Chronicle of the Forestry leaves

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Part of Forestry Leaves

Title: Chronicle of the Forestry leaves
Language: English
Year: 1953
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Fulltext: Chronicle of the Forestry Leaves By JULIAN R. MEIMBAN Jr. It might be said that the F·.:>restry Leaves started from nothing, a seemingly impossible thing to happen. It all started in one of those lean years when the smoke and fire had just ceased; the cessation of hostilities leaving nothing but the ravages of war. That was in 1946. One can only look back in retrospect to the beautiful buildings of pre-war years like the spa~ious administration building, the wellkept dormitories, mess hall and faculty houses that once dotted the Makiling Forestry campus, through the shambles and ruins left by the cruel war. This was no less than a catastrophe! Nevertheless, the School of Forestry, one of the buildings saved from the Japanese hell-fire, had to open its portals to returning old students as well as new enrolling ones. The pressing need of the time was for a medium of information to bring the students cl.'.>ser to the alumni through an organ. This was the idea conceived by two, Prof. Jose B. Blando, Professor of English and Spanish and Mr. Francisc.:> Tamolang, Instructor in Dendrology, then only a senior student. But there was nothing from which to start with. Not even a single centavo to finance it! Somehow something had to be d.Jne. It is very interesting to note, that the Division of Forest Investigation of the Bureau of Forestry, donated the first stencils used for this organ. Nevertheless, that was not all that was needed to put up a publication. Paper was wanting! T.J remedy the situation, Director and Dean Florencio Tamesis took care of supplying two reams of mimeograph paper. This was probably the only October, 1953 available paper in Manila at that time. Articles and materials for the first issue were prepared on the Forestry campus and were brought to the Bureau of Forestry in Manila far mimeographing. Credit go to Mr. Manuel de Guzman, its first editor and to Mr. Epifania Caldito, a Bureau of Forestry helper, for running the first issue on the mimeograph machine. Lack of paper, stencil, ink and other necessary materials for mimeographing 1imited the first issue to only two pages which contained school news and literary articles of students. Two hundred copies were mimeographed, which were circulated in the School of Forestry and in the Central Office, Manila. The increasing need and avid desire of the students and alumni for an organ to bring them closer necessitated more copies. The second issue was composed of eight pages. It contained some school and alumni news, dendrological features of Philippine trees, and some civil service review questions which aroused interest among readers in the field. The third issue came ·out in March 1947 with Mr. Manuel de Guzman still as editor and Mr. F. Tamolang as managing editor. The Forestry Leaves, as it was named, has undergone a series of improvements. From the two-page mimeographed form to the twenty-page mimeographed form. Its front cover was embossed with the strokes of a foresterartist and its inside pages consisted of school news, field and alumni news and literary articles of students. This issue was mimeographed in the School of Forestry, by Mr. Pedro Rodriguez, a Bureau of Forestry helper. It is of record that our Dean and Director Page 23 Florencio Tamesis gave all in all ten reams of mimeographing paper for the first three issues. No one ever thought that this simple organ would hold the kind interest of its readers considering the way it was printed. Neither did it come into our heads that someday this little thing would pass through modern printing machines, nor did we ever think that it would be fitted for wide circulation, even beyond the bounds of our country. This was a thing to be tried out; the responsibility reposed up.:m the student body of the School in their desire to bring themselves closer not only to the alumni but also to other forestryminded countries of the world. In 1947-1948, voluntary contributions were solicited from field men, alumni, lumbermen, Bureau of Forestry personnel from Manila the Division of Forest Investigation, and from faculty members of the College, then School of Forestry. Much to our surprise the final counting showed that the funds amounted to over 'P3,000.00. Part of this sum was used to purchase a public address system, the proceeds of which during Sundays and holidays were reverted to the general funds of the Forestry Leaves for its operating expenses. (The public address system was later donated by the Forestry Leaves to the College of Forestry). . Contrary to what we thought, the Fcrestryo Leaves finally saw its way through the printing press; its front cover made more attractive and beautiful, more symbolic of the profession for which it stands--hon:>r, service and conservation. From the two-page antiquated and mimeographed form, it swelled to a one hundred twenty four-page magazine containing articles of importance, field news, scientific researches, abstracts, pictorials and messages of high government officials. The first printed copies were circulated free to the students, alumni and some lumbermen to attract subscribers and advertisers. The following year, 1948-1949 alumni and field men sent in their subscriptions to the Page 24 Leaves. A good · number of advertisers inserted their advertisements for the first time. Students subscribed to the organ. Mr. Cesar Recto was the editor. Soon after there was a need for a change of the staff and board of management of the Leaves to take over the positions left by graduating members. In 1949-1950 the Leaves was edited