Presented by The INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1. Front Page / Annual Convention 2. South Central Federation Information 3. A Note From Roger / 2018 SCFMS Web site Con- test Winners 4. 2018 Bulletin Contest Winners 5. 2018 Bulletin Contest Winners Continued 6. 2018 AFMS Bulletin Contest Winners 7. SCFMS Convention Meeting Minutes 8. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued 9. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued 10. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued 11. Managing Deadlines (or So What) 12. Managing Deadlines (or So What) Continued / Ge- ology in The News 13. Geology in The News Continued / Internet Thieves 14. Fossils and Dinosaur Footprint Articles 15. Dinosaur Footprints Continued / 2019 SCFMS Bulletin Contest Deadline 16. Contest Rules and Guidelines 17. Endowment Fund Drawing 18. Endowment Drawing Donations / John D. McClellan Obituary 19. The Editor’s Poem / The Geology of Lavacicle Caves 20. Bench Tips by Brad Smith 21. SCFMS Regional Shows / Thank You NEWSLETTER Member of: A merican F ederation of M ineral S ocieties OF THE Of Mineral Societies JANUARY 19-20, 2019 FREDERICKSBURG, TX FREDERICKSBURG ROCKHOUNDS Pioneer Pavilion— in Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park 2019 SCFMS ANNUAL CONVENTION MAY- JUNE, 2018
Transcript
Presented by The
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. Front Page / Annual Convention
2. South Central Federation Information
3. A Note From Roger / 2018 SCFMS Web site Con-
test Winners
4. 2018 Bulletin Contest Winners
5. 2018 Bulletin Contest Winners Continued
6. 2018 AFMS Bulletin Contest Winners
7. SCFMS Convention Meeting Minutes
8. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued
9. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued
10. Convention Meeting Minutes Continued
11. Managing Deadlines (or So What)
12. Managing Deadlines (or So What) Continued / Ge-
ology in The News
13. Geology in The News Continued / Internet Thieves
14. Fossils and Dinosaur Footprint Articles
15. Dinosaur Footprints Continued / 2019 SCFMS
Bulletin Contest Deadline
16. Contest Rules and Guidelines
17. Endowment Fund Drawing
18. Endowment Drawing Donations / John D.
McClellan Obituary
19. The Editor’s Poem / The Geology of Lavacicle
Caves
20. Bench Tips by Brad Smith
21. SCFMS Regional Shows / Thank You
NEWSLETTER
Member of: American Federation of Mineral Societies
A NOTE FROM ROGER By Roger Burford, SCFMS President
By the time this newsletter is published we will find ourselves about a month out
from this year’s SCFMS meetings. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to meet with all
of you who attended the meetings and the great show put on by the Lubbock Gem
and Mineral Society. This is twice in three years that they have hosted the federation
meetings and the experience shows they know what they are doing.
Attendance at the meetings this year was way down and I am having a hard time un-
derstanding why. All clubs in the federation are required to send their President and
Vice President to the annual meetings or they may send alternates to represent their
clubs. This year, if I remember the numbers correctly, we had 15 of the 35 clubs in
the Federation represented which was very disappointing for a Federation which do-
nates the most to the American Federations Scholarship Fund. We normally have very good attendance to our
meetings so I would like to know why this year as different. Was it due to the economy, the timing of the show or
miscommunications? I would like to hear from all of our clubs as to why they were unable to attend this year and
even from those who did attend as to what we can do better to improve our attendance.
Communication is the bread and butter of what we do. We teach our members and others interested in our hobby
and we have all probably learned something from other members of your club or other clubs in our federation as
well as the American Federation. Within the South Central Federation our newsletter editors are sharing their
newsletters with each other and I also receive newsletters from other federations. If you have some information
which could help someone else, a skill you can teach, please share this with other club members both in your club
and with other clubs, this sharing is what makes being a member of clubs like ours interesting and fun. Share what
you know and teach skills you have learned, communications among our clubs is key to having fun and our clubs
growth.
First Place: Lauren R. Brown, webmaster for ARK-LA-TEX Gem and Mineral Society. Visit the web site
at www.larock.com. Seventh Place in AFMS competition. Second Place: Gordon C. Galligher, webmaster for Paleontological Society of Austin. Visit the web site at
www.austinpaleo.org. Third Place in AFMS competition. Third Place: Lynn Metcalf, webmaster for East Texas Gem and Mineral Society. Visit the web site at
www.etgms.org. Honorable Mention: Walter Beneze, webmaster for Lubbock Gem and Mineral Society. Visit the web site
at www.lubbockgemandmineral.org.
The SCFMS competition was very close with only 4 points (out of 100) separating all the en-tries. I would like to thank those who entered this year’s Web Site Contest. I would like to en-courage all SCFMS webmasters to enter next year’s contest. The judging criteria for the 2019 contest will be slightly different and I will try to get the new score sheets out in the next two months. Winning the contest is nice, but the ultimate purpose is to provide feedback to each webmaster on ways to enhance the club’s website.
