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Society News Archive (2002) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dec 14, 2002 |
From the Executive Secretary The November issue of The Specialist contained The Minutes from our annual meeting held on October 11 through 13th at The 2002 Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. Also contained in the November issue were the Committee reports. I would like to add a few comments about the show and our annual get-together. On Friday afternoon Paul Bourke gave a slide presentation on Washington- Franklin Postal History. That evening about 30 USSS members and guests drove to a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner and stamp talk. On Saturday prior to our annual meeting Jeff Shapiro presided over a Prexie Issue Era meeting. That evening at the awards banquet, The United States Stamp Society's Southgate award for best U.S. 19th Century exhibit went to Peter G. DuPuy for his exhibit "30 and 90 Cent U.S. 1861 Issue." The Hopkinson Award for best U.S. 20th Century exhibit went to Clyde Jennings for his exhibit "The Half-A Collection." The Statue of Freedom Medal went to Dr. Vernon R. Morris, Jr., for his exhibit "Fighting the Feds in Philadelphia." USSS members won a total of ten Golds, four Vermeils, one Silver, one Silver-Bronze, and one Bronze in the multi-frame exhibit competition and one Gold, two Vermeils, and one Silver-Bronze in the single frame competition. Some of the members who stopped by our table to assist in recruiting and selling USSS publications or just stopped by to socialize included:
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Dec 14, 2002 |
Annual Dues The Holiday Season is fast approaching. If you haven't sent in your dues for 2003, please do so before you forget. You receive a $3.00 discount off the $25.00 annual dues only if you pay by December 31st. Order your 2003 bound volume of The Specialist for Spring, 2004 delivery when you pay your dues if you want a copy. Also remember to send your free classified word ads directly to The Specialist Editor. The Society has a Hardship Fund for those who are unable to pay their annual dues because of job layoffs or other hardships. If you find yourself in one of these situations, let me know and I will arrange for your dues to be paid for 2003. We don't want to lose anyone because of the poor economy or other unfortunate situations. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Dec 14, 2002 |
John S. Meek Named as Recipient of 2001 Hopkinson Memorial Award John S. Meek of Boulder, Colorado, has been named as the recipient of the 2001 Walter W. Hopkinson Memorial Award, given annually to the author of the best article or series of articles published in The United States Specialist, the monthly journal of the United States Stamp Society. Meek, a long-time member of the Society, a prolific contributor to The Specialist and Chairman of the Society's Marginal Markings Committee, had four articles in the Society's journal during 2001, all of which were considered together by the award committee. Each of the articles dealt with a different aspect of "selvage" of United States postal issues, from press markings used in the early twentieth century, to digitized bar codes on our more recent stamps. (more...) |
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Dec 14, 2002 |
Show Report: New York Mega Show - October 24-27, 2002 By Nicholas Lombardi The four day New York Mega Show was held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue between 33rd and 35th Streets in Manhattan. The show offered the Dealers Choice competitive invitation exhibition along with a bourse of dealers and philatelic societies. The United States Stamp Society was represented by a booth next to the exhibit area. Visitors were offered an opportunity to learn about our organization. A supply of journals, publications, research papers and reprints and our buttons with the United States Stamp Society name and logo were available for viewing and purchase. Prominently featured was an attractive United States Stamp Society banner and a sign noting our web-site usstamps.org. During the show, several membership applications were handed out to visitors and seven new members were signed up. On Saturday, Ted Reall, Society member from Rhode Island, gave the presentation, "WWII: A Chronology and Postal History." His talk was well attended and enjoyed by all. The show also featured First