A CLERK'S WORK ON A NATIONAL FOREST 



655 



Filing Cases Indicate Amount of Detail 



there are so many things to take the attention of the forest supervisor that business efficiency 



is necessary 



tions and that $5.00 is the minimum 

 charge for a residence permit — three 

 acres the maximum area. What is to 

 do? Put it up to the Supervisor? 

 What is a clerk for but to save the 

 Supervisor such details and leave him 

 time for more important things? Only 

 those deplorable creatures "clerks that 

 can't think" do such things. So she 

 formulates a letter to Ranger Grayson 

 for the Supervisor's signature, calling 

 his attention to the proper page and 

 line in the Manual, and suggesting that 

 he see the man again and explain the 

 regulations to him. 



3.45^time to take the basket of 

 letters, permits, vouchers, etc., to the 

 Supervisor for signature. She takes 

 it in to the private office, then returns 

 to put her desk to rights, answer a few 

 telephone calls, etc., until the mail 

 shall be ready to put up. 



A subdued chuckle comes from the 

 Supervisor's office. Then he calls; 

 "Miss Brown, there's no reason why 

 this old man Andrews shouldn't camp 

 anywhere he pleases, provided he uses 



tents and not a permanent building. 

 As for the five acres in Cold Creek 

 Canyon, I suppose he wants it for his 

 horse and cow at his srraimer camp. 

 He could have a $2.00 pasture permit 

 for that. Needn't bother tonight, but 

 fix him up in the morning." 



She takes back the letter — without 

 meeting the Supervisor's eye — and, 

 properly chastened as to clerks who 

 can't think, shuts up shop for the night — 

 resolved to try the next day to think 

 with her head more than with her 

 Manual. 



Next morning, the weather data 

 recorded, she turns to the pile of mail 

 on her table, opens and stamps it with 

 the dater and takes it to the Supervisor, 

 holding out such routine items as need 

 no attention until she shall have done 

 her part. These are accounts to be 

 vouchered, vouchers to be audited and 

 entered on the accounts cards, approved 

 applications for forest homesteads to be 

 recorded and sent to the proper ranger 

 for report, reports on special use 



