Correspondence With Aldo Leopold
Olson to Leopold, October 14, 1930:
Ely, Minnesota
Oct 14, 1930
Mr. Eldo [sic]
Leopold
421 Chemistry Bldg
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wis.
Dear Sir:
A short time ago, I had the pleasure of making a trip with Mr. Ralph T. King who at the present time is carrying on a ruffed grouse investigation at the University Farm at St. Paul. He was up at the time securing live specimens of the native grouse and it was while doing this work that I met him. He broached the subject to me then of applying through you for one of the scholarships offered by the American Arms Association for research along game propagation lines. According to Mr. King, there is still one such scholarship available.
Now a brief summary of my qualifications. I graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1920 majoring in Animal Husbandry. For two years immediately following my graduation, I taught Agriculture at Nashwauk, Minnesota, then I returned to the Univ. of Wisconsin to take a post graduate course in Geology of which I had taken almost enough for a major during my undergraduate work. The field in Geology did not look very promising at the time so after half a year's work I went into other lines of activity. This time I accepted a position teaching Biology at Ely, Minnesota, headquarters of the Superior National Forest, largely because it was in a section of country I liked and was very familiar with. The year following my coming a Junior College was established and I was placed in charge of the Zoology Dept.
Since then I have been teaching highschool and college zoology and related courses. My preparatory work for a Biology position, I will admit was rather scanty but during the years I have been here, I have kept up with the subject through reading and study, supplemented by a great deal of practical field work. I feel as a result of the work I have done since I came here that I have advanced considerably in my outlook and general knowledge. Every summer for the past ten years I have spent as a guide in the wilderness regions of the Superior National Forest and the Quetico Provincial Park of Canada. As a result, I have become familiar with all forms of wild life and know the country thoroughly for several hundred miles north of the border, country that today is one of the last remaining untouched areas on the continent.
During the summer of 1928, I had the good fortune to collaborate with Dr. A. R. Cahn of the Univ. of Ill on a parisitology [sic] investigation. We spent most of the summer in Ontario. We also made a survey of the birds of the Quetico. Since then, I have worked with Dr. Cahn on a number of similar problems. During the summer of 1927, I did some work in connection with Dr. Henry Ward of the Univ. of Ill and also with Mr. Harry Hanson of the Biological Survey. During all of the time I was guiding and during the school year as well, I have had a splendid opportunity of getting first hand information on field problems. According to Mr. King, the scholarship committee needed men who had had some preliminary scientific training, who were enthusiastic above all else and who had had much field experience. After both Mr. King and Mr. Grange of the U.S. Biological Survey who was with him at the time had outlined for me the opportunities in the game conservation field, I determined to write you at their suggestion and see if at this late date there might not still be an opportunity for me. All of my life with the exception of the years I put in down at the University has been spent in the woods or near enough so that it has always been possible for me to indulge myself in the study and observation of wild life.
I shall be interested in hearing from you and if you would like a personal conference, I should be glad to come down to Madison. I can furnish as references the following:
Dr. Alvin R. Cahn, Zoology Dept. Univ. of Ill. Urbana
Dr. Henry B. Ward
Dr. Chas. Bacon, Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago.
Dean R. Shumway - Dean of Jr. Colleges, Univ. of Minn.
Dean J. H. Santo, Jr. College, Ely, Minn.
Leopold to Olson, October 20, 1930:
October 20, 1933
Dear Mr. Olson:
I am very glad to be in touch with you. There are two openings that are in sight at the present time:
(1) Michigan is organizing a demonstration in pheasant management in Ingham County near Lansing, in connection with which several fellowships will be set up for the purpose of developing trained personnel. What the stipends will be I do not know. The unallotted fellowship which King told you about is being contributed by this Institute to the Izaak Walton League's general fund for conducting this demonstration. For information as to possible openings address Earl C. Doyle, P. O. Box 531, Lansing, Michigan.
(2) The University of New Mexico has been given funds for a life history study of the scaled quail and I understand are on the look-out for a fellow. Address communications to Dr. E. F. Castetter, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N. M.
I am anxious to have a personal interview with you. If you ever get near Madison, drop in. Also keep me informed as to your progress in getting places.
Leopold to Olson, November 11, 1930:
November 11, 1930
Dear Mr. Olson:
Since writing you I have learned there is a possibility that Dr. R. K. Nabours, head of the department of zoology, Kansas Agricultural College, Manhattan, Kansas, may be able to secure financing for a prairie chicken investigation, and that he is looking for a man.
In reply to your letter, I cannot give you unqualified advice about how to prepare yourself for game work without a more thorough knowledge of your objectives and qualifications, but in general I would go to some place where game management is the objective of research rather than game zoology.
Leopold to Olson, April 28, 1931:
April 28, 1931
Dear Mr. Olson:
I am delighted to hear that there is a chance of your getting placed in Michigan. I am still interested in the need for a moose study and hope that some day we jointly may have a chance to promote it. For training purposes, however, I think Michigan is a better place to make a start.
Please keep me posted on your movements.
Leopold to Olson, October 31, 1933:
Translation of the above, in case it's hard to read:
Dear Olson -
Are you still desirous of breaking into game research? Did you finish your degree at Illinois? If the answer to both questions is yes - can I see your thesis?
[P.S.:] If you didn't get your degree, would you like to take it here? How much support if any - in the way of assistantships or fellowships - would you require?
Olson to Leopold, November 5, 1933:
Nov. 5, 1933
Mr. Aldo Leopold
Dept. of Game Management
College of Agriculture
Madison, Wis.
Dear Mr. Leopold:
I was much interested in receiving your letter of the 31st and am sending you under separate cover a copy of my thesis, "A Life History of the Timber Wolf and the Coyote, a Study in Predatory Control." Unfortunately, all I have on hand is a fourth carbon copy. I am also including an artical [sic] which I prepared recently at the suggestion of Dr. V. E. Shelford of Ill. on the predatory situation in the Superior. This artical [sic] was originally intended as an Ecological Monograph, but will have to be cut considerably. It is largely thesis material with some additional observations, maps, photographs, etc.
While at Illinois, I took my Master's Degree in Animal Ecology under Shelford. If I can see my way clear to take my Doctor's degree, it will be in game research and nothing could please me more than to take it under your immediate guidance. Unfortunately, I am not in a position financially to come down to Wisconsin and take my degree without the assurance of a living wage for myself and my family. I would be very much interested in knowing what an assistantship or fellowship might offer.
When I read the announcement of the creation of a chair in Game Management at Wisconsin and your appointment as head, I was genuinely thrilled and I know sportsmen all over the country see in it what I do, the breaking of the new idea in game conservation. Thankyou for writing me.
Leopold to Olson, November 10, 1933:
Dear Mr. Olson:
I read both of your papers with much interest, and I am returning them under separate cover.
What was in my mind when I wrote you is a continuation of your deer study for a Ph.D. here. I have no funds as yet, but if I had an extra strong man lined up and a definite amount to shoot at, it might help me to get them. The general framework is indicated in the enclosure, "Opportunities for Game Research."
What would be the minimum stipend necessary to interest you? Whatever the sum, it should, of course, be set up for three years, with travel expenses also set up. You might have to headquarter here during certain semesters in case you need to take certain courses, but the rest of the time headquarters should be, I think, in the north.
You need not regard this request for a figure as absolutely final and binding. I simply want to know about what it would require to start this project.
With best regards,
Olson to Leopold, November 17, 1933:
Ely
Nov. 17, 1933
Dear Mr. Leopold:
I have your letter of the 10th relative to work in game research and also the bulletin on "Opportunities in Game Research" which I have read with much interest.
As to the minimum stipend which would interest me at this time, I am afraid that I will have to ask too much to put me in the running. I am 34 years of age, have a family of two growing boys to support, insurance, and other incidentals which would make it impossible for me, in view of the fact that my annual outlay has been keyed up to a certain figure, to accept a stipend as low as I could, were I single and on my own. My salary as a Junior College instructor in Biology, together with the income from occasional articals [sic], and my interest in the Border Lakes Outfitting Co. nets me in the neighborhood of from $3000 to $4000 per year, so do not feel that I can accept a great deal less than that and keep my head above water financially.