Days for not one, but three different U.S. issues. On the opening day, the "Hawaiian Missionaries" sheet containing four stamps was issued. The ceremony was attended by more than 200 people. The following day, the 37¢ versions of both the "Happy Birthday" stamp and the "Greetings From America" sheet containing fifty stamps were issued, although no ceremonies were held for these. The total of fifty-five different stamps issued in two days kept the first day people very busy. Members who signed in at the table were mainly from the surrounding area, but we were pleased to see members from as far away as Ohio. The following members stopped by the table to assist and/or visit:
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Dec 14, 2002 |
Stamps For The Wounded Seeks Donations Stamps For The Wounded, founded by Ernie Kehr in 1942, exists to provide stamps, covers and other philatelic materials to Armed Forces Veterans, who use them to occupy their time productively, and to develop goals that keep up interest in the hobby, and in life itself. As SFTW completes its 60th year, they ask stamp collectors to remember SFTW's work as you dispose of philatelic material. They need material throughout the year, but it is especially welcome as Fall is followed by Holiday time. SFTW now serves thousands of in- and out-patients, through organized clubs and occupational therapy programs in Veterans Hospitals and Convalescent Centers nationwide. Stamps of all kinds, covers, philatelic literature, and supplies of all types, in any quantity, are needed. Tax deductible cash donations are also helpful to finance stamp supplies and the postage costs of sending out our parcels. SFTW is an authorized non-profit organization, sponsored by Lions International. Donations may be sent to SFTW/LI at P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041. Donations for which a tax receipt is requested should include a rough inventory or listing with a valuation according to catalogue value, or on some other reasonable basis. An informational pamphlet will be sent on request. Contact SFTW Vice President John Hotchner at the Falls Church, VA address given above. |
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Nov 4, 2002 |
Dues Mailing You will soon be receiving your membership renewal notice for 2003. We would appreciate your help in sending in your 2003 dues early, before you become too busy with the holiday season. You can also order a bound volume of the 2003 United States Specialist for delivery in 2004. Please remember that The United States Specialist and USSS membership is on a calendar year basis. To avoid missing an issue of the journal, please renew before the end of the year and take a $3 discount from the yearly dues of $25. Many members give additional contributions for the work of the Society. The continued generosity of our members who make additional contributions allows our society to provide in-depth research information monthly as well as the popular Research Papers, Reprints, and books published for our members. We would like to recognize those members who contribute to the Sustaining, Contributing, and Patron levels by listing them in our journal. If, however, you wish to contribute but remain anonymous, there is a place to so indicate on the dues notice. Your Society's operations require a lead time of four to five weeks to process address changes and renewals so that The Specialist is mailed to the correct address in a timely manner. When members do not renew until February or March, continuation of The Specialist is not guaranteed. The restarting of the journal to a delinquent dues payer adds expense. Please let us know if you plan to drop your membership, too.
- Larry Ballantyne |
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Nov 4, 2002 |
Here's a Good Deal! A major expense for the United States Stamp Society is postage. Each year the official business of the USSS requires approximately $2,000 in postage. Discount postage usually sells for 75% of face value. Any member who wishes to make a contribution of discount postage will receive a tax deductible contribution for the full face value of the postage plus mailing costs (including insurance). Please mail discount postage to the treasurer for distribution, or drop it off at any show where the USSS has a society table. A receipt indicating the amount of your tax-deductible, charitable contribution will be sent for all contributions in excess of $5.