The next SCFMS Convention will be in January 2019, so look for a contest closing date in the
near future for the 2019 Web Site Contest. The Editor and Author competition will close en-
tries on November 2nd, and that would also be a likely target date for the Web Site contest clos-
ing date. The closing date is early, but at least the closing date will let you have a clear calen-
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Phyl l i s George Large Bul letins The Backbender's Gazette Apri l Houston Gem & Minera l Society
2 Raymond Lynch Large Bul letins The Hot Springs Bul letin October The Hot Springs Geology Club
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Susan Burch Smal l Bul letins Rock-N-Rose August East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
2 Liz Burford Smal l Bul letins The Red Stick Rockhound News October Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Don Shurtz Mini Bul letinsChips and Chatter November
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Kinney Polve Specia l Publ ications Rock-N-Rose/Specia l Diamond WheelsJune East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
2 Liz Burford Specia l Publ icationsRed Stick Rockhound News/Baton
Rouge Mini Maker Fa ire SeptemberBaton Rouge Gem & Minera l Society
Specia l Publ ications Tri -Ci ties Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Mari lyn Gi lbreath Adult Poetry The Old "Rocks 'n' Chair May Austin Gem & Minera l Society
2 Lynn Metca l f Adult Poetry A LYMRIC June East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
3Steve Blyska l and
Sigrid StewartAdult Poetry
Harvey Comes to Houston November Houston Gem & Minera l Society
4 Jerry Beare Adult Poetry ROCK HOUND May East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
5 Mary Owens Adult Poetry A PILE OF ROCKS August East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
6Terrel l Wi l l iam
"Terry" Proctor, J. D.Adult Poetry
When a Rock Is Not a Rock November Houston Gem & Minera l Society
7 Kinney Polve Adult Poetry WHAT MIGHT I BE? "I 'M NOT A TREE!" October East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
8 Susan Burch Adult Poetry AUTHENTIC ROCKHOUND ROCK LICKER September East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Albert J. Robb II I Adult Articles - AdvancedRel ic Cretaceous Foss i l s from the
Texas Panhandle March Houston Gem & Minera l Society
2 Dr. Nathal ie Brandes Adult Articles - Advanced
There Once Was a Goat Named Kåre--
Over a Mi l lennium of Mining at Fa lu
Gruve, Sweden Feb Houston Gem & Minera l Society
3 Paul Brandes Adult Articles - AdvancedRocking Out in Michigan's Upper
Peninsula October Houston Gem & Minera l Society
4 Laura Dow Adult Articles - Advanced Meet the Morrisses --Two R's , Two S's September Austin Gem & Minera l Society
5 Laird Fowler Adult Articles - Advanced 5600 Mi les Driving & Si lver-Picking October Austin Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
ADULT ARTICLES
1 Cheryl Ogletree Origina l Adult Article No Fool ing, It's Iron Pyri teNovember
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
2 Cathy Brandt Origina l Adult Article How Does a Club Begin March Austin Gem & Minera l Society
3 Don Shurtz Origina l Adult Article Rhodochros i teAugust
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
4 Carla Broussard-Scher Origina l Adult Article EASY ACCESS to Petri fied Wood March
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
5 Chris Raby Origina l Adult Article Adventure in RockhoundingOctober/November
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
6 Nancy L. Englehardt-MooreOrigina l Adult ArticleArchaeology Section--January &
February Meetings MarchHouston Gem & Minera l Society
7Ivy Hjornevik &
Carolyn PerkinsOrigina l Adult Article
Oh, the Places She Has Gone, Ivy
Hjornevik May Austin Gem & Minera l Society
8 Col leen Hayes Origina l Adult Article USING ROCKS IN A DIFFERENT WAYNovember East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
9 Jimmy Lapham Origina l Adult Article Solved at Last?October/November
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
10 Raymond C. Lynch Origina l Adult ArticleCEDAR FALLS, PETIT JEAN STATE PARK,
ARKANSAS Jan-FebThe Hot Springs Geology Club
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 05 MAY-JUNE, 2018
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Phyl l i s George Large Bul letins The Backbender's Gazette Apri l Houston Gem & Minera l Society
2 Raymond Lynch Large Bul letins The Hot Springs Bul letin October The Hot Springs Geology Club
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Susan Burch Smal l Bul letins Rock-N-Rose August East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
2 Liz Burford Smal l Bul letins The Red Stick Rockhound News October Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Don Shurtz Mini Bul letinsChips and Chatter November
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Kinney Polve Specia l Publ ications Rock-N-Rose/Specia l Diamond WheelsJune East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
2 Liz Burford Specia l Publ icationsRed Stick Rockhound News/Baton
Rouge Mini Maker Fa ire SeptemberBaton Rouge Gem & Minera l Society
Specia l Publ ications Tri -Ci ties Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Mari lyn Gi lbreath Adult Poetry The Old "Rocks 'n' Chair May Austin Gem & Minera l Society
2 Lynn Metca l f Adult Poetry A LYMRIC June East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
3Steve Blyska l and
Sigrid StewartAdult Poetry
Harvey Comes to Houston November Houston Gem & Minera l Society
