SEPTEMBER 1931 J

Across the Fence

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR WISCONSIN FEDERATION OF STAMP CLUB MEMBERS

WHO'S WHO IN IBE WFSC

Member: Vern Witt

Vern Witt is the subject of this month's feature and as we shall see he has long been a prominent supporter of the hobby. Vern has been collecting stamps for 55 years and has been a member of the Sheboygan Stamp Club since 1949. He has held all offices in that club at one time or another and in fact has been the club president for three terms. He has served as exhibit chairman for the Sheboygan club~ local shows and also for the Sheboygan-sponsored WFSC shows from 1951 through 1980. Additionally he has been a member of the Manitowoc Philatelic Society and the Plymouth Stamp Club. Verne was quite active in Junior collecting and led the Sheboygan Junior Stamp Club for 22 years until declining membership forced absorption into the adult club. He is still active in Junior promotion in local schools.

Vern is also a member of the American Philatelic Society, the American Rev­enue Society, and the American Nunismatic Association. Vern regularly attends the WFSC meetings and was elected V.P. of the WFSC in 1960 and in 1970. He was elected President of the Federation in 1961 and again in 1971. Vern was on the original WFSC Hall of Fame Corrmittee when the present Hall of Fame was organized and Ray Van Handel, Sr. was the first candidate. He himself was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Vern became an apprentice judge in 1954 under Aurther Schulze of iliicago and Fred Noske of Milwaukee. He became a fully accredited judge in 1957 and be­cause of this he attends many local and state shows . He has exhibited Newfound­land and U.S. Plate Blocks in major shows and has entered many other subjects in local shows. Judging activities have curtailed his exhibiting recently however. He has also authored some philatelic articles for the old WFSC h.llletin.

Presently, Vern~ main stamp collecting interests are revenue stamps and postal history. He was born and raised in Manitowoc. He is married to Shirley and t_hey have three grown sons. Vern is retired from the Wisconsin Telephone Company. In addition to collecting stamps, he also collects coins, e.airls, ~covers, and memorabilia. He is an avid fisherman and a so-so hunter. He also enjoys traveling.

It is apparent that Vern has contrih.lted greatly to the hobby and with people like this we know that the future of the hobby is assured. We express our appreciation for what he has done and wish him all the best in the future.

JOINING WITH JUNIORS

Journey to a New Frontier ... Collect Stamps

10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - BLAST OFF! Youth at KIDPEX '91 will have a "blast" with the Space Exploration theme established for National Stamp Collecting Month. The stamp show will be held at Pilgrim Lutheran School, 68th & Center St., Milwaukee. The all-day event will take place on Saturday, October 26, 1991, and is a pro­ject of the Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs - Youth Division and the U.S. Postal Service, Milwaukee Division Ben Franklin Stamp Clubs.

Each year, the event solicits contest and exhibit entries from Wisconsin youth under the age of 18. This year 's contest requires youth to "Create a Commemorative Stamp". Unlike most design-a-stamp contests, youth need not demonstrate an artistic talent. The stamp is created from print material such as magazine or newspaper pictures, greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc. The entry form also requires the youth to think through the rationalization of issuing commemorative stamps by writing the name of the stamp issue and the reason for commemoration. Contest directi ons include helpful tips for those participating.

Youth can also try their hand at exhibiting their favorite country or topic on stamps. Beginners can put together a 2, 3, or 4 page exhibit. More advanced collec­tors can do 8, 16, or 32 page exhibits. All exhibits will win ribbons and compete for prizes and awards.

This year something new has been added to KIDPEX - a philatelic school! Two sessions will be offered. The morning session (9:30 - 11:00 A.M.) will be for beginners and include tips on proper removal of stamps from paper, · tools of the trade, perforations, watermarks, catalogs, and stamp identification. An intermediate class will be held in the afternoon from 1 :30 - 3:00 P.M. Those classes will explore where and how to obtain collectible stamps, condition of stamps, various types of collecting, and a black light demonstration.

