the: forest service and its men 665 



This table indicates, first, that the conditions surrounding the earlier 

 period of service down to 1913-1914 were such that an average of about 

 75 per cent of maximum service has been attained by those who entered 

 the Forest Service in these years. 



But in 1914 an alarming drop occurred, first, in the number of those 

 entering the Service who remained in it (and this in spite of the short 

 period of service, 4 years, in which to drop out) and, second, in the per 

 cent of those who sought Government service, which dropped from an 

 average of over 50 per cent to 16 per cent; so that for the last three 

 years the school has ceased to be a real factor in supplying technical 

 men for Government service. 



If my information is correct, this tendency is also reflected in other 

 forest schools, though possibly to a lesser extent in western schools and 

 in schools giving an undergraduate or a ranger's course. 



Before attempting to analyze the statistics of the 121 men who have 

 dropped out of the Forest Service, the writer wishes to ask the indul- 

 gence of the reader, and especially of the men discussed. He lays no 

 pretension to being gifted with superhuman wisdom, in the ability to 

 decide who have been "successful" or "only moderately successful," or 

 the real reasons therefor in each case. He can only give an approxi- 

 mation, and in order that the case may be presented stripped of all 

 exaggeration or flattery, has thrown every doubtful case into the bal- 

 ance against the successful side. The men have been classed in. four 

 groups : 



I. Men who attained success in the Forest Service, as arbitrarily 

 measured by rank and reputation, and who resigned to increase their 

 opportunities, earning power, or freedom of action, 41. The present 

 occupations of these 41 men are as follows : 



Secretaries of associations 4 



State foresters or deputies 7 



( Including two chiefs of Forest Service outside of the 

 United States.) 



Directors of forest schools and professors of forestry 12 



Successful in private business 18 



Total 41 



These men before resigning were ranked as : 



District foresters 2 



Assistant district foresters 6 



Others in district offices 7 



Washington office 9 



Forest supervisors 10 



Deputy supervisors i 



Forest examiners 6 



Total 41 