4 Jerry Beare Adult Poetry ROCK HOUND May East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
5 Mary Owens Adult Poetry A PILE OF ROCKS August East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
6Terrel l Wi l l iam
"Terry" Proctor, J. D.Adult Poetry
When a Rock Is Not a Rock November Houston Gem & Minera l Society
7 Kinney Polve Adult Poetry WHAT MIGHT I BE? "I 'M NOT A TREE!" October East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
8 Susan Burch Adult Poetry AUTHENTIC ROCKHOUND ROCK LICKER September East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
1 Albert J. Robb II I Adult Articles - AdvancedRel ic Cretaceous Foss i l s from the
Texas Panhandle March Houston Gem & Minera l Society
2 Dr. Nathal ie Brandes Adult Articles - Advanced
There Once Was a Goat Named Kåre--
Over a Mi l lennium of Mining at Fa lu
Gruve, Sweden Feb Houston Gem & Minera l Society
3 Paul Brandes Adult Articles - AdvancedRocking Out in Michigan's Upper
Peninsula October Houston Gem & Minera l Society
4 Laura Dow Adult Articles - Advanced Meet the Morrisses --Two R's , Two S's September Austin Gem & Minera l Society
5 Laird Fowler Adult Articles - Advanced 5600 Mi les Driving & Si lver-Picking October Austin Gem & Minera l Society
PLACE EDITOR/AUTHOR NAME CATEGORY BULLETIN NAME/TITLE MONTH CLUB NAME
ADULT ARTICLES
1 Cheryl Ogletree Origina l Adult Article No Fool ing, It's Iron Pyri teNovember
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
2 Cathy Brandt Origina l Adult Article How Does a Club Begin March Austin Gem & Minera l Society
3 Don Shurtz Origina l Adult Article Rhodochros i teAugust
Pleasant Oaks Gem and Minera l
Club of Dal las
4 Carla Broussard-Scher Origina l Adult Article EASY ACCESS to Petri fied Wood March
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
5 Chris Raby Origina l Adult Article Adventure in RockhoundingOctober/November
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
6 Nancy L. Englehardt-MooreOrigina l Adult ArticleArchaeology Section--January &
February Meetings MarchHouston Gem & Minera l Society
7Ivy Hjornevik &
Carolyn PerkinsOrigina l Adult Article
Oh, the Places She Has Gone, Ivy
Hjornevik May Austin Gem & Minera l Society
8 Col leen Hayes Origina l Adult Article USING ROCKS IN A DIFFERENT WAYNovember East Texas Gem & Minera l Society
9 Jimmy Lapham Origina l Adult Article Solved at Last?October/November
Baton Rouge Gem & Minera l
Society
10 Raymond C. Lynch Origina l Adult ArticleCEDAR FALLS, PETIT JEAN STATE PARK,
ARKANSAS Jan-FebThe Hot Springs Geology Club
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 06 MAY-JUNE, 2018
LARGE BULLETINS
7th Place The Backbender’s Gazette, Houston Gem & Mineral Society, Phyllis George,
Editor
ADULT ARTICLES
2nd Place No Fooling, It’s Iron Pyrite, Cheryl Ogletree, Author; Pleasant Oaks Gem &
Mineral Club of Dallas, Don Shurtz, Editor
4th Place Rhodochrosite, Don Shurtz, Author; Pleasant Oaks Gem & Mineral Club of Dal-
las. Don Shurtz, Editor
5th Place How Does A Club Begin? Cathy Brandt, Author; Austin Gem & Mineral Soci-
ety, Carolyn Perkins, Editor
ADULT ARTICLES - ADVANCED
3rd Place There Once Was a Goat Named Käre – Over a Millennium of Mining at Falu
Gruve, Sweden, Dr. Nathalie Brandes, Author; Houston Gem & Mineral Society Phyllis
George, Editor
9th Place Relic Cretaceous Fossils from the Texas Panhandle, Albert J. Robb III, Author;
Houston Gem & Mineral Society, Phyllis George, Editor
Honorable Mention Rockin Out in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Paul Brandeis, Author;
Houston Gem & Mineral Society, Phyllis George, Editor
WRITTEN FEATURES
3rd Place Tourmaline, Charles Creekmur, Author; East Texas Gem & Mineral Society,
Kinney Polve, Editor
10th Place From the Editor’s Desk, Susan Burch, Author; East Texas Gem & Mineral So-
ciety, Susan Burch, Editor
Honorable Mention Mineral Group October Monthly Meeting, Kelly Ford, Author; East
Texas Gem & Mineral Society, Kinney Polve, Editor
ADULT POETRY
2nd Place Harvey Comes to Houston, Steve Blyskal & Sigrid Stewart, Authors; Houston
Gem & Mineral Society, Phyllis George, Editor
4th Place The Old “Rocks’n” Chair, Marilyn Gilbreath, Author; Austin Gem & Mineral
Society, Carolyn Perkins, Editor
6th Place A Lymric, Lynn Metcalf, Author; East Texas Gem & Mineral Society, Susan
Burch, Editor
Special Publications
3rd Place Resurfacing Diamond Wheels, Kinney Polve, Author; East Texas Gem & Min-
eral Society, Susan Burch, Editor
4th Place Baton Rouge Mini Maker Faire, Liz Burford, Author; Baton Rouge Gem & Min-
eral Society, Liz Burford, Editor
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 07 MAY-JUNE, 2018
SCFMS CONVENTION MEETING MINUTES, MAY 5, 2018
Meeting was called to order by Roger Burford at 1:10 pm
Pledge of Allegiance was led by Michael Zink
Invocation was led by Emerson Tucker
Welcome to Lubbock, Texas by President of the Lubbock Gem and Mineral Society Michael Zink. Michael wel-
comed everyone to Lubbock and explained a bit about the advertising/promoting that was done for this show.
He also thanked everyone for being here.
Roll call of Member Societies – Liz Burford, SCFMS Secretary. Liz explained that roll call would be handled a little
differently this year due to the fact that there seemed to be some confusion over the requirement of completing
the Delegate Form. Member Societies must notify in writing to the Secretary, its Director or Delegate 30 days
prior to annual convention (deadline was missed). Roll call was done by form. If Member Society is present and
signed form was not received, they must come up and sign.
