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- REGARDING THE ASSOCIATION
I think that Sande Skinner of Chicago has summed up the essence of the Association and the thought of a grand reunion:
"Three cheers for John B. III for pushing the idea of an Association. We've been too long without one - we need one - and it's time... I'll go anywhere to meet up with a pack of Skinners. Somewhere on our bodies (our backs, most likely), we should print out charts. We could put them on a large sheet of plain white contact paper and slap 'em on for the day. We would, of course, all look like clowns, but keeping the carnival atmosphere of a party uppermost in our minds, for the day it would be worth it! On our right arms we could use labels for females who married into the Skinners and left arm, male surnames that married into the Skinners. At a glance one would know whence one came and therefore cut out a lot of smalltalk!"
So, now for the association. What do we need to do? Well, for one, we need to start collecting information on everyone. Having a total database. So far I have been sending out requests for family group sheets and pedigrees. As this information comes in, I have been entering the data into the computer. Not right away, though. The turnover seems to be about 2 to 3 months. With going to school and working, I don't have scads of time to enter data. Plus, I do have to give some time to my kids. Nevertheless, over time you will be receiving data sheets to fill out or correct and then return to me. When I get it back I correct any mistakes, make any corrections, and then process a new set.
Next, we need to use the Update as a bulletin board of Skinner related events. Family picnics, reunions, announcements - whatever. Especially births, deaths, and marriages. We need to share new findings in the Update. We need to get those bits and pieces of information that don't seem to fit anywhere so that we can fit them in. The majority of information we have so far is split into two areas. One is descendants of Thomas of Malden. The other is loose ends. We have some information on the lines of John of Hartford and Richard & Susannah (Poulain) Skinner. This information is growing at a slow pace, but it is growing. The thing we need to do is get all the 'loose ends' connected to one of the three major Skinner lines (Thomas, John, and Richard).
Lastly, we need to come up with a Constitution and Bylaws. I have a model which to follow, but I think we should have input from the general membership. Are we to have officers and committees? Shall we have an annual meeting somewhere in the U.S., possibly changing location and rotating from east to west, north south, midwest...
We'll go with that for this issue, and next issue (Spring, '85) I'll print tentative Constitution and Bylaws. Please, we need your input.
Thanks...
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