AEOE congratulates our 2011 Howard Bell Award recipient, Helen de la Maza!
A Toast to Helen de la Maza
By Leeta Latham
I’ve known Helen de la Maza for over thirteen years. We met on my first day as a field naturalist for Inside the Outdoors (and here I’ll recap our first meeting for those of you who, like myself, did not have the pleasure of seeing Helen accept the Howard Bell Award). At that first meeting thirteen years ago, I was late and needed to know what field site I was assigned to teach at. I also desperately needed directions. Helen was a field naturalist like myself, who because of her clear talent for curriculum writing, had been pulled from the field and placed in the office to write and help develop curriculum.
She greeted me as I came into the office and was frantically looking for someone to give me directions. I hurriedly told Helen my name and that I was late and needed directions. She said no problem and then asked me if I was a visual or auditory learner. She said if I was a visual learner, she would draw me a map, but if I was an auditory learner, she’d be happy to just tell me how to get there. I admit I was dumbfounded as I walked out of that office with not only both written and auditory directions but also a map because I had no idea what type of learner I am.
Since that morning, I’ve had the pleasure of being able to continue to work with Helen. What I’ve noticed over the years is that Helen’s commitment to teaching and learning has never wavered and has expanded way beyond that day thirteen years ago. There have been so many who have benefited greatly from her passion for the environment and dedication to learning. There have been kids who have gained a greater understanding of their natural environment and the need to protect it. And there have been the slightly more mature students, such as myself or many of you, who have become better teachers because Helen has passed on that steadfast passion for teaching and learning – through not only training other educators, but through her countless hours dedicated to both AEOE and the fields of environmental and outdoor education.
So raise your glass, have the hopper bring you the dining hall’s finest fruit juice, and join me in saying to Helen, “Congratulations and thank you.”
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History of the Howard Bell Award
Never heard of him? Who is he? What did he ever do? These are common questions of members of AEOE. Howard never wrote the “Great Book” on outdoor education, but he could have.
Howard Bell was born October 24, 1907. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Southern California in 1930 and in September joined the Los Angeles Unified School District as a physical education teacher. He became Supervisor of Youth Services at the Junior High level and in doing so inherited the administration of the Clear Creek Forestry Center, the oldest, continuously operated school camp program in this country.
The Clear Creek Forestry Center was first opened in 1924. A disastrous fire that year led the L.A. Board of Education to lease 240 acres of forest land for use as a reforestation center. Mostly boys from the school district would hike into the area on weekends and spend time potting seeds and planting trees. When Howard received responsibility for this site, building had been added including a lodge, pool, kitchen, dining room, and caretaker’s house. The lodge doubled as sleeping area. Howard watched with great interest the development of San Diego’s pilot project in Outdoor Education in 1946 and with an even keener interest the development of the Long Beach Unified Schools program at Hi Hill in 1948. He tried to interest the L.A. Education people in Outdoor Education, but failing this, decided to do it himself.
In 1949, Howard was responsible for forming the L.A. County Committee on Outdoor Education. This committee acted as a professional outlet for people in the field and school districts interested in initiating outdoor education programs.
Recognizing that this committee was limited and had served its purpose by 1952, Howard became a driving force for the creation of the Association for Outdoor Education which became a reality in 1954. Howard served the Association in various roles until his death in 1961. The Howard Bell Award was created by action of the Board of Directors of AOE (now AEOE) in 1961, with Howard as the first recipient.
Previous Howard Bell Award Recipients
Helen de la Maza, 2011
Lisa Curnett, 2010
Pete Devine, 2009
Zayanne Thompson, 2008
Pam Ivie and Kathe Hendrickson, 2007
Rick Mitchell, 2006
Jenny and Marty Rigby, 2005
Stephen “Hoppy” Hopkins, 2004
(not awarded 2003)
Carol Schloo Wright & Dan Allison 2002
George Stratman 2001
Bruce Daub 2000
Joseph Cornell 1999
Bernie Lemm 1998
Banana Slug String Band 1997
Greg Schuett 1996
John Hendrickson 1995
Elna Bakker 1994
Jim Hastings 1993
Ben Bird 1992
Ruth Crew 1991
Norris Beakes 1990
Rudy Schafer 1989
Dan Baker 1988
Don Bielefield 1987
Lela Crockett 1987
Pat Crocker 1986
Marty Marcus 1985
George and Louise Donaldson 1984
Shirley Mason 1983
Fred Partridge 1982
Dean Orahood 1982
Leonard Beeman 1981
Oscar Clark 1980
Josephine Duveneck 1979
Ronald Lang 1978
Michael Johnson 1978
Esther Railton 1977
Richard Brians 1976
Elizabeth Sears
Nanette Sullivan 1974
Charlene McDonald 1973
John Kirk 1972
Ernie McDonald 1971
Bill Hammerman 1970
Ed Pumula 1969
Jane Westenberger 1968
Ken Pike 1967
Don Hammerman 1966
Jack Davidson 1965
L.B. Sharp 1964
Elwood Mitchell 1963
J. Holley Ashcraft 1962
Howard Bell 1961
