b'CONVENTIONSTORY NRCA Theoldest constructiontrade association in the U. S. is actually older than it thinksit is-inyear of its the DIAMONDJUBILEE Butthisonlyillustratesthefactthat withthepassageof theyears,it has becomeamuchmore youthfulorganization. T HE NATIONAL Roofing Contractors\'tractorsAssociationwaschosenasmoreOn thedeath of Eugene Pope, the ofAssociationistheoldest trade associ representativeofitscharacterandgeo- ficeof secretarywasfilledbyMrs.Harationin theconstructionindustry.Actu graphical area of service.riet B.Wagner, whohadthe distinction ally it is even older than it thinks it is. InTheassociationhasbeeninthefore- of being the first woman to operate a lino1962it celebratesitsDiamondanniver front of roofing development. It owesitstypemachineinthe U.S.Sheheldthe sary- its 75th birthday, dating from an an founding asadirectresultof thecoop- officeuntil1938,wheninviewofher nualconventionheldin1887,whenerationbetweenroofingcontractorsinadvancingage,shewasretiredwitha N.R.C.A. records presume it was one yearChicago atthe time of the great Chicagosmallpensionfromtheassociation.The old.fire.wonderful old lady passed away a year ago, ActuallyinJanuary,1962, theassoci- Asnoted in the list of N.R.C.A. presi- )outliving many of these whothought her ation entered its80th year. It is easy fordents, there were many illustriousnames.flower was withering on the vine. She was ahistorical error to be made, and once itTherewasMajor Samuel E. Barrett who91 when she died. ismade,theerrorisrepeated.Thedeveloped coal tar pitch from a local to aThe N.R.C.A. owes her a debt of grati-{N.R.C.A.isnot theonly concern to suf nacional asset.cude as she kept the association alive dur-fer from a typographical error.SamuelD.Warren,whopioneereding a period of three years when trade asThe Barrett Division, Allied Chemicalbuilt-up roofingwas a charter member associacions were expiring all ever the U. S. Co. dates itsbirth to the year1857. Thewashisbrotherwhowith AmziL.Ear- James McCawley servedfrom1938 to Barrett Company wasa yearold in 1847ber,dugthefirstasphaltcommercially1951 when he resigned co devote full time whenSamuelE.Barrete,joinedhisfromTrinidadLake,andfoundedtheto magazine editing. He was followedby brotherin aroofing business in Chicago.Warren-EhretCo.ofPhiladelphia.An- C.C.Figge,formertreasureroftheasProof forchisisin the ChicagoHistori other member was Henry M. Reynolds ofsociacion,whoresignedin1957because cal Society records.GrandRapids,Mich.,whoinventedtheof the heavy load of work as Administrator InthefirstissueoftheAmericanasphalt shingle.of the Chicago Roofers Welfare Fund, and Rooferpublished in January1911, thereAsthe memhiershipof cheassociationthe RoofingSurveyandServiceFoundaappearedaverbatimreportofthe28thspreadcomore aP1d more states, the char- cion. AnnualConventionoftheMasterSlagacter of the membership and the businessThe present Secretary, Fred Good, had and Gravel Roofers of America. This datesinterestsof members changed.Originallya background of service as Secretary of the the firstannual conventionto1883, andconfinedcobuilt-uproofingfirmstheChicagoRoofingC0ntractor\'sAssociation the birch of the association in 1882.membershipnowincludesapplicatorsofand hasdone anoutstandingjobof exTheMasterSlagandGravelRoofersalltypesofr=fingandsiding.Anin- panding the association\'s services. AssociationowesitsbirthtotheChi creasing number of members today supp,lyThe Association took a major step forcago Roofing Contractors Association, whoacompleteroof service,theroofing,in- ward by financing to the tune of $15,000 can claimtobe theoldestcitytradeas sulation and roof deck.a research project on built-up roofing op-sociation in America as while there isnoIn1911the national association span- eratedbythe Universityof Illinois.The record of its beginning, there isno doubtsored anational roosng magazine ownedreportof thisinvestigationentitled"An thatitwasfunctioningfiveyearsbeforeandoperatedbyitsExecutiveSecretary,Investigation Into theCauses of Built-up the national organization wasformed.Eugene Pope. Under the direction of Mr.R=fing Failures" by Professor Donald E. In 1911, the association joined the As Pope and a distinguished list of presidencs,Brotherson,hasjust been fll:lblished by the sociated Roofers of America and the namethe organization prospered, accomplishingUniversityof Illinois and can be secured waschanged to United RoofingCoacrac amongothernotablefeatsthedefeatofat a cost of $1.50 per copy from the Unitors Association until 1948 when throughthe carpenters\'union in its efforts to barversity, at Urbana, Hlinois. theeffortsofitsSecretary,JamesMc roofingcontractorsandtheiremployeeThe1962conventionopensatthe Cawley, the nameNationalRoofing Con- frominstalling rigid insulation.Pick-CongressHotelat9A.M.onFeb-14JANUARY,1962'