N.I.A. Newsnotes

Reprinted from "INSULATORS - Crown Jewels of the Wire", October 1974, page 3

(Introduction of New Officials)

Dear Dora,

Enjoyed visiting with you at the Hershey Show. It was a great one. I believe the San Diego National will be on a par or maybe even better.

I am a native of eastern Oregon. Married twenty-seven years to the same wife (Carol). We have one son (Mark) in the Army, a daughter (Julie) a senior at the University of Oregon, and a teenager (Jill) at home. Have been employed in the public schools in Pendleton for 28 years. Am presently a principal of the Junior High School.

N.I.A. President, Ernie Rostock

Collecting has been in my blood since early childhood, starting with bubble gum wrappers, stamps, coins, etc. My interest in insulators started in 1967. Now I collect everything that's loose, which includes duck stamps, relics, date tie nails, safety razors, barbed wire and insulators. You might say that we are a collecting family, with wife specializing in sterling silver spoons and miniature trivets, and daughter Jill collecting salt dips and boy friends.

My glass hobby includes no special areas, but rather just a general collection of all types. My long range goal is to complete the styles (CD numbers) of the different companies. Also I like color and odd shaped insulators.

My hope, this year, is that the NIA can continue to grow as a hobby. We need to encourage membership and to insist that collectors make personal commitments in regard to their ethical practices in collecting.

Let's all start making plans for the 1975 National in San Diego. That's where the action will be. Maybe I'll get my Jumbo and you will find your threadless (with drip points). How about that!
Sincerely, 
Ernie Rostock

P.S. We had a great trip--went from Hershey to New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, New York--20 states--6621 miles. Niagara Falls and Mount Rushmore were highlights of our show.

Dear Dora,

Received your nice letter the other day and thought I'd get down to writing you as soon as I could, to introduce myself to fellow collectors.

To begin with, I've been married for three years to my wife Donna, and we just recently (May lst) had our first child, a son we named Jason. I've been employed for nine years as a lineman by Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania, but only up to three years ago did I start to get interested in collecting insulators. Oh, those wasted years!

Steve Bobb,
Eastern Regional Vice-President

Well, anyhow, I'd say my collection is comprised mostly of fairly common insulators. I'm like most collectors, constantly trying to build up their collection with pieces they don't have. Primarily, I'm interested in collecting the older style telegraph insulators (no, not threadless, but the threaded type), with a few other odd-balls thrown in for good measure. I'm also interested in the historical side of insulators - makers, dates and old telegraph routes. Being located in the Philadelphia area, I'm in a prime location for these older type routes, but so far I've only been able to unearth common type insulators. Well, all I can do is keep on looking.

When I was elected Eastern Vice-President, I thought it was a great honor. Seeing that I'm centrally located, I'll be trying to make all the insulator shows that I can in my area. I think of my job in the N.I.A. as being three-fold: First, to promote and constantly improve the N.I.A. and all it stands for; Second, to help the beginner, because I feel without them the hobby will die. (I'm sure we all remember when we first started collecting that just a little bit of understanding sure could be helpful.); and Third, collecting insulators in general. I think we have one of the most fascinating hobbies in existence. Where else can you get history, color, distinction and rarity under one hobby? Whether you're a big money collector or just a general run of the mill collector looking for that one prize, this hobby beats them all.

In ending I just want to say that I'm always open to new suggestions on improving the hobby that I can relay to the right committee in the N.I.A., and my home is always open to any collector who wants to stop by. Thank you. 
Sincerely yours, 
Steve Bobb

Dear Dora,

Received your letter in regards to a resume of myself as Central Region V.P. of the N.I.A. So here goes.

Central Regional Vice-President Paul H. Houpt #62, 211 S. Chauncey St., Columbia City, Indiana 46725. Employed by the Penn. Central R.R. (former P.R.R.) as a Communication and Signal Maintainer, with 35 years service. Born and raised in Ohio. Entered Service and served with the 37th Division in World War II. Transferred to the State of Indiana after going back to work on the Railroad after World War II.

