soil conditioner and related wood fibre utilization program by Dr. George Brother; (2) a talk on industrial safety and display of safety equipment by Orman Oak, safety engineer for IJnion Lumber Company; (3) a tour of the mill, hydraulic barker and veneer plant and (4) a visit to the Museum of Logging under John Philbrick, timberman and lumberman. This tour was arranged by Bernard J. Vaughn and William Nelson of the Union Lumber Company.

The in-camp half-day program included: (1) a demonstration of "Starting a New Crop of Trees" by Herb Baer, assistant forester, Hammond Lumber Company, Samoa; (2) fire equipment demonstration by a team of the State Division of Forestry as arranged by Charles Campbell; (3) a talk on forest soils and a study of the soil profile rvhich produces the greatest tree growth in America, by Roger Clemens, former forestry instructor at Fort Bragg High School and now a graduate student at the University of California and (4) a visit to the 1926 tree planting sites under William H. Gibbs, U. S. National Park Service (retired). Mr. Gibbs was in charge of the building and development of the Mendocino Woodlands in the 1930's.

These pro-qrams were repeated on Tuesday, May 1.

Tire Morrday evening program in the Recreation hall, befcre the open fireplace, began r,vith a one-hour varietytalent shorv by students of Fort Bragg High School under the direction of N{rs. Grace Harlow, head of the music department. After an interlude of leave-taking in an exchange of "Good Night Ladies" and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You," the program continued rvith talks by Don Lervis of the Regional Office, U. S. Forest Service, and Robert Maclean of the State Division of Forestry on job opportunities in the services. This rvas supplemented by (Continued on Page 54)

New El Monte Worehouse of Osrling Monufcrcturing Co. Hikes Work, Storoge Areo

In line rvith the "full-steam-ahead" policy f or 1956, Richard J. "Dick" Ostling, president of the Ostling Manufacturing Company, El Monte, California, announces that the nerv 10,000 square foot rvarehouse recently constructed by the Southern California door concern has been opened for business. This brings the total manufacturing and storage area no\v occupied by the Ostling and Strait Door

Companies to approximately 80,000 scluare feet, including the subsidiary Aero-Glide Sliding Door Frame Company, established last year by the progressive concern.

The new warehouse also includes modern ner,v offices for Chas. E. Strait, vice-president; President Dick Ostling, and the clerical staff. It also houses the office staff of the Strait Door Manufacturing Company, r,vhich is headed by Charlie Strait, and of rn'hich Dick Ostling is vice-president.

"Under our expansion program, along with the new area acquired during the past several months, we are now turning out in excess of 50,000 doors per month and expect to increase this figure as the building demand in Southern California increases," said Strait. "\\re have also increased our number of employes since the first of the year by better than 5A/o," said Dick Ostling. Over i50 skilled men and women are now on the combined companies' payrolls, it was said.

The new wareh.ouse and general offices of the firm are located at 9605 Klingerman Street in El Nfonte, adjacent to the plant on North Chico Street.

Hogle-DeGou R.emodeling Yord

Partners Ralph Hagle and Jerry DeCou have just begun construction of a beautiful new shorvroom at their Atascadero yard. The showroom, ivhich is expected to be completed by early summer, will cater to the do-it-yourself trade.