As I’ve said earlier, I am very much interested in clubs. It just came to my attention that the first National Contest Association was started in mid October 1937 by Everett Lane. He was the first president and the owner of a large mercantile establishment in Comorn, Virginia where he resided. He made his first killing with a contest in 1935 when within 3 weeks he won 150lbs. of chicken feed. After that he made contesting and sweepstaking his seerious hobby, soon collecting a booty of bicycles, roller skates, shaving brushes, Indian suits, automobile and cash. Mr. Lane was the originator of the radio program, “Down Contest Lane.” He was also publisher and editor of a weekly contest bulletin, :Weekly Contest Tips.” In addition, he organized a contest-judging agency and established a fascinating and unusual contest service intended for the average contestant.
The National Contestars Association charged its members 1 dollar a year dues to keep them posted about what was going on in the contest world. Mr. Lane served for two years.
In 1940 Joan Lambert, head of the All-American Contestar School of Willow Grave, PA was the president during the 4th National Contestars Association Convention. Her school had about 2000 students. At that time, there were about half a dozen correspondence schools that charged about 25 dollars to keep their students updated on shrewd contest techniques, and they also criticized their pupils’ contest entries.
In the 1940s E. H. Sherwood of 20 Rockland Ave. Port Chester, NY was president of the National Contesters Association. They charged 2 dollar dues by that time and issued a monthly bulletin and other benefits. William Sunners writes that the nationwide group maintained a department to assist shut-ins and wounded veterans. Many inmates in military or naval hospitals won prizes because of the patient assistance and advice given by the officers of this organization
Next Labor Day, San Antonio is hosting the 19th Conference. I wonder what happened to the National Contesters’ Association between the early years and 1990 when they began their first conference again in Michigan according to the Sweepsheet.
A jewelry store in Scottsbluff, NE had an interesting food drive in their store these past couple of months. The customers brought in non-perishable food which gave them points toward six prizes from the store’s inventory. The manager of the store said that the food drive surpassed all expectations of the store owners. For me, this is a new way to accumulate prizes for a contest.
A couple Saturdays ago was my first win at Subway for buying a 32 oz. soda. I had an instant win for a 98 cents Garden Salsa chip bag and two letters H. I could use only one on the Scrabble board online but Betsy, my daughter, bought her poor mother another soda nad got me the F. Now I really have a good chance to win a board game or maybe even a trip. I keep my fingers crosseed.
WE ARE WHAT WE IMAGINE OURSELVES TO BE. ( Kurt Vonegut)
Tags: dues, everett lane, first president, food drive
February 25, 2008 at 5:48 pm |
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