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CENTER FOR ADVANCED STUDY IN THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
202 Junipero Serra Boulevard * Stanford, California 94305 Telephone (415) 321-2052
31 December 1967
Dr. Karel Be. Absolon
2714 West 10th St.
Amirillo, Texas
Dear Dr. Absolon
Your letter of the 8th was misplaced, but here in a great year-end cleanup I
find it. Sorry I didn't answer sooner.
I see now that one reason I didn't answer immediately iw because I know
nothing about Oklahoma caves. I will write to a friend of mine in Austin,
Texas, to see if he can give you advice and perhaps make some arrangements
for Otto. There are some fantastic caves in Texas, and a very active group
of cavers there- It is possible that they might make some arrangements to
show Otto ground.
You say that he can leave for Kentucky on Feb. 29th (or is that March lst?, I
have no 1968 calandar yet). And then go on the 4th of March. That would place
him at Mammoth Cave National Park over the weekend of March 2nd or 3rd. I believe
that we could have some people there to show him some of our Flint Ridge Cave
System then. It is probable that our people could be there only on Saturday
and Sunday, but should he be there also on Friday and Monday, he would be able
to fill his time quite satisfactorily in the commercial tours in Mammoth Cave.
(I'm sure the Supt. of the Park will give him free passes; I've already written
to him about this.) There is also a private commercial cave in the vicinity which
is managed by good friends of mine, and they would probably show Otto around some.
I think I indicated that I sent Otto official Cave Research Foundation invitations,
and also letters (copies) which I had sent to the Park, to the Director of the
Institute of Speleology at the Univ. of Kentucky, and so on. There is no
school close enough to the Park to make it feasible to get him a lecturing
invitation. But he does have an official invitation to come to Kentucky to
participate in "comparative studies" with our Foundation, or somesuch, I forget
exactly how I worded it.
Now that we have some notion of dates, we can make some plans. I will write to
my friend in Texas, and to the president of the Cave Research Foundation in Ohio,
and between them perhaps they can work out an itinerary for Otto. Perhaps they
will write to you, but in any case, you'll hear from me again with some plan
for Otto's visit to Kentucky.
Sincerely
Richard A. Watson