Registration to the philatelic school will be limited to 50 in each class so that hands-on activities and individual attention can be given. A registration fee of $5.00 will defray the cost of materials and supplies. Each participant will receive a binder, informational sheets, stock page, and booklet pane of the ten new Space Exploration stamps ($2.90 face value). Youth must be at lea st eight years of age to par ticipate. Only one class per child. Adults may not enroll.

In the next issue, I will describe the variety of projects and educational activities that are planned for those not attending the philatelic school. I urge all adult collectors to "adopt" a youth for the day and introduce them to the stamp collecting hobby by planning a day at KIDPEX.

Information regarding the contest, exhibit prospectus, and application for the philatelic school are available for a SASE from MaryAnn Rowman, P . O. Box 745 1 , Waukesha, WI 53187 . Be sure to specify the jn fo rm atj_o n you desire.

MILWAUKEE PHILATELIC

SOCIETY INC. presents

STAMPFEST 1991 at

St. Aloysius Gonzaga Hall 1435 S. 92nd Street

WEST ALLIS

Saturday, September 28, 1991 Sunday, September 29, 1991

10AM-6PM 10AM-6PM

Free Admission and Parking

The 1991 Milwaukee Philatelic Society Circus Parade Cover with Cachet designed by Klaus Birkhain. The cover features the parade, elephants, and marching flag units in red, yellow, green and blue. The covers are $1.25 each or $5.00 for a set of four dates. Send a #10 stamped, self-addressed envelope and check made payable to Milwaukee Philatelic Society, Inc., to M.P.S. Circus Cachet, P.O. Box 1980, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1980.

..J

The U.S. Connection By Michael Lenard

USA 18c

White House Jarres Hoban

I.einster House Dublin, Ireland

White House= I.einster House

A U.S. President could possibly feel right at home in the Dublin, Ireland I.einster House. In 1792, when Washington D.C. was being planned, the United States Congress offered a prize of five hundred dollars for the best design of the future President's House. Jaires Hoban, an Irish architect living in Charle­ston, South Carolina, was awarded the first prize for his design of what is nc,w known as the White House. Years later, Hoban admitted t.'1at he copied the exterior and interior designs of t.~e Leinster House, a duke's palace in Dublin. This is why a U.S. President would feel at home in the I.einster House.

FIRST DAY OF ISSUE

SEPTEMBER 9. 1990

GREEN BAY, WI 54303 PHILATELIC C!UIZ

' ' ~ ;/ .,:· , ~. ~ . " , · · . L ~--, .. ~, t .. .

. -. . r.\ 1-_ .. ; _... ,..._ •· /' -, ' It.-- / ',4,. - - -- -- _;_.-r-::,;t.;...;...- - -~ - . r--~-~--

·~-· __ .- ... . .. -

On l Y :tw.:i, .. c;:~. in modern USPS postal history has an item been unveiled and issued on the same day.

The first was the 1962 four-cent commemorative honoring John Glenn's orbit of the earth (Scott #1193). It was released at post offices within hours of his Mercury splashdown.

What .was, __ .the second_?

ANSWER: The 25-cent Football Hologram Envelope, which was unveiled and issued on September 9, 1990 , at Green Bay, Wisconsin. What a sneaky way to introduce a WFSC ad!

Did you know that the WFSC cacheted FDC of t~e Football Hologram Envelope is available by mail ? ???? Cost i s only $2, which includes the covering envelope and return postage. NO · SASE REQUIRED. O.rd.e.r ... f .rom ..... D.e ... JL1hn.ke . ., ...... WFSC .. __TreasL1.rer.,_ 3701 J..Pr.d~JL.J..an.e_L .... Ste.vens _ .. Po.in.t, ... W.I .... 5.44.BJ,_._

COUNTDOWN TO WORLD COLUMBIAN STAMP EXPO stA1ViP EXP6 •• ~92 •••.• MAY 22-31, 1992 - CHICAGO

Admission tickets to World Columbian Stamp Expo will be produced from a new proof of the original die used to print the tickets for the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. The new tickets will be printed using the offset method. The original tickets were engraved. The new tickets will be larger than the original versions. Some day these tickets may become a collector's item much as the original have become.