The following Societies were represented:
Austin Gem & Mineral Society Baton Rouge Gem & Mineral Society DeRidder Gem & Mineral Society East Texas Gem & Mineral Society Fort Worth Gem & Mineral Club Fredricksburg Rockhounds Geological Society of San Antonio Gulf Coast Gem & Mineral Society Houston Gem & Mineral Society Lubbock Gem & Mineral Society Pleasant Oaks Gem & Mineral Club of Dallas, TX Rolling Rock – Arlington, TX Tri-City Gem & Mineral Society Waco Gem & Mineral Club Williamson Gem & Mineral Society BUSINESS MEETING:
Minutes from 2017 Meeting in Packet – correct Ed Ries spelling, Emerson Tucker took over Endowment fund
from female, not male. Motion to accept with changes from Betty Gosewehr, Second from Wanda Reynolds.
Motion was accepted.
Treasurer’s Report – in the packet. Motion to accept from David Fahrie. Second from Wanda Reynolds. Motion
was accepted.
Thank you to all who participated,
and congratulations to all of our
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 08 MAY-JUNE, 2018
Executive Secretary’s Report - in the packet – Motion to accept from Chip Burnette, Second from Wanda Rey-
nolds. Motion was accepted.
Executive Vice President Report – no report
District I - Steve Hilliard – He has attempted to contacted all the clubs – very little progress in that aspect. Fort
Worth responded, may 26 – 27, Dallas Nov 17 – 18, Fort Worth membership down but active, Dallas membership
is up. No response from other clubs. Motion to accept Jerrold Simpson, Second Wanda Reynolds. Motion ac-
cepted.
District II – Report in packet. Motion to accept Jerrold Simpson. Second Wanda Reynolds. Motion accepted.
District III – Report in packet. Motion to accept Chip Burnette. Second Lee Adams. Motion accepted.
District IV – Report in packet. Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Betty Gosewehr. Motion accepted.
District V – Report handout – Motion to accept Betty Gosewehr. Second Linda Simpson. Motion accepted.
District VI – Rolling Rock Club – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second David Fahrie. Motion accepted.
District VII – Arkansas – Report in packet – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Liz Burford. Motion ac-
cepted.
District VIII – Louisiana - Report Handout – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Liz Burford. Motion ac-
cepted.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
AFMS Scholarship Fund Report – Handout – Don Schurtz mentioned Virginia had him post a “Why do we have it”
type report to have posted on the web - really not part of the packet but it is relevant. Everyone should try to
read this. Motion to accept the report by Wanda Reynolds. Second by Lee Adams. Motion accepted.
Auditing – in the packet – Motion to accept Liz Burford. Second by Jerrold Simpson. Motion accepted
Budget Report – Handout – Jerrold Simpson explained the numbers briefly and stated he had Don Shurtz’s help with this report. Don commented membership numbers were derived from looking at linear projection over sev-eral years. Shiara Trumble asked if $6,000 would be needed from Endowment fund again next year. The re-sponse from Don was yes and would be for a few upcoming years. Susan Burch asked about status of discussion of SCFMS officers receiving travel expense money. Motion needs to be made to request information from every-body to get cost to travel to convention. Correction to budget report does not list District Vice President. It’s predicated on listing District Vice President. After Website Coordinator it should be” , district vice president)” Motion to accept as amended Wanda Reynolds. Second Walt Beneze. Motion to accept as corrected. Conservation & Legislation Committee – in the packet – motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Jerrold Simp-
son. Motion accepted.
Constitution & Bylaws Committee – nothing new to report
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 09 MAY-JUNE, 2018
Endowment Fund – Walt Beneze reviewed report in packet. Motion to accept. Wanda Reynolds. Second David
Fahrie. Motion Accepted.
Endowment Fund Treasurer – Shiara Trumble – presented at meeting. Change in value has gone down. Motion
to accept Betty Gosewehr. Second Wanda Reynolds. Motion accepted.
Shiara also requested Endowment Fund Treasurer continue to review the investments as necessary, move the
funds to other FDIC insured investments as necessary and continue to maintain a safe FDIC insured investment
portfolio. Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Emerson Tucker. Motion accepted.
Directory – Linda Simpson – Directory – had a really difficult time gathering info in a timely manner this year.
Really need to get and keep it accurate. Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Ling Shurtz. Motion ac-
cepted.
Rockhound of the Year– Chip Burnette – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Linda Simpson. Motion ac-
cepted. Chip Burnette added to this that if clubs do not get their information to him before December, he can-
not get the certificates from AMFS for that year. Once the year passes, that’s it.
Long Range Planning – Walt Beneze – in report – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Ling Shurtz. Motion
accepted.
Newsletter Editor – Susan Burch – in report – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Mike Zink. Motion ac-
cepted.
Show Coordinator position Vacant – Roger explained the position. After discussion, Linda Simpson volunteered
for the position.
Uniform Rules – no report in packet because nothing to report but Ron Carmen would like to request more help
from folks here in this SCFMS. Roger asked if a person interested in the Uniform Rules should also be a Judge.
Ron replied it was not required. Uniform Rules is available on www.amfed.org
Webmaster/Website Competition - report in packet with addendum passed out – Motion to accept David
Fahrie. Second Jerrold Simpson. Motion was accepted.
AFMS Endowment Fund Raffle – Joyce Speed – Report in packet – Motion to accept by Jerrold. Second by Liz Bur-
ford. Motion Accepted. Joyce has resigned this position. This position is now available.
Nominating Committee – report in packet – Motion to accept Wanda Reynolds. Second Jerrold Simpson. Mo-
tion accepted.
NEW BUSINESS:
Roger suggested reaching out to the clubs not represented at the meeting today. Contact others to get them to
come to the Federation meetings. This is a very poor representation of our region – only 1/3 present.
Scott Steelman requested that any club that is using a Privacy Policy, please forward a copy of theirs to him at
the Austin Gem & Mineral Society so they may review & possibly adopt it for their use.