by Mr. Carlos Cunanan; foreign exchange and domestic delivery was started. Exchange publications received after they were turned over by the Leaves became the property of the Library of the School. It is of record that the thickest issue ever published was the 1950 Golden Anniversary Issue. This marked the fiftieth year of worthy achievements and fruitful existence of the Bureau of Forestry since its founding in 1900. In this issue different messages of government officials, abstracts digested from scientific journals and magazines, articles from forest districts, and pictorials taken here and abroad were published. The number of subscribers and advertisers increased, which made possible the continuous publication of the organ. Mr. Edgardo Mabesa succeeded Mr. Carlos Cunanan as editor. In 1951-1952 the publication continued in print. All students enrolled in College subscribed to the organ; advertisements from different provinces poured in as usual to back up the publication. Provincial foresters buckled down to help solicit subscriptions and advertisements. With Mr. Martin Reyes as editor, a separate pamphlet containing important forestry terms was printed as a project of the Leaves to raise funds. It was called "Glossary of Lumbering and Forestry Terms". This was designed for the use of reviewers for civil service examinations, for field men and for students. The editorship was turned over to Mr. Benjamin Almonte in 1952-1953. Funds of the Forestry Leaves were almost depleted due to the slackening of advertisements. But the organ managed to remain in circulation through donations given by some alumni and FORESTRY LEAVES field men, together with the yearly subscriptions of the students of the College. Only two issues, October and March 1952 Graduation Issue, were printed for the whole year due to lack of funds and high printing rates that prevailed. Dating from 1946, exactly seven years since its first publication, the ForestrY' Leaves is as evergreen as it was before. The adviser, staff and management of the Leaves are very grateful to its subscribers and advertisers, to the lumbermen, alumni and students of the College for their financial and moral support, without whose help this publication would have died as most college organs a natural death. Today, the Forestry Leaves maintains a foreign exchange service with 25 different Universities, departments and other government entities abroad. The following is a complete list of the foreign exchange publication with their address: 1. The Director, Forestry Branch, Department of Resources & Development, Ottawa, Canada. 2. ·The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory, Madison 5, Wisconsin, U.S.A. 3. The Office of Agricultural Publications, 22 Giannini Hall, University of California, Berkeley 4, California, U.S.A. 4. The Forest Service, California Forest & Range Experiment Station, 347 Forestry Building, P.O. Box 245, Berkeley, California, U.S.A. 5. The Timberman, 519 S.W. Park Avenue, Portland 5, Oregon U.S.A. 6. The Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1201 Connecticut Av11nue, Northwest, Washington 6, D.C. U.S.A. 7. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. U.S.A. 8. Prof. C. F. Korstian, Dean, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A. 9 . Miss Jean Ericson, Librarian, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, 3, Lousiana, U.S.A. 10. Mr. John H. Hinman, President, International Paper Co., 220 East 42nd Street, New York 17, U.S.A. 11. Mr. E. H. Hall, 2174 Fairmount Boulevard, Eugene, Oregon, U.S.A. 12. The U.N. World Inc., 1309 Noble St., Philadelphia 23, Pa., U.S.A. 13. The Editor, 205 Prospect Street, New Haven 11, Connecticut, U.S.A. October, 1953 14. The Service Bureau, American Wood Preservers' Association, 111 West Washington St,, Chicago 2, Illinois, U.S.A. 15. The Soil Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, l>.C. U.S.A. 16. Mr. William C. Makins, Food and Agriculture Organization of the U .N., Viale delle Terms di Caracalle--Rome. 17. The University of Illinois, Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Forestry, Urbana, Illinois, U.S.A. 18. Prof. J. Nelson Spaeth, Head, Department of Forestry, Urbana, Illinois, U.S.A. 19. Prof. M. I. Hulme, Librarian, Division of Forest Products, South Welbourne, Australia, 20. The Washington Institute of Forest Products, University of Washington, Seattle S, U.S.A. 21. The West Virgini.1 Pulp & Paper Co., Covington, Vriginia, U.S.A. 22 . P.rof. Robert W. Hess, 205 Prospect Street, New Haven 11, Connecticut, U.S.A. 23. Mr, Joel F. Frykman, 814- 17th St., Cleveland, Tenn., U.S.A. 24. Col. Barrington Moore, Stone Acre Corft., Taunton, England. 25. Mr. F. J. Barns, 111 West Washington St., Chicago 2, Illinois, U.S.A. In line with the policy of the Bureau of Forestry in disseminating forestry knowledge through propaganda and press relations work, copies are sent to different public and private high schools in the country. Consequently, every year is marked with an increase in student enrolment of our College. It is very gratifying to note that the Leaves is indeed doing a ye.Jman service. It is hoped that in the near future the idea of forest consciousness and wise conservation of our forest and natural resources will be fully carried out and realized by the consuming public. It is fervently hoped further that the stupendous achievement of this, our organ in linking the students, alumni, lumbermen and businessmen in the lumber industry and other industries, will be carried on through the long years. It had been started auspiciously. It must continue to succeed. May the Forestry Leaves always remain evergreen. One of the sanest, surest, and most generous jo)'I of life comes from being happy over the good for· tunes of others. Page 25