The youth area at WCSE will have a Wisconsin touch. Serving as co-chairmen of the area are MaryAnn Bowman and Jim Maher. The 5,000 square foot area is expected to serve 10,000 to 15,000 youth during the ten day event. As the youth area is used primarily during school hours, plans are also underway to utilize the same area for senior citizens during the late afternoon hours. If you have any ideas you would like to see incorporated into the youth/seniors area, feel free to contact MaryAnn or Jim.

LEAVE THE DRIVING TO BOB SPARKS AND OPS

Bob Sparks and the Oshkosh Philatelic Society are planning on• or more bus trips to Chicago's 1992 Columbian Exposition on Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 30, 1992.

(Your editor still remembers the great time we had on Bob Sparks' bus trip to AMERIPEX in 1986.)

The plan calls for the bus to leave at 6 a.m. from Valley Fair Mall, Appleton, with pickup points at Kohl's Plaza, Neenah; Prange Way, Oshkosh; and Forest Mall, Fond du Lac. The bus will arrive at the O'Hare Expo Center as close to opening time as possible, will leave the Exposition at approximately 5 p.m. with a meal in Milwaukee, and will drop off pas~engers at the four locations in reverse order.

Each bus holds 47 passengers and the trip is open to all WFSC members, spouses, and guests. The expected cost for the bus will range from $20 ta $30 per person, depending on how full the bus is.

To reserve your seat on this philatelic fun bus, send your 95 check (payable to Bob Sparks or Oshkosh Philatelic Society) to Bob Sparks, 328 E. Doty Avenue, Neenah, WI 54956-2974. ( The ba lane(~ wi 11 be dLle on or before April 1, 1992. The $5 deposit is refundable on written notice before April 1, 1992.) Please include your name, address, and phcne number with your deposit. Reservations are on a first-come first-served basis . Bob will acknowledge all re~;;erva ti ems.

Don''t miss out on this once-in -a-l ifetime opportunity to attend the 500th anniversary of Columbus· first landing in the Western Hemisphere!

.J

6

CONGRATS TO MARYANN BOWMAN

John Sunnunu should not get all the headlines this summer! Lin.n .. ·.s ... S.tamp _.N,ews. (6-17-91) announced that the APS had awarded its first annual Ernest A. Kehr Future of Philately award to MaryAnn Bowman.

Readers cf ATF know MaryAnn as the WFSC vice president for youth activities, the organizer of the annual KIDPEX, and the er-eater of the "Joining with Juniors" column of this newsletter.

BL1t I was amazed at the O..i\.t.i. .. 9.0..~.1 figure MaryAnn cuts in youth philately. The list of her accomplishments and involvements in youth philately is too long to reprint here. (Where does she find the time and ener-gy?)

Suffice it to say that MaryAnn Bowman is in the vanguard of the future of our hobby. For the future of stamp collecting lies with our youth. Congratulations, MaryAnn, on your prestigious award. Keep up the excellent work!

CLUB NEWS 0$.1::! ~~OSH. PH I_L_AT.EL IC SOC l.ETY

Secretary Steve Langkau of OPS reports:

The following have been PaL1 l Thoman Jim Ryan

recently elected to office: Pres. VP

Steve Langkau Robert Sparks

Sec. Treas.

The new society address is Oshkosh Philatelic Society 200 S. Lark St. Oshkosh, WI 54901-5633

The new location for meeetings is : Oshkosh Post Office Building (Northeast ent r ance) 1025 W. 20th Ave •• Oshkosh

Meetings are still held on t~e first Tuesday and third Monday of the months September through May, starting at p.m.

