FERNOW HALL 



671 



tributions to the cause of forestry in America began 

 much earher than that. From 1886 to 1898 Dr. Fernow 

 was chief of the Division of Forestry of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, the branch of the 

 government that in later years developed into the Forest 

 Service. 



Dr. Fernow was the first technically trained forester 

 to be employed by the government. Indeed, when he 

 took that position he was literally the only man in the 

 United States whose training entitled him to be called 

 a professional forester. In one of his books Dr. Fernow 

 says that the term forestry was then not even to be 

 found in the dictionaries. He was indeed a pioneer in 

 what in this country was a new field. 



For twelve years Dr. Fernow labored hard, against 

 many odds, to bring to the people of the United States 

 a realization of what forestry is and what forestry 

 practice seeks to accomplish. Hampered by meager 

 appropriations and assisted by only a small staff, he 

 nevertheless did a very great deal to lay surely and well 

 the foundation of public sentiment in favor of forestry 

 that at least in part made possible the rapid development 

 that followed in later years. 



Perhaps the most noteworthy event with which Dr. 

 Fernow was connected during this period was the pas- 

 sage by Congress in 1891 of the law authorizing the 

 President of the United States to set apart as forest 

 reserves portions of the Public Domain. This is the 

 fundamental law on which rest the National Forests 

 of today. But during that twelve-year period there was 

 hardly a project related to the development of forestry 

 in which Dr. Fernow did not have a hand. 



The readers of this magazine will particularly like to 

 recall that Dr. Fernow was one of the founders of the 

 American Forestry Association, at meetings held in 

 Cincinnati and at Montreal in 1882, and that for fifteen 

 years he acted as secretary of the Association and 

 chairman of its Executive Committee. From 1885 to 

 1898 he was editor of the Proceedings of the American 

 Forestry Association and of its journal. The Forester. 



Dr. Fernow's ability as a forceful speaker and writer 

 makes the list of his contributions to popular education 

 in forestry a long one. It is out of place here to try to 

 enumerate them. Enough to say that Dr. Fernow played 

 a leading role in bringing to the attention of the people 

 of this country the fact that forestry is a wholly practical 

 subject and that it involved problems that have a vital 

 bearing on our wellbeing as a nation. 



In 1907 Dr. Fernow again broke new ground in estab- 

 lishing the first forest school in the Dominion of Canada. 

 From that year until his retirement on account of age 

 in 1919, he was Dean of the Faculty of Forestry of the 

 University of Toronto, where he built up a forest school 

 of high grade. Dr. Fernow has further served the Do- 

 minion by membership on the Canadian Commission of 

 Conservation, where he has done active and valuable 

 work. 



At the time of Dr. Fernow's retirement from the Uni- 

 versity of Toronto, in 1919. as Professor of Forestry, 



Emeritus, American Forestry published a comprdhen- 

 sive article by Prof. Filibert Roth, dealing with his life 

 work. It may be found in the issue of April, 1920. It 

 seems unnecessary here to add further details. But one 

 who has known something of Dr. Fernow's home life 

 cannot refrain from mentioning in passing that it was a 

 never-to-be-forgotten experience to be bidden as a guest 

 to enter that delightful circle. 



DR. B. E. FERNOW 



Identified with forestry in America since its inception and the 

 founder of the first forestry school on the American continent. 



It had been greatly hoped that Dr. Fernow could be 

 present in Ithaca at the unveiling of the tablet bearing 

 his name, but continued ill health made that impossible. 

 Dr. and Mrs. Fernow are now residing at 16 Admiral 

 Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 



The action of the trustees of Cornell University in 

 giving Dr. Fernow's name to one of the important 

 buildings of the university was taken in recognition of 

 Dr. Fernow's many and varied services to the cause of 

 forestry in America. It is an honor that is merited by 

 sterling achievement. To all American foresters it is 

 kxrause of rejoicing that this honor comes while Dr. Fer- 

 now himself can have the satisfaction of knowing that 

 the work of his life is appreciated. 



Dr. Fernow, in writing to Prof. Ralph Hosmer, of 

 Cornell, in acknowledgement of the dedication, said : 



"Once more allow me to express my great regret at 