Wanda Reynolds nominated Kinney Polve for District I Vice President to replace Steve Hilliard who they were
told was stepping down from his position. It was discovered Steve Hilliard did not have East Texas on his list of
clubs in his district. Therefore he was not reaching out to that club. Steve had no intention of resigning his posi-
tion and the nomination was withdrawn.
Scholarship Report was skipped over. The two scholarships that were awarded were given to Larry Tuttle and
Kyle Telpson both attend LSU and were chosen by Dr. Darryl J. Henry. Kyle is working on high temperature rocks
from Bear Tooth Mountain and Larry is working propylene to obtain the age and formation of wear it’s found.
Both of them are on Field Trips and were unable to make the meeting.
David Fahrie asked Roger to explain the process for electing the scholarship winners. He expressed concern of
possibility of bias when selecting the award winners. A principal, professor or someone of that authority is se-
lected and they get a plaque. They in turn go out and select two graduate students in the fields of Earth Sciences
or Paleontology. These particular scholarships are awarded from AFMS. The information is submitted to them
to approve. Each club has their own scholarship to award in their own way as long as it’s in the Earth Sciences
field. In Corpus Christi they have money that sits in their account because they cannot find anyone that meets
their criteria. In Fredicksburg, they have gone to the universities and asked the professors “What do you need?
What can we provide for you that the university does not?” They now pay for small equipment/parts that the
students normally would have to pay for.
Linda Simpson asked where the 2019 SCFMS Federation was being held and when. Also, who the contact is going
to be? Fredericksburg, January 19-20, 2019. Lee Adams is President. Virginia Adian said she would be the liai-
son. Lee Adams asked how many show cases and how much area will they need to allot. This is Fredericksburg’s
50th anniversary so it’s going to be super special.
Roger announced Susan Burch will be taking over as BEAC for Kimberly Brannon.
The President of AFMS is here today. She thanked everyone for the work we are all doing. We are the forerun-
ners for AFMS. Keep up the good work.
ADJOURNMENT
Roger Burford adjourned the meeting at 2:36 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted by
Liz Burford Secretary, SCFMS
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 10 MAY-JUNE, 2018
DEADLINE FOR THE JULY-AUGUST 2018
NEWSLETTER WILL BE JULY 10, 2018
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 11 MAY-JUNE, 2018
MANAGING DEADLINES (OR SO WHAT) By Susan Burch
During my years working for a newspaper, deadlines were an essential part of
everyday life. Miss the deadline to get your information to the printer and your
newspaper is pushed to the back of the line behind the other newspapers your
printer covers. That means your product is not available to go out to your read-
ership on time either. Unhappy customers are to be avoided at all costs.
Ever missed an important deadline? Had an article, a bill payment or an application due and totally forget? Where
the everyday components of life, whether a want or a need take your full attention above all else. It’s impossible
to count how many times this has happened to me and I hate to be late.
Recently, I read an article on this subject in an editors and publishers’ magazine which expounded on many is-
sues that can cause a deadline to be missed. It also had suggestions on fixing the problems causing it, however
most of them applied only to daily or weekly newspaper situations. Although, this subject has been on my mind
for some time, reading that article bumped it to the head of the line. So what, we are not editors or writers for a
newspaper, this is only a hobby, right?
What difference does it make when we miss deadlines in the hobby? We are not getting compensated for our time
here, so why worry about it? Every once in a while, we may receive an email or call from a member letting us
know how much they enjoyed the newsletter that month. These jewels of encouragement are so rewarding but
generally few and far between.
Deadlines, whether set by yourself or others serve an important purpose even when it’s ‘only a hobby’. Just as for
a newspaper, the end product is expected by your readership in a timely manner. Yeah, sometimes it may take a
little longer for them to miss it, and if you take a little too long to put it out, you may just receive a call or email
reminder (or gripe). However, that aside, our newsletters are an essential method of communication in our respec-
tive clubs. Those who read the newsletters we put out may be seeking information found in the Meeting Minutes
as they couldn’t make the meeting that month. They may be looking for the encouragement our president’s mes-
sages inspire in everyone to keep going, or even the highlights of what to look for in that issue, or what’s coming
up. Hopefully, they enjoy the articles others have written or ones the editor has spent copious amounts of time
seeking out, not only the information, but the permission to use said article. Or they could be anticipating the
show schedules for your area or perhaps an upcoming field trip.
Even if you are used to making deadlines to get your newsletter out, your
timetables can be thrown for a loop by something in your life coming up un-
expectedly or even one contributor not making their deadline. Illness or un-
foreseen occurrences can and will happen. Working on your newsletter in
small blocks of time may be necessary instead of being able to spend hours
on it all at once.
This being for a hobby, it’s generally not considered as high of a priority by
most people to get their stuff in on time. If your contributor holds an office,
their piece is generally an expected or even required part of the newsletter to
meet possible requirements in the Bylaws. This is not limited to newsletter
issues, it also applies to membership dues, insurance dues and turning in offi-
cer forms or reports. A delay in meeting a deadline can cause errors to be
made or even cost you or the club more money. It can definitely create a bot-
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 12 MAY-JUNE, 2018
tleneck or delay for others who have an obligation to meet deadlines stated in the Bylaws. Others who may also
be dealing with unforeseen issues or illness.
So, as an editor, what might you do to try to head off the issue? You’ve already printed the deadlines in previous
issues, a lot of the time, most deadlines are mentioned at meetings and such and yet, your contributors are still
missing them. Perhaps make it a little more prominent on the page to grab your readers attention. It takes a little
more of your time, but sometimes sending out an email or two in advance of the deadline or even placing a call
can help. This also applies to those who may need other information or payment for an aspect of our hobby.
