Archives: Guide to Forestry Technician Program Records, 1963-1987
Title: Forestry Technician Program Records
Dates: 1963-1987
Collection number: A-021
Size: 1 document box (.4 cubic feet)
Description: The Forestry Technician Program Records document the program from 1963-1987 and contain curriculum files, lists of graduates, seminars, history of program, and Forest Technology Advisory Committee meeting minutes.
Access Restrictions: Lists of graduates are restricted.
Provenance: Administrative transfer
Processed by: Boris Kort-Packard, March 2000
Citation: Forestry Technician Program Records, 1963-1987 (A-021), Lane Community College Archives, Eugene, Oregon
Repository:
Lane Community College
Archives and Records Management
Elizabeth M. Uhlig, Archivist
4000 East 30th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97405 USA
Telephone: (541) 463-5466
Fax: (541) 463-3996
Email: archives@lanecc.edu
Administrative History
In 1962, John Phillips, forester at Snellstrom Lumber Co., was asked by an Advisory Committee of Eugene Technical Vocational School (ETVS) to plan and instruct a Manpower Development Training Act Program (MDTA) at ETVS. Federal guidelines were used, and a one-year program was developed. Unemployed high school graduates were eligible for enrollment.
The unemployment rate was so high that, in March of 1962, the program began a second class to run concurrent with the first. The program moved in the fall of 1965. Of the 69 men enrolled in ETVS' one-year courses, 37 graduated in June 1965. The 1966 and 1967 class of 47 saw 27 graduates.
The two-year program was started in 1967; the curriculum was developed by Phillips and closely followed the Society of American Forester Guidelines for Technical School Recognition. Mr. Gerald Meier was hired from the United States Forest Service to teach the two-year program with Phillips. The first class graduated from the two-year program in 1969.
The first woman graduated in 1971. Through June 1985 the program had 245 graduates, 38 of whom were women.
Phillips headed the program until he retired in 1982. Curt McKinney replaced him and Gerald Meier became the senior instructor. In January 1985, Curt asked for a leave-of-absence to do an industrial job and Russ Hendricks was hired as a temporary director through the end of the 1984-1985 school year.
Due to low enrollment and a changing employment situation, the program was suspended indefinitely in June 1985. Special provisions were made for returning second-year students so they could graduate.
Scope & Content Note
The Forest Technician Department records provide information about the history of the Lane Community College Forest Technician Program from 1963 through 1987. The collection contains administrative records, handwritten drafts and notes of the program history by John Phillips, course outlines, newpaper clippings, correspondence, and photographs.
Initial records of the formation of the Forest Technician program, its curriculum and connection to Eugene Technical and Vocational School are present. In 1978 the name of the program changed to Forest Technology.
Records of the meetings after the program dissolved in 1985 are included. Discussion of information concerning the continuation of the program is the main topic of the minutes.
Details of the middle years of the program are lacking, though there are graduate lists (open and restricted) and symposium guides for conferences held at Lane included in the holdings.
The documents were received from John Phillips, the principal instructor and founder of the program, in 1990. The records were accessioned under #1990-067 and became holdings of the LCC Archives in 1998.
The photographs have been separated from this folder and are in the Archives Photograph Collection.
Horse Logging, c. 1981
Arrangement
The collection is divided into 3 series.
- Series A: Administrative Records, 1963-1987
- This series includes information about organization features, committee minutes, curriculum records, and seminars sponsored by Lane Community College.
- Series B: Graduate Lists, 1966-1981
- This series contains a list of program graduates; access to these files is restricted, however, due to student privacy laws.
- Series C: Photographs, 1966-1981
- Included in this series are photographs of students in the field, John Philips, and students performing surveys, as well as photosheets and negatives.
Finding Aid
For a detailed finding aid which includes a complete list of the contents of this collection, refer to: