The chronology of the National Association of Home
and Workshop Writers is an interesting one based on the many people
involved with it. Here is an abbreviated look at NAHWW's history from our
founding in 1973 to date.
In spring 1973, Ralph Treves, John Sill (then known as Bill Sill), and a
handful of other writers and editors long ago saw the need for an
organization to serve home and workshop writers, and they proceed to
create it.
Treves and Sill hold numerous discussions. In early
spring, many prospective members are contacted, and by April, some 25
members come together, independent writers comprising the top names in
the DIY writing field.
The NAHWW founding members are: John and Rosario
Capotosto, Monte Burch, Robert Stevenson, Ralph Treves, Kenneth L.
“Kenny” Johnston, R.J. DeCristoforo, Morris Krieger, John Sill, Phil
McCafferty, Arthur Wakeling, Jay Hedden, Rich Day, Frank Burgmeier,
Richard Eyemann, Walter Burton, Robert Hertzberg, Robert Brightman,
Richard Sickler, Sr., Mort Schultz, John Scherer, Ralph Wilkes, Fred
Stebbins, Dick Demske, and Joseph Daffron.
By June we add Burt Murphy, Ronald Benrey, Andrew
Vena, Dave Warren, Jorma Hyypia, Walter Ian Fischman, C. Wayne Close,
Grant Stiles, and Arnold Romney.
Just three months later, Ken Patterson, Art Watkins,
Bob Hedin, Jackson Hand, Patrick Snook, Rudolf Graf, Leon Theil, Robert
Sohngren, and Ray Ayers join us.
And by the end of our first year, Robert Gorman, L.
Donald “Dutch” Meyers, George Whalen, William Waggoner, George Drake,
Bob Behme, Robert Scharff, Robert Gorman, Len Buckwalter, Tom Philbin,
Herb Pfister, and Florence Adams join.
Though Charlie Self, Kenn Oberrecht, Bob Trayler, and
Don Geary joined just a bit later, they are also considered as charter
members of NAHWW. Thus our list of 59 charter members is completed. Some
charter members are still with us.
The first NAHWW newsletter is published in March 1973 as Vol. 1 No. 1, written and
edited by Kenny Johnston. “We are issuing NAHWW #1 with a prayer that
you will join in making this sheet a success,” Kenny Johnston appeals.
He also announces the results of the first NAHWW
officer election. It consists of Ralph Treves, President; R.J. DeCristoforo,
Vice President; and Rosario Capotosto, Secretary-Treasurer. Robert
“Steve” Stevenson is named chairman of the Policy Committee and Rich
Day chairman of the Membership Committee. Steve, who is Home and
Shop Group Editor at Popular Science, later resigns his Association membership, stating that we
should be an organization of writers. He, however, continues
to be supportive.
A month later the embryonic newsletter--it starts as
a monthly--informs that Ro Capotosto must resign his position for
health reasons and that Phil McCafferty is appointed
Secretary-Treasurer. Ralph Wilkes is appointed chairman of the Policy Committee.
“We’re set up to function with considerable
authority,” states Ralph Treves.
Our membership includes nearly all the DIY
writers of the day.
Kenny Johnston, although not a prolific freelancer in
our field, enjoys being an instrumental part of the fledgling
organization and serves admirably as our first newsletter editor. He and
Dick Demske had worked together on the staff of Science and Mechanics.
The first newsletters are two-column
hand-crank-mimeographed with that ineluctable mimeo-ink smell, which
will survive three decades of storage. N/Ls consist of three or
more pages stapled at the corners, folded in thirds, and mailed in No.
10 envelopes. The NAHWW logo in block letters is hand-drawn by Kenny at the
top of the first-page stencil.
The issue date is hand-lettered by Kenny
at the top.
Kenny establishes the custom of calling members by
their first names. He incorporates the first President’s Report into the
newsletter. And Kenny institutes the short column-fillers we still use
today. Here’s the first one:
NAHWW SAFETY TIP:
There once was a handyman writer
Who was cutting a table saw miter
He pushed with his thumb
Man! Was that dumb!
