NANFA-- Orion and the Loss of natural history

David Lains (david_at_zfin.org)
Wed, 20 Feb 2002 10:34:18 -0800

Hi Jay

It was a great and at time saddening article. I believe The Evergreen State
College was mentioned in it. The magazine seems to have frequent
contributions by TESC Alumni. I consider myself fortunate to have
experience a first class education in Natural History with Dr. Steve Herman
at TESC. Even though he is an ornithologist he was more than patient with
me and my aquatic adventures. He is one of the few remaining of a dieing
breed. Thanks to him I have seen fish in the most unbelievable places
across the west half of the continent.

In an interesting twist of fate I am no longer in the field collecting data
as a natural historian, but rather raising fish for the cell smashers.
Maybe it will be a good day to go birding...

David Lains
Eugene Oregon

Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 21:49:21 -0800
From: "Jay DeLong" <thirdwind_at_att.net>
Subject: NANFA-- cells smashers and ichthyologists

This disussion reminds me of an issue of Orion magazine (does anyone get
that magazine?). It was the Autumn 2001 issue and was titled "Why Natural
History?" The main article was called "The Rise and Fall of Natural
History: How a Science Grew and Eclipsed Direct Experience". It discussed
the shift in university curricula from field biology to that of
cell-smashers (Martin's term, not the magazine's).

I could rev up my scanner if anyone is interested...

- --
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA

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