Cleve Hallenbeck, et. al.

Undoubtedly no one has ever been more valuable - from a scientific point of view - to Roswell and Pecos Valley in New Mexico than Cleve Hallenbeck, who has been head of the weather Bureau stationed in Roswell since 1915. During this year he was advanced to Scientific Rank on the bureau, in which he has remained continuously, with interests and activities being extended, not only in this work of his chosen profession but in other important scientific and cultural developments.

Mr. Hallenbeck was born at Xenia Illinois, February 4, 1885. His parents were Charles S. Hallenbeck, born at Franklinton, New York, and Frederica Augusta (Schleuter) Hallenbeck - born at Potsdam Germany - a descendant of the old German family of Von [Bleum?].

When an infant three months old Cleve Hallenbeck moved with his parents to a farm near Salem Illinois, where he lived until he was a young man eighteen years old... until 1903. "The next five years in succession", says Mr. Hallenbeck, he was "a railway employee, a grocery clerk, a school teacher, and a Federal employee, thus going, rapidly, from bad to worse."

Even though Mr. Hallenbeck stood high in every subject in his completed high school course at Salem Illinois, and in the Valparaiso University in Indiana, and Armour Institute of Technology, Chicago, he says: "I consider such as time wasted," and states that in his opinion, "the only education worthwhile is that gained in the best University of all - the School of Experience'".

Mr. Hallenbeck entered the service of the U.S. Weather Bureau in 1908. He gained his preliminary training and experience at: "Atlanta, Pueblo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Chicago, Houston and Denver," after which he received his assignment to Roswell, where he has remained ever since and established his permanent home.

Mr. Hallenbeck's hobby is the Spanish history of the Southwest. He is the author of "Spanish Missions of the old Southwest" published in 1926, and in collaboration with Mrs. Hallenbeck, of "Legends of the Spanish Southwest" published in 1938. Many of the splendid illustrations of this book were done by Mr. Hallenbeck.

Among his outstanding scientific contributions that have received National interest and praise are: "The Climatic Factor in Ethnic Divergence", published in 1920, and "Types of Thunderstorm Circulation", published in 1922, which was prepared by request for the "Pilot's Handbook" for Transcontinental air lines. Shorter scientific articles, receiving flattering notice, were, "Sensible Temperatures" (1924) and "The Temperature of Civilization" (1925).

Mr. Hallenbeck is a member of the "New Mexico Historical Society", and is a charter member of the "Advancement of Science and American Meteorological Society" to which he was elected a fellow in 1920, with the distinction of being, at that time, the youngest of thirty-two fellows in a membership of about 1100.

Outstanding characteristics of Mr. Hallenbeck are: frankness and sincerity. He can be depended upon absolutely in advice and cooperation given by him in important business and industrial developments in which his scientific knowledge, and meteorological in training and experience, are invaluable.

He likes a quiet life, is unassuming in manner, and cares nothing for society and education. When he is convinced that a cause is worthy, he is generous and kind, and is firm - in his decisions amounting almost to stubbornness, on any subject whereon his scientific training has to bear.

The scientific and cultural contributions of Mr. Hallenbeck have indeed proved of great value to the community around Roswell and to the State of New Mexico.

Source: Cleve Hallenbeck and Redfield, Georgia B., Roswell, New Mexico (JAN 9 - 1939)