- David Sugar, Treasurer |
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Nov 4, 2002 |
United States Stamp Society General Membership Meeting Minutes October 12, 2002 - King of Prussia, PA President Jay Stotts called the meeting to order at 1 PM. He then asked those present to introduce themselves. Jay encouraged those present to stop at the Society table to view materials, sign in, and chat with other members. George Wagner moved to have the minutes of the annual meeting held January 20, 2001 in Tucson approved. (These minutes were published in the March, 2001 Specialist.) Second by Jeff Shapiro. Passed. Executive Secretary, Larry Ballantyne, reported that membership the past three years has stayed around 1900 members. This year it may drop three to four per cent, partly due to the economy, and also because the Society has not had a presence at as many shows this year as last. In 2001 the Society added 143 members. Of these 50 were through Rod Juell's efforts as Recruiting Chairman; 43 were from various shows, and 25 were generated from the website. Larry encouraged the group to make people aware of the USSS when others express an interest in United States collecting. Rod added that those who trade on eBay or other trading venues could add a tag line mentioning the Society and including the website address. Larry added that dues notices are at the printer and should be out in early November. (more...) |
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Oct 8, 2002 |
USSS Annual Meeting Our Annual Meeting will be held at the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition, October 11-13, 2002 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia. A schedule of events at PNSE of interest to USSS members follows. Check the show program or the USSS table at the show for locations and additional information:
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Oct 8, 2002 |
Prexie Era Group to Meet at PNSE The annual meeting of the Prexie-Era Study Committee will be held at the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition in association with the United States Stamp Society's annual conference. Plans include a seminar and a cover swap to be held on Saturday, October 12th, 11AM. Collectors and anyone interested in the 1938 Presidential Series, the Transport Airmail Series and the Famous American Series are invited to attend and participate. |
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Oct 8, 2002 |
USSS At Mega-Event The USSS will be hosting a table at the Fall Mega-Event in New York. The Show is scheduled for October 24 through 27, 2002. It will be held at the Javits Center located at 35th Street and 11th Avenue in New York City. Nick Lombardi will be coordinating the staffing of our table for the event. If you plan to be at the show and would be willing to help out for an hour or two, please contact Nick at P.O. Box 1005, Mountainside, NJ 07092, or by phone at 908-233-3045 or by e-mail. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. |
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Oct 8, 2002 |
Two Added to APS Writers Unit Hall of Fame The APS Writers Unit is proud to announce the induction of two outstanding writers to its Hall of Fame. The induction of living recipient Jack Beachboard and Hugh Southgate (1871-1940) took place during the August 17 Writers Unit Breakfast at the American Philatelic Society's annual convention, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. John H. "Jack" Beachboard served the United Postal Stationery Society as editor of five editions of the United States Postal Card Catalog, through nearly half of the Society's 57 year existence. He developed the 2000 Catalog, his last, to a volume of 470 information-packed pages; a 60 page increase over 1995 alone. But it is not quantity of production alone that recommends this honoree as a stand-out; it is his high level of scholarship; his original research that makes the Catalog a premier reference, and his attention to the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the Catalog, that are noteworthy. The totality of his work sets a high standard for catalog editors throughout our hobby. Hugh Southgate set the tone of scholarship for the first ten years for the Bureau Issues Association's fledgling magazine, which became known as The Bureau Specialist (now The United States Specialist of the United States Stamp Society). Southgate, in addition to being a founding member and the first president of BIA, contributed two and three items per month addressing technical aspects of U.S. philately, based on a growing set of relationships with both technical people at, and the leadership of, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The quality of his writing can best be summed up by noting that he specialized in making the complex comprehensible; and in so doing, he helped to educate a generation of specialists to know, understand and appreciate our country's stamps. The APS Writers Unit Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to honor outstanding philatelic writers of the past and present. It now includes just over 100 of the most renowned contributors to philatelic literature: men and women who from the earliest days of our hobby have recorded its history, researched and presented the history of stamps and the mails, and entertained and confirmed the interests of generations of stamp collectors. No more than two nominees are selected for induction at each of two Writers Breakfasts held in association with APS shows each year. A list of Hall of Fame members is available for a stamped addressed envelope from Hall of Fame Committee Chairman John Hotchner, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125. Nominations for future consideration are welcome. They should be accompanied by biographic information and a description of the work that the nominator believes places the nominee in the top rank of contributors to philatelic literature. |
