Our Annual Campfire 



To the number of nearly a hundred, 

 and representing 18 states of the 

 Union, Michigan Foresters, on the 

 evening of November 4, packed their 

 cup, knife, fork and spoon and hit 

 the trail for Cascade Glen, the select- 

 ed site for the fifth annual campfire. 



Early that evening the glen was dot- 

 ted with some twenty fires, each sur- 

 rounded by its small congenial group. 

 Broiling steak was the first occupa- 

 tion in which all earnestly engaged ; 

 for, although the potatoes were roast- 

 ed and the coffee made at the big 

 fire, each man prepared his own steak 

 on a forked stick, in true primitive 

 style. Most of the embryo foresters 

 displayed a practical knowledge of 

 woodcraft gained from experience or 

 instinct in building their fires. Here 

 and there a man, new to the art of 

 camp cookery, scorched and toughen- 

 ed his meat in a brightly flaming fire, 

 but a little good natured bantering, 

 followed by practical demonstration, 

 soon enlightened the tyro. 



In the choice of grub, as in every- 

 thing connected with the evening's 

 celebration, the foresters were true to 

 the ways of the woods life. The lard- 

 er, simple in variety, was faultless in- 

 quality and quantity especially the 

 latter, thanks to the provident com- 

 mittee in charge. Steak, potatoes, 

 coffee, bread and butter, cider, and 

 apples, all made for physical content- 

 ment. 



After the meal everyone was called 

 to the circle about the big fire. Mr. 



Grossman, as president of the Fores- 

 try Club, began the informal speech- 

 making of the evening. He briefly 

 reviewed the history of the forestry 

 school and then presented Profes- 

 sor Roth as master of ceremonies. 

 The latter in recalling the first for- 

 esters' campfire mentioned the fact 

 that the hornbeam cudgel he car- 

 ried on that occasion had been his 

 faithful siidearni at every campfire 

 since. Professor Roth laid special 

 emphasis on personal conduct in 

 camp. "There is no place like camp 

 to bring out the nature of a man. 

 It is in the woods, of all places, 

 where one immediately notices the 

 little incongruities of conduct. Care- 

 lessness, laziness, lack of breeding 

 and worst of all the habit of contin- 

 ually finding fault these are things 

 that make camp life miserable. There- 

 fore it is in camp that we should act 

 the part of a man more than any- 

 where else." 



Following Professor Roth's re- 

 marks a few of the fellows who spent 

 the summer in the field gave short 

 interesting talks. The note which was 

 universally sounded was that the 

 younger fellows should not neglect 

 to get one or two summers in field 

 work out West. The acquisition of 

 little practical accomplishments, like 

 packing and cooking, was also urged, 

 the goodly number of western men 

 expressing a willingness to help in 

 this. 



"BOB" WEITKNECHT. 



News of Men in the Field 



Strothman dropped in on us from 

 the Stony Creek Forest in California, 

 along in November, bringing enthu- 

 siastic accounts of his work. He 

 spoke before the club on the evening 

 of Nov. 22, giving the boys a lot of 

 valuable suggestions as to what to 

 do and what to expect when they 

 first go into the field. 



Stickney, '06, deputy supervisor on 

 the Bitterroot, paid us a brief visit 

 the middle of the month. He was on 

 his way to his former home in La- 

 peer, Mich. 



It's Trinity, alright, now at Weav- 

 erville, Cal., at friend Jotter's. Con- 

 gratulations of the Club, for a 10- 

 pound forest ranger is in order. 



