First Club Minutes
From the first meeting of the Springfield Telescope Makers
Our club reaches back in informal existence to 1920 with the formation of Russell Porter's telescope making class at the Jones & Lamson company with various names such as Porter's Telescope Group and several others. It was not until December 7, 1923 that the club was formally incorporated with officers and a charter. Below you will find an image of the first minutes, and a transcription of that by club historian Bert Willard.
On December 7, ???? the Springfield Telescope Markers will be ?? yearts old.
The First Minutes of the Springfield Telescope Makers
Transcript of the First Minutes
First official meeting of the Springfield Telescope Makers, of Springfield Vt.
At this meeting, which was held Dec. 7, 1923, at the home of O. S. Marshall, one of the charter members of the organization, a formal organization was effected by the election of certain officers. This step was taken in consequence of the original voluntary association, heretofore spoken of as “The Springfield Telescope Makers,” building a bungalow this present season on land owned by one of the members, Mr. Russell W. Porter. To properly safeguard the interests of the club, officers were elected and an executive committee appointed to preside over and direct the affairs of the permanent association thereafter to be called The Springfield Telescope Makers.
The following names, charter members of the original club, were elected for the positions specified:
President, Russell Williams Porter;
Vice President, John M. Pierce;
Secretary-Treasurer, one office, Oscar S. Marshall
Executive Committee: Oscar P. Fullam, Carlton B. Damon, John M. Pierce.
On motion of Mr. Pierce it was voted unanimously that the present value of the shares of stock be twenty five dollars ($25.00).
Mr. Porter to date has attended to the financial side of the work involved in constructing the house for the club. On the election of a Secretary-Treasurer this officer took over these duties, and all transactions made by Mr. Porter have been recorded herein – see p.224.
On page 6 will be found the signatures of those present at the Dec. 7 meeting, with the exception of Frank H. Whitney, who, owing to uncertainty in his personal plans, deferred signing as a permanent member. Those who were not present (of the original members) are to be given opportunity to sign as member of the permanent association.
Program of the evening was:
- a select list of photographic lantern slides of nebulae, star clusters, star clouds, and constellations.
- a graphic demonstration on black board of how earth’s diameter, and star distances are measured, by Russell W. Porter. Mrs. Porter also added comment in relation to the lantern slide views of the heavens.
- Following the program, Mrs. Marshall served refreshments of fritters + syrup with coffee, during which the business of the evening was taken up as per above.
Transcript by Bert Willard, club historian, 2018-Dec-21
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