Eight
Decades Old and Going Strong!
The
Elmira Stamp C1ub was organized as the Southern Tier Stamp Society
of Elmira in September 1926 at the office of Dr. Charles Haase, an
Elmira physician and surgeon who was elected the first president.
Stanley Bowyer was elected as the first secretary.
The
Southern Tier Stamp Society remained active with monthly meetings,
annual banquets, and other activities designed to promote philately,
particularly among juniors, until the early 1940s. In October 1930,
it became a chapter of the National Federation of Stamp Clubs and
in February 1940, became a founding member of the Federation of Central
New York Philatelic Societies, with members of the club holding offices
and working actively on the committees.
The
first directory published in 1941, shows that the membership had reached
28, with eight of the members listed as available speakers.
The
Society was reorganized as the Elmira Stamp Club in September 1944.
For a number of years it met three times monthly and thereafter, twice
monthly. In 1945 it commenced sponsorship of an annual philatelic
exhibition and on Oct. 19, 1947 received its charter as Chapter 237
of the American Philatelic Society at the banquet held in conjunction
with the club’s third annual philatelic exhibition.
Sponsorship of shows in downtown Elmira continued throughout the 1950s
and 1960s amend many prominent philatelists were brought to the area
as speakers and exhibitors. The last downtown show was in 1971 at
the Mark Twain Hotel with E. N. Sampson, a well-known authority on
postal history — particularly stampless covers, as the banquet
speaker.
The
first show to be sponsored by the club at the Arnot Mall was held
in October 1976 and has continued on an annual basis since that time.
It was known as the Elmira Stamp Show until 1985, when it became STEPEX,
an acronym for Southern Tier–Elmira Philatelic Exhibition.
The
club now has 96 dues paying members. Its business meetings are brief
and followed by a talk, slide presentation, or an auction. Guests
are always welcome. Members receive the Stamp Insider, a publication
of the Federation of New York Philatelic Societies that provides news
of stamp clubs throughout New York State and other articles of interest
to stamp collectors.
Club
meetings afford an opportunity for purchasing stamps from area dealers
and from circuits put up by stamp collectors. The club produces commemorative
covers to honor significant community events amend sponsors an annual
banquet, which usually is held in the fall, to present the awards
from STEPEX.
The
club has a library for further reading and research and offers its
members the opportunity to meet with other collectors and to work
with young people as they develop an interest in the hobby of stamp
collecting.
If
you don’t already belong, now is the time to join the Elmira
Stamp Club!
—
Alan Parsons
