FOR QUITE SOME TIME Ihave wanted to research theearly days of the NTA, how

it came about and the peopleinvolved. This was not anovernight thing because I toyedwith the idea and gatheredmaterial a long time before Iactually began to put myinformation in order. Readingthrough all the old letters,documents, etc., has been a trulyrewarding experience. I have noidea why I wanted to embark onsuch a task, but I felt compelled todo so. I’m truly glad I researchedthe early years and now that myterm as NTA president isbeginning, I’m also glad I didn’tput it off any longer.

Please bear with me while I tellyou a true story. I first heard of theNTA in a very odd way. Acustomer, Roy Rickard, came tomy shop with a brown trout to bemounted. (This was back in the1970s when I lived in Tennessee.)He said, “I heard old so-and-so upin such-and-such town say he wasa member of a taxidermy group ororganization called the NTA. Doyou know anything about anNTA?”

To which I replied, “I neverheard of any such thing. He’sprobably just blowin’ smoke for asales pitch or a gimmick.” Verytruthfully, at that point in my life Ihad never heard of the NTA,Piedmont Community College orthe state taxidermy associations. Itis simply amazing what I haveheard and learned about all threesince that conversation! What anexperience!

Like many other things, the NTA came about due to a need—theneed to learn more about taxidermy. I’m sure each person reading thisarticle as well as those who began their taxidermy careers in the 1950s,1960s or 1970s, knows how closely other taxidermists guarded theirsecrets and how the majority of established taxidermists treatednewcomers to the field. The need to learn was nationwide.

In the papers I have there is a sequence that led to the beginning ofthe NTA. In October of 1955 Charlie and Lola Haynes bought ataxidermy shop and went into the taxidermy business. They attemptedto learn more, but found it very difficult to get information from othertaxidermists. He and Lola learned most of their techniques throughtrial and error, along with some blood, sweat, and tears. They learnedto make some of their own forms as well as tanning formulas, fish filler,

maché, etc. After a period of time, other taxidermists began to takenotice of their quality of work. They began asking advice and askedthem to make forms for them. This led Charlie and Lola to start Nu-Tan Taxidermy Supply Company, and by 1965 they were supplyingtaxidermists throughout the United States. Taxidermists kept callingand asking for help on how to do this and that and Charlie and Lolakept helping. They always had an open door for those who wanted tolearn, and they spent countless hours showing and helping others.

Years went by, and finally Charlie and Lola realized there was moreout there than they could give. They often neglected their own work,and they began to discuss how they could come up with a plan thatwould help others without taking up so much of their own work time.They pondered on this for many months and on December 1, 1969,in the middle of the night, Charlie sat up on the side of the bed and

Page 80 BREAKTHROUGH Issue 115

HISTORYAt the NTA board meeting on October 6, 1973, Charlie

and Lola Haynes were both given life memberships in theNTA by the president Onno Van Veen and the board.

Charlie was awarded a plaque honoring him as founderand first president of the National Taxidermists

Association, founded April 8-9, 1972.

NATIONAL TAXIDERMISTS ASSOCIATION PART 1:

THE EARLY YEARS By Ralph Garland

Scenes from the firstNTA Convention,

September 1972, atthe Butler County

Fairgrounds inPoplar Bluff,

Arkansas

PearlHenderson

Richard Christoforo and Charlie Haynes

The Van Dykes: Bert, Linda, Margie

Sam and Lura Touchstone, Bev Davis

Reprinted from BREAKTHROUGHIssue 43, 1996

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woke Lola. Charlie haddreamed that they could call ameeting of taxidermists to cometo their shop and they wouldlearn from each other.

The more Charlie and Loladiscussed the dream, the morethey realized the need for abetter relationship between thetaxidermists of the UnitedStates. The “dream” was a goodidea and it just might work!They had no idea how to goabout the task of forming anassociation for taxidermists, soon December 11, 1969, Hayneswrote a letter to Tim Kelly, thenthe owner and editor ofAmerican Taxidermist Magazinein Albuquerque, New Mexico.Kelly answered Haynes’ letteron January 2, 1970, with apledge of assistance and severalthought provoking commentsand questions detailing thedifficulties involved.

Haynes was undaunted. Hewrote Kelly back asking aboutthe possibility of a tri-statetaxidermist association. OnFebruary 2, 1970, Timanswered again, offering to runany announcements, etc, inAmerican Taxidermist Magazine.He also gave Haynes the nameof a group in Georgia thatCharlie Fleming had beenpresident of in 1969. Thatgroup was called the GeorgiaProfessional TaxidermistsAssociation. He listed Fleming’saddress and on February 13,1970, Haynes wrote Fleming aletter, asking his advice and howthe Georgia association worked.On April 1, 1970, Fleminganswered Haynes’ letter andenclosed a copy of the proposedconstitution of the Georgiaassociation.

The Hayneses found twoareas in the proposed Georgia constitution that they saw fit to revisefor their use. They wanted an association that would encompass bothbeginning and established taxidermists; the Georgia Association onlyrecognized professional taxidermists. They also felt that the dues of theGeorgia Professional Taxidermists Association were too high for mostbeginners (initiation fee $25, annual dues $15).

On March 25, 1972, the Hayneses took action. It appeared there

was a need and interest, but they felt they were getting nowhere. Onthat day they sent out seventy invitations to taxidermists, asking themto attend a pilot meeting on April 8 and 9 at the Hayneses’ Nu-Tanand Taxidermy facility in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Of the seventy lettersthat were mailed, fifty taxidermists actually attended the pilot meetingof the NTA.

The Hayneses were actually worried as April 8 neared. What if the

BREAKTHROUGH Issue 115 Page 81

HISTORY

Charlie Haynes on the podium

at the first NTA convention

“Fifty taxidermists actually attend-

ed the pilot meeting of the NTA.”

080-083.Garland_NTA_Layout 1 10/6/14 2:44 PM Page 81

taxidermists stared daggers at each other? What if a real free-for-alldeveloped? But these thoughts were soon forgotten as people startedasking questions, and others started answering them, “I do it like…”Everyone seemed to have a good time. As she had done so many timesbefore when other taxidermists were visiting, when lunch time cameLola served sandwiches and drinks. The second day lunch wasfurnished by Charlie and Lola Haynes, Lloyd and Pearl Henderson,and Nort and Gladys Phillips.

By an odd quirk of circumstances, a farmer from a nearby towncame by with a two-headed calf that had been stillborn. He wantedCharlie and Lola to mount it, but because they were so covered upwith work, Charlie suggested that the farmer could take bids from theattending taxidermists. This would help both the farmer and anothertaxidermist. Pearl Henderson got the job, so with a sharp knife, Pearlskinned the calf right there in the workroom of Charlie’s and Lola’sshop. No one at the meeting had seen a two-headed calf before, andthe experience actually turned out to be the NTA’s first demonstration.

At this pilot meeting, taxidermists began to learn from one another.Before everyone left, a decision was made by a unanimous agreementthat an association of taxidermists would be formed and that it wouldbe called the National Taxidermists Association. (Note: neither Tim

Kelly nor Charlie Fleming could attend the pilot meeting, but they didbecome active later.)

Not only did the group decide upon the name of the organization,but they also decided that the headquarters would be at Charlie andLola Haynes’ place in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and that the dates for thefirst official NTA meeting would be September 16, 17 and 18, 1972.This meeting would be in conjunction with a taxidermy trade fair atImboden, Arkansas, at the county fairgrounds. It was also agreed thatall taxidermists, suppliers, magazine publishers, and conservationagents be invited. With this Charlie Haynes’ dream of December 1,1969, came true!

With the next scheduled meeting only five months away, Charlieand Lola began in dogged determination to set the wheels in motion.You must note that as of yet no membership dues had been taken andno donations had been given to Charlie and Lola to help in theirefforts to organize the NTA, yet they continued and persevered.

As stated earlier, the meeting was scheduled for Imboden, Arkansas,but upon learning the meeting was to be held through Sunday, thecitizenry said, “No way do we want a business meeting to be held hereon a Sunday.” So Lola contacted Mr. J.R. Baker, owner of the Call ofthe Wild Wildlife Museum in Poplar Bluff. Letters were sent outnotifying people of the change in location. Within a short time somany letters and calls of interest came in, it was decided the museumwould not be big enough for the expected turnout. With theexpectancy of a big crowd, the only place Charlie and Lola could turnto was the Butler County Fairgrounds at Poplar Bluff, owned by theJaycees. It also had the advantage of being near the municipal airportand would be convenient for those who would fly in to the meeting.

With this secured, final plans were made and another invitational letterwas sent out, informing the people of the third and final conventionsite. (I have a copy of that organizational letter which was sent toRichard Christoforo in Revere, Massachusetts.) Charlie and Lola alsosent letters to many of the fish and game commissions outlining theaims and objectives of the NTA and asked for their help.

In spite of the momentum that was beginning, very few actuallyoffered their help, and even less information was given on how to planand organize such an event. And yes, there was still much jealousy andsecrecy in some of the shops; they didn’t want any new competition.Some said there were already too many “cut-throat taxidermists” and“basements bandits” out there and it was also said that the wellestablished taxidermists didn’t need an association anyway. Some feltthat the NTA would fold.

At the meeting in Poplar Bluff, there were 16 display booths set upat a fee of $15 for a single and $25 for a double. Twenty-three stateswere represented and membership dues for the NTA were $7.50 peryear. Larry J. Atkinson of Kansas City, Missouri, was the first person tobecome a member of the NTA and Nicco Van Rooyan of South Africawas the first international member of the NTA.

On the evening of September 16, 1972, several members met in theevening at a savings and loan company bank building todiscuss the nomination of officers and plans for an electionthe next day. It was also decided at this meeting that a boardof directors should be selected from various states and thatnine board members would be elected for one year. The nextday on September 17th, Charlie Haynes was elected as thefirst president. Onno Van Veen, Bob Davis, Paul Schwarz,Norm Meyer, Charlie Fleming, L.J. Van Dyke, Ken Motyka,

Richard Christoforo, and Sam Touchstone were elected to the board.Wanda Cooper was picked by Mr. Haynes, with permission from theboard, to serve as the secretary/treasurer.

All expenses of the convention were paid for by Charlie and LolaHaynes and they were partially reimbursed as membership dues werepaid. There were 99 paid NTA members, some with families, whoattended the first NTA convention. It was decided that the nextconvention would be held in August of 1973 at a place to beannounced later. President Haynes was asked by the board to pick asite and chair the convention. The board also asked President Haynesto have the NTA incorporated in the state of Missouri. No one hadany information on a starting point or a source of information onincorporation an association such as the NTA, but Bob Davissuggested to start inquiring at the newspaper office. With all thisbefore them, Charlie and Lola set out to do what no one else haddone.

In reading through many letters and other documentation from theearly years, I can see that the NTA was formed by a nucleus ofconcerned taxidermists. It’s also very clear to see that the bulk of thework and the first efforts were put forth by Charles and Lola Haynes ofPoplar Bluff, Missouri. The dedicated work these two peopleperformed has led many to acknowledge them as the founders of theNTA, and I heartily agree.

I would like to acknowledge the help of Richard Christoforo ofRevere, Massachusetts, and Lola Haynes of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, forsupplying me with a box full of letters, notes, documentation, boardmeeting minutes, etc., that allowed me to present this article to you.Without their help I dare say I would still be searching. n

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HISTORY

“There were 99 paid NTA members,some with families, who attendedthe first NTA convention.”

Fish Forms

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