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Sep 1, 2002 |
Message From the Chairman In October the Society will hold its Annual Membership Meeting at the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition in King of Prussia, PA. This event will be a welcome respite from a year of enormous stress and turmoil. We are living in a world that has changed dramatically. Just three years ago at this time we were worrying if clocks and computers would cease to work on the eve the New Year. Oh, if life were that simple again. The last time our nation suffered so great a crisis of confidence and threat of war was seven decades ago. That was also the golden age of stamp collecting. I am not expecting the youth of our world will abandon their "game-boys" and computers. I would suggest, however, that the enjoyment of our hobby is of immeasurable value these days. For those members who have not recently attended a show hosting our Annual meeting, I urge you to come to Philadelphia for this event. The show usually offers the best in United States exhibitions and dealer material. The traditional Friday evening dinner get-together is always great fun and an opportunity to meet and make friends. The members of the Board of Governors look forward to meeting you in Philadelphia. - Roger S. Brody |
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Aug 3, 2002 |
Warren R. Bower, 1922-2002 Warren Bower was born on February 10, 1922 in Fontanelle, Iowa and passed away June 4, 2002 in Greenfield, Iowa at the age of 80. He attended Fontanelle Public Schools and attended Iowa State College in Ames graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1944. He was a commissioned in the Naval Air Corp as an aviation engine specialist and was on active duty from June, 1944 to August, 1946 and then spent ten years in the Naval Reserve. Warren married Jean Newberry in 1948 and they were the parents of two daughters, Jill and JoAnn. Warren worked for Thompson Products in Cleveland, Ohio on B29 engine research; Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington testing B47 hydraulic systems; Chemco in Los Angeles, California on water purification and as a swimming pool engineer; Amana Refrigeration in Amana, Iowa; and Whirlpool Corp in Evansville, Indiana and St. Paul, Minnesota as a project engineer on freezers, refrigerators and dishwashers. He had various patents issued for his designs that are still used today by the refrigeration industry. He retired in 1979 from Whirlpool. Warren was always interested in stamps and was considered an expert on U.S. postage due issues and their reasons for use. He co-authored books on such and has had over 60 articles in national stamp magazines, including a few dozen in The Specialist. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion, Pi Kappa Alpha, American Philatelic Society, Bureau Issues Association/United States Stamp Society, U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, Trans-Misssissippi Philatelic Society, Iowa Postal History Society and the Postage Due Study Group. |
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Aug 3, 2002 |
Stephen W. Ekstrom, 1953-2002 Steve Ekstrom was born in Hartford, Connecticut and passed away June 23, 2002. He received his B.S. Degree from Central Connecticut State College and his Masters Degree from the University of New Haven in Taxation. He had retired from the Internal Revenue Service and was a self-employed independent tax consultant. He is survived by his mother, two brothers, a sister-in-law and four nephews and nieces. He was a former instructor at Manchester Community College, commissioner for the Cromwell Fire District and a director for the Capitol Region Federal Credit Union in Wethersfield. An avid lifelong philatelist, Steve was a former officer and active member of the Middletown-Portland Stamp Club. He was a member of the Manchester Stamp Society and was president of the Connecticut Postal History Society. He had formed a fabulous U.S. #65 postal history collection which he exhibited world-wide, then sold it and devoted his philatelic interests to the Transport Airmails and won golds for his exhibit. A few years ago, Steve purchased G.H. Davis' Transport exhibit and was busy incorporating the material into what would have been a definitive study of the issue. |
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Jul 8, 2002 |
Plan Now to Attend the USSS National Meeting There's still plenty of time to make plans to join the Society and attend our annual meeting to be held in conjunction with the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. The gathering will be at the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania on October 11-13, 2002. Now is a great time to make hotel reservations. The show hotel will be the Radisson Valley Forge, which is in the same complex as the Valley Forge Convention Center. The show room rate is $109. To reserve a room at the special show rate, call the hotel directly at (610) 337-2000. Ask for the PNSE rate. It's also a great time to enter your exhibit in the open competition. An exhibitor's prospectus may be obtained from PNSE Exhibits, P.O. Box 43146, Philadelphia, PA 19129. Traditionally the USSS supports the host show with nearly 100 frames of exhibits of quality U.S. material from our members. We would like to encourage all of our members who exhibit to request a prospectus and join us in Philadelphia with your exhibit. Frame fees are $10 each or $2 each for junior exhibitors. The USSS will hold our annual General Membership meeting on Saturday at 1 PM. A two-hour Board Meeting will be scheduled for 8 AM Saturday morning. Paul Bourke of the USSS will present a slide show on Washington-Franklin Postal History and the Prexie Issue Committee will hold a meeting at the show. The interest is not limited to just the Prexie Issue, but extends to include other issues of the era such as the Transports and Famous Americans. We hope to see many of our members at the show, so plan now to attend and enjoy the activities. (Click here for the current schedule.) |