For now he is one finger lighter!
Here’s another:
Poor Bill died with a groan
He always was such a doubter
Till he chucked a four-inch stone
Into his high-speed router.
Kenny Johnston also sets up the member sketches that
will be used for the next 30 years and more. The first one bios
founder Ralph Treves.
As a joke, Kenny prints the newsletter page numbers
as “page too,” “page tree,” “page for,” “page vive,” and “page sex.” Only
Prexy Treves notices. Kenny begins the practice of affectionately naming the
newsletter the N/L. As much as anyone, except possibly Ralph Treves and
John Sill, our organization owes its early success to Kenny Johnston.
Soon after NAHWW’s organization in 1973 and the first newsletter, Phil McCafferty arranges to have stick-on labels printed for members to place on their letterheads.
After much consideration, in June 1974, the Policy Committee
publishes our first constitution, not too different from the present
one.
On July 12, 1975, Ralph Treves is forced to resign his post as NAHWW
President due to ill health.
R.J. DeCristoforo assumes the role of
prexy.
Critics claim the professional status of our growing
organization calls for a printed newsletter. At the same time, Kenny
Johnston asks for relief from monthly newsletter responsibility. So Joan
(Mrs. Monte) Burch volunteers to handle a revised-format upgraded N/L. The
initial eight-page staple-bound slick N/L is mailed from Humansville,
Missouri as the February 1977 issue. With a nice big logo contributed by John Sill, it looks good,
reads well, and features columns by Ralph, DeCris, Jay Hedden, Kenn
Oberrecht, Larry Wood, Charlie Self, and Frank Burgmeier. Joan
Burch does a bunch of N/Ls.
The summer of 1978 Phil McCafferty is elected President; Dick Demske, Vice
President; Robert Scharff, Secretary/Treasurer; Charlie Self,
Membership Director; and Rich Day, Policy Director. Phil soon suffers a
heart attack and must step down as an officer. Dick Demske assumes the
post of Acting President.
Bob Scharff offers the services of his large-scale
Pennsylvania DIY-book-production facility to produce and mail the
newsletters that Joan Burch prepares. The newsletter goes to
bi-monthly.
Despite Dick Demske’s valiant efforts to hold the
organization together, when no contributions for the newsletter arrive
for Joan to work with, NAHWW goes into a two-and-one-half-year hiatus. At the
end of that time, the Association is revitalized under Ralph Treves’s
new leadership. He created it; he cannot let it die.
Bob Scharff continues typesetting (remember that?),
laying out, contracting for printing, and doing the mailing of
newsletters. Rich Day volunteers to manage-edit them, working with Bob. Though
they are never to meet, it becomes a long-lasting relationship. To keep
the newsletter going, the guest-editor policy is established whereby
members contribute original material for one issue each. It works. With this
member help, Rich manages 50 N/Ls as a volunteer.
Guest editors taking part are: Rich, Bernie Price,
DeCris, Jay Hedden, Ro Capotosto, John Robinson, Kenn Oberrecht (four
issues), Monte Burch, Gene Schnaser, George Brandsberg (two issues),
Kim Tabor (two issues), Thomas H. Jones, Charlie Self (two issues), Al
Lees (two issues), John Ingersoll, Marsha Melnick, Bob Brightman, and
Hugh Foster and David Warren (jointly).
New officers are elected in September 1981, with Ralph as President; John
Sill, Treasurer; R. J. DeCristoforo, Ro Capotosto, Dick Demske, and
Rich Day, directors. Dutch Meyers is Membership chairman and Mort Schulz is
chairman of the new Markets Committee.
An NAHWW logo is contributed by artists working for
John Sill at Times-Mirror Magazines’ Book Division.
Despite this, we go into another two-year pause, with
no one left who wants to guest-edit a newsletter. At the end of that time,
bios on a raft of new members brought in by active Membership Director
Dutch Meyers get us going again.
