The Botanists at Crater Lake National Park by Elizabeth L. Horn

Constance (1909-2001), a fellow student of Wynd under the enthusiastic direction of Louis F. Henderson at the University of Oregon (Love 2000), worked as a seasonal naturalist at Crater Lake in 1931 and 1932 (Ertter 2001). In addition to continuing work begun by Wynd, Constance wrote Nature Notes, in which he described several park wildflower displays, including those at Castle Crest. His whimsical bent was revealed by an article entitled “Flowers, Where the Scene-shifter–Nature–Is Always Busy” (Constance 1931). His more serious side was displayed when he advocated Crater Lake National Park as an ideal place for scientific study, arguing that the geologic beauty of the park is not more important than the “manifold fields for scientific investigation which it offers” (Constance 1932). While at Crater Lake Constance kept a few labeled specimens for visitors to identify and regularly led Rim caravans. Although one of his assignments while a seasonal employee was to compile a flora checklist, other chores prevented him from completing the list (S. Mark, pers. comm.).