WaUSApex '91 Pros:pectus Ready

7:30

The Exhibitors Prospectus for WaUSApex '91 is now ready and rray be obtained fran the Wisconsin Valley Philatelic Society, P.O. Box 71, Wausau, WI 54401. Exhibitors rrust be a rrember of a Club within too Wisconsin Federation of Starrp Clubs. There is no frarre fee and space will be allo­cated on a "first care - first served" basis.

Th:! WaUSApex '91 Starrp ShcM will be oold in Wausau on Septem­ber 28 & 29, 1991.

MORE FDC ADVICE

In the April 1991 issue of THE WISCONSIN COVER SHEET, editor Hank Schmidt again offers FDC collectors some s ound advice.

Hank states that "new 1 ines of FDCs ••• seem to be po pping Lip like dandelions in your lawn •••• " He also notes the "proliferation of many hand-painted (or colore d) c a chet 1 ines being offered at e:<orbi tan t pr ices "--for ex amp 1 e foL1r hand-painted FDCs of last spring's lighthouse issue for $75 per cover-- a total of $295 with the discount .

Hank wonders aloud "if we aren't being offered a lot of junk at highly inflated prices by some unscrupulous merc hants ••• " Hank's advice: "Stick with the old lines that have a respectable appreciation reputation."

That's not only good advice for collecting FDCs. That advice can probably be applied to all the other areas of philatelic collecting.

PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR

GREEN BAY STAMP SHOP. 1136 W. Mason Street - Green Bay, Wisconsin 54303

• Stamps and Collections Bought and Sold

• Qualified . Appraisals

Tuesday 3-5 p.m. Thursday 3-7:30 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

499-6886

STAMP & COIN 3HOW5 Downtown Holiday Inn

Green Bay FALL ......• dept. 15, 1991

XMAS ....••..• Dec. 8, 1991 WINTER •...• Feb. 9, 1992

BILL ROBINSON 1641 Bruce Lane Green Bay 54313

AO s

DANEPEX '91 COVERS (Sept. 7) -- Honoring our service men and women. The colored cachet depicts service people in uniforms of five branches of the military. Stars and stripes are incorporated in the cancel. All covers are franked with the Desert Storm commemorative issue. Covers are $1 each plus a No. 10 SASE. Badger Stamp Club, c/o Gary Small, P.O. Box 382, Middleton, WI 53562.

VERTISERS

the Wisconsin Valley Phllatellc Society presents ANNUAL

STAMP SH~ STAMP COLLECTING IS FUN

"TOOAY'S YOUTH ARE TOMORROW'S FUTURE"

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WAUSAPEX '91

HOWARD JOHNSON'S WAUSAU

The Biggest Show In Northern W!sconsln Exhlblts/Dealers/U.S.P.S.

FREE ADMISSION • ,sr..pex Stat. 'l-l~u 'o,,

Sep 29, 1991

WAUSAU, WI 54401

</

SHOW CALENDAR AND REGISTRY IgJI Sept 7 DANEPEX '91., BADGER STAMP CLUBJ Holiday Inn Southeast

6301 East Broadway (I-~) at us Hwy 12 & 18 EastL MadisonJ Wisconsin (Contact person: Karen Weigt 4184 Rose Ct.J MiddletonJ WI 53562-4339.)

Sept 21-22 WALCOPEX '91., WALWORTH COUNTY STAMP CLUBJ YMCAJ 203 Wells St.J Lake Geneva.

Sept 28-29 WaUSAoex '91., WISCONSIN VALLEY PHILATELIC SOCIETY. Howard Johnson'sJ Hwy 51 & City Tk NNJ Wausau

Sept 28-29 STAMPFEST '91., MILWAUKEE PHILATELIC SOCIETYJ St. Aloysius Gonzaga Halt 1435 s. 92nd Street & West Greenfield AvenueJ West Allis.

