Masonry Magazine December 1983 Page. 23
Contestant Linda Wass of Middleborough works on her project
(left) while her peers work on piers of their own.
Bricklaying Contest Held at JFK Presidential Library
The 35th annual bricklaying contest for apprentices of the Massachusetts State Conference of Bricklayers and the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen was held recently at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at Columbia Point on Dorchester Bay, Mass.
Mr. Lynn Donahue, last year's winner and state champion, was on hand to present the 1983 award to this year's champion, Paul DeVellis of Arlington, Mass. DeVellis has a brother who won the contest in 1980. "It runs in the family," said DeVellis, 21. "You look down, you look at what you've done, and you're proud of it."
There were 24 male and female contestants in this year's event. Each was required to erect a brick pier and was judged on a combination of quality construction and number of brick layed.
Spectators at the event also were given the chance to try their hand at bricklaying and were given pointers by professional masonry craftsmen.
The annual contest is jointly sponsored by the Bricklayers Union and the Mason Contractors Association of Massachusetts, an MCAA Chapter.
Two interested spectators at the contest were veteran mason contractors Charles Velardo (left) of Newton Highlands, Mass., MCAA past president, and Don Leonard of St. Ann, Mo., current MCAA president. The JFK Memorial Library can be seen in the background.
About Our Cover
That earnest looking lady bricklayer on this month's cover-Linda Wass of Middleborough, Mass. was one of the participants in the 35th annual bricklaying contest for apprentices of the Massachusetts State Conference of Bricklayers and the International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen held recently at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at Columbia Point, Dorchester Bay, Mass.
Although Ms. Wass didn't win, she wielded her trowel with as much diligence and enthusiasm as her male counterparts. (Her photo was the work of Steve Haines and is reprinted here with the permission of The Boston Globe.)