In the years I’ve been an editor, I’ve had some contributors who are on the ball and get me their stuff before the
deadline. Thank you, members like you make our lives a little simpler. However, there may be those whose con-
tribution is still very appreciated, but they tend to always be late getting it in. If you happen to be a contributor to
one of these valuable publications, do you push your entry till the last minute or even days or more past the dead-
line? How might you help these volunteers to get the newsletter out in a timely manner? If you have a smart
phone or tablet, I’ve found setting alerts on my phone to really help. If your preference is for a good old calendar
hanging on the wall, then circle that date in bright red, lol. Allow yourself time to gather your information and
produce the best article or item you can. When it’s pushed to the last minute, content tends to suffer. Yet, each
contribution is a very valuable part of our newsletters.
It’s easy to allow life to get in the way of your fun and sometimes that is a necessary part of living. But your ef-
forts to help meet deadlines are a big part of keeping the hobby alive. So that said, please contribute more as there
is generally a dearth of content for editors to pick from locally. The local pieces are essential to give other mem-
bers a feel for your interests and may just inspire new ones to a greater participation themselves.
Whether you are an editor or writer, an officer or even just a member in the club, try to keep deadlines in mind.
The end result is an easier or even more enjoyable experience for you and others. If you happen to have any more
suggestions on meeting or helping others meet deadlines, please consider sharing it with me too.
A Devil’s Playground Underfoot in Ventura County As reported March 9 by the Ventura County Star, an under-
ground blaze has sizzled away for more than a decade in hills
above Fillmore. Here and there, just outside Los Padres Na-
tional Forest, wisps of smoke curl up from the ground. It’s
speculated that flames are kept burning by carbon-rich depos-
its and petroleum-based gas emissions that move through fis-
sures down below. A supply of oxygen provided by landslides
fuels the furnace, which topped 800°F during a study under-
taken in 2008. Covering an area estimated to be 6 acres, the
underground blaze seems to be growing, based on new infra-
red images taken during the Thomas Fire in December. Over
the years, it has sparked at least a half dozen surface fires.
Thus, every year firefighters bulldoze a zone around the area
to prevent the spread of any flames that make their way to the
surface from this little patch of the Devil’s playground.
GEOLOGY IN THE NEWS Reports spotted by Jim Brace-Thompson in recent newspapers
via Rockhound Rambling 04/2018; via Backbender’s Gazette 06/2018
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 13 MAY-JUNE, 2018
Earthquake Rocks Ventura!
Did you feel it? While most were enjoying lunch at 12:29 PM on Thursday, April 5, a magnitude 5.3 temblor
jolted Ventura for 10 seconds. VGMS member David Mautz was at work and saw shelves and water sprinkler
heads sway. I was in a car on my way to purchase strawberries for our club board meeting and missed the whole
experience thanks to good shock absorbers! The epicenter was 18 miles south of Santa Cruz Island off our
mainland. Earthquakes of this size occur about once a year in So-Cal, but many are centered in fairly unpopulated
areas. Little-to-no damage was reported in Ventura (where one homeowner was re-tiling his roof and reported
hearing “jangling”), but it sounds like the 300 visitors on the Channel Islands had a rocking good time with small
landsides and bricks shaken loose from chimneys. After our season of wildfires and mudslides, authorities re-
ported the quake to be “a wake-up call” for The Big One, so make sure your earthquake kit is stocked with fresh
food, water, and batteries!
Good Parenting among Pterosaurs—Or Not
Per a letter-to-the-editor in the March 9 issue of Science magazine, herpetolo-
gist Louis Somma says we cannot preclude the possibility of brooding and
other nesting behaviors among pterosaurs. He was responding to an earlier arti-
cle reporting on a remarkable discovery of fossilized parchment-like eggs with
remains of developing pterosaur embryos. That report compared the thin-
shelled eggs to those of reptiles that simply bury and abandon their eggs.
Somma disputes this and urges paleontologists to keep up the search for further
evidence via complete fossil nesting sites.
It Snows Orange in Eastern Europe?
Never doubt the power of wind to sculpt the surface of Earth! Thanks to a dip
in the jet stream that sent it down into northern Africa then back up into
Europe, on the weekend of March 24, folks from Russia to Romania awoke to
orange snow. The color was thanks to a dusting of Sahara Desert silt and sand
picked up by the wind and transported across the Mediterranean Sea. The long trail could be seen by NASA satel-
lites, like a muddy stream of water, bringing a bit of Africa as an early spring surprise for Europe.
LAPIDARY SOCIETIES ATTACKED BY INTERNET THIEVES by Mark Nelson, AFMS BEAC Chair
from T-Town Rockhound, 3/17; via The Tumbler 05/2018; via Backbender’s Gazette 06/2018
In the past two months, it has been reported to me that lapidary societies across the coun-
try are being targeted by thieves. The thieves study the society’s website to identify the
society president and treasurer and their email accounts. Then they craft an email which
masks the sender’s email, but lists the Sender (the society president) by name. The email
is directed to the society treasurer, mentions the treasurer by name, and directs the treas-
urer to send money to an individual or business in a hurry.
Mark relates two examples of such scams, and then lists these financial safeguards:
Be sure that a treasurer knows who is making the request for payment. In most email providers
such as AOL, if you click on the name of the person sending the email an email address will appear.
Immediately question any payment to a person or business who is unfamiliar to the treasurer.
Make sure that all requests for payments are accompanied by an invoice that can be verified.
