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The Stone Chipper
December 2012 Vol. 51.12
Austin Gem & Mineral Society
Each one teach one
Presidential Message THE AUSTIN GEM AND MINERAL SOCIETY, INC. (AGMS) is a member in good standing of the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies and the American Federation of Mineral Societies. Its editors are also members of SCRIBE. The club address is 6719 Burnet Lane, Austin, Texas 78757, and phone (512) 458-9546. The AGMS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Visit our website at www.austingemandmineral.org Contact our webmaster for website updates at [email protected].
PURPOSEThe purpose of the AGMS is to promote interest and education in the various Earth Sciences and other related subjects.
MEETINGSThe society meets at 7:00 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month except October, which is show set up day. The November meeting will be held on the THIRD Thursday. December is the Officers’ Induction Banquet held on a date to be determined. Board meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month. Show committee meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month. All meetings are open to anyone. Society officers are listed on the second page of this publication. Please feel free to contact any of them for information
Dues for 2013Annual membership dues are:
Adult-$30.00 Couple-$40.00 Junior--$4.00
Table of Contents
Officers & Board Members.................................Page 2AGMS Nov. Board Meeting................................Page 2 AGMS Dec. Board Meeting................................Page 3Show Committee Meeting...................................Page 4Mineral SIG Meeting.........................................Page 5AGMS General Meeting......................................Page 5 Membership/Chipper Reminder...........................Page 6Hurricane Sinks Ship...........................................Page 6AGMS Members Honored...................................Page 7AGMS Purpose....................................................Page 8Membership Form................................................Page 9
Hi Folks,
It’s hard to believe it’s December already. It has been an eventful year for me, the Board, and the Show Committee, including replacing a defunct air conditioning system, finishing work on the Operating Procedures (always a work in progress), dealing with the loss of equipment and supplies when the club’s trailer was stolen, and beginning work on upgrading the security of all the club property now that another attempt was made to steal the second trailer. We made some mistakes along the way, but I think we learned from them.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President for another year. Thank you, also, to all the officers, Board members, and committee chairs who have helped to make this a productive year. If any committee chairs will not continue their jobs next year, please let me know so that I can begin recruiting. I still need a volunteer to serve as Historian. If you enjoy scrapbooking, this is right up your alley.
Let’s finish the year with a fun-time at the Officer Installation, banquet, and Christmas Party on Thursday.
Pauline Denson
THANKS!
The Austin Gem and Mineral Society would like to thank Jim and JoAnn Wiersema of Horizon Environmental Services, for their continuing support of the club by printing The Stone Chipper each month.
2Stone Chipper December 2012
Officers
President—Pauline [email protected]
1st VP—Richard [email protected]
2nd VP—Paul [email protected]
Treasurer—Wing [email protected]
Secretary—Joyce [email protected]
Board Members
Lou Pulliam -- [email protected]
Marilyn Gilbreath –[email protected]
Sian Schilhab –[email protected]
Harold Von Rosenberg –[email protected]
Terry [email protected]
Stretch [email protected]
Committee Chairs
Annual Show - Susan Postlethwait [email protected]
Education/Classes - Joyce Hrapsky [email protected]
Field Trips - Chip Burnette [email protected]
Junior Advisor - Jackie Fisher [email protected]
Co-Librarians - Diann Hill, Terry Barry, Roger Waguespack, Harriet Streiber [email protected]
Newsletter Editor – Carolyn Perkins [email protected]
Building Chair - Glen Gilbreath
Display Cases - Jackie Fisher
Federation/Conservation - Paul Good
Historian - Vacant
Hospitality - Kathleen Howard
Membership -Tonya Barry
Scholarship - Stretch Young
School Programs - Wing Evans
Sergeant-at-Arms - Jackie Fisher
Sunshine - Fran Ellis
AGMS Board MeetingSynopsis November 6, 2012
Due to editorial error these minutes failed to appear in the November Stonechipper
The AGMS Board of Directors held a regular meeting on November 6, 2012 to conduct clubbusiness. Below is a listing of the highlights of this meeting; a complete set of minutes is available upon request.
All officers and directors and three club members were present. The October 2, 2012 minutes were accepted as written.
The October 2012 Y-T-D Income & Expense Budget and Inflow & Outflow report weredistributed by the Treasurer. The Treasurer’s report will be provided at general meetings.