In regard to the Border Lakes Outfitting Co. of which I am general manager and part owner, something might be arranged. Our season extends from the middle of May to September. If I could retain my interest there, it might be possible to reduce the stipend necessary, but that naturally would take me out of the field of research during the summer months. I also have a responsibility to my partners in this business which I cannot lay aside lightly. I imagine also that my work in Wisconsin would give me some time for writing.
I have given you the above details knowing that you would appreciate frankness in the matter and so that you would better be able to understand my situation.
Leopold to Olson, November 23, 1933:
New Soils Building
November 23, 1933
Dear Mr. Olson:
I am glad you wrote me frankly concerning the difficulties of our working together.
Assuming that an arrangement could be made which would not call for your services during the active outfitting season, between what dates would you have to absent yourself for company work at Ely?
Please also tell me which has the greatest personal appeal to you--the deer study or the marshland survey?
Would your income from the company be reduced if you were absent except during the active season?
Olson to Leopold, November 27, 1933:
In this letter Sigurd says he would rather do duck research than deer research. The next day, however, he wrote another letter (included in this collection on the web site) in which he tries not to take a strong stand. He would not have sent both letters; he probably sent the second one.
Nov 27, 1933
Mr. Aldo Leopold
New Soils Bldg.
College of Agriculture
Madison, Wis.
Dear Mr. Leopold:
I have your letter of the 23rd, waiting for me upon my return from deer hunting. I believe that the marshland survey has more personal appeal than the deer survey, not that I am not interested in big game. Like most dyed in the wool duck hunters, ducks have become more or less or a passion with me and I am quite confident that I can transmit that enthusiasm to others. If I remember rightly I mentioned something about how I felt when I met you in Chicago and I see you haven't forgotten.
If an arrangement could be made that would not call for my services during the active outfitting season, I would be able to work on the survey from Sept. 15th to June 1st. My income from the Border Lakes Co. would be reduced somewhat by being absent during the rest of the year, but I would be glad to make that sacrifice if an arrangement could be made to get into this work.
Olson to Leopold, November 28, 1933:
Nov 28, 1933
Mr. Aldo Leopold
New Soils Bldg.
College of Agriculture
Madison, Wis.
Dear Mr. Leopold:
I had your letter of the 23rd waiting for me upon my return from deer hunting, Sunday night. Frankly, I cannot say at this time without considerably more investigation into each problem, which of the two appeals most to me personally. I have always been interested in big game and have studied both deer and moose and the larger predators both in Minn. and Canada. Also like most dyed in the wool duck hunters, ducks have become more or less of a religeon [sic] with me. To say which one of them has the greatest appeal would be hard for me. Much depends on the details of the investigations to be carried on.
If an arrangement could be made that would not call for my services during the active outfitting season, I would be able to work on the survey from Sept. 15th to June 1st. My income from the Border Lakes Co. would be somewhat reduced by being absent during the rest of the year, but I would be glad to make that sacrifice if arrangements could be made.
P.S. While writing you, M. W. Peterson, formerly of the Wilderness Outfitters and now a partner of mine dropped in to see me. He was much interested in knowing what you are doing. I believe you outfitted with the Wilderness some years ago.
Leopold to Olson, December 5, 1933 [Western Union telegram reproduced below]:
Leopold to Olson, December 6, 1933 [Western Union Telegram]:
Condition subsequent to survey entirely speculative
My opinion $200 per month plus expenses.
Leopold
Olson to Leopold, ca December 7, 1933 [handwritten copy of message he sent by telegram]:
Am requesting board for leave of absence. Will let you know as soon as I know. Give latest date ----
Leopold to Olson, December 7, 1933:
Soils Building
December 7, 1933
Dear Olson:
I have just wired you as follows: "I was unaware you are still teaching stop CWA men must be unemployed stop possible PWA job may open shortly letter"
I am extremely sorry to have caused you all this disturbance but I was entirely unaware that you still held your teaching position. One of the CWA rules is that all men taken on must be unemployed. I had hoped to get by on your outfitting business by simply regarding it as an investment rather than a salary. Since you have a job, we will have to call the CWA project off.
I am, however, looking for another game man under PWA, which carries no restrictions on employment. This PWA project is described in the attached memo "Game Management and the Relocation of Settlers." The compensation will possibly be somewhat better than in the CWA job: probably $200 per month plus expenses. You might let me know whether this PWA position interests you. It may start up by January 1.
