By Founding Member, Fran Kelsey (1914-1999)
"The Housatonic Camera Club was started
under false pretenses. In the mid 1950's, Ward Hutchinson, a Sharon resident,
entered [into a slide contest] a slide of a yellow barn in the snow on Calkinstown
Road, Sharon. He won first prize. The prize money was to be divided by $50
going to the photographer and $25 to go to the camera club.
But there was
no club! So Ward quickly organized one, appointing himself as president;
Phil Reep, Treasurer; Fran Kelsey, Secretary. Nothing much else happened until
1957, when about 20 of us gathered at the Scoville Library to show our slides.
This was the First Annual Meeting of The Housatonic Color Camera Club."
First Annual Meeting, April 30, 1957.
Officers elected unanimously from nominations made from the floor.
President: Edward W. Hutchinson
Vice President: Edward Gates
Secretary: Mrs. H. Lincoln Foster
Treasurer: Philip Reep
Voted that secretary also be publicity chairman.
By-laws are to be drawn up by officers for approval of members.
Membership fees: $3.00 a single membership.
$5:00 a couple membership.
A quorum is to be considered present when a small number of members are present at a meeting.
A field trip to Kent Falls was discussed. Models will be available. June 22 set as date, with alternative date of June 29 in case of rain.
Suggestions for slide subject at a future meeting:
Dusk
Silhouettes
Next meeting to be held May 28 at 8 p.m. in Scoville Memorial Library. This to be the final formal meeting until next fall.
Slides shown by members had a subject: Patterns.
There seemed to be some confusion as to what was "pattern" and what was "design."
About 20 members were present.
The Secretary's notes for that [evening]
"As our group attendance grew, we moved
across the street to the Salisbury Town Hall. Since 1970 we have been invited
to hold our meetings at the Hotchkiss School Science Auditorium Griswald Science Building] through the good influence
of Russ Hansen, Hotchkiss science teacher" … "Bill Hain, president
(1963-1966) was the first to realize the importance of a Camera Club Newsletter.
In 1967 Fran Kelsey became the first editor, followed by John Rudd, Oliver
Eldridge, Sid Shore and Ian McCunn."
Fran Kelsey, 1995 (HCC Historian)
A Brief Update Since 1995
At some point in time prior to 1990 the
word
"Color" was dropped from our Clubs name. Then on Tuesday,
November 18, 1997,
The Housatonic Camera Club (HCC) relocated to
The
Life Long Learning Center, Wagner Building, Noble Horizons, 17 Cobble
Road, Salisbury, CT.
Earlier in the year we had been notified
by Hotchkiss that major building construction was in the works and that
we would have to find another location in which to meet. We would be welcomed
back when this work was completed. After so many happy years at Hotchkiss,
this was a rather traumatic moment for us. A committee was formed to find
a new home. This search narrowed down rather quickly to Noble and we have
been happy campers ever since. Though at first some of us felt that we would
miss the large space, equipment and screen at the Science Hall, we shortly
discover what a more confined yet adequate space offers. The word comradie
probably describes it best. We were, by the very nature of the room we now
meet in, brought closer together. Kitchen facilities, seating, audio visual
equipment … everything we could possibly desire was right at hand in one room;
all provided by the Noble staff and always set up and tailored to each meetings
needs.
Edward
W. Hutchinson, ARPS, APSP, MNEC
Founded the Housatonic Color
Camera Club [now the Housatonic Camera Club] (HCC) in 1956 and also founded
the Connecticut Chapter of the Photographic Society of America (PSA). Author
of many articles published in the PSA Journal, Popular Photography and other
photographic magazines. He was well known as a Camera Club judge, speaker,
slide lecturer and teacher. He exhibited in the 1964/65 New York Worlds Fair
at the Eastman Kodak Pavillion.
Past
Presidents Housatonic Camera Club:
1956-1959 Edward (Ward) Hutchinson,
Sharon, CT
1959-1961 Edward Gates, Cornwall,
CT
1961-1963 Bob Ashman, Salisbury, CT
1963-1966 Bill Hain, Sharon, CT
1966-1967 Edward (Ward) Hutchinson,
Sharon, CT
1967-1969 Elsa Knickerbocker, Taconic,
CT - (Elsa's Kitchen)
1969-1971 Fran Kelsey, Sharon, CT
1971-1973 Russ Hanson, Lakeville,
CT
1973-1975 Frank Carey, Sharon, CT
1975-1977 Holger Oleen, Sheffield,
MA
1977-1979 Oliver Eldridge, Canaan,
CT
1979-1981 Jean Porter, Lakeville,
CT
1981-1983 Nancy Tier, Lakeville, CT
1983-1987 Sidney X. Shore,
Sharon, CT
1987-1992 Marion Haeberle,
Lakeville, CT
1992-1994 Catherine Roaraback,
Canaan, CT
1994-1996 Ian McCunn, Canaan,
CT
1996-2000 Mary Lou and
Dale Purcell (Co-Presidents), Falls Village, CT
2000-2004 William DeVoti,
Sheffield, MA
2004-07 Rita Mathews,
Southfield, MA
2007-09- Sergei Fedorjacenko,
Falls Village, CT
2009 Jane Rossman
Ian McCunn, 2004 (HCC Historian)