Old Business:
Purchase of a replacement trailer is postponed until next year.
The Board will hold a working session on November 27. Articles III and IV of the Bylaws will be reviewed for revisions.
New Business:
Letters from realtors have been received to purchase our property, but they appear to be non-specific and no action will be taken.
The Show Committee invited Board members to attend its meeting on Thursday to give anyideas for improvement to next year’s show.
The Nominations Committee has contacted people to fill all positions for 2013.
The wording in the Operating Procedures will be changed so that a more specific cut-off date forreceiving the Stone Chipper is given when dues have not been paid. The final date for renewingdues will be March 15.
There will be no increase in class fees for use of workshop equipment.
The Board voted to accept the idea of advertising in the Stone Chipper, with details and charges to be worked out at a later time.
Classes of membership should be more fully described in the Operating Procedures.
The Rock Shop in Smithville has donated magazines to the club. Duplicates will be offered for sale by the Library.
The Mineral Identification SIG was given permission to hold their own swap meet for clubmembers. Only minerals will be included in the swap meet.
Joyce Hrapsky, 2012 Secretary
3 Stone Chipper December 2012
AGMS Board MeetingSynopsis December 4, 2012
The AGMS Board of Directors held a regular meeting on December 4, 2012 to conduct clubbusiness. Below is a listing of the highlights of this meeting; a complete set of minutes isavailable upon request.
All officers and directors and five club members were present. The November 6, 2012 minuteswere accepted as written.
The November 2012 Y-T-D Income & Expense Budget and bank balance report was given bythe Treasurer.
Old Business:
By-Laws Revision – Tabled until next year.
Policy for Advertising in Stone Chipper - The Board voted to allow appropriate advertising inthe Stone Chipper, depending upon available space, and set rates for different size ads.
Classes of Membership - The Board voted to further define classes of membership in the club:Tenured members, Untenured members, Patron (Life) members, and Junior members.
Yahoo List - Ownership of the List was discussed for informational purposes.
New Business:
Building Use Policy - The Board voted to allow use of the AGMS building free of charge toeducational or service organizations when such use will not conflict with any (1) club activity;(2) Paleontological Society activity or (3) scheduled use by others.
Security Measures for Club Property - Two heavier locks and chains have been purchasedfor use on the gates pursuant to the second break-in at the drive-through gate. Also there are
4Stone Chipper December 2012
Show CommitteeMeeting--November 20
new locks for the saw shed. The Board voted to install a tall fence, similar to the one at TacoShack. The fence will be installed after January 1st. The front door will be made more secure byinstalling Lexan inside the door.
Joyce Hrapsky, 2012 Secretary
Minutes: Minutes for October were presented for review and then submitted with one correction.
Treasurer: Susan presented the treasurer’s report as Brian was not at the meeting.
Advertising: We absolutely need an Advertising Chair. Stretch said that Lynn would sit down with someone and show him or her everything that she did when she was the advertising chair. Susan put a request in the Stone Chipper about show advertising.
Club Booth: Fran indicated that something is needed under the wall shelf. Mac has some scraps and is thinking about building a case for the hourly door prizes. Case would need lights. Barbara asked about the quest map. Susan said we would leave the quest map at the club booth but will have quest flags up next year.
Dealers: All contracts were handed out except two for next year’s show, Shu’s Rocks and Love of Land. Need to know the show dates ahead of time for dealer contracts.
Display Cases: Cases need some work, some liners, and small case display lights. Stretch will get information on a dealer that has the lights in Tucson.
Federation Show (2015): Quarterly meetings will start again in the first quarter of 2013.
Floor Plan: The design this year worked great and the chairs were a hit.
Fluorescent Cases: Robert is going to donate his Ray Tec fluorescent box to put on the table for people to glance at what they might see in the fluorescent room. We discussed bringing the Fluorescent display out to the main floor so people would not miss it.
Gem Mine: We went through 700 pounds of rock, maybe we would need to order smaller ones next time. Maybe look at doing away with some of the tables at the gem mine.
Grand Prize for 2013: The grand prize for next year’s show is Fluorite. Stretch will look for a Saturday door prize.
Grand Prize Ticket: Dee has all the completed grand prize forms and will start putting them in order to get them in our mailing spreadsheet.