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Jul 8, 2002 |
Wanted: Modern Stamp Collectors With the flood of new issues in recent years from the U.S. Postal Service, there is much material to collect and study. Sadly, very little of this material has been described in The Specialist. Are you one of those collectors with an interest in this material in all its variety? We want to hear from you - to tell the rest of our membership about the interesting and collectible aspects of recent U.S. stamps. There are stories waiting to be told; for example, see the article on the new Bison coils in this issue. You can be the one to tell the story of your favorite collecting specialty. Contact the Editor about your interests and tell us about your favorite modern U.S. stamps. |
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Jun 12, 2002 |
2002 Annual Meeting - Philadelphia, PA The United States Stamp Society is in the final stages of planning our annual meeting to be held in conjunction with the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. The venue will be the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, on October 11-13, 2002. In addition to the USSS, the United Postal Stationery Society, the Pennsylvania Postal History Society and the International Society for Portuguese Philately will also convene at the PNSE. An exhibitor's prospectus may be obtained from PNSE Exhibits, P.O. Box 43146, Philadelphia, PA 19129 or the web address: http://home.att.net/~pnse. Traditionally the USSS supports the host show with nearly 100 frames of exhibits of quality U.S. material from our members. We would like to encourage all of our members who exhibit to request a prospectus and join us in Philadelphia with your exhibit. Frame fees are $10 each or $2 each for junior exhibitors. (more...) |
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May 2, 2002 |
Larry Weiss Receives 2000 Hopkinson Memorial Award Larry S. Weiss of Naperville, Illinois, has been selected to receive the Walter W. Hopkinson Memorial Award for the best article or series of articles published in The United States Specialist during 2000. Weiss' article, "Detecting Watermarks," appeared in the October and November, 2000, issues of The United States Specialist, the monthly journal of the United States Stamp Society. The award is given annually by the Society. (more...) |
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May 2, 2002 |
Show Report: New York Mega Show April 4-7, 2002 by Nicholas Lombardi The four day New York Mega Show was held at Pier 88 located at 50th Street and 12th Avenue in Manhattan right next to the Intrepid Air & Sea Museum. The Spring Mega Show was a WSP-qualifying show and 31 exhibits comprising 180 frames were shown in competition. Twelve of the exhibits were of U.S. material. The Society's Statue of Freedom Award was won by Nick Lombardi's "The 1903 Washington Shield Issue." The bourse was made up of 85 dealers and nine philatelic societies. The United States Stamp Society was represented at a table in a location near the exhibit area. Visitors were offered an opportunity to learn about our organization. A supply of journals, publications, research papers and reprints and our new buttons with the society logo and our new name, United States Stamp Society, were available for viewing and purchase. Prominently featured was an attractive United States Stamp Society banner and a sign noting our web-site. During the show membership applications were handed out to visitors. Also, our Chairman, Rodger S. Brody, a presentation on Saturday morning entitled "Handling the Mail at the Turn of the 20th Century" which was well attended. The following members stopped by the table to assist and/or visit: |
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Apr 3, 2002 |
Severn, Sloane Added to Writers Unit Hall of Fame The APS Writers Unit announced the induction of two outstanding writers of the early 20th century to its Hall of Fame. The induction of Charles E. Severn (1872-1929) and George B. Sloane (1898-1958) took place during the February 10 Writers Unit Breakfast at the American Philatelic Society's annual Winter show, in Riverside, California. Charles Severn is best remembered as a guiding force, first as a writer from its first number in 1891, and later as editor and publisher, of Mekeel's Weekly Stamp News. As previous Writers Unit Hall of Fame inductee Fred Melville noted, "...of the young editors of those days nearly all were transient, Severn alone endured and established a record which will remain ever green in the Annals of Philatelic Journalism." It is a fact that this was an era of short-lived periodicals; some that lasted only one issue, and others that endured for one or a few years before folding. That Mekeel's survived and prospered was in no small measure a testament to Charles Severn's writing and editing skills.
