Masonry Magazine February 1965 Page. 8
The activities on Sunday afternoon were centered around the Idea Seminar which was moderated by Vice President Anthony Perri. Frank Laureys introduced the first speaker, James Gross, Head, Department of Engineering, Structural Clay Products Institute, who presented "Contemporary Bearing Walls." Mr. Gross in a stimulating address, amply illustrated with slides, gave members a new concept for masonry construction. Since he had just returned from a tour of many European countries, Mr. Gross was able to illustrate with sketches current methods of design being used and how they could be adopted for use here.
"Panels of the Future" was the title of Paul "Coach" Thomas address. Mr. Thomas is the President of Builders Equipment Co., Phoenix, Ariz., and he revealed to the members a device which constructs concrete panels from concrete masonry units. Currently Mr. Thomas is in the experimental stage, however, slides of his operation along with sample panels were presented.
Questions from the floor which followed each of the presentations rounded out the Idea Seminar which because of its popularity will again be presented at next years convention.
The opening session of the '65 Convention was gavelled to order Monday morning by President Lester Dietrich at 9:45 A.M. Following the invocation by Reverend L. A. Dreheim, Chaplain, Lutheran Hospital, Cleveland, Convention Chairman Henry R. Nemec, welcomed the Members to the city. Mr. Nemec introduced the Mayor's representative Mr. James Lister who briefly commented on the growth of Cleveland and its leading position in the nation.
President Lester Dietrich then reviewed MCAA's "First 15" in an illustrated address in which he honored the past presidents and their officers.
Representing the International Union of Hod Carriers, Common & Building Laborers Union of America was Thurmond L. Radford, Special Deputy, Washington, D.C., who discussed MCAA's recently revised agreement with his organization and other areas of cooperation.
Highly entertaining was Irv Wermont, nationally known humorist, author and educator. Mr. Wermont's amazing memory combined with his most worthwhile message in his address "Where Do We Go From Here?" was one of the highlights of the entire convention program.
"The Angry Earth" presented by Walter Kunze, Director of Promotion Planning & Engineering Services, Portland Cement Association was one of the most valuable. Mr. Kunze having been both to Skopje, Yugoslavia, and Anchorage, Alaska, spoke with authority in outlining both the resultant damage and possible causes of failures in both areas. Those who heard his address and saw his slides will long remember this phase of the program.