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Reading Nature, Observing Science: Examining Material Practices in the Lick Observatory Archives and Kenneth S. Norris Papers

1973 Natural History Class at Kelso Dunes

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2. Edward Barnard observing the night sky at the 6" Willard lens, 1894 "On chilly or cold nights I wore an Esquimaux coat made of reindeer skin, and heavy rubber overshoes. Frequently, on bringing the eye to the telescope on such nights, a spark would discharge with a slight shock between the eye and the eyepiece. This was extremely annoying, and finally became so disagreeable that it was found convenient frequently to touch the metal of the instrument...the probable explanation of this phenomenon is that it is due to the fur coat and the insulation of the rubber overshoes, the body becoming electrically charged like a Leyden jar." - Barnard in "Photographs of the Milky Way and Comets," 1913
5. Environmental Field Program, Photograph by Tom O'Leary (circa 1979)
6. S.W. Burnham's Scrapbook
9. "Poets in the Field: The Natural History Field Quarter" Science Notes Vol 4.1 (December 1977) Interview with Dan Warrick, a student in the 1977 Natural History Field Quarter, that highlights the interdisciplinarity of the class. Warrick states that the Field Quarter was based on a “poetic outlook,” wherein students were encouraged to use thoughts and feelings as well as scientific knowledge, all of which was recorded in daily journals, in order to better understand the natural world. According to Warrick, the class was based on a blend of scientific and poetic approaches to studying nature. This campus publication also includes a poem written by Warrick himself about his experience in the Field Quarter.

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Natural History Field Quarter During his time as professor of natural history at UC Santa Cruz, Norris created the Natural History Field Quarter, a course which is still offered by the university's Environmental Studies Department. This popular field course focuses on the natural history of California, as students are immersed in different habitats across the state in order to gain first-hand experience in field observations naturalist work. Norris's Field Quarter, which was often co-taught with environmental studies Professor Stephen R. Gliessman, consisted of four field trips that were approximately five to ten days long. These trips involved lengthy rides on the university bus to sites such as the Granite Mountains in the Mojave Desert, Big Creek in Big Sur, Santa Cruz Island of the Channel Islands, Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, Kelso Dunes in the Mojave Desert, and Lake Mono of the Eastern Sierra.

Norris taught the Natural History Field Quarter from its first offering in 1973 up until his retirement from UCSC in 1990.