Fairchild, G. B. (Graham Bell), interviewee Search this
Extent:
2 audiotapes (Reference copies). 3 digital .mp3 files (Reference copies).
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Transcripts
Place:
Barro Colorado Island (Panama)
Panama
Brazil
Date:
1989
Introduction:
The Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives'
record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program
staff conducts interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also interviews conducted
by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Graham Bell Fairchild was interviewed for the Oral History Collection by Hagen because of his involvement with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in its early
years.
Descriptive Entry:
The Graham Bell Fairchild Interview was conducted for the Smithsonian Archives on June 7, 1989 by Joel B. Hagen, a Smithsonian postdoctoral fellow, as part of his research
on the history of the Canal Zone Biological Area. This interview discusses Fairchild's reminiscences of CZBA and the scientists involved in its development, notably James
Zetek, William Morton Wheeler, and Thomas Barbour; his father's interests in the tropics; the development of STRI under Smithsonian administration; the biology faculty at
Harvard and the MCZ; and his career in medical entomology.
Historical Note:
Graham Bell Fairchild (1906-1994), was born in Washington, D.C. In his youth, Fairchild was introduced to tropical biology while visiting Barro Colorado Island (BCI)
research station of the Canal Zone Biological Area (CZBA) with his father, David Grandison Fairchild. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in entomology from Harvard University
where he studied under William Morton Wheeler, Joseph Charles Bequaert, and Thomas Barbour. Before and during his years at Harvard he also worked at the Museum of Comparative
Zoology (MCZ) studying the collections.
Fairchild began his career as an entomologist stationed in Brazil with the Yellow Fever Commission of the Rockefeller Foundation, from 1935 to 1937. From 1938 to 1971,
he worked as an Entomologist at Gorgas Memorial Laboratory in Panama City, Panama, and from 1958 to 1971 he served as Assistant Director. At Gorgas his research focused on
the taxonomy of medically important insects, especially Tabanidae and Psychodidae. During his years in Panama, he observed the development of the BCI research station from
a small university consortium to Smithsonian aegis as the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI).
The Canal Zone Biological Area was established in 1923 on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) in the Panama Canal as a reserve for scientific study of the tropics. Originally designed
as a consortium of universities and government agencies by Thomas Barbour, William Morton Wheeler, James Zetek, and others, CZBA was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution
in 1946 and in 1966 was renamed the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Rights:
Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.
Covers his education and career as an entomologist, focusing on his experiences in Panama and his work with other scientists affiliated with BCI, c. 1921-1989, including: Early influence of his father, David Fairchild; first trip to the tropics, 1921; ...
Collection Creator::
Fairchild, G. B. (Graham Bell), interviewee Search this
Container:
Interviews
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Rights:
Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 9559, G. B. Fairchild Oral History Interviews
Bocanegra, Fausto, 1926- , interviewee Search this
Extent:
0.5 cu. ft. (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Audiotapes
Transcripts
Place:
Panama
Buenavista (Boyacá, Colombia)
Date:
1988
Introduction:
The Oral History Project is part of the Smithsonian Institution Archives. The purpose of the project is to conduct and collect interviews with current and retired members
of the Smithsonian staff who have made significant contributions, administrative and scholarly, to the Institution. The project's goal is to supplement the published record
and manuscript collections in the Archives, focusing on the history of the Institution and contributions to the increase and diffusion of knowledge made by its scholars.
The Bocanegra interviews were added to the Oral History Collection because of their rich documentation of Barro Colorado Island and the people who lived and worked there.
Additional information about the Canal Zone Biological Area can be found in the Records relating to the Canal Zone Biological Area, Office of the Secretary, 1912-1965, and
the Canal Zone Biological Area, Records, 1918-1964, which are also housed in Smithsonian Archives. The Oral History Collection also contains several other sets of interviews
on the history of the research station.
Descriptive Entry:
The Fausto Bocanegra Interviews were conducted in August of 1988 by Giselle Mora. The original transcript is in Spanish. An English translation was also prepared by
Maureen Fern with comments by George Angehr, Jorge Ventocilla, and Georgina De Alba. The interviews discuss Bocanegra's youth, over thirty years work on BCI, and reminiscences
of fellow workers and scientists such as Martin Humphrey Moynihan, Oscar Dean Kidd, Carl B. Koford, James Zetek, Adela Gomez, and Francisco Vitola, c. 1952-1988. There are
75 pages of Spanish transcript and 89 pages of English translation.