In 1984, for unknown reason, we switch to stapled newsletters done
on a copier by Rich Day. Rich is elected President; Neil Soderstrom, Treasurer; and
directors Ralph Treves, R.J. DeCristoforo, Dick Demske, Katie Hamilton. Charlie
Self is Membership Director.
Happy days, a member gets a KayPro computer. Remember
them? Happier days, a member gets rid of his KayPro and goes back
to a typewriter. Problems be damned, other members are beginning to
computerize.
We publish a membership roster, precursor to our
present annual directories of members. It proves popular among
editors and PR practitioners in our field.
In 1985, Phil McCafferty is again elected President of NAHWW; Neil
Soderstrom, Treasurer; and directors Dick Demske, Katie Hamilton, R.J.
DeCristoforo, and Rich Day.
John Ingersoll writes the first of his popular market
reports for the newsletter.
George Brandsberg publishes our first Directory of
Members in 1988,
and volunteers to do many more directories. We never had it so good.
Our members get into CAD drawing. Charlie Self writes his
landmark “Innocent Among the Chips” article for the N/L.
The 1990 election gives us Al Lees, President; John Sill Treasurer;
and R.J. DeCristoforo, Rich Day, Janet Groene, Thomas Jones, Robert
Scharff, and Mort Schulz as directors. Lees promises to
reactivate the Association. He does, nearly doubling our membership.
The first NAHWW annual meeting is held at the
National Hardware Show, establishing a tradition.
The newsletter goes to quarterly publication, with
Tom and Carolyn Jones handling production and mailing. Dick Kreh
has membership cards made. Mort Schulz inaugurates his popular “Market of the Month”
column in the N/L. Dave Warren and Harry Wicks become replacement directors.
Al Lees organizes the Association’s first DIY Writing
Contest to kick off in 1992 with Stanley Tools as sponsor. Al writes his renowned
“Addio, Alvaro” story for the N/L, recollections of an exploited Home Craftsman editor he once knew.
Founder Ralph Treves dies.
More tragedy, Tom Jones dies suddenly. Mike
Isser produces a newsletter in his stead. Dan Ramsey later steps
forward to take on four issues.
He ends up doing eight. Dan
creates a whole new format for the N/L, including a new logo.
Kenn Oberrecht is elected President; John Sill,
Treasurer; and Rich Day, R.J. DeCristoforo, Al Lees, Harry Wicks, and
David Warren, directors.
At Al Lees’ urging, Home Writer’s of America
transfers its members to NAHWW, adding 21 new NAHWW members. Most are
editors; none is still with us.
To try to determine a direction for the Association,
we present a detailed, frank, anonymous questionnaire for members, but
get only one response. We realize that the officers must manage the organization
without much membership input.
Our by-laws are revised to their present form with
the vice president becoming president after two years. Charlie
Self is chosen for NAHWW prexy; Dave Warren, veep; Jacob Shulzinger,
Treasurer; John English, Membership Director; and directors Rich Day,
Al Lees, Kenn Oberrecht, John Sill, and Harry Wicks. The
Vaughan & Bushnell Scholarship is inaugurated. Frank Burgmeier is
administrator of it. George Brandsberg is still producing our directories of
members. Al Lees manages the writing contest. First photos appear in
the newsletter.
In 1995, the NAHWW newsletter gets its present graphic look under
Huck DeVenzio and Graphic Artist Belinda Remley of Hickson Corporation. To
acknowledge our supporting members, the “Resources” column is initiated
in the newsletter.
Dave and Rosemary Warren offer the use of their
Chicago condo to the NAHWW President during the Hardware Show, an offer
that is still extended.
Don Geary is appointed to the Membership Director
post. Huck DeVenzio offers the NAHWW logo in TIFF format for
downloading.
Hugh Foster is named Contest Coordinator for 1997. He opens it to all
writers, aiming at getting wider publicity.
Dave Warren becomes NAHWW President; Don Geary, Vice
President; Jacob Shulzinger, Treasurer; Leon Frechette, Membership
Director; and Rich Day, Hugh Foster, Kenn Oberrecht, Charlie Self, John
Sill, and Harry Wicks, directors.