Intergem Booth: Need to make something up to hand out and maybe have TV with a continuous loop of past shows, classes, the video the a parent sent about her daughter’s experience at the gem mine and whatever else we can come up with. We would need to have a commitment from people to man the booth for two and a half days.
Jewelry: We also need to see about getting at least two lights and 1 or 2 lights with magnifiers..
Postcards: The bulk mailing worked great for both the school mailing and the general mailing. There were probably 12 cards that were returned.
Raffle: We need to look at having a raffle that people can buy tickets for and place them a container. Maybe having more than one item and customers can put multiple tickets in more than one container.
Schools: Stretch indicated that maybe we can develop something to help out the public schools
Stone Chipper December 20125
to get them back to the show.
Show Dates: Next show dates are October 18,19 & 20 with the 17th as the move in date.
Show Flyer: We may need to redo the flyer, as the location was really small and heard to read.
Show Hours: Hours of the show need to be changed to provide some consistency.
Other Items:1. Stretch talked about developing sponsorship for the Wheel of Fortune and the Gem Mine.2. Stretch is going to go with a couple of people from Silabs to see how to go to companies aboutsponsorship.3. A pin was suggested saying “ASK ME about membership”.4. Solea from the Dallas Zoo has a trade table with kid treasures and only kids would be able to trade,5. Show committee minutes have to be filed with the Board or made available. So Dee will make allthe corrections approved since she has been Secretary and submit them in yearly folders.
Editor apology: Last month’s Show Committee Meeting Minutes should have been dated October 11, not September 20.
December & January Mineral SIG Meetings
December’s Minerals SIG meeting was cancelled.
The next meeting will be MONDAY, January 7th. The Monday date is a one-time change since the January Board Meeting is scheduled on the 8th.
At the January meeting part of the evening will be devoted to mineral crystallography. There will also be show-and-tell and mineral identification.
Happy holidays and see you next year!Roger
AGMS General Meeting MinutesNovember 15, 2012
Paul Bordovsky welcomed everyone and introduced the speaker for the night, Blake Barnett, an American collector and mineral dealer based out of Austin. His presentation featured the Munich show in October and some of the minerals photographed there.
After the presentation, Pauline Denson started the meeting by asking if there were any visitors.Two visitors introduced themselves. Pauline then asked if there were any corrections to last month’s meeting minutes. There were no corrections.
Wing Evans gave the Treasurer’s report by giving the balances in the bank and investmentaccounts.
Pauline said there will be a special Board meeting on November 27 to review bylaws revisionsand that any interested member is welcome to attend. When the revisions have been completed,a copy will be distributed and posted on the website. The revisions will be voted on at thefollowing month’s meeting.
December’s meeting will be the induction of officers. Barbecue will be from Poke-e-Jo’s andthere will be a gift exchange. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from Wing Evans. Memberscan bring desserts.
Barbara Evans presented a toy Energizer Bunny to Susan Postlethwait representing her activeduties as show chairman.
Blake Barnett, NovemberGemeral Meeting Speaker
Stone Chipper December 20126
Fowler, Sandra Burnette, Marilyn Gilbreath and Wanda Beck.
Alan Cherepon, Andrea Miller, Ron Carman and Laird Fowler had show and tell items.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:17 p.m.
Joyce Hrapsky, 2012 Secretary
Susan reported that the income from the show had been counted and was close enough to givethe club a check. There was also an amount given to the club that was over and above the budgeted amount. The show pins are in and cost $2.50. More Rocky Pins have been ordered to replace the ones in the stolen trailer. Susan said that ideas are still needed for next year’s show. Volunteer hours put in for the show need to be turned in to Brian Wetzig. There will be a drawing for the most hours.
The calcite cabochon contest entries have been judged and the following are the winners:Freeform - 1st place Tonya Barry and 2nd place Pauline Denson; traditional cut – 1st place Murry Fly and 2nd and 3rd places Chip Burnette.
Chip announced he is giving another wire wrapping class Saturday, plus three more classes.He reminded everyone of the field trip to Miller Mine and Crater of Diamonds the Friday afterThanksgiving.
