Sensing a lack of sanitation facilities in the somewhat barren desert, Dr. Jaeger decided on an "all-male" gathering. This system has worked out well, as the fall of 1993 will host the 75th Palaver. Also, two of those original 48, Bill Wells and R.W. Arbogast, still attend regularly. Three others, Lloyd Smith, Walter Ott and Dave Coffman, attend whenever possible. To help celebrate the 50th Palaver, fall of 1979, the "Palaver Shoulder Patch" was introduced. To be eligible for the patch, ten Palavers must be attended. To date, 1993, over one-hundred patches have been awarded. This all-male tradition allows working fathers to become better acquainted with their sons, with occasionally three generations - son, father, grandfather - attending.

Beginning as an annual event in the fall, this soon proved inadequate and invitations were sent out in the spring as well. The early Palavers were strictly a weekend event with participants arriving Saturday afternoon in time to settle in, then enjoy the communal campfire and program after the evening meal. The nature walk was enjoyed on Sunday morning, led of course, by Dr. Jaeger. Now many arrive a couple of days before the main event.

As years passed changes occured. With the introduction of a generator for electricity on the 22nd Palaver, April 1966, slide-illustrated programs are now scheduled for the evening. The communal campfire is relegated to individual camp sites. The nature walk has become a Saturday afternoon event. Sundays are spent either in camp or perhaps driving via caravan to some nearby point of interest on the desert.

By the spring of 1972, with Dr. Jaeger past his 85th birthday, others were called upon to assist with the nature hike and other Palaver activities. Lloyd Smith, Oscar Clarke, Earl Lathrop and Bruce Trotter are well qualified naturalists to lead the nature walks, and Jack Harris takes care of the administrative details. Attending Palaverites volunteer for the Saturday evening programs.

The Palavers are a team effort. John Luthey is in charge of printing the invitations while Raeburn Solberg supplies the printed address labels. This is not a card-carrying, dues-paying organization. An occasional donation takes care of any expenses.

With the ringing of the cow bell that Dr. Jaeger found many years ago in Baja California, the afternoon program begins. It is at this time that the Palver patches are awarded. A raffle is also held by drawing a number from a pot. The winner is determined by the line upon which he signed the registration book. Prizes are keepsakes found in Dr. Jaeger's garage after his death: books, pictures, household items, etc.

It is during this period and before the afternoon nature walk that the talents and interests of various Palaverites are displayed in a sort of "show and tell" session. Bill Clardy has exhibited line drawings and water colors; Rex Waggoner, his artistic talent in bronze, ceramic sculpturing and paintings; authentic Indian tepees have been set up by Dick Deiner; we have had rocket launching demonstrations by the team of Eugene Lazar and his son Jamie; Bob Sanders, Curator of Herpetology for the San Bernardino County Museum at Redlands, has brought freeze-dried reptiles, while Lauren Anderson has displayed cases of beautifully mounted beetles. There seems no end to the talents of Palverites.

An even wider display of talent is exhibited during the Saturday evening slide programs. From the sun-drenched sands of the Sahara and Namib Deserts to the frozen wastes of Antarctica; from the lowest point in Death Valley to the top of Mt. Whitney; the Grand Canyon has been crossed and recrossed; Baja California and Mexico traversed; the flora and fauna of Dr. Jaeger's deserts have been shown, along with Dr. Jaeger himself. There is no shortage of program material among the Palaverites.

Many interesting places have been visited as a Sunday morning activity: the Early Man diggings near Yermo; Solar Energy # 1 near Barstow; the trilobite deposits near Cima; following the Bradshaw Trail along the southern border of Riverside County; the fish traps near Valerie Jean; and lately, the Landers earthquake escarpment along the Emerson Fault, to name just a few.

The legacy of the Palavers continues as instilled in the Palaverites by Dr. Edmund C. Jaeger; a dedication to the preservation of the desert ecosystem; the realization that we are temporary guests in a fragile environment which needs all the protection it can get; we only learn from living specimens so preserve the plant and animal life found therein; keep the unpolluted air in its pristine cleanliness - no smoking; keep an ear attuned to nature's voice, not some mechanical device; maintain a clear mind to learn all these things - alcoholic beverages are discouraged and are not a part of the legend.