Profiles in History

Abstract

1958 The image above was taken in the spring of 1958 by Dr. Dick Arnold during the progressive field review of Fulton–Montgomery Counties Soil Survey in New York. From left to right: in red cap, Al Southard, soil scientist from Cornell University; Don Flora, area soil specialist out of Syracuse, NY; standing, Marlin Cline, New York soil correlator; in plaid shirt, Ray Marshall, SCS-New York, state soil scientist; and, on extreme right, is Alan Tallerico, SCS party member. Photo was taken by Dick Arnold, who was the project leader at the time, with Al Southard, party member, and both were university employees. Note the red cap on Al Southard. Both Al Southard and Dick Arnold were university mappers. Both had red caps or Ivy League berets they bought at the Cornell bookstore. However, Al Southard's red cap succumbed to harsh field conditions while finishing up the Fulton-Montgomery survey, while Dick's is preserved at the National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, NE. Soil Survey Progress Field Review of Fulton-Montgomery Counties, New York. 1959 In the image above, taken in May 1959, Al Southard, on the left, was now the project leader for Fulton–Montgomery Counties, NY. Al had just accepted the project leader position, replacing Dick Arnold, the previous project leader, who had returned for graduate school at Cornell University. Eventually, around 1980, Dr. Arnold became the soil survey director in Washington, DC. In the center is Dr. George Nelson Coffey, who had been head of soil classification for the Bureau of Soils from 1905 to 1908 and was a contemporary with Curtis Marbut. Dr. Coffey was 84 years old and retired at the time this photo was taken. He planned a day in the field since he was close by, visiting relatives in Gloversville, NY. On the right is Leo Handler, a work unit conservationist, who lived and worked nearby. Dr. George N. Coffey, former employee of the Bureau of Soils, visits the Fulton–Montgomery Counties Soil Survey Crew 1964 Above is an image from the August 1964 final field review taken by Dr. Al Southard in Powder River County in southeastern Montana. At this time, Dr. Southard was Assistant Professor of Soil Science at Montana State University and the National Cooperative Soil Survey cooperator for Montana. Pictured from left to right are Dave Cawfield, state soil scientist of Montana in white hat; Ron Mosher, assistant state soil scientist of Montana, sitting and in plaid shirt; Clint Mogen, SCS soil correlator from the Bozeman State office, kneeling; Roy Simonson, national correlator out of Beltsville, holding his tie and who was known to be always well dressed for field reviews; John Parker, Powder River County soil survey project leader, leaning on the car; and Andy Aandahl, regional correlator from the NSSC, holding the bag. Soil Survey Progress Field Review in Powder River County, Montana Submissions courtesy Susan B. Southard, USDA-NRCS soil scientist, Davis, CA and Dr. Alvin Reid Southard, Professor Emeritus of Soil Science, Utah State University, Logan, UT.