BNC selects a Berkeley cultural treasure to feature in each eNEWS issue. As we advised you in our May eNEWS, BNC has expanded this section so that we now consider businesses, activities, architecture and events, and people that make the City of Berkeley such a special place. Whatever or whoever is nominated for this section must reside in or have a strong connection with Berkeley, and nominated by a Berkeley resident who has no connection, other than that of an ordinary patron of, or a participant in whatever is being nominated, or does not have a special relationship to whomever he/she is nominating. If whatever or whoever is nominated is advised of the nomination prior to publication, it must be made clear to the nominee that nomination does not automatically mean selection. The Newsletter Committee determines selections and in the majority of cases, the descriptions/comments about the selection will be published anonymously. Submissions may be sent to newsletter@berkeleyneighborhoodscouncil.com. BNC will notify the selected treasure.
In this issue, BNC has selected a person and a UC Berkeley fraternity. We’ve selected both because as impressive as the person’s work is, the unnamed members of his fraternity helped to make that work possible. Honoring a fraternity may seem somewhat puzzling to at least a few of our readers since, to put it diplomatically, fraternities have not always been known for their neighborliness or their positive cultural/historical contributions to the community. Well, BNC has come across some evidence to the contrary and we think it worthy for the post for this July issue. Our selection is …
Stephen Mather and Sigma Chi Fraternity
2345 College Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94704
It seems that back in 1992, the Daily Californian printed the following:
The Sigma Chi fraternity’s UC Berkley chapter was recently discovered to be the birthplace of the National Park Service (emphasis added by BNC)
Now that’s impressive!
Stephen Mather was born in San Francisco in 1867, attended Lowell High School, and from there went on to UC Berkeley where he became a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and received a Bachelor of Letters degree in 1887. He apparently was a rather gifted salesman who became a millionaire as president and owner of the Thorkildsen-Mather Borax Company and branded the name “20 Mule Team Borax.” His visits to parks in Europe inspired him to preserve more parkland in the United States, find ways for more people to visit national parks and monuments, and work to protect scenic resources and natural areas for the public good.
He submitted a proposal in 1915 to Congress for restructuring the national park system, and then organized a national convention which was held on the Cal campus. Almost all of the attendees were housed at the Sigma Chi fraternity house on the corner of Channing and College Avenues.
Up to 1915, the national parks were apparently used mostly for military training. The work of Mr. Mather and the convention changed that. The Daily Cal quotes Armando Quintero, Bay Area District Ranger as saying:
Many of the traditions and early people involved in the service came directly from Mather’s experiences and contacts at Sigma Chi.
One example cited was the incorporation of the University’s “senior hat” into the rangers’ uniform.
Following the convention, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill on August 25, 1916 that authorized the National Park Service (NPS). Stephen Mather became the first director of the NPS in 1917 and held that post until 1929 when he retired.
He was named an honorary Vice President of the Sierra Club in 1916, was a friend of John Muir and as NPS’s Director put his talents as a super salesman to get people to visit our National Parks and Monuments. Many places are named after him — Mather Point on the south rim of Grand Canyon, Camp Mather in Yosemite, Mt. Mather in Denali National Park and Mather Pass in Kings Canyon to name a few.
He is quoted as saying:
Who will gainsay that the parks contain the highest potentialities of national pride, national contentment, and national health? A visit inspires love of country; begets contentment; engenders pride of possession; contains the antidote for national restlessness….He is a better citizen with a keener appreciation of the privilege of living here who has toured the national parks.
And to think it all was born in Berkeley on College Avenue.