The interviewer, Giselle Mora provided the following introduction to the interviews: History is made by men and historical events have diverse protagonists. Historic events
and circumstances are lived out in different ways by the different groups mentioned, and it's common that the history that is printed and recorded represents only one part
of the historical process under consideration. It is also common that the voices of the most humble and their vision of history are those that are ignored or actively silenced.
This manuscript attempts to contribute in part to the recognition of the role the workers of "el monte" or "the bush"--to use the words of Bocanegra--have had in the establishment,
growth and consolidation of the biological station on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, which today is one of the most important centers of investigation in natural sciences
in the tropics.
These transcripts record the words of Fausto Bocanegra one week before his retirement and present, in general, his version of life on the island and changes that occurred
on it between 1952 and 1988. All of the interviews were carried out on the balcony of a bedroom at the station, where Bocanegra and I shared many cups of coffee. Fausto Bocanegra--"Boca"
like we all call him--dedicated thirty-eight years of work to Barro Colorado Island and carried out every task imaginable: game-keeper, guide, research assistant, electrician,
sailor, carpenter, and retired as a trash collector. For those of us who lived on the island, Boca was an institution unto himself. But Boca was, first and foremost, a trustworthy
man, a diligent worker, and a generous friend.
The final manuscript is the result of six hours of taped interviews and the reader should always take into account that what he is reading is a transcription of the spoken
word. I decided to leave intact colloquial language, incorporating sounds and casual expressions; nevertheless, the text has been edited to eliminate contractions and phonetic
errors that make reading difficult. The interviews were very slightly structured, and I am conscious of the fact that they do not clearly record the richness of Boca's knowledge;
nevertheless, the reader will find in these pages accounts of island life at the end of the fifties, information about life in the Canal Zone during that era, and perhaps
most importantly will be able to know a little about Bocanegra and how he evaluated his thirty-eight years of service on Barro Colorado Island.
The realization of these interviews has been a privilege and a pleasure for me. I want to thank Mr. Fausto Bocanegra for having shared with me these and many other pleasant
conversations. My thanks also to Dr. Joseph Wright who has supported and been a driving force behind this project since its beginning. Giselle Mora, Barro Colorado Island,
October 24, 1988.
Historical Note:
Fausto Bocanegra (1926- ), mechanical assistant, carpenter, guide, patrol, general laborer, and animal caretaker, worked on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) from the early
1950s to 1988. Born on November 6, 1926 in Buenaventura, Colombia, Bocanegra arrived on BCI on October 7, 1952 at the age of twenty-six. He first came to the island as a temporary
construction worker, building the new laboratory building. Due to his excellent work he was requested back by the foreman, Francisco "Chi Chi" Vitola.
Over the years, Bocanegra's versatility served him well. He became the principal caretaker for director Martin Humphrey Moynihan's large collection of monkeys and other
animals. He also served as a very knowledgeable guide to the island, not only for visitors but for scientists who wished to study the flora and fauna of the area. As a member
of an unarmed anti-poacher patrol, Bocanegra captured poachers in a number of instances. In addition, he operated the launches carrying messages and transporting materials
and visitors between Frijoles Station and the Island, cleared trails for general use, and attended to general maintenance of the Island. Bocanegra retired in 1988 after thirty-seven
years on Barro Colorado Island.
The Canal Zone Biological Area (CZBA) was established in 1923 on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) in the Panama Canal as a reserve for scientific study of the tropics. Originally
designed as a consortium of universities and government agencies by Thomas Barbour, William Morton Wheeler, James Zetek, and others, CZBA was transferred to the Smithsonian
Institution in 1946 and in 1966 was renamed the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI).
Rights:
Restricted. Contact SIHistory@si.edu to request permission.
Conservation of Endangered Species Videohistory Collection
Extent:
13 videotapes (Reference copies). 39 digital .wmv files and .rm files (Reference copies).
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Videotapes
Transcripts
Place:
Barro Colorado Island (Panama)
Panama
Date:
1990
Introduction:
The Smithsonian Videohistory Program, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation from 1986 until 1992, used video in historical research. Additional collections have
been added since the grant project ended. Videohistory uses the video camera as a historical research tool to record moving visual information. Video works best in historical
research when recording people at work in environments, explaining artifacts, demonstrating process, or in group discussion. The experimental program recorded projects that
reflected the Institution's concern with the conduct of contemporary science and technology.