Verify that the expense requested by the email is covered by the budget and is from a known vendor (expected) or
has previous specific Board approval.
Have all checks signed by two of the top elected executives who should also ask these questions.
When in doubt, pick up the phone and talk to the person requesting the check.
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 14 MAY-JUNE, 2018
EDITOR'S THOUGHTS ON FOSSILS LEADING UP THE NEXT ARTICLE. From Steve Johnson, editor of Mineral Minutes 04/2018; via Backbender’s Gazette 06/2018
There are five types of fossil categories which I will discuss in a
second. Since I deal with data in much of what I do at work, I was
thinking about the two as I walked to work this morning. I had
just read an article that morning on dinosaur tracks being found in
Scotland and that lead me to my line of thinking.
First let's think about data. When dealing with relational data, the
relationships that you encounter are: One to One, One to Many,
Many to One, Many to Many. Why was I thinking about this in
relation to fossils? You'll see.
The five categories of fossils are: (1) Mold and Cast Fossils, (2)
Petrification Fossils, (3) Whole Body Fossils, (4) Footprints and
Trackways, and (5) Coprolites.
Molds and casts are when a plant or animal is buried under layers
of sediment and decays leaving the impression of its body left in the rock forming around it. It is known as a mold
fossil. Sometimes the space left behind is filled with other sediment, forming a cast fossil. Most dinosaur bones
fall into the mold and cast category.
Petrification occurs when groundwater permeates the remains of an organism and replaces it with minerals. In re-
placement fossils, the body dissolves and minerals are left in its place. In permineralization, water enters the cells
of the organism and deposits minerals in the spaces inside them. Petrified wood is a permineralized fossil.
Whole Body Fossils. Whole body fossils occur when an entire organism, including soft tissues, is preserved. Ex-
amples include insects entombed in tree sap, which hardens to become amber, and mammoths encased in ice.
Footprints and Trackways are made by prehistoric animals walking through the soft sediments that sometimes
harden and become fossils. Several footprints occurring together and made by the same animal are referred to as a
trackway. Trackways may also include impressions made by other parts of the animal, such as the tail or snout.
And last but not least we have coprolites which are fossilized feces. Their location offers clues about where ani-
mals lived. Close examination of coprolites can also yield information about what the animals that produced them
ate.
Now, why data? One to one relationships are going to be the least common type of fossil. Petrification and whole
body fossils are one to one relationships. One to Many relationships are represented by footprints and trackways.
One individual or group of individuals can make hundreds or thousands of impressions. Coprolites...obviously one
to many!! Some Molds and cast can also be one to many. Consider trilobites...and since we live near the Chesa-
peake, we are generally familiar with crabs. Trilobites molted their shells as crabs do today. Most of the trilobites
we see at shows today are fossilized shells, not the whole creature. Thus one creature can produce many fossils in
its lifetime.
Just my thoughts while wandering to work. Now, here's the article...
DINOSAUR FOOTPRINTS DISCOVERED ON SCOTTISH ISLAND From Yahoo News, via Mineral Minutes 04/2018; via Backbender’s Gazette 06/2018
Dinosaur footprints dating back 170 million years have been discovered on a Scottish island and will help shed
light on the reptiles' evolution, the University of Edinburgh said on Tuesday.
The footprints are in a muddy, shallow lagoon on the Isle of Skye.
The largest print, left by a sauropod, measures 70 centimeters (28 inches) across. Long-necked sauropods were up
to two meters tall.
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 15 MAY-JUNE, 2018
"The find is globally important as it is rare evi-
dence of the Middle Jurassic period, from which
few fossil sites have been found around the
world," the university said in a statement.
Researchers are documenting about 50 footprints
in the area, including those of theropods -- an
ancestor of Tyrannosaurus Rex—which measure
around 50 centimeters across.
They used drone photographs to make a map of
the site.
Paige dePolo, who led the study, said the find
"demonstrates the presence of sauropods in this
part of the world through a longer timescale than
previously known".
The research was carried out in conjunction with
the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the findings have been published in the Scottish Journal of Geology.
A sauropod footprint discovered on the Scottish Isle of Skye, among a cluster of prints that date back 170 million
years (AFP Photo/Handout)
2019 SCFMS BULLETIN EDITORS CONTEST SCHEDULE DEADLINE: TUESDAY, November 2, 2018 ABSOLUTELY NO LATE ENTRIES!!! Send entries to: Susan Burch
10911 Holly Springs Drive
Houston, Texas 77042
SCFMS CONTEST SCHEDULE: November 2, 2018- Regional entries due to SCFMS BEAC for 2019 contest
November 9, 2018- SCFMS entries to regional judges
December 17, 2018- Judged entries returned to SCFMS BEAC
December 21, 2018- SCFMS top entries sent to AFMS.
December 31, 2018- AFMS DEADLINE
FIND INSTRUCTIONS, GUIDELINES, AND SCORESHEETS AT
http://www.scfms.net/editor_author_contest.htm
* Editors, please note: December 2017 newsletters will be eligible for the 2018 contest due to the truncated sched-
ule during the previous year. The November 2018 and December 2018 newsletters will be permitted during the
2020 contest. Please review announcements carefully as the contest approaches.
The duties of BEAC will be handed over to Susan Burch, SCFMS Editor. It has been a pleasure working
with all of you, and I look forward to COMPETING with you in the future! Kimberly Brannon, former BEAC.
If you have questions, they may be directed to Susan Burch (936) 615-5397 or [email protected].
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 16 MAY-JUNE, 2018
RULES AND GUIDELINES—
FOR THE 2019 BULLETIN EDITOR AND AUTHOR CONTEST
Note and follow the CONTEST DEADLINE!
