West Virginia University Division of Forestry - Cruiser Yearbook (Morgantown, WV)

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PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY LESTER MCCLUNG West Virginia State Forester Forestry in West Virginia is a profession. It is a profession, however, which is not yet fully recognized by the people of the state. Within recent years foresters have been challenged by other professional people claiming forestry is not a profession even for tax purposes. Let us readily admit that forestry does not have the stature of the LEARNED PROFESSIONS, i.e., theology, law and medicine, but let us also recognize that forestry has had professional status in this country for little more than a half century and even less time in our state. The best definition of a profession, in my opinion, is, A body of persons engaged in a calling. Forestry in West Virginia measures up to this definition in every respect. I do not believe a more dedicated group of men can be found than the foresters, publicly, privately or self-employed, who are working to earn the professional acceptance of their chosen calling. I believe this personal dedication is the result of the feeling that each is a part of the body and that the body is engaged in this calling. The end product is a fraternal dedication that will put forestry in its rightful place among the professions. A review of what has happened here in West Virginia is worthy of a few moments time. Twenty years ago a forestry school had been established and had released its first class of professionally trained foresters to fend for themselves and make a place in the sun for their services. To that end they have done well-in both forestry and other professions. At the same time the Conservation Commission had all of four trained foresters and they were engaged in fire protection and administrative matters, with fifty percent in the Charleston office. The U. S. Forest Service probably had no more than ten foresters assigned to the Monongahela. The Civilian Conservation Corps had camps operated by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, the U.S. Forest Service had camps administered for the National Forests and State Forestry, and the U. S. Park Service had camps administered for the develop- ment of State Parks. A few foresters were assigned to these camps, the last of which closed in early 1942. There was not a single known forester employed by industry or self-employed at that time. In all probability there were no more than thirty or thirty-five foresters in West Virginia in 1940. In the late forties and early fifties the profession made rapid strides. The forestry school was graduating bumper crops, mostly ex-GI's who had learned to stand up and talk for themselves. They naturally needed jobs, so the state received increased appropriations for protection and service programs and kept some of the graduates here at home. The National Forests started expansion programs which increased the technical staff. Other fed- eral agencies hired foresters because of their versatility. This period saw the introduction of consulting services to landowners for the first time. The most significant growth, however, was the increased employment of foresters by private industry. Lumber, coal and landholding companies were the principal employers. Some few foresters were beginning to see and like the opportunities of self-employment and yielded to the temptation. 22