Terry Barry, Chairman of the Nominations Committee gave the following names as prospective officers and directors for 2013: Pauline Denson, President; Alan Cherepon, 1st Vice President; Les Postlethwait, 2nd Vice President; Charlotte Morriss, Treasurer; and Joyce Hrapsky, Secretary. Directors nominated were Terry Barry, Craig Brandt, Laird Fowler, Marilyn Gilbreath, Lou Pulliam, and Sian Schilhab. Pauline called for other nominations from the floor and there were none. A vote was taken and all officers and directors were elected.
Pauline said being on the Yahoo List is a good way to keep track of what is going on in the club.Also, if you do not know how to use the library, contact Harriet Strieber, Roger Waguespack, orTerry Barry.
There were 46 members present. Winning door prizes were Jackie Fisher, Terry Barry, Laird
Membership/Newsletter/ MailingReminder
December 31 Deadline!!
For those you still interested in receiving your newsletter via the postal service, December 31 is the final deadline for payment of the new $10 expense recovery fee. Although this is being assessed in conjunction with the membership dues, which have a grace period extending to March 15, if the $10 expense recovery fee is not paid by December 31, your newsletter will no longer be sent to you via the postal service. You will still be eligible for an emailed copy if we have your email address on file, however. The newsletter is also available for viewing at the AGMS website.
Please contact Wing Evans, Treasurer, to make your payment.
In 1857, the ill-fated U.S. steamship SS Central America never completed its voyage from theCalifornia gold fields to the east coast. It had passed through the Isthmus of Panama and was on its way north to New York when it sank in a tremendous hurricane off the coast of the Carolinas.
Hurricane Sinks Gold-Laden Ship
December 2012Stone Chipper 7
There was not enough time, nor enough lifeboats, to save all the 578 passengers and crew. Captain William Herndon ordered “women and children first” into the boats, and after that, it was “every man for himself.” He went down with the ship, as did 425 others. The 38,000 pieces of mail the ship carried were also gone – imagine the stories they might have told about the hopes and dreams of the Gold Rush miners!
But what did survive was the ship’s precious cargo of gold, three tons of it, in the form of gold ingots, gold nuggets, gold dust, and thousands of newly-minted gold coins struck by the San Francisco Mint in 1857. And though it all survived, its exact location was unknown and unreachable, somewhere 8000 feet down in the Atlantic Ocean. In New York, the loss of so much gold caused “The Panic of ‘57” in which banks failed, factories closed, and the entire country’s economy threatened to collapse.
131 years later, in 1988, treasure-hunter Tommy Thompson and his team, using high-tech minisubmarines and robots like those used to find the Titanic, located the shipwreck and began salvaging the gold. Thompson described the sight on the ocean floor as “piles of coins, heaped in towers” and “ingots everywhere, stacked like brownies.” Because it was gold, it was still perfectly preserved, even after more than a century under the sea. Litigation proved to be a bigger stumbling block than nature, however. It took over a decade for the courts to divide up the profits of Thompson’s venture, with 92% eventually going to his group, and 8% to insurers who had originally paid out claims after the ship’s demise. Next followed two years of complicated negotiations with banks, rare coin dealers, and auction houses to sell the treasure, now estimated to be worth more than $100 million. Its historical value, as a relic of the triumphs and tragedies of the California Gold Rush, is priceless.
The treasure became a spectacular traveling exhibit in 2000, viewed by more than a million people around the country. Some of the gold coins were donated to the Smithsonian Institution, the San Francisco Historical Society, and the New York Historical Society. Many other items recovered from the wreckage, such as luggage, clothing, bottles, and china dishes, also went to museums. The rest of the gold items were sold to private buyers. The most expensive single item, an 80-pound gold ingot, went for $8 million to a buyer described as “a Forbes 400 business executive.” Only recently has the average American had a chance to purchase some of the coins and small nuggets at “affordable” prices. The lowest price advertised for some very tiny nuggets (one-half gram) is $229.
From Sept. 2003 Fire & Ice, Eastern Sierra GMS;From The Rollin’ Rock, July 2002
References: http://www.sscentralamerica.com, http://www.shipofgoldinfo.com, http://www.austincoins.com
AGMS Members Honored atSCFMS Convention
In August the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies honored 3 AGMS members for their contributions to the field of Earth Science.
Chip Burnette received the Competition Award for two 1st-prize-winning cabochon displays, one using various materials and one using petrified wood, with a sample of the rough from which they were cut.included.
Paul and Margaret Good were presented with the 2012 Scholarship Honorees Award for their work, starting in 1972, in Tennesee and Texas supplying schools, universities, and a museum with displays with a geology theme.
