Parson Simpkin Sequoia Memorial

As a memorial to Parson Sirnpkin' late Chaplain of Hoo Hoo International. a committee has been formed for the purpose of securing and dedicating one of the Sequoia Gigantea in the Calaveras Grove of Big Trees in Calaveras County, California.

The plan proposed is outlined in the following l.etter which has been sent out by the committee to lumbermen:

"TO REMEMBER PARSON SIMPKIN." That is the pur,pose of this letter and of the plan we gro^pose. It seems but- yesterday that this genial nobleman of God was among tt, iitrpirtttg"us with a riew vision of the service of Lumber t;'"iilki;a; promoting goodwill and co-operation within the industry, piavi"g the-pirt of a real--Jriend and brother to hundreds of lum6e.*ett and their families, who came to know him intim,ately.

"For nearly nine years Peter A. Simpkin-was the Supreme Chaplain "nd Fi.ld -Officer of Hoo-Hoo. His duties carried hitr'tt all parrts of the United States and Canada; 50,000 miles of travel pir yeat was no uncommoll record t he b.ecanre the .best-known and most welcome visitor in the lunlber circles of America.

"His was a unique task and with splendid talents and uutiring devotion did' he perfornr it. Ha-ndicapped with. a frail body, yet with unquenchable energy, he overcanle oDstacles ittii *i,"ta have appalled a man of weaker spirit. The. call of duty found him ready to face the coldest region of witt'ter .or the hottest of summer. With eloquent voice and pen he--lairored to spread the gospet of confiden-ce and understanding among the many conffi.tittg elenrents of our -great -lumb-er iniustri. whose principal function he most sincerely believed ro be- that of the Naiion's lfome Builders.

"When he commenced his work for Hoo-Hoo the lurtrber business was under a cloud of misunderstanding by the publi;. Politicians spoke glibly. of a- nrythical Lumber Trust *hi.h *". despoiling t-!re naiion's forests. The industry had few friends. We k-neiv these charges were unjust, but did not know just how to refute them' Parson Simpkin was able to get a hiaring in places tro -one else could reach' He was hea-rd with .tgir "nd sympathetic interest by se.rvice clubs ""a ..ot". of 'kindred organizations. The Ameri'can peoqle besan to learn of the constructive service of the lum'ber trade' No""e of us can value the great work he did for Lumber, both within and without the industrv. Shall that splendid contribuiiot-t of Peter A. Simpkin be forgotten all too soon by- a fruiv ana thoughtless and perplexe-d lumber business and its altiid trades? -The ansrvei must be emphaticaltv NO!

"Here then, is our Opportunity to set up and dedicate a Memorial to ihis great apostle and servant of our industry, one that will be 'the mosf fitting rentembrance of all that hc ir;i. i"a ala. Just rrow the Cilaveras Grove Association is trying to raise the last $15,000 needed to complete the $275'000 Jund-for the purchase of this famous Grove of Sequoia Gtgi"L", "o"tprising about 3,000 acres. It is the most northerly- -ti"r. bi thii spec-ies and the one nearest to any large cent-er of iooulation. One-half the 'total sum will be paid by the State bf'California, and the other half is being raised by private .ubscriptio". ' The lum,bermen of California are now asked to ao ttreir bit in saving this magnificent forest for the use and enjoyment of 'this and future generations.

"It is the settled policv of the Park authorities that no trees in the Calaverai Grove will hereaf'ter be named for any Derson: but in view of the lumbermen's interest in conservaiiott of forests and this wonderful grove in particular, and of the high ptace held by the late Par,son Simpkin in .the affection if American lumbermen, we have been promised the rare privilege of naming a noble tree in this grove as- a mentorial'to hirn'; and the setting before it of .a granite boulder in which shall be imbedde d a suitable bronze tablet. r hrs spot shall be'come an American lumbernlen's shrine'

"The necessity of prompt action to enable us to embrace this great oppor'tuniiy is'our only excuse for an appeal to ltmberiren foi'funds it a time when every dollar counts. But wc must not let this golden occasion slip from us. A reasonable :1,1,,1..each fridnd of Parson Simbkin will put the project

"Parson" knew and loved the forests of Ameri'ca, but none with more awe and worship than these Sentinel Sequoia -of the Sierra, within whose piliared temples he frequently spokc with all the eloquence born of his brilliant mind, generous soul and inspired tongue' Like these poems in trees' he too pointed the way upwird for the individual and the industrl'' He -as ,f aithful tb his task f or Lunrber, even unto death. Wi mus.t not fail in this present two-fold purpose of Forest Preservation and Remen-rbrance. Surely, nothing would have been trtore dee,ply appreciated by Parson Simpkin himself'"

The Parson Simpkin Sequoia \4emorial Cy'mmittee inclucles the following: Honorary Chairrnan,{ Fletcher L' Walker, The Red River Lumber Co.. Westwood, Calif.; Executive Chairman, Charles G. Bird, Stockton Lumber Co., Stockton. Calif.; Secretary, C. D. LeMaster. Sac-ralnento. Calif.: Frank W. Trower. Trorver Lumber Co., San Francisco. Calif.; A. J. Russell. Santa Fe Lumber Co.,-San Francisco. Calif.: H. Sewell Morton, Hill & Morton, Inc., Oaklanrl. Calif.; James J. Farlel', Tlhe Paciiic Lumber Co., San Francisco, Cali{.; Ray B. Cox.. Iluilt-In Fixture Co., Berkeler.. Calif.; Bert E. Brvan, Stral>le Hardwood Co.' Oaklanil. Calif.; Edrvarcl Tieijen. Sudden & Christenson, San Francisco, Calif.; T. L. Garcliner. Millwork Institute' Stockton. Calif.; W. T. Black, "The California Lurrrber Merchant", San Francisco, Calif.