The APS Writers Unit Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to honor outstanding philatelic writers of the past and present. It now includes just over 100 of the most renowned contributors to philatelic literature; men and women who from the earliest days of our hobby, have recorded its history, researched and presented the history of stamps and the mails, and entertained and confirmed the interests of generations of stamp collectors. No more than two nominees are selected for induction at each of two Writers Breakfasts held in association with APS shows each year. A list of Hall of Fame members is available for a stamped addressed envelope from Hall of Fame Committee Chairman John Hotchner, P.O. Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041-0125. Nominations for future consideration are welcome. They should be accompanied by biographic information and a description of the work that the nominator believes places the nominee in the top rank of contributors to philatelic literature. |
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Apr 3, 2002 |
Paul Bourke to be Featured Speaker at Annual Meeting Paul Bourke of Ashland, Massachusetts will deliver a color slide presentation entitled "Washington-Franklin Postal History" at the annual USSS meeting. The annual meeting will be held in conjunction with the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition, October 11-13, at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Bourke has been accumulating Washington-Franklin postal history for more than twenty-five years. There are two key aspects to his collection that will be illustrated in his presentation. First, it includes a complete "face different" set of Washington-Franklin stamps commercially used in the era when they were generally current. Second, the collection includes at least one example of every usage set forth in the Beecher-Wawrukiewicz domestic and international postal rate books. The collection also includes special sections detailing ship usages, territorial usages, offices outside the US, usages by military forces, and revenue usages. Among the key items to be shown from the collection are the 5¢ red error used on first class mail just prior to the onset of the War Emergency rates of 1917; five copies of the 2¢ blue paper stamp on a registered, special delivery cover from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Md.; a parcel tag to Sweden bearing two copies of the 50¢ Washington head stamp and several items franked with AEF booklet pane stamps used in France. Bourke has written many articles on the Washington-Franklin specialty for publications including The United States Specialist, The American Philatelist and the Machine Cancel Forum. In real life he is a philatelist who fills his days working in the advertising specialties business. |
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Mar 2, 2002 (updated Apr 2, 2002) |
Plans Under Way for 2002 Annual Meeting Plans are currently under way for the 2002 annual meeting of the United States Stamp Society. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. The Philadelphia committee is currently finalizing details of the show. The venue will return to a former location, the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Planned show dates are October 11-13. We are expecting an excellent show as the United Postal Stationery Society, the Pennsylvania Postal History Society and the International Society for Portuguese Philately will also convene. A prospectus is now available for exhibitors. Your completed exhibit prospectus can be sent to the show e-mail address or by mail to Stephen S. Washburne, PNSE, P.O. Box 43146, Philadelphia, PA, 19129-3146. Mr. Washburne's personal e-mail and phone number are available with the PNSE entry form if you have any questions. The Philadelphia committee reports that there is a Radisson Hotel in the same complex as the Valley Forge Convention Center and shuttle service between the area and the Philadelphia airport. The show room rate is $109 [Call hotel directly - 610-337-2000]. The committee also reports that more moderate priced motels are located nearby but a car is required to get back and forth. The USSS will hold our annual General Membership meeting on Saturday at 1:00pm. A two-hour Board Meeting is scheduled for 8:00am Saturday morning. We have also planned to host two or three seminars during the weekend. If you have an interesting specialty in U.S. collecting and would like to be a seminar presenter, please contact Jay Stotts at P.O. Box 690042, Houston, TX 77269. We are also looking for USSS members from the Philadelphia area to coordinate our show table activities. The PNSE will be providing us with a booth for the purposes of selling our publications, promoting the society, recruiting new members and socializing with fellow U.S. collectors. During the hours of the show, we would like to staff the table with a combination of Philadelphia area volunteers who know the local collectors and our officers, Board members, committee chairs and writers. It should make for a great time. If you are from the area and would like to coordinate the table activities, contact Jay Stotts at the above address. Use the same contact if you are willing to serve at the table for a couple of hours (we'll schedule in two-hour host increments) or if you would be willing to have our boxes of publications sent to you ahead of time. We need someone who will cart a couple of boxes from their place to the show on set-up day. One of the highlights of the show is the yearly Dutch treat dinner on Friday night. We traditionally gather the troops as the show closes and head for an enjoyable dinner and evening of fellowship. If you can recommend a close-by restaurant that has great food and can handle a crowd, drop one of the officers a line and tell us about it, including the phone number.