Congratulations, Margaret, Paul and Chip!
Stone Chipper December 20128
AUSTIN GEM & MINERAL SOCIETY, INC.
PURPOSE: To promote popular interest, education and enjoyment in the earth sciences, including minerals, gemstones, lapidary art, metal craft, fossils and jewelry. OBJECTIVES: (1) To assist and encourage members and others in the study and enjoy-ment of the earth sciences and lapidary arts. (2) To conduct field trips, meetings and lectures. (3) To provide educational exhibits and displays. (4) To hold an annual public show. (5) To support worthwhile projects associated with the earth sciences sponsored by local or national organizations. MEMBERSHIP: Open to all persons interested in the earth sciences who agree to abide by the Constitution and By-Laws of the society. MEETINGS: An educational program, along with a general membership meeting is held at 7:00P.M. on the fourth Thursday of each month ex-cept October, November and December when special meetings are held. Meeting place is at 6719 Burnet Lane (one block east of Burnet Road, north of Koenig Lane and south of Justin Lane). SPECIAL MEETINGS: The following meetings are held at a special date and place published in the newsletter prior to the meeting. (1) Show set-up and (2) Officer Installation Dinner. FIELD TRIPS: Several times (weather permitting) during the year field trips are scheduled to various parts of the state. Every effort is made to assist the new rock hound, and junior members are always welcome. CLASSES: Lapidary and related skill classes are available and open to all members in good standing. Contact the educational chairman. ANNUAL SHOW: The Society sponsors a public show of minerals, gem-stones, fossils, lapidary work, equipment, and other items of interest to the Society. Non-competitive exhibits are welcome. The show always includes numerous Dealers with related items for sale. THE STONE CHIPPER: The monthly newsletter of the Society. It informs members of meetings and other rock hound activities at local, regional and national levels. It is sent to all members in good standing. Emailed Subscriptions to the Stone Chipper are included in membership fees (one per family/address). U.S. Postal mail is $10.00 a year extra.(see below) AGMS SCHOLARSHIP FUND: AGMS provides scholarships each year to selected students in geological studies at local universities. DUES: Include membership in the South Central Federation of Mineral Societies, Inc. and the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. Single Membership dues are $30.00 per year, Couples Membership (two adults) dues are $40.00 per year and Junior Membership (under 18 as of January 1) dues are $ 4.00 per year. Please make checks payable to the AUSTIN GEM AND MINERAL SO-CIETY, INC. and mail with an application to the address below, or hand to a club officer at a meeting. For membership information call:
Austin Gem & Mineral Society, Inc. 6719 Burnet Lane
Austin, Texas 78757 (512) 458-9546
Stone Chipper December 20129
AUSTIN GEM & MINERAL SOCIETY, INC,Membership Application
(Please Print)Name:___________________________________________________________Spouse’s name:___________________________________________________Mailing address:___________________________________________________City: __________________________State:____________ Zip: _____________Day phone: ______________________ Evening phone:___________________Cell phone:_______________________Junior name:______________________________________________________Junior name______________________________________________________Junior name______________________________________________________
Dues:_________ Single ($30.00) _________Couple ($40.00) _________Juniors ($4.00 each)
Printed/mailed newsletter $10.00 a year ________Email-only newsletter (free): ______Email Address: ___________________________________________________
If you wish to have only your name published in a membership roster pleasecheck here_____What telephone number may we include?______________________________May we include your e-mail address? Yes______ No______
Please mail your check and the above membership application to:
AGMS6719 BURNET LANE
AUSTIN, TEXAS 78757
The Stone Chipper is the official publication of the Austin Gem and Mineral Society. It is published monthly in Austin, Texas. Expanded minutes of Board Meetings are available upon request. Note: Clip art images are under Copyright 2012 by the AGMS and its licensors. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, text items in The Stone Chipper may be reproduced in other nonprofit publications as long as proper credit is given to the author and The Stone Chipper. All authors who make submissions to this newsletter are presumed to agree with this policy.
The Stone ChipperCarolyn Perkins, Editor6719 Burnet LaneAustin, Texas [email protected]
Address Correction Requested
December 2012 Newsletter
Austin Gem and Mineral Society
Please visit us at www.Austingemandmineral.org
