Six young people entered the Crown Jewels contest to write an essay on the subject of "Why I Collect' Insulators". The prize: a year's subscription to the magazine for the two we liked best. Picking the winners was hard. Our first two choices:

Why I collect Insulators by Stephen Davidson, age 13:

When I find or buy an insulator it is fascinating to think of how long the insulators have been on the pole, or what railroad it might have been on, or what trains might have gone by it. This is why I like collecting insulators. 

I first started collecting insulators when I was 11 years old. My Dad and I would walk the railroad near our house and at time find a pole on the ground with the insulators still on it. I wanted them when I saw them! I thought they were pretty because of the many shades of color, But as I become more interested in the hobby, I began to treasure them even more. 

My Dad would tell me some insulators were from railroads and companies that no longer existed. Each insulator I found was like a memory of the past. An insulator covered with black smoke had been there when trains blowing out smoke had gone by! 

To me collecting insulators is the most exciting hobby I have ever known. The many shapes, appealing colors, and history of insulators is why I like collecting insulators.

My name is Powell Brown, age 13:

For a long time when my family and I went out to an old railroad grade or mine, we would occasionally find an insulator but only thought it was a nice piece of glass. A few months ago my Dad met a man who has a large insulator collection and, after that, our outlook has been that insulators are not just relics, they are a hobby. 

I enjoy collecting insulators for many reasons. Sometimes it's just nice to go out and look for old glass especially in beautiful country. I am also interested in history. Insulators are history! Not only do they incorporate the history of the line they served on, but also glass manufacturing, telecommunications, electrical applications, and railroads.

Insulators come in almost all the colors of the rainbow; from clear signal types to amber Mickey Mouse types. I like to collect insulators because you get to meet many interesting people. It's hard to match the feeling you get when you pick up that sparkling glass on an insulator-hunting trip. I enjoy insulator collecting because it gets me out into the beautiful world to find a piece of history.

My name is Brian Orr, age 13:

I like collecting insulators for several reasons. One reason is because I think they are neat with all the different colors and styles that they come in. Secondly, I like insulators because most of them are old, especially my Patent Dec 19 1871 insulator that I received from Mr. Bill Meier.

Also, I like being different, and collecting insulators is very different from what my friends do. They (insulators) are better than sitting in front of the television or playing video games. A fourth reason is that insulators are a part of history themselves. Yet another reason why I like insulators so much is their significance in modern day life, and I would rather the utility companies leave all the old glass insulators in service just for the beauty of it.

My favorite insulators is a CD 303/310 Hemingray "Muncie Type" that I just got from my Uncle when he went to the Las Vegas show. Those are the reasons why I like insulators and also my favorite insulator. 

(Drawing of 303/310 is from McDougald's Price Guide)

Why I Collect Insulators by Tim Haraf, age 14:

I collect insulators for many reasons. I find the vast amount of' colors of insulators to be a major factor in collecting insulators. There is literally an unending rainbow of fantastic colors. Insulators seem to be available in almost any color you could want including bright amber and cobalt blues. Shape is another fascinating part of collecting insulators. Insulators seem to be available in all kinds of fantastic shapes such as the Mickey Mouse or Roman Helmet styles. A... bubbles or nails in the glass. These impurities can help make even a common insulator one of a kind.

I also collect insulators due to their historical significance. Many insulators have been around since the Civil War and have helped carry all kinds of information. Insulators have helped carry the news of such important events as the start of the Civil War or the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Insulators also look great when they are displayed. I can think of nothing more colorful than a well displayed group of insulators. Collecting insulators is a fun and history filled hobby, that I will enjoy for years to come.

Why I Collect Insulators by Lindsay Kartye, age 11:

I first started collecting insulators from when I first went to an insulator show. Then I knew that I wanted to collect them. I love the color and all the different sizes. In my school, I'm the only one that knows about them. It's kind of funny you think to yourself, "What the heck are you talking about, you don't know what an insulator is?" 

Sometimes I go nuts about how many people ask me about insulators. But I think the number one way is my Mom. She is the one that took me to the shows. Thanks to her taking me to Illinois, I have a peacock blue insulator which I love very much.

Why I Collect Insulators by Forest Brown, age 9:

I like to collect insulators because they're colorful and come in all shapes and sizes! I like all the colors of insulators except for black. I also like them because they can get you into new places. Insulators are fun to collect. Plus, my family doesn't buy them; we go to old railroads, mining towns, and mines to collect ours. I think insulators are colorful and exciting.

For participating in our contest, Brian, Tim, Lindsay and Forest will each receive either a CD 154 Whitall Tatum in purple, or a CD 164 McLaughlin in emerald green. Thanks, guys, for sharing your love of the insulator hobby with 1,400 subscribers. We all appreciate it!

Thanks also to you adults who support the "Insulators for Kids" program. The gifts of free subscriptions were donated by adults. The purple CD 154's were donated; and the emerald green CD 164's were purchased with a cash donation.