Homage to a ‘naturalist’

BENTONVILLE — Few things brought more pleasure to Neil Compton’s life than hiking and canoeing along the Buffalo River. He navigated the river’s waters for years, pulling his steel canoe onto the banks to camp at night.

The Peel Compton Foundation offered a weekend of activities for those wishing to celebrate Dr. Neil Compton’s 100th birthday and pubic opening of the Neil Compton Exhibit Room. The space, developed with help from the University Libraries’ Special Collections Department, holds his trusty steel canoe, his walking stick and other artifacts of Compton’s time on the river. The canoe was found in a dusty storage shed some years ago and donated to the foundation for safekeeping and eventual display.

Also on Saturday, the Ozark Society celebrated its 40th, and the Buffalo River celebrated its 50th as a National Park River. Compton Founded the Ozark Society in 1962 to advocate for the preservation of the Buffalo River as a free-flowing, undammed river.

“It is hard to classify which of these three events is the most significant,” Tim Nutt, interim head of special collections at UA Libraries. “Neil Compton was a tremendous force behind the Ozark Society [in addition to others] and the creation of the Buffalo National River. The old adage ‘one man can make a difference’ is certainly aprapo in this instance, but all three are significant.

“Without Neil Compton, our state and nation would not have one of the greatest natural treasures. Imagine our lives without the wild, free-flowing Buffalo?,” Nutt added.
 
Some other related information was free-flowing from all directions.Donald Wleklinski, University of Arkansas clinical instructor of nursing, gave a presentation on the positive effects of exposure to the outdoors on children and adults. Also, Ellen Compton, special collections archivist and daughter of Dr. Compton, showed images of Compton’s early life in a show titled Neil Compton: Native-Born Naturalist.

There was such a run on that session, that organizers had to quickly schedule a second showing to quiet the mob. Simultaneously, a 1963 film by Compton was available for screening. followed by the UA film produced about by Larry Foley, Buffalo Flows. Testimonials about Compton and roots music went on past 5 p.m.