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Chief of Education and Information Charles H. Schaeffer's administrative and reference files, 1936-1959 (bulk 1954-1959).
Amount:
2.50 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject.
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Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
The Board of Parks and Historic Memorials, commonly known as the Florida Park Service, was originally created in 1935 (Chapter 17025, Laws of Florida) and was administered within the Board of Forestry. The park service's first eight parks were designed and built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). In 1949, the park service became an independent agency, the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials (Ch. 25353, Laws). Its purpose was to administer and control the operation and development of the state parks and historic sites of Florida. In 1969, the Board was merged with the Outdoor Recreational Development Council (Ch. 63-36, Laws) to form the Division of Recreation and Parks (Ch. 69-106, Laws), under the Department of Natural Resources. The Division eventually moved to the newly created Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 1993 (Ch. 93-213, Laws). Between 1948 and 1969, the Florida Park Service's administrative staff consisted of a Board comprised of five governor-appointed citizens, a director, assistant director, fiscal agent, publicity chief, and various stenographers. The first director was Charles H. Schaeffer, who served in that position from 1935 to 1937. He was followed by H.J. Malsberger (1937-1940) and Lewis Scoggin (1940-1952). After Emmet Hill's tenure (1953-1960), the board saw two more directors -- Walter Coldwell (1960-1963) and N.E. "Bill" Miller (1963-1969) -- before merging into the Division of Recreation and Parks in 1969.
After becoming an independent agency in 1949, the Board created the position of Chief of Information and Education to implement and coordinate publicity, public interpretation such as brochures, signs, and exhibits, and advertising for the Florida Park Service (FPS). The first chief was Carl Liddle, who left in 1952. He was followed by Charles H. Schaeffer, former park service director, in 1953. Schaeffer was a landscape architect and Board of Forestry employee in 1935 when the FPS was created. As director, he coordinated the acquisition and construction of the first state parks with the Civilian Conservation Corps and the National Park Service. He left in 1937 for an out-of-state job. Schaeffer died in October 1959 while still chief of information and education.
Summary:
Because Charles H. Schaeffer's position as Chief of Information and Education required extensive knowledge of the Florida Park Service, his files provide a comprehensive view of the agency in the 1950s. Created primarily between 1954 and 1959, records include newspaper and magazine articles, correspondence relating to publicity and interpretation, radio scripts, brochures, maps, annual reports, memoranda, post cards, and photographs. These files provide information on the parks' historical and natural resources, recreational practices, Florida tourism, Florida print and broadcast media, the Board of Parks' activities, and park operations. Also included are several files created in the 1930s by Schaeffer and the Civilian Conservation Corps including bird lists, maps, radio scripts, news releases, and clippings.
Finding Aids:
Folder listing available. 0
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Associated Materials:
Series S1948, Reading Files, 1957-1960, contain Schaeffer's correspondence from 1957 to 1959. Series S1947, Ralph Hager's Administrative Files, 1960-1963, contain material on Schaeffer's successor as Chief of Information and Education.
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Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Hill, Emmet, 1902- Scoggin, Lewis, 1899-
Florida Park Service. Florida. Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Parks and Historic Memorials, Board of. Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.) Florida Forest Service.
Parks Florida Tourism Florida. Recreation Florida. Outdoor recreation Florida Public relations Florida Newspaper publishing Florida Radio broadcasting Florida. Photography Birds Florida Natural resources Florida
Photographs. aat Postcards. aat Articles. aat Clippings. aat Reports. aat Maps. aat
Little Talbot Island State Park (Fla.) Myakka River State Park (Fla.) Fort Pickens (Fla.) Torreya State Park (Fla.) Gold Head Branch State Park (Fla.) Hillsborough River State Park (Fla.) Highlands Hammock State Park (Fla.) Florida Caverns State Park (Fla.) Fort Clinch (Fernandina Beach, Fla.)
for detailed listing.