Paul H. Houpt
Central Regional Vice-President

Started collecting insulators in 1968 and had no idea at the time that it would become this large of a collectible item. Have enjoyed the hobby and also the people--collectors throughout the United States and Canada--and will have to say they are the nicest people. Have attended all of the National Shows and all of the shows in my area that time has permitted.

I feel grateful for the opportunity that I had bestowed upon me, for the appointment to fill the term of office that was due to a resignation. Will make all the effort I can to fulfill this obligation to the best of my ability, and hope that each and every one of you will do the same, because the organization belongs to each and every one of you.

Because this sort of came unexpectedly, and since my plans have been set for the rest of the year, I will not be able to go to other parts of the Central Region. But next year I will try to get to other parts of the country. So bear with me until next year.

Also, I am a collector of Railroadiana and have a woodworking shop which has sort of taken a back seat.

About my family. My wife's name is Mildred, and she hails from Alabama. We have two daughters, one married, and the other in college. Also have three grandchildren.

I am a charter member of the Ohio Valley Insulator Club which was just formed, with election of officers in July. The Hoosier Insulator Show, which I am sponsoring, will be Host for the fall show of the O.V.I.C. Hope you can make it.

Also belong to B.P.O.E., Masonic Bodies, American Legion, Forty & Eight, V.F.W., and am a Life Member of the 37th Division Veterans Association. I have held offices in most of them and have been the Leader of several, both at Local and State level.
Happy Collecting to all.
Sincerely,
Paul H. Houpt

Camera shy?
Bill Kemp
Western Regional Vice-President

Dear Dora,

Received your letter asking about a brief resume. I am 37 years old, born and raised in California. My occupation is an automotive mechanic. I am married with three children and six horses, which is my second hobby. My wife collects dolls, my boy milk bottles, and my two girls collect animal figurines.

I started collecting insulators about six or seven years ago. In those days everyone looked at you as if you were crazy when you mentioned what you collected. About the first grouping of insulator collectors I can remember is a little book by Howard Banks and Charlie Fox that I treasure very much. In those days there were probably 20 to 25 well known collectors like Esta and Gerald Brown, who are very close friends. There sure has been a large boom in the insulator field from those old days.

Insulator collectors are always welcome at our house, but I would advise them to call before coming, as we are gone a lot of the time. Phone: 213-579-4462.

Best of luck to all collectors.
Bill Kemp

Dear Dora,

Received your nice letter on July 29th. I'm so glad my wife, daughters and myself could make the National at Hershey. I enjoyed meeting and talking to Don and you. I met so many collectors I had corresponded with and renewed acquaintances with many I had met previously.

I really feel it's an honour to serve on the N.I.A., as I have belonged since its inception and have worked hard at promoting the hobby in Canada.

Well, Dora, here's a little background on myself and my family. Married twenty-five years to Kathleen (Kay) Perry, and we have five lovely daughters, two married. I am a grandfather twice! I have been employed by DuPont Co. of Canada for the past 20 years and am presently employed in the Industrial Tire Cord line as a production foreman. Worked previously as a brakeman on the C.N.R. railroad.

First got interested in insulators when I often helped my uncle who owned an independent telephone company. I would often help him repair lines after sleet storms. I had many different colours and types years before I found this was a hobby. It was only five years ago that a friend who visits the U.S.A. each summer informed me of the hobby and brought me back my first book on insulators. From then on I have been as active as possible in buying, selling, trading and promoting this fabulous hobby!

It is really a family hobby, as my wife and daughters are as avid collectors as I am. Since we started collecting, my wife and daughters and myself have spent some of our most enjoyable hours walking abandoned railroad lines where few have ever walked. The beauty and serenity have added greatly to our lives and have made us much more appreciative of nature and the outdoors. We still spend much of our time researching old lines and abandoned mines for those rare gems!

If anyone asked me for a hobby, I could think of nothing that offers more than insulator collecting. It gets you out in the country and offers great interest and always the excitement of what might be "just around the bend". I have my own pole standing on my front lawn with fourteen different coloured insulators and am well known in the community as "That guy who collects insulators".

In closing, Dora, I would like to make an open invitation to all you collectors who get up our way to stop in and see our collection of over 700 different types and "talk glass". Our address is: 11 Park Dr., Napanee, Ontario.
Bud Perry