Smithsonian historians participated in the program to document visual aspects of their on-going historical research. Projects covered topics in the physical and biological
sciences as well as in technological design and manufacture. To capture site, process, and interaction most effectively, projects were taped in offices, factories, quarries,
laboratories, observatories, and museums. Resulting footage was duplicated, transcribed, and deposited in the Smithsonian Institution Archives for scholarship, education,
and exhibition. The collection is open to qualified researchers.
Descriptive Entry:
Pamela M. Henson, Historian for the Smithsonian Institution Archives, conducted videotaped interviews with scientists and researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research
Institute (STRI) in Panama and the National Zoological Park (NZP) at its Washington, D.C. park, and Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Front Royal, Virginia, to document
two of the Institution's endangered species programs.
This collection consists of thirteen interview sessions, separated into two collection divisions, totaling approximately 13:10 hours of recordings and 225 pages of transcript.
There is also a supplementary set of interview sessions, comprised of 4:00 hours of recordings. There is no transcription for these supplemental sessions.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Participants from STRI included researchers who employed a variety of approaches to the study and preservation of tropical biosystems. John H. Christy received his B.S.
in biology from Lewis and Clark College in 1970, and his Ph.D. in population ecology and animal behavior from Cornell University in 1980. From 1978 to 1983 he served both
as a research assistant and assistant professor at the University of South Carolina. He came to STRI in 1983 as a visiting research scholar and remained as a researcher until
1987, when he assumed the position of biologist. In 1988, he was appointed assistant director for marine research. At STRI, he focused his research on the reproductive behavior
of crabs.
After receiving his B.S. in biochemistry and zoology in 1972 from the James Cook University of North Queensland (JCUNQ), Australia, Norman C. Duke worked as a technical
officer for the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Branch. From 1974 to 1989 he worked with the Australian Institute of Marine Science, first as a technical
officer and later as an experimental scientist, overseeing the design and implementation of studies about mangrove plants. During this time he completed his M.S. and Ph.D.
in botany at JCUNQ, in 1984 and 1988 respectively. In 1989, he accepted the position of mangrove ecologist for STRI's Oil Spill Project to study the effects of recent oil
spills on Panamanian mangrove forests.
Robin Foster became a biologist with STRI in 1978, and also held concurrent positions as senior ecologist at Conservation International and research associate in the Department
of Botany at the Field Museum of Natural History. He was awarded his B.A. in biology from Dartmouth College in 1966, and his Ph.D. in botany from Duke University in 1974.
From 1972-1980 he served as an Assistant Professor of biology at University of Chicago. In 1980, with Stephen Hubbell, Foster embarked on a long term study of forest dynamics
on a fifty-hectare plot on BCI.
After receiving a B.S. in biochemistry from Michigan State University in 1970 and a Ph.D. in ecology from The Johns Hopkins University in 1976, Brian D. Keller served as
a Research Oceanographer for the Scripps Institute of Oceanography from 1976 to 1979. From 1980 to 1984 he was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Biology at Yale
University. In 1984 he accepted the position of acting head of the Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica, and served as Assistant Head
from 1985 to 1986. In 1987, Keller joined STRI as project manager for the Oil Spill Project.
Gilberto Ocana joined STRI in 1980 as Superintendent of the Barro Colorado Nature Monument. He was awarded his B.S. from the Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture in Alger, Algeria,
in 1955, and a Ph.D. in plant pathology from the University of California, Riverside, in 1967. Prior to his STRI appointment, he was a Professor of plant pathology in the
Department of Agronomy at the University of Panama. At STRI, he began an experimental farm to develop alternatives to cattle ranching and slash and burn agriculture.
A. Stanley Rand received his B.A. from De Pauw University in 1955 and his Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University in 1961. He served as Assistant Herpetologist at the
Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard from 1961 to 1962, and as zoologist for the Secretary of Agriculture, Sao Paulo, Brazil, from 1962 to 1964. Rand came to STRI in 1964
as a herpetologist. From 1974 to 1979 he served as STRI assistant director, and was appointed senior biologist in 1979. His interest in the behavior and ecology of reptiles
and amphibians led to pioneering studies of frog communications.
