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

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SECRETARIES MARGARET SIMMONS JOY ELAINE HAMILTON MARION CORNWELL PAT ORE RUTH REED 35

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FRESHMEN SPLINTERS HAROLD BOWER We arrived in Morgantown at different times and by different methods, but we all had one objective in common -we were future freshmen foresters. During Freshman Week we were subjected to an endless series of tests to determine just how ignorant we actually were. All had many hopes and aspirations-for some these would eventu- ally become a reality, for others they would remain only dreams. Some would become discouraged, some would quit for other reasons fsome good reasons, some not so goodj. Freshman activities started with a physical examination. No comment, but please do not expect us to go through it again. We were stuck, poked, and prodded enough for an ordinary lifetime. By the way, one of the doc- tors said that yours truly had 20-20 vision-without glasses! When the doctors were finished with us, we were hustled around the campus and finally made it to the new and modern Forestry Building. There we were introduced to forestry. We were also given tentative schedules to bring to registration at the Field House. Confusion really started when we tried to get class cards. Snarling professors would look up at us with beady eyes and say- You can't have that class, there are no more cards. Finally, after about five hours apiece, we had our cards and were ready to go. Without help from our understand- ing forestry instructors We probably would not have made it. By the second week things had quieted down and the dust had settled. We were getting our first taste of college classes. None of our subjects were difficult, at first. Then the two scourges of all forestry freshmen be- gan to loom larger in the shadows, waiting to devour us. They were Chemistry and Math 2. Some of us fell by the wayside. Others, the stronger-willed, fought the battle. Soon it will be known how many have lost the fight. On Tuesdays we had Forestry Club, with compulsory attendance for freshmen and sophomores. The Fresh- man Class elected Grover Katzman as their representative to the Executive Committee. He was alsoa truck driver for our Saturday field trips. He knows every chuck-hole and bump in the roads around Morgantown.We can't figure out just what he has against us. Speaking of Saturday field trips-did you ever see a forester cruising timber carrying his open umbrella? One memorable event was the Freshman Initiation. The upperclassmen actually look forward tothis bloody event. They picked the roughest country in all West Virginia to drag us through-over rocks, logs, stumps, and low branches, through mud holes, brush and briers, blind-folded and in the dark of night. Finally it was 'over and we were in. They gave us cider, milk and donuts. Advice to the innocent-don't mix cider and milk. After sink- ing the axe, we received our Club privileges-paying dues. just for a matter of record, the freshmen beat the upper classes in paying dues, however, that is all we beat them in. Later in the fall the Forestry Club held a miniture jubilee to determine who would compete against Penn State next spring. One of our freshmen, Gary Pugh, placed in the tobacco spitting contest. A few of us 'tried to ride the barrel, but it was more than we could take. One of our freshmen, Al Barker, can't stomach tobacco. The last event was a tug-of-war between the juniors and Seniors, and the Freshmen and Sophomores. The Seniors beat the juniors. As there weren't enough Sophomores to pull against us, we tackled the Seniors and lost. All in all, those of the Class of 1965 that are left have plenty of hard work ahead, and fun too, but feel the end results will be worth it all. 34

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SUMMER CAMP l .- 1 T J. L X 5.4.4134--- V , --1 1 Xe .se-1' 4-1 '- f- - rf' .Hu - .L vm' V ,mfs 'fin'-' Vx 1 if-.1 f Xfgff-N 4: xxx Z0 H Nts ' fl- -:gVlq',yOi?Wg 'T' 1' L+ -.fu 4. , fi-X.-1f4mfg A., Q fqg.4A.?.1-' X Llxx: ,.., V1 -5 fmt xy' v. N W 5' , ' W Qiiii WILL ROGERS HAUCK kfflilfi- A f f, 5? q llxfgxi J ESWPZ3: 5ig3mti.i?iQlf N 7111? .4 f -KS-1 f,-af. 1 1 T -' 0 4 cas NN'i lk Qisl XS' It's happened every summer since 1938-the WVU Forestry Summer Camp has been blessed with a non-discript group of would-be foresters. Camp Wood is located in Greenbrier County near Alvon, and for the twenty-first con- secutive year the forestry students at West Virginia University have arrived there in early june for a summer of forestry field practices. After two or three years of hearing about summer camp, thirty-nine students finally saw it for the first time this summer. Following the tradition of years past, we spent our first night at the famous Maple Grove, a word that has come to be synonymous with Camp Wood. The first bleary morning we were greeted by that awful bell and breakfast. Breakfast was not quite as bad as the bell. Our first instructor was Chris Koch, who taught us how to survey fHe did??J. This little exercise of going uphill and downhill, through laurel and brush, and over rocks and logs lasted two weeks. After we became familiar with the compass, we noticed that Dr. Christensen had arrived early, so we began our timber cruising. For three weeks we cruised timber and hunted snakes. CA tip to sophomores-the more snakes you get, the better grade you get.j We were divided into thirteen compatible, three-man crews. At least we were in three-man crews. While Doc and his assistant, Arnie Mace, hid in the woods, we rushed uphill and downhill, tallying trees and try- ing to keep from loosing Salih or Clendening. At last the manual labor was done, and we had a welcomed break before we began the next five weeks of mental strain with the well-known silviculturist, Dr. Carvell. For the next four weeks we alternated between silvicultural practices and logging. Professor Brooks came down to camp the last week and took us to Cranberry Glades, which we had heard so much about. The tenth week was spent at Duke University, where we visited nearby wood-using industries and several experimental forests. As we reminisce of our days at Camp Wood, the things we remember are the softball games, the basketball played under the old tree, and, of course, the cool water at Blue Bend after a day of going uphill and downhill. Everyone will remember Dick Stump's flip off the board at Blue Bend, and surely no one will forget Clay Smith's two favorite subjects or Gary Mitten's immortal 135 pound press to joe Hash's dismay. Another highlight of the summer was the infamous retaliation by the geology students when someone released a skunk in their barracks. The favor was returned to the tune of some sixty flat tires and sixty missing valve cores. Sophomores, you remember this next year. This article would be incomplete unless it noted that Sonny Gregory finally shot.that groundhog he missed al- most every evening all summer. In the social light we had a party given by Tahit CCamel Ridingl Salih, which celebrated the king of Iraq's death. One of the last remembrances of Camp was our last fling, celebrated in the customary way of all former foresters. At last we can say we are Camp Wood alumni, but the days of summer camp will be relived whenever WVU foresters meet in ruture years. 36