Dave Deutermann, Chapter 8 president welcomed chapter members to the first luncheon meeting of the year. Bitterly cold weather kept few away as this meeting is looked forward to along with the fine cuisine of the Johnson & Wales Inn. More than 200 members and guest attended. The mart set 50 tables for display, sales, silent auction and raffle. The latter was the domain of Joe Brown and Frank Menez . Some very choice items went quickly in the silent auction. Don't miss this opportunity for a real find.

A vigorous amount of teamwork kept things "in beat" with the help of Harold Lincoln, Wayne Paskerian, Larry Chelmow and the spouses who have been so kind to help now as in the past. Burt Kassap, 1^st vice president, with the help of others, rolled up his sleeves and got our seminar speakers set up and running. Wayne Paskerian, treasurer, had the task of registering all who attended and collecting dues from those who had not mailed them in. Don't forget your dues! And thanks as always to Ron Price for his photos and website management for Chapter 8 plus his seminar on websites.

An impressive array of rare and fine watches was displayed by 2^nd vice pres of the NAWCC, Tom McIntyre as part of his seminar "Barraud & Lunds, the Barraud family of watchmakers, their descendants and associates" more than 50 people enjoyed his A/V presentation and outstanding collection. At the luncheon Tom also reminded us of the importance of our reply to the question of merging the Museum and NAWCC Assoc. Please send in your votes. The merger will protect the non- profit status of both among other benefits.

Ron Price, our website manager, and most talented lecturer on A/V and digital camera equipment filled the meeting room with an excess of 60 people. His handouts were exceptionally well done and grabbed up by all. The best of it was his ability to simplify a subject foreign and confusing to many of us new to the "digital age". He also demonstrated his equipment and set-ups for digitally photographing watches, clocks, and more with the suggestions on controlling lighting and set ups with steady rests and tripods.

Our luncheon speaker was Dan Haff, longtime Chapter member and resident of Hingham, as was the subject of his talk, Edward Howard. Dan covered Howard's earliest career starting as a foundry apprentice casting iron plough blades, illustrating the talk with slides of his Hingham home plus those of his noteworthy Hingham contemporaries such as Joshua Wilder. The slides featured a number of superb tall case and other clocks still resident in Hingham, including one rescued from a 1930's electric conversion by Dana Blackwell. Dan finished his talk by pulling a strange object from a paper bag - an actual example of Howard's earliest apprenticeship castings of an iron plough blade.**

I'm convinced you are missing out if you don't include the Concord Museum in you're your list of things to do.

Just as a reminder Tom McIntyre made a plea for a "yes" vote on the proposed merger between NAWCC and the Museum.

-- Mal Greene, Secretary Chapt.8
The report of Dan Haff's presentation was contributed by Pres. Dave Deutermann, thanks Dave.