OCT 19-20 TOSAPEX '91., WAUWATOSA PHILATELIC SOCIETY. Gonzaga Halt 1435 s. 92nd St.J West Allis. (Contact person: Walter Jaglowskt P.O. Box 13102., Wauwatosa., WI 53213)

OCT 26 KIDPEX '91., Pilgrim Lutheran SchoolJ 68th & Center J

Milwaukee. (Contact person: Mary Ann BowmanJ PO Box 1451., waukeshaJ WI 53187-1451

NOV 9-10 FALL BOURSE & EXHIBIT., KETTLE MORAINE COIN

lg)l FEB 15-16

May 2-3

ACROSSTHEFENCE isthe official publication of the Wis-consin Federation of Stamp Clubs and is published ten times a year. Display advertisting rates are: full page-$30, 1(2 page-$16, 1/4 page-$8, 1/8 page- $5 . Want ads (two lines): three issues-$5, one issue-$2. Inquire for rates on other setups. Make all checks payable to the Wisconsin Fed-eration of Stamp Clubs. Deadline for all material is the 15th of the month preceding month of publication. Send to: Clete Delvaux, 'Editor, Across the Fence, 1827 Aspen Ln., Green Bay, WI 54303.

AND STAMP CLUB. Paradise Malt South Main Street and Paradise DriveJ West Bend.

STAMP SHOW 1992 (formerly KECOPEXL KENOSHA STAMP AND COVER CLUB. St. Mark's AuditoriumJ 7202 Sheridan Rd.J Kenosha (Contact person: Thomas ElnenJ 7620 - 10th Ave.J Kenosha., WI 53143)

WISCOPEX '92., hosted by the FOND DU LAC STAMP CLUB. Holiday InnJ 625 Rolling Meadows Dr . ., Fond Du Lac. (Contact Person: Fred EricksenJ PO Box 821., Fond du LacJ WI 54936-0821)

WFSC OFFICERS EAST CENTRAL REGION VP

PRESIDENT Fred Ericksen First Day Cover Collectors of Wisconsin

Ray Vedder Fond du Lac Stamp Club 410 W. Briar Ln. Kettle Moraine Coin & Stamp Club Green Bay, WI 54301 Oshkosh Phil. Soc.

VICE PRESIDENT Ripon Phil. Soc. Sheboygan Stamp Club

Greg Schmidt Wisconsin Christmas Seal & Charity 870 Bengal Rd. Neenah, WI 54956

Stamp Soc.

CENTRAL REGION VP

CENTRAL OFFICE & SECY. Roy Northwood Karen Weigt Central Wisconsin Stamp Club

4184 Rose Ct. Northwoods Stamp & Coin

Middleton, WI 53562 Club (Rhinelander) Wisconsin Valley Phil. Soc.

TREASURER NORTHEAST REGION VP Deanna Juhnke Roger Oswald (appointed to fill vacancy) 3701 Jordan Ln. Chain-a-lakes Stamp Club Stevens Point, WI 54481 Green Bay Phil. Soc .

Manitowoc Phil. Soc . VP, YOUTH DIVISION Outagamie Phil. Soc . MaryAnn Bowman Queen City Phil. Soc . P.O. Box 1451 Wisconsin Blue & Gray Soc . Waukesha, WI 53187 Northwoods Phil. Soc . (Iron Mt.)

SOUTHWEST REGION VP Dwane Kaplenk: Badger Stamp Club Baraboo Stamp Club Janesville Stamp Club Walworth County Stamp Club

MILWAUKEE REGION VP Erik Martini Amer. Air Mail Soc. (Billy

Mitchell Chptr.) Germany Phil. Soc. Italian American Stamp Club Milwaukee Phil. Soc. North Shore Phil. Soc. of Milw. Northwestern Mutual Stamp Club Polish American Stamp Club Wauwatosa Phil. Soc.

SOUTHEAST REGION VP Douglas Galaszewsk:i Belle City Stamp Club Cooney Numismatists &

Philatelists, Ltd. Kenosha Stamp & Cover Club Waukesha County Phil . Soc. Wisconsin Postal History Society