- Jay Stotts |
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Mar 2, 2002 |
Leon Berman 1909-2001 by Charles A. Wood
The BIA Membership Directory of 1989-90 showed him as the senior member at that time with more than 60 years service. He held membership number 165 and had told me several times that his number would have been even lower had he been allowed to join before age 21. (more...) |
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Mar 2, 2002 |
Your Contribution Can Go Farther This year more members than ever are making contributions to the USSS. All contributions beyond the regular annual dues of $25 qualify under current IRS guidelines as a tax deductible charitable contribution. We acknowledge all contributions of $5 or more with a written receipt. If your employer has a contribution matching program, please consider applying for a matching grant.
- David S. Sugar |
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Feb 1, 2002 |
From the Executive Secretary Reminder postcards were sent out in January to those of you who have not paid your dues for 2001. A final reminder is being mailed in early February. If you do not respond promptly, this will be your last issue of The Specialist. The annual dues of $25.00 buys you an excellent monthly journal on U.S. philately, discounts on Society books, two free ads per year in The Specialist, and access to research papers, reprints, and copies of member exhibits. Please renew now before you forget. You will be doing a service both to yourself and to the Society. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Feb 1, 2002 |
Carl Kredatus 1915-2001 Carl Kredatus, 86, former Board member of the Bureau Issues Association, passed away Saturday, November 17, 2001. Kredatus joined the BIA in August, 1957, and after twenty years as a member, was elected to the position of Secretary and Clerk of the Board of Governors in 1977. He held that position for more than a decade and in 1989, became the Secretary of the Association. In the Fall of 1989, the late George Godin assumed the duties of the Secretary and Kredatus occupied the position of Governor with the Board. He held that position through 1991. (more...) |
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Feb 1, 2002 |
Speakers Wanted By Nicholas Lombardi As you have read in The Specialist, The United States Stamp Society has hosted a booth at both the Spring and Fall Mega Shows in New York City for the past several years. Each time I register for this booth, The American Stamp Dealers Association, which organizes the show, requests that we supply a speaker or two to give a short presentation at some time during the show on any topic that relates to the collecting interests of the Society's members. Since I only know of a few members in the New York metro area who have given presentations at various shows, I have a limited list of prospective speakers whom I can contact to see if they would be interested. What I would request is that anyone who would be interested in giving a presentation in the future to please drop me a letter or e-mail with their name, contact information, and presentation title. In this way I could maintain a more complete listing of members who would be willing to help out. There is absolutely no obligation to speak at any particular show. The listing would merely serve as a resource guide for me and would not be distributed to any other person or organization. However, by giving a presentation you would not only be making the Society more visible but would also be increasing recognition of your particular specialty area. It would be a WIN - WIN situation. Please contact me with your presentation information or any questions you may have. |
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Jan 7, 2002 |
From the Executive Secretary Dues for 2002 are $25.00 when paid after December 31st. While most members have paid their dues, several members have not. Please renew ASAP as it costs the Society money to send out reminder notices. More importantly, we really don't want to lose you as members. So if you have set aside your dues notice, please pull it out and mail it along with your dues today. Some members have asked about membership cards. We no longer issue membership cards. In case you need your membership number, it is on the address label of The United States Specialist in the upper left-hand corner with the letter B in front of it. - Larry Ballantyne |
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Jan 7, 2002 |
Charles H. Yeager 1931-2001
Charlie Yeager, as he was known to his friends, was a college professor and taught Russian and German languages at Gallaudet College for the Deaf in Washington, DC for 30 years. He also organized and led trips to the Soviet Union for his students. He also was a Korean War Air Force veteran, with service as a language specialist He is survived by four sons, six grandchildren and two sisters. (more...) |
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Year 2001 Archives
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