After receiving a B.S. from Queens College in 1959, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in biology from Harvard in 1961 and 1963, respectively, in 1965 Ira Rubinoff served as Assistant
to the Curator of ichthyology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. Rubinoff arrived at STRI in 1965 to assume the positions of Biologist and Assistant Director
for marine biology. He was appointed Director of STRI in 1973. His research interests include sea snakes, the biological implications of interoceanic canal construction, zoogeography
of the Eastern Tropical Pacific, and preservation of tropical forests.
Alan P. Smith was awarded his B.A. from Earlham College in 1967, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke University in 1970 and 1974, respectively. He joined STRI in 1974 as a
staff scientist. Concurrently, from 1974 to 1981, he served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, and from 1981 to 1988
he served in the same position at the University of Miami. In 1988, while continuing to serve as an adjunct professor of biology at the University of Miami, he assumed the
position of Assistant Director for terrestrial research at STRI. Interested in the dynamics of tropical forests, Smith introduced the use of crane towers to study the forest
canopy.
Nicholas D. Smythe joined STRI in 1970 as a biologist to study tropical mammals. He received his B.A. from University of British Columbia in 1963 and his Ph.D. from University
of Maryland in 1970. His research at STRI focused on the paca and peccary, animals that are widely distributed in Latin America. In 1983, with a grant from the W. Alton Jones
Foundation, Smythe began investigating the behavior and physiology of pacas in captivity with a view toward domesticating them to provide an alternative to cattle grazing.
In 1975, after receiving his Ph.D. in neurobiology and animal behavior from Cornell University in 1972, Donald M. Windsor joined STRI as a computer programmer and data
analyst for the Environmental Monitoring Program. In 1990, he was appointed research biologist and coordinator of the Environmental Sciences Program. He has conducted extensive
research on the ecological and genetic factors influencing the reproductive success of the wasp.
Rolando Perez, Dilia Santamaria, and Eduardo Sierra, students from the University of Panama, Hamilton W. Beltran Santiago and Ernesto Yallico, students from Peru, Zenith
O. Batista, coordinator of the Tropical Forest Dynamics Project, Kaoru Kitajima Okada, STRI predoctoral fellow, Kevin P. Hogan, STRI visiting scientist, and Mirna Samaniego,
a graduate in forestry from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, demonstrated scientific techniques used to study tropical plants. Todd Underwood, a student, demonstrated
procedures for crab behavioral studies. Elias Gonzales, a Panamanian farmer participating in the experimental farm program, Arturo Cerezo, a faculty member from the School
of Agriculture at the University of Panama, and Juvencio Trujillo, an agricultural assistant, showed how the Las Pavas experimental program actually operated.
National Zoological Park and Conservation and Research Center
Interviews conducted at both the NZP and CRC included staff members who participated in various programs to ensure species survival. Larry R. Collins received his B.A.
in biology from Columbia Union College in 1965 and his M.S. in zoology from University of Maryland in 1973. He began his tenure with the NZP in 1967 as an animal keeper in
the Scientific Research Division, and was appointed Supervisory Zoologist in that division in 1969. In 1972 he became Assistant Curator of the Department of Living Vertebrates
at NZP, and from 1973 to 1975 he served as the Associate Curator for the Office of Animal Management. In 1975, Collins was appointed Mammal Curator at CRC.
Scott R. Derrickson completed his B.A. in biology in 1970 from Gettysburg College and his M.S. and Ph.D. in ecology and behavioral biology from University of Minnesota
in 1975 and 1977, respectively. In 1977, he began work as a Research Behaviorist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and continued there until he was appointed Assistant
Curator of ornithology at CRC in 1984. Later that same year, he was appointed Curator of ornithology. Since 1987, he has held that position concurrently with the position
of Deputy Associate Director for Conservation and Captive Breeding.
Theodore H. Reed received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Kansas State College in 1945. He taught veterinary pathology there before working as Assistant State
Veterinarian for Oregon from 1946 to 1948. Between 1948 and 1955 Reed maintained a private veterinary practice in Idaho and Oregon. While practicing with the Rose City Veterinary
Hospital in Portland, Reed was called upon to work with the Portland Zoo's animal collection which led to his career in exotic animal studies and zoo administration. Reed
was appointed as a veterinarian for NZP in 1955. He became acting director of the NZP in 1956 and director in 1958. Reed retired from the directorship position in 1983.
Linwood R. Williamson received his B.S. in wildlife management from Virginia Polytechnic and State University in 1972. He came to CRC in 1978 and began working with birds,
small mammals and hoofstock, as the Biotechnician in charge of the Ungulate Research Facilities.