All entries WITHOUT EXCEPTION are due (in the BEAC’s
hands) no later than the end of day November 2, 2018
All entries to the 2019 Bulletin Editor and Author Contest
must have been written and published within the 2018 Calendar
year or during December of 2017. Previously published material
will be disqualified. Articles published after a member has
passed will be disqualified. Entries must be submitted by club
editors or under the supervision of the current club editor!! Incomplete entries will be disqualified, as will one item at the
BEAC’s discretion if there are duplicate entries by the same author within a single category.
Please confirm that all Bulletins, Articles, Features, Poems, and Special Publications submitted for this competition are the
original work of your club member or have been properly cited/credited. These submissions may be reproduced, duplicated
or distributed for non-commercial use. If you know of any copyright restrictions or have reservations about work submitted
to this contest being published elsewhere, do not submit it.
YOUR DIGITAL COPY: One (1) digital copy of each entry, including completed score sheet, must be submitted in
PDF format on ONE DISK or thumb drive. Label the outside of disk with club name, editor’s name and a contact
phone number. Multiple paged entries for bulletins or longer articles should be submitted as one multipage pdf. You may
attach a score sheet/entry form as the first page or provide it separately. Please be certain to check mark SCFMS as your fed-
eration and complete all applicable areas on fillable score sheet prior to adding to document and finalizing your multipage
pdf. Create folders for each category entered and include all entries for each category within the corresponding folders. You
may title the files by author/editor name or date for bulletins. If you have difficulty meeting this requirement please call the
SCFMS BEAC prior to submission. This will be required in addition to the standard hard copies. Please be mindful of the
spelling of your authors’ names and feature or article titles, this information ends up on our winning trophies! If you make a
mistake, correct it and resave the information or reprint the forms (Do not cross it out and submit the page with the error, this
detracts from the entry).
YOUR PAPER SUBMISSION: Three (3) paper copies of each entry should be provided in the same format as they
were distributed to your club with completed score sheet on top. If your newsletter is copied double-sided, then the
EDITOR/AUTHOR ELIGIBILITY: All editors/authors are eligible to enter whether or not an entry was
submitted in the past and whether or not a first place trophy was awarded. The top three SCFMS winners in
each category will be forwarded to the AFMS to compete nationally. Any editor or author who has won
first place in the AFMS contest can enter the SCFMS contest, but will not be eligible to compete in the
AMFS contest in certain categories for the following two years. See AFMS contest guidelines for more de-
tail.
newsletter, article, etc., must be submitted double sided. No special printing in color if the version your members
receive is black and white. Send the appropriate page(s) from the bulletin for an article, feature, or poem. Cross out
portions of articles or material that may have appeared on the same page, but is not being submitted for judging.
This is helpful, but not required. If your newsletter is distributed exclusively by email or Web, a printed copy must
be submitted. The printed copy may be in color or black/white and single or double sided. Judges will be in-
structed not to give additional consideration to color-printed pages.
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 17 MAY-JUNE, 2018
It is with much pleasure that I can report that this year we have broken my record
for total sales of the Endowment Fund tickets. (and with the less prizes being of-
fered!) I first want to extend my gratitude to all who have donated prizes for this
years’ drawing. We had a total of 18 items, with the last one donated by our cur-
rent president Sandy Fuller at the convention. Second, thanks to all the represen-
tatives for selling the tickets! It isn’t easy selling tickets for items not yet donated!
Drum roll please ……… the EFMLS sold over 36% of the tickets with a total of
$1,155.00. Thanks to CarolynWeinberger for all her efforts! JC Moore of the Midwest Federation was close to
20% of the ticket sales! Many of the items won were picked up at the convention by either the winners themselves
or representatives of the winner – so luckily- I only have one item to ship!
And now for the winners:
The good news is that Doug True donated a large amethyst plate and metal stand for our 2019 Endowment Fund –
and I already have contributions from MWF of several spheres! So please start checking the website for the pic-
tures of the 2019 donations ( which will be posted shortly). Please remember we ask for all donations to be of a
minimum value of $75.00 and no more than 5 pounds (due to shipping costs that may be incurred).
As a reminder, The interest from the money generated is used for AMFS special projects, such as: junior badges;
judges training; and digitizing of slide programs – just to name a few!
THANKS again to all who have made this year successful!
SCFMS NEWSLETTER PAGE 18 MAY-JUNE, 2018
JOHN D. MCCLELLAN
FORT WORTH - John D. McClellan, 86, passed away Sunday, May 27, 2018, af-
ter church services.
Mr. McClellan was a longtime resident of Fort Worth. After honorably serving in
the U.S. Navy during the Korean War, John found his wife, Elsie, and married her
on Sept. 1, 1957, and promptly moved from Kentucky to start a family in Texas.
His entire career was in Aerospace Engineering with Convair, General Dynamics
and finally Lockheed Martin.
He enjoyed stained glass, golf with friends and crafts with Elsie. John was pre-
ceded in death by his son, Stephen D. McClellan and wife, Elsie L. McClellan.
Survivors: Son, Kenneth W. McClellan and wife, Michelle; daughter, Davina L.
McClellan; grandchildren, Caitlyn, Ian and Piper; brother, Jim E. McClellan; and
sister, Martha L. McCloud and husband, Robert.
Visitation was held May 30, at 6-8 p.m., at Greenwood Chapel, Greenwood Funeral Homes and Cremation, Cemetery,
Mausoleum, Florist, 3100 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth, TX 76107. Funeral was May 31, 1:30 p.m. held at the same.