In 1997, when Rich resigns after doing 50 N/Ls as a volunteer,
Newsletter editing is taken over by a series of guest editors. Charlie
Self does two, Dan Ramsey does two, and Jacob Schulzinger, Don Geary,
Hugh Foster, and Kenn Oberrecht do one N/L each. Then a stipend is
offered, and Charlie Self edits three more N/Ls. Huck DeVenzio and
Belinda Remley continue the production/mailing of all issues while Rich
relaxes in his mountain retreat, enjoying what he claims are the best
N/Ls we have ever published.
Leon Frechette creates an electronic master file of
our membership, ready for downloading.
Serious discussion takes place on whether NAHWW
should expand its membership to include salaried DIY writers. Put to a
vote, the members show little interest either way, and the matter dies.
In 1998, NAHWW becomes a Nevada nonprofit corporation, with Don
Geary doing the paperwork and serving--for as long as he lives in
Nevada--as our corporate registered agent.
Don Geary is elected NAHWW President; Jim Tolpin as
Vice President; Dave Warren as Treasurer; Charlie Self, Membership
Director; and directors Rich Day, Hugh Foster, Kenn Oberrecht, and
Harry Wicks. The late John Sill is Director Emeritus.
Rich Day comes out of retirement “for a time” to
manage-edit Newsletters. The Association pays Rich $500 per issue for his services
with the dues from our Supporting Members making this possible.
In 1999, Howard A. Vaughan, Chairman and CEO of Vaughan &
Bushnell Manufacturing Company, assumes sponsorship of the DIY Writing
Contest, naming it the “Golden Hammer” Contest after the handsome
plaque given to prize winners.
Vaughan continues sponsorship of the
Vaughan/NAHWW Scholarship as well as hosting the NAHWW annual breakfast
meetings in Chicago.
At the annual meeting Susan Geary is hired as NAHWW
Treasurer for a $100-a-month stipend. A year later, she takes
on the added role of Association Secretary offering another
$100-a-month stipend. Susan continues in the role of Secretary/Treasurer today, but
has not taken either stipend since the first year. Susan Geary also
produces the directories of members.
Leon Frechette starts his newsletter column on
setting up a website.
In 2000 Jim Tolpin is elected President; Bob Gould, Vice President;
Susan Geary, Secretary/Treasurer; and Rich Day, Don Geary, Kenn
Oberrecht, Charlie Self, Dave Warren, and Harry Wicks as directors.
U.S.-based Arch Chemicals, Inc. buys Hickson
Corporation and reaffirms support of newsletter production and mailing
by Huck DeVenzio and Belinda Remley.
In 2002 the Vaughan/NAHWW Scholarship program is put on hold pending
further study on how to reach qualified candidates.
Dan Ramsey arranges for NAHWWers to be pre-registered
for the National Hardware Show, a benefit that continues today.
At the officer election in 2002, Bob Gould is chosen as President; Dan Ramsey, Vice
President; Susan Geary, Treasurer; and directors, Don Geary, Kenn
Oberrecht, Charlie Self, Jim Tolpin, Dave Warren, and Harry Wicks. We
continue to function without a Secretary, though Don and Susan Geary
still handle the rudiments of the job. At the last annual
meeting Rich Day, who had resigned to create an uneven number of
officers for voting purposes, was happily reinstated as a director. We
continue with an even number of officers.
Dan Ramsey sets up an Association website,
www.nahww.org. He continues to manage it, adding new material as it is
provided.
The “Tools for Schools” program, which donates hand
tools to each writing contest winner’s favorite school, is instituted
by Vaughan & Bushnell Chairman/CEO Howard A. Vaughan.
That pretty much brings us up to date on the National Association of Home and Workshop Writers. It has been a full 30 years. We regret that so many of our great older members are not here to celebrate with us today, writers such as Ralph Treves, Arthur Wakeling, John Sill, Dick Demske, R.J. DeCristoforo, Walter Burton, Roger Cliffe, and Phil McCafferty. It remains up to the rest of us to carry on what they helped to create.
Written by Rich Day
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