For additional information on Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, National Zoological Park and Conservation Research Center, see the records of each bureau and oral
history interviews of STRI researchers, administrators, game wardens, and neighbors, and of NZP administrators, located at the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Historical Note:
Scientific efforts to preserve endangered species have focused on either maintenance of a controlled population that ensures genetic diversity or protection of habitat
that ensures viability of a population in the wild. The Smithsonian Institution has sponsored programs using both methods in the study and exhibition of the plant and animal
kingdoms.
In 1923, the Institute for Research in Tropical America established a research laboratory on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) in the Panama Canal Zone to investigate the flora
and fauna of tropical America. In 1946, the laboratory was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution and was renamed the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in 1966.
Under Smithsonian aegis, STRI developed an extensive program of terrestrial and marine research on the tropical environment and special projects to find alternatives to tropical
rainforest destruction and to study the effects of oil spills on the environment. In 1979, STRI assumed responsibility for the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, an extensive
nature preserve which includes BCI and several surrounding peninsulas. STRI also built research facilities in Panama City and on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The National Zoological Park was founded in 1889 in Washington, D.C., "for the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the people." Under the administration
of Director Theodore H. Reed, a major renovation of the park was begun in 1963. Also during the 1960s, in response to rising concerns over endangered species, the NZP established
a research department to study exotic animal physiology and behavior. In 1975, a separate facility for research, and animal breeding and rearing was established at Front Royal,
Virginia, allowing the NZP to become an important part of the international Species Survival Program.
Wetmore, Alexander, 1886-1978, interviewee Search this
Extent:
2 audiotapes (Reference copies). 4 digital .mp3 files (Reference copies).
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Compact discs
Audiotapes
Transcripts
Electronic records
Place:
Barro Colorado Island (Panama)
Date:
1974
Introduction:
The Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives'
record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program
staff conduct interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also interviews conducted
by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Wetmore was interviewed for the Oral History Project because he has made significant scholarly and administrative contributions to the Smithsonian during 50 years of service.
Descriptive Entry:
Wetmore was interviewed by Miriam Freilicher on April 18 and May 8, 1974. The interviews consist of reminiscences of his field work, expeditions for the Biological
Survey, administration, changes, growth and finances of the U.S. National Museum, reminiscences of colleagues, notably John L. Keddy, Louise M. Pearson, and James Zetek, and
the acquisition of the Canal Zone Biological Area.
Historical Note:
Alexander Wetmore (1866-1978), B.A., University of Kansas, 1912 and Ph.D., George Washington University, 1920, pursued a career of ornithological field work beginning
with the U.S.D.A. Bureau of Biological Survey from 1910-1924. After working informally with Smithsonian collections for many years, he was appointed Superintendent of the
National Zoological Park in 1924 and as Assistant Secretary in charge of the U.S. National Museum in 1925. In 1945 he became Secretary of the Institution and during his tenure
oversaw the acquisition of the Canal Zone Biological Area. After his retirement in 1952, he continued as a Research Associate of the Institution. Dr. Wetmore was well-known
for his research and publications of North and South American birds.
![view Covers his education and career as an entomologist, focusing on his experiences in Panama and his work with other scientists affiliated with BCI, c. 1921-1989, including: Early influence of his father, David Fairchild; first trip to the tropics, 1921; ... digital asset: Graham Bell Fairchild, entomologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), is at work in a laboratory, c. 1960s. A microscope sits in front of him on a table. [Image nos. 92-12932 or SIA2011-1338]](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=170&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/electronicresource.gif "Graham Bell Fairchild, entomologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), is at work in a laboratory, c. 1960s. A microscope sits in front of him on a table. [Image nos. 92-12932 or SIA2011-1338]")
![View Covers his education and career as an entomologist, focusing on his experiences in Panama and his work with other scientists affiliated with BCI, c. 1921-1989, including: Early influence of his father, David Fairchild; first trip to the tropics, 1921; ... digital asset: Graham Bell Fairchild, entomologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), is at work in a laboratory, c. 1960s. A microscope sits in front of him on a table. [Image nos. 92-12932 or SIA2011-1338]](https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?max=120&id=https://sirismm.si.edu/siris/electronicresource.gif "Graham Bell Fairchild, entomologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), is at work in a laboratory, c. 1960s. A microscope sits in front of him on a table. [Image nos. 92-